TDU Chapter 299
Chapter 299 Deranged King
Chu Tianqiu waved his hand lightly, prompting Xiao Nian and Zhang Shan to exit the classroom in silence.
"Song Seven, please—have a seat," he said with a courteous gesture.
Song Seven nodded and, without ceremony, dragged a chair over and sat down.
"What would you like to ask?" Chu Tianqiu inquired with a genial smile.
"We’re trying to locate the source of a {massive Reverberation}," Song Seven said directly. "Direct orders from Five ge."
"Oh?" Chu Tianqiu arched a brow. "{Massive Reverberation}, you say?"
"Correct," Song Seven affirmed with a nod. "Five ge suspects it was triggered by our large-scale attack—so it stands to reason that you’d know something about it."
"But of course I do," Chu Tianqiu replied with a bright, almost cheerful smile. "I spent ten million to purchase the lives of the entire {Cats}, all for the sake of this very {massive Reverberation}."
"I want to know who the person is," Song Seven said plainly.
"And do you think I’d simply let you?" Chu Tianqiu raised a slender finger and gently touched his own reddened lips. "The one who paid… was me. And the {answer}, naturally, is for my eyes alone."
"We can make a trade with you," Song Seven said, frowning slightly. "We might not be able to offer ten million, but we can help you with something of equal value."
"Hah!" Chu Tianqiu burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the room. "Do you really think it’s the ten million I care about?!"
"Then what is it that you—"
"Song Seven," Chu Tianqiu interrupted smoothly, his tone shifting as he changed the subject, "who exactly commissioned Qian Five this time?"
"... We can’t disclose information about our clients," Song Seven replied.
"Hahahaha!" Chu Tianqiu threw his head back in laughter, then leaned forward, voice dropping to a silky murmur. "Song Seven... this {client} of yours managed to meet with Qian Five in person, and even commanded the {Cats} to deploy everyone except their leader and vice-leader—striking at {Passage to Heaven} with overwhelming force. Tell me, does he have more money than I do?"
Song Seven remained silent.
A knowing smile curled on Chu Tianqiu’s lips. "Ah... so he didn’t pay at all. If we're talking about someone who could persuade Qian Five to take such action at {End Point} without spending a dime, they must be a {formidable individual}, wouldn't you agree?"
"Stop speculating," Song Seven cut in sharply, his voice low and firm. "We have a duty to protect our client's confidentiality. Even if you hit the mark, I won’t acknowledge it."
"Confidentiality… Hah." Chu Tianqiu’s face darkened, his eyes glinting with sudden menace. "Tell me then—what about them is so sacred it deserves to be hidden?!"
Song Seven paused, jaw tightening. After a beat, he shook his head and said coolly, "Whatever the case, {Cats} won’t break protocol."
"Very well," Chu Tianqiu murmured, his smile disappearing as his tone chilled. "Then tell me this—what exactly is {Cats}' position in all this? Once you uncover the source of that {massive Reverberation}, what do you intend to do with them?"
"I truly don’t know," Song Seven replied, gaze unwavering. "Five ge plays his cards close to the chest. I never question his decisions. All I’ve been told is that we’re to bring that individual to him."
Chu Tianqiu went quiet for a long moment, then finally spoke, "Song Seven, if following through with this mission means turning {Cats} against every single {participant} in {End Point}—would you still carry it out without hesitation?"
Song Seven’s brows knit slightly. "What exactly are you implying?"
"You and I, we both retained two years’ worth of memories," Chu Tianqiu said, wiping his lips with a slow, deliberate motion. "You should understand—there has never been a {Reverberation} of this magnitude. Not once. This isn’t just another anomaly—it may well upend the very structure of {End Point}. It might even be the only sliver of hope humanity has for breaking free."
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp. "And the {formidable individual} who hired you? It's obvious they want to snuff that hope out before it can take root. Knowing this… are you still prepared to go through with your orders?"
Song Seven fell into silence for a long time before finally replying, his voice low but unwavering. "Chu Tianqiu, you should understand better than most... the reason {Cats} has endured in {End Point} for so many years is because we never interfere with its shifts and upheavals. Be it {Earthly Branches}, {Judgment’s Domain}, {participants}, or any other faction—we face them all the same. Without bias. Without exception."
Chu Tianqiu scoffed, the disdain on his face sharpening into something almost cruel. "So to you, {End Point} is just a job? Clock out every ten days to see your family, and the rest of the time you’re here, risking your life to fatten your wallet?"
