Chapter 420: Heart's Voice
"Heh heh..." Tian She cracked a grin. "I learned a lesson today... As long as I know more than you, that proves I'm better than you."
"What a ridiculously boring question." Qi Xia gave Tian She a cold look. "Are you sure you want to make this our 'final showdown'?"
"You don't know, do you...?" Tian She looked especially delighted. "You're nowhere near as knowledgeable as I am... right?"
"Tian She..." Qi Xia stared at him like he was an idiot, then sighed and slowly spoke. "Judging by your accent, you're not from the south, meaning your eating habits are probably similar to mine... As for 'breakfast stalls,' they sell at most three or five items. As an adult male, pickled vegetables and fried cakes won't fill you up. If the answer is 'a single item,' that's clearly unreasonable. And eggs would dirty your hands—not 'convenient' enough for you. So what you could eat are essentially youtiao, tofu pudding, or congee—things like that."
Tian She gulped slightly upon hearing this. "You... are you deducing the answer?"
"Yeah." Qi Xia nodded. "Since you asked such a stupid question, I can only answer you in the stupidest way possible."
"Even so... you still have to pick the exact correct answer." Tian She curled the corner of his mouth in a forced smile. "If you can't say it, I'll still make you die."
The atmosphere fell silent for a few seconds. Qian Wu and Qiao Jiaying both looked nervously at Qi Xia.
"It's 'youtiao.'" Qi Xia said. "What you love most to eat at the breakfast stall downstairs is 'youtiao.'"
"You..." Tian She slowly pursed his lips, unable to say a word.
"Because you go there every day. Considering that in summer, drinking 'congee' and 'tofu pudding' would be too hot, and not convenient." Qi Xia paused and continued, "Besides, your hair is messy, your shirt is full of wrinkles—it shows you're usually a sloppy person who doesn't even have time to tidy yourself up, let alone patiently wait for a bowl of hot congee to cool down. I can even venture a bolder guess: since you're in a rush every day when you go out, sometimes you might even just grab this thing at the breakfast stall and eat it on the way."
"Also, your glasses are thick. Eating those two things in winter would fog them up—another 'bother' for you." Qi Xia gave a slight smile. "How could a person who doesn't even comb his hair be willing to wipe his glasses? So I'm guessing... the answer is 'youtiao.'"
Tian She kept staring into Qi Xia's eyes. Although he couldn't read anything from those pupils, he still felt this man was somewhat familiar.
He had once been seen through by a pair of eyes like that too.
"You... answered correctly." Tian She looked at Qi Xia with a complex expression. "I lost."
"Then what about the thing you promised us?" Qi Xia asked.
Tian She's expression flickered between emotions. After thinking for a long time, he reached into the pocket of his shirt and pulled out a crumpled, wrinkled slip of paper.
He slowly handed the paper to Qi Xia, but Qi Xia didn't reach out to take it.
"This is that 'formula'..." Tian She said. "It records how to make 'aboriginals' trigger 'Echo.'"
Seeing that Qi Xia still hadn't taken it, Tian She's pride was a bit wounded.
"How rude of you. Do you want it or not?"
"I'm curious..." Qi Xia said. "If I open this dirty scrap of paper of yours, will what's written inside be the secret you've been guarding, the thing you value most, the so-called 'Finality's cutting-edge technology'?"
"That's right."
"Then why are you carrying it so casually on you...?" Qi Xia said coldly. "If it can be recorded on such a small slip of paper, why don't you just tell me directly?"
Seeing Qi Xia so aggressive, Qiao Jiaying and Qian Wu beside him were sweating bullets for him. Even if the man before them showed a huge flaw, he was still a 'Heaven.'
"First of all, I don't lie." Tian She said. "I hate liars the most, so I only speak the truth. The reason I keep this slip of paper on me is that about a year ago, a 'participant' also made a deal with me. But he just glanced at the words on the paper and gave it back. I didn't want to just throw it away, nor did I want to tear it up, so I've been carrying it around."
"Oh...?" Qi Xia slowly narrowed his eyes.
"Second, the one who beat me is you, so this information can only be shared with you. That's why I won't say it out loud." Tian She kept holding out the paper, his expression showing no signs of lying.
Qi Xia nodded, reached out to take the paper, then turned and handed it to Qian Wu. This small action made Tian She's expression turn particularly icy.
Qian Wu hadn't expected Qi Xia to do that. He was a bit stunned for a moment but still took the paper and put it in his pocket.
"Can I ask the name of that person?" Qi Xia asked again.
"Who?"
"The 'participant' who made a deal with you a year ago."
Tian She shook his head. "Although I don't lie, I can choose not to speak. Since I have a deal with him, it means we both hold leverage over each other. I have no reason to tell you his name here."
"Fine." Qi Xia nodded. "Then I have no more questions."
Tian She sighed after hearing this, then looked at Qian Wu. "'Twin Flower,' I'll give you one day as well. Tomorrow, whether you die during the 'Pegasus Moment' or not, I'll come find you."
"No need to see me out." Qian Wu said.
Tian She glanced at him gloomily. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he suddenly heard a continuous 'heart's voice.'
"I really want to try throwing a punch."
Tian She thought he had misheard. He slowly stopped and listened carefully, but found the voice was exceptionally clear. This 'heart's voice' was very pure.
"I really want to land a punch on his chin."
He turned around and looked at the three people before him. Then the voice came again, crystal clear.
"I really want to see if he can take a punch from me."
"Should I use a hook or a straight punch?"
"Should I step in or go all in?"
Tian She turned his head toward the source of the 'heart's voice.' There stood a tattooed man who was spacing out, lost in thought.
"What did you say?" Tian She asked.
"Huh?" Qiao Jiaying was startled. He looked around blankly. "Me...?"
"You want to hit me...?" Tian She slowly furrowed his brow. "You've got some nerve..."
Upon hearing this, Qi Xia immediately stepped in front of the two. "Hey, what do you mean?"
"I heard it..." Tian She pointed past Qi Xia at Qiao Jiaying. "I heard the voice in that man's heart... He wants to hit me!"
Qiao Jiaying quickly averted his gaze. "Ah? You... you even know that?"
"The voice in his heart...?" Qi Xia sensed something was off. If 'Tian She' could truly hear everyone's inner thoughts, then this was the strongest opponent they had ever faced.
Tian She shoved Qi Xia aside and came face to face with Qiao Jiaying. Qiao Jiaying could only stare dumbly at the other man's nose.
"Hey... I've been treating you all with courtesy, and you want to hit me?"