Chapter 108 Turkey Shoot
“What the f*ck…” Qiao Jiajin exclaimed, his jaw hanging open in disbelief as he pointed frantically to the spot where the old man had disappeared. His hands were still shaking. “Swindler Lad, did you see that? He’s like the Terminator!”
‘White Tiger…?’ Qi Xia murmured the name under his breath, an unfamiliar sensation prickling at the back of his mind. This {White Tiger}... could it possibly be the very {White Tiger} that holds a status on par with that of the {Vermilion Bird}? The way he had vanished into thin air was clearly not that of an ordinary human; he was likely an {overseer} like the Vermilion Bird.
But why had he appeared so… deranged?
Despite his apparent role as an overseer, he seemed intent on helping Qi Xia escape this place.
As Qi Xia mulled over these unsettling thoughts, Qiao Jiajin suddenly slapped him on the shoulder with a force that nearly knocked him off balance. “Swindler Lad! You’re not scared silly, are you?”
“Hm?” Qi Xia paused, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Scared silly?"
“Why aren’t you surprised?!” Qiao Jiajin looked both frightened and exhilarated. “A living Terminator, that old man! ArnOLD Schwarzenegger!” After a moment, he added with a grin, “Maybe we should call him ArnOldMAN Schwarzenegger…”
"Enough," Qi Xia cut him off with a dismissive wave. "The more you talk, the more absurd it sounds. Let’s head to the {school} now."
The two followed the map provided by Kim Wonhun, steadily making their way toward the school. Along the way, they passed several {Earthly Branches} stationed at the entrances of buildings. While Qi Xia had encountered this before, it was clearly Qiao Jiajin’s first experience with such sights, and his astonishment was evident.
The last time Qi Xia had made this journey, he had dragged his battered body for a grueling four hours to reach the school. Yet now, they had arrived in less than two.
At the entrance stood two unfamiliar faces, cautiously surveying their surroundings.
Qi Xia approached at a leisurely pace.
“Common people?” the middle-aged man asked.
“Yes,” Qi Xia nodded. “Both of us are common people, invited by Chu Tianqiu.”
The younger man pondered for a moment before asking, “Is there someone among you named {Qi Xia}?”
“Yes, I am,” Qi Xia confirmed with a nod.
Upon hearing this, the young man exchanged a brief but meaningful glance with the middle-aged man.
Qi Xia’s sharp eyes didn’t miss the subtle exchange.
"Understood. Please follow me," the younger man said, a faint smile playing on his lips. He turned on his heel and gestured for them to follow. Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin exchanged a look of silent understanding before falling in step behind him.
The young man deliberately quickened his pace, ensuring he kept a cautious distance, while the middle-aged man quickly moved off in another direction, disappearing from sight as the three of them made their way deeper into the campus.
“What kind of elite school is this?” Qiao Jiajin exclaimed, stepping onto the synthetic basketball court with an incredulous expression. “Damn! Is this surface made of rubber? It must be more expensive than sand!”
Qi Xia’s gaze shifted toward the teaching building, and for a brief moment, he caught sight of shadows watching from several windows. But as soon as his eyes met theirs, the figures swiftly pretended to be occupied with something else, hurriedly retreating from view.
“Something feels off,” Qi Xia murmured under his breath. “Qiao Jiajin, stay alert.”
“Stay alert?” Qiao Jiajin, who had been unusually carefree just moments ago, suddenly grew tense. His expression hardened, adopting the cold, ruthless demeanor of someone who had seen too many rough days. He leaned in and whispered, “An ambush?”
“I’m not sure,” Qi Xia replied, his mind racing over the details. An inexplicable feeling gnawed at him. {Passage to Heaven} wasn’t rolling out the welcome mat for newcomers—it felt more like they were preparing for a {turkey shoot}.
The two followed the young man into the teaching building, acutely aware that they were being shadowed. Several individuals trailed them at a steady distance, neither too close nor too far, maintaining a calculated gap.
Qiao Jiajin, ever vigilant, picked up on this immediately. He cracked his neck with a quiet, deliberate motion, then twisted his wrist before speaking. “You really are something, Swindler Lad; you caught that ahead of time,” he remarked, a hint of admiration in his voice. “We’re surrounded.”
Qi Xia’s eyes narrowed, his mind working quickly. “Can you see how many there are?”
“Nine,” Qiao Jiajin replied, his tone steady but alert. “Four behind us, one up ahead, and two on each side.”
Qi Xia's expression darkened, a crease forming between his brows. His senses sharpened, a cold unease creeping into his thoughts. What exactly is going on here?
Was the true purpose of {Passage to Heaven} to kill? If so, why not strike the moment Qi Xia and the others arrived at the plaza, instead of going through the trouble of leading them all the way to the school?
As Qi Xia dwelled on it, an unfamiliar sense of disquiet began to surface.
What about Officer Li, Han Yimo, and Doctor Zhao? If the intention was truly to eliminate them, Officer Li, with his police academy training, would certainly not be an easy target.
In this place, only Zhang Shan and Officer Li seemed capable of putting up any kind of fight. Yet Qi Xia knew Zhang Shan wasn’t the type to randomly kill innocents—he had no reason to turn against them.
Given this, what was the meaning of this bizarre encirclement? Qi Xia was filled with questions, yet found no one to provide answers.
“Swindler Lad, how good are you at fighting?” Qiao Jiajin asked.
“Not great,” Qi Xia shook his head. “But I’ve studied the Art of War.”
“Art of War? It's a waste of your talent to let you deal with nine people,” Qiao Jiajin chuckled. “Just stay put; let me show you what I’m capable of.” With that, Qiao Jiajin quickened his pace, stepping right up to the young man in front of them, and slung an arm around his shoulders in a gesture that was both casual and oddly intimate.
The young man froze, momentarily stunned by the sudden closeness. His expression shifted, caught off guard by the bold move.
“Leng-zai, this place is pretty spacious, aint it?” Qiao Jiajin bantered with a grin.
“Is—Is that so?” The young man stammered, forcing a nervous smile. “This used to be a school, so of course, it’s big.”
“Did ya know?” Qiao Jiajin said, suddenly serious, his eyes locking onto the young man’s. “If you want to trap someone, it’s best to do it in an open space. This place is too messy, it's gonna screw you up.”
“Uh...?” The young man blinked, continuing to feign confusion. “What are you talking about? I don’t quite understand…”
“Look,” Qiao Jiajin pointed to the discarded tables and chairs scattered on the ground. “There are obstacles everywhere. Not only can they block your men from getting to me, but I can use them as weapons. Do you really think nine lads can hold me back in a situation ?”
The young man’s expression shifted, a flicker of realization crossing his face. He tried to break free from Qiao Jiajin’s grip, but it was like trying to escape a vice. The latter’s strength was unyielding, and no matter how much he struggled, he couldn’t move.
“Leng-zai, why are you doing this to us?” Qiao Jiajin’s expression darkened. “Where are our teammates?”
The young man attempted to struggle again, but Qiao Jiajin held him firmly, forcing him to ultimately give up.
The young man strained against his grip, his attempts futile as Qiao Jiajin’s hold remained unyielding. After a few moments, he seemed to surrender, ceasing his struggle.
“You really seem formidable…” the young man said through gritted teeth, a forced smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “But you’ve made one mistake. It’s not nine people surrounding you, but ten.”
Before Qiao Jiajin could react, the door beside them suddenly exploded open. Without warning, a massive figure surged through the doorway—a burly man, his frame thick with muscle, charging toward them like an unleashed bull. The force of his rush sent debris scattering, the sound of splintering wood still echoing in the air as he bore down on Qiao Jiajin.