My brow furrowed. Only now did I realize I’d been deceived by him.

Chu Tianqiu… did he really have that kind of “notebook”?

He was just trying to trick me, never expecting that my micro-expressions would betray me in the first instant.

Yes, I wasn’t one of the people from the room. He originally couldn’t be certain, but now he was certain.

I didn’t lose just now—I lost from the very beginning.

This person had become frightening. His current temperament was approaching Qi Xia’s—or rather, had he always been like this?

“You’re neither one of the ‘Zodiac’ people nor one of the ‘Participant’ people…” Chu Tianqiu smiled bitterly. “Let me make a bold guess… could you be a ‘third party force’ distinct from these two sides?”

I raised my hand to interrupt Chu Tianqiu.

“This matter cannot be spoken of.” I swallowed and said, “If you continue, both you and I will be in a very dangerous situation.”

After hearing this, Chu Tianqiu’s expression also changed, as if confirming his inner thoughts.

“Just as I thought… you really are someone who hides your talents well.” After a few seconds, he smiled again. “In that case… tell me about your brand new plan.”

Seeing that Chu Tianqiu had agreed, I drew close to his ear and spoke my thoughts in a low voice.

Although I wasn’t his match on the level of psychological warfare, there were always things I excelled at—for instance, I knew more of the “upper echelon figures” here, while Chu Tianqiu did not.

The intelligence I knew was not on the same level as his. Before he guessed everything, it would be enough for me to complete my plan.

“Chu Tianqiu, I want you to recruit Qi Xia to ‘Heaven’s Mouth.'”

I didn’t know if he had already guessed what I was going to say, or if he had long planned to recruit Qi Xia.

“You say recruiting ‘Qi Xia’ is your plan?” he asked softly in return. “Then I’d like to know… what benefit does recruiting this person have for me?”

“Don’t you want to break through all the ‘Zodiacs’?” I asked. “I can help you obtain ‘Earth-level’ heads.”

“Earth-level heads…?”

These five words moved Chu Tianqiu’s heart even more than recruiting Qi Xia. His expectant expression was written all over his face.

“That’s right.” I stared into Chu Tianqiu’s slightly manic eyes and said, “You should know… although these heads have no substantial use, they can become your trump cards.”

“That’s right…” Chu Tianqiu looked toward the ground, then nodded. “Indeed they can become my ‘trump cards’…”

I knew he already understood my meaning. As long as “Heaven’s Mouth” always had three “Earth-level” heads presiding over it, it could continuously attract the strong.

“Deal.” Chu Tianqiu smiled. “You give me the ‘Earth-level’ heads, and I’ll recruit Qi Xia as soon as possible.”

“Good. Those heads are in my car’s trunk—go get them. Also…” I handed the car keys to Chu Tianqiu and continued, “If you want to recruit Qi Xia, at the earliest it will have to be the next cycle.”

“Oh?” He expressionlessly took the keys. “He died?”

“Yes… what, you seem to know already?”

“Yes, he came by.” Chu Tianqiu put the car keys in his pocket and turned to look at me again. I still couldn’t see through what he was thinking. “Xiao Nian… why don’t you want to expose the fact that you’ve returned?”

“I want to participate in it.” I said decisively. “This time I want to play you and carry out this plan together with you.”

“Play me…?” After hearing this, Chu Tianqiu smiled slightly. “Quite interesting. It seems your plan isn’t just to recruit Qi Xia—is there some other purpose?”

“Chu Tianqiu, I’m not as smart as you, but I have my advantages.” I laid my cards on the table with him. “Let us compete. Even if we both die in each other’s schemes, I won’t regret it.”

He and I stood in the gradually darkening alley in silence. I didn’t know what he was thinking. Would he guess my thoughts?

“But… can you really play me?”

I seemed to see a trace of strange light in Chu Tianqiu’s eyes.

Now even Chu Tianqiu had changed. A leader who once could make anyone feel at ease relying on him had now also become manic.

But this was also good. Originally I still had a bit of reluctance, but not anymore.

Even if I truly followed Qinglong’s instructions and let Chu Tianqiu and Qi Xia have a proper fight, no matter which of these two ultimately completely disappeared, I would have no psychological burden.

“I’ll try to play your former self.” I answered. “The current you… I no longer understand, but everything you once did is still vivid in my memory.”

“The ‘Virtuous King’?” Chu Tianqiu chuckled softly. “I was originally planning to throw away this title immediately, but I didn’t expect you to come back… then let it remain effective for one more cycle.”

I thought I’d heard wrong just now. Was Chu Tianqiu going to abandon even the title of “Virtuous King”?

“So you want to pretend to be me… and recruit Qi Xia?” Chu Tianqiu confirmed.

“That’s right.” I nodded. “This matter requires your support, otherwise I’ll struggle at every step.”

“You haven’t had much dealings with Qi Xia, right? He can even see through you with a single glance.” Chu Tianqiu came to my side with great interest. “Even if you can change into my appearance, how will you gain Qi Xia’s trust?”

“This…”

Hearing this question, I also felt somewhat hesitant.

Although I had also once changed into others’ appearances to deceive, those I deceived were all mediocre people. How many could compare with Qi Xia?

“So you mean… I can’t play you?” I asked.

“No, no, no…” Chu Tianqiu reached up to adjust his glasses and smiled at me. “I’m thinking… since you’ll reveal flaws no matter what, why not actively sell him a flaw?”

“What?”

“The next time you meet, I want you to act high and mighty and give him a perfectly timed show of force.”

“For example…?”

“For example, you can directly control his teammates, then tell him ‘my rules are the rules.'”

Hearing this, I slowly frowned. “But if I do that, what’s the point of me playing you?”

“How could it have no meaning…” Chu Tianqiu shook his head, his smile becoming increasingly strange. “This is Qi Xia’s first time meeting ‘me.’ No matter what information he’s heard about me before, with his personality he’ll definitely believe ‘seeing is believing.’ If it were you… discovering that a leader who’s been talked up to mythical proportions is actually all show and no substance, what would you do?”

I thought for a while and arrived at the answer. “I would look down on him.”

“You would underestimate the enemy, but Qi Xia might not.” Chu Tianqiu said. “He might try to seize control, hoping to use me to complete his own plan.”