Chapter 351: Split
"How strange..." Song Qi frowned at Chen Junnan. "Do you know Fifth Brother and Sixth Sister too?"
"I definitely know your Fifth Brother, just not sure about your Sixth Sister..." Chen Junnan looked around the room. "Hey? Where's Sister Dong? Should take her to see an old acquaintance..."
Yun Yao paused. "Chen Junnan... Do you only remember things up until today?"
"Today... before?" Chen Junnan sighed and walked to the window to check the sky.
Yeah, it was strange. He felt like he had just woken up, yet it was already afternoon?
"Xiao Chu... that ability... really sounds familiar." Chen Junnan turned back to stare at Chu Tianqiu with a deep expression.
"Is that so? Does it resemble someone you know?"
"You know exactly what I mean. Earlier you all were arguing about the leader of 'Heaven's Gate'—now it's clear you're the only one for it." Chen Junnan said with a hint of sarcasm. "This completely insane place... you're the most fit to lead it."
"How embarrassing." Chu Tianqiu smiled. "Since you say so, I'll reluctantly continue being the 'leader.'"
Chen Junnan let out a cold laugh and walked over to his own corpse. He stared at the body identical to him with a complicated expression, lost in thought.
After a moment, he felt the corpse's chest pocket and revealed a small smile. Seeing no one noticed, he quickly pocketed whatever was inside, then stood up and said to Song Qi: "Xiao Song, are you going back?"
"That's right." Song Qi nodded. "This is just a mission. Now it's done, no need to stay."
"Let's go together then." Chen Junnan said. "We'll pick up Sister Dong on the way."
He turned back and asked: "Anyone know which direction Sister Dong went?"
No one at the scene had any idea. Dr. Zhao and Han Yimo exchanged glances and whispered: "A few of the girls went with Su Shan to join a game... heading to 'Earth Grade'..."
"Su Shan..." Song Qi's eyes flickered. "The person we dug for several times and never found—she's also following Chu Tianqiu now...?"
"Don't get the wrong idea." Chen Junnan said. "How could Su Shan follow Xiao Chu...? She's clearly with our old Qi."
Yun Yao looked at Chen Junnan. The way he spoke, that contemptuous expression...
He seemed like himself, yet he was a completely new person.
Chu Tianqiu wasn't offended by Chen Junnan's words. He just nodded and smiled: "Yes, I don't know that Miss Su Shan, so she can't be considered as following me."
"Don't bother with him." Chen Junnan said. "Xiao Song, let's go."
"Wait..." A voice stopped Chen Junnan.
He turned back and saw Xu Qian.
"What?" Chen Junnan asked. "Something?"
"You..." Xu Qian hesitated, looked at the corpse and then at Chen Junnan, asking tentatively: "Don't you remember me?"
"Don't remember...?" Chen Junnan paused for a few seconds, then looked Xu Qian up and down. "It's not compulsory for me to remember every gorgeous woman in the 'End of the World,' right?"
Xu Qian's eyes flickered, then she slowly lowered her head. What was going on?
Was the man in front of her still Chen Junnan?
Xu Qian felt as if all her memories with Chen Junnan had fallen into a crack.
In all of the 'End of the World,' 'Resonance' allowed one to retain memories. Without it, memories were lost.
But the Chen Junnan in front of her had 'skipped over' the memories with her. If he were revived again next time, he still wouldn't remember anything that had happened.
Chen Junnan looked at the woman before him, confused. After a moment, he turned to pat Song Qi on the shoulder and softly said 'Let's go,' then pushed him out the door. The two quickly disappeared down the corridor.
The expressions of those remaining were unnatural. Yun Yao was undoubtedly the most upset.
Everything happening was beyond her expectations. Her mind was in chaos.
How could Chu Tianqiu 'replicate' Chen Junnan?
His 'Resonance' was supposed to only trigger when he witnessed 'The End,' yet now he had replicated a brand new Chen Junnan in front of everyone.
What had he just eaten?
How did he kill an Earth Grade?
Yun Yao had countless questions for Chu Tianqiu, but she knew—he had changed.
In the last three cycles, 'Heaven's Gate' had been thrown into chaos by that man.
"Yun Yao..." Chu Tianqiu said her name, then looked around the room. Seeing that no one supported her now, he smiled slightly. "You just lost your head this time. Everything you said was unintentional, right? We'll still be good partners and comrades from now on."
Yun Yao thought for a few seconds, then her expression hardened.
"Chu Tianqiu, nothing I said was unintentional." She replied. "Since you'll continue to lead 'Heaven's Gate,' I'm leaving as of today."
The evening hot, putrid wind of the 'End of the World' blew in through the window, brushing over Yun Yao's expressionless face.
"Huh?" Chu Tianqiu was slightly stunned, his eyes seeming different from before. "Yun Yao... leaving now—aren't you regretful? We once promised to..."
"Not regretful." Yun Yao said firmly. "After seeing your actions today, I'm more convinced than ever that following you will never get us out. The Chu Tianqiu I knew is dead. The one alive now is a madman I don't recognize. He treats lives like trash. He silently replicates comrades. I find it deeply upsetting."
Hearing this, Chu Tianqiu showed obvious suppressed disappointment. "Then... what do you want?"
"Like you said, I can go out and establish a second organization." Yun Yao walked to the table and grabbed the Earth Snake's head. "From now on, I will carry out 'Heaven's Gate's' original vision myself. Let there be no more 'Zodiacs' in this world, and give the 'Participants' a pure land. If I fail one day and become an 'Original Resident,' I'll have nothing to do with you."
Chu Tianqiu frowned, grabbed Yun Yao's arm, and whispered seriously: "What nonsense are you talking? Don't you realize there are outsiders present...?"
"It doesn't matter." Yun Yao said firmly. "The 'Extreme Path' will find out about me sooner or later. Rather than hiding, I'd rather make it clear now."
She turned to look at Yan Zhichun, who was smiling, and asked: "'Extreme Path,' has your goal changed now? Are you going to kill me?"
Yan Zhichun smiled. "No, I'm not against killing 'Zodiacs.' Besides, you've already 'Resonated.' Killing you would be pointless."