【Three Days Before Death】

“Has the prisoner confessed?”

“No, not yet.”

【Two Days Before Death】

“Any confession?”

“Still nothing.”

“How much time do we have left? Should we… try a different torture method?”

“Go ask Leader Lin for instructions.”

“I’m not going. You go.”

“I’ve asked for forgiveness twice already; it’s your turn.”

【One Day Before Death】

The Martial Alliance had been troubled for several days.

Since the emperor committed suicide on the throne, the blood-stained dragon throne became the deadly contested object between them and the Pioneering Group.

The Martial Alliance supported the Crown Prince, while the Pioneering Group claimed to be rescuing the Crown Prince from captivity.

The two sides had fought many battles, claimed many heads, captured many prisoners, and tortured much intelligence out of them.

Various tactics and counter-tactics were hard-fought, with victories alternating. The balance of power meant they could only hope the other side would exhaust themselves first.

The once fertile land of Daliang was now largely obscured by smoke, with its four borders in ruins, and its people suffering greatly. Meanwhile, foreign forces eyed the situation hungrily.

Everyone hoped for a quick resolution, yet no one was willing to concede defeat.

At this time, they captured Tan Qinghuan.

【One Day Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan was different from previous prisoners.

Leader Lin said this was a crucial figure, a VVIP.

Before transmigrating to Daliang, Tan Qinghuan specialized in war history and was recruited by the Pioneering Group as a strategist. She knew the group’s top secrets and was involved in formulating all strategic deployments—when and where the army would march, how many ambushes to set, what poison gas to release…

For such a person to be captured alone was strange in itself.

Even stranger was Leader Lin’s sudden sense of crisis.

It was said that upon her capture, Leader Lin blurted out, “This is the last path given by Heaven,” and immediately issued a death order: no matter what method was used, they must quickly pry open this prisoner’s mouth, or heads would roll.

So, everyone was baffled and treated the situation with utmost seriousness.

【One Day Before Death】

As a VVIP of the Pioneering Group, Tan Qinghuan had undergone anti-interrogation training. Threats and bribes were useless, and she didn’t even flinch when needles were inserted under her fingernails.

Three needles were nothing. The Martial Alliance’s specialty was beating people.

The heroes here could lift heavy weights and kill an ox with one slap.

Some allies had sinister techniques, injecting a thin stream of true energy that could slowly twist and break a person’s intestines.

However, these tortures couldn’t be used.

Because Tan Qinghuan was a woman.

A woman who didn’t know martial arts.

Ordinary torture couldn’t break her, and heavy hands would kill her.

Under the leader’s orders, the heroes grew increasingly worried and had no choice but to imprison her and starve her for a few days to see what would happen.

She starved until today when she finally passed out.

【Death】

“…”

Lin Kai couldn’t believe it. “How do we continue this story?”

【Death】

A hero wiped his sweat, “Dr. Tao is trying to save her.”

【Death】

Dr. Tao Zhongchi walked out of the room where Tan Qinghuan was held, speaking softly, “I’ve managed to revive her for now, but her injuries are too severe; she won’t last long.”

Lin Kai glared at his subordinates. Tao Zhongchi quickly added, “These aren’t new injuries. It seems she was trampled by a horse when captured. In the heat of battle, they probably didn’t know she was a strategist and didn’t hold back.”

“Why would a strategist be on the front lines?”

Tao Zhongchi gently said, “I’m a doctor; I don’t analyze that.”

Lin Kai said, “Doctor, how much longer can she hold on?”

Tao Zhongchi replied, “The injuries are in her internal organs. Delayed this long, her fate is sealed. At most, I can keep her alive for another twelve hours.”

The cold sweat that everyone had just wiped off started flowing again.

Twelve hours, one day.

【Twelve Hours Before Death】

Lin Kai looked at the sky; the sun was just setting, the blood-red afterglow like an ominous sign, painting half the sky.

Lin Kai was silent for a moment, then asked, “Does she know?”

Tao Zhongchi said, “I didn’t tell her.”

Lin Kai said, “Good, no one tells her.”

If she knew she was already in her coffin, there would be no deal to talk about.

【Twelve Hours Before Death】

Lin Kai originally planned to slowly wear down the prisoner’s will by keeping her isolated. Now, he couldn’t afford to wait, so he had food and medicine brought in to keep her alive. He returned to his room to change into new clothes, chose a folding fan, and gracefully returned.

Leader Lin himself was making an appearance.

With the top leader present, the threats and promises escalated. Moreover, he was young and dashing, even fixing his hair while choosing the fan.

The heroes waited diligently outside for news.

【Eleven and a Half Hours Before Death】

Leader Lin came out.

“Did she confess?”

“…”

Leader Lin’s face was grim. No one dared to speak.

Lin Kai paused, then said, “But she asked to see someone. Call him for me.”

“Who?”

“The Leader.”

【Eleven and a Half Hours Before Death】

The Leader was drinking in the courtyard.

During wartime, his residence was unstable, sometimes in a city inn, sometimes under a tent. Hence, he cherished every opportunity to lounge on a recliner and drink.

Especially since Zuo Yunqi was expressionless nearby, refilling his cup. The Leader reclined more comfortably.

He received Lin Kai’s message in this state. The Leader listened, slightly drunk, and squinted, “Oh, Tan Qinghuan, the strategist of the Pioneering Group.”

Zuo Yunqi asked, “Do you know her?”

The Leader replied, “Who is she?”

【Eleven and a Half Hours Before Death】

The Leader peeked through the door crack.

Tan Qinghuan was severely injured, so the Martial Alliance, to show sincerity, placed her on a bed.

Tan Qinghuan, half-sitting with a blanket, was pale as paper, feigning sleep with her eyes closed. She—or the body she inhabited—was somewhat aged, with tightly closed thin lips, giving an air of deep calculation befitting a cunning strategist.

