TDU Chapter 159: Second Match
TL Note: (3/28/2025) I had to move to blog format because the previous format would only allow for 250 pages, which only realised after I hit the max capacity…. Yes, this is what I spent the weekend doing…. individually moving all 250 chapters to blog page.
There is unfortunately no way for me to move all of your lovely comments (˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ ) So I’m super sorry for the inconvenience…. The links are still all the same, just different format and I’m using Squarespace's default commenting system in a blog page (we were on disqus because that other format had no built-in comment system). I’ll leave the original chapters up for a week before I delete it, so that everything assimilates gradually. Anyways, please enjoy!
Edited by Molly Z and CitrusP
Chapter 159 Second Match
"That may be the case." Lin Qin nodded, her expression unchanged. "You displayed extraordinary talent in your first cycle, not only drawing the attention of {Passage to Heaven}, but also of {Judgment’s Domain}."
Qi Xia’s gaze sharpened as he processed her words. "So that’s what happened…" His voice trailed off as his mind raced. "In other words, I’ve been here for a month?"
The realization hit him like a cold wave. Yu Nian'An… she’s been missing for a month?
A flicker of determination crossed Qi Xia’s features. ‘It’s not too late…’ He murmured inwardly, ‘A month is not a long time. I will find you.’
"Qi Xia, there is another very important reason why I want to be your teammate," Lin Qin said, her voice taking on a more serious tone.
"What is it?"
"You are far too clever for your own good, which, ironically, makes you appear less so. I intend to keep a close watch over you—after all, escaping this place will require the utmost caution."
Qi Xia fell silent for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly as he processed her words.
"You never restrain your sharp edges, nor do you know how to conceal your intelligence. Such behavior is no different from courting death." Lin Qin said, emptying the contents of her bottle before continuing, "If I were you, I might feign foolishness, only revealing my wit at the final, critical moment."
"There is no need." Qi Xia said, "If I were to face danger, it would only mean that the {wisdom} I exude is far from sufficient. As long as I can utterly outmaneuver my opponent, there will be no need for concealment."
"You are truly a strange man," Lin Qin remarked with a slight smile. "Have you never treated {Passage to Heaven}, {Judgment’s Domain}, or the {Earthly Branches} as threats worth considering?"
"It’s not that they aren’t {threats worth considering}, I simply have a singular goal: to escape. As long as anyone shares that same desire, they are my ally—regardless of their origins."
"Then..." Lin Qin set the bottle down with a quiet clink and wiped her mouth. "I have shared with you my plan for the {Reverberation} army. Now, I ask you—what are your thoughts? Do you have a plan of your own?"
"Plan?..." Qi Xia murmured, his gaze drifting toward Chu Tianqiu from across the room. If he were to formulate any strategy, understanding Chu Tianqiu's stance would be absolutely critical.
What was this man scheming?
And what exactly is contained in that diary of his?
Thinking of this, Qi Xia slowly stood up. "Lin Qin, our conversation tonight ends here. There is another match lying ahead, and I’ll let you know once I have a plan in place."
He reached for a handful of unpeeled peanuts from the table, his fingers brushing against their rough texture before he turned to make his way toward Chu Tianqiu.
At this moment, Chu Tianqiu sat alone in the corner, a faint smile gracing his lips as he gazed in Yun Yao's direction.
"Qi Xia...?" He noticed the approach of the other man and raised an eyebrow, "What’s the matter?"
"I have a question for you," Qi Xia replied, carelessly scattering the peanuts across the table. He then picked one up, slowly peeling it as his eyes lingered on Chu Tianqiu.
"Okay." Chu Tianqiu smiled, "What is the question?"
"A participant gathered his {Dao} in order to participate in a game, but along the way, he encountered a group of strange lunatics. These madmen would rob half of the {Dào} from any passing participant, then return one back. The participant walked this same path for several days, crossing paths with the lunatics time and time again. Yet, despite this, his {Dào} remained undiminished after each encounter. How did he manage this?"
Chu Tianqiu was briefly caught off guard, his brow knitting in a mixture of confusion and contemplation.
Without a word, Qi Xia lowered his gaze, casually eating the peanuts scattered before him, his expression unreadable.
"He bribed the lunatics." Chu Tianqiu answered.
Qi Xia's expression remained unchanged, his silence speaking volumes.
Recognizing the dissonance in Qi Xia's reaction, Chu Tianqiu's confidence faltered. He lowered his gaze, deep in thought for a moment, before looking up again. "That participant... killed them all."
Qi Xia nodded thoughtfully before posing another question. "Two people worked together to kill someone. One of them was splashed with blood, while the other remained untouched. Afterward, why did the one with a clean face immediately rush to wash it?"
