Chapter 235: Nemesis
Qiao Jiajin chuckled. "Why so serious? Is everyone going to kill someone?"
"Hey, let go." Jin Yuanxun said. "Do you want to die too?"
Hearing this, Qiao Jiajin didn't let go. Instead, his expression turned serious.
He slowly extended three fingers and pinched Jin Yuanxun's collarbone. This action made Jin Yuanxun feel something was wrong.
"Pretty boy, explain something to me. Is that how you use the word 'too'?"
"What... I..." Jin Yuanxun's expression turned a bit aggrieved. "I'm from the Joseon tribe! My Chinese isn't good! Don't..."
"Under what circumstances do you normally use 'too'?" Qiao Jiajin asked. "My Mandarin is also very poor, so I want you to explain."
Jin Yuanxun frowned and said, "How could I possibly know that clearly? I used to only speak Joseon language..."
"Pretty boy, clench your teeth!" Qiao Jiajin shouted.
"Huh?"
"Clench them tight!"
Before Jin Yuanxun could react, Qiao Jiajin hooked his collarbone, swept his leg quickly at the base, and slammed him heavily onto the ground.
His entire back hit the floor, making a crisp sound.
If he hadn't clenched his teeth, Jin Yuanxun's tongue would probably be bitten off by now.
"Aish, shibal..." He lay on the ground, cursing under his breath in pain.
Chen Junnan watched Qiao Jiajin's clean and efficient movements, smiled helplessly, and shook his head.
This feeling made him feel as if he had traveled back seven years.
Although he had taken down Jin Yuanxun, Qiao Jiajin didn't know what to do next.
Someone was now holding a knife to Chu Tianqiu's throat. Should he stop him?
But the other party really seemed to have killed someone. A life for a life was certainly correct, but who was actually right?
He turned his head and saw Zhang Shan and Yun Yao beside him.
Strangely enough, the two who had always been the most protective of Chu Tianqiu now showed no reaction at all, merely watching coldly from the sidelines.
"Fist, let them go." Qi Xia said.
"What?"
"There's no need to watch. This is between me and Chu Tianqiu." Qi Xia looked up and said. "Don't worry, we'll just get some answers. No one's going to kill anyone."
Upon hearing this, Yun Yao turned around on her own and pulled Tian Tian along. "Tian Tian, let's go."
"Huh...?" Tian Tian was confused. "Is this okay?"
"Leave the petty men's affairs alone. The more you meddle, the messier it gets."
Yun Yao, holding Tian Tian's hand, pushed through the crowd and left.
Zhang Shan sighed helplessly, then led Old Lv and Little Glasses away as well.
Qiao Jiajin immediately went along with it, grinning as he pushed everyone out of the room and closed the door.
Only the people who had come out with Qi Xia remained in the room, plus Jin Yuanxun.
"I understand now..." Chu Tianqiu suddenly let out a cold laugh. "Qi Xia... you did this on purpose?"
"Oh?" Qi Xia raised an eyebrow, then picked up a chair and sat down. "I don't know what you mean."
"How could you not know..." Chu Tianqiu turned his head, revealing a ferocious grin. "You've really planned this well... a suicide scene this obvious, you couldn't possibly have missed it."
"And so?"
"So you—"
Before he could finish, Chen Junnan's dagger slowly approached Chu Tianqiu's neck. "You little brat, stop asking stupid questions. Look me in the eye. You think I don't dare to kill you?"
This man exuded a faint, unsettling aura from his very being. His eyes didn't look like he was lying.
He really dared to kill someone here.
Chu Tianqiu swallowed his saliva and said, "What do you want?"
Hearing this, Qi Xia couldn't help but want to thank Chen Junnan.
He was right. If you want to subdue Chu Tianqiu the fastest way possible, you have to throw all reason out the window and just put a knife to his throat.
Qi Xia thought for a moment and said, "I want the method to meet the 'Heavenly Level,' plus two thousand nine hundred 'Dao.'"
