TDU Chapter 292
Chapter 292 Snake Tiger Goat
"Indeed..." Terrestrial Goat nodded. "Human progress is built on the inheritance of memory."
"That’s why..." Mortal Snake patted Terrestrial Tiger's back. "Even if he's Goat ge, without memory—"
"F*ck! No, that's not right!!" Terrestrial Tiger suddenly shouted, his powerful voice knocking Mortal Snake to the ground. He quickly turned around to help Mortal Snake up, examining him carefully. "Sorry... Damn Snake, you still alive?"
"Are you really trying to kill me...?"
"Nonono..." Terrestrial Tiger shook his head vigorously. "I don’t think you guys are right! Laozi almost got led astray!"
Terrestrial Goat paused, momentarily confused. "What do you mean?"
"He–He remembers me!!" Terrestrial Tiger gestured wildly with both hands. "Goat ge saw me ten days ago—and he still remembers me now!!"
Terrestrial Tiger believed his point had been clear enough, certain it would prove that Qi Xia was capable of bringing ruin to this place—yet to his surprise, Terrestrial Goat and Mortal Snake’s expressions slowly dimmed.
"What's wrong with you two?" Terrestrial Tiger asked. "Isn't this a good thing?!"
"You dimwitted tiger..." Mortal Snake shook his head helplessly. "If he remembers you... isn’t that clear proof he can’t be Goat ge?"
"Ah..." Terrestrial Tiger suddenly realized how contradictory his own thinking was.
White Terrestrial Goat, prior to joining the {Earthly Branches}, was known for his {inability to experience Reverberation}—how could someone like that retain any memories now?
"Maybe...this was part of Goat ge’s plan?" Terrestrial Tiger pondered briefly, then arrived at a sudden realization. "Maybe he knew all along he couldn’t become a {Celestial}—that he’d end up a {Participant}—so he created a strategy that would let him finally trigger his {Reverberation}?"
Mortal Snake and Terrestrial Goat exchanged a glance, both feeling that this reasoning was a bit far-fetched.
"Why are you so convinced that man is Goat ge?" Terrestrial Goat shook his head. "While the resemblance may be striking, the undeniable evidence now proves they are not the same. If he truly possessed the ability to trigger his {Reverberation}, he would have done so long before becoming {Goat}."
"Bu–But they are just too similar." Terrestrial Tiger stated, his eyes wide. "They’re absolutely the same person... I–It’s an inexplicable feeling... Every time I speak to him, it’s as though I’m reliving the first encounter with Goat ge."
"Stop being foolish." Terrestrial Goat sighed. "We should accept the fact that Goat ge is gone. He’s no longer in {End Point}. Can we stop chasing after shadows?"
"Damn it, Ole Black...are you doubting me? I really feel that he didn't become {Celestial Goat}." Terrestrial Tiger said with some unease, lifting his head. "You know, Ole Black...Goat ge promised me many things, but none of them ever came through. It’s just too unusual. If {Celestial-grades} really could freely enter and leave here, he would have—"
"Have you ever paused to consider..." Terrestrial Goat turned and interjected sharply, "where you stand in Goat ge’s mind? What reason does he have to honor those promises he made to you?"
"I... but..." Terrestrial Tiger continued to shake his head, and a sense of grievance gradually appeared on his face. "Goat ge kept all his promises to me... except this—"
"That's why I told you not to be foolish." Terrestrial Goat snapped coldly. "Rather than getting caught up in these doubts, you’d be better off collecting three thousand six hundred lives and becoming a {Celestial}. As for whether Qi Xia is Goat ge... I still have reservations."
"What?" Mortal Snake froze for a moment. "What did you say his name was?!"
The two Terrestrial-grade {Earthly Branches} seemed to be caught up in their emotions, completely ignoring Mortal Snake.
"Damn Ole Black... You think I'm like you? As soon as Goat ge left, you rushed to climb up," Terrestrial Tiger gritted his teeth and retorted to Terrestrial Goat. "How cold-blooded of you... Oh you must be so comfortable, huh? As the only Terrestrial Goat in the entire {End Point}."
"What are you implying?" Terrestrial Goat turned slowly, his tone growing colder. "You can't find Goat ge, so you're preparing to take it out on me?"
"I just can't stand you," Terrestrial Tiger said. "When Goat ge was here, I couldn't do anything to you. Then you became {Terrestrial-grade} and had the upper hand. Now, it's different... we're equals."
"So what?"
"So, how about we settle this with a fight?" Terrestrial Tiger let out an angry laugh. "Let's settle all the grudges between us once and for all."
"Have you lost your mind?" Terrestrial Goat knit his brows, his dark fur quivering faintly. "What exactly goes on in that brain of yours all day? You think this is the time and place to test me?"
"What’s the matter? Afraid?" Terrestrial Tiger took a step forward, "We’re equals in rank—or do you think you can’t win against me?"
"Enough of this—step aside." Terrestrial Goat spoke through clenched teeth. "If we come to blows, one of us won’t walk away."
"So be it—just know it won’t be me.."
Sensing the air brimming with aggression, Mortal Snake hurried forward and inserted himself between the two. “Alright, that’s quite enough…” he said while placing his hands on their shoulders.
Were they to truly unleash themselves here, the magnitude of a {Terrestrial-grade battle} would be more than he could survive—he wouldn’t even leave a corpse.
The three of them had shared years of camaraderie, and mutual destruction would be the worst possible outcome.
"Please, for my sake..." Mortal Snake said in a low voice. "I don’t care who dies between the two of you, but if you fight, I’ll definitely be the one to die."
"Damn Snake, move aside," Terrestrial Tiger snapped. "This is none of your business. Today, I’m going to tear this usurper apart."
"Usurper?" Terrestrial Goat, who had been holding back his fury, instantly flared up. "You think I’m the one who overthrew him? Do you honestly think you’re the only one who f*cking cares about Goat ge in this world?"
"Tiger... Ole Goat... please calm down..." Mortal Snake kept patting their shoulders, trying to defuse the tension. "I have an idea... would you two be willing to hear me out?"
"No, I’m going to kill him today," Terrestrial Tiger growled. "Damn Snake, you better run. I can’t make a move with you here."
"Indeed." Terrestrial Goat nodded as well. "Leave now. This is beyond your ability to intervene."
"At least give me thirty seconds to speak," Mortal Snake said. "After I finish, you two can fight however you want. If one of you dies, it’s on you, I won’t care."
The two Terrestrials suppressed their anger, turning to face him.
"I’ve encountered Qi Xia as well," Mortal Snake continued. "You two both know I’m a {Facilitator}, right?"
"Get to the point," Terrestrial Tiger said impatiently.
"Alright," Mortal Snake nodded. "Originally, I was supposed to simply pull the lever and assist whoever survived probation in my room. But on a whim, I decided to toss a few questions at them... and I discovered that this man named Qi Xia could solve every one of the riddles Goat ge left behind..."
"And what does that prove?" Terrestrial Goat asked coldly.
"If you two are willing to wait... next time, I’ll have a foolproof method to test whether Qi Xia is truly Goat ge or not..."
He pulled out the small notebook from his pocket, cradling it like a precious treasure. Inside, ninety-six questions remained.
"If he can answer all of them in one go, then he must be Goat ge."
TL Note: Rant goes here ( •̯́ ₃ •̯̀)