"Because he has a blood allergy," Chu Tianqiu answered.
Qi Xia's expression grew darker, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Oh? So, that's the reason?" he said, his tone shifting. "The participant is a murderer, and the murderer is allergic to blood... so that's the explanation?"
"Haha!" Chu Tianqiu laughed, his tone light and teasing. "Qi Xia, were you trying to test me? These questions are hardly a challenge. Do you want a drink? I’ll fetch you a bottle." He began to rise from his seat, but before he could move, Qi Xia's hand shot out, gripping his arm with surprising force.
"Sit down," Qi Xia commanded, his voice cold and unwavering.
"What...?"
"I want to speak with the real Chu Tianqiu," Qi Xia replied, his gaze sharp, his tone brokering no argument. "And from here on out, you have no say in what happens next."
"{The real Chu Tianqiu}?" Chu Tianqiu's face twisted in confusion. "Qi Xia, what are you talking about? Are you implying that I’m some sort of fake Chu Tianqiu?"
"What do you think?" Qi Xia's gaze hardened, his voice calm but laced with sharpness. "The two questions I asked were clearly designed to test your logic, yet your answers were nothing more than wild guesses, grounded in baseless assumptions. I've heard countless people describe {Chu Tianqiu} as exceptionally intelligent—so is this really what you call {intelligence}?"
A heavy silence followed, and then Chu Tianqiu sighed softly, his expression softening as he spoke with unexpected humility. "Qi Xia, I may not be as intelligent as you," he confessed quietly. "Though I admit that much, I am still... Chu Tianqiu."
Hearing this, Qi Xia’s instincts stirred unease.
This person was truly peculiar.
He hadn't lied.
Even the most skilled liar reveals flaws, but Chu Tianqiu was flawless.
If he was truly Chu Tianqiu—if he himself was not the genius, yet the real Chu Tianqiu was, in fact, exceedingly intelligent... then could it be that there was another layer to this situation? A different possibility he hadn't yet considered?
"You say you are Chu Tianqiu..." Qi Xia's voice was soft, his tone contemplative, as if testing the very fabric of reality. "Then... are there two of you in this world?"
"What...?"
"One of you stands in the open, blocking the bullet, while the other lurks in the shadows, plotting..." Qi Xia's mind raced as he pieced the situation together, each word bringing him closer to a startling revelation. "Could it be that some {Reverberation} has caused... two versions of you to exist in this world?"
A slight twitch in the corner of Chu Tianqiu’s eye betrayed him, an imperceptible crack in his composed facade. It was that subtle movement, that fleeting vulnerability, which allowed Qi Xia to see the fatal flaw.
"I understand now..." Qi Xia’s voice was steady, yet there was an unmistakable edge of clarity to his words. "If Chu Tianqiu's {Reverberation} is meant to create another self... it doesn’t add up. It’s clearly unreasonable."
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing as his logic continued to unfold. "He should have created a {perfect} self, not a flawed one. A foolish self would be far too easy to expose."
Chu Tianqiu's expression shifted imperceptibly, the calm mask beginning to crack.
"Let me guess..." Qi Xia's fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, the sound deliberate, like a ticking clock counting down to the inevitable. "The person who activated their {Reverberation} wasn't Chu Tianqiu at all, but someone else, wasn’t it?"
A heavy silence hung in the air, as if the very atmosphere was waiting for an answer.
"Suppose this person's {Reverberation} is to become another person... then the restrictions must be severe. For his {Reverberation} can only remain successful if he completely believes that he is Chu Tianqiu." Qi Xia raised his head and stared into Chu Tianqiu's eyes, "In that case, everything falls into place. No matter how we interrogate you... you are Chu Tianqiu, without flaw, because you believe it with every fiber of your being. But you will never be as clever as Chu Tianqiu."
"Qi Xia... you..." Chu Tianqiu's composure wavered, a flicker of uncertainty breaking through his calm demeanor.
"But in {Passage to Heaven}... who could truly become Chu Tianqiu, and remain so, all the time?" Qi Xia’s lips curled into a knowing smile, his voice soft yet piercing. "This person must know Chu Tianqiu well, possess {Reverberation}, and truly believe they can play his role..."
"Let’s stop for a moment..." Chu Tianqiu raised his hand, a quiet plea for pause, his voice betraying a rare hint of panic.
Qi Xia took a deliberate step closer, his eyes narrowing as he approached the figure before him. "So, when did you return to {Passage to Heaven}?" he asked slowly, his voice gaining an edge. "Miss—former actress—Xu Liunian?"
