“What kind of ‘Echo’ is this…?”

Chen Junnan wanted to remove his right hand from his neck, but discovered that this hand seemed to have become someone else’s hand, completely beyond his control.

“Miss…” Chen Junnan said through gritted teeth. “What will it take for you to believe I want to kill the Earth-Snake?”

“What does it matter to me whether you kill the Earth-Snake or not?” The white-clothed girl smiled slightly. “Do you know who I am?”

Chen Junnan felt this girl was being a bit difficult. He hadn’t been active in the territory of the “Land of the End” for so many years now—how would he know which temple’s Buddha she was?

“Let me go first…” Chen Junnan said. “I originally didn’t want to kill you, but aren’t you just drawing hatred toward yourself?”

“But killing you doesn’t cause me any loss at all,” the white-clothed girl continued. “After all, you don’t know who I am anyway.”

“Wait… let me guess…” Chen Junnan felt his breathing becoming somewhat difficult. “Let me guess who you are… okay?”

“Huh? Then go ahead and tell me.”

“I’ve never heard of anyone whose ‘Echo’ can directly control others, but I have heard of another situation.”

“Oh?”

Chen Junnan forcefully squeezed out a trace of a smile and laughed “hehe”: “If I’m not mistaken… you’re also using your right hand to choke your own neck right now, aren’t you? You’re putting on an act. If you choke me to death, you won’t have a good time either.”

Inside the room, the white-clothed girl who was using her right hand to choke her own neck froze for a moment.

“You forcibly make other people perform the same actions as you…” Chen Junnan felt his breathing recovering somewhat, so he continued, “And the method of control… I remember it’s by hearing your ‘voice,’ right?”

The white-clothed girl felt something was wrong. She had been cautious while walking through the “Land of the End” for years. All those who knew her “Echo” had to die, and she would pretend to be an “unfortunate one” in front of all “Echo users.” Only this way could she perfectly hide her identity here.

But today’s situation seemed a bit off.

This man seemed to know her ability.

Chen Junnan felt he was gradually regaining control of his right hand. It seemed this girl’s conviction had wavered.

“What’s your name?” the girl asked.

“I’m Chen Junnan.”

The girl thought carefully. Although she would ask for the other party’s name before killing them each time, she had never heard the three words “Chen Junnan.” Could she really have missed killing someone?

Hearing the white-clothed girl remain silent the whole time, Chen Junnan asked, “How should I address this big sister?”

The white-clothed girl paused and said, “Yan Zhichun.”

“Yan… Zhi… chun…?”

Silence.

An extremely strange silence echoed between the two of them.

“What’s wrong…?” Yan Zhichun reached up and knocked on the ceiling. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Do you know me?”

“Ah, I don’t…” Chen Junnan furrowed his brow. “I guess I don’t know you… but I also feel something’s a bit strange…”

Chen Junnan knew he had never seen this girl’s appearance, but he had definitely heard the three words “Yan Zhichun” somewhere before.

But too much time had passed, and he couldn’t recall at all.

“I’m also feeling a bit curious,” Yan Zhichun said. “Chen Junnan, before today, you should be the first person in the entire ‘Land of the End’ who could describe my ‘Echo.’ Why didn’t I kill you back then? And how did you learn about my ‘Echo’?”

Chen Junnan snapped back to his senses, feeling that Yan Zhichun’s words had hidden meanings, so he followed along with her words: “I think now isn’t the time to get hung up on this matter. Zhichun Jie, look, back then you didn’t kill me, which is enough to show I wasn’t your kill target. Maybe many years ago we were even teammates.”

Yan Zhichun furrowed her brow, thinking about this matter. She wasn’t some ordinary person in the “Land of the End,” so naturally she wouldn’t believe Chen Junnan so easily.

But…

“Chen Junnan, since you can climb onto the ceiling, you should have found the ‘method of immortality’ within this game, right?”

“Of course, Zhichun Jie.” Chen Junnan nodded. “Although it’s a bit inferior compared to yours, I’m very clever.”

“I’ve also found that ‘method of immortality,'” Yan Zhichun said. “Even if you throw the iron ball on my head, I won’t die.”

“I’m not surprised you found it,” Chen Junnan responded. “I know you’re a clever person, but this time my target isn’t you—it’s the Earth-Snake. After all, I gambled my life with that old bastard, and I really want to kill him.”

Yan Zhichun lowered her head and thought for a while before saying, “In that case… I can help you out.”

“Oh?” Chen Junnan instantly broke into a smile. “You’re truly the living Lei Feng of the End. Do you need me to repay you somehow?”

Yan Zhichun smiled and nodded. “Of course… I need your repayment for ‘life after life.'”

“What…?” Chen Junnan froze slightly. “That’s a bit heavy to say, isn’t it? Life after life?”

“I want you to become an ‘Extreme Path member,'” Yan Zhichun said. “From now on, swear to protect the ‘Land of the End.’ ‘Long live the Extreme Path’ will be your entire creed. For as long as you have memories, you must never allow anyone to collect three thousand six hundred ‘Dao.'”

“Hm?” Chen Junnan felt his brain was lagging a bit. “‘Extreme Path member’…? Why do I feel like… I heard this term somewhere a couple days ago? Is this some newly popular organization? Are you the ‘Extreme Path King’?”

“I wouldn’t dare claim to be the ‘Extreme Path King,'” Yan Zhichun answered. “I’m just one member among many ‘Extreme Path members.’ Our existence is to protect the ‘Land of the End’ from being destroyed.”

“Oh, I see.”

“You sound like you’re not surprised at all,” Yan Zhichun said. “I thought you’d ask some substantial questions. Aren’t you curious about why we want to protect this place?”

“I’m not curious about that,” Chen Junnan suddenly revealed a mischievous smile. “I would never let anyone collect three thousand six hundred ‘Dao’ in the first place. Even if it’s the person I trust most… I absolutely couldn’t let them succeed.”

“Oh…?” This time it was Yan Zhichun’s turn to have her thoughts blocked. “You—you’re…”

“It seems you ‘Extreme Path members’ are really quite interesting…” Chen Junnan relaxed completely and lay down on the ceiling. “I remember now… that girl named Lin Qin, she’s also an ‘Extreme Path member.'”

“Lin Qin?” Yan Zhichun smiled, seeming to understand something. “So you’re one of Lin Qin’s people?”

“I’d like to be her person, but I don’t know if she’s willing to be my person,” Chen Junnan said with a laugh. “I’m nobody’s person. I’m just one of those who has comprehended the true ‘rules’ of this godforsaken place. However, I never imagined that you ‘Extreme Path members’ have the same goal as me.”

“You also comprehended the true ‘rules’ of this place through a fortuitous coincidence…?” Yan Zhichun paused, then said, “Then you’re practically a natural-born ‘Extreme Path member.'”