"What is this...?" Qi Xia was left speechless, unable to comprehend what was unfolding before his eyes.
"Hey! Stop staring and help out!" Qiao Jiajin called out as he moved one of the bodies that looked exactly like {him}, the bizarre situation almost casual in his tone. "Don’t just stand there!"
Officer Li, Han Yimo, and Doctor Zhao snapped out of their shock and stepped forward to assist.
Yu Nian'An, frightened by the sight of the corpses scattered across the ground, turned to Qi Xia and asked, “Xia, are we supposed to live here?”
“This…” Qi Xia’s gaze wandered over the mountain of corpses, the rancid stench in the air nearly overwhelming. For a moment, his mind drifted, lost in the sheer scale of death around them.
During the previous instance, {Passage to Heaven} had accommodated only around thirty people. Yet here, the bodies of Qiao Jiajin and Li Xiangling alone numbered over thirty, creating a grim and overwhelming sight.
This was truly a scene of {corpses strewn across the battlefield}.
Lawyer Zhang continued to retreat, a chilling sensation crawling up her spine. The sheer scale of death before her was unnerving, and the atmosphere felt heavy with dread.
Had they not noticed how utterly grotesque and unsettling this entire situation was? Murder had taken place here!
Why were they all so nonchalant, moving the bodies as if it were just another mundane task?!
Why weren’t they horrified by the grotesque scene before them?!
The corpses sprawled across the ground... and the two individuals standing among them—why do they share the same face?!
"No... I can’t take this anymore..." Lawyer Zhang shook her head vigorously, her voice trembling. "I—I can’t stay here any longer..."
She turned to leave, her steps hurried and unsteady, but before she could get far, Lin Qin reached out and firmly grasped her arm. "Lawyer Zhang, if you try to go off on your own, you’ll starve to death in just a few days," Lin Qin said, her brow furrowed with concern. "I know we might seem insane to you right now, but you’ll understand soon enough."
At that moment, Tian Tian stood quietly behind the group, her body trembling, yet no words escaped her lips.
Were these people truly good at heart?
She gently wrapped her arms around herself, feeling an unmistakable chill. It was unclear whether the unnerving scene before her was the cause of her shivers, or if it was simply the inadequacy of her clothing. Either way, she could not quell her trembling.
Just then, a coat was gently draped over her shoulders, its warmth a sudden and comforting contrast to the cold.
Tian Tian started in surprise, quickly turning her head to find a strikingly beautiful young woman standing beside her, offering a serene smile.
"Hello, xiao jiejie," the young woman said with a smile. "Aren't you cold, dressed like that?"
Tian Tian swallowed nervously and quickly tried to remove the coat from her shoulders. "No, no, please... I’m filthy! What if your clothes will get ruined..."
"No, you’re not filthy," the young woman gently shook her head, her voice soft but firm as she adjusted the coat more securely around Tian Tian. "Xiao jiejie, my name is Yun Yao. What’s yours?"
"I'm Zhang—no—I’m Tian Tian," she replied, her voice faltering as she lowered her gaze, a sense of inadequacy creeping over her. The young woman before her was so radiant, so polished, a stark contrast to her own inferior self.
"Tian Tian..." Yun Yao smiled and nodded. "What a lovely name."
Hearing this, Tian Tian's complexion grew even more ashen, her voice faltering as she murmured, "No... it's not a lovely name. Actually, this name... was used when I…"
"Before coming here, I was at home, unemployed!" Yun Yao interjected, gently slinging her arm around Tian Tian's shoulders in an attempt to offer warmth. "What about you? Were you in the same situation?"
"I... ah, yes... unemployed," Tian Tian replied tentatively, nodding cautiously, her words measured as though any misstep might invite disdain or reproach from those surrounding her.
"Then we must help each other out," Yun Yao declared with a reassuring smile. "From this moment on, I’ll look after you."
Tian Tian couldn’t quite comprehend the young woman’s intentions. Who, upon first meeting someone, would extend such kindness to a complete stranger?
Could she be a swindler? But...could such a beautiful swindler exist in this world?
