"What did you just say?" Qi Xia's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're telling me you've seen... people escape from here?"
"Yes," Zhang Shan confirmed with a nod, "But to be precise... we only found that person's diary."
"This..." Qi Xia hesitated, feeling a sense of unease. "You found their diary, and from that, you concluded that they escaped?"
Zhang Shan smiled knowingly and replied, "Let me be clear, if you two decide to join us, we'll share all the details. But for now... whether you believe it or not, that's all we're saying."
Qi Xia grasped the implication behind Zhang Shan's words, but he couldn’t determine if the man was being truthful.
Just then, a slightly chubby young woman, who had overheard Zhang Shan's offer, stepped forward. "Sir... is your team still accepting people? I’m willing to do anything..."
Zhang Shan glanced at the woman and smiled. "Young lady, it's not that I don't want to accept you, but our goal is to {break through every game}. Do you have what it takes to face the upcoming dangers?"
The slightly chubby woman lowered her head, silently pondering for a moment before replying, "Yes."
Zhang Shan chuckled, clearly unconvinced. He slowly walked up to her and said, "Young lady, don't try to be brave. Just focus on staying alive."
The woman's expression darkened, disappointment settling in when she realized she hadn’t persuaded him.
Seeing that the room had fallen into silence, Zhang Shan turned his attention back to Qi Xia. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a scrap of paper. With a quick motion, he dipped his finger into the blood seeping from his wounds and used it as ink to sketch a simple map.
"This is where we are," Zhang Shan said, handing the blood-stained scrap to Qi Xia. "If you change your mind, you know where to find us."
Qi Xia accepted the paper, still eyeing the trio with caution. But Zhang Shan simply shrugged off the tension, casually slinging an arm around Specs's shoulders. He then grabbed the two bear arms from the ground, ready to limp out the door without a second glance.
"Hey," Qi Xia called out.
"Hmm?" Zhang Shan turned around just in time to see something white flying toward his face. Instinctively, he reached out and caught it.
"I've changed my mind," Qi Xia said calmly. "I'll only take half. The man with the glasses isn’t bad; I don't want his {Dào} anymore."
Zhang Shan looked at the cloth bag in his hand, stunned for a few seconds, before bursting into hearty laughter. "Hahaha! How generous!"
Specs, clearly puzzled, asked, "Ah? Why? I agreed to it... You said before that—"
"I'm a swindler," Qi Xia cut in coldly. "Don’t believe a word I say."
"My name is Qi Xia," he corrected. "Don’t call me Mr. Swin. It’s far too unpleasant to hear."
"Qi Xia..." Zhang Shan echoed, as if savoring the name. "Interesting, I'll remember you."
Without warning, he raised one of the black bear's severed forearms and hurled it toward the group.
"Damn!" Qiao Jiajin was taken aback but managed to catch the hefty, bloodied limb. The weight of it surprised him—it had to be at least ten to fifteen kilograms, and fresh blood was still dripping from the jagged end.
Zhang Shan, already halfway out the door, called back over his shoulder, "Just one is enough for the three of us, and it's a hassle to carry both. You guys can help me get rid of that one."
"Get rid?" Qiao Jiajin muttered in disbelief as Zhang Shan waved dismissively and continued on his way.
The room fell silent as Qi Xia and the others stared at the bear's severed arm, unsure how to respond. They exchanged glances, speechless, until the sound of Zhang Shan and his companions' footsteps faded into the distance.
After a moment, Terrestrial Ox approached and handed them four grimy cloth bags.
Qi Xia and the others snapped back to reality and accepted the bags.
The haul was substantial, a windfall of {Dào} that left them momentarily dazed. Thanks to Zhang Shan, they also had {food}—a rare and welcome provision they hadn't seen in quite some time.
The slightly chubby young woman lingered at a distance, casting hesitant glances at Qi Xia. Finally, she approached cautiously and asked, "Can I... join you? My teammates all died during {probation}..."
Qi Xia appeared not to hear her. He merely weighed the bag in his hand and said to his companions, "Let's go."
With that, he turned and walked toward the exit, leaving the woman standing there, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Qiao Jiajin shrugged apologetically at the woman and said, "Don't take it personally; he's always ."
Seeing that Qiao Jiajin appeared to be approachable, the young woman took hold of his arm, her face marked by anxiety. "Please let me join you... I'm so scared..."
"Uhh..." Qiao Jiajin smiled sympathetically and said, "Alright…Leng-mui, you can come with us for now."
Just then, Qi Xia called out from a distance, "Qiao Jiajin, let's move."
Qiao Jiajin noticed Qi Xia's slightly furrowed brows and understood the silent message.
"Oh, okay, I'm coming." He nodded in acknowledgment, then turned to the young woman. "Leng-mui, now’s not a good time. I'll take a rain check."
With that, he followed Qi Xia towards the exit, leaving the young woman behind.
As Qiao Jiajin left, the slightly chubby young woman's initially aggrieved expression darkened, gradually morphing into a more sinister look.
At this moment, only the woman and Terrestrial Ox remained in the room, as all the other participants had departed.
As Terrestrial Ox methodically picked up and repositioned the fallen chairs, he kept a watchful eye on the young woman. After a moment, he inquired faintly, "Still up to your shady dealings?"
"Yes," the woman replied, nodding slightly. "Unfortunately, it’s becoming increasingly difficult."
"Why can't you be a bit more normal?" Terrestrial Ox turned to her and asked, "Wouldn’t it be simpler if we all adhered to their instructions?"
"Haha!" The slightly chubby young woman laughed angrily at his question. She walked up and grabbed Terrestrial Ox's collar, and asked with a fierce and malicious expression, "What rights do you have to say that to me?! {Normal}? Are you {Earthly Branches} any better than us?!"
Terrestrial Ox turned his head away and said quietly, "At least we're working towards the same goal."
"Then let's strive and see who turns out to be right in the end." The slightly plump young woman released her grip, turned on her heel, and headed for the exit. Before leaving, she added with steely resolve, "Zhang Shan can’t remain. As for Qi Xia... I'll find a way to deal with him."
"Swindler Lad..." Qiao Jiajin glanced back cautiously after leaving the building and asked in a low voice, "What's going on? Is there something wrong with that woman?"
"I'm not sure, but it's highly probable," Qi Xia replied. "It's best to be cautious in places ."
"You know about physiognomy too?" Qiao Jiajin remarked with a smile. "From that woman's seemingly friendly demeanor, I didn't see anything off."
"This isn't a matter of physiognomy at all," Qi Xia said, shaking his head. "Firstly, she claimed that all her teammates died during {probation}. If that's true, it implies she used extreme methods to survive, as it's hard to believe a weak woman could outlast nine others. Secondly, her ability to survive alone up until now and her intense will to live in the game suggest she's no ordinary person. It's highly likely she approached us for our {Dào}."
Qiao Jiajin nodded in sudden understanding. "That makes sense... Damn, and here I was feeling sorry for her."
"Of course, all of my speculations might be false," Qi Xia said. "I just prefer not to trust others easily."
He then turned to the others and added, "Speaking of which, allow me to borrow your {Dào} for a moment."