Showing Their Hand

Luo Qi was so startled by the sudden voice that his hair stood on end.

The last time a man had suddenly whispered behind him like this was when an old Father had done so shortly after he entered Rhine. Ever since then, he had been the one sneaking up behind others.

They were back. They were all back.

More importantly, Luo Qi had failed to notice the other person's presence at all. If they had harbored ill intentions, he would have already been violated by now.

"Ring Finger..." Luo Qi said through gritted teeth. "Don't you think this way of greeting someone is a little too rude?"

"No choice." The man replied. "If I wanted to see you without being noticed, this was the only way. If I offended you... well, there really was no choice."

"You didn't need to add that last part." Luo Qi said. "You said you're Ring Finger?"

"Yes. If you're wondering why I'm not a woman..." the man said with a soft laugh, "I could also meet you using a woman's body. But I heard that compared to women, Rhine's Fathers prefer men..."

"Enough. Stop saying meaningless things." Luo Qi rudely cut the man off. Only after cursing, Another freak, in his heart did he continue, "Don't you think it's inappropriate for us to talk like this? At a time like this, do you still need to hide?"

"This is merely a personal habit of mine. Besides, I have no intention of showing my hand just yet." The man smiled. "So please forgive me."

He clearly had a deep, rich male voice, yet he spoke like some idiotic woman. He really did sound like Ring Finger.

Although Luo Qi desperately wanted to turn around and see what Miss Ring Finger really looked like, he was at someone else's mercy right now. He could feel something hard pressing against his back, making him even less willing to move rashly.

"What did you come to see me for?" Luo Qi asked irritably.

Diana, currently using Carter's body, smiled. "Surely you can guess why I came?"

"...You want to know why Isaiah came to see me?" Luo Qi said coldly. "But why should I tell you?"

"If this was a private deal between you and Right Eye, then you truly would have no reason to tell me." Diana said leisurely. "But your performance just now did not look like you were properly negotiating a deal."

Luo Qi took a deep breath.

He felt miserable. Why did everyone in Peach Blossom Paradise seem to have mind-reading abilities, while he alone knew nothing and was being led around like a monkey?

"That guy told me Tongue and Hand Eye had always been the same person."

Though deeply displeased, Luo Qi still told Diana everything Isaiah had said. After all, he knew that under the current circumstances, Diana was the only person in Peach Blossom Paradise who could be considered an ally. The two of them were on the same side.

After hearing Luo Qi's account, Diana fell silent for a long time. If not for the hard object still pressed against his lower back, Luo Qi would have thought Diana had already left.

After a while, Diana finally spoke slowly. "That is truly a shocking claim."

"Do you think he was telling the truth?"

"I can't be certain, because there is no clear evidence yet." Diana said. "But if what he said is true, then Hand Eye is the real mastermind behind everything, and in a sense, far more terrifying than Right Eye. After all, Right Eye has already been pushed to the limit by him. If possible, I truly do not wish to face an opponent like that."

Luo Qi strongly agreed with Diana's assessment.

If Isaiah was telling the truth, then Ulu was far too terrifying.

It was even impossible to determine whether he was really Ulu at all.

"What do you think?" Luo Qi asked.

"Both sides have claims worth questioning." Diana said. "As for Hand Eye, he said Isaiah did not convene a Peach Blossom Paradise gathering because there was no longer any need. But as things stand, Isaiah is still quite eager to communicate with us. There is no reason for him not to convene Peach Blossom Paradise and instead use such troublesome methods to contact you and me."

"Contact you and me?" Luo Qi was somewhat confused. "When did he contact you?"

Diana said, "...Could it be that the reason he contacted you publicly was because he guessed I was watching nearby, and hoped to find me through you?"

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Luo Qi suddenly understood. "So that was it!"

Seeing Luo Qi's reaction, Diana could not help sighing inwardly.

Having a teammate like this was truly a headache.

