Chapter 408: The Land of Despair
"I..." Heavenly Snake's eyes gradually became respectful. "I am 'Heavenly Snake,' acting on the orders of 'Heavenly Dragon'... If necessary, I am permitted to kill anyone who gets in the way."
"What...?!" White Tiger's hoarse voice burst out. "I was waiting in front of the giant bell for those two youngsters, but I never expected to hear such an absurd joke..."
"S-So..." Heavenly Snake lowered his head and said, "If I have offended you... I apologize. I didn't know this was your territory..."
"Did Heavenly Dragon really say that?" White Tiger slowly approached Heavenly Snake, forcing him to step back repeatedly. "He said you could kill anyone at will...? Has he stopped heeding the master's words...?"
Just as Heavenly Snake's conviction wavered, the vines beneath the girls' feet rapidly withered, drying up and snapping within seconds.
They quickly gathered together, standing at a distance to observe this strange pair.
Now, they could neither stay nor flee.
"I don't know anything about a 'master'..." Heavenly Snake replied. "I only follow 'Heavenly Dragon's' arrangements..."
After hearing this, White Tiger slowly lifted his head and gazed at the empty space above, as if searching for someone in the air.
"What are you doing?" he asked. "You can create three thousand six hundred things called 'Dao,' yet you defy the master's orders and allow random killings... Don't you see the contradiction? Aren't you going to come down and explain yourself to me?"
But the sky remained silent, and White Tiger received no answer.
Heavenly Snake kept his head bowed respectfully, not daring to speak or look up.
"Tell me this..." White Tiger lowered his head to look Heavenly Snake in the eye. "Why did 'Heavenly Dragon' give this order? And why are you Celestial-level beings allowed to kill freely without initiating a 'game'?"
"I don't know the specifics..." Heavenly Snake said nervously, his voice low. "One night, 'Heavenly Dragon' was awakened by a tremendous bell sound. From that moment on, he couldn't sleep at night or eat during the day... He ordered us to find the person who triggered that bell."
"A tremendous bell sound...?" White Tiger frowned, the wrinkles on his face deepening. "I remember... I do remember..."
"Senior, you know about it?" Heavenly Snake looked up at White Tiger's expression. "Do you know who this 'Resonator' is? Do you know what his ability is?"
White Tiger was about to speak, then slowly closed his mouth.
He raised his hand and fiercely slapped 'Heavenly Snake' across the face.
*Smack!*
The sound of the slap was exceptionally loud, like a firecracker exploding right in front of their eyes.
Heavenly Snake's head twisted to the side from the force of the blow, but he quickly collected himself and lowered his head again.
"What do you think you are?" White Tiger sneered. "If 'Heavenly Dragon' has a problem, let him come and ask me face to face. Sending you here—is that meant to insult me?"
"Yes... yes... Senior, you're right..." Heavenly Snake's eyes turned cold, as if he had recorded this grievance in his heart. "I will inform 'Heavenly Dragon'..."
"Get lost." White Tiger said. "Remember that you are a 'Zodiac.' Your purpose is not to murder the innocent. I'll be waiting here for 'Heavenly Dragon.' If he wants to come, I'll be ready."
"Yes, yes, yes..." Heavenly Snake respectfully bowed to White Tiger. "I'll leave now... Sorry for disturbing you..."
Heavenly Snake turned his face, cast a cold glance at the girls, and then left the area.
But the people present could not yet relax, for 'White Tiger' was still there.
Where did he stand?
"Aren't you leaving?" White Tiger asked.
"Ah...?" Yun Yao was startled. "Yes, we should go too. Thank you very much for this."
"Don't thank me." White Tiger waved his hand. "You are 'Participants.' Your fate can only be to die horribly in the games... or to be trapped in an endless reincarnation here. That's how it should be..."
These few words sent chills down their spines.
"Old sir." Zhang Chenze gathered her courage and approached him. "May I ask, how can we 'Participants' possibly get out of here?"
"Getting out of here..." White Tiger's gaze gradually grew desolate. "Perhaps only he... only Qi Xia could do it..."
"Qi Xia...?"
Zhang Chenze and Ringo found it strange. Ever since they woke up today, it seemed everyone was looking for Qi Xia.
What had he done?
"Only by becoming a 'God'..." White Tiger coughed a few times, then reached up and scratched his messy, grayish-white hair. "Once a 'God' is created in this 'Paradise'... everyone will be liberated..."
"What...?" Zhang Chenze couldn't believe her ears. "Old sir, if we don't want to become a 'God'... can we just escape?"
"Escape...?" The old man paused. "Where would you escape to?"
"Back to the real world!"
"Ha..." White Tiger's lips curled into a grin, revealing the single tooth hanging in his hollow mouth. "Foolish child... what real world do you have left? You are destined to be born here and to die here."
Ringo silently lowered her head as well, her expression equally sorrowful.
"What do you mean...?" Yun Yao was stunned. "Didn't you just say that if someone becomes a 'God'... we could be liberated?"
"Haha..." White Tiger laughed. "Some people here have started to see through the truth... because someone has been telling a huge lie... No one can escape..."
Zhang Chenze's lips trembled. "Then what does the 'liberation' you mentioned... mean?"
"Liberation... Yes, you will be 'liberated'..." White Tiger nodded. "When someone passes all these trials and becomes a 'God,' you will no longer have to suffer this cycle of torment... You will be able to die forever, to forget all of this forever..."
"What did you say?!" Yun Yao felt her beliefs crumbling. "What do you mean, the real world doesn't exist... what do you mean, we are suffering a cycle of torment...?"
"No... I didn't say 'the real world doesn't exist'..." White Tiger shook his head, his eyes vacant. "I just said your real world doesn't exist anymore. So you must take heart... Your families are still there. Only you have disappeared from the world. Rest assured, rest assured."
"But... th-then..." Yun Yao wanted to ask something, but she was clearly crushed by this news, standing frozen in place, unable to speak a word.
"Every time he 'reshuffles,' the next batch comes in with new enthusiasm..." White Tiger smiled. "You should have realized this by now. This is what I call the 'cycle of torment.' Rather than holding on to your memories and suffering here forever, it's better to forget everything and live well. One less day of pain is one less day..."
"That's not right..." Zhang Chenze was stunned for a moment, then looked at White Tiger. "Old sir, you said earlier... 'Only Qi Xia could do it.' What does that mean? Is he the only one who can get out of here?"
"Him...?" White Tiger scratched his head again, his withered hair swaying back and forth. "He can't get out either. The only thing he can do is liberate everyone and bring an end to all of this."
"Do you mean..." Everyone present suddenly had the same thought.
"Correct..." White Tiger nodded. "He is the closest to being a 'God.' On the day he becomes one, the existence of all of you will lose its meaning. You will perish along with this place."
Hearing this, a dull thud echoed in the hearts of Zhang Chenze and Yun Yao.