Chen Junnan followed Qiao Jiajin running through the streets for several more minutes, but the more he thought about it, the more something felt wrong.

“Old Qiao… are you afraid I couldn’t bear it alone, so you’ve been deliberately holding back your pace to wait for me?” Chen Junnan asked with a touch of anger.

“What…?” Qiao Jiajin wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Junnan, don’t overthink it. I’m just naturally slow at running. Let’s not stop.”

Unfortunately, Qiao Jiajin’s lying skills were truly terrible—Chen Junnan saw through the deception at a glance.

“So that’s how it is…” His footsteps grew slower with each step, and after seven steps, he stopped in place.

“What do you mean ‘that’s how it is’…” Qiao Jiajin turned back and called out. “Don’t stop, Junnan!”

“Because if this young master ran alone and lonely, I might give up at any moment… so you deliberately slowed down to run with me…” Chen Junnan revealed a bitter smile. “I was wondering why your escape route was so strange, Old Qiao—you’ve been right by my side this whole damn time…”

“Uh, well…” Before Qiao Jiajin could figure out how to explain, he saw that the black lines behind Chen Junnan were already dangerously close. “Junnan! Start moving first. If you want to curse at me, wait until after this ends… The time’s almost up, it’ll be over soon…”

Although Qiao Jiajin said everything was fine, Chen Junnan noticed both his legs were trembling.

He could clearly run fast, yet he was using the same energy to hold back his pace.

“Damn it, are you trying to anger this young master to death…” Chen Junnan slowly bent down, his hands propped on his knees, looking exceptionally angry. “What the hell are we supposed to do if you die here…”

“I won’t! Junnan!” Qiao Jiajin forced out a smile. “Neither of us will die…”

As he spoke, he walked over and grabbed Chen Junnan’s arm again: “Trust me, we’re about to succeed!”

Chen Junnan felt that even Qiao Jiajin’s hand grabbing him was trembling, and he revealed a cold sneer.

“This really pisses this young master off…”

“Old Qiao! Just get lost by yourself!” Chen Junnan shoved away Qiao Jiajin’s hand. “This young master is angry, annoyed, and not running anymore.”

Seeing Chen Junnan give up, Qiao Jiajin didn’t know what to do for a moment. He thought for a few seconds, then walked in front of Chen Junnan, turned his back to him, and bent his knees halfway.

“Junnan, I’ll carry you!” Qiao Jiajin said with a serious expression. “If we don’t go now it’ll really be too late… We’ll both…”

“You won’t,” Chen Junnan straightened up and looked back at those slowly extending black lines.

“What…?”

“Old Qiao, you won’t die,” Chen Junnan said with a weary smile. “This young master will bear your death for you.”

Hearing this, Qiao Jiajin’s eyes instantly widened: “That’s not right… Junnan, what gives you the right to take my place…”

Before he finished speaking, Qiao Jiajin watched helplessly as the black line that should have been reaching toward him suddenly changed direction and drifted toward Chen Junnan instead.

The two lines extended from the distance, gradually converging toward Chen Junnan’s brow.

At this moment, the sky was obscured by countless black lines, yet Qiao Jiajin only felt that the two lines before him carried the aura of death. They seemed to surround Chen Junnan—like two vultures seeking prey, circling closer through the air.

“Goodbye, Old Qiao,” Chen Junnan smiled calmly. Death seemed as ordinary to him as sleep. “After this young master dies, remember to tell Old Qi how dashing I was…”

Chen Junnan didn’t finish his sentence before shaking his head helplessly: “Forget it, Old Qiao. Let’s just leave it at that.”

A sense of loss emanated from his entire being, making Qiao Jiajin feel somewhat sad.

Was he going to watch his teammate die beside him again?

Because of this ridiculous black line game…

“No,” Qiao Jiajin suddenly spoke with furrowed brows. “Junnan, I don’t allow it.”

“Don’t allow…?” Chen Junnan was startled.

“I don’t allow you to die for me.”

“CLANG”!!

A loud bell sound suddenly rang out from the distance. Although it was somewhat weaker than Qi Xia’s sound, it was still deafening.

“Damn it!” Chen Junnan’s eyebrows twisted into a figure eight. “Old Qiao, are you sick?! You’re doing this again?!”

“Junnan, you’re not allowed to cheat!” Qiao Jiajin said with a serious expression. “My line is my line! Because I’ve been poor since childhood, things that belong to me can’t possibly be given to others! You manage your own line and don’t steal mine.”

“What the fuck are you saying…”

Just as Chen Junnan was about to curse, one of the black lines that was about to reach his brow suddenly twisted direction, bypassed his head, and drifted toward Qiao Jiajin instead.

After successfully attracting the “line” to himself, Qiao Jiajin turned and ran.

“You fucking…” Chen Junnan was about to die of anger. He hadn’t wanted to run in the first place, but now if he didn’t quickly chase after that line, Qiao Jiajin would likely die.

He had to save someone, but he had to chase after them to do it.

How could such an absurd thing exist in this world?

“Junnan! Run quick!!” Qiao Jiajin ran toward the distance with his line while shouting. “If you stop, you’ll die!!”

“I was supposed to die anyway!” Chen Junnan shouted at the top of his lungs. “You’re using ‘Law Breaker’ to break my ‘Scapegoat’ again—do you even know how to use your own damn skill?!”

“I don’t care!!” Qiao Jiajin shouted. “If you want to steal my black line, then come chase me!”

“Chase your grandpa!” Although Chen Junnan was cursing, his heavy footsteps had already started moving. “Old Qiao, wait a moment… listen to me…”

“Come chase me!”

“Are you fucking perverted?!” Chen Junnan felt his lungs were about to explode from anger. “You’re running around grinning like a girl in the sunset—why the hell should I chase you…”

“Junnan! You have more spirit than before! That’s great!” Qiao Jiajin shouted from the distance. “If you’re angry, come hit me!”

“Damn it, damn it, damn it!!” Chen Junnan frantically grabbed at his own hair in frustration. “Ahhhhhh Old Qiao!! This young master already said I’m taking your death! Stop making me run! This young master is dying of exhaustion!!”

As soon as the words fell, the line behind Qiao Jiajin changed direction again, drawing a one-hundred-eighty-degree arc in the air before flying toward Chen Junnan behind him.

“You can’t cheat!!” Qiao Jiajin shouted back.

“I’m taking it!”

“You can’t!”

“I’m taking it!”

“You can’t!”

The black line in midair was like it had been struck by a violent wind, constantly drawing wave patterns in the air.

“Junnan, be careful!!” Qiao Jiajin was getting anxious too. “Don’t just control my line—what about the line behind you!”

“You…” Chen Junnan looked back and discovered the black line behind him had almost touched his face. Frightened, he quickly ducked and used his last bit of strength to start running.