Chapter 743: Fists and Brain
"Baa?"
Qiao Jiajin laughed on the spot. "You want me to use my cheat to break the swindler's cheat?"
"Something like that." Xu Liunian nodded. "Are you willing to do it?"
"I..." Qiao Jiajin scratched his head, then broke into a smile again. "This question really stumps me."
Xu Liunian pondered for a moment, then said, "Do you want to stay stuck in this cycle forever too, never getting out?"
"No, pretty lady, I think you've got something wrong." Qiao Jiajin said. "From the very first time I met the swindler, I told him—I'd be his fist, he'd be my brain. We're partners. So in my eyes, if I used my cheat to crack his cheat, that wouldn't be cooperation—it'd be betrayal."
Xu Liunian quickly sorted through her thoughts and said, "But does Qi Xia himself know about this plan...? If our 'cycle' is happening inside his subconscious... what if even he can't control it?"
"Then I still trust him." Qiao Jiajin said. "I'm not a smart guy, but I trust that the swindler has his own ideas about everything. If you all could think of this method, he definitely could too. But if he thought of it and didn't do it, that only means his plan goes even deeper than this."
"So your decision is..."
"I won't actively break his cheat." Qiao Jiajin replied with a determined expression. "The swindler is planning something right now, and I've always trusted his decisions and stood by his side. If the day ever comes when he realizes his plan is about to fail, and he tells me to say those words—that's when I'll resolutely use my 'Echo'."
Xu Liunian was stunned for a moment, then nodded. "I see... I understand..."
"So yeah, now's not the time." Qiao Jiajin said. "Let's wait together."
...
Tianchu Qiu watched the figure approaching slowly and couldn't help furrowing his brow.
"So what kind of image is this?" Tianchu Qiu pointed at his own eyes. "Sheep pupils?"
"When it comes to 'image,' I don't think you have any room to criticize me, do you?" Qi Xia laughed cheerfully. "And what kind of image are you sporting now? The 'Deranged Man' hanging on that screen?"
Tianchu Qiu smiled instead of taking offense. "The fact that you've come to find me at this point means you've found a way to recover your memories, hasn't it? Do you still need to ask whether the 'Deranged Man' out there is me?"
"Yeah." Qi Xia nodded. "I only regret not being clever enough. When you first divided the people here into 'Good Men' and 'Deranged Men'... I should have asked the question back then—where did you even come up with the term 'Deranged Men'...? Wouldn't 'Madmen' have been better?"
"No, no, no..." Tianchu Qiu shook his head with a smile. "'Madmen' are 'madmen,' and 'Deranged Men' are 'Deranged Men.' Just like you are you, and I am me."
"Oh...?" Qi Xia slowly stretched his grin wide, his smile a perfect mirror of Tianchu Qiu's. "You're saying I'm crazy...? Interesting..."
"So why have you come to see me?" Tianchu Qiu asked.
"I have questions for you, but not here." Qi Xia replied.
Tianchu Qiu nodded after hearing this. "Follow me."
The two walked into the teaching building with completely different auras, leaving the crowd behind.
Little Glasses slowly turned to look at Zhang Shan and asked, "Are you really going to follow that man?"
"I..." Zhang Shan looked in the direction Tianchu Qiu had gone and sighed. "Little Glasses... do you want to get out?"
Little Glasses was taken aback for a moment, then said, "I... I can die if it's time to die, and I can live if it's time to live. I originally came here by suicide. When I found out I was alive again... my feelings were complicated. Just as complicated as they are now."
"Then I understand." Zhang Shan said. "You mentioned before that you'd committed a crime, so you committed suicide out of guilt?"
"Yes." Little Glasses nodded. "I wouldn't call it 'fear of punishment'... more like 'atonement.' But the result is the same. Even if I get out, I'll be caught. And if I'm not caught, I'll just kill myself again. So whether this place gets destroyed or continues to exist... I don't have any strong feelings about it."
"Damn... sounds a lot like me." Zhang Shan scratched his head. "Getting out means a lot of trouble... what about you, Old Lü?"
"I..." Old Lü shook his head meaningfully. "I'm pretty much the damn same."
"But I'm not going to interfere with either of you." Zhang Shan said. "When I say something, it's a nail that's been hammered in. It's stuck now. He keeps us safe, I give him a hand. Whether he ends up becoming that 'God' or not—that's not my concern anymore."
Han Yimo and Doctor Zhao, who were standing nearby, started to feel uncomfortable.
"Hey... what are you guys doing?" Han Yimo asked. "You don't want to get out, but I do!"
Doctor Zhao quickly nodded in agreement. "Yeah! Tianchu Qiu only ever said he wanted to become 'God'—he never said we'd all die with him!"
Zhang Shan shook his head helplessly. "Then go do whatever you want."
"But where the hell do we have to go?!"
As they were talking, another group of people appeared at the school gate.
"Yo! Big guy!" Qiao Jiajin waved.
"Oh...?"
Zhang Shan turned around to look at the approaching group and soon broke into a hearty smile. "Tattoo kid."
"What are you guys doing here?" Qiao Jiajin asked. "Where'd the swindler go?"
"He went upstairs with Tianchu Qiu." Zhang Shan jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Did you follow him here?"
"Yeah, yeah." Qiao Jiajin nodded, but quickly noticed the bodies scattered across the field. "What are you guys... doing? Killing people?"
"Long story." Zhang Shan said. "Originally, we were the ones getting killed, but now it looks like we've joined forces with the killers."
Chen Junnan didn't seem to care about the bodies at all. He just looked at the teaching building with a puzzled expression. "What the hell is Old Qi up to...? Having a secret meeting with Little Chu?"
Qin Dingdong had calmed down a bit and asked with concern, "But what exactly are they going to talk about?"
Chen Junnan thought for a moment, then replied with a serious face. "You're asking me? Old Qi is probably... offering constructive opinions to Little Chu on their ten-day plan, exchanging views on bilateral relations, and giving strategic guidance on the tense situation between us and 'Heaven's Mouth.' Old Qi points out that currently—"
"Shut the hell up already." Qin Dingdong kicked at Chen Junnan. "With you around, I'll never have a moment of peace."
Despite the jokes, Chen Junnan's expression remained grave. He looked up at the rooftop of "Heaven's Mouth," where Qi Xia and Tianchu Qiu were already standing.
(Fellow fans, remember to check the pinned post in the book club to participate in the Ten Days' End 2023 Year-End Event. Let's welcome the last ten days of 2023 together~~)