TDU Chapter 178: Nervous?
Chapter 178 Nervous?
As the strategy for the trio was settled, the sky gradually darkened.
In all honesty, Zhang Shan, Qiao Jiajin, and Li Xiangling hadn’t even {discussed a proper strategy}. They had simply exercised a bit and exchanged casual conversation for a while.
After Zhang Shan and Li Xiangling left, Qi Xia surveyed the remaining group in the room. The scene struck him as somewhat ironic. Now, the only people left besides himself were Qiao Jiajin, Lin Qin, Han Yimo, and Doctor Zhao.
In just two days, this was all that remained.
Aside from Qiao Jiajin, none of them could be considered ‘normal.’
Perhaps what Xiao Xiao had said was true—only {Reverberatees} were truly fit to survive in {End Point}.
"Qiao Jiajin," Qi Xia called softly from his corner seat.
Qiao Jiajin approached and took a seat beside him. "What's up, Swindler lad?"
"Your opponent tomorrow is {Judgment's Domain}, so there are a few things I need to tell you," Qi Xia said, his tone serious.
"What is it?"
"Do you still remember Auntie Tong's class?" Qi Xia inquired.
"Uh..." Qiao Jiajin scratched his head, "I remember part of it."
"Mn." Qi Xia paused, considering his words carefully. "The key to triggering one's {Reverberation} successfully is {belief}. If you find yourself in a dire situation, you need to find a way to make the other party doubt themselves."
"Oh?" Qiao Jiajin paused, considering Qi Xia's words. "But how exactly do I do that?"
"I’m not entirely sure either," Qi Xia admitted, rubbing his forehead. "After all, we don’t know the specific rules of tomorrow's game."
"Doesn’t matter, you'll be going tomorrow, right?" Qiao Jiajin asked, "Though not participating, you’ll give us advice on the side."
"Of course I plan to, but {Terrestrial}-grade Earthly Branches are all quite crafty. I’m not sure if I’ll even get a chance to speak."
"Be at ease," Qiao Jiajin said, giving Qi Xia a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I’ll show you my skills tomorrow. Just leave it to me."
"I don’t care how many skills you want to show off," Qi Xia murmured, his voice low and steady, "but remember, whether it's {Judgment's Domain} or {Passage to Heaven}, you can't treat them like your own people." He paused, his gaze hardening. "Although {Terrestrial-grade} games are dangerous, they’re not necessarily about killing. Your ultimate goal is survival. It doesn't matter even if you lose the game—your life comes first. Understand?"
For a fleeting moment, Qiao Jiajin saw the shadow of Nine zai in Qi Xia again.
Nine zai once said, "A'Jin, if you can’t beat them, run. As long as you stay alive, that’s what matters most. Understand?"
Qiao Jiajin snapped back to the present, his usual grin reappearing. "Don’t worry, Swindler lad. Even if my opponent is the Terminator, I’ll find a way to twist off one of his arms."
Though Qiao Jiajin’s confident words lingered in the air, Qi Xia couldn't shake his worry. Without a sharp, calculating mind, survival in {End Point} was nearly impossible. The kinder someone was, the more tragic their end here.
Qiao Jiajin was not suited to this place.
…
After nightfall, they had a simple meal and made makeshift beds from the tables, lying down in silence. Qi Xia lit a fire for Han Yimo to ease his claustrophobia and placed the lighter on the door handle. He then found a quiet corner away from the door to sit down.
The second day was nearing its end.
The good news was that no teammates had been lost, but the bad news was that Qi Xia had now become a target of {Judgment’s Domain}.
The days ahead were shrouded in uncertainty.
Around midnight, Chu Tianqiu stood outside the window, lightly knocking.
Qi Xia opened the window without a hint of expression. "What is it?" he asked.
"Qi Xia, he said {I never left}." Chu Tianqiu whispered.
Qi Xia paused, momentarily startled, before swiftly regaining his composure. "Got it."
Chu Tianqiu said nothing more, turning and walking away.
Qi Xia remained seated in the chair, slowly closing his eyes. Weariness settled over him, but his mind was far from rest, weighed down by an unrelenting stream of thoughts, each one pulling tight like a bowstring, refusing to allow even a fleeting moment of reprieve.
"Xia, did you know? There are many paths in this world, and everyone walks their own."
"Yes, I’m aware." Qi Xia nodded in his sleep, a tear lingering in the corner of his eye. "I’ve always been well aware."
