Chen Junnan constantly showed a thoughtful expression, but he always felt he couldn’t quite understand.

Qi Xia’s train of thought could already perfectly align with the madmen here, but he himself still couldn’t align with it.

“I can’t understand it.” Chen Junnan said. “For everyone, time here is indeed stopped, but I don’t think stopping time is done through this method… This is really too absurd… Your so-called ‘manipulating people is manipulating time’ sounds even more absurd…”

“It’s normal that you can’t understand.” Qi Xia said. “Time doesn’t exist in this world. Time is a concept humans bestowed upon the universe. When people stop, time stops.”

“So…?” Chen Junnan asked.

“So if we want our time to not be stopped, if we want every person to return to their correct life, we must perform the most powerful ‘fast-forward’ in history.” Qi Xia said. “I said before, my goal is to take everyone away.”

“Old Qi…” Chen Junnan’s expression darkened, and he said in a low voice: “Tell me honestly, buddy… does this ‘replication’ of yours have side effects or not?”

“No.” Qi Xia said without hesitation.

Chen Junnan knew he already had no way to understand Qi Xia’s thoughts from a normal perspective. He could only ponder for a long time before saying: “Old Qi, in any case… no matter what you want to do, I’ll do my best to help you.”

Qi Xia didn’t speak, only nodding thoughtfully.

Before long, Qin Dingdong appeared from the distant teaching building and came to the two of them, saying: “Qi Xia, Yan Zhichun and Lin Qin have both returned. They’re waiting for you now.”

Qi Xia pondered slightly for a moment, then said: “I only need to see Yan Zhichun. Help me tell her to find a separate classroom and wait for me. I still have some other matters right now.”

“Alone?” Qin Dingdong paused. “They also brought back a woman… named Wen Qiaoyun. Don’t you need to see her?”

“No need.” Qi Xia said. “Just let those who want to see her see her.”

Qi Xia bid farewell to Chen Junnan and Qin Dingdong, and went alone to the rooftop of the teaching building.

Qinglong was standing at the edge of the rooftop looking at the sunset in the sky. Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned around with a smile.

“What’s the matter?” Qinglong asked with a smile.

After speaking, he waved his hand lightly, silencing all the sounds around them.

“I don’t like things that exceed my expectations.” Qi Xia said. “What’s going on with the ‘Heavenly-Snake Moment’?”

“This wasn’t my doing.” Qinglong shook his head. “The ‘Heavenly-level Zodiacs’ directly take orders from Heavenly-Dragon. I can’t interfere.”

“Why did he do this?”

“I don’t know either.” Qinglong shook his head. “Do you need me to wake up Heavenly-Dragon and ask?”

“Absurd.” Qi Xia said. “What is he thinking? Are there going to be more moments in the upcoming time?”

“Qi Xia…” Qinglong reached out and stroked his dark green long hair by his ear, saying softly: “With this ‘Heavenly-Snake Moment’ appearing, not only you… even I’ve become somewhat curious.”

“Oh?”

Qinglong’s eyes instantly turned cold, and he slowly took a step toward Qi Xia: “Qi Xia… I always feel something’s not right. Could someone have played me?”

“What do you mean?” Qi Xia asked with narrowed eyes.

“What exactly did Heavenly-Dragon tell you?” Qinglong asked. “Are you doing things for him?”

“Me doing things for Heavenly-Dragon?” Qi Xia sneered. “You’re overthinking. Is Heavenly-Dragon that important to me? I only do things for myself.”

“Ha.” Qinglong took another step forward. “You only do things for yourself? If you put it that way, the statement ‘I want to lead everyone out’ sounds truly ironic. Are you really planning to treat me like a fool?”

“You actually believe that?” Qi Xia sneered. “Qinglong, I clearly know you’re listening from the sky, so how could I possibly deceive you to your face?”

“Can I understand this statement to mean… you don’t actually want to take everyone out?” Qinglong asked. “As you said, everything you do is for yourself?”

“Of course.” Qi Xia nodded. “Qinglong, all the people here have nothing to do with me. Even Qiao Jiajin and Chen Junnan, who seem closest to me, can be directly abandoned. After all, I wouldn’t even encounter them in the real world, and they would never interfere with my life. So our transaction is very simple. You don’t need to listen to what I usually say. You just need to remember that I killed Heavenly-Dragon for you, and you let me leave. It’s that simple.”

“Let you leave…?” Qinglong sneered. “Why do you think I would let you leave?”

“There are tens of thousands of people here. I’m not the only one missing.” Qi Xia said. “You must have a way. I can guarantee to you that after leaving here, I’ll live in obscurity. No one will know what happened to me here. Even if the true ‘God’ catches me, it would be absolutely impossible to learn anything about ‘The End’ from me.”

After listening, Qinglong remained silent for a moment, then spoke: “But this isn’t safe for me… Once matters of ‘The End’ leak out, I won’t have a good time.”

“Don’t be foolish.” Qi Xia interrupted. “Keeping me here, your situation will be even more dangerous.”

The two stood on the empty rooftop staring into each other’s eyes. Neither could determine how much truth or falsehood was in the other’s words.

“Qi Xia, I have no way to completely trust you.” Qinglong said. “But I indeed need someone to help me kill Heavenly-Dragon. If you complete this for me, I will do my best to send you away. If you dare play any tricks, I would rather sacrifice you as a talent and decisively take away your rationality.”

“Perhaps I would have worried about this before.” Qi Xia said. “But now you don’t dare.”

“I don’t dare…?”

“If I lose my rationality, I’ll become even more terrifying than now. You and Heavenly-Dragon will be trapped here forever.” Qi Xia said. “If you don’t believe it, you can make me into a ‘Native’ right now and try.”

After listening, Qinglong cautiously stared at Qi Xia for a long time, only to discover that those gray eyes actually truly carried a threatening meaning. Things had already reached this point, and Qinglong naturally didn’t dare to gamble anymore. In the end, he could only sigh deeply.

“Qi Xia, I can’t let Heavenly-Dragon know I’m interfering, or I’ll be in big trouble.” Qinglong said. “So I’ll only help you within my capabilities.”

“Good, then make the ‘Heavenly-level moments’ stop.” Qi Xia said. “No one can die tonight.”

“I said… the ‘Heavenly-level Zodiacs’ take orders from Heavenly-Dragon. How do you want me to…”

“That’s for you to worry about.” Qi Xia said. “Right now everyone is doing things outside their capabilities. You can’t have it too comfortable either. Find a way to make the ‘Heavenly-level moments’ stop. Otherwise, tonight I’ll meet with Heavenly-Dragon in my dreams. You know I’m about to go mad. It wouldn’t be strange for me to say anything.”