The Leader finished peeking, turned around, and shook his head, “Never seen her.”

Lin Kai, waiting outside, asked, “Then why did she specifically name you?”

The Leader said, “To be honest, there are so many ladies waiting to see me, they’ve lined up till next year. Maybe she heard too many of my legends and fell in love, risking her life to see me…”

Lin Kai said, “Be serious.”

“I really can’t remember. How about I go in and try to talk to her?” The Leader reached to push the door, but Lin Kai firmly stopped him, “No, think again. This is a matter of life and death. We can’t risk it without full preparation.”

“…”

【Eleven Hours Before Death】

The Leader still hadn’t remembered.

“When did she see me? I’m also a strategist in the Martial Alliance. Has she been secretly competing with me? Or do I resemble her long-lost… brother? Nephew?”

The more he spoke, the more nonsensical it became. Zuo Yunqi, who had been silent, suddenly said, “I have an idea.”

The Leader said, “Tell me.”

Zuo Yunqi asked, “What was the name of the original owner of this body before you transmigrated here?”

The Leader squinted his eyes and replied, “Good question.”

“…”

Zuo Yunqi continued, “What did he do?”

The Leader said, “He was a student from a small town, came to the capital to take the exams, and became a low-ranking civil servant. Then… I took over.”

Zuo Yunqi asked, “Which small town? Did Tan Qinghuan ever visit there?”

The Leader said, “Good question.”

“…”

【Ten and a Half Hours Before Death】

The Leader said, “I’ve found out. His name was Jing Huanzhi. Tan Qinghuan did visit his hometown and stayed there for several years.”

“…”

Zuo Yunqi frowned, “Your intelligence network can find out which county magistrate in a certain state stole someone’s wife eighteen years ago, yet you didn’t know the original name of your body?”

The Leader touched his nose and said, “I deliberately didn’t find out.”

“Why?”

The Leader looked down, absentmindedly.

“I always felt that once I knew this body’s past, I would feel even more disconnected from this world.”

【Ten and a Half Hours Before Death】

After Tan Qinghuan transmigrated, to avoid being hunted by the court for transmigrators, she hid in Jing Huanzhi’s town for a few years. A few years later, Jing Huanzhi went to the capital to take the exams, and she disappeared. She reappeared after joining the Pioneering Group.

Finally, there was a clue to solve the mystery—they likely knew each other, and their relationship was intriguing.

The night descended like a flock of crows, shrouding the anxious land.

The intelligence network, reorganized by the Leader, began to move in the darkness.

They were either elite martial artists and strategists from the alliance or reconnaissance experts with unique skills. Their efficiency was high, and their communication swift.

But it still took several hours to find Jing Huanzhi’s belongings.

【Eight Hours Before Death】

The spies brought back a letter, forgotten in the corner of a postal station warehouse.

The letter was from Jing Huanzhi to Tan Qinghuan, sent from the capital. By the time it reached her hometown, she had already left, so it was returned to the station and survived until today.

The Leader opened it and immediately got a headache: “Get a translator, one without the classical language.”

Zuo Yunqi silently took the letter.

“He says he has become an official now, though not a high-ranking one, he hopes to benefit the people as he promised… but recently, he often feels unwell and fears for his life. He heard from a friend that newly dead people in the capital are often possessed by souls from another world. He says if such a strange thing happens to him, he hopes the one occupying his body is ‘that person’ Tan Qinghuan once mentioned, which would give him some comfort.”

The Leader caught a new key point: “Who is ‘that person’?”

Zuo Yunqi shook his head, indicating he didn’t know, and continued translating: “Then he says, such words are too inauspicious, like raising a death flag that Tan Qinghuan mentioned, so he quickly takes it back. He wishes her well. That’s it.”

Zuo Yunqi looked up.

Zuo Yunqi asked, “What is a death flag?”

【Eight Hours Before Death】

The Leader said, “Certain phrases are considered death flags, sentences that often lead to death. For example, ‘Once this mission is over, I can retire.'”

Zuo Yunqi said, “Isn’t that what you invented as the ‘death card’?”

“…”

Zuo Yunqi clapped his hands, “Tan Qinghuan also mentioned it to someone, which means she knew you before transmigrating!”

The Leader said, “Impossible. Before transmigrating, I was busy making money and had no time for such clichés. It was only after coming here out of boredom that I came up with it. But now I understand why she wants to see me.”

“Why?”

The Leader said, “She knew someone in the other world who talked about death flags with her. After transmigrating, she seemed to have discussed this person with Jing Huanzhi. Since Jing Huanzhi was occupied by me, and I started selling death cards, she really thought I was that person—thus her persistent and intriguing interest.”

Zuo Yunqi asked, “So is her intriguing relationship with Jing Huanzhi or with that person?”

The Leader said, “… Both?”

“…”

【Eight Hours Before Death】

Zuo Yunqi said, “Something still doesn’t add up.”

“What?”

Zuo Yunqi said, “You’ve been here for many years. If she really thought you were an old lover, why wait until now to recognize you?”

The Leader pondered over the thin letter.

The Leader said, “It’s like this, not an old lover, but an ex. Separated in the previous life, reunited in this life. Seeing each other is like not seeing, not seeing adds to the longing, leading to countless sorrows.”

“…”

Zuo Yunqi stared at him.

Zuo Yunqi said, “Okay, your dramatics are on point.”

【Seven and a Half Hours Before Death】

The letter didn’t provide more useful information.

The Leader reported to Lin Kai. After listening, Lin Kai asked how confident he was in the interrogation.

The Leader said, “… No more than thirty percent.”

Lin Kai sighed, “Well, we have no choice but to try. It’s all up to you.”

