Chapter 161 Terrestrial Chicken Confrontation
"That..." Doctor Zhao took a cautious step back. "Qi Xia, that thing looks far too terrifying. Let's find another one..."
"Really?" Qi Xia turned his head and studied the grotesque figure, "It's just a chicken. Among the twelve Earthly Branches, {chicken} sounds like one of the safest options. What exactly are you afraid of?"
"But... but where in the world could there be such a monstrous rooster?" Doctor Zhao shook his head like a rattle drum. "All things considered, it looks far too eerie. I suggest we pick another one..."
"I have decided on him." Qi Xia's voice was calm, unwavering, as he met Doctor Zhao's gaze. "Doctor Zhao, our goal is to escape from here. Whether it’s gathering the three thousand six hundred {Dào} or breaking through all the games, one thing is clear—the {Terrestrial Chicken} must fall, don’t you agree?"
"B—But Qi Xia... you..." Doctor Zhao faltered, taking another step back.
Without a hint of hesitation, Qi Xia closed the distance between them, his hand seizing Doctor Zhao's arm with quiet force. "Doctor Zhao," he said, his tone sharpening, "Even if I have to knock you out, you will be entered into the {Terrestrial Chicken} game. By the time you awaken, you may not even remember why you're dead."
"You... Qi Xia, have you gone mad?!" Doctor Zhao's eyes turned cold, his voice laced with venom as he suddenly shoved Qi Xia back. "What exactly is your purpose?"
"My purpose is simple: to escape from here," Qi Xia replied steadily, his eyes unwavering as they locked onto Doctor Zhao. "If you have the means to assist me, I will ensure your escape as well."
"I can't make any promises," Qi Xia answered, his voice calm but resolute, "but I will do everything in my power to succeed."
Doctor Zhao studied Qi Xia for a long moment, observing the determination in his eyes and the resolve in his expression. After a few seconds, he slowly stroked his chin, lost in thought.
The action prompted a sly curl of Qi Xia's lips. As anticipated, everyone was hiding behind a mask of deceit.
Doctor Zhao, what are you truly hiding behind that façade?
"If you're so eager to engage in this {chicken} game, I suggest you find one with a mask that shows signs of wear."
"No, it has to be this one." With a measured tone, Qi Xia added, "Doctor Zhao, I’ll give you one more chance to reconsider."
"Motherfucker..." Doctor Zhao swore, his patience thinning. "Why do you refuse to heed advice?! Do you even understand what this life-like {chicken} truly signifies?!"
"This isn't a matter of heeding advice," Qi Xia remarked. "Doctor Zhao, I seek to cultivate a bond of deep camaraderie with you, one that will see us through both life and death."
"Deep camaraderie..." Doctor Zhao blinked in disbelief. "Are you serious?"
"One could say so," Qi Xia replied, his nod filled with ambiguity.
Doctor Zhao lowered his gaze, falling into a long, contemplative silence.
"Qi Xia," he finally spoke. "Does this game require many participants?"
"Will there be women?"
"Wo—" Qi Xia frowned, a sense of bewilderment crossing his face. "How should I know?" he replied, "This is beyond my control."
After a prolonged silence, Doctor Zhao finally lifted his gaze, his eyes drifting toward the desolate horizon. "Alright," he said, his voice steady, "let’s give it a try."
Qi Xia shook his head, a quiet resignation settling within him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he and Doctor Zhao were from two entirely different worlds—neither able to fathom the other's thoughts.
The two of them approached Terrestrial Chicken, their steps deliberate.
Suddenly, Terrestrial Chicken shouted, startling them both, "YOU TWO! COME AND JOIN!!" His voice, though belonging to a man, carried an unexpectedly high pitch. "WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU!"
"Oh? Already participants waiting?" Qi Xia inquired, "How much is admission?"
"FIVE {DAO} PER PERSON! IF YOU WIN, EACH PERSON GETS FIFTEEN {DAO}!" Terrestrial Chicken bellowed. "EACH GROUP JUST NEEDS TWO PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE!"
"Quite expensive..." Qi Xia remarked slowly, his gaze shifting toward Doctor Zhao. "Shall we take a chance, then?"
"Do as you wish," Doctor Zhao replied with a resigned shrug.