"And what if it is?" Song Seven rolled his shoulders and leaned back slightly, trying to ease the mounting pressure in the air. He gave a crooked smile—half self-deprecating, half resigned. "We’ve all done things we can’t atone for. Going home doesn’t mean redemption. We’re already walking corpses. But at least in this place... we can earn enough to leave something behind. In the real world, no matter how hard we tried, we could never provide this much for our families."
Chu Tianqiu nodded slowly, a thoughtful glint flickering in his eyes. "So, in the end, {Cats}' underlying motive isn’t so different from that of {Judgment’s Domain}, is it? You aim to preserve this place. After all, for your kind, {End Point} is no more than a gold mine—one that mustn’t collapse as long as it keeps yielding profit."
"Not quite," Song Seven replied, shaking his head. "It’s more accurate to say we follow the will of Heaven. If we happen to profit along the way… all the better."
"I see." Chu Tianqiu adjusted his glasses. "This {massive Reverberation}—it’s the fulcrum of my escape. The answer you seek? I paid dearly for it, and it’s not something I can reveal lightly."
"Is negotiation off the table?"
"Oh, we can negotiate," Chu Tianqiu said coolly, "But be warned—my price is steep."
"Let’s hear it."
Chu Tianqiu cast a glance toward the {Cats} members assembled across the sports field, then turned his attention back to Song Seven. "How many did you bring with you?"
"Eighteen," Song Seven replied without hesitation.
"And how many are {Reverberatees}?"
"Six."
A low chuckle rumbled from Chu Tianqiu’s throat. He rose slowly from his seat, his expression unreadable. Step by step, he approached Song Seven, finally bending down until their faces were mere inches apart. His voice dropped to a chilling murmur.
"I want the right hand of every one of your people. One hand per person. Leave them here."
Song Seven’s brow tightened, then he let out a bitter laugh, his smile edged with fury. "Chu Tianqiu... you’ve truly lost your damn mind."
"Don't misunderstand, Song Seven," Chu Tianqiu straightened his posture, his gaze steady and calculating. "This isn’t a threat, nor a declaration of war—this is simply {business}. You have the option to refuse, or perhaps, you might want to negotiate the price."
"One right hand per person... what do I get in return?"
Chu Tianqiu gave a faint, almost amused smile. "I’ll tell you who the person is. But if you’re willing to raise the stakes—say, leave both hands of each person, or even the corpses of the six {Reverberatees}—then I’ll rally the entire {Passage to Heaven} to help you capture him."
Song Seven’s expression gradually darkened, his eyes narrowing as he processed the implication. "So, what you're saying is… if we want to complete our mission, we have to sacrifice at least eighteen hands."
"We could also take a different approach," Chu Tianqiu mused, nodding slowly. "Drop all pretense and declare open war. {Passage to Heaven} also currently has six {Reverberatees}—it would be a fair fight."
"It would only delay our mission," Song Seven replied swiftly, his expression tightening. "Five ge wouldn't be pleased with that." Without hesitation, he drew a dagger from his waist. "I’ll offer my right hand first."
Chu Tianqiu took a deliberate step closer, eyeing the blade. "Such an old, rusty knife... can it even sever a hand?"
Song Seven paused, his gaze fixated on his right wrist for a brief moment.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Chu Tianqiu's gaze hardened, his eyes fixed intently on Song Seven's right hand. "Go ahead..."
"If you stand so close, the blood might splatter onto your face."
Chu Tianqiu removed his glasses with deliberate slowness, his eyes narrowing as he extended a finger toward his left eye. "My eyes are cold—let the blood splatter here."
Song Seven's brow deepened in a frown, but without further hesitation, he drove the dagger into his wrist. A sharp jet of blood erupted, splattering directly onto Chu Tianqiu’s left eye.
Chu Tianqiu didn't so much as blink. A slow, almost imperceptible smile curled at the edges of his lips as he allowed his eyeball to move, letting the blood spread evenly over the surface. The blood slid down his cheek, darkening the smooth, delicate features of his face, adding an unsettling contrast to his otherwise refined demeanor.
Song Seven discarded his severed right hand onto the ground with a swift motion, then quickly unbuckled his belt, wrapping it tightly around his wrist. His silence was deafening, but sweat began to form on his forehead, betraying the searing pain he refused to acknowledge.
"I take back my earlier remark," Chu Tianqiu said with a smirk, wiping the trail of blood from his cheek, before slowly licking his stained finger. "Your knife is sharper than I gave it credit for."
With a pale complexion, Song Seven muttered, "I take back my words as well... You truly possess the bearing of a {leader}."
TL Note: Yep, Xiao Chu is totally doing this for research purposes only