The Leader was about to make an attempt when Lin Kai hurriedly called him back, “Waking her in the middle of the night shows our lack of confidence. Rest well and prepare, go at dawn.”

The Leader hesitated, then tentatively asked, “Why are you so… anxious about this?”

Lin Kai flicked open his folding fan, then closed it with a snap. After a while, he said, “General Chen of the Fubo Army has sent a messenger with an offer. I’m afraid of shaking the army’s morale, so I didn’t even tell you.”

The Leader’s expression turned serious.

Lin Kai said, “Guess, which side will he decide to support?”

【Seven and a Half Hours Before Death】

The stalemate was because both sides maintained a delicate balance.

Among the three generals, the Martial Alliance had allied with the Southern Bowang Army, while the Pioneering Group somehow won over the Northern Fu Army, the former troops of Zhou Rongqi, and had the services of the sinister sect skilled in using poisons.

Thus, the remaining Fubo Army, observing from the sidelines, became the final leverage to tip the balance.

Now, General Chen was finally making a choice. This cautious old fox lacked the courage to establish a faction but had the greed to ride the coattails of the winner, only willing to ally with the strong.

History often turns on small events.

The intelligence Tan Qinghuan held could bring not only victories in the upcoming battles but also the alliance of the Fubo Army. Victory would lead to a sweeping success, defeat would leave no chance for recovery—one move to decide life and death.

【Seven and a Half Hours Before Death】

The Leader said slowly, “Actually, the spies found another matter earlier. I should mention it; it might make you more anxious.”

“…”

“When investigating Jing Huanzhi, they discovered that the Pioneering Group recently secretly pulled all the transmigration records from the capital over the years.”

From the first transmigrator general, for some reason, almost all documented transmigrations occurred in the Daliang capital area.

The Pioneering Group’s leader, Jiao Ran, ordered a meticulous review of these records, seemingly looking for something.

The Leader said, “Though we don’t know what she’s plotting… she likely intends to make one decisive move at this crucial moment.”

They were laying landmines while the Martial Alliance had no clue about the traps’ locations.

Lin Kai said, “Wait a moment; let me fan myself to calm down.”

【Six and a Half Hours Before Death】

The Leader and Lin Kai closed the door and discussed for a long time.

Finally, before leaving, the Leader said to Lin Kai, “Don’t worry, there is always a way.”

The Leader started to think of a way. Like meditating with closed eyes, quietly waiting for dawn.

Tan Qinghuan woke up, with five hours left before her predicted time of death by Tao Zhongchi.

【Five Hours Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan looked worse. If she could see herself in a mirror, she might have realized her end was near.

The Leader took a deep breath and walked slowly into the room where she was held.

Tan Qinghuan, half-leaning against the headboard, looked at him and said, “You’ve come.”

The Leader nodded and said, “I heard you wanted to see me.”

Tan Qinghuan smiled faintly and replied, “When people get older, they like to chat with handsome young men.”

“…”

The Leader had rehearsed many opening lines in his head, but in the end, none of them were used.

【Five Hours Before Death】

The Leader knew he absolutely couldn’t lose his cool first, so he calmly said, “It depends on what you want to talk about.”

Tan Qinghuan smiled mysteriously, “The heavens divide creation evenly, and people weave their own fate. I have the answers you seek, but those answers are only for those destined to receive them.”

The Leader had already memorized the convoluted letter from Jing Huanzhi. Regardless of the various speculations, one thing was clear: Tan Qinghuan seemed to think he was someone specific.

The Leader, being an opportunist, could move the world with a lever. He decided to impersonate this “someone.”

Playing the role of a stranger requires a detailed script, and currently, his script didn’t even provide a name.

The Leader dragged a chair over and sat in front of the bed, saying calmly, “Honored that you think highly of me, I’ll try my best to see if I can be this destined person.”

【Five Hours Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan asked, “Do you prefer KFC or McDonald’s?”

“…”

The Leader didn’t let the silence last more than three seconds, “McDonald’s ice cream is better.”

It was hard to tell from Tan Qinghuan’s expression how she scored that answer. She then asked, “Do you remember Sunrise Plaza?”

Here it comes.

The Leader first looked puzzled, then showed a mixture of confusion and melancholy, “I don’t remember. To be honest, I don’t remember anything from the past.”

Tan Qinghuan smiled wryly, “Amnesia?”

“Yes. After transmigrating, I lost my memories of my past life. But the name ‘Sunrise Plaza’ feels vaguely familiar, like I’ve heard it somewhere before…”

He pretended to ponder deeply.

Tan Qinghuan said, “Wrong answer.”

“…”

【Five Hours Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan said, “From the time I requested to see you until you came in, seven hours have passed. I bet you investigated my request and figured out I was looking for someone.”

“…”

Tan Qinghuan continued, “You’re quite good at playing the amnesia card. Unfortunately, that person neither ate KFC nor McDonald’s, and Sunrise Plaza is something I made up.”

“…”

“You’re a failed imposter.”

【Five Hours Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan was smart, perhaps even smarter than the Leader. If she misjudged anything, it was the thickness of the Leader’s skin.

The Leader remained calm and said, “You’re right, the esteemed strategist of the Pioneering Group is here, and we had to investigate thoroughly, or it would be disrespectful. But I truly don’t remember who I was. I do prefer McDonald’s. And the name ‘Sunrise Plaza’ does sound a bit sad to me.”

…

Now it was Tan Qinghuan’s turn to be slightly taken aback.

The Leader continued to maintain his melancholic act.

If Sunrise Plaza were a sad place, it would naturally evoke sadness. If it were a happy place, the separation would make it even more sorrowful now.

He was not physically strong, but he never lost a verbal battle.

