Chapter 26: Three Reckless Men? Not Enough to Kill...
“Freedom?”
Upon hearing this, Xia He’s eyes narrowed, naturally skeptical and wary. To her, there was little difference between this “Dou Mei” and “Xiao Zizai.” Their sudden appearance, converging at such a critical moment, could only mean one thing—they had ulterior motives.
“Xiao Zizai, huh... I think I’ve heard of you before.”
At the same time, Dou Mei’s smile faded as she fixed her gaze on Xiao Zizai.
“A few years ago, when Master Jie Kong was crippled, that was your doing, wasn’t it?”
“I heard after you left Lingyin Temple, you renounced the monastic life and lived as an ordinary person. Now… you’re back in the game?”
Those who were fully enlightened had some knowledge of Xiao Zizai. When they first heard that this guy had caused chaos at Lingyin Temple, slaughtered countless warrior monks in one night, and crippled Master Jie Kong, they couldn’t help but admire him and even considered recruiting him.
But afterward, the company kept him under close surveillance, never allowing anyone near. They later learned that his condition was innate madness rather than a true desire, so they put any plans on hold.
Regardless, Dou Mei knew this man was formidable and not to be underestimated. As she spoke, her internal energy began to radiate. Previously, to avoid alarming the ordinary passengers, she had already pacified everyone in the carriage. Now, with an added push, the passengers in this carriage and several adjoining ones fell into a deep sleep.
Suddenly…
Tap, tap, tap!
Two sets of footsteps echoed from the passageway. A mocking voice rang out: “I was wondering who dared meddle in our affairs. Turns out it’s the famous Brother Xiao!”
“How about it, Brother Xiao? We’ve admired you for a long time. Your rampage at Lingyin Temple was truly exhilarating. We’ve wanted to meet you for ages. Why not join us?”
...
Xiao Zizai said nothing, merely turning toward the source of the voice. He soon spotted a young man and a stout monk and gave them a measured glance.
The one who had spoken was the young man, wearing glasses and sporting a cunning look—the kind that screamed sly fox.
The stout monk wore a Buddhist prayer bead necklace and bore a bare chest, resembling a Maitreya Buddha. His face was compassionate, adorned with a warm smile.
“The ‘Root of Trouble’ Shen Chong, the ‘Thunder Smoke Cannon’ Gao Ning, and… ‘Gut-Piercing Poison’ Dou Mei.”
After a quick assessment, Xiao Zizai naturally recognized them. These were the “Three Madmen” of the fully enlightened—masters of psychological manipulation—all gathered here.
What was strange was that he felt no surprise. He shook his head slightly and muttered to himself:
“Alright then, I admit defeat.”
***
When Xia Ye had left, he had specifically warned Xiao Zizai that fully enlightened individuals might appear during this mission. He was quite certain the “Three Madmen” would come!
He had said this was not based on intelligence reports but his own judgment. Xiao Zizai didn’t understand—though he knew these three were often together, was it really necessary for all of them to show up just to find one person?
Keep in mind, the company had been aggressively hunting these fully enlightened individuals, especially the “Three Madmen,” who were top priority targets.
Moreover, Xia Ye’s chosen location was on a train. The Society of Medicine Immortals still had remnants fleeing from other outposts, and the mission was far from over. The company’s informants were surely on the train as well. These three wouldn’t get news without the company knowing; why would they dare show up all at once?
Wasn’t that just asking to be caught all in one net?
Yet Xia Ye’s reason was ridiculous—two words: “sincerity.”
“Only with sincerity can one achieve their desires. Their current ‘Wine, Lust, Wealth, and Ambition’ combo is just missing the ‘Lust’ part. Xia He’s abilities fit perfectly. If they don’t appear together… how can they show they value her?”
That was exactly what Xia Ye had said.
Xiao Zizai didn’t believe it and made a bet. Even if the “Three Madmen” showed up, they wouldn’t all come together. The wager was a single “Absolute Command.” If Xia Ye lost, he would let him do whatever he wanted once. If Xiao Zizai lost, he would obey one “Absolute Command” thereafter, no matter what it was.
For Xiao Zizai, this “do as you please” was a rare opportunity. Who knew if he’d want to do something in the future that Xia Ye would forbid? After all, he was under someone else’s roof, bound to obey.
But to his surprise, Xia Ye’s prediction was eerily accurate. Xiao Zizai couldn’t help but wonder if it was truly his own judgment. Yet a man must honor his bet, so he sighed and accepted defeat.
What he didn’t know was that Xia Ye, as a traveler through worlds and well-versed in the One Person’s World, knew all about Xia He’s past (from the One Person mobile game archive). He was certain Dou Mei would appear on this train.
As for the others, in these dangerous times, and with Dou Mei’s weakness in combat, the “Three Madmen” were inseparable. If Dou Mei came to negotiate, how could the others not accompany and protect her?
Everything was perfectly logical.
Since he had lost the bet, Xiao Zizai stopped overthinking and looked at Shen Chong and Gao Ning.
“If I’m not mistaken, you three are the fully enlightened ‘Three Madmen,’ right?”
“Heh heh, Brother Xiao, you’ve got a good memory. What can we do for you?” Shen Chong smiled.
“Nothing much, just wondering if anyone else fully enlightened came along besides you three?”
Xiao Zizai shook his head, pushing up his glasses.
“To be honest, just the three of you… might not be enough to kill me.”
“Ha ha, bold words!”
At that, Shen Chong and Gao Ning grinned and assumed battle stances. Dou Mei also stood up, her internal energy flowing.
They all knew company informants were on this train. They had to finish this quickly and planned to overwhelm him three against one.
***
“Duoduo, stay back a little. If you want to watch, go ahead. If you’re scared, then don’t watch...”
“Oh…”
Seeing this, Xiao Zizai immediately instructed Chen Duo. She nodded and quickly dashed out of the carriage.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap!
Then, his eyes suddenly glowed red, his expression turning ruthless in an instant. A fierce, murderous aura surged forth, sending a chilling presence through the air.
“Gentlemen, I hope you can last a while. After all, you are renowned experts. Don’t let me down…”
Crack crack crack crack!
His fingers moved swiftly as he removed his jacket, a smile curling at the corner of his lips.
Feeling the terrifying pressure he unleashed, Shen Chong and the others’ faces immediately darkened. Their internal energy surged as they unleashed their full strength!
But the next moment…
Whoosh—
A blood-red figure suddenly appeared, shocking all three. Their eyes widened in disbelief.
Then…
Clap clap clap!
Three blood-red hands simultaneously reached out and grabbed their necks. With a swift movement—
Whoosh—
They were dragged into the restroom!
Bang!
The restroom door slammed shut!
P.S.: No need to worry about exposure. The protagonist has it all arranged. No more spoilers—hehehe~