The group of people looked at those four large characters on Xiao Cheng’s back and fell into silence.

What was meant by “The Beginning of Upheaval”?

What was going to be overturned?

“Tsk… wait wait wait…” Chen Junnan reached up to scratch his forehead. “Old Qiao, don’t you feel like these words sound somewhat familiar?”

“Of course they sound familiar.” Qiao Jiajin nodded. “The Liar said these words before. At that time we were waiting outside that Earth-Pig’s game venue for Shapeshifter and his team to come out. Did you forget?”

“Damn… was this something Old Qi said himself back then?” Chen Junnan also seemed to recall something. “Seems like it really was… Old Qi said that when he ‘thoroughly understood the Land of End, it would be the beginning of upheaval,’ right?”

“It was something like that.” Qiao Jiajin also nodded.

The two looked at the characters on Xiao Cheng’s back, always feeling something was strange.

Why would the words Qi Xia said back then appear on Xiao Cheng’s back?

Tiantian pondered for a while, then said softly: “Could it be that someone in the dream realm… carved these characters on Xiao Cheng’s back?”

Although Tiantian’s explanation was logically sound, it made people feel chills down their spines.

“You’re saying someone carved characters into flesh just to deliver a message to us…?” Chen Junnan was stunned. “Is there such a formidable character in Old Qi’s dream realm?”

“Not only that…” Qiao Jiajin’s hand touching Xiao Cheng’s neck moved, and his expression soon became heavy. “This lad’s neck is broken. The other party was extremely ruthless.”

Chen Junnan carefully examined Xiao Cheng’s corpse and discovered he had indeed suffered quite a few injuries. Not only was his left arm slashed open, his right hand twisted off, his back carved full of characters—even his neck was broken.

Thinking from another angle, if there was a deranged serial killer in Qi Xia’s dream realm… how much better could Qi Xia’s fate be?

Thinking of this, Chen Junnan hurriedly came to Qi Xia’s side and reached out to pat his face: “Hey… Old Qi? Stop dreaming, it’s way too dangerous in your dream.”

Qi Xia’s body swayed unsteadily. He seemed to be sleeping very peacefully.

“Damn…” Chen Junnan and Qiao Jiajin exchanged glances, completely at a loss for what to do.

Earth-Monkey stood up, reached out to grip Xiao Cheng’s ankle, dragged a trail of blood across the ground all the way to the door, opened it, and tossed Xiao Cheng’s corpse outside.

“You…”

Everyone stared at him blankly.

“A death in a small shop brings bad luck. May everyone see red and prosper.”

Earth-Monkey casually replied, then picked up a mop and began mopping the floor: “Today’s gambling match has ended. Please help yourselves, everyone.”

“What do you mean it’s ended…?” Chen Junnan felt something wasn’t right. He pointed at Qi Xia. “Monkey Brother, don’t you have an ‘interest relationship’ with Old Qi? What’s the situation now? Have the ‘interests’ ended?”

Earth-Monkey’s attitude was indeed quite different from before. He looked as if he was relieved, yet also as if he had given up hope. After seeing those four characters on Xiao Cheng’s back, he was unusually calm.

“The ‘interests’ between him and me should be a matter between him and me. It should have nothing to do with all of you, right?” Earth-Monkey swept his gaze across everyone, then asked in a heavy voice, “Are all of you Qi Xia’s current teammates?”

Tiantian was about to answer but felt something wasn’t right.

What did he mean by “current teammates”?

Chen Junnan patted Tiantian and pulled her behind him, then took a step forward and said: “Who we’re teammates with should be our own private business. It should have nothing to do with Monkey Brother, right?”

“That’s also true.” Earth-Monkey nodded. “I can only give you all one piece of advice…”

Earth-Monkey extended his long-haired finger and pointed at his own eyes: “You all need to keep your eyes peeled. Don’t be sold out and still feel grateful.”

“What do you mean…?” Several people looked at Earth-Monkey with puzzled expressions.

Earth-Monkey merely shook his head slightly and said slowly: “Everyone, as the saying goes, eating, drinking, and whoring all result in losses—only gambling has returns. If this experience was good, please introduce more friends…”

“Don’t chat fucking idle chatter with this young master.” Chen Junnan took a step forward and stood before Earth-Monkey. “Monkey Brother, if this young master hasn’t guessed wrong… we’re basically grasshoppers on the same rope, right?”

“That’s called ‘grasshoppers on the same rope.'” Earth-Monkey sneered. “Looks like you seem to know quite a bit. Are you also one of Qi Xia’s trusted confidants?”

“Your use of the word ‘also’ is quite interesting.” Chen Junnan said. “Seems like you also know quite a bit.”

“So what if I know more?” Earth-Monkey glanced at Qi Xia from the corner of his eye. “Everyone, someone has drawn the flood here. I’ve caught the scent of danger. Everyone might be submerged. You all should prepare for when disaster strikes and each person flies their own way.”

“When the flood comes, each flies their own way?” Chen Junnan scratched his head with a mischievous smile. “My apologies, I didn’t notice—turns out you’re a noble Western monkey?”

“What?” Earth-Monkey was startled and didn’t understand.

“You haven’t remembered a single thing our ancestors taught you.” Chen Junnan said. “In Western legends, every time a great flood came, they either prayed to gods and waited to die or built big boats to flee. But what did our ancestors do?”

Earth-Monkey pursed his lips, looking at this troublemaker before him.

Chen Junnan took another step forward and stared into Earth-Monkey’s eyes, saying coldly: “When the flood comes, why the hell run? Tame it!”

After those words, Earth-Monkey’s pupils constricted slightly.

“Tame…?”

“Are you planning to keep running forever? Wherever the flood spreads, you run there.” Chen Junnan said. “Rather than continuing in such a wretched state, why not lend Old Qi a hand at this critical moment?”

Upon hearing this, Earth-Monkey lowered his head slightly, a trace of mockery flashing at the corner of his eyes.

“Lend him a hand…” He shook his head repeatedly, as if he had heard something extremely absurd. “It’s precisely because I’ve always held this kind of thinking that I now feel I’m so laughable…”

“Oh?”

Earth-Monkey slowly raised his head to look at Chen Junnan, then swept his gaze across the several people behind him and said: “I suspect Qi Xia doesn’t want to leave at all. He’s toying with all of us in the palm of his hand. We’ll all be killed by him.”

These words landed with a resounding thud, causing the several people present to fall into silence.

“This young master doesn’t understand…” Chen Junnan said. “From the moment we entered here, you’ve insisted that Old Qi doesn’t want to leave. What are you trying to achieve? Didn’t Old Qi already tell you he wants to leave?”

“But what’s his reason for leaving?!” Earth-Monkey glared and asked. “Everyone who wants to leave has their own reason they’re pursuing. What is Qi Xia’s reason for leaving?”

“You…” Chen Junnan wanted to answer “to find his wife,” but the words remained stuck at his lips, unable to come out.

“He’s deceiving you all…” Earth-Monkey said through gritted teeth. “He’s deceived us all… You know he…”

*BOOM!!*

A muffled thunder suddenly sounded outside the door at this moment, startling Earth-Monkey so much his entire body trembled.