Qi Xia pulled out all ten {Dào} from his pocket and handed them to Terrestrial Chicken, then turned to Doctor Zhao, his expression curious. "Doctor Zhao, what sort of game is this {Chicken}?"
"{Chicken}..." Doctor Zhao caught himself midway and retorted, "How should I know?!"
"{Confrontation}-style games!!" Terrestrial Chicken suddenly interjected, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. "A small group of players competes each time, and there’s always an exhilarating {confrontation}!"
Qi Xia’s eyebrows arched at this revelation. "Then this time…"
"TWO VERSUS TWO!!" Terrestrial Chicken shouted, his voice sharp with excitement. His impetuous nature was evident, always quick to offer answers without a second thought.
"Isn't this perfect?" Qi Xia remarked, turning around to give Doctor Zhao a light pat on the back. "Let’s see how well we can cooperate."
"Don’t say I didn’t warn you if you end up dead."
"Very well," Qi Xia replied, his voice dripping with mock formality. "I shall dutifully follow your guidance."
With that, the two followed Terrestrial Chicken into the building behind him.
The interior was a transformed cardroom, lavishly adorned. Three walls were constructed from antique, fragrant white birch panels, their elegant simplicity belying the room's opulence. Yet, it was the fourth wall that struck an odd note—on the left side of the square table, an entire wall of transparent glass seemed strangely out of place. The room gave off the atmosphere of a recording studio, where anyone seated at the table would be able to view, with perfect clarity, everything unfolding behind the glass.
"Terrestrial Chicken, didn’t you say you were just waiting for us two? Where are our opponents?" Qi Xia inquired.
"The others haven’t arrived yet!!" Terrestrial Chicken replied, his impatience evident. "As long as you two showed up, it’s already settled! I’ve got you both locked in now, so we can just slowly wait for the others to trickle in!"
Qi Xia sighed, a resigned look crossing his face. It was clear that this Terrestrial Chicken was as impetuous as ever.
Despite saying they would {slowly wait}, Terrestrial Chicken couldn’t seem to stand still. He paced anxiously back and forth, casting frequent glances at the door, his eyes constantly searching for the next group of participants to arrive.
"We’ve already paid the admission, so could you at least tell us the rules first?" Qi Xia asked.
"TOO TROUBLESOME!!" Terrestrial Chicken yelled, "The rules I’ve set are too complicated! I can only explain them once, and I’ll do that when everyone’s here!"
Qi Xia gave a slight nod, his expression unreadable, before his gaze shifted to the cards spread out on the table. "Since you can’t explain the rules yet, then can we take a look at the props in the meantime?"
"NO! You're too shameless!!" Terrestrial Chicken shrieked, "I'LL KILL YOU!!"
Hearing this, Qi Xia swallowed slightly. No matter how crazy the other party looked, he was indeed a {Terrestrial}. A monster enhanced to be strengthened only needs to lift a finger to kill.
Since Terrestrial Chicken was unwilling to reveal the rules, Qi Xia was left to make his own assumptions. In the center of the square table lay a deck of cards—could it be that the game involved four players seated around the table, playing cards?
But then... where did the {confrontation} fit into this? And what about the other room separated by the glass wall—what purpose did that serve?
He mulled it over, his mind racing in all directions, but still, the nature of this madman's game eluded him. Finally, with a resigned sigh, Qi Xia shook his head, closing his eyes in an attempt to rest.
Doctor Zhao kept glancing around, his nerves palpable. His expression was a strange mix of anticipation and apprehension, as if he were bracing for something inevitable yet uncertain.
After about half an hour, the second group of participants finally arrived.
Terrestrial Chicken, as eager as ever, practically coaxed and cajoled the man and woman pair into the room, his excitement palpable—as though he’d been injected with a dose of chicken blood.
The man was tall and imposing, nearly 1.9 meters in height. The woman, in stark contrast, exuded a quiet grace, her eyes deep and contemplative. When they entered the room, their gazes flicked nervously to Qi Xia and Doctor Zhao before they silently took their seats at the table.
"He—Hello there." The man greeted.
Neither Qi Xia nor Doctor Zhao acknowledged the greeting. They merely cast cold, appraising glances at the pair.
After all, this was a {confrontation} game—there was no need for pleasantries.