But fortunately, with this guy in the middle, Diana could establish contact without meeting Isaiah directly, avoiding no small amount of risk. So she did not say much and continued, "In the end, the reason Isaiah did not enter Peach Blossom Paradise is only Hand Eye's side of the story."

"But if he really took those Three Corpse Pieces, wouldn't he be unable to hide his identity after entering Peach Blossom Paradise?" Luo Qi's thoughts were unusually quick. "Inside Peach Blossom Paradise, we can all see exactly how many corpse pieces he has. Then nothing he says would matter."

"You're not wrong." Diana nodded slightly. "As long as Isaiah does not enter Peach Blossom Paradise, both claims remain possible. But this point can indeed be questioned. We should not believe Isaiah, nor should we believe Hand Eye."

"Then who should we believe?"

"Ourselves. What we see with our own eyes." Diana said gravely. "The doubts surrounding Peach Blossom Paradise cannot be proven, so we must find another point of doubt that can be proven."

"You mean that finger?" Luo Qi immediately grasped the key point.

"Yes." Diana said. "That finger is the most crucial thing. As long as we prove whether it is real, Hand Eye's claims... no, everything about Hand Eye can be overturned. His true identity, his phantom in Peach Blossom Paradise... all of it would be fake. We would be facing an opponent more terrifying and mysterious than Isaiah. More importantly, according to Isaiah, he has been right beside us, watching us all along."

Luo Qi sucked in a cold breath.

"And if that finger is fake, it proves Isaiah is lying. He still wants to evade the Obedience of Heavenly Voice." Diana said. "And once he succeeds, there will no longer be anyone in this world capable of stopping him. He will also be able to hunt us without restraint."

Luo Qi sucked in another breath, so hard that his lungs hurt.

"In other words, if we choose wrong, we're dead either way?" Luo Qi asked.

"That depends on how far they intend to go." Diana said flatly. "At the very least, if they want to deal with us, it will be difficult for us to resist. Of course, they might also stop there. After all, the Gods are still around, and your status speaks for itself... but do you really dare gamble that they will stop?"

Who the hell would dare?

"What should we do?" Luo Qi asked.

"Very simple." Diana said. "That finger is the key. Prove whether it is real or fake."

"And how do we prove it?"

"Do as he said." Diana replied. "Go find him and have him prove it to you."

Luo Qi instinctively wanted to nod, but halfway through lowering his head, he suddenly realized something was wrong and immediately cursed, "After all that, aren't you still sending me to my death?! Why don't you go yourself?!"

"Very simple, because I am still in the shadows." Diana said calmly. "We are tied to the same rope now. It is too risky for both of us to reveal ourselves. If I remain hidden, I can still ensure your safety."

"How can you ensure my safety?"

"As long as Isaiah knows I am watching beside you, he will naturally not dare attack you." Diana said. "If he did, his identity would be exposed immediately. But if I were in the open, he would not need to worry so much. Think about it. Isn't that true?"

Luo Qi thought about it and felt that it really did make sense.

But even if it made sense, sending him into danger like this was still a little too...

Diana saw Luo Qi's hesitation and said calmly, "Of course, you can also refuse and leave everything to fate."

"You don't need to threaten me like that." Luo Qi hardened his resolve as well. "If it truly comes to that, I'll return the corpse pieces directly to Rhine City. What can he do to me then?"

"Provided you can really return to Rhine."

Luo Qi said, "..."

Fuck, this was so damn annoying.

Luo Qi said impatiently, "Then what do you want me to do?"

"Just as I said. Follow Isaiah's suggestion and let him choose a location to prove himself. He has that eye, so he certainly knows where the blind spots in surveillance are. You can go there afterward."

"By myself?"

"What do you think?"

"And you'll just watch from the side?" Luo Qi said. "He has that eye. Can you monitor him without drawing his attention?"

"Yes." Diana said calmly. "Don't forget, I now have the Rule of the Left Eye as well."

