"Aren’t you all part of the same organization?" Qi Xia furrowed his brows.
"What’s it to yer?" Ole Sun eyed Qi Xia up and down, "Ain’t we allowed a bit o' a ruckus?"
Qi Xia sensed a quality in the man before him that was strikingly similar to that of Qiao Jiajin. Yet, this trait, when combined with the differences between the North and South, manifested in completely different effects in the two of them.
"Thanks, but I don’t need anyone to step in for me," Qi Xia said. "If there’s nothing else, you can carry on. We’ll take our leave first."
"Leave...?" Ole Sun’s expression turned puzzled, "I’m standin’ up for ya... and you’re gonna leave?"
Qi Xia felt as though he had once again found himself in the situation of a scholar encountering a soldier. "I’ve made it clear that I don’t require anyone to speak on my behalf," he said. "If you're intent on staging a performance, I suggest you spare the effort."
"Performance?!" Ole Sun’s temper flared up right quick, "Come on, come on, take a gander an’ see if I’m just puttin’ on a show!" He balled up his fist and said to Qi Xia, "Take this stone for yer defense. If things turn nasty, yer’ll see I’m not messin’ about."
He extended his hand, as though offering something to Qi Xia.
"You really are—" Before Qi Xia could voice his objection, he was taken aback to find a heavy stone suddenly resting in his hand. It lay there quietly as though it had always been there.
"Huh?" Qi Xia was taken aback, "A stone conjured out of thin air?"
Without hesitation, Ole Sun clenched his hand, and a thick stone club appeared in his grip. "Xiao Xiao! Apologize to this fella! ‘Ow’re we gonna recruit ‘im if we keep windin’ ‘im up?"
"I’m not apologizing, I didn’t do anything wrong," Xiao Xiao replied, "If it weren’t for my help, would Qi Xia have understood {End Point} so quickly?"
Qi Xia's expression darkened as he tossed the stone aside. "You two are truly absurd," he said coldly. "Let me make it clear once again: I will not join. Even if you two end up killing each other over me, I still won’t be a part of this."
“Oi, oi, oi! C’mon, mate!” Ole Sun spun around and grabbed Qi Xia’s arm, “Let’s talk this out, alright? If yer not satisfied, take this club!”
Qi Xia snorted coldly. "As expected, it’s all just a performance... I don’t want any part in this."
"Alas, I’m not actin’, alright?” Ole Sun said, seeing that Qi Xia wasn’t buying it. He casually tossed the stone club aside, "I’ve never been keen on Xiao Xiao’s way of doin’ things. She’s too extreme.”
Qi Xia gave Doctor Zhao a look. The two of them had no desire to linger and planned to bypass the group and leave.
"Oi, mate!" Ole Sun still hadn’t let go of Qi Xia’s arm, "You really ain’t considerin’ joinin’?"
Qi Xia halted in his tracks, eyeing Ole Sun before asking, "You planning to kill me?"
"Then don’t waste my time if you're not going to kill me," Qi Xia said, turning to glance at Xiao Xiao. "My stance should be clear by now—I will never align myself with such a lunatic."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiao’s face showed a slight trace of disappointment.
Ole Sun also stood frozen, awkwardness written all over his face, unsure of what to do next.
Jiang Ruoxue slowly stepped forward, smiling as she said, "Forget it, Ole Sun, let him go."
“Huh? Xiao Jiang... didn’t you say this fella was proper impressive?”
"But he’s already formed such a terrible first impression of Xiao Xiao, there’s no need to keep dragging this out," Jiang Ruoxue said with a bitter smile, glancing back at Xiao Xiao. "Xiao Xiao, did you take the bottle of lithium salt I found previously?"
"Yes... I’ve been taking it every midnight," Xiao Xiao said, her head lowered.
“Wot the bloody ‘ell?! Every midnight?!” Ole Sun immediately jumped in shock. “Can’t yer make sure you’ve got the right bloke when ye’re eatin’ that stuff?! No wonder I’ve been throwin’ up bile in the middle o’ the night—so it’s yer stuffin’ that crap into me, eh?!”
"Huh?" Xiao Xiao froze, "N—No way... the Adversity Shifted to you?"
Qi Xia stared at these lunatics, feeling his patience stretched to the breaking point. Was this just another act?
"Let’s get going," he murmured to Dr. Zhao.
"Alright, alright," Doctor Zhao said, quickly breaking into a jog to leave.
"No–No, we can’t let him go" Xiao Xiao suddenly turned her head, her expression blank as she stared in the direction Qi Xia was escaping. "Ruoxue, he’s too smart, he’ll gather all three thousand six hundred {Dào}..."
"Xiao Xiao, you need to calm down," Jiang Ruoxue said, her brow furrowing.
"I am calm," Xiao Xiao said, pausing to inhale deeply. "Everyone else’s deaths are inconsequential, but Qi Xia is different. He’s destined to live here with us..."
As soon as the words left her mouth, she removed her outer shirt, revealing a sports bra underneath and a body sculpted with well-defined muscles.
The sight startled Doctor Zhao, causing him to take a step back in surprise.
"My goodness..." He never imagined that beneath Xiao Xiao's T-shirt was such a muscular physique.
Xiao Xiao picked up the stone Qi Xia had discarded earlier.
"Xiao Xiao!" Jiang Ruoxue hurriedly grabbed her, "Don’t be impulsive! Didn’t we agree to discuss things together if something comes up?"
"Let me deal with Qi Xia first..." Xiao Xiao revealed a strange smile, "I’ll make sure he stays, and then we’ll discuss it together!"
With a swift motion, she brought the stone down on her own forehead. The shocking act left both Qi Xia and Doctor Zhao in stunned disbelief.
The blow caused Xiao Xiao’s forehead to start bleeding profusely.
"Wh–What is she doing?"
"Don’t worry about it, just run!" Qi Xia pulled Doctor Zhao and they broke into a sprint.
Xiao Xiao’s face slowly morphed into one of disappointment. "Did I fail? No matter…" Once again, she lifted the stone and brought it down on her forehead, hitting with a harsh impact.
With a resounding thud, Doctor Zhao was thrown off his feet, crashing to the ground. "Ah!!" he yelled, clutching his forehead. "Damn it! What the hell was that?!"
His brows furrowed in confusion—he felt as though he had been struck by a stone, but there was only pain, no injury.
Seeing Doctor Zhao writhing on the ground, Qi Xia’s teeth ground together, and he shot a piercing glare at the three. "You lunatics… haven’t you had enough?"
Xiao Xiao, her steps unsteady, dropped the stone with a shaky hand. She didn’t seem to be in a very good condition either. "Ole Sun, tie him up quickly..."
"Huh?" Ole Sun froze, “Wait, yer really wantin’ to tie ‘im up?”
"Quit the chatter... just hurry up..." Xiao Xiao said, her hand pressed to her forehead.
"Alright... sorry, mate." Ole Sun conjured a stone club with his left hand and pulled a small coil of rope from his pocket with his right. He slowly began to approach Qi Xia.
Qi Xia’s face darkened as he slowly rolled up his sleeves. "Tie me up? You can try."
Jiang Ruoxue’s expression grew increasingly taut as she rushed to help Doctor Zhao up, feeling the situation rapidly spiraling out of control. "Uh... are you alright?"
Doctor Zhao, still clutching his forehead, surveyed the situation, then slowly got to his feet. With a forced smile, he said, "I’m fine, I’m fine…" Reaching out, he brushed his hand over Jiang Ruoxue’s. "Much obliged!"