Foolish Game of the Chapter 1198: Whose Side Are You On?

Though Cheng Shi was looking at Li Wufang, his peripheral vision never rested — constantly scanning the reactions of everyone else in the hall.

Hong Lin showed little reaction to Li Wufang's arrival. After all, she'd been the one to notify him. No surprise there.

The Blind One had deep "history" with Li Wufang — they'd been in the sa Trial once, the very [Ti] Trial that had brought this version of the Blind One to this world.

But Tao Yi's behavior was strange. She'd shown no reaction to his voice, yet the instant she saw his face, her eyes widened sharply and she glanced sideways at Cheng Shi.

Cheng Shi caught the look, a growing hunch that this Wood Elf harbored secrets unknown to the rest.

He didn't call it out. Instead, he waved the hesitating Investigator inside.

Cheng Shi rapped the table, smiling aningfully:

"Your 'roundabout approach' would be a blasphemy against both [Fate] and [Order].

Though blasphemy is its own kind of devotion — I don't think you're at that level yet.

We know you're devout, but your devotion is aid at the wrong venue. This isn't a temple for an audience with god, and there's no need to perform for outsiders. This is the Destined Ones' gathering — the closest thing to 'truth' in this entire ga.

Here, not just you..."

Cheng Shi smiled, sweeping his gaze around the table. "None of you need to wear masks anymore. Treat this place like ho. Drop every inhibition, every suspicion. Let's have an honest exchange.

[Deceit] followers love their heart-to-heart confessionals. But we're different.

We are the lucky souls blessed by [Fate]. What we share isn't just our hearts — it's our lives."

By the ti he finished, Li Wufang was already applauding as he stepped through the gate, finding an empty seat.

He noticed the flat atmosphere. In an attempt to warm things up, he turned to the hooded figure beside him: "Why no applause? Brother Cheng's speech was great."

That innocent remark only deepened the Wood Elf's predicant. Cheng Shi smiled at her:

"Well, Wood Elf? Ready to drop the disguise?"

"What disguise?"

Hong Lin blinked, suspicion flickering as she looked at her best friend. Tao Yi pressed her lips together and, like a student caught misbehaving, folded her hands primly on the table.

As her head lowered — the hooded figures around the table — "POP" — vanished all at once.

The "exit" effect was identical to certain [Deceit] illusions shattering!

Hong Lin jolted in shock, then slamd a fist on the table. No matter how slow she was, she now realized every hooded figure had been an illusion. But why would the little fox create a bunch of illusions?

At that exact mont, Cheng Shi rose with a smile, bowed slightly to the four others, and placed his [Fate] Die between two fingers, setting it delicately on the table.

"The Destined Ones' eting — formally begins.

The road we've traveled, the road that lies ahead — all of it is destined!"

The solemnity cut through Big Cat's building fury. Though everyone still had questions, they each drew their dice and recited, together with Cheng Shi, the most sacred prayer of the Destined.

But to Big Cat's eyes, it all felt wrong. If Tao Yi hadn't told her the gathering looked like an underground gambling ring, the thought might never have occurred to her. But now — watching everyone slam their dice face-down on the table — how was this any different from a casino guessing-ga?

And how fitting that the round table happened to be a gambling table...

Everyone seed to realize this simultaneously. They exchanged glances — and finally, at the sa ti, burst out laughing.

Hong Lin laughed — then rembered sothing, laugh dying instantly. Face going black, she rounded on Cheng Shi:

"Cheng Shi! What is this?!

You said it was ti to start, but where are the PEOPLE?!

Don't tell

it's just these five!

Five, and one of them is soone I brought!"

"..."

Cheng Shi's smile froze. Before he could stamr out an excuse, Tao Yi murmured from beside Hong Lin: "Quality over quantity..."

"You have the nerve to talk?"

Hong Lin went both hands on Tao Yi's cheeks, squishing and stretching her face, teeth grinding: "You know about quality over quantity?

Do you know how I got you in here?! I figured with so many people, one extra wouldn't matter — otherwise how could I have brought it up?!

And you! Helping him fool people and acting all righteous about it! Talk! When did you two coordinate? Who gave you the [Deceit] tools?!"

The little fox was no fool. Seeing the beating was imminent, she capitulated in one second flat, hugging Big Cat's arm and tossing her [Fate] Die onto the table, mumbling her explanation:

"They're not [Deceit] tools. It's a [Fate] talent — a talent [Fate] bestowed on . Person in the Play.

I'm a Screenwriter now, Baldy. Those illusions were all characters from my script."

BONK!

Big Cat's fist ca down on Tao Yi's head. Face even darker.

"Don't call

Baldy in public!"

"The Fate Weaver said this place is ho."

"...Whose side are you even ON?!" Big Cat was livid. She grabbed the little fox and hurled her at Cheng Shi. "Go! Go be with him!"

Watching a Wood Elf rapidly grow larger in his field of vision, Cheng Shi's expression went dead serious. One snap of his fingers teleported him beside Li Wufang, and — under the Investigator's bewildered gaze — he watched serenely as Tao Yi crashed to the ground.

THUD—

Silence returned. Even the worry-laden Blind One couldn't help smiling at the bestie cody. But a thought quickly resurfaced and she tightened her lips, furrowing her brow once more.

Seeing the ice sufficiently broken, Cheng Shi moved to soothe Big Cat and get down to business. But the bestie-tossing Big Cat hadn't cooled off yet. She whipped around, jabbing a finger at him:

"You told

to call Ming Yu — I called! You told

to reach Li Wufang — I reached him!

So where are YOUR people?!

Where's 'them'?!

Cheng Shi, when you recruited

into the Destined Ones... was there literally not a single person in this organization?!"

"..."

Now Cheng Shi was panicking.

'Sis, be angry, sure. Shout, sure. But since when are we digging up old receipts?!'

But it wasn't over. Li Wufang, suddenly enlightened, chid in helpfully:

"Big Sis Hong Lin — when an organization has no mbers, it shouldn't be called an organization. Because it doesn't exist yet."

"???"

'Bro — whose side are YOU on?!'

Cheng Shi stared at the Investigator like he was looking at a traitor.

'I knew it. Nothing good cos from [Order].'

Hearing that, Hong Lin's fury flared even hotter. But she had enough composure to know this wasn't the ti for a ltdown. Her strategic sense won out, and she sat back down with an icy huff.

Seeing her bestie's anger ebb, the little fox silently crept back to her seat. Expressions varied across the table. The atmosphere was... "heartwarming."

Cheng Shi hastily redirected everyone's attention to the visibly troubled Blind One.

"An Shenxuan — you've seen it yourself. No masks needed here, nothing to hide.

If sothing's weighing on you, share it. Let us help.

Don't forget what the Destined Ones are for. Before this world's script reaches its final act, there's no hurdle we can't clear."

An Mingyu's expression shifted. She didn't look up, but gazed at the table, fidgeting with her [Fate] Die, face still heavy with worry:

"But what if the final act cos early?"

"!!??"

One sentence. The entire room went cold.

An Mingyu straightened in her seat. She struggled for a long while, then solemnly shared what she knew:

"I had a feeling — a sense that the world was being dragged toward so abyss of no return. So I made a prophecy about this world's future.

And this..."

She turned all seventeen dice on the table face-up. