Chapter 292: Snake, Tiger, Sheep
“You’re right…” Ground Sheep nodded. “The reason humans have been able to keep developing is because of the transmission of memories.”
“So…” Human Snake patted Ground Tiger on the back. “Even if he’s Brother Sheep, without memories…”
“Damn it! That’s not right!” Ground Tiger suddenly shouted, the immense volume of his voice knocking Human Snake straight to the ground. He hurriedly turned back to help him up, carefully examining him. “Sorry about that… Dead Snake, are you still alive?”
“Are you really trying to kill me…?”
“No, no, no, no…” Ground Tiger shook his head vigorously. “I feel like what you guys said is wrong! You almost led me astray!”
Ground Sheep was slightly taken aback. “What do you mean?”
“He… he remembers me!!” Ground Tiger gestured wildly with both hands. “I—I last saw Brother Sheep ten days ago! And he still remembered me after ten days!!”
Ground Tiger thought he had made himself clear enough, and believed this point would prove that Qi Xia was capable of destroying the place. But he never expected that Ground Sheep and Human Snake’s expressions would gradually darken.
“What’s wrong with you two?” Ground Tiger said. “Isn’t this a good thing?!”
“You dumb tiger…” Human Snake shook his head helplessly. “If that person remembers you… doesn’t that directly prove he definitely isn’t Brother Sheep?”
“Uh…” Ground Tiger also felt his own reasoning was contradictory.
Back then, before the white Ground Sheep became a “Zodiac,” he was famously known as “Never Echoing.” How could he possibly remember things now?
“Could it be… could Brother Sheep have used some scheme…?” Ground Tiger pondered briefly before quickly arriving at an answer. “What if Brother Sheep already knew he couldn’t become a ‘Heavenly-level,’ but would instead become a ‘Participant,’ so he used a strategy that allowed him to ‘Echo’?”
Human Snake and Ground Sheep exchanged glances, feeling this reasoning was far too forced.
“Why are you so sure that person is Brother Sheep?” Ground Sheep shook his head. “Although they look very similar… the most direct evidence now proves he isn’t the same person as Brother Sheep. If he could make himself ‘Echo,’ he should have acted before becoming ‘Sheep.’”
“But… but they are just too alike.” Ground Tiger stared wide-eyed. “They are definitely the same person… I… I have a special feeling… When I talk to him, I often think of how he was when I first met Brother Sheep…”
“Don’t be naive.” Ground Sheep sighed. “We should accept that Brother Sheep is already gone. He’s no longer in the ‘Land of the End.’ Can you stop chasing shadows?”
“You damn Blackie… don’t you believe me? I really feel he didn’t become ‘Heavenly Sheep.’” Ground Tiger looked up with a hesitant expression. “You know, Blackie… all the things Brother Sheep promised me—he never fulfilled a single one. That’s too abnormal. If the ‘Heavenly-level’ could really come and go freely here, no matter what, he would have…”
“Have you ever considered…” Ground Sheep turned around and interrupted, “Exactly how important are you in Brother Sheep’s heart? Why would he have to do all the things he promised you?”
“I… but…” Ground Tiger still shook his head, his expression gradually turning aggrieved. “Brother Sheep always kept every promise he made to me… except this time…”
“That’s why I said don’t be foolish.” Ground Sheep snapped coldly. “Instead of obsessing over these things, you’d be better off killing enough people—three thousand six hundred—to become ‘Heavenly.’ As for whether that man named Qi Xia is Brother Sheep… I still reserve my judgment.”
“What?” Human Snake was startled. “What did you just say that man’s name was?!”
The two Ground-level “Zodiacs” seemed to be in the middle of a heated argument, and neither paid any attention to Human Snake.
“Damn Blackie… Do you think I’m like you…? As soon as Brother Sheep left, you scrambled to climb up the ranks.” Ground Tiger gritted his teeth and retorted to Ground Sheep. “Really cold-blooded. Now you’re comfortable… the only Ground Sheep in the entire ‘Land of the End,’ right?”
“What do you mean?” Ground Sheep slowly turned around. “You can’t find Brother Sheep yourself, so you’re going to take it out on me?”
“I just can’t stand you.” Ground Tiger said. “Back when Brother Sheep was around, I couldn’t do anything to you. Later, you became a ‘Ground-level’ and had the upper hand over me. But now it’s fine… we’re on the same level.”
“So what?”
“So how about we fight?” Ground Tiger sneered angrily. “Let’s settle all the old grudges between us.”
“Are you insane?” Ground Sheep frowned, his black fur trembling at that moment. “What the hell do you think about all day? You want to fight me here?”
“What? Scared?” Ground Tiger took a step forward. “We’re both ‘Ground-level.’ You think you can beat me?”
“Stop messing around. Get out of the way.” Ground Sheep said, suppressing his anger. “If we two fight, one of us is definitely going to die.”
“Then let one die. It won’t be me anyway.”
Human Snake felt the tension was far too heavy, so he quickly stepped forward and stood between them.
“Hey, that’s enough, you two…” He placed his hands on their shoulders, sensing the situation was extremely dangerous.
If these two actually started fighting here, it would clearly be a “Ground-level war,” and he would surely die without a burial place.
After all, the three of them had years of friendship. Mutual destruction was definitely the worst outcome.
“Do me a favor…” Human Snake said in a low voice. “I don’t care which one of you dies, but if you fight, I will definitely die.”
“Dead Snake, get out of the way.” Ground Tiger said. “This has nothing to do with you. Today, I’m going to tear this usurper Blackie apart.”
“Usurper?” Ground Sheep, who had been suppressing his anger, suddenly exploded. “You call me a usurper?! Do you think you’re the only one in this world who cares about Brother Sheep?”
“Tiger… Old Sheep… calm down first…” Human Snake kept patting both their shoulders. “I have an idea now… Do you want to hear it?”
“I don’t want to hear it. I’m going to beat him to death today.” Ground Tiger said. “Dead Snake, run away quickly. I can’t fight with you here.”
“Right.” Ground Sheep nodded. “You should leave. This situation is beyond your control today.”
“At least give me thirty seconds to say my piece.” Human Snake said. “After I finish, you two can fight however you like. Even if one of you dies, I won’t care anymore.”
The two suppressed their anger and turned to look at him.
“That Qi Xia… I’ve met him too.” Human Snake said. “Do you still remember that I’m now a ‘Helper’?”
“Get to the point.” Ground Tiger said.
“Fine.” Human Snake nodded. “Originally, I was supposed to pull the lever directly to help the people who passed the interview in my room survive. But on a whim, I asked them a few questions… I found that the man named Qi Xia could answer every one of the difficult questions left by Brother Sheep…”
“What does that prove?” Ground Sheep asked.
“If you’re willing to wait… next time, I have a foolproof method to test whether Qi Xia is Brother Sheep…”
He pulled out from his bosom the cherished little notebook, which still contained ninety-six puzzles.
“If he can answer all of them correctly in one go, then he must be Brother Sheep.”