TDU Chapter 236
Chapter 236 In Possession
“Who exactly are you…?” Chu Tianqiu frowned, his gaze fixed on Chen Junnan.
"You little bastard..." Chen Junnan's expression darkened with fury. "I really should’ve killed you back then... Watching you act like a dumbass pisses me off."
The {Reverberatees} present exchanged puzzled looks, surprised by his tone.
“Hey… leng zai…” Qiao Jiajin spoke up.
“Call me Junnan.”
“Handsome (a homonym to Junnan)…?” Qiao Jiajin looked confused. “Is there even a difference between {leng zai} and {handsome}?”
“Uh…” Chen Junnan hesitated, momentarily at a loss for words. "There is a difference, okay?"
“So is {handsome (Junnan)} better than {leng zai}?” Qiao Jiajin asked earnestly.
“No… what are you even talking about…?” Chen Junnan frowned, clearly exasperated. “What does {leng zai} have to do with this? I am {Junnan}!”
Chen Junnan vaguely recalled having this conversation countless times before.
“Oh… alright then…” Qiao Jiajin nodded. “So, Handsome…you know Tianqiu lad?”
Qi Xia had originally thought that Chen Junnan was a deep and composed person, but now he seemed a bit daft, strangely in sync with Qiao Jiajin.
"How could I not know him? Not only do I know him, but you all do," Chen Junnan crouched down, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Chu Tianqiu, a sneer twisting his lips. "Seven years ago, he was crying and begging to shine our shoes. But now, heh, look at him—acting like he’s something special."
"Sev—Seven years ago?" Chu Tianqiu froze for a moment. "What do you mean? How were you able to retain seven years' worth of memories?"
"Why?" Chen Junnan reached out and roughly patted Chu Tianqiu’s face, each word dripping with disdain. "Because, laozi, is, willing, to."
Qi Xia observed Chen Junnan's actions, sensing that this individual was rather intriguing. He was entirely different from Qiao Jiajin. While Qiao Jiajin appeared wicked, his character was upright. Yet, Chen Junnan, though seemingly harmless, harbored an unsettling darkness deep within.
He was exactly the kind of person Qi Xia needed.
Before long, Kim Wonhun returned, carrying two massive burlap sacks, breathing heavily as he pushed open the door. “Ya, let him go. I’ve brought what you asked for.”
“Show it to me,” Qi Xia responded, his tone calm but firm.
“Let him go first, nàyàng,” Kim Wonhun insisted.
Qi Xia shook his head helplessly, then lowered his gaze. “Chu Tianqiu, your people are negotiating terms with me. How should I respond?"
Chu Tianqiu considered the situation for a moment before speaking. "Kim Wonhun, give it to him."
“What? Ge! What if he kills you?”
“If he kills me, then he would have committed a violation—{killing others for Dào},” Chu Tianqiu replied calmly. "Refusing to give it to him would be the action that truly puts me in danger."
Kim Wonhun's expression darkened at that, his mind working through the implications. After a long pause, he finally set the two burlap sacks down on the floor.
“Fists, check the goods,” Qi Xia ordered.
“Mm…” Qiao Jiajin nodded as he moved to open one of the sacks.
In the next instant, a rancid, putrid stench surged from the sack, hitting everyone in the room like a tidal wave. The others instinctively recoiled, some covering their noses, others taking a step back.
“Ugh!” Qiao Jiajin, closest to the burlap sack, was hit full force by the foul odor. He gagged repeatedly, his face contorting with disgust as he struggled to keep from dry heaving. "Damn… what the hell is this… why does it stink so bad?!"
Qi Xia’s brow furrowed as his gaze rose. The sack undeniably radiated a faint, otherworldly glow—it was {Dào}.
Yet, why did the {Dào} reek so repulsively?
In his past dealings, Qi Xia had amassed no fewer than seventy {Dào}, but never had he noticed any distinct odor. Was it possible that {Dào} naturally emanated such a revolting stench?
Fighting the urge to recoil from the nauseating smell, Qiao Jiajin gingerly extracted several small orbs from the sack. The outer layer of these orbs was white, with a yellow core—strikingly similar to a poached egg. They pulsed with a faint, ethereal glow, unmistakably marking them as {Dào}.
Qiao Jiajin opened the second sack, revealing it to be equally brimming with {Dào}.
