“What the fuck are you spouting…”

Earth-Monkey had just begun to refute Qiao Jiajin when he suddenly frowned.

This perspective, though extremely cunning, was surprisingly difficult to refute when he thought about it carefully.

“The Liar has always been changing…” Qiao Jiajin explained. “From an outsider’s perspective, he’s been constantly transforming himself, becoming completely different from before—whether it’s his ‘mind,’ his ‘wife,’ or his identity as a ‘liar.’ But from his own perspective, he’s simply become more capable each time. In order to ensure the plan he once devised proceeds smoothly, he had no choice but to keep changing himself.”

“No… this sounds like the difficulty is a bit too high…” Earth-Monkey still found it hard to believe. “If he does this, the plan that originally seemed stable would develop countless ‘variables’ around him! As long as he makes one wrong step, everything will fail… No… this is too far-fetched, I still…”

“So his ‘changes’ are what make you all ‘stable.'” Qiao Jiajin blinked. “Isn’t that the logical relationship? Is it really that hard to understand?”

Hearing this, Earth-Monkey was momentarily stunned again.

“Young man…” He looked at Qiao Jiajin and blinked. “Your hypothesis is built entirely on the foundation of trusting Qi Xia’s abilities, but I…”

“I just trust him.” Qiao Jiajin replied. “I live simply, unlike you who thinks so deeply about things, so I find this matter very easy to understand. After the Liar finalized his plan, he himself began to act, and everything he’s done has been in service of that plan.”

“But…” Earth-Monkey slowly lowered his head.

How he wished that everything Qiao Jiajin said was true!

Yes, if “Qinglong” hadn’t appeared at that time, he too would have believed in Qi Xia as firmly as this young man before him.

After a long while, he finally let out a deep sigh, and the grievances hidden in his heart for decades seemed to dissipate with that turbid breath.

“Forget it…” Earth-Monkey said. “At this point, I don’t even know who to believe anymore. Let’s just let things take their natural course…”

Chen Junnan’s interest was piqued upon hearing this. “Hey! Monkey Brother! Don’t just let things take their natural course! We’ve all been listening here for ages. Why don’t you tell us brothers about that grand plan? As the saying goes, ‘One hero needs three helpers.’ We can help you brainstorm together.”

“Wait for a ‘crack’?”

“That’s right.”

“What kind of ‘crack’?” Chen Junnan asked.

“According to what he said, it’s a crack that theoretically should absolutely never appear. Even if someone had the greatest audacity, they wouldn’t dare create such a crack.” After Earth-Monkey finished speaking, he sighed. “So do you see it now? I’m actually the same as all of you.”

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other. Tiantian also spoke up at this moment to ask, “The same in what way?”

“We’re all pieces within the game.” Earth-Monkey said. “Each of us is a chess piece. Right now, we can only do what we’re supposed to do.”

“You’re saying we’re also part of Qi Xia’s plan?” Chen Junnan pondered for a moment, then nodded. “Although there’s nothing wrong with that idea, everything each of us has done has been voluntary. Old Qi hasn’t given us any instructions.”

“Ha.” Earth-Monkey chuckled softly and said slowly, “You yourself said at the gambling table just now… he doesn’t need your consent at all right now. He can unilaterally treat you as pieces within the game, remember?”

That short sentence plunged everyone into silence.

Yes, if Qi Xia could devise such schemes at a gambling table with impromptu thinking, how could he possibly not apply them to his grand plan?

Chen Junnan’s train of thought also opened up somewhat at this moment. If what Earth-Monkey said was all true, then he himself should be a teammate that Qi Xia had “personally chosen.”

Not just himself—everyone he saw upon opening his eyes in the interview room should all be Qi Xia’s choices.

He deliberately gathered all these people together, converging them into a strange room that looked riddled with holes yet where each person served a purpose.

But how exactly did Qi Xia accomplish this? And what was his objective?

At this point, not to mention everyone within the game, even Qi Xia himself no longer knew what the original plan was.

He could only continuously guess what kind of game his past self had laid out, then join forces with his past self through accurate guesses, join forces with the chess pieces his past self had positioned.

What a terrifying conspiracy this was!

Even with Qi Xia’s intellect, he could only implement the plan decades later. If even after pushing himself to this extent he still hadn’t succeeded, could ordinary people truly escape from this place?

With a grave expression, Chen Junnan looked at Qiao Jiajin and Tiantian. Both wore thoughtful expressions, seemingly contemplating this information that was difficult to accept.

Earth-Monkey gestured to everyone with his eyes and said, “Whatever Qi Xia wants to do, just let him do it. I’ll wait patiently. You can also wait here for him to wake up, or just carry him away directly. But don’t bother me anymore. I have nothing to discuss with you.”

After saying this, he walked straight to sit behind the counter. He leaned back, propped one leg up on the table, then closed his eyes to rest.

Qiao Jiajin scratched his head and asked, “Junnan, do you think that Dream-Entering guy managed to cure the Liar?”

“This…” Upon hearing this question, Chen Junnan paused and replied, “I’m not too sure. To be honest, Old Qi’s complexion has become much better than before. He’s regained some color now and doesn’t look as pained. But that young fellow still died… So I’m not quite sure whether he died in the line of duty or after completing his mission.”

“Let’s wait and see…” Tiantian said timidly. “No matter what, Little Cheng did help us once…”

“Yeah, that young guy performed well at the crucial moment. Next time…”

Chen Junnan nodded. He was about to say something when he noticed Zheng Yingxiong walking toward Earth-Monkey.

He hadn’t paid attention before, but thinking about it now, this child seemed to have been staring at Earth-Monkey from the very beginning, seemingly showing tremendous interest.

He saw the boy approach Earth-Monkey’s counter and reach out his small blood-stained hand to pat Earth-Monkey’s thigh.

“Uncle, Uncle.”

Earth-Monkey lazily opened his eyes and glanced impatiently at this child whose face was covered in dried bloodstains. “What is it?”

“Uncle, how do you know about the matters of ‘Jade City’?”