The shadowy figure did not appear that night, and the lighter on the door handle remained undisturbed until dawn, when a low knock on the door sent it tumbling to the floor.
"Time to get up!" Zhang Shan's voice rang out from outside the door.
Qi Xia opened his eyes immediately, his senses sharpened. Slowly, the others began to sit up as well.
Living in {Passage to Heaven} was undoubtedly safe, but the hard tables did little to ease their discomfort, leaving their backs and waists aching.
"Damn..." Qiao Jiajin stretched out his limbs, wincing at the stiffness. "What time is it, anyway?"
"Stop sleeping!" Zhang Shan pushed the door open, shoving the lighter that had fallen away. "Chu Tianqiu already said that the rules of {Terrestrial}-level games are only revealed after paying the admission, so let's head over early to pay and find out what we're actually up against."
Qiao Jiajin yawned lazily. "Okay, you lads head out first... I’ll be there in three hours..."
Zhang Shan sighed, then reached down to pinch the back of Qiao Jiajin's neck, lifting him off the table as if he were carrying a kitten.
"Hey, hey, hey!?" Qiao Jiajin was momentarily stunned, but soon regained full alertness. "Buff lou, don’t go overboard..."
"This is urgent, let’s head out early!" Zhang Shan tossed a pack of biscuits at Qiao Jiajin. "Oi, Qi, are you coming with us too?"
"Yes." Qi Xia replied with a nod. "I'll be there to offer some guidance when necessary."
Han Yimo, clearly intrigued, asked, "Can I come along as well?"
Qi Xia gave a brief pause before answering, "No, you are to go with Lin Qin and Doctor Zhao today."
"Ah?" Lin Qin raised an eyebrow. "I'll pass. Let him go with Doctor Zhao."
Doctor Zhao blinked in surprise. "Ah?"
"Uh..." Han Yimo hadn’t expected to be the subject of so much reluctance, and his expression shifted awkwardly.
"Alright then, it’s settled," Zhang Shan interjected. "Just the four of us will do."
After the conversation wrapped up, Qiao Jiajin slowly made his way to the door. But as he turned around, he realized none of the remaining three had followed him.
A puzzled look crossed his face. "What? Aren’t we leaving?" he yawned, glancing back at them.
"Yes, we are..." Zhang Shan nodded, "But are you punk seriously going like that—without clothes?"
"Eh...?" Qiao Jiajin looked down at himself and quickly dashed to the side, scrambling to put on his shirt.
After bidding farewell to the others, Qi Xia and the three participants set off under the dirt-colored sun.
The early morning in {End Point} felt oddly still. It wasn’t cold, nor was it veiled in the usual mist of dawn. Instead, everything around them had an eerie, muted tone.
They walked for about half an hour, the sky slowly lightening, and every now and then, they spotted {indigenous inhabitants} strolling through the alleys.
The atmosphere along the way felt unsettling, and Qi Xia couldn’t shake the sense that something was amiss.
He studied the three in front of him. Their expressions were far from the steely resolve one would expect from participants in a {Terrestrial-grade} game. If anything, they looked more like they were heading off on a leisurely vacation.
They were far too relaxed.
Zhang Shan seemed to also realize this, he scratched his head and turned to Qiao Jiajin. "Punk, aren’t you nervous?"
"Uh... what?" Qiao Jiajin paused, clearly caught off guard.
"I asked if you’re nervous?" Zhang Shan repeated.
"Should I... be nervous?" Qiao Jiajin asked, genuinely puzzled.
"Fuck..." Zhang Shan groaned, his expression troubled. "What the hell are we supposed to do now? Chu Tianqiu kept reminding me to be extra cautious with this game, but I just can’t seem to get tense about it. I was even hoping you'd help get the atmosphere going."
Qiao Jiajin yawned slowly, stretching out his limbs. "Is that so? Then yah, I'm actually quite nervous."
His yawn, however, had an unintended effect—Zhang Shan found himself suddenly drowsy.
Shaking off the sleepiness, Zhang Shan turned his head to Li Xiangling. "What about you?"
"Me?" Li Xiangling gave a sharp smile, her eyes glinting with a quiet confidence. "My grandfather always taught me that for martial artists, the most important thing is temperament. Even if Mount Tai were to collapse before us, we must remain unshaken. So, I'm not really sure what {nervous} means."
