Invincible Little School Doctor Chapter 2044: The Ingrate Who Repays Kindness with Enmity

"Is that... Li Qi’s voice?"

Upon hearing the desperate cries, Ye Haochuan swiftly turned his gaze towards the sound. Indeed, he spotted Li Qi, who had entered this perilous area with him, calling out for aid.

However, at this critical moment, only Li Qi’s head remained visible above the muddy surface, his entire body nearly swallowed by the treacherous swamp.

"Fellow Daoist Ye, rescue me!" Seeing Ye Haochuan’s attention, Li Qi's eyes welled with hope.

Ye Haochuan scanned his surroundings, finding no immediate threat from demon beasts. He cautiously approached, retrieving a rope from his storage ring and tossing it towards Li Qi.

Truth be told, they were rivals. Yet, Ye Haochuan couldn't bear to watch someone perish simply due to their competition.

Struggling, Li Qi extended his arms from the mire, an action that caused his head to sink deeper by half. Still, it proved inconsequential as he managed to grasp the rope Ye Haochuan had thrown.

With a forceful pull at his waist, Ye Haochuan managed to drag Li Qi halfway out of the bog.

But this significant exertion caused Ye Haochuan himself to sink halfway into the swamp.

What in the world? How did this happen?

Ye Haochuan was stunned.

He had undeniably been standing on solid ground mere moments ago. How could it have transformed into a swamp so suddenly?

This defied all logic!

"I should have alerted you sooner; this swamp appears to shift..." Li Qi regretfully remarked, witnessing Ye Haochuan also becoming ensnared.

Damn it, what good is that warning now!

Ye Haochuan cursed internally.

His initial intention was merely to perform a good deed by saving a life, never anticipating he would land himself in peril too. Had he foreseen this, he would never have taken such a risk.

"Enough with the chatter!" Ye Haochuan declared with impatience. "Though we’re both trapped, it’s not entirely hopeless. Secure one end of this rope, I’ll toss you clear, and then you’ll swiftly pull me out!"

Ensuring Li Qi’s escape first wasn't an act of selfless sacrifice from Ye Haochuan; it was a strategic decision. Li Qi was positioned deeper within the swamp, while Ye Haochuan was nearer the edge.

If Li Qi attempted to pull Ye Haochuan while still partially submerged, it would inevitably drag Ye Haochuan further into the mire. It was far more practical for Ye Haochuan to generously facilitate Li Qi’s release, relying on him for a reciprocal rescue.

The situation was critical, leaving no room for delay. Ye Haochuan gathered all his might, successfully extracting Li Qi completely and launching him in a clean arc onto the firmer ground.

With this powerful heave, Ye Haochuan found himself completely submerged in the mire, only his head remaining above the surface.

In less than a minute, their roles had drastically inverted.

"Why are you just standing there? Quickly, pull me up!" Ye Haochuan exclaimed anxiously, seeing Li Qi still in a daze.

But Li Qi offered no immediate response. Instead, he stared fixedly at Ye Haochuan, as if deep in thought. A moment later, his brow lifted, seemingly having reached a decision. He casually tossed the rope into the swamp, then swiftly retreated, as if wary of being dragged into the mire himself.

"You scoundrel, what are you doing? Are you really going to be so ungrateful?" Ye Haochuan erupted in furious shouts.

"You are far too naive. We are competitors, and you were foolish enough to come to my aid!" Li Qi let out a light chuckle.

"Competitors? Does that mean we should condemn each other to death?"

Ye Haochuan responded with palpable hatred. "Forget it. Engaging with someone who betrays their rescuer is a waste of breath."

"Do not concern yourself; you shall not perish. Every action within this realm is observed by the Manor Master. When you are truly on the verge of death, he will intervene and pull you from this world!" Li Qi stated with conviction.

Ye Haochuan’s brow furrowed, and he asked with a chilling coldness, "So you knew all along that you wouldn’t face death, and your intention was to ensnare me from the very beginning?"

"No, in the initial moments, my desire for your help was genuine. I finally saw a path to victory and was unwilling to falter here."

Li Qi then laughed with a strange eeriness. "I had truly forgotten about the nature of this shifting swamp at first. However, the instant you became trapped, my resolve shifted. You and Ju Yuqu are both significant hurdles in my ascent. Now, presented with such a golden opportunity to eliminate a formidable competitor like you, I would be a fool to let it slip away."

"You willfully engage in such a reprehensible act while under constant scrutiny. Are you not concerned about disqualification?" Ye Haochuan retorted with a sneer.

"Reprehensible?" Li Qi’s laughter echoed to the heavens. "You’re too idealistic. This isn't about being despicable; it's a fundamental aspect of survival in this world. The honest and upright are perpetually exploited. To achieve greatness, one must embrace the path most advantageous to oneself, not cling to some fanciful notion of morality."

"That reasoning is utterly preposterous!" Ye Haochuan declared with disdain. "You are nothing more than a self-serving wretch rationalizing your depravity with the guise of ambition. It is utterly shameful."

"You may say what you will, but I am confident my methods will earn recognition from the Half-Mountain Residence. After all, it is not an institution solely built upon compassion."

"Do you truly believe that harming me will grant you entry into the Half-Mountain Residence?" Ye Haochuan's voice dripped with mockery.

"There's only one way to find out, isn't there?"

Li Qi let out a soft chuckle. "Initially, with my performance in the initial four rounds, I thought I stood no chance. However, now that everything has reset, a new opportunity has arisen. Furthermore, with you on the verge of elimination, my chances have improved to a fifty-fifty prospect."

He continued, his tone tinged with self-righteousness, "Don't hold it against me; consider this a harsh lesson in not trusting others too readily. Keep my words in mind, and you might even thank me in the future!"

Without another word, he turned and bolted, quickly vanishing from Ye Haochuan's line of sight.

Damn it, not trusting others easily, does he take me for a three-year-old?

Ye Haochuan cursed silently in his mind.

Naturally, he was not the kind of person to blindly trust others. His decision to attempt a rescue was solely based on his confidence that he himself was not in any danger.

He remained uncertain whether the Half-Mountain Residence would truly release him if Li Qi were genuinely on the brink of death.

Who could have imagined that after saving someone, he would be repaid with betrayal?

Damn, I truly underestimated this fellow!

Ye Haochuan had consistently overlooked Li Qi, primarily because, in the presence of himself and Ju Yuqu, Li Qi had always appeared rather insignificant.

Reflecting on it now, he recognized the considerable extent of his own arrogance.

While Li Qi's aptitude might have paled in comparison to his own or Ju Yuqu's, emerging victorious from a pool of nearly fifty elites was an accomplishment not achievable by someone lacking either skill or a potent ambition.

After mentally cursing Li Qi a hundred times over, Ye Haochuan found himself compelled to confront his predicament with a sense of helplessness.

This swamp was undeniably extraordinary. Within its confines, he discovered himself utterly incapable of channeling any of his spiritual energy.

Damn it, am I truly going to be eliminated here?