When the Jokers followed Li Jingming to that painted-over artwork, they all realized the Dragon King had spoken true.
Think about it: inside [mory]'s Collection Hall hung a "[Deceit] riddle." For these opposing faiths to coexist in this dusty corner proved sothing monuntal was involved.
"It's a mask!?"
Long Jing was first to exclaim. Then the Doctor offered his cool analysis.
"I can't imagine what kind of mask could serve as the key for [mory] to seal His own mories. If such a thing exists, I'm more inclined to think it was a transaction between [Deceit] and Him. In that case, if [Deceit] also has a mask..."
"I'm not sure if the Fun God has one, but I do know soone who happens to have a mask — one with sufficient status."
The instant Zhen Xin finished, she t Li Jingming's sharp gaze as he turned back.
"Yu Xi!" several Jokers said in unison.
"Exactly. Him. So as the person who knows that gentleman best — Cheng Shi, care to weigh in?"
"..."
'This one I genuinely can't.'
Cheng Shi was numb. Whatever the others had figured out, he could too. The problem was: he knew Yu Xi's identity better than anyone. This [Deceit] Envoy, barely past its "first month," couldn't possibly be connected to [mory]'s seal here.
If there was a connection, it could only involve Crown — the seedling follower of [Deceit].
But Crown never ascended to a divine seat or beca the Fun God's servant god. This was a secret between true gods. Could it really involve him?
Cheng Shi frowned and imdiately consulted soone: Fool's Lips.
Knowing Brother Mouth too well, he knew a direct question wouldn't work. So he took a different angle, addressing the lips in his mind with utmost caution:
"Brother Mouth, between us — did you betray the Fun God and defect to [mory]?
How else would your traces be in [mory]'s domain?"
This was a "fabricated charges" play. Cheng Shi didn't even know if this was connected to Fool's Lips, but he'd already dropped the bla on them.
Naturally, Fool's Lips wasn't one to take this lying down. It imdiately fought back — only its response wasn't an internal whisper like Cheng Shi's. It directly moved the mouth.
So everyone heard Cheng Shi say:
"I only know that Lord Yu Xi lost a segnt of mory. What that mory was, He never said. Now I finally understand why He refused to speak of it.
It's connected to [mory].
It seems His mask should be the key to this place!"
"!!!"
At these words, everyone's eyes lit up.
Having a target made things actionable. After all, several Jokers rembered exactly who'd taken the Secret Peeping Ear in San Dales. Those in the know looked at Cheng Shi. Those not — at Zhen Xin.
By now there was no point deflecting to Zhen Yi. So Zhen Xin asked directly: "Are they still in your possession?"
"..."
Cheng Shi was stuck.
After Fool's Lips so readily confird everything, Cheng Shi knew he'd been played again. He'd wanted to push everything onto the "Yu Xi" identity, but Brother Mouth clearly wasn't letting him off. It continued:
"Yes. I'm collecting mask fragnts for Lord Yu Xi. Three are already in hand. Currently only the eyes and nose remain missing. So once those two are found, I'm confident we can unlock the mystery!"
"???"
'Wait — Brother Mouth, you're serious?'
Cheng Shi was stunned. He couldn't tell whether Brother Mouth was genuinely on his side — accelerating the mask fusion — or using this as another excuse to manipulate him. But publicly revealing this had both pros and cons. Since the situation was irreversible, he might as well go with the flow and bring the mask search to the Jokers' table.
The first one confused by this was Long Jing. In his mory, Zhen Yi had been the one who took the Secret Peeping Ear.
"Wasn't it you guys...?"
Nobody paid the slow-on-the-uptake acrobat any mind. Zhen Xin studied Cheng Shi thoughtfully — specifically his mouth — and blinked with layered aning.
Li Jingming blanked, then frowned: "I've heard of the Tongue. The Ear, I witnessed myself. But Mouth — never heard of it. Cheng Shi, where did you find it?"
'Where?'
'Wasn't it a starter gift when the ga began?'
Brother Mouth had gone quiet again. The helpless Cheng Shi could only say it was sothing Yu Xi already had. He knew the Dragon King wanted to use the Mouth's discovery location to deduce where other fragnts might have scattered — but he genuinely couldn't help.
"So He retained one fragnt. That He'd entrust a mask piece to you speaks to His regard.
But do you know what the Eyes and Nose are called? Even a shred of information would help. Otherwise we'd be stumbling blindly — like searching for a needle in the sea."
"No idea. But knowing [Deceit]'s creations, they'll probably have so 'fun' flavor. I can only ask everyone to stay alert during trials. Especially the History School — Zhen Xin, this job is made for you."
Zhen Xin didn't refuse. But she remained deeply curious about what sort of interesting mory could exist between [mory] — a true god — and a re servant god. And another thing: did the Fun God know about this?
If He discovered a mory hidden here — one so secret that even [mory] had sealed it — would He create another mask to spy on these mories?
At this thought, a barely perceptible gleam flashed in Zhen Xin's eyes.
"Fate Weaver, since you already have three, why not try them here? If the seal can be loosened by fragnts — even a glimpse of mory would make this trip worthwhile, wouldn't it?"
In the spirit of rigorous experintation, the Doctor proposed yet another experint.
But Cheng Shi had no intention of performing this experint in front of everyone. The Tongue of Eating Lies and the Secret Peeping Ear were manageable — but how would he "place" Fool's Lips?
He couldn't very well walk up and kiss the wall in front of everybody.
What would that look like?
But if he didn't produce Fool's Lips, these shrewd liars would find it suspicious — amplifying doubt into deduction into discovery. If the fusion of Fool's Lips with his body was exposed...
Then the "Yu Xi" identity would truly be compromised.
How else would you explain an envoy's mask fragnt fusing with a player?
That was practically announcing he was Yu Xi.
So Cheng Shi shook his head, deadpan: "Each piece has mandatory storage conditions. They're not on
right now."
Everyone frowned slightly. Zhen Xin didn't buy it at all. She eyed Cheng Shi with a half-smile: "When the Tongue of Eating Lies was with Zhen Yi, it wasn't this high-maintenance."
Cheng Shi's answer ca without missing a beat: "And that's why it burned through so much divine power. To make the final fusion possible, I'm nurturing it. You wouldn't understand."
"..."
One "you wouldn't understand" shut everyone up. Seeing nothing more to gain today, Li Jingming knew it was ti to leave.
They stood at the vault's threshold but couldn't enter. The surrounding mory paintings proved unreadable. After a brief discussion, they departed one by one.
So things couldn't be discussed inside [mory]'s Collection Hall. And the bone bell couldn't ring there either — if [mory] detected [Death]'s sudden arrival in His domain, it wouldn't be a matter of blocked surveillance. It would an being personally etched into [mory]...
Far too terrifying. So the liars bolted, returning to the gathering grounds.
Afterward, the Jokers discussed the gods' and their followers' positions, exchanged missing intel, and even earmarked several potential recruits for new Jokers.
But Cheng Shi only half-listened. His mind was entirely in that Collection Hall, wondering when the Joker Society would end so he could slip back and try again.
As for what he'd try — ahem — definitely not kissing the wall.
...
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