【Five Hours Before Death】

The Leader said, “If we can’t talk about this, let’s talk about something else.” He paused, seeing Tan Qinghuan didn’t object, and continued, “I know this body was once named Jing Huanzhi, but I don’t know what kind of person he was. Why did you know him? Can you tell me?”

Tan Qinghuan looked him up and down with a meaningful gaze and then surprisingly began to speak, “After transmigrating, to avoid being captured and interrogated by the court, I fled to a remote town. Fortunately, I had read a lot before and to repay the neighbors for their help, I started an informal school there, teaching people to write. Jing Huanzhi came from a poor family, but he was diligent, so I waived his tuition for a few years.”

The Leader smiled as he listened, “You’re too modest. For him to become an official purely by his talent despite being penniless shows that a great teacher produces outstanding students.”

Tan Qinghuan smiled without commenting, making it unclear how well his flattery was received.

【Five Hours Before Death】

The Leader asked again, “But after Jing Huanzhi went to the capital, why did you leave the school?”

Tan Qinghuan cooperatively replied, “Because I found someone.”

The Leader’s mind raced, “Me? No, Jing Huanzhi was still alive then, I hadn’t come yet. Who else were you looking for?”

Tan Qinghuan laughed, “Not many, just two.”

“Who was the other one?” The Leader tried to immerse himself in the role, “Did I know him? I mean, in the other world…”

Tan Qinghuan didn’t get sidetracked, saying leisurely, “The two people I was looking for knew each other.”

The Leader was stunned.

This answer was too shocking!

“In our world, it’s unlikely even one in a million people transmigrate here. How could it be that three acquaintances ended up here? And everyone seems to arrive by accident, like getting hit by a car, not knowing who else is here. How could you be sure those two people are here too? Unless you—”

“So you were hit by a car?” Tan Qinghuan asked coolly.

“…”

The Leader suddenly fell silent.

That’s it. He slipped up.

“You said you don’t remember anything from your past life.”

“…”

【Five Hours Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan smiled, “Not bad, young man. I said just a few words, and you inferred so much. You’re very intelligent. Since you’re so good at guessing, why not guess more?”

As she spoke, the Leader was already thinking of ways to salvage the situation.

But Tan Qinghuan didn’t give him a chance to make up for it.

His eagerness made her lose interest suddenly. She turned away and lay down, saying indifferently, “I’m tired. You can leave now.”

【Four and a Half Hours Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan didn’t know there was an hourglass counting down above her head. The Leader, however, was acutely aware.

He left the room feeling very heavy-hearted.

With the few clues she provided, he had already inferred something terrifying:

Some people in the Pioneering Group might not have been randomly chosen by fate to be transmigrated. They might have played the role of “fate” themselves!

Once people grasp powers beyond what they should possess, the consequences can go beyond imagination.

The Leader initially thought that defeating the Pioneering Group in this world would solve everything. Defeating a group of self-proclaimed superior transmigrators, although it would take a lot of effort and sacrifice many lives, was ultimately possible.

Now, Tan Qinghuan’s few words made his hair stand on end.

How far could the Pioneering Group’s reach extend?

How vast was the “wilderness” they intended to conquer?

【Four and a Half Hours Before Death】

The fate of the world hinged on a dying woman.

She seemed about to pass away, indifferent to whether the world would survive after she left.

But it wasn’t time to despair. He still had time.

【Four and a Half Hours Before Death】

To make Tan Qinghuan reveal the secrets, he had to make her believe he was the person she was looking for.

Playing the role of a stranger without a script required an incredibly gullible audience.

Tan Qinghuan could never be very gullible.

To make her gullible…

【Four and a Half Hours Before Death】

The Leader hurriedly called Tao Zhongchi.

The Leader asked, “Do you have any truth serum that can be given to her?”

Tao Zhongchi, as always, spoke gently, “Not very feasible. Truth serum works like an extremely potent alcohol, making someone extremely drunk, but people react differently to being drunk. We can’t control whether they tell the truth or babble nonsense. Moreover, Tan Qinghuan is already very weak. The consequences of administering the drug are unpredictable.”

The Leader said, “Oh, it’s okay. I’ll think of something else. There must be a way.”

【Four Hours Before Death】

The Leader said, “I’ve got it. I’ll kneel down and sincerely beg her to save the world.”

“…”

Zuo Yunqi sympathetically said, “Your sacrifice is touching, but I think if everything is as you deduced, Tan Qinghuan would be quite a crazy person. Even the King of Heaven kneeling wouldn’t move her.”

The Leader started pulling his hair.

The Leader said, “I suddenly remembered, we still have another high-ranking member of the Pioneering Group besides Tan Qinghuan.”

Zuo Yunqi’s expression imperceptibly stiffened, “That person is even less likely to be coerced.”

The Leader said, “Not even worth a try?”

Zuo Yunqi coldly said, “No need.”

The Leader said, “Alright, as you say. After all, sons understand their fathers better.”

【Four Hours Before Death】

Since being taken from the palace by Zuo Yunqi, Zuo Dao had been in a coma.

Inside him was the mother insect of the Li Ruoguo parasite. If he woke up, he could control the young prince and Li Ke like puppets.

But for the same reason, if he died, the young prince and Li Ke would also perish.

“So, we can neither save him nor let him die from his injuries. We must study the method to undo the parasite. During this time, Doctor Tao has buried himself in medical books every day.”

【Three and a Half Hours Before Death】

Although Zuo Yunqi spoke resolutely, he couldn’t help but head to the pharmacy.

The pharmacy had a makeshift room, very simple, with nothing but a bed inside. Zuo Dao lay unconscious on the bed.

He no longer looked like Zuo Yunqi remembered, now gaunt and with a pallor of death.

Zuo Yunqi stood with his hands by his sides, his expression unreadable.

Tao Zhongchi, who was grinding medicine nearby, turned back and asked considerately, “Do you want me to leave so you can be alone?”

