Chapter 140: Facing the Human Dragon

After letting those three people go, Qi Xia's expression was still somewhat grave.

He didn't know whether he or Qiao Jia Jin was right or wrong, but in any case, he couldn't let Tian Tian kill for him.

"Where are we going next?" Qi Xia asked.

Yun Yao listened and pulled a map from her pocket, which Chu Tian Qiu had given her before they set out.

After examining it carefully, she said, "It's not far from here—it's a 'Ren Hu'. Do you want to go check it out?"

"'Ren Hu'?" Qi Xia asked.

"Yes." Yun Yao nodded. "In the first few days before entering the 'Zhong Yan Zhi Di', Chu Tian Qiu rarely arranges for people to enter 'Di' level games, since they need to conserve their strength. The main events come in the later days."

"Oh?" Qi Xia paused. "Why is that?"

"Because after the initial trials, the 'Hui Xiang Zhe' gradually recover, so it's much easier to tackle 'Di' level games at that time."

"I see." Qi Xia nodded.

"But there are exceptions," Yun Yao said. "Although Chu Tian Qiu doesn't care about 'Dao', to recruit talented individuals for 'Tian Tang Kou', he always sends strong teams to participate in games that grant 'Dao' early on."

Qi Xia recalled the first time he met Zhang Shan, when Zhang Shan had brought Lao Lv and Xiao Yan Jing into the "Di Niu" game.

"In that case, let's go check out that 'Ren Hu'," Qi Xia nodded. "I've never experienced a 'Hu' game before."

By now, Qiao Jia Jin had shaken off his gloom and become cheerful again. "Liar Boy, 'Hu' sounds right up my alley, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does," Qi Xia nodded, glancing at Qiao Jia Jin with resignation. "You're incredibly skilled, but can you at least put your shirt back on first?"

Only then did Qiao Jia Jin realize he was still bare-chested; he had thrown his clothes on the ground during his fight with the bald man and hadn't picked them up yet.

"Slip-up," Qiao Jia Jin said with an awkward laugh, walking over to retrieve his shirt and put it on.

...

After walking for about ten minutes, they followed the map into a very secluded alley and finally spotted a zodiac sign.

But it wasn't "Ren Hu".

It was something far more formidable.

"It's 'Ren Long'..." Qi Xia narrowed his eyes and murmured to himself. "What's going on here?"

Yun Yao was also puzzled.

"Huh? 'Ren Long'?" She double-checked her map, which clearly said "Ren Hu".

Qi Xia took the map and looked at it. Though it was drawn simply, the key information was clear, including which intersection to turn at.

Yet, according to the map, they had arrived at a "Ren Long" game room.

"Would you like to join my game? Admission is free," said the man wearing the stitched mask.

"We can't join. Let's go," Qi Xia said coldly, turning to leave.

"Hold on, Liar Boy..." Qiao Jia Jin grabbed Qi Xia and asked, "What's wrong with 'Ren Long'? How is it different from 'Ren Hu'?"

"I don't know." Qi Xia shook his head. "All I know is someone told me: first, never face off against 'Tian', and second, never provoke 'Ren Long'."

Though Qiao Jia Jin didn't fully understand, he knew to trust the "brain." "Alright, then forget it."

As the two were about to leave, they noticed Yun Yao standing still.

"Idol, aren't you coming?" Qiao Jia Jin asked.

"I think it's a rare opportunity," Yun Yao said. "We've only encountered 'Ren Long' once in the city center, so I want to figure out what kind of game it is."

"But I feel 'Ren Long' is dangerous," Qi Xia said. "I suggest you think it over again."

"What could be 'dangerous' for us?" Yun Yao asked with a bitter smile. "Even if this game could kill us, do you think that's dangerous?"

"This..."

Qi Xia furrowed his brow, realizing Yun Yao had a point.

No matter how tough the games here were, they only led to death.

But now, he knew there was nothing to fear about death.

As long as it didn't involve betting lives, all participants were absolutely safe. Besides, the "Ren Long" game required no admission fee, meaning they had nothing to lose.

Qi Xia lowered his head in thought for a moment, and the only doubt was about Chu Tian Qiu.

Why had he given them the wrong map?

Was he even more careless than Qi Xia had imagined?

"Yun Yao, you said you've seen 'Ren Long' before—what kind of game was it?" Qi Xia asked.

"I haven't seen it; it was Chu Tian Qiu," Yun Yao said softly. "He said 'Ren Long' asked him some intellectual questions, and he didn't answer them all correctly, so he failed."

"Intellectual... questions?" Qi Xia's pupils dilated. "Yun Yao, are you joking with me?"

"Why would I lie? That's exactly what Chu Tian Qiu said."

Qi Xia fell into thought again.

This was bizarre—everything was too bizarre.

Among the twelve zodiac signs, Long was born as a divine being with immense power.

According to "Ren Zhu", Long was absolutely not to be provoked.

Yet its game was just "intellectual questions"?

"Qi Xia, you two wait here for me," Yun Yao said. "I want to check it out myself."

Tian Tian and Qiao Jia Jin turned to look at Qi Xia, unsure of his plan.

For Qi Xia, though, he had no other choice.

To understand Chu Tian Qiu's true intentions, he had to dive into the "Ren Long" game.

Was Chu Tian Qiu trying to use "Ren Long" to get rid of him?

But Yun Yao was with him—if there was danger, what about her?

Qi Xia slowly closed his eyes, cleared his mind, and thought carefully.

"Chu Tian Qiu... what are you plotting?"

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Chu Tian Qiu hummed a classical tune, tapping his fingers to the beat.

"Qi Xia... what will you choose?"

After a while, Qi Xia opened his eyes. "Yun Yao, I've decided to go with you."

"Hmm?" Yun Yao turned her head. "There's no need; I can go alone."

"No, I'll go with you," Qi Xia said. "Let Qiao Jia Jin and Tian Tian wait here."

Yun Yao couldn't argue with him and just shrugged helplessly, then walked up to "Ren Long".

Qiao Jia Jin and Tian Tian exchanged helpless glances.

"We want to join the game," Yun Yao said to "Ren Long".

"Impossible," "Ren Long" shook its head. "At least four people are required."

"Four people?"

Hearing this, Qiao Jia Jin slowly stepped forward.

"Liar Boy, where do you think you're going without your 'fist'?"

"Qiao Jia Jin, don't mess around—I feel there's something off about this," Qi Xia said with a furrowed brow. "You and Tian Tian wait here; we'll find two more passersby."

"That won't work—let Tian Tian wait here," Qiao Jia Jin shook his head. "If we're going, we go together."

"Stop it!" Qi Xia's brow furrowed deeply. "I can't let you get into trouble again!"

"Again?" Qiao Jia Jin was stunned. "I don't get it, but same here—I can't lose my 'brain' again."

"What the heck..." Qi Xia didn't understand. "Didn't I say to listen to me? Stay here and don't be reckless."

Qiao Jia Jin ignored him and stepped forward. "Liar Boy, you know this, right? A person can live without a 'fist', but not without a 'brain'."

"You..."

At that moment, Tian Tian also walked up and said, "Take me along too; there might be a place where I can be useful."

Qi Xia was torn.

He didn't want Qiao Jia Jin and Tian Tian to get hurt, especially after the last cycle was still fresh in his mind.

But if the game really was just "intellectual questions", it wouldn't matter how many people joined—there was no real danger.

After thinking for a bit, Qi Xia looked up and asked, "Ren Long, what type of game is yours?"

"Team cooperation," "Ren Long" replied without hesitation.