When Qi Xia and the others returned to the prison, Wang Ba was already leading people in preparing tomorrow’s rations.

Worn-out backpacks were neatly arranged in rows, each bag containing a bottle of water and some oddly-shaped flatbreads.

“Qi Xia,” Qian Wu said. “Now that we’re back, everyone should go rest separately. Thank you all for your hard work today.”

Just as he was about to turn and leave, Qi Xia grabbed his forearm. “Qian Wu, find somewhere we can talk.”

“Oh…?” Qian Wu’s brow furrowed instantly. Only now did he realize he had misunderstood Qi Xia’s meaning—when Qi Xia wanted to return to the prison immediately earlier, it should have been to find a place where they could converse.

“Nineteen,” said Zhou Liu, who was beside Qian Wu, having just spotted Yun Nineteen in the distance. “Tsk, can your ‘Faith’ still hold up? We need you here.”

“No problem,” Yun Nineteen nodded. “I haven’t activated my ‘Echo’ until now, so I’m much better.”

Qi Xia gave Chen Junnan, Qiao Jiajin, and Officer Li a look, and the four of them followed Qian Wu into the conference room together. Only after Yun Nineteen entered the room and began activating his ability did Qi Xia finally speak.

“Qian Wu…” He looked as cold and stern as usual, yet his complexion was ashen as he said, “We need to add one more ability to ‘Xuanwu’—’Immortality’. We cannot succeed. No matter what we do, we cannot possibly kill ‘Immortality’…”

“What…?”

Seeing everyone’s shocked expressions, Qi Xia could only describe in detail the scene when he fought with “Xuanwu.” He alone with a single blade had left countless wounds on Xuanwu’s body.

But those wounds didn’t bleed at all—almost identical to Jiang Shi’s “Immortality.”

The wounds on both of them emanated the same pitch-black color, like the vast starry sky.

And when the knife pierced into “Xuanwu’s” body, the sensation wasn’t like stabbing into flesh and blood, but rather like piercing into a dead, withered tree.

“Even if you’re a ‘Twin Blossom’… I don’t see that you have a hundred percent certainty of perishing together with ‘Xuanwu.'” Qi Xia paused, then continued, “Perhaps only you will die, and not her.”

“So to what extent can your ‘Twin Blossom’ be utilized…?” Qi Xia looked seriously at Qian Wu. “Can you truly live and die together with the person you touch?”

Qian Wu nodded. Now with “Silent” Yun Nineteen present, some words that had never been mentioned before could finally be spoken aloud.

“During the interview room, I once tried using my own life to exchange for the life of the interview ‘Zodiac’ Man-Horse,” Qian Wu said. “As you know, the ‘Zodiacs’ in the interview rooms usually have the physical capabilities of Earth-level ‘Zodiacs’ in order to subdue participants, so killing them isn’t much different from killing an ‘Earth-level.’ But I felt something was strange. According to the account of the people in my room, the two of us died simultaneously at that time, and immediately all the games were automatically broken, and the exit door was opened. In other words, after I as a ‘Participant’ killed a ‘Zodiac,’ no ‘Divine Beast’ appeared.”

Qian Wu’s words caused everyone to fall into contemplation. Was it because the killer and the killed both died simultaneously, so even if a “Divine Beast” appeared, it would have no effect?

“So you think killing a ‘Divine Beast’ would be the same…?” Qi Xia asked.

“I can’t say for certain…” Qian Wu shook his head. “We’re doing something no one has ever done before, so everything is unknown.”

Just as Qi Xia was about to nod and say something, Officer Li beside him suddenly spoke up.

“Qian Wu, did that ‘Zodiac’ you killed have anything on his body?”

Hearing this question, Qi Xia also looked toward Qian Wu.

“Things…? Like what?”

“Like ‘paper materials,'” Officer Li said.

“No,” Qian Wu answered without hesitation. “I’ve searched countless times—his body was completely empty, not even a scrap of paper.”

Hearing this, Qi Xia and Officer Li exchanged glances. Currently, only the two of them knew about the “Zodiac Ascension Gambling Contract,” and neither spoke up to reveal it at this moment.

Qi Xia stroked his chin and thought carefully, feeling this matter was somewhat strange.

Could it be that for the “Zodiac Ascension Gambling Contract” to take effect, one didn’t need to carry it on their person at all?

If that was the case, why would Man-Goat keep it on his body?

Qi Xia felt there was something suspicious about this matter. Generally speaking, an important clue that was so easily obtained would have its authenticity greatly diminished. But Man-Goat was indeed fulfilling the contract’s contents—when Yu Nian’an appeared this time, he directly chose suicide.

If Man-Goat hadn’t deceived him, then could Man-Goat have been deceived?

“At least it shows this contract isn’t completely fake…” Qi Xia thought to himself. “Man-Goat was able to smash a person’s skull on a table with his bare hands, which proves his body was indeed enhanced…”

Seeing Qi Xia and Officer Li both fall into silence simultaneously, Qian Wu could only stop dwelling on this question and continue: “So fundamentally, killing ‘Xuanwu’ isn’t completely impossible. ‘Immortality,’ no matter how you put it, is just a type of ‘Echo.’ She isn’t truly immortal, she just possesses this ability.”

Qi Xia felt there was an indescribable eeriness about this matter. Although Qian Wu kept saying all of “Xuanwu’s” various abilities were “Echoes,” when “Xuanwu” activated her abilities there was no bell sound at all. Even whether Qiao Jiajin’s “Break All Laws” could be effective against “Xuanwu” was unknown.

“In that case… I have a second question,” Qi Xia said.

“Go ahead.”

“Can all the ‘Divine Beasts” abilities find their prototype among the ‘Participants’?”

“Theoretically, yes,” Qian Wu nodded.

“Then what about the ‘Heavenly-level’?” Qi Xia said. “Are their special abilities… also ‘Echoes’?”

Qian Wu thought carefully about this question, then nodded and said, “Aside from ‘Heavenly-level Moment,’ the various supernatural abilities they use also appear to be multiple ‘Echoes.'”

“In that case…” Qi Xia nodded. “That means there’s still a very important figure in this land who hasn’t appeared.”

“Important figure?” Qian Wu looked at Qi Xia in confusion. “Who do you mean?”

“Heavenly-Sheep’s ‘Mind Reading,'” Qi Xia looked at Qian Wu with a grave expression. “I don’t believe someone with such capability would remain unknown all this time. Before we execute our grand plan, we must find him no matter what. The ability of ‘Mind Reading’ is critically important to us.”