Foolish Game of the Chapter 1173: The Prisoner's World Crumbled

The Prisoner knew everything.

As everyone knew, [Silence] was voiceless yet loved stealing secrets. Most of His followers aligned closely with His will, making them intensely curious about other people's secrets.

If a follower of [Silence] overheard your secret, don't panic — at least they wouldn't broadcast it like certain [Deceit] gaphones.

Even the Prisoner, noisy as he was, would never casually reveal your secrets to the world.

So the good news was that your secret was still a secret.

The bad news was that one person's secret had just beco two people's secret.

The Prisoner had overheard Cheng Shi's secret. And the thod of "eavesdropping" was, naturally, the so-called S-class Sacred Artifact: the Descending Silent Puppet.

It was indeed a Sacred Artifact bestowed by [Silence], but its function wasn't limited to replicating a montary "return to silence." It had another ability the Prisoner had kept hidden — as long as soone picked it up, the Prisoner could hear everything the Descending Silent Puppet heard.

This sound couldn't be blocked by the void or any mortal-world ans. In other words, even if Cheng Shi had tossed it into his personal storage, the Prisoner would still hear every word crystal clear.

But the Prisoner hadn't originally harbored such intentions. He was an upright man who took no pleasure in eavesdropping on others' privacy — especially not a friend he'd claid as his own.

He'd given the item away because he genuinely felt it was the most valuable thing he had, and after handing it over, he'd never once listened in on Cheng Shi.

Until he and Ji Yue had begun searching for Cheng Shi again. He'd chosen what he believed was the right path, only to find not a single soul...

In that mont, his competitive streak flared. The Prisoner decided to cheat — just a little. He promised himself he'd listen only once, and only for the ambient sounds. As long as he could determine where his bro-in-law was, he'd find him before Ji Yue and then tell her she'd gone the wrong way.

It was pure mischief, with no ulterior motive. But when he happened to hear Cheng Shi murmuring "I am indeed not a re player. My na is Yu Xi..." — the Prisoner's world crumbled.

'How can this be?!'

'How did my bro-in-law beco Yu Xi?!'

His pupils contracted violently. In the depths of his shock, he forgot "see no evil, hear no evil" and listened to Yu Xi's entire plan from start to finish.

For a while, he tried to convince himself Cheng Shi was just bluffing Herobos. But by the end, when even Herobos had begun to waver, the Prisoner knew he could no longer fool himself.

'My bro-in-law isn't human.'

'He's a god!'

'He's the Envoy that [Deceit] is about to elevate through this ga — the greatest beneficiary of this entire era!'

'No wonder he knew Yu Xi. No wonder Yu Xi was the Torchbearers' hope. No wonder he said Yu Xi was hard to find... of course he's hard to find!'

'If he were easy to find, how could I have possibly overheard this truth that no one else knows?!'

The Prisoner was stunned. But beyond the shock, he had no other reaction.

That was what set him apart from other players. Most people, upon learning that this ga already had a "winner," would feel all sorts of complicated emotions — jealousy, envy, bitterness, defiance...

But not the Prisoner. The first question that popped into his head wasn't about the Faith Ga or the Torchbearers' future. It was: in this one-man-one-god household, was his sister going to be outclassed by her bro-in-law?

'Would she still have any standing in the family?'

'What if bro-in-law tricks her to death?'

'That would be way too wild — no, this kind of family tragedy cannot be allowed to happen!'

The Prisoner steadied himself and decided to take this secret to the grave.

As long as he never spoke, nobody would know Cheng Shi was Yu Xi. That way, every day the man appeared in his mortal identity would be another day of "dostic bliss."

'The things I sacrifice for this little family!'

But the reality was that once soone learned a secret, the urge to share beca infinite.

Just like his "I desperately want to say sothing but can't" expression when he saw Ji Yue, or his completely nonsensical answer when she asked him what was wrong — all of it proved that the Prisoner wanted the Torchbearers to know that Cheng Shi was their hope.

But he held it in. Held it with trendous effort. He even beca uncharacteristically quiet.

Ji Yue found this surprising but didn't press the issue, mainly because she felt this version of the Prisoner was considerably more tolerable than his usual chatterbox self.

Over the next few days, the Trial entered its idle phase. Ji Yue had co for the God Creation Plan, and through Cheng Shi she now knew of Yu Xi's existence. Through the Prisoner she'd confird Yu Xi was the plan's key, so she threw herself entirely into figuring out how to gain an audience with Yu Xi, making no other moves.

The Prisoner was much the sa. His prayer's purpose had been to investigate Yu Xi, and now that he'd uncovered Yu Xi's true identity, his mission was technically complete.

So the two Torchbearers drifted through the small town for several days — sotis together, sotis bickering — until there was nothing new left to discover. Each found a pleasant spot and prepared to await the final settlent.

But right then, a figure suddenly appeared before the Prisoner.

He stared at the familiar face, eyes bulging, and let out a startled cry:

"Wei Mu!

You're still in the Trial!

I knew there's no way you'd be matched with

— you've definitely gotten dumber!

Are you here to ask

for the Trial's answers?

Wait, no — this is your Benefactor's Trial. What answers could there possibly be?

Oh, I get it now. Coming to

for answers is itself a foolish act, and personally performing a foolish act is the answer to this Trial, right?"

The newcor was indeed Wei Mu.

Still wearing his mortal vessel's appearance, he looked at the Prisoner with a smile and shook his head:

"Playing dumb is a fine art. Your skill at it is good enough to fool most, but not .

As a smart person, you should already know why I'm here.

I did co seeking verification — but not the answer to this Trial.

I want to know: is he truly Yu Xi?"

"!!!!!"

The Prisoner's pupils contracted violently. He imdiately slapped both hands over his mouth and stamred: "You eavesdropped on my sleep-talking? Impossible — I never talk in my sleep!"

Wei Mu glanced at the Prisoner with a thoughtful look:

"So it is true, then. It seems the lie isn't in the identity.

Talk. Tell

what you know."

The Prisoner shook his head furiously: "I know nothing."

Wei Mu wasn't in a rush. He simply nodded:

"If you won't tell , next ti we et I'll share everything I know with that 'lord' of yours.

Coincidentally, I don't know much about [Silence], but there's one thing I do recognize — the Descending Silent Puppet."

"..."

Even soone as formidable as the Prisoner had no choice but to fall silent under Wei Mu's gaze.

Seeing the Prisoner remain mute, Wei Mu smiled again: "One person's secret is a secret. Two people's secret is still a secret. As long as we all keep mum, why can't three people's secret be a secret too?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Good question."

Wei Mu smiled, considering briefly before answering: "I want to know whether Lord Yu Xi is gathering the remnants of the past, or whether he's searching for his own future.

Since his identity is genuine, then the only thing that could have fooled

is 'ti.'p

So — does he exist in the past, or does he awaken in the future?

[Folly] isn't omniscient either. Sotis, certain secrets can only be unraveled by [Silence]."

"..."