Not everyone harbored secrets grand enough to shock the room. And even if they did, not every secret could be made public.
Having grasped the universe's truth, exchanged intel, identified the direction for a breakthrough, and assigned everyone their tasks, the liars had nothing left to discuss.
So the Joker Society adjourned after so casual conversation.
Zhen Xin commanded the History School — naturally tasked with leveraging this massive intelligence apparatus to locate the remaining parts of Yu Xi's mask. Li Jingming, with his vast etched mories and experience impersonating every faith, was to seek the "thod of becoming a god" — or at least a way to get closer to Them.
The Doctor excelled at experints and was to focus on the viability of multi-faith personality vessels, ensuring everyone's strength could keep pace with their investigations. Long Jing, having received an audience with Shi Zhen and fused with [Ti], would spearhead the search for a thod to breach the space-ti barrier.
Zhang Jizu hadn't shared much intel, but [Death]'s protection of the Joker Society spoke volus. The group's suggestion: stay devout, visit his Benefactor often, and try to pry loose the nas of other gods who weren't aligned with the majority.
As for Cheng Shi... as the Joker Society's founder, he wasn't assigned any work.
As the Jokers put it:
"As long as you're alive, you draw enough attention. Intel will co to you — no need to take risks.
Of course, if the Fun God makes any new moves, do share promptly. Otherwise, given how rarely we get an audience with the Fun God, by the ti we learn what He's done, it'll be ancient news."
Cheng Shi couldn't have been happier with this arrangent. He'd co looking for help, and now the helpers had taken over all his work. What more could he want?
The other Jokers felt the sa. When the ga's truth was suddenly unveiled, what flooded their hearts wasn't just fear — it was the thrill of upward challenge.
How long that thrill would last depended on whether their efforts would actually bear fruit.
And so the Joker Society concluded with another collective prayer. As the "devout" chant faded, everyone departed. Only Cheng Shi remained... and the Doctor.
Wang Mou was in no hurry to leave. Smiling at Cheng Shi, he posed an unexpected question.
"Is Zangier still alive?"
Cheng Shi blinked, shaking his head uncertainly:
"Not sure. Go Lis and I aren't exactly partners. That summoning strap for Go Lis was actually a gift from a friend — and I imagine you can guess which one.
Why, Doctor — you're not planning to follow 0221's path, are you?"
Wang Mou shook his head as well:
"The path wasn't wrong. The traveler was.
I couldn't find the key manuscripts for the slice experint and splicing experint in his laboratory. Sothing tells
his experints incorporated other elents.
Since he could assemble a shell capable of hosting Zangier's descent, he clearly had significant insights into life-extension disciplines.
On a mortal level, this kind of life-force amplification is quite useful. Against Them, it's still helpless — but you have to eat one bite at a ti, walk one step at a ti. Drawing from many wells is how you pave the road to [Truth], isn't it?"
"...So you want to reverse-engineer 0221's experintal thods through Zangier?"
"That's the idea." The Doctor offered a rare smile. He studied Cheng Shi intently, as if certain Cheng Shi was lying. "He is still alive after all."
Seeing the Doctor's keen interest in Zangier gave Cheng Shi a headache.
Zangier was locked up in Dolgod. Normally he'd just take him there — but right now...
He hadn't even figured out an excuse for Aph Ros yet. Not convenient to visit.
Noticing Cheng Shi's hesitation, the Doctor said gravely: "Whatever the difficulty, I can help. After all, this is my request. I should rightfully bear the 'cost.'"
'The one paying the cost might be ...'
Cheng Shi pursed his lips: "Do you absolutely have to et him?"
"Both reasoning and experintation take ti, and we're racing against ti. Standing on predecessors' shoulders saves enormous effort — even if that predecessor is an enemy's 'corpse.'"
Cheng Shi sighed and nodded: "This isn't my call alone. But noted. I'll go talk to Hu Xuan and see. Wait for my word."
After getting Cheng Shi's response, the Doctor smiled, left a "contact
anyti," and departed.
But watching the Doctor vanish, Cheng Shi didn't leave. Instead he frowned, lost in thought.
The Doctor said his slice fusion experint could produce a residual personality as a side effect. So — did the Doctor just now have a second personality?
Or rather — was the one who'd just spoken to him actually the second personality?
Why else would a scholar who'd fled to another sliced universe to escape 0221's control suddenly develop 0221-like interest in Zangier?
Was it really just for science?
[Truth]-induced madness was still fresh in mory. He had to stay vigilant.
But vigilance aside, Cheng Shi wasn't overly worried. Even if his suspicions were correct, a re fragnt of the Doctor's personality probably couldn't extract Zangier from Dolgod. Besides, he already had so ideas about this.
"Since we'll have to et eventually, might as well face it head-on. Hmm — I'll need to bring Hu Xuan. Otherwise things could get ugly."
Thinking this, Cheng Shi walked toward the lamplight, switched back to [Fate], and snapped his fingers to transport himself back to [mory]'s Collection Hall.
When he opened his eyes again, the smug grin that had been forming on his face instantly froze rigid. The vast white Collection Hall was still there — but this ti, it ca with a pair of eyes. Ancient, eternal divine eyes swimming with the weight of countless epochs.
"!!!!!"
Those eyes flicked toward him. A cold snort.
"If I recall correctly, I once told you: what I despise most is liars sneaking into my Collection Hall.
Truly worthy of a [Deceit] follower. Your mory seems remarkably poor, Cheng Shi."
Cheng Shi's legs turned to jelly...
Right now it wasn't just his mory that was failing — his whole being was failing.
'Seriously, bro? A whole nest of liars walked in earlier and you did nothing, just waited here to ambush
alone?'
'Is that fair?'
Fair or not didn't matter. Caught was caught. If he'd rely been accused, at least he could argue. But being caught red-handed by [mory] — what defense was there?
He couldn't exactly say: "I just saw a bunch of liars co to steal stuff. Found it disgusting, so I ca to check if You were missing anything. Turns out nothing's gone. Was about to report it, but then You showed up..."
Never mind whether [mory] would buy it — Cheng Shi didn't even buy it himself.
This ti he was done for. But just as he was racking his brain for a way out, sothing even more dramatic happened.
Right beneath those ancient eyes, right before the sweat-drenched Cheng Shi, a graceful figure materialized as if unraveling from thread!
When the figure solidified and saw Cheng Shi was already here, she chuckled without a trace of surprise:
"Fast on your feet."
But before the words fully left her mouth, Cheng Shi's frantic signaling made Zhen Xin's heart lurch. She turned her head stiffly.
And in that glance, she saw not only those ancient, unchanging eyes — but also a second figure slowly materializing beneath them.
"Heh heh — knew it. I'm in! Now isn't this Collection Hall practically my backyard? This ti I'm going to find so much more... hm??
Cheng Shi!? Zhen Xin!?
Great, great, great. Great minds think alike! But what's with those faces? Don't think you can fool
like that.
We're all Jokers here — have so decency. Acting this hard, you might as well just tell
[mory] is standing on my forehead.
What, you guys are getting bolder, huh? Always targeting just , is that how it is? You—
Hm???
!!!!!"
...
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