Zuo Yunqi shook his head, “I just came to check.” Tao Zhongchi didn’t say anything more.

After a while, Zuo Yunqi suddenly said, “Everyone thinks I grew up being mistreated in the Pioneering Sect. Actually, when I was a child, he had high hopes for me.”

Tao Zhongchi looked at him in surprise.

“He taught me from a young age that as people of the Pioneering Sect, we act not based on right or wrong, but on our likes and dislikes. If we like something, we take it; if we dislike it, we destroy it.”

“…”

Tao Zhongchi said, “That’s the Pioneering Sect for you.”

Zuo Yunqi chuckled, “I followed his teachings. From childhood to adulthood, if I encountered bugs, animals, or people I didn’t like, I would poison them… Later, I realized I didn’t like him.”

“…”

Zuo Yunqi continued, “I began to sabotage his plans, to oppose him at every turn… and then he discovered he didn’t like me either.”

“…”

Tao Zhongchi said, “That’s the Pioneering Sect for you.”

【Three and a Half Hours Before Death】

As Zuo Yunqi left the pharmacy, he was pulled into a room by the Leader, who had a serious expression.

“I need your help.”

“With what?”

“The main path is blocked, so we must take a side road. We’re going to practice using a honey trap.”

Zuo Yunqi asked suspiciously, “Who’s the beauty?”

The Leader said, “Me.”

“…”

【Three and a Half Hours Before Death】

Whether male or female, the fastest and most effective way to make a smart person act foolishly is through seduction.

Once a person is aroused, they tend to lose their judgment.

The Leader had the initial conditions for seduction: he was handsome.

Jing Huanzhi had left him with a decent face, looking like a scholarly youth, but with a lazy and charming demeanor.

Not only was he handsome, but he was also very wealthy.

The Leader’s exceptional intelligence was entirely devoted to making his life more comfortable. He had once served the Emperor and then joined Lin Kai, who didn’t stop him from amassing wealth.

Such a Leader had never actively pursued a girl before.

【Three and a Half Hours Before Death】

The Leader said seriously, “I need to practice flirting from scratch to seduce Tan Qinghuan.”

Zuo Yunqi asked inexplicably, “Even if your plan is reasonable, I am not a girl. You should at least find Doctor Tao.”

The Leader replied, “Doctor Tao, despite her medical prowess, is still a young lady. How can I be so impudent with her?”

Zuo Yunqi said, “There are many female heroes in the Martial Alliance.”

The Leader said, “I’m afraid of getting beaten up.”

“…”

【Three and a Half Hours Before Death】

The Leader tried to persuade him, “You once pretended to be a transmigrator and even fooled me, so you must be quite good at acting. You are the perfect partner for practice.”

Zuo Yunqi reluctantly crossed his arms, “So, how do you plan to flirt?”

The Leader took a step closer, making Zuo Yunqi retreat uncomfortably.

The Leader took another step closer, backing Zuo Yunqi against the wall. This threatening scene felt familiar, making Zuo Yunqi glare at him.

The Leader slowly raised his arm to lean against the wall, trapping Zuo Yunqi between himself and the wall. “How is it?”

“What do you mean?”

The Leader asked, “Did your heart race?”

“…”

“No?” The Leader looked puzzled, “This is the first move in our textbooks, called a ‘kabe-don’.”

“…”

Zuo Yunqi said, “That won’t work here.”

【Three Hours Before Death】

The Leader asked, “What do you usually do?”

Zuo Yunqi didn’t respond, instead going to the table to pour a cup of tea.

The Leader thought Zuo Yunqi was just shy, so he shamelessly moved over and said, “I’m thirsty too.”

Zuo Yunqi then poured another cup, lifting it to hand over.

As the Leader reached to take it, their fingers accidentally touched. Zuo Yunqi immediately pulled back like lightning, almost spilling the tea.

The Leader looked at him curiously, seeing him turn his face away.

“…”

The Leader said, “Don’t take it seriously…”

Zuo Yunqi turned back, expressionless, “Did you learn it?”

“…”

The Leader said, “Great, excellent acting.”

【Three Hours Before Death】

Zuo Yunqi said, “Flirting requires a balance of closeness and distance, catching and releasing, to be effective. That’s what the rich kids here say. But it’s just the superficial tricks of bookish scholars.”

The Leader said, “You seem to disdain them?”

Zuo Yunqi replied, “My father taught me to take what I want.”

“…”

The Leader said, “Let’s use the scholars’ superficial tricks then.”

【Three Hours Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan said, “You’re back again.”

The Leader quickly recalled Zuo Yunqi turning his head away, showing an Oscar-worthy look of concern on his face. Yet, when their eyes met, he lowered his gaze, sitting down beside her bed with a hint of restraint, as if conflicted before slowly asking, “How are you feeling?”

Tan Qinghuan weakly smiled, “Playing the sympathy card won’t work.”

The Leader seemed stunned, taking a while before saying distractedly, “I… I’m just worried about the secret you’re hiding. I’m afraid you can’t hold on.”

“…”

Tan Qinghuan widened her eyes slightly, “You’re really into this, huh?”

Though her tone was still indifferent, the Leader felt he was on the right track and pressed on with a bitter smile, “Whether I’m into it… I can’t tell anymore. Ever since seeing you, I’ve had a constant headache… Maybe this interrogation is too taxing.”

Tan Qinghuan fell silent.

The Leader also looked down at his fingers without speaking.

【Three Hours Before Death】

After a long silence, just as the Leader was about to break, Tan Qinghuan asked, “What do you plan to do now?”

Calm down.

The Leader slowly replied, “I have many questions for you, and I guess you have questions for me. How about we play a game? We take turns asking questions. Neither of us can ask the next question until the previous answer satisfies us, okay?”

