Here they were.
Cheng Shi had finally arranged things with Galusha, and the three of them t up with the Doctor in the Void.
The mont the Doctor saw Wei Zhi present, he looked at Cheng Shi with a flicker of surprise: "This is the friend you ntioned? Wei Zhi?"
Cheng Shi nodded without much fuss: "That's right. I've been interested in the Life Extension Departnt lately, and it just so happens that Galu... obtained the Reason Association president's contact info. He's also very interested in Zangier.
And even more coincidentally, President Wei helped
greatly during the last trial. As a return favor, I promised he could co with us to see this Zangier — imprisoned by [Birth].
Since the Doctor already knows him, no introduction needed."
Cheng Shi had played a subtle trick — he didn't say Hu Xuan was the one imprisoning Zangier. Instead, he pinned it directly on [Birth].
A prisoner of a true god wasn't sothing mortals could covet. Even a [Truth] follower's ambition would have to think twice when confronting Zangier's new status.
Besides, [Birth] had already declared She wouldn't summon him again — which ant he needn't worry about getting called out for the deflection face-to-face.
An exploit like that simply demanded to be used.
As for Galusha — he'd just told her he needed a companion for a trip to Dolgod. Whether she knew the place or what they'd be doing there, he ntioned none of it.
The less she knew about the Doctor, the less purposeful her gaze would be — reducing the risk the Doctor would catch on. Cheng Shi had still been pondering how to convince Galusha to cooperate, but to his surprise, the mont he ntioned the invitation, she accepted imdiately.
And her tone was more eager than his own.
When Cheng Shi asked why, Galusha didn't answer. But she knew: she'd figured out exactly who the ta "Truth" had ntioned was.
'So you're His follower?'
'Being so favored by a god, Prisoner — you truly are different from ordinary people.'
Galusha's gaze toward Cheng Shi was deeply aningful.
Wang Mou's expression was also peculiar. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't picture Cheng Shi being friends with Wei Zhi. So the reason Wei Zhi was here was simple enough: the Jokers' organizer had grown suspicious of his identity.
'Perceptive Fate Weaver — but suspicion alone is useless. Once I lay eyes on Zangier, [Truth]'s convergence will make
powerful again!'
And so, carrying their hidden agendas and wary appraisals of one another, the three stood before the Gate of Desire, each wearing a different expression.
The desire emanating from within was so terrifying that even Galusha — who dealt with the Extre Desire Brotherhood daily — wouldn't have dared step through without Cheng Shi's assurance.
"This gate leads to...?"
Galusha asked curiously.
The Doctor, overhearing, was surprised. If you were going to find Zangier, you should know that beyond the gate likely lay Go Lis's lair — and since Go Lis and Aph Ros shared one body, it was probably Aph Ros's lair too. That would explain the overwhelming desire.
But this Wei Zhi seed to know nothing at all?
Cheng Shi stepped through and glanced back with a smile:
"Dolgod — the holand of [Birth]'s followers, and the birthplace of desire."
As darkness shifted around them, Cheng Shi found himself back in Dolgod. Before the familiar building stood the Evil Infant Inquisition. He hadn't even knocked when the doors slowly swung open.
A strikingly handso man in a gilt-and-moon black robe stood at the threshold with an amused smile. He hadn't crossed the doorstep, yet the desire in his eyes clung to Cheng Shi like invisible threads.
He looked at Cheng Shi and bead:
"My brother — you've finally co."
"..."
No matter how awkward and nervous Cheng Shi felt, he couldn't show weakness in front of two outsiders. He nodded, then turned to gesture at his companions, about to introduce them — when Galusha stepped forward and muttered softly:
"What's his connection to ng Youfang?"
"?"
Cheng Shi blinked.
'Sis — is your focus a bit too... unique?'
'Yes, fine — the word "brother" does sound a bit twisted coming from either of them. But you're having an Audience with God here! Sure, Aph Ros is [Ti]'s Prisoner, but He's a bona fide Servant God!'
'A dual Envoy, no less!'
'How are you this relaxed?'
Cheng Shi shot Galusha a curious glance, only to hear her casually appraise Aph Ros for a mont, then whisper:
"Aph Ros — I know of Him. As I told you before, learn too much... and the mystery disappears."
"???"
'Know too much?'
'Where did you learn too much?'
Galusha noticed his confusion and, dodging the Doctor's earshot, whispered again:
"Don't you think this Servant God's will is quite similar to sothing?
Oh? Your surprised expression tells
it never crossed your mind. Fine — I didn't expect Him to still be alive either, let alone thriving like this.
We always assud He was slain after angering the gods. Now it seems... history really is all rumors."
'We?'
Cheng Shi seized on that word. One train of thought later, he understood what she ant:
The Extre Desire Brotherhood!
His pupils shrank: "You're saying...?"
"Exactly. The Extre Desire Brotherhood's motto — 'indulge the self, plunge into pleasure' — was, to a degree, also shaped by Aph Ros's influence.
He wanted to build a paradise where all could revel. After His supposed 'death,' that will lived on and influenced countless [Corruption] followers. And so, the Extre Desire Brotherhood was born.
He's basically Shi Lolin's 'founding patriarch.'
I'm using that term correctly, right? I've been studying the culture of the Drifter world recently. Quite interesting — though not so different from the Land of Hope. It's all just the evolution and distillation of patterns."
"..."
Galusha's remarks were so loaded with bizarre tangents that Cheng Shi couldn't even decide where to start retorting.
anwhile, Wang Weijin — observing the two whispering like old friends — frowned and took it upon himself to introduce himself to Aph Ros:
"A seeker of [Truth] — Wang Weijin. I pay my respects to the dual Envoy of [Birth] and [Corruption], Lord Aph Ros."
Aph Ros gave Wang Mou a lazy sidelong glance, utterly ignoring his greeting. His entire attention was fixed on Cheng Shi, waiting for an explanation.
He didn't care how many guests Dolgod had to accommodate. What He cared about was how many secrets this "brother" of His, Yu Xi, was hiding.
Under Aph Ros's gaze, Cheng Shi's scalp tingled. He had no choice but to face those eyes and plaster on a smile:
"Ahaha — what a coincidence! This one's also a [Truth] follower. His na is Wei Zhi.
They're both here to visit your Benefactor's Prisoner, Zangier."
"And you?" Aph Ros heard the deflection in Cheng Shi's words, but neither stepped aside nor relented.
Cheng Shi's voice hitched. He quickly composed a solemn expression: "I naturally have sothing very important to discuss with you."
"What could be more important than my brother borrowing my na to scare off Herobos?
Or have you finally decided to tell
why His container ended up in your hands?"
Aph Ros's tone was playful, and the information packed into that sentence visibly shocked the other two. But Cheng Shi's expression remained dead serious.
"It concerns... [Ti]!
I've discovered that the reason He imprisoned you is far from as simple as we thought!"
"!?"
Aph Ros's gaze sharpened. He scanned the one god and two mortals, then nodded slowly and stepped aside.
"You'd better not be lying to , my brother."
Cheng Shi strode through the door without missing a beat, his face the picture of earnestness:
"I never lie."
...
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