"I can give you the 'Dao'..." Chu Tianqiu replied. "But I don't know the method to meet the 'Heavenly Level'..."
"You've been wandering the 'Land of the End' for two years..." Qi Xia said coldly. "And you've really never met the 'Heavenly Level'?"
"Qi Xia..." Chu Tianqiu shook his head. "Have you forgotten my 'goal'? 'Earth Level' zodiacs are enough to achieve my purpose. Why would I go and provoke the 'Heavenly Level'?"
"Fine, I'll take your word for it." Qi Xia said. "Then I'll just take the 'Dao.' Have Jin Yuanxun go get it now."
"Now?" Chu Tianqiu was stunned. "You want it right now?"
"What do you mean 'right now'?" Chen Junnan pressed the knife closer to Chu Tianqiu's neck, then reached out with his other hand to slap Chu Tianqiu's face. With each slap, he spat out a word. "You-fucking-can't-understand?"
This man seemed to be Chu Tianqiu's natural nemesis.
"Fine..." Chu Tianqiu swallowed his saliva. "Calm down. I already agreed to give the 'Dao' to Qi Xia... There's no need for this."
"Five minutes." Qi Xia said. "That's enough, right?"
"That's a bit tight on time." Chu Tianqiu replied.
Chen Junnan nodded. "Three and a half minutes. Is that enough?"
"Enough." Chu Tianqiu nodded decisively. "Jin Yuanxun, come here. I'll tell you the location."
"No need." Qi Xia shook his head. "Say it out loud right here."
Chu Tianqiu's expression grew heavy as he thought for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Your team members are too mixed. If I say it here... it's no different from killing me directly..."
"That's not for me to worry about." Qi Xia said.
"Fine..." Chu Tianqiu gritted his teeth and said. "Jin Yuanxun, the cemetery behind the school. The third tomb from the left, with the name 'Chu Tianqiu' on it. Push the tombstone over. There's a secret passage underneath..."
"What?" Jin Yuanxun was stunned.
"There's a cabinet opposite the dining table. Inside are burlap sacks filled with 'Dao'—two big sacks, total of two thousand nine hundred."
After hearing this, Qi Xia let out another cold laugh.
Sure enough. This was no different from killing Chu Tianqiu.
There weren't only people from the 'Extreme Path' in the room, but also Su Shan, who had just recently joined. Chu Tianqiu exposing his hiding place in front of everyone was undoubtedly fatal to him.
"Chu Tianqiu, you should know I'm going crazy." Qi Xia said with a smile. "I don't need to tell you not to try and fool us with fake 'Dao.' Even if you give us two thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine, we'll kill you without hesitation."
"Relax." Chu Tianqiu slowly closed his eyes. "Our cooperation is mutual. Right now, it's 'honesty for honesty.' Let Jin Yuanxun go get it."
"Brother Chu, I understand. I'll go right away." Jin Yuanxun nodded and left the room.
"Really, you never change..." Qi Xia nodded. "To study the corpses better, you live directly in the cemetery?"
Chu Tianqiu's expression darkened, and he remained silent.
"Qi Xia, what good will getting two thousand nine hundred 'Dao' do you?" Chu Tianqiu shifted his body, trying to lie as flat as possible. "Can you even protect the 'Dao'? There's an 'Extremist' right beside you. With a single thought, she could destroy all your hope of getting out."
"You don't need to worry about that." Qi Xia said. "Just bring me the 'Dao.' From now on, we'll still be the best of partners."
The atmosphere grew quiet.
The people around looked at Qi Xia and this newcomer, Chen Junnan, in confusion.
What exactly was happening?
Was Yu Nian'an really a suicide?
Chen Junnan yawned out of boredom, then extended his index finger and tapped his own temple, asking, "Oh, by the way, Little Chu, does it still hurt here? Have you been sleeping well lately?"
"What?!" Chu Tianqiu's eyes shot wide open.
"The Little Chu who used to be so slick has suddenly transformed into a leader now. You really are something..." Chen Junnan reached out again and slapped Chu Tianqiu's face harshly.