Qi Xia and Doctor Zhao walked out of Earth-Chicken’s card room carrying thirty “Dao.” Not three steps later, Qi Xia’s expression darkened.

“Doctor Zhao, what kind of pervert are you exactly?” he asked, turning back.

“Huh?” Doctor Zhao was startled. “Me? A pervert?”

“Your ‘Echo’ requires a woman to activate.” Qi Xia showed a face full of contempt. “Are you some demon from martial arts stories who absorbs yin to replenish yang?”

“What are you even talking about… but ‘Echo’…?” Doctor Zhao blinked. “Are you saying… this thing I have is called an ‘Echo’?”

“What are you saying?” Qi Xia was slightly stunned. “We’ve already reached this stage—is it necessary to keep hiding things?”

“I, I’m not hiding anything…” Doctor Zhao said with an awkward expression. “I really didn’t know what this thing was, but I seem to be able to destroy the surrounding environment according to my own will…”

“Destroy?”

Qi Xia’s expression became hesitant. This was truly an unexpected answer.

That meant the Man-Rabbit escape game didn’t have “fish tank collapse” as a solution—it was just Doctor Zhao’s “Echo” activating.

But why didn’t Doctor Zhao know he had an “Echo”?

“Whenever I touch a girl, I briefly gain some strange abilities…” Doctor Zhao said awkwardly. “Last time when I wanted to have an in-depth exchange with Xiao Ran… you interrupted me.”

Qi Xia covered his forehead with an ugly expression. He had a feeling this whole thing was absurd.

That day, Doctor Zhao was about to obtain a true “Echo,” but he himself had interrupted it?

“No wonder…” Qi Xia nodded. “That day when Lin Qin and I went to find you two, you hid in the shadows and swung a wooden plank at us—you really wanted to kill me, didn’t you?”

“I…” Doctor Zhao silently lowered his head.

“Because I obstructed you and didn’t let you become a superman.” Qi Xia sighed, then his eyes turned cold as he asked, “Doctor Zhao, have you always retained your memories?”

“I…” Doctor Zhao looked at Qi Xia warily and said, “Qi Xia, although I don’t understand what you mean by ‘always retained memories,’ I remember everything that happened last time.”

“What?”

“But someone specifically told me ‘don’t tell anyone that you still remember’… so I…”

Qi Xia paused slightly. So Doctor Zhao wasn’t the person in the room who had always retained memories?

He had only retained memories from one cycle.

“I think I guessed wrong…”

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Before Qi Xia could figure it out, the successive bell sounds startled his heart into trembling.

The two looked up in bewilderment. No one had ever seen such rapid bell sounds before, as if a group of people had “Echoed” simultaneously.

Three people slowly emerged from the shadows, standing right behind Qi Xia.

“Qi Xia, listen—the bell has rung.” A familiar voice slowly spoke.

Qi Xia’s entire body stiffened, then he rigidly turned around.

That chilling face appeared before his eyes.

It was Xiao Xiao.

The Xiao Xiao who had mercilessly killed Qiao Jiajin and Tiantian.

This face was the first impression the “Land of the End” had given Qi Xia.

Madness.

Qi Xia looked at the man and woman standing on either side of Xiao Xiao.

One was Jiang Ruoxue, whom he had met once before, while the other was an unfamiliar man.

“Hm? Strange…” Xiao Xiao stared into Qi Xia’s eyes. “You look like you remember me… Have you truly ‘Echoed’?”

Qi Xia didn’t speak, only stared at them with slight hostility.

“If that’s the case, communication will be much more convenient. Qi Xia, did you comprehend what I said last time?” Xiao Xiao fiddled with her oversized T-shirt as she slowly walked forward.

“Qi Xia… what’s this?” Doctor Zhao slowly took a step back. He felt things weren’t good.

Qi Xia didn’t answer. Instead, he swallowed and asked, “What exactly do you want to do?”

“We originally wanted to infiltrate the ‘Earth-Chicken’ game to kill people, but didn’t expect to run into you.” Xiao Xiao showed a troubled expression. “I don’t want to do anything—it’s just a ‘chance encounter.'”

Jiang Ruoxue gave a sweet smile after hearing this and waved at Qi Xia. “Hi! Long time no see.”

“If this is a ‘chance encounter,’ why did you three ‘Echo’?” Qi Xia asked.

“Isn’t it to recruit you?” Xiao Xiao smiled. “Last time I told you that the people here aren’t worth mourning. I think you should understand by now, right? In this kind of place, only ‘Echo’ wielders are qualified to survive. No matter how many times the rest die, it’s all the same outcome.”

After hearing this, Qi Xia also slowly walked forward, standing face-to-face with Xiao Xiao.

Xiao Xiao’s expression didn’t change, still smiling as she said, “We triggered our ‘Echoes’ here to tell you we’re much stronger than most people. Even so, you still don’t want to join us?”

“Xiao Xiao, listen carefully.” Qi Xia said with a cold and stern expression. “What I hate most in this life are things that exceed my expectations. You dared to kill my teammates right in front of me—you’d better be prepared to be my enemy forever.”

“Oh…?” Xiao Xiao paused and withdrew her smile. “Do you think I’m being polite to you, so you’re getting a bit cocky?”

“My attitude toward you has always been like this.” Qi Xia said. “If you have any business, come at me. No matter how many times you kill me, I won’t compromise.”

“You think I don’t dare?”

The atmosphere grew tense in an instant. Everyone stood in place confronting each other, while Doctor Zhao kept calculating escape routes.

“What the hell?” The unfamiliar young man standing behind Xiao Xiao suddenly broke the atmosphere. “Little Jiang, what the hell is all this?”

“Oh my, don’t be impatient.” Jiang Ruoxue tugged at the corner of the strange man’s clothes, saying quietly, “Xiao Xiao should have a plan.”

“Will that even work?” The man glared impatiently. “Don’t be bullying people here.”

“Old Sun, when have I bullied anyone?” Xiao Xiao frowned and turned around. “If you don’t know the situation, don’t speak.”

“Do I even need to know the situation?” The young man immediately walked up, standing between Xiao Xiao and Qi Xia. He looked somewhat displeased. “You already killed his teammates and you’re still talking about what situation? How could you not know your own strength when making a move?”

“Old Sun, you…”

“And I was even tricked by Little Jiang into activating my ‘Echo.’ What for? Just for this?” The young man called Old Sun felt like he’d been played. “Are you kidding me? Am I here to stand on the street backing you two up?”

The atmosphere suddenly mixed with a few parts awkwardness.

Xiao Xiao and Jiang Ruoxue helplessly looked at each other. “Old Sun, we want to recruit this person called Qi Xia.”

“Then speak to him properly!” Old Sun glared at Xiao Xiao with an expression of disappointment. “Why did you kill people?”

“I did speak to him properly.” Xiao Xiao shook her head casually. “I said ‘these people aren’t worth mourning,’ but he didn’t believe me.”

“Why do your words sound so irritating to me?” Old Sun turned around and looked at Qi Xia. “Buddy, don’t listen to her nonsense. About your teammates—I’ll apologize on her behalf first. I’ll stand up for you.”

Qi Xia and Doctor Zhao immediately looked at each other in confusion.

What was this?

Were they acting?