“Lying sheep…”

Both Chen Junnan and Qiao Jiajin’s expressions dropped to freezing point. The faces of everyone in the room continuously wandered before their eyes.

A recombined room, nine people who didn’t know each other…

No, ten people.

When did this room start being assembled?

And what was the purpose of assembling it?

“At least eight years…” Chen Junnan muttered numbly in a low voice. “This room has been assembled for at least eight years…”

He quickly tried to reconstruct the truth of the entire matter in his mind.

After the room was assembled, Qi Xia had led him and Qiao Jiajin in activities for about a year. During that year, they experienced countless successes and encountered many failures.

After one year, Qi Xia disappeared and became a “Zodiac.”

Before becoming a “Zodiac,” he had specifically instructed him to keep the people in the room trapped for seven years.

Thinking about it this way… was he also afraid of losing members?

Did he already know about the problem with this room?

No… one could only say that the Qi Xia of the past knew this information, but the current Qi Xia didn’t.

This was the real reason he wanted to trap everyone in the room—he was afraid that before he returned, the people in the room would disappear due to various problems.

“Old Qi arranged all of this…” he said in a low voice. “All these people are ‘useful’ to him.”

But things were still very strange.

Qi Xia had no idea whether he would retain his memory when he came back. How dare he gamble so boldly?

No, to be precise, Qi Xia wasn’t even certain he could come back at all.

Could he believe that just by seeing these people, he would be able to remember what game he had set up?

“But you forgot yourself… Old Qi…” Chen Junnan said with furrowed brows. “This time you simply didn’t remember your own plan. Xiao Ran has already disappeared. What use are they to you exactly? Has the plan been disrupted?”

Chen Junnan’s thoughts kept leaping, while Earth-Mouse stood quietly across from him watching.

Some things didn’t need to be pointed out. It would be better for him to figure them out himself.

In the noisy heavy metal rock music, Chen Junnan’s expression was obviously undergoing major changes. Spine-chilling truths were crazily pouring into his mind one after another.

Although many unclear matters were surfacing, Chen Junnan knew that everything Qi Xia did was to get out.

He couldn’t possibly do meaningless things for no reason.

Earth-Mouse felt the timing was about right. He took a step forward and asked again, “Now do you two believe I’m on Qi Xia’s side?”

“You…” Chen Junnan felt the problem wasn’t here at all. “Big Rat, what exactly do you want to do?”

“Chen Junnan, your focus has major problems.” Earth-Mouse extended a finger and waved it in front of him. “You need to know that I clearly understand the truth, but I haven’t told anyone else. I’ve only awakened you. What does this represent?”

“Are you expressing sincerity?” Chen Junnan asked.

The atmosphere between them speaking was no longer like before. Now they both had heavy expressions and looked extremely cautious.

“I want you to believe me at the first moment.” Earth-Mouse said. “We don’t have much time, and our situation is very precarious. If I can’t gain your trust in the time it takes to say a few sentences, everything that follows will be futile.”

“I’m just one question away from being able to trust you,” Chen Junnan said.

“Ask away. I’ll answer everything I know.”

“How do you know so many things?” Chen Junnan felt as if there was a hidden door blocking his train of thought. “Since you became a ‘Zodiac,’ you should be an ‘Unfortunate.’ So why are you so clear about what happened before? How have your memories been preserved?”

“Chen Junnan… use your brain.” Earth-Mouse also said seriously in a low voice. “Who told you that ‘Zodiacs’ must be ‘Unfortunates’?”

“What…?”

“It’s just because the probability of ‘Unfortunates’ becoming ‘Zodiacs’ is greater, so it creates this illusion for you all.” Earth-Mouse extended a finger and pointed at his own cheek. “‘Unfortunates’ can wear this mask, and ‘Echo users’ can as well. It’s just that the vast majority of ‘Echo users’ won’t choose this path.”

“You mean you…”

“I’m an ‘Echo user,'” Earth-Mouse said. “But I’m not anymore now. To strengthen his rule, Heavenly-Dragon merged our bodies with animals. Now we ‘have no human heart, and it’s hard to find divine power.'”

“But why exactly?! Why did you actively become a ‘Zodiac’ and keep going until today?”

Chen Junnan felt that ever since meeting this rat, things had been developing in an uncontrollable direction.

“We’re all in the same ‘game,'” Earth-Mouse smiled. “Chen Junnan, even though all these years the paths we’ve walked have been completely different, we’ve been working toward the same direction until now. The building has already started to collapse, and all the people in the game have begun their own actions. I was still somewhat confused originally, but after I met that man yesterday, I connected everything together. All the events that have occurred are actually the same game.”

“So Old Qi made your toilet top open?”

“I have to correct you—it’s called ‘sudden enlightenment.'” Earth-Mouse said.

“Whatever.” Chen Junnan shook his head. “Old Qi really is a formidable character. Following him always yields some gains.”

“More than just ‘formidable’? In this godforsaken place, I’ve encountered two characters I couldn’t figure out in total. Now I know they’re actually the same person. Isn’t this very exciting news? Whether he’s ‘Aries’ or ‘Qi Xia,’ he’s actually been plotting the same thing all along.”

“Oh?” After hearing this, Chen Junnan also became interested in this matter. “So you’re telling me all this today—what do you want me to do?”

“My purpose is very simple. First, I need to gain your trust. Second, I need you to help me with something,” Earth-Mouse said. “Right now everyone is working toward the ultimate goal. I need to synchronize progress with you.”

“Then what stage have we reached now?” Chen Junnan asked again.

“Your actions in various game venues yesterday have already had preliminary results. Many ‘Zodiacs’ have accepted your mobilization. This matter has made quite a scene. I need to clear out Heavenly-Dragon’s trusted aides in advance.” Earth-Mouse said. “Even if ‘Aries’ didn’t include me in the plan from the beginning, I believe I can keep up with his pace and contribute my part. Would saying this make me somewhat arrogant?”

Chen Junnan and Qiao Jiajin stared at Earth-Mouse for a long time. Although his temperament was completely different from Qi Xia’s, they had to admit he indeed had some wisdom.

“You can first tell me who those ‘trusted aides’ are, then I’ll make my decision,” Chen Junnan said. “In this place, aside from Old Qi and Old Qiao, I won’t believe anyone one hundred percent.”