Tan Qinghuan closed her eyes and said, “Alright.”

The Leader sighed in relief, hearing her say, “Ladies first. How long do I have to live?”

The Leader’s eyes showed perfect shock and confusion.

【Three Hours Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan looked at his expression and smiled, “I can sense my own condition. Your urgency gives me some clues. Come on, give me a satisfying answer.”

The Leader said, “…No more than three hours.”

Hearing this sentence, even Tan Qinghuan, who usually remained calm, showed a slight change in expression.

The Leader, however, didn’t rush to show sadness, “May I ask a question now?”

“Please.”

The Leader tried to forget the Pioneering Group and the Martial Alliance, focusing on what he should be most concerned about, “Actually, I don’t know if I’m the person you’re looking for, and you probably don’t have enough time to verify it. How about you tell me about… the person you’re looking for? If I remember something, that’d be great; if not, at least I’ll have something to remember you by.”

【Three Hours Before Death】

The Leader had always been lucky.

On the brink of death, with hidden agendas, it could be said that the timing, place, and people were all aligned.

Tan Qinghuan began slowly, “Let’s consider this as my last words. I’ll tell you a story.”

The Leader dared not make a sound, afraid of revealing his overwhelming joy.

Tan Qinghuan said, “Once upon a time, there were two people… Let’s call them A and B.”

“…”

The Leader asked, “Are you having trouble coming up with names?”

【Three Hours Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan said, “A deeply loved B, and B also deeply loved A. A and B lived happily together, originally able to grow old together, but one day, A suddenly had an accident. He thought he was dead, but when he opened his eyes, he had crossed over.

“A explored this world called Daliang and gradually discovered that there were many transmigrators like him in this world. The presence of others like him did not bring him a sense of belonging. Though he found a way to survive through constant adaptation, he always felt like a lonely drifter.

“As the years passed, many transmigrators adjusted to each other, started families, and some even found true love among the non-transmigrators. However, A remained alone, living like this for many years…”

She suddenly stopped and asked, “Why do you think that is?”

The Leader replied, “It’s not your turn to ask questions yet.”

Tan Qinghuan said, “Oh, then you can leave.”

“…”

The Leader felt he had met his match.

【Three Hours Before Death】

This kind of heart-wrenching soap opera story was somewhat familiar to the Leader, so he guessed, “Because he didn’t know whether, in the world he came from, he was dead or just missing… If he was missing, maybe B was still looking for him? And if he started a family here, it would be a betrayal of B?”

Tan Qinghuan was finally visibly moved.

The Leader cautiously asked, “Did I get it right?”

Tan Qinghuan remained cold, “How should I know? I’m not him.”

“…”

“A lived alone for many years until he met C. C was also a transmigrator. The two started talking and found they had a lot in common. As they began sharing their backgrounds, they realized they knew each other from their previous lives. C was a mutual friend of A and B.

“A immediately and eagerly asked about B’s current situation, but C was vague and quickly changed the subject. A was anxious and desperate.

“After they had been reunited for a while, C confessed her feelings to A. C said she had always liked A and had never forgotten him, and she couldn’t believe fate had brought her to him. Although A was moved, he still urgently pursued information about B…”

The Leader interrupted, “Hold on.”

【Three Hours Before Death】

The Leader said, “You are C. At that time, the student Jing Huanzhi had already entered the capital, and you finally found A.”

Tan Qinghuan looked at him without speaking, and the Leader knew she had acknowledged it.

“Then I have an urgent question.”

His nerves were instantly tense, as if a string about to snap, as he casually asked the crucial question: “Did you come to Daliang by accident or by choice?”

【Two and a Half Hours Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan remained silent for a long time, and he thought she would not answer.

The people outside, who had been patiently eavesdropping on the soap opera, also felt a sense of despair.

The enemy was hidden, and they were exposed; defeat was inevitable.

At this moment, Tan Qinghuan spoke, “It was by choice.”

The Leader was shocked!

Although he had suspected it, having it confirmed was still overwhelmingly shocking!

He struggled to suppress the storm within and showed only doubt and disdain, “But how is that possible? If crossing over could be done by willpower, wouldn’t our middle schools experience large-scale population disappearances every day?”

【Two and a Half Hours Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan smirked, “Of course, it’s not by willpower alone, but through certain operations and a bit of luck.

“A’s crossing over was manifested as sudden death in his original world. He had no illness, and the autopsy couldn’t explain it. C believed he was murdered and investigated every detail of that day at Sunrise Plaza—where he suddenly died. Unexpectedly, it was the ‘murderers’ who found her first.

“They called themselves the Pioneering Group. Since C was a scholar studying war history, they believed she was valuable. They offered to tell her the truth on the condition that she must go to another world… to do some things for them.”

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone inside and outside the room broke into a cold sweat.

The Pioneering Group was not just a bunch of unlucky misfits who had crossed over by accident but an organization spanning time and space.

Their power couldn’t be measured by the standards of this world alone.

【Two and a Half Hours Before Death】

Countless doomsday scenarios flashed through the Leader’s mind, black alien ships descending from the sky, turning the human world into ruins.

Tan Qinghuan said with interest, “You seem very afraid? Actually, there’s no need for that. The mysteries of the universe remain unsolved even by top scholars, let alone by a few ordinary people.”

The Leader detected a glimmer of hope in her words, “You mean they can’t come and go freely either?”

Tan Qinghuan replied, “If they could come and go freely, would any of you still be alive? The Pioneering Group is just a bunch of desperate people who have lost hope in their present world, hoping to start over in another world.

“They can roughly predict that a certain place will have an entrance at a specific time. They call it a singularity. Initially, they just kept leading people to the singularity in various ways, creating massive crossovers—or massacres.