"Yun—Yun Yao jie, you don’t need to go out of your way for me," Tian Tian said with a bitter smile, her voice tinged with self-deprecation. "I’m a worthless person, not deserving of such kindness."
"Enough," Yun Yao interjected, her tone firm yet gentle. "Don’t ever call yourself worthless, and don’t refer to me as {Yun Yao jie}—call me {Xiao Yao}."
"{Xiao Yao}...?" Tian Tian repeated, still bewildered. What was this young woman truly after?
"Come on, I’ll take you to get something to eat." Yun Yao grasped Tian Tian’s hand firmly and led her past the others, her steps purposeful.
Yun Yao cast a brief glance at Qi Xia. "I won’t bother with you—do as you please."
Though her words carried a hint of disdain, Qi Xia noticed a subtle shift in Yun Yao’s gaze. What had once been bright and sparkling eyes now carried a trace of uncertainty.
Qi Xia sighed inwardly. He knew he owed Tian Tian, so for now, he’d let Yun Yao take care of her.
Everyone except Lawyer Zhang stepped forward to help move the bodies of Qiao Jiajin and Li Xiangling.
"What in the world happened here?" Qi Xia muttered, dragging Qiao Jiajin’s lifeless form. He turned toward Chu Tianqiu and questioned, "Why are there so many identical corpses?"
Chu Tianqiu wiped the sweat from his forehead and replied, "Qi Xia, this is your masterpiece."
"What...?" Qi Xia's voice faltered, his mind reeling. "What do you mean—My masterpiece?"
"Qi Xia," Chu Tianqiu continued, a strange smile curling at the corners of his lips, "I’ve come to truly believe that my decision all those years ago was the right one. {I must ensure Qi Xia obtains his Reverberation}—those words were undeniably correct... As long as you are present, there is no limit to what we can achieve."
Qi Xia slowly lowered Qiao Jiajin's body to the ground, his expression darkening as he fixed Chu Tianqiu with a steely gaze. "What, exactly, is my {Reverberation}?"
"Qi Xia..." Chu Tianqiu eagerly seized Qi Xia’s hand, his voice brimming with fervor. "It’s {Endowing Life Without End}! How awe-inspiring is that?! As long as you remain, is there anything we cannot accomplish? I want to be your lifelong best friend!"
The man smiling before him now had, in an indirect sense, been the cause of Qi Xia’s death during the previous instance. Though Qi Xia remained unaware of the exact nature of the conspiracy between Chu Tianqiu and Xu Liunian, it was indisputable that this incident was intrinsically tied to him.
It was, in a way, deeply ironic. In this place—{End Point}, where peril awaited at every turn—Qi Xia had died twice. Yet, neither of his deaths had been at the hands of the {games}, but of {people}; the {people} here were far more terrifying than any of the {Earthly Branches}.
After all, everyone had their own motives. The seemingly innocuous individuals could easily conceal lethal intentions beneath their outward facades.
"Endowing Life Without End..." Qi Xia muttered the four words once more, the full weight of its meaning finally settling in.
The reason Qiao Jiajin and Li Xiangling’s bodies were strewn across this cursed place... it was all tied to his {Reverberation}.
Though he had perished, his {Reverberation} had returned with him to the real world. Deep within, he had clung to a desire—an unwavering wish for Qiao Jiajin and Li Xiangling to survive. And so, defying all odds, they had truly {survived}.
But the result would undoubtedly send a chill down the spine of any onlooker.
No matter how many times their assailants struck them down, Qiao Jiajin and Li Xiangling would return, untouched, as if nothing had ever transpired—appearing again and again until every last enemy had been vanquished.
So, was Yu Nian'An... conceived under the same premise?
Qi Xia's gaze shifted toward Yu Nian'An in the distance, the question lingering in his mind.
Yet something still felt amiss...
He shook his head cautiously, an unsettling sense creeping over him. He could feel that if he pursued this line of thought any further, his grip on reality would slip once more.
Beside him, Chu Tianqiu spoke once more, his voice earnest. "Qi Xia, I swear I’ll never harm you again. You are my greatest ally on the path to {Godhood}."