Chapter 251: The First Lie

"Ding Dong...?"

Qi Xia didn’t intend to laugh, but he couldn’t help repeating those two words.

"So, Qi Xia," Qin Ding Dong said with a smile, "are you prepared to continue cooperating with me?"

"I'm not sure," Qi Xia shook his head. "You're too good at deceiving people."

"Ha! Without you to protect me..." Qin Ding Dong slowly took hold of Qi Xia's arm, "I'd be quite scared."

Qi Xia gently pushed her hand away. "Sorry, let's just talk without touching."

"Ah?" Qin Ding Dong covered her mouth in surprise. "You're not a virgin, are you?"

"What..." Qi Xia furrowed his brow. "Why are you asking that?"

"Really?" Qin Ding Dong seemed very interested in Qi Xia, her hand wandering over him involuntarily. "Do you want me to show you the ropes?"

Qi Xia's face flushed slightly, and he instinctively stepped back half a pace.

But a moment later, he regained his composure and shook his head. "No need. I'm married."

"Married...?" Qin Ding Dong was stunned. "You're terrible at lying. Do you think I've never seen a man before? If you've really been married with that shy demeanor, I'll be your servant for free for life."

"Are you bored or what?" Qi Xia's expression gradually cooled. "Instead of thinking about this, you should figure out how to earn 'Dao'."

Qin Ding Dong withdrew her hand after hearing that, saying pitifully, "But you don't plan to protect me anymore, so I don't know how to earn 'Dao'."

Qi Xia narrowed his eyes and looked at Qin Ding Dong. With so many people around, why had she set her sights on him?

After thinking for a moment, he said slowly, "Qin Ding Dong, continuing our cooperation isn't out of the question. Could I trade a fan with you?"

"Trade a fan...?" Qin Ding Dong thought for a while, then smiled seductively. "Qi Xia, what kind of fan design do you want?"

"I..." Qi Xia glanced at her cautiously before replying, "Any will do."

"Pfft." Qin Ding Dong covered her mouth and laughed. "Qi Xia, when I first asked to team up with you, I noticed you were trying to trade fans with others, so I had you figured out."

"Oh?"

"I guess... the three fans you have are all the same design, right? That's why you're so eager to trade with others."

"So what?"

"So, cooperating with me is your only way out. If you don't play along... I'll tell everyone you have three identical fans."

Qi Xia's lips curved up slightly, and he looked at Qin Ding Dong with a hint of mockery.

"About twenty-five minutes have passed now." Qi Xia glanced up at the electronic clock on the wall. "Your threat will only last five more minutes. The next fan distribution will refresh everyone's designs."

"Is that so?" Qin Ding Dong nodded, then pointed to a few participants in the distance. "Qi Xia, have you noticed that some people here are carrying handbags?"

Qi Xia had noticed that already, but he couldn't figure out what the handbags were for in this game.

"So, who are they?" Qi Xia asked.

"Qi Xia, it seems you've retained your memories, otherwise you wouldn't be in a 'Di Ji' level game on the first day, right?"

"Yes." Qi Xia nodded.

"The 'Di Yang' game is quite special." Qin Ding Dong narrowed her eyes and looked at the participants in the distance. "If you're smart enough, you can keep earning 'Dao' here, and those people... are opportunists."

That statement enlightened Qi Xia.

"Are you saying... those people came prepared?" He looked again at the ones carrying bags. "So, their bags contain 'Dao'?"

"You're really sharp." Qin Ding Dong nodded. "This place is like a microcosm of society. In this game, you'll see everything that can happen in reality."

Qi Xia felt curious after hearing that; he was starting to look forward to what would unfold next.

"So, how much 'Dao' did you bring?" Qin Ding Dong asked. "Besides the three I gave you, do you have any extra?"

Qi Xia didn't answer; he just shrugged expressionlessly.

"If you don't cooperate with me, you'll probably only earn five 'Dao' at most, or ten if you're lucky." Qin Ding Dong continued, "But look at the expressions on those people's faces... They might be aiming for dozens. How can you compete with them?"

"Interesting..." Qi Xia nodded. "So, that means the 'Di Yang' game has been running for several cycles and has quite a reputation among participants?"

"Of course." Qin Ding Dong nodded. "Everyone wants to get three thousand six hundred 'Dao', so smart people naturally find the best methods for themselves."

Qi Xia stroked his chin; he knew things wouldn't be as straightforward as Qin Ding Dong described.

If the 'Di Yang' game really allowed for stable 'Dao' earning, someone should have already collected three thousand six hundred by now.

So... where was the variable?

"So, Qi Xia... aren't you going to think it over?" Qin Ding Dong asked again in an ambiguous tone. "Think about me?"

"Not for now." Qi Xia shook his head. "You can tell them I have three identical fans; it won't affect me at all."

Qi Xia slowly turned and walked away. After three steps, he looked back and said, "But I find you quite interesting. If there's a chance, I'll introduce you to some 'clients'."

Seeing her threat hadn't worked, Qin Ding Dong slowly dropped her smile and sighed helplessly. "Alright... I guess we'll have to look forward to our next cooperation."

Qi Xia bid farewell to Qin Ding Dong and made his way into the area, observing the participants around him again.

He realized he should have thought of it earlier: Anyone who could participate in a 'Di Ji' level game on the first day and survive this long must have played this game before and lived through it.

The 'Di Yang' game was different from 'Di Niu', 'Di Hu', or 'Di Ji'; it didn't require team cooperation or involve life-or-death battles, so it was relatively safe.

As long as you had the ability, you could keep earning 'Dao' in this game over and over, because winning here depended on yourself, not others.

Time ticked by, and before long, thirty minutes had passed.

In the center of the room, 'Di Yang' slowly pulled out another handbag from under the table.

He took out a large pile of fans and spread them across the table—about forty or fifty in total.

Seeing 'Di Yang's' actions, the participants in the area gradually gathered around; it was clearly time for the fan replenishment.

Qi Xia followed the crowd forward. This time, as long as he didn't get a "Sorrow" fan, the situation wouldn't be so passive for him.

But to his surprise, after 'Di Yang' laid out the fans, he quietly pulled out a small blackboard and set it on the table.

It read: "Each folding fan for sale at three 'Dao' per piece."