Pretending To Be A Boss
Chapter 906 - 61: The Last Hope of Baichuan City_2

The beautiful and eerily accurate fortune teller remained etched in the memories of many, with some still longing for her return. Ever since Qi Yuan left, the fortune-telling shop on University Street in Baichuan City had been closed for business.

Li Xiaoyu paid it no mind, letting the shop occupy its space without anyone running it.

When Qi Yuan returned to Baichuan City, Li Xiaoyu wasn't surprised.

Upon receiving the news, she sent Akasi and Yuanwu to invite Qi Yuan over.

For several busy days, though Bai Mansheng reassured her that Tang Xian would be fine and Li Xiaoyu wanted to believe this answer, she still couldn't help but feel afraid.

And the one who might know everything best was Qi Yuan. Though she couldn't enter the mining zone, her grasp of the situation was crystal clear.

Regarding the Judge, Eden's Master, and humanity, Qi Yuan was undoubtedly the most knowledgeable.

As Akasi and Yuanwu escorted Qi Yuan to Li Xiaoyu's location, they noticed that she seemed less vibrant than during their last encounter.

Still, Qi Yuan raised no suspicions, her words remaining as cryptic as ever.

"Xi He's greatest surprise to me wasn't the flawed evolutionary experiments, but beings like you—those classified as tyrant breeds."

It was merely a coincidence that it was Yuanwu and Akasi who acted as her guides.

The two exchanged a glance but said nothing.

"I endowed you with talents, yet your usage of them is far inferior to Tang Xian and Tang Jing. Even beyond the Order's children, there are those who've broken past talent restrictions ahead of you."

"Song Que?" Akasi asked.

Unlike Yuanwu, Akasi could somewhat grasp the meaning behind Qi Yuan's words.

"Yes. Song Que's potential is not as strong as yours. At the very least, he has no possibility of tyrant transformation, yet you haven't progressed beyond him either." Qi Yuan's tone was as calm as ever.

"For someone like you to resort to taunts like this, it's beneath you," Akasi commented.

"Taunting? You still haven't realized that the worst case scenario has already arrived. I'm merely giving you some enlightenment."

"What enlightenment?"

"If I were Tang Xian, I'd quantify everyone's value, categorizing you into usable first-tier, second-tier, and even third-tier resources."

Qi Yuan slowed her pace slightly.

She evidently hoped Akasi would grasp the essence of her words.

In this world, though she wasn't the person who understood Tang Xian best, her thought patterns were the most similar to his.

What Tang Xian referred to as first-phase, second-phase, and third-phase teammates corresponded precisely to the meaning behind Qi Yuan's words.

Akasi didn't understand, so Qi Yuan continued explaining:

"You're merely mid-level second-tier resources—just enough, but not exceptional. But does your potential truly stop here? When faced with a stronger enemy, will you choose to be merely uninvolved observers like the citizens of Baichuan City, or will you strive to make yourselves valuable enough to assist Tang Xian?"

Akasi and Yuanwu stayed silent, and soon they arrived at the location of Li Xiaoyu.

Not only was Li Xiaoyu present, but Qing JiuYu, Bai Mansheng, Song Que, Tang Jing, and others were there as well.

Upon seeing Qi Yuan again, Tang Jing immediately sensed something amiss. The Qi Yuan before him seemed far less imposing compared to their previous meeting.

All the individuals of significance and power in Baichuan City had gathered here. Li Xiaoyu said:

"State your purpose."

Qi Yuan nodded, cutting to the chase:

"The worst case scenario has occurred—Tang Xian has already gone to Eden's Sanctuary."

He wasn't dead.

At least hearing those words firsthand from the Arbiter brought Li Xiaoyu some level of relief. She had been worried about Tang Xian for days, her eyelids twitching uncontrollably, sensing something ominous.

"He was bound to go to Eden's Sanctuary, and wasn't this part of the agreement between you and him?" Song Que questioned, puzzled as to why this would be deemed the worst case scenario.