“Gradually, with limited research results and cult-like beliefs, they began to believe firmly that there was another world on the other side of the entrance. They started sending the core members of the group across. Meanwhile, some members stayed behind to recruit essential talents for the organization.

“C was one of the talents they found.”

Tan Qinghuan persisted in using pseudonyms.

【Two and a Half Hours Before Death】

Lin Kai, listening with his eyes closed outside the door, suddenly perceived a new possibility, “If they can bring people from home to Daliang, can they also go back from Daliang?”

His subordinates were all stunned, but Lin Kai quickly denied it himself, “No, if there were such a large-scale operation, our spies in the Pioneering Group would have discovered it long ago.”

Then he recalled the intelligence the Leader had reported earlier: Jiao Ran had ordered an investigation into all crossover records and was studying the times and locations.

She was searching for Daliang’s singularity!

The rise of the Martial Alliance had made her feel the threat of defeat, and she was leaving herself an escape route!

But on the other hand, if she had not yet found a way to return, the Martial Alliance still had a chance to capture them all…

As Lin Kai thought this, he heard the Leader ask, “How is Jiao Ran’s investigation progressing?”

Tan Qinghuan seemed in no hurry, “I’ve been captured by you for so long; how would I know her situation? Besides, it’s not your turn to ask questions.”

“…”

The people inside and outside had to suppress their anger and continue listening to her soap opera.

【Two and a Half Hours Before Death】

C pretended to cooperate with the Pioneering Group and immediately escaped after being sent over. After many hardships, she finally found A, only to discover that after so many years, A still only thought of B.

A was obsessed with B, almost begging her to tell him about B’s situation.

C, in her disappointment and resentment, made a ridiculous request, asking A to be with her for three months. To get an answer, A agreed.

C then told him that B had gotten married. Naturally, he didn’t believe it, thinking C was lying. But C provided more details, from the wedding guests to their residence after the marriage.

C said that after his death, B had relied on sleeping pills to get through several years, becoming extremely haggard. Later, B met a gentle person and finally decided to live well, so A wouldn’t worry about her from the afterlife.

A felt both relieved and heartbroken.

A was a man of his word, and C got three months of his company. But during this time, C gradually realized that B meant more to him than just an old love; she was a home he could never return to but always existed. He felt that where B was, was home, and keeping this home in his heart was his reason to live.

Before the three months were up, C gave up.

C told A she had lied; B had always been alone, living a fulfilling life but never finding someone else.

【Two and a Half Hours Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan lay on her back, staring into the void.

“Then, C said goodbye to A. She told him she would find someone else, but in reality—”

“In reality, she joined the Pioneering Group she had always avoided?” The Leader guessed.

Tan Qinghuan chuckled dryly, “Exactly. She felt that if she couldn’t accompany A, she could at least ensure his future. This world was unfriendly to transmigrators, so she wanted to make it friendly.”

The Leader said, “So she started helping to slaughter the natives.”

“…”

【Two Hours Before Death】

The Leader thought Tan Qinghu

an would kick him out.

But she didn’t.

Perhaps it was true that people speak kindly before they die. Tan Qinghuan laughed lightly, “What you said reminds me of my good student.”

“Jing Huanzhi?”

Tan Qinghuan said, “When we parted, he told me that although this world had many problems, there were already too many people responsible for destruction. He wanted to create something. With such a dream, he became an official. I thought he would definitely fail. Unexpectedly, he became you before he could fail.”

“…”

Tan Qinghuan sighed, “I never forgot his foolish words. In the years with the Pioneering Group, I became increasingly unsure who was foolish—him or me. My change in attitude was long seen through by Jiao Ran. Fearing betrayal, she set me up on the front lines, hoping to make it look like you killed me. I barely escaped but still became a captive and couldn’t survive this ordeal… But at least, I got to see you before I died.”

The Leader hadn’t forgotten his mission.

At the right moment, he gently interjected, “You are a good girl.”

Tan Qinghuan gave him a strange look, “Why are you using that tone?”

And so, the Leader realized.

According to her story, if he was B, then he should be her… rival in love.

【Two Hours Before Death】

The Leader’s thoughts were a bit slow on certain matters, and it only now dawned on him, “I’m a woman?”

Tan Qinghuan said, “I didn’t say that.”

“……”

The Leader said, “Then I’m gay?”

Tan Qinghuan enigmatically replied, “I didn’t say that either. Those are your own words.”

“……”

【Two Hours Before Death】

Although the Leader wasn’t particularly interested in soap operas, he still dutifully asked, “So, what was B’s true ending?”

Tan Qinghuan said, “B died long ago. Became muddled and aimless after A’s sudden departure, and eventually… no one knows if it was suicide or an accident.”

The Leader fell silent.

“When C received the notification, B had already been declared dead and sent to the morgue, so the exact time and place of death were unknown. C couldn’t determine if there was a possibility of crossing over, but she always felt that B was even more eager to reunite with A than she was.”

If they could reunite here, it wouldn’t be a complete tragedy.

The Leader thought that Tan Qinghuan, rather than suspecting he was B, genuinely wanted to believe from the bottom of her heart that he was B.

He didn’t plan to reveal the harsh truth at this moment.

……

Wait.

【Two Hours Before Death】

The Leader felt like he was about to crash.

But he still maintained a cursed clarity.

The Leader said, “You crossed over after B’s death, and several years after you crossed over, Jing Huanzhi died, and I came over. This huge time gap of several years means I couldn’t possibly be B!”

Tan Qinghuan said nothing.

The Leader vaguely felt he had grasped the core of the problem.

Intuition made him feel a crushing sense of crisis within this soap opera plot.

The Leader tried to keep his voice steady, “You’ve said so much already; it wouldn’t hurt to say a little more.”

【One and a Half Hours Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan was rapidly weakening; her breathing, which had been steady, was now labored.

