Chapter 213 Scheme within Scheme

Chu Tianqiu had indeed sacrificed his rook to protect the king.

Yet, this time, the real rook was lost while the true king’s safety remained untouched.

It was no wonder Chu Tianqiu had devised such a meticulously crafted plan. The revelation was now clear—the true mastermind had finally stepped onto the stage.

But despite the clarity, Qi Xia couldn’t shake the lingering doubts in his mind. Something still didn’t add up, and the pieces of the puzzle refused to align perfectly.

If Chu Tianqiu was so determined to send people to search for Xu Liunian, it could only mean one thing: she would never be found—because he had already killed her.

But what could have driven him to such a drastic decision?

Was it his earlier proposal to cooperate with Xu Liunian? Had that been the catalyst, pushing Chu Tianqiu to make the fatal choice to eliminate her?

No matter how one analyzed it, the situation felt eerily off.

Yun Yao stepped forward slowly, her voice steady but laced with a faint tremor of disbelief. "Tianqiu... are you serious? You mean {Xu Liunian}?"

"That’s right, her," Chu Tianqiu confirmed with a nod.

"Impossible." Yun Yao’s face paled, her shock evident. "How could she be someone who {just joined Passage to Heaven}? Xiao Nian is our teammate!"

At the same time, Auntie Tong, who had been standing quietly to the side, furrowed her brow in confusion. She, too, remembered Xu Liunian. It was said that Xu Liunian was a {participant} who had come from the same room as Chu Tianqiu and Yun Yao—but she had vanished for a long time.

"Yun Yao, how long has it been since we last saw Xu Liunian?" Chu Tianqiu tossed a few more scraps of wood into the bonfire, the flames crackling as they grew brighter. "Think carefully. Even though we were teammates before, how can you be so certain that she hasn’t since aligned herself with {Judgment’s Domain}?"

"That—that’s impossible..." Yun Yao’s voice faltered, her eyes widening in shock.

Chu Tianqiu turned away from her, his gaze sweeping over the gathered crowd. "Everyone, Xu Liunian was indeed our teammate two years ago. Some of you fought alongside her. But I suspect her allegiance has shifted. She’s returned to {Passage to Heaven}, disguising herself as me."

The crowd was left reeling from his words, their faces a mosaic of disbelief, confusion, and unease.

"A few days ago, she locked me in the school’s warehouse," Chu Tianqiu continued, his tone measured but firm. "Because the trigger for my {Reverberation} is unique, I couldn’t defy her and had no choice but to comply. That’s why we’ve lost so many teammates recently. While I wasn’t the one responsible, I still owe everyone an apology."

Yun Yao, still struggling to process the revelation, stepped forward, her voice tinged with skepticism. "Then how did you manage to escape?"

Chu Tianqiu turned to her, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I… don’t know what happened to her today. After she brought me food, she forgot to lock the door, so I seized the opportunity to escape."

"So that’s how it was…" Zhang Shan muttered to himself. "It was all done by that person named Xu Liunian…?"

Qi Xia’s brow slowly furrowed as he processed the situation. Though Chu Tianqiu had handled the explanation with finesse, something about it didn’t sit right with him. It felt like a chess game had just begun. Qi Xia had merely advanced a single pawn, yet the opponent had immediately chosen to castle the king.

Wasn’t that reaction a bit too extreme?

"Comrades," Chu Tianqiu declared, rising to his feet and making his way toward the door with deliberate steps. "The first thing I did after escaping wasn’t to come to you all, but to secure the school gates. I then retrieved the antibiotics for Li Xiangling. The gates are now guarded, and Xu Liunian should be unable to escape. Tonight is our best opportunity to capture her. Keep in mind, her {Reverberation} is {Matter Morphing}, which means she could transform into someone we know. Based on what we’ve observed, she seems most familiar with me and Yun Yao, so the likelihood of her successfully impersonating one of us is high. That’s why Yun Yao and I will stay together at all times, ensuring she has no opportunity to exploit our identities. If you encounter {Chu Tianqiu} or {Yun Yao} acting alone, detain them immediately."

The group nodded in agreement, determination set in their eyes.

"Since that’s the situation, let’s all put in the effort tonight. No one should rest just yet," Chu Tianqiu continued, his tone firm and commanding. "Capturing Xu Liunian is our top priority."

He began organizing the group into teams, assigning each to search different areas of the school. However, he conspicuously left Qi Xia without a task.

"What about me?" Qi Xia asked, his voice calm but probing.

"You and Qiao Jiajin stay here and protect the injured," Chu Tianqiu replied. "We’ll inform you once we locate Xu Liunian."

Qi Xia and Qiao Jiajin exchanged a glance, neither of them voicing any objections.

The others quickly left the classroom, their flashlights darting in all directions as they spread out.

Qi Xia slowly sat down, his mind racing through the events that had unfolded. "It’s all too strange…" he muttered to himself.

How could one predict the moves of a madman in a game of chess?

"Swindler lad... you alright?" Qiao Jiajin asked from the side.

"I’m fine." Qi Xia shook his head lightly. "I just have too many things I can't comprehend."

…

Time ticked by, and Qi Xia's frustration only grew. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had overlooked something crucial.

But what was it?

"Here it comes again... this feeling beyond all expectation..." Qi Xia furrowed his brows.

Suddenly, a tolling bell echoed in the distance.

The sound jolted the three people in the room, a ripple of unease passing through them.

Qi Xia turned toward the window, his gaze sweeping outward. Though the precise time remained uncertain, it was unmistakably well past midnight.

At this hour, no one should be engaged in any games, so what could the meaning behind this {bell toll} possibly be...?

"{Judgment’s Domain} is attacking!!" a voice cried out from outside. "All units, prepare for battle!!"

In an instant, turmoil erupted within {Passage to Heaven}.

Qi Xia could hear the rapid patter of footsteps, urgent shouts, and the unyielding toll of the bell.

‘{Judgment’s Domain} is attacking?’ Qi Xia frowned, his confusion evident.

Was that even possible?

Lin Qin had explained that {Judgment’s Domain} was not a well-organized, methodical group. Could they truly be orchestrating an ambush?

Qi Xia peered out of the window and, sure enough, saw a group of about twenty people storming through the main gate. They were carrying torches and dressed in black—unmistakably an organized force.

Li Xiangling, visibly distressed, clutched her arm and sat up from the bed. She cautiously peeked out the window, her face paling as she whispered, "They’re killing people…"

Although the visibility in the darkness was poor, it was still clear enough to witness the violent scene unfolding in the distance. A young member of {Passage to Heaven} had just approached the gate when several wooden stakes suddenly pierced through him.

Li Xiangling clasped her mouth, her face draining of color. She quickly rolled off the bed, desperately searching for anything she could use to defend herself.

The bell continued to toll in the distance, its echo blending with the cries, the sounds of violent struggles, the occasional explosion, and the sharp crack of gunfire. The noise was maddening, each second making the atmosphere more suffocating.

"Damn it…" Qiao Jiajin glanced out the window. "What the hell is going on, Swindler lad?"

"I'm not sure," Qi Xia muttered, shaking his head as he moved toward the campfire, quickly snuffing out the flames.

Chu Tianqiu had just kindled this fire himself, likely using it as a signal for the attackers to locate their target. After all, this was the only room in the school still bathed in light. The situation reeked of suspicion from every angle.

"This room is no longer safe," Qi Xia said, his voice low with caution. "Fists, take Li Xiangling. We need to move, now."

"Understood!"

Without hesitation, Qiao Jiajin immediately scooped up Li Xiangling, draping her arm over his neck. He opened the door and cautiously scanned the surroundings. "Clear."