Only then did Luo Qi remember that Diana had also won the Rule of the Left Eye from Ulu.

"Any other questions?" Diana asked.

"Yes." Luo Qi said. "How am I supposed to confirm your identity?"

"Oh?" Diana raised Carter's eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"What if you aren't Ring Finger, but someone Isaiah sent in disguise?" Luo Qi said coldly. "That possibility still exists, doesn't it? You deliberately set a trap for me, lured me in, and then took my share."

Diana was silent for a while before smiling. "Indeed, I cannot deny that possibility. So how would you like me to prove it?"

"You don't need to prove yourself." Luo Qi said. "Before I go, I'll tell my subordinates where I'm going. If I don't return, they'll immediately notify the Warden and have him activate the Obedience of Heavenly Voice."

"Interesting. Is that a threat?"

"If you really are someone Isaiah sent in disguise," Luo Qi said word by word, "you still have time to change your story."

"Mm, a very good precaution." Diana shrugged Carter's shoulders and praised, "If you could stay this alert all the time, I would have a much easier time... We'll proceed according to plan. I'll send someone to notify Isaiah for you. Tonight."

"Tonight?" Luo Qi frowned.

"Of course. None of us has that much time, do we?" Diana said. "The sooner we determine whether our enemy is Isaiah or Hand Eye, who is even more troublesome than Isaiah, the more trouble we can save. Don't forget, all four of us Corpse Friends are gathered in one place now... Farewell, Mr. Luo Qi."

After saying that, Luo Qi felt the heavy object that had been pressing against his waist disappear. Then a callused hand flirtatiously gave his waist a light squeeze.

"Please don't turn around before I leave." Diana laughed in Carter's rough, deep male voice. "Otherwise, it will be awkward for everyone."

With that, the footsteps gradually faded away. Only then did Luo Qi turn around and discover that the thing that had been pressed against his waist was not a weapon at all, but a hardened piece of black bread.

"Fuck." Luo Qi cursed under his breath, then immediately walked outside and asked the Chief Knight guarding the door, "Did anyone just leave my room?"

The Chief Knight froze. "Who?"

"I'm asking you!" Luo Qi cursed. "Someone who looked like a man on the surface, but felt very feminine!"

The Chief Knight looked utterly confused. After thinking for a moment, he carefully asked, "Do you mean your accompanying clergy? Should we take them in right now..."

"Get lost! Useless trash!"

Luo Qi angrily turned back inside, leaving the bewildered Chief Knight and the subordinates who had rushed over at the commotion staring at one another.

All of this also fell into Bai Wei's eyes.

"So that was their plan?" Bai Wei stroked his chin. "It is indeed a rather effective way to break the deadlock."

Clearly, Bai Wei's previous pressure on Isaiah had worked. Isaiah had decided to point him out immediately.

After all, in Diana and Luo Qi's eyes, Bai Wei should still be honoring the agreement in Peach Blossom Paradise and be far away. He should not have been able to interfere in this matter at all.

Someone absent would naturally not be suspected.

So Isaiah had decided to show his hand. Of course, he had no choice but to show his hand.

And once he successfully proved himself, the situation would immediately reverse. At the very least, Luo Qi and Diana would both stand on his side.

But how could Bai Wei allow him to prove himself successfully?

Since tonight was destined to cause a disturbance, he might as well make it as big as possible.

Besides, he could use this opportunity to test the person Bai Wei most wanted to test.

After thinking briefly, Bai Wei called Ina over and directly told her that something major would happen tonight and that he needed her cooperation.

Ina immediately became serious, but she did not ask what the major event was. Instead, she asked what she needed to do.

"Don't worry, you won't need to fight or kill anyone." Bai Wei said. "You only need to go to a designated location and help me recover a corpse."

Ina instinctively asked, "Whose corpse?"

Bai Wei smiled. "Mine, of course."