Chapter 20

What do the twelve zodiac signs represent?

What is at the end of the corridor?

Is it the netherworld?

In this dim corridor that seems to have no end, everyone moved forward tremblingly.

After the intense rounds of "games" earlier, everyone felt physically and mentally exhausted. At this moment, the deathly aura that had been lingering around them gradually faded.

Qi Xia inadvertently turned his head and saw Lin Qin standing beside him.

She always covered her mouth and nose with her hand.

"Doesn't that make you uncomfortable?" Qi Xia mimicked Lin Qin's gesture, placing his hand over his own mouth and nose, "Although the smell here is terrible, you will have difficulty breathing like this."

"Breathing?" Lin Qin was slightly taken aback, then smiled, "I don't feel any difficulty breathing. It just feels strange not to cover my mouth and nose, like... like not wearing clothes."

"Like not wearing clothes?"

"Exactly." Lin Qin smiled awkwardly and then took her hand away from her mouth and nose.

Her nose was very straight, and her lips were very red; there was no need to cover them. Qi Xia didn't understand what she meant by "like not wearing clothes."

Lin Qin smiled slightly but still felt uneasy, so she covered her mouth and nose again.

"A bit shy... Don't you feel awkward?" Lin Qin asked Qi Xia, "Just exposing your mouth and nose like this."

"Why would it be awkward?" Qi Xia felt very strange.

"It's like not wearing a 'mask'..." Lin Qin looked at Qi Xia very confusedly, as if looking at an alien, "Without a 'mask,' why can you be so calm?"

"Mask..."

Before Qi Xia could react, a strange light suddenly appeared from a distance.

Everyone was attracted by this light and looked forward.

It was the exit.

A light like the sunset glow came from the exit.

"We're getting out!!" Qiao Jiajin shouted excitedly, "I see the light of the sunset!"

This shout undoubtedly gave everyone a shot of adrenaline. Doctor Zhao supported Han Yimo and followed everyone, quickening their pace.

"Sunset?" Qi Xia thought for a moment and said to everyone, "We woke up at noon, and after more than an hour of game time, it should be around two o'clock now. Whether it's two in the morning or two in the afternoon, it's impossible to see the 'sunset.'"

"You're overthinking it." Officer Li shook his head, "The time in the room isn't necessarily accurate. It might be evening now."

Qi Xia nodded slightly. He knew Officer Li was right. All his time perception came from the clock in the room, but no one could guarantee that the clock was accurate.

After a few more steps, everyone saw a black shadow at the exit.

As they moved forward, the black shadow gradually took on a human form. He also wore an animal mask, but this mask made everyone feel nauseous.

Unlike all the other animal masks, this one was not made from the skull of a single animal but was sewn together from various organs.

His mouth was like a crocodile's, his nose like a bull's, his cheeks covered with fish scales, and his neck with snake skin. In addition, he had sewn lion's mane and a deer's antlers onto his mask.

This creature was simply...

"Hello, I am 'Human Dragon.'" The stitched monster slowly spoke, "All survivors? That's quite unusual."

"Dragon...?"

Everyone instinctively stopped, their nerves on edge.

It wasn't because the "dragon" was scary, but because they were too familiar with this opening.

Every time someone introduced themselves like this, it was followed by a terrifying game.

"Don't be nervous, everyone. Your 'test' is over for now." Human Dragon waved his hand, and everyone noticed he was wearing eagle-claw gloves.

All the animal organs on his body were somewhat rotten and swollen, emitting a foul smell, but he seemed oblivious, speaking to himself:

"I won't give you a new 'test,' just some advice."

No one spoke, huddling together, looking at Human Dragon with caution.

"You have ten days to change everything." Human Dragon slowly said, "If you don't get three thousand six hundred 'Dao' within ten days, the world you are in will be destroyed. Everything you see will be buried with it."

This short statement was hard for everyone to understand.

"Three thousand six hundred 'Dao'?" Qi Xia frowned, "What is 'Dao'? What do you mean by the world being destroyed?"

"Questions, hehehe, very good." Human Dragon nodded, "Questions show that you are still clear-headed. 'Dao' is..."

Human Dragon reached into his black suit pocket, fumbled for a while, and pulled out four small golden balls.

The outer part of the balls was white, the inner part golden, and they glowed with a golden light, looking somewhat strange.

"This is 'Dao.'" Human Dragon continued, "With three thousand six hundred 'Dao,' you will be saved."

Qi Xia pondered for a moment, reached out, and took one of the small balls. The ball felt soft and even a bit elastic.

"Take it, it's yours." Human Dragon smiled.

Qi Xia thought for a moment and took the four 'Dao.'

"You have passed four tests: 'Liar,' 'Spring Sprout,' 'Falling Death,' and 'Right and Wrong.' These are your rewards and your 'chips.'"

No one had ever expected that the things they had risked their lives for multiple times were these insignificant small balls, and they didn't know what to say.

"Dao..." Qi Xia frowned, looking helpless, "You mean if we can't find three thousand six hundred of these small balls, this place will be destroyed?"

"Hehehe, that's right. If this place is destroyed... you won't be able to leave." Human Dragon nodded, and the fish scales and lion's mane on his face moved awkwardly with his head.

"It seems you have quite a few of these small balls. Can't you gather three thousand six hundred yourself?" Officer Li said decisively, "And you are more powerful than us. You could have found them yourself, so why choose us?"

"Me?" Human Dragon sneered, "We are all sinners. Sinners cannot obtain 'Dao.' Only chosen ones like you can obtain 'Dao' and eventually become 'gods.'"

"This is absurd!" Zhang Chenze interrupted Human Dragon, her arms crossed, slightly angry, "Do you know what you're saying?"