Chapter 260: Your Life
Qi Xia glanced at the electronic clock on the wall. The game had already been running for fifty-seven minutes.
In three minutes, the second "replenishment" would arrive.
But the current situation was grim. If Qi Xia's guess was correct, none of the people present would be able to produce even a single "Dao" anymore. So how would the replenishment proceed?
During this time, four more teams had escaped. Qi Xia did the math—there were thirty-two people left on the field.
Theoretically, at most twenty-two "Sorrow" fans remained.
"No…"
Qi Xia's lips curled into a smirk. That square-faced man from earlier had been deceived by him, putting in "Sorrow" twice in a row at the machine.
That meant only twenty "Sorrow" fans were left "on the market."
When the clock hit sixty minutes, Di Yang looked down and started rummaging again.
This time, he didn't pull out a huge tote bag. Instead, he took out a small pouch.
Then, from the pouch, he produced four folding fans, opening them one by one and laying them out on the table.
One each of "Joy," "Anger," "Sorrow," and "Delight."
While everyone was puzzled, he picked up the small blackboard, wiped off the writing with a handkerchief, then pulled chalk from his breast pocket and carefully wrote another sentence. Finally, he tossed the chalk onto the table.
The crowd looked at the blackboard. It read: "Each folding fan trades for two folding fans."
The wording was awkward, but everyone understood the meaning.
Exchange two fans for one of the fans on the table?
Qi Xia understood that this rule suited participants like himself who started with three identical fans. Otherwise, it would be hard for anyone to willingly trade two fans for one.
Qi Xia shook his head and was about to leave when something struck him.
"Wait…" He turned back, examining the bizarre scene.
The blackboard, the table, the folding fans, Di Yang.
Di Yang was clearly a participant… yet he was boldly running a business here?
What right did he have to replenish everyone's fans?
"So that's it…?"
Qi Xia made a bold assumption.
Whether it was the fifty-two fans in the first round or the four fans now—they should all be free.
This little blackboard was a trap. If it were part of the "rules," it shouldn't have been handwritten. That was obviously improvised.
Since Di Yang had first appeared as a referee, no one dared to defy him. So whether it was three "Dao" for one fan or two fans for one, everything would end up in Di Yang's pocket.
This was his scam in this game.
Qi Xia took a deep breath and slowly walked over to the table.
When Di Yang saw someone approaching, he gave Qi Xia a flat look and uttered a few words: "Feel free to choose."
Qi Xia nodded. Instead of picking up a fan from the table, he picked up the chalk.
Di Yang furrowed his brow slightly and asked, "What are you doing?"
"Same as you," Qi Xia replied.
This made Di Yang narrow his eyes.
Qi Xia held the chalk in his hand, walked to the far side away from Di Yang, and wrote on the ground: "One fan for one fan."
Then he opened the four fans that weren't "Sorrow" and tossed them onto the ground. After a moment's thought, he pulled out his knife and stuck it into the ground in front of him.
Qi Xia's strange behavior soon caught the attention of others.
"Hey, that guy over there is trading one for one!"
"He's cheaper than Di Yang!"
Many people gathered around Qi Xia, finding four fans laid out in front of him.
Joy, Anger, Anger, Delight.
Except for "Sorrow," he had all three other suits.
The knife stuck in the ground in front of him made it clear he wasn't to be trifled with.
An elderly woman eyed Qi Xia suspiciously and asked, "Can I trade anything?"
"Yes," Qi Xia nodded. "All fans are available for trade."
"Can I trade my 'Joy' for one of your 'Anger'?" the woman asked again.
"Of course," Qi Xia nodded, picking up the "Anger" fan. "Here."
Seeing Qi Xia so willing, the woman hesitantly handed over her "Joy" fan in exchange for the "Anger."
Qi Xia nodded and placed the newly acquired "Joy" fan on the ground.
"Everyone, my exchange will last for half an hour," he announced to the crowd. "When the time is up, or when I decide to stop, this stall will close."
Seeing this, Di Yang slowly left the table and walked over to Qi Xia's stall.
The onlookers parted to make way as Di Yang approached.
Qi Xia stood up slowly, meeting Di Yang's gaze.
"Are you tired of living?" Di Yang asked.
"Before I came here, I already settled my final affairs. Do you think I'm afraid of threats?" Qi Xia replied.
A flicker of killing intent passed through Di Yang's usually flat eyes. He knew this man had seen through the game.
The two stood only half a meter apart, the atmosphere oppressive.
Di Yang took a breath and said, "Pack up your stall, or I'll show you no mercy."
"No mercy?" A trace of killing intent also flashed in Qi Xia's eyes. "Do you think I'd show you any?"
"What?"
"Others are after 'Dao,' but what I want more is that hide of yours," Qi Xia said with a smile. "Once I have that hide, I can see the person I want to see."
Di Yang sensed danger. Qi Xia's lips moved, and he slowly uttered, "Di Yang, I want to gamble with you…"
Before he could finish, Di Yang's black-furred hand clamped hard over Qi Xia's mouth. Gripping his jaw, he made it difficult for Qi Xia to breathe.
"Kid… have you lost your mind?!" Di Yang glared, asking, "Do you know what level I am?"
Qi Xia couldn't speak, but his eyes still held a hint of mockery, making Di Yang feel extreme danger.
What kind of look was that?
Di Yang applied a little more pressure with his hand. He felt he needed to kill this man immediately…
Qi Xia slowly reached into his pocket, pulled out a fan, and with a *snap*, opened it in front of Di Yang.
The fan bore a large character: "Sorrow"!
This deeply insulting gesture made Di Yang's eyes bloodshot with rage.
"Who are you…?" Di Yang leaned in, asking softly. "A man who hasn't even achieved 'Echo' yet wants to gamble his life with me… How dare you?"
Qi Xia shook his head forcefully, and Di Yang released his grip.
He coughed a couple of times, slowly raised his head, and smiled. "'Echo'…? I don't need such a thing to walk through the 'Land of the End'... That thing only disturbs me…"
Di Yang looked at the man before him, puzzled. He hesitated.
He felt a very familiar aura emanating from this man.
Cold, dangerous, manic… How familiar was this?
"You…" Di Yang finally choked out a sentence. "Do you know what a dangerous path you've chosen?"
"Of course I do!" Qi Xia snapped. "There are many paths in this world, and each person has their own!"
Di Yang's eyes widened. He stepped forward and grabbed Qi Xia by the collar. "Who taught you that sentence!?"
"Oh?" Qi Xia's lips curled up. "If you want to know… why don't you come and have a proper duel with me?"