None in the room had ever witnessed such a staggering quantity of {Dào}, but there was no time to be astounded, for the stench was overpowering, an assault on their senses.
"Qi Xia…" Chu Tianqiu chuckled, "Do you want to count it? I’m not responsible once it’s out of the cabinet."
"There’s no need," Qi Xia sneered, his voice cutting. "If I find even a single one missing, I’ll do whatever it takes to end you."
"Haha…" Chu Tianqiu laughed dryly, "Alright then… I’ll… take my leave?"
"Of course, of course." Qi Xia nodded, signaling Chen Junnan to retract the knife from Chu Tianqiu's throat. Then, with an almost courteous motion, he helped Chu Tianqiu to his feet. "We’re business partners, how could I possibly kill you?"
"That’s right," Chu Tianqiu slowly rose to his feet, his expression steady. "Qi Xia, I look forward to our future collaboration."
Kim Wonhun immediately stepped forward, positioning himself beside Chu Tianqiu as if to protect him.
"Mm, happy cooperation," Qi Xia responded.
Once the two had left the room, Qi Xia’s expression darkened, a storm of thoughts clouding his mind.
Qiao Jiajin sealed the burlap sack, and only then did the rancid stench in the room begin to subside, becoming somewhat more bearable.
"Swindler lad… what should we do?" Qiao Jiajin asked. "You want us to count these together?"
"There is no need," Qi Xia shook his head. "No matter how many there are, as long as we’ve got them, it’s a win."
Chen Junnan pondered for a moment before speaking up. "And what now? Ole Qi, do you intend for us to carry these 2,900 {Dào} with us at all times?"
"No..." Qi Xia rose slowly to his feet, his presence commanding as he surveyed the group. His voice, when he spoke again, was measured and deliberate. "Do you all trust me?"
The group exchanged looks, silent but understanding. Compared to Chu Tianqiu, Qi Xia was undeniably the more dependable leader.
"What do you plan to do?" Lin Qin inquired. "You must know that there are other {Adherents of Judgment’s Domain} here, and some among them will stop at nothing to destroy your {Dào}."
"I am well aware," Qi Xia replied, nodding with quiet certainty. "If you all trust me, then I will take responsibility for safeguarding the {Dào} for now. No one will see them until we’ve gathered all 3,600."
A heavy silence fell over the group in response.
They all understood that the {Dào} was the key to their escape from this place, yet at this crucial moment, Qi Xia chose to hold sole dominion over it.
Seeing that no one spoke up for a while, Qi Xia pressed on, his tone measured but firm. "Of course, there is a second option. Tian Tian is absent, and there are nine of us here. We could divide the {Dào} on the spot, and once divided, each person would bear the responsibility for their share, leaving us to our own devices."
This alternative, though seemingly more balanced, only served to heighten the group's unease.
"Let’s vote," Officer Li suggested, "The minority will follow the majority. We’ll keep it democratic."
"Alright," Qi Xia agreed, his gaze sweeping over the group. "Those in favor of immediately dividing the {Dào}, raise your hands."
After a moment of tense silence, Doctor Zhao and Su Shan reluctantly raised their hands.
Qi Xia glanced at them, his expression unreadable, as he had anticipated their choice. "Now, those in favor of letting me keep the {Dào}, raise your hands."
Qiao Jiajin, Chen Junnan, Officer Li, and Han Yimo raised their hands without hesitation.
Qi Xia’s gaze then shifted to the two remaining individuals—Lawyer Zhang and Lin Qin—who had yet to make their decision. "And what about you two?"
"I abstain," Lawyer Zhang shook her head. "I am completely uninformed about the situation and thus will not make a judgment."
Lin Qin’s expression remained solemn, her voice tinged with concern as she said gravely, “I just don’t want you to meet your end over these {Dào}.”
"Understood," Qi Xia replied, turning to the others. "The minority will follow the majority. I’ll take responsibility for these {Dào}."
With that, he lifted one of the sacks with deliberate care, then turned to Qiao Jiajin. "Fists, you carry the other one and follow me."
Before they stepped out, Qi Xia paused, his gaze lingering on Yu Nian'An’s lifeless form. A brief pang of sorrow gripped him, but it was tempered by the weight of their present reality.
"Kindly see to her burial."
