Chapter 28: Parting Ways

Doctor Zhao also came out at this moment, his expression evasive.

From his demeanor, it didn't seem like he was there to stop them but rather to support them.

"There are not four 'Dao', only three," Qi Xia said.

"Three?!" Xiao Ran frowned tightly. "Did you lose one?"

Qi Xia glanced at Doctor Zhao behind Xiao Ran, his eyes carrying a hint of menace.

Doctor Zhao seemed to notice Qi Xia's gaze and had no choice but to speak up:

"Xiao Ran, it wasn't Qi Xia who lost it. He used one of the 'Dao' to trade with the female shop assistant for fishing hooks and lines."

"What..." Xiao Ran's eyes flickered slightly, then sighed and turned back to Qi Xia, "Alright, using 'Dao' for trades is your business. Now I want you to return the two 'Dao' that belong to our team."

"The two that belong to your team...?" Qi Xia's face darkened.

"Xiao Ran..." Tian Tian, who had been silent, suddenly interjected, "You can't say it like that. If we must be clear, the lost 'Dao' was used to save 'your team's' Han Yimo. It has nothing to do with us."

"I've already said, it was Qi Xia's decision to make the trade, unrelated to our team."

"Your mother..." Qiao Jiajin stepped forward, his face fierce, his previously imperfect Mandarin now completely switched to Cantonese, "I never hit women, but you're shameless!"

"Hey... calm down!" Lin Qin stepped forward to hold Qiao Jiajin back, saying, "Those 'Dao' were won by Qi Xia. Let him decide how to distribute them."

Qiao Jiajin pressed his lips together in frustration, barely suppressing his anger.

Qi Xia slowly rubbed his nose and then said,

"'Renlong' mentioned that these 'Dao' are both our prizes and our stakes in the game. You plan to wait here to die, so I won't give you any."

"So, from lying to robbing?" Xiao Ran laughed angrily. "There's no place on earth that's 'lawless'. I advise you to think clearly if this is right. We have a police officer here!"

Officer Li heard the commotion outside and also came out.

The two teams had no previous conflicts, but now they seemed on the verge of confrontation because of this kindergarten teacher named Xiao Ran.

"What's going on?" Officer Li asked Doctor Zhao, "I could hear a lot of noise from inside the house."

"It's nothing... Xiao Ran has something to say to Qi Xia," Doctor Zhao awkwardly smiled.

"She 'has something to say to me'?" Qi Xia's face darkened, "Doctor Zhao, you're really something... Are you sure it's Xiao Ran who has something to say to me?"

Qi Xia knew Xiao Ran was just a 'gun', while Doctor Zhao was the instigator. With Xiao Ran's intelligence and courage, she wouldn't dare confront Qi Xia and his group without someone pushing her.

Disarming the 'gun' could stop the attack, but taking down the 'person' would solve the problem permanently.

"I..." Doctor Zhao was taken aback and then spoke hesitantly to Qi Xia, "Qi Xia, you might be dissatisfied... Those 'Dao' were indeed won by you for us... But they belong to all of us, and we've contributed too... You should give us half."

"Is that so?" Qi Xia nodded seriously and replied, "But Doctor Zhao, last night when you and I killed Han Yimo, you didn't say that."

"What?!" Doctor Zhao's eyes widened instantly, "What nonsense are you spouting?! When did I kill Han Yimo with you?!"

Officer Li and Xiao Ran's expressions changed immediately.

"Weren't you the one who said it?" Qi Xia casually rubbed his hands, "You told me 'that person's wounds weren't even stitched, he definitely couldn't survive, fewer people mean less burden, and the remaining ones have a better chance of getting out.'"

"Lies!!" Doctor Zhao was thoroughly enraged by Qi Xia, veins bulging on his forehead, "Are you trying to smear me?! Although Han Yimo's injuries were hard to treat, I stopped the bleeding...! You... you..."

"Why are you so angry?" Qi Xia took a step forward, patted Doctor Zhao's shoulder, and said to Xiao Ran and Officer Li, "Don't worry, I'm a liar. What I just said was made up."

"You...!" Doctor Zhao's mouth twisted in anger.

"Do you hate being falsely accused?" Qi Xia whispered, "I hate it too. If you or that woman come to bother me again about things that don't belong to you, I'll teach you a lesson."

Doctor Zhao was greatly frightened by this and finally realized that this man before him was not someone to be trifled with.

In previous games, although Qi Xia had repeatedly extended help, it didn't mean he could be taken advantage of.

Xiao Ran thought of something and murmured, "So that's it... Because you're a doctor... You have to take care of the injured. To get rid of this burden, you killed him..."

"I..."

"How could that be possible?" Before Doctor Zhao could speak, Qi Xia shook his head, denying it, "Xiao Ran, what I just said was truly fabricated. Don't believe it."

But the seed of doubt had already taken root in Xiao Ran's heart; how could it be easily removed?

"Qi Xia... What's going on? What exactly happened?" Officer Li frowned and asked.

Qi Xia looked at the sturdy man before him. His impression of this police officer was still quite good, hoping they hadn't conspired to covet his 'Dao'.

"Xiao Ran says I should share the 'Dao' with you two. What do you think?" Qi Xia asked.

Officer Li was momentarily stunned and then shook his head, saying, "We've already tested it; 'Dao' can't be used as currency here. Keeping them is useless. Besides, they were originally won by you, so you should keep them."

"That's not fair!" Xiao Ran said somewhat agitatedly, "Those 'Dao' were earned with our lives!"

Officer Li smiled bitterly and said, "Since you know those 'Dao' were earned with your lives, you should be more grateful to Qi Xia for saving your life."

"I..."

Xiao Ran was choked off, unable to speak for a moment.

Officer Li's words made sense. Without Qi Xia, she would have died in that terrifying room long ago.

Qi Xia silently nodded, pulled a small ball from his chest, and tossed it to Officer Li.

Officer Li caught it, looked at it, and saw it was a 'Dao'.

"Hmm?" He looked at Qi Xia with a puzzled expression, "What's this for? I won't participate in the game, so giving me a 'Dao' is useless."

"Temporarily stored with you." Qi Xia waved his hand, "Consider it money laundering. One to you, and the two in my hand will be 'clean'. Leave me alone."

"This..." Officer Li was still puzzled but didn't know what to say.

Doctor Zhao and Xiao Ran's expressions were extremely complicated, their minds in turmoil.

After waiting for a while, they noticed Officer Li still standing there, not leaving.

"Cop? Is there anything else?" Qiao Jiajin asked.