TDU Chapter 434
Chapter 434 Terrestrial Mouse’s Fear
After confirming their plan once more, the four settled in, waiting for the door to unlock and the second round to begin.
During this time, Qi Xia and Luo Eleven each dropped a fruit in their own burrows, restoring their satiety to two units, while the others remained at one unit.
With a soft {click}, the locks disengaged, and the four stepped out of their rooms one by one.
“Zhou Six, once you enter your room, whether you trigger a {Mouse Trap} or not, be sure to immediately transmit the message to Qiu Sixteen,” Qi Xia said. “Luo Eleven and I will begin the {Rescue} only after you’ve sent the message.”
“Tsk, got it.”
Zhou Six and Wang Eight headed toward the first and second rooms, respectively. Just as they were about to enter, Qi Xia suddenly felt an odd twinge of doubt.
“Wait a moment…” He raised his hand to stop them. “Wang Eight, change rooms.”
“Me…?”
Qi Xia nodded, then pointed toward the brown wooden door of Room Five.
Wang Eight exhaled and slowly walked over.
Qi Xia found the distance between Rooms One and Two far too narrow. If Terrestrial Mouse had already anticipated his move, he would likely focus his attention on all rooms except Room Three.
If the {Cat} in this round used {Patrol} instead of {Trap}, the two people stationed so close together would very likely be caught at the same time—this would be the worst-case scenario of the entire game.
But thinking back, the {Cat}’s choice not to use a {Mouse Trap} last round was correct, because this round was the optimal moment to catch someone.
In other words, any two rooms among One, Two, Four, and Five are highly likely to contain a {Mouse Trap}, and the probability of each person stepping on a {Mouse Trap} is one in two.
“Be careful,” Qi Xia whispered. “Warm up beforehand, lest you suffer a cramp later.”
“Huh?” It was obvious Wang Eight hadn’t caught on, yet with Qi Xia paying him no mind, he could only frown in uncertainty and enter his designated room.
Luo Eleven observed Qi Xia’s expression, increasingly puzzled. He had a strange feeling. This man truly was not ordinary. Like Qian Five, his presence was uniquely striking—as if he were born to be a leader.
“Follow me,” Qi Xia said expressionlessly. ‘It’s time to visit the {Cat House}.”
Luo Eleven nodded quietly and followed Qi Xia forward.
“You know, I really like formidable people.” Luo Eleven softly remarked.
“What are you implying?”
“There are only formidable people in this world who can earn my respect,” Luo Eleven smiled cooly. “I thought only Qian Five could control me in this city, but I didn’t expect you to have some skill as well.”
Qi Xia acted as if he hadn’t heard Luo Eleven at all and approached the {Cat House}. Outside the wall here was a button. On the button were the words: {Press to Begin Rescue}.
“I’m really afraid of failure,” Luo Eleven continued. “You might not even be my age yet, but once a man passes thirty, there’s no time to afford failure, so you must follow the right people…”
“Has she still not conveyed the message yet?” Qi Xia furrowed his brows.
“Oi…are you even listening?”
"If she’s not employing Sound Conveyance, that can only mean there’s a {Mouse Trap} at work in her room…" Qi Xia stroked his chin, reasoning aloud. “Just as I expected, the {Mouse Trap} is in Room One. Then—”
“Hey…listen to me—” Luo Eleven was about to speak when suddenly, a bell rang in the distance.
{Dong}!!
The bell chimed, marking the arrival of {Scarlet Flame}.
Qi Xia’s eyes widened. He hurriedly pressed the {Rescue} button on the wall, and at the same moment, a wrenching scream erupted from the {Cat House}.
“Qi Xia!! I’ll kill you!!”
Before the words had even fallen, Qi Xia kicked the door open.
Qiu Sixteen, her head thrown back and eyes blazing red as she howled into the sky, froze at the scene.
Terrestrial Mouse beside her also seemed frightened by Qiu Sixteen’s fury, huddling motionless in a corner.
“Eh?” Qiu Sixteen blinked. “Wait… you… this?”
Seeing her expression, Qi Xia let out a long sigh of relief. “The intelligence was wrong. I came to rescue you.”
“You…” Qiu Sixteen blinked, the anger in her eyes already mostly dissipated. “Rescue me…? Wh–What exactly is going on?”
"Hold your words. Come with me first," Qi Xia said. “You and I should return first."
Listening from the side, Luo Shiyi spoke up, uneasy. “Hold on, what do you mean ‘you and I’? What about me?”
Qi Xia didn’t answer. He only glanced around the walls of the room, and after a short moment, nodded to himself. “Luo Eleven, you remain here.”
“What?!”
Observing Luo Eleven’s confusion, Qi Xia drew near and whispered into his ear.
His words immediately transformed Luo Eleven’s expression.
“You…You haven’t lost your mind, have you?” he asked. “Did the rules ever mention this?”
“No, but he also didn’t forbid it,” Qi Xia replied. “Since he set it up in advance, it means this method is feasible.”
Even after hearing this, Luo Eleven remained skeptical. It wasn’t until he carefully inspected the Terrestrial Mouse’s collar and saw a pomegranate on the table that his mind finally went on high alert. “Did you anticipate this all along… or only after entering the room?”
"Why do you think I made a personal appearance for this rescue?" Qi Xia answered, his expression unreadable. "I had something to verify in the {Cat House}, and things have unfolded largely as I predicted."
Saying this, he turned to Terrestrial Mouse. "Still not reconsidering what I told you before? The three of us are together in the {Cat House}, proof enough that I spoke honestly. Will you join this {defiant surge}?"
Terrestrial Mouse’s jet-black eyes turned to the floor, expression unreadable, giving no hint of his thoughts. Yet Qi Xia knew that his {persuasive effort} had most likely succeeded.
“Esteemed leader… you… you really flatter me,” Terrestrial Mouse said with a bitter laugh. “I was simply hoping to let you all die. You truly overestimate me. How could I ever commit such treasonous acts?”
"So that’s how it is?" Qi Xia frowned. "Are the people above you…really that powerful?"
Step by step, the Terrestrial Mouse approached Qi Xia, locking eyes with him before finally speaking, “So, esteemed leader…please, don’t meddle any further. Can you just obediently go die? I only wish to bow and bend the knee as I watch your collar detonate and your brains burst apart, not to be dragged upward like some climber reaching for a higher branch, entangled in your {defiant tide}. I’m not worthy of that."
The complexity in his eyes was almost beyond Qi Xia’s imagination.
Terrestrial Mouse wanted to die, to escape, to win, to lose, yet also to live.
He had worn his protective guise for so long that even he no longer knew which of his words were sincere.
Qi Xia had seen many Terrestrial-grade {Earthly Branches}, but never one so terrified of {Celestial Dragon}. Could it be that Terrestrial Mouse’s direct superior wasn’t {Celestial Dragon}, but there was someone in between?
“If {Mortal Dragon} is the overseer of all {Mortal-grade Earthly Branches}…” Qi Xia muttered, “then is the one you fear {Terrestrial Dragon}?”
TL Note: To all of my lovely supporters, if you haven’t checked it out yet, I just posted our 6th Supporter Perk! I think you’ll all enjoy it, I spent a lot of time on this one ^^
