“Huh?” Old Lu was stunned. “Why the hell is that?”

“You shouldn’t have followed us!!” Aunt Tong said. “You don’t know anything. Going there would just be throwing your life away!”

“I damn well don’t know right now, but you could just tell me!”

“I… Aiya!!” Aunt Tong waved her hand dismissively. “If you knew, you’d have to die. It’s better if you just stay alive…”

Seeing this scene, Qi Xia found it quite interesting. He then looked toward Old Lu and asked softly, “I don’t quite understand either, Old Lu. Are you one of the ‘Extreme Path’?”

“Me? I’m definitely not,” Old Lu answered, shaking his head.

“So right now you’re protecting the ‘Extreme Path’ in your capacity as a member of ‘Heaven’s Mouth’?” Qi Xia asked again.

“Why would I protect the ‘Extreme Path’ in my capacity as ‘Heaven’s Mouth’?” Old Lu clearly didn’t understand Qi Xia’s question. “I’m protecting Xiao Chan in my capacity as ‘myself.'”

Qi Xia furrowed his brow slightly after hearing this. “I don’t understand. You two are neither relatives nor friends, neither family nor teammates. Why would you willingly step into danger? Don’t you know you’ll die?”

“Are you truly stupid or just pretending to be…” Old Lu gave Qi Xia a sidelong glance. “Xiao Chan and I… the two of us…”

“Oh.” Qi Xia nodded after hearing this. “I almost forgot… That is indeed a decent reason.”

“What ‘decent reason’…?” Old Lu and Aunt Tong exchanged glances. “You young man truly seem strange… Even though we’re already at this age, we still want to find a companion. Does that mean only you young people can fall in love?”

“It was my oversight,” Qi Xia said. “The me from before might not have understood, but the me now understands.”

“Since you understand, help me persuade her!” Old Lu said again. “Xiao Chan won’t let me follow her no matter what, and right now I…”

“But this doesn’t add up either,” Qi Xia interrupted. “Old Lu, when we first met, you hadn’t retained your memories. Theoretically, you and Aunt Tong have spent very little time together. Can feelings develop in such a short time?”

“You youngster…” Old Lu sighed deeply. “When people get old, they get old. There’s not that much time left, so when we meet someone we get along with, we naturally develop feelings faster. What, is that not allowed?”

After hearing this, Qi Xia wanted to argue a few more points, but for a moment he didn’t know how to respond, so he could only close his mouth.

After hearing this, Aunt Tong stopped paying attention to Qi Xia and just stared at Old Lu, saying, “Old Lu, I’m telling you one last time. If you keep following me, for the rest of this life, for all the years to come, I will never speak another word to you.”

Hearing Aunt Tong speak so seriously, Old Lu could only remain silent for a few seconds before saying in a deep voice, “How about this, Xiao Chan. Tell me what exactly you’re going to do. After I know, I won’t follow you…”

“Really?”

“Really…” Old Lu nodded, looking as aggrieved as a child despite his age.

“We’re going to the place where the ‘Zodiacs’ live,” Aunt Tong said. “This is a certain path to death. Do you understand clearly?”

“You…”

“Stop blocking the way,” Aunt Tong said. “We’re going to die. Do you have any reason that makes it necessary for you to die?”

Hearing these words, Old Lu lowered his head again.

Seeing Old Lu fall silent, Aunt Tong didn’t know whether she felt more heartbroken or relieved. She just pressed her lips together, then pushed Old Lu aside forcefully, saying, “If you have nothing more to say, then go find somewhere to stay.”

Old Lu was pushed back several steps by Aunt Tong’s shove, bumping into Qi Xia.

The ‘Extreme Path’ group left Old Lu behind and walked forward one after another.

“Alright then.” Chen Junnan stretched lazily and said, “The matter’s settled. I suggest we also leave. Old Qi, don’t you still have something to do?”

“Yes.”

Qi Xia nodded, then turned to leave, but Old Lu stepped forward and grabbed him.

“Young Qi…”

Qi Xia turned his head and looked at him expressionlessly. “What?”

“I know you’re smart… Can you help me?”

“Help you?” Qi Xia said. “I don’t have time right now. Let’s talk about it next time.”

“No…” Old Lu gripped Qi Xia’s wrist tightly with both hands. “I don’t need you to spend much time, I just need you to help me come up with an idea… I really am at my wit’s end.”

“I thought you’d already made things clear,” Qi Xia said, turning his head to glance in the direction Aunt Tong had left. “Are there also deceptions in the words spoken by people in love?”

“This… this isn’t any damn deception!!” Old Lu argued forcefully. “Xiao Chan clearly doesn’t want me to die, but I also don’t want her to die… We’re both in a dilemma… Young Qi, can you help me come up with an idea? How can I save her and come out unscathed while not making her worry about me? They’re going to the ‘Zodiac’ territory…”

After hearing this, Qi Xia furrowed his brow and carefully pondered the question. “I’m sorry, how could there be such a perfect solution in this world? I still suggest you seek help elsewhere.”

After saying this, Qi Xia turned to leave again, but was once more pulled back by Old Lu. It was clear he was truly anxious.

“Young Qi! Young Qi! I don’t need to come out unscathed!!” Old Lu said again. “Do you have any way for me to save her? Just save her, that’s all…”

“The core conflict between you two is that neither wants the other to die,” Qi Xia said. “If I help you, it’s equivalent to harming her. So have you thought this through?”

“This…” After hearing this, Old Lu lowered his head and thought for a while, then nodded. “I’ve thought it through… Even if Xiao Chan will be sad and upset, it doesn’t matter. I have to let her live. I always feel that dying in ‘Zodiac’ territory… she won’t have another chance…”

After hearing this, Qi Xia remained silent for a while. Everyone around him quietly looked at him, not knowing what he was pondering.

“Young Qi…”

Old Lu murmured one last time, his voice full of pleading.

Qi Xia sighed and said, “Since you don’t want to live and want to go to ‘Zodiac’ territory, then become a ‘Zodiac.'”

“…Huh?”

Old Lu’s eyes widened slightly.

“Become a ‘Zodiac.’ At dusk today, board the ‘Train’ with legitimate reason. That’s where you should be going anyway,” Qi Xia said again. “But I’ll give you one last piece of advice—before becoming a ‘Zodiac,’ first ‘Echo.'”

After hearing this, Old Lu remained silent for a long time, as if there were too many questions in his mind.

But he quickly cast most of the questions aside and only asked one question.

“How the hell… do I become a ‘Zodiac’?”

“Everything has its own ’cause and effect,'” Qi Xia slowly raised his hand and pointed toward the abandoned Go club nearby.

Everyone followed his finger with their gazes, not understanding his meaning.

“Inside there is a pile of scattered tables and chairs. Among those tables and chairs, find your path to becoming a ‘Zodiac,'” Qi Xia said.

“Ah…” Old Lu stood there dazed for a long time, not knowing if he understood. Finally, he squeezed out three words through his teeth: “Thank you…”

“Thank yourself.”

Qi Xia waved his hand and led everyone away from the spot.