Doctor Zhao also walked out at this moment, his expression evasive. Looking at him, it didn't seem like he was here to stop them, but rather to back them up.
"There are not four 'Dao', only three," Qi Xia said.
"Three?!"
Xiao Ran's brow furrowed.
"Did you lose one?"
Qi Xia glanced at Doctor Zhao behind Xiao Ran, his eyes holding a trace of sinister coldness. Doctor Zhao seemed to have noticed Qi Xia's gaze and had no choice but to speak up: "Xiao Ran, it's not that Qi Xia lost it. He used one of the 'Dao' to trade with that female clerk for a fishhook and line."
"What..."
Xiao Ran's eyes twitched slightly. She then sighed and said to Qi Xia, "Fine. Using a 'Dao' to make a trade is your own business.
Now, I want you to give us back the two that belong to our team."
"The two that belong to you...?"
Qi Xia's expression turned cold.
"Xiao Ran..."
Tian Tian, who had been quiet for a while, suddenly interjected, "You can't say that. If we must be clear about it, the 'Dao' that was lost was to save Han Yimo from 'your team'. It has nothing to do with us."
"I've said it, that was a trade Qi Xia decided to make on his own. It has nothing to do with our team."
"Your mother..."
Qiao Jiajin took a step forward, his expression fierce. His originally non-standard Mandarin completely switched to Cantonese.
"I never hit women, but you, girl, have no shame!"
"Hey... calm down!"
Lin Qin stepped forward and grabbed Qiao Jiajin, saying, "Qi Xia won those 'Dao'. Let him decide how to distribute them." Qiao Jiajin pursed his lips resentfully and barely suppressed his anger.
Qi Xia slowly reached up to touch his nose, then said: "The Human Dragon said that these 'Dao' are both our prizes and our 'chips' to participate in the game. You all are preparing to wait here for death, so I won't give you a single one."
"What, you're not 'conning' anymore, you're 'robbing' now?"
Xiao Ran laughed in anger.
"There's no place in this world that's 'beyond the law'. I advise you to think clearly, is this the right thing to do? We have a police officer here!"
At this moment, Officer Li heard the argument outside and also walked out. The two teams originally had no discord, but now, because of this kindergarten teacher named Xiao Ran, the atmosphere had become tense and hostile.
"What's wrong?"
Officer Li asked Doctor Zhao.
"I could hear a big commotion out here from inside the house."
"It's nothing... Xiao Ran has something to say to Qi Xia."
Doctor Zhao gave an awkward laugh.
"She 'has something to say to me'?"
Qi Xia's expression turned cold.
"Doctor Zhao, you're really something... Are you sure it's Xiao Ran who has something to say to me?"
Qi Xia knew that Xiao Ran was just the 'gun', while Doctor Zhao was the one who instigated this. After all, with Xiao Ran's intelligence and courage, she wouldn't have been able to come out and confront the four of them without someone egging her on.
Knocking down the opponent's 'gun' could halt the offensive, but only by taking down the 'person' behind it could he solve the problem once and for all.
"I..."
Doctor Zhao was taken aback, then said to Qi Xia with some embarrassment, "Qi Xia, you might be a little dissatisfied... and it's true that you helped us win those 'Dao'... but they belong to all of us. We also made sacrifices... you should give us half."
"Is that so?"
Qi Xia nodded seriously after hearing this and replied, "But Doctor Zhao, that's not what you said last night when you and I killed Han Yimo together."
"What?!"
Upon hearing this, Doctor Zhao's eyes widened.
"You... you monster, what the hell are you talking about?! When did I ever kill Han Yimo with you?!"
The expressions on Officer Li's and Xiao Ran's faces changed instantly.
"Isn't that what you said?"
Qi Xia rubbed his hands together nonchalantly.
"You told me, 'That person's wounds aren't even stitched up, he definitely won't make it. One less person is one less burden, and the chances for the rest of us to get out will be greater'."
"Nonsense!!"
Doctor Zhao was completely enraged by Qi Xia, the veins on his forehead bulging.
"Are you trying to throw dirty water on me?! Although Han Yimo's wounds were indeed difficult to treat, I stopped his 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 mind it. I'm a con man. What I just said was all nonsense I made up."
"You...!"
Doctor Zhao was so angry his mouth was twisted.
"Do you hate having black and white reversed?"
Qi Xia said in a low voice.
"I hate it too. If you and that woman come to pester me again, asking me for things that don't belong to you, I'll be sure to teach you a lesson."
Doctor Zhao was quite frightened by these words and finally understood that the man before him was no saint. In the previous games, although Qi Xia had extended a helping hand time and again, it didn't mean he could be trampled on by anyone.
At this, Xiao Ran seemed to have thought of something and muttered to herself, "So that's how it is... because you're a doctor... if someone gets injured, you have to take care of them. You killed him to get rid of that burden..."
"I..."
"How could that be?"
Before Doctor Zhao could speak, Qi Xia shook his head and denied it.
"Xiao Ran, what I said just now was really just something I made up. You absolutely must not believe it."
But the seed of doubt had already taken root in Xiao Ran's heart. How could it be so easily uprooted?
"Qi Xia... what is all this about? What on earth happened?"
Officer Li asked with a frown. Qi Xia looked at the sturdy man before him. His impression of this officer was quite good, and he only hoped they weren't all in cahoots, coveting his 'Dao'.
"Xiao Ran said I should give two of the 'Dao' to you two. What do you think?"
Qi Xia asked. Officer Li was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and said, "We've already tested it. The 'Dao' can't be used as currency here, so there's no use in keeping them.
Besides, you won them in the first place, so you should hold onto them."
"How can that be right?!"
Xiao Ran said with some agitation.
"Those 'Dao' were exchanged for our lives!"
Officer Li gave a bitter smile and said, "Since you know those 'Dao' were exchanged for your life, you should be even more grateful to Qi Xia for saving your life."
"I..."
Xiao Ran was choked up and couldn't speak for a moment. What Officer Li said was not without reason. If it weren't for Qi Xia, she would have died long ago in that terrifying room.
Qi Xia nodded silently, took a small ball from his chest pocket, and tossed it to Officer Li. Officer Li caught it, turned his hand over to look, and saw that it was, to his surprise, a 'Dao'.
"Hm?"
He looked at Qi Xia with a puzzled expression.
"What are you doing? I'm not going to participate in the game. Giving me a 'Dao' is useless."
"Just hold onto it for me for now."
Qi Xia waved his hand.
"Consider it money laundering. I'm giving that one to you, so the two in my hands are now 'clean'. And you all can stop bothering me."
"This..."
Officer Li was still a bit confused, but he didn't know what to say. The expressions on Doctor Zhao's and Xiao Ran's faces were even more complicated. Their thoughts were in turmoil.
Everyone waited for a moment and found that Officer Li was still standing there, not having left.
"Cop? Is there something else?"
Qiao Jiajin asked.