Chapter 750: All Kinds of Ants
Qi Xia recalled the time he had seen those "ants."
They indeed had no facial features—their eyes and mouths were just hollow cavities, all bleeding. And these so-called "ants" weren't aggressive either; they only groped about in the darkness, as if searching for something.
These monsters, having come out by day and moved by night for years without any exposure to light, had skin pale beyond measure. Creatures without features, without the ability to speak...
Had they once been the arrogant "Zodiacs"?
These people had once obtained "Resonance" and "Divine Power," but because they failed to win the favor of Tianlong and Qinglong, they ended up like this.
First they were "Participants," then they became "Zodiacs," and now they had turned into "Ants."
In other words, ever since arriving here, their lives had been toyed with by Tianlong and Qinglong. They diligently followed every rule set by these two, time and again thinking they saw hope, only to ultimately degenerate into monsters that could never escape.
Qinglong slowly twisted his neck and continued, "But later, Tianlong told me they didn't look enough like 'ants'—still too human in form. People who had offended us two didn't deserve to stand like humans. So we had others break the joints of their limbs, bending their hands and feet in the opposite direction. Thanks to the strong physique of Earth-level Zodiacs, these people healed quickly, but their limbs couldn't bend back. They could only crawl on the ground. Hahahaha!"
Qinglong seemed to be sharing a hilarious joke with the two, but Qi Xia and Chu Tianqiu just stared at him expressionlessly.
Some things sound absurd at first, but when you think about it carefully—in a place like this, under the interference of Tianlong and Qinglong—everything made perfect sense.
It was exactly the kind of thing they would do.
"How utterly fascinating!" Qinglong said. "How did Tianlong come up with such a brilliant idea?! At the time, I was really worried... I asked him, 'What if these people can't walk? What if they get slower and slower?' But Tianlong told me they would find their own way to move faster. I didn't take his words to heart at first, but I soon realized he was absolutely right."
He turned his head, staring at Qi Xia expectantly. "Come on! Qi Xia, guess again! How did they make themselves move faster?"
Qi Xia's pupils shifted slightly. After thinking for a few seconds, he said, "They climbed walls."
"Exactly!!" Qinglong laughed. "You're so likable! You guessed it again!! They climbed walls! Those people could only crawl on the ground, their hands and legs splayed out to the sides like spiders, moving at a pathetically slow speed in that ridiculous posture. But many of them had been Earth-level before, and they soon discovered a trick: if they wanted to get somewhere faster, they shouldn't think about standing up, but about digging their fingers into the walls. That way, even if some 'stakes' were hidden in tall buildings, these creatures could climb up and retrieve them. And thus, the complete 'ant' was born! Tell me, is this a coincidence, or is it fate? The things we call 'ants' really do move like ants... How interesting... Utterly fascinating!!"
Qi Xia took a deep breath and said, "But there's a flaw."
"Oh?" Qinglong raised his eyebrows expectantly. "What flaw? Didn't I say it well enough?"
"There can't be that many Earth-level Zodiacs," Qi Xia said. "The number of people needed to collect 'stakes' from all cities is enormous. Just the Zodiacs who broke the rules wouldn't be enough."
"Oh? And why is that?"
"Because Earth-level Zodiacs are more afraid of death than anyone else," Qi Xia said. "Not only have these people gained unprecedented power, they've also retained enough memories. More importantly, they mistakenly believe they are closer to the finish line than anyone else. At that point, the appearance of a single 'ant' would sound the alarm for these Earth-levels, triggering the Barnum Effect."
"Ha." Qinglong's eyes widened even more. "I haven't heard words that familiar in a long time. Qi Xia, in your opinion, what should we do to get enough 'ants'?"
"I don't know," Qi Xia shook his head. "I only know that you and Tianlong must have used 'Resonance' to create an endless supply of 'ants.'"
"Correct," Qinglong nodded in agreement. "We only used this method to create the first batch of 'ants.' After all, the first ability Tianlong personally chose was 'Soul Transfer.' If he realized the needed numbers were huge, he could at any time use corpses to create an endless stream of true 'ants.' The ants you see now have quite a mixed composition."
Qi Xia frowned after hearing this.
He knew his most crucial memories had not yet returned. There was a paradox he couldn't explain.
If offending Tianlong and Qinglong resulted in being turned into an "ant," then why was he still standing here intact?
Earlier, he clearly remembered Zhuque telling him, "You have offended Tianlong."
So what had happened back then? He had offended Tianlong but didn't become an "ant" — instead, he became an ordinary "Participant"?
"Qi Xia, you also know this," Qinglong continued. "To make something run smoothly, you first need to set an example. I think you once told me, what was it called... 'The Law of Dividing Horses'?"
"I don't see the 'Law of Dividing Horses,'" Qi Xia retorted. "I only see the Broken Windows Theory. Once you start using your powers arbitrarily, there's no stopping it. The cracks in the windows keep appearing, and the cold wind pours in, turning this place into a true hell."
"Is that so...?" Qinglong let out a light laugh. "Qi Xia, I still can't figure it out. What terrible thing did Tianlong and I do to make you all think this place is a hell?"
"You told an enormous lie," Qi Xia said. "That lie toyed with everyone."
"No, the liar isn't me," Qinglong shook his head, his eyes wide. "It's Tianlong!"
"So you're shifting the blame?" Qi Xia asked. "None of this has anything to do with you? It's all Tianlong's doing?"
Qinglong just smiled and didn't answer.
Chu Tianqiu spoke up from the side, his voice heavy. "So this is what it means to be a 'god'? Could I pull you two down from your thrones and act as willfully as you do?"
"Watch your words," Qinglong snapped, turning his head sharply. "Are you really in a position to rebel against me now?"
Chu Tianqiu had a smile on his face, but he had been secretly holding "Tianxingjian" in his hand. Even he wasn't sure whether this eyeball would have any effect on Qinglong.