"Entering willingly and being forced in are entirely different concepts. We all underestimated Eden's Master—Tang Xian is no longer himself." Qi Yuan's words were always measured and deliberate.

This gave her statements an air of utmost seriousness.

Li Xiaoyu's index finger trembled faintly as she struggled to suppress the emotions surging within her, striving to maintain composure.

Tang Jing asked:

"How do you know this?"

"Tang Xian and Eden's Master are, in essence, one and the same."

The revelation left the whole room in shock.

During their last discussion, few were present, and Tang Xian and Qi Yuan had kept their conversation deliberately vague. After all, even Tang Xian himself didn't fully grasp the concept of dual existence.

Now Qi Yuan laid out the truth, sending ripples of turmoil through everyone's hearts.

Before anyone could respond, Qi Yuan continued:

"Set aside your astonishment and doubts—they're nothing but wastes of time. As for how I know, that's my secret, something I cannot disclose. However, you've already fought against the Arbiter. I suspect you have some understanding of the Beast God's power."

Bai Mansheng, Yuanwu, Tang's brute force, and the enigmatic boy living by the duck pens of the eastern suburbs, Dark Crow—these constituted Tang Xian's most elite fighting power.

Yet, before the Beast God, they were utterly powerless.

Qi Yuan said:

"You might not yet grasp what it means for Tang Xian and Eden's Master to be one entity. Initially, it was just speculation, but now I've confirmed it. It's akin to the concept of personalities. Speaking of which, you've experienced something similar."

Qi Yuan looked straight at Song Que; with her words, he immediately understood.

Before burning his talents, Song Que had been troubled by another personality.

"However, in principle, the symbiosis between Eden's Master and Tang Xian is far more complex—it's not simply about spawning a secondary personality," Qi Yuan elaborated.

"When one awakens, the other falls into slumber. But it's not as simple as waiting for one to wake in exchange for the other. If Tang Xian cannot find a way back, he'll never wake again."

Long ago, Qi Yuan prepared extensively to study humanity's consciousness, using God's Domain to imprison human awareness. On the one hand, it was to evolve herself into a human; on the other, it was part of a bold experiment.

Among those present, only she had ever entered Eden's Sanctuary—the one true Divine Realm. She had lived there for millennia, wholly understanding the nature of that place.

Even Qi Yuan wasn't certain whether the experiment could succeed since its outcome hinged critically on Tang Xian's ability to emerge from the Sanctuary.

As she'd said, voluntarily entering the Sanctuary and being forcibly transported there would lead to starkly different experiences.

This was the worst case scenario.

"Even I don't know exactly what Eden's Master wants. What is its ultimate objective? What are its thoughts regarding humanity and beasts? But you must understand: Tang Xian most likely cannot return. Your greatest pillar has already fallen."

Qi Yuan's words were like a bitter winter storm, turning Li Xiaoyu's already cold-hearted anxieties into an arctic wasteland.

Noticing the lingering silence, Qi Yuan continued:

"I've already defied Eden's Master's will by completing an evolution it forbade—becoming human. Between me and it, there's what you might call antagonism. This, for you, is an advantage. You should make full use of it."

Such candor about her own utility didn't ease the tension for the group.

It only meant Qi Yuan believed their paths were narrowing—with Tang Xian gone, none in the room warranted her consideration.

"What does it take to bring him back?" Li Xiaoyu forced herself to stay strong.

"It's simple. Defeat Eden's Master. Before that, your job is to help secure what I need."

Tang Jing asked:

"What exactly is it you need?"

"Unlocking the seven-day survival restriction, as well as disabling the mining zone's current technological limitations. Only after these restrictions are lifted can I wield my full strength. Otherwise, within the mining zone, I won't be a match for it either."

Qi Yuan rose. Her previously dull gaze sharpened to something cold and fierce:

"The Beast God inheritance mastered by Tang Xian now fully belongs to Eden's Master. With the complete inheritance of the Beast Gods, Eden's Master is no longer an opponent you can contend with. I am your last hope. Send me into the mining zone to confront it head-on, or draw it into the mortal realm and let us battle there."