She knew this too and sped up her speech slightly, “When I first heard you invented the Death Cards, I remembered how B used to joke about setting death flags, so I investigated you. But just as you said, the time gap of several years in between made it impossible to deceive even myself; you couldn’t be B…”

“But now you are reconsidering that possibility, why?”

A moment of silence.

Tan Qinghuan said, “Because not long ago, a transmigrator in the Pioneering Group was taken over again.”

【One and a Half Hours Before Death】

Left Yunqi felt like he was having a nightmare. Every plot point was logical, but strung together, they felt absurdly surreal.

He felt he couldn’t digest this dream and quietly asked for help, “What does that mean?”

Tan Qinghuan’s words seemed to answer him, “When souls from our world cross over, some attach to freshly dead bodies, while others push out the souls of living people. If the body that’s been taken over is still alive and hasn’t died, it’s possible for it to be taken over again. The body in the Pioneering Group, occupied by a soul we knew, was taken over by a soul from a third world.”

“And what happened to the soul you knew?” the Leader asked.

Tan Qinghuan chuckled, “Lost without a trace, maybe dissipated completely.”

……

Left Yunqi heard the Leader in the room ask hoarsely, “How do you know that person was taken over and didn’t just go mad? And how do you know it’s from a third world?”

Tan Qinghuan sneered, “Have you forgotten what the Pioneering Group does? It was confirmed beyond a doubt. That’s why Jiao Ran started searching for a singularity to escape. If more people from the third world come and create a Pioneering Group 2.0, what do you think will happen?”

“……”

“This world is already completely chaotic, close to an apocalypse.”

【One and a Half Hours Before Death】

The Leader said, “Can I ask a question?”

Tan Qinghuan said, “Go ahead.”

“Where is A now?”

“……”

The Leader said, “I guess you must have always ensured his safety. But you are about to leave, and you don’t know what will happen to this world after you’re gone.”

“……”

The Leader sincerely said, “I… I don’t know if I am B. But if you help us this time, let us defeat the Pioneering Group, and turn things around before it’s too late, I can swear a blood oath. As long as the Martial Alliance exists, we will ensure his safety.”

Tan Qinghuan laughed.

Tan Qinghuan said, “You are not B, I know that. Even if the time and memory were lost, ‘Where is A now?’ would be B’s first question, not his last.”

“……”

Tan Qinghuan said, “Get paper and pen, I’m ready to confess.”

【One Hour Before Death】

Tan Qinghuan fell into a coma.

In the last half hour before she lost consciousness, she insisted on dictating the Pioneering Group’s detailed strategy, including marching times, supply routes, formations, and poison attack plans.

These plans were originally formulated by her. Since she was unsure if Jiao Ran would continue using them, she explained all possible changes.

She spoke a lot, in great detail, but at the last moment, she seemed to sense something, stopped, and suddenly said, “He lives at the foot of Bailu Mountain, running a tea shop.”

The Leader put away the notes and solemnly said, “If one day, B really arrives, I will arrange for them to meet.”

Tan Qinghuan laughed, “Better not. The Pioneering Group has disrupted time and space, causing so much suffering. If you can stop them, stop them thoroughly and prevent any more crossings.”

Then she added softly, “Besides, I have my own pettiness…”

When the Leader looked over, she had already closed her eyes, her aged face appearing as if she was asleep.

In a city full of flowers, with moonlight on her clothes, the love of youth turns to sorrow in old age.

【Death】

Tan Qinghuan died.

Lin Kai decided to bury her. Lin Kai also said that when the turmoil subsided, they could erect a cenotaph for her at Bailu Mountain.

The information left by Tan Qinghuan gave the Martial Alliance a series of victories, securing the assistance of the Fubo Army.

The unification of the world seemed within reach. Despite this, the hidden threat of the Pioneering Group and the singularity loomed over everyone’s mind. The Martial Alliance could only accelerate their offensive, hoping to subdue Jiao Ran before she could escape.

【Half a Month After Death】

Left Yunqi was in a daze.

He often suddenly fell into deep thought recently. The Leader assumed he was troubled by the matter with Left Dao, but after a while, he realized Left Yunqi was staring blankly at him.

The Leader laughed and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Left Yunqi said, “Thinking about Tan Qinghuan’s story.”

That was a lie.

The truth was, he was contemplating if one day the Leader stood before a singularity, would he choose to seal it or take a step forward, letting it send him back home.

But he couldn’t remind the Leader of this option.

【Half a Month After Death】

The Leader said, “What’s there to think about in that soap opera?”

Left Yunqi casually said, “It’s very touching. I learned a lot.”

Unexpectedly, the Leader was intrigued and stared at him, “What did you learn?”

Left Yunqi had to quickly organize his thoughts.

“……My father taught me to take what I liked and destroy what I hated. I’ve always thought he was wrong, but in reality, I’ve always done that. So even after killing him, I don’t feel like I’ve won, but more like I’ve surrendered.”

The Leader asked, “And then?”

“…Then, the story made me realize that writing poems and seizing wealth are both inferior. True love makes people strong, strong enough to protect it for eternity.”

Left Yunqi finished reciting as if by rote and suddenly noticed the Leader smiling at him.

Left Yunqi, embarrassed and angry, snapped, “What are you looking at?”

The Leader said, “Little Yunqi, do you like me?”

“……”

The Leader continued, “You know, I can’t fight, and yet I’m wealthy, powerful, talented, and handsome. I’m a prime target for envy and easily killed, so I really need protection.”

Left Yunqi gritted his teeth, “You’re twisting my words.”

The Leader said, “So you don’t like me? Then it looks like I need to try harder to keep you as my bodyguard.”

“……”

The Leader smiled, “I’ll wait for the day you become strong. Don’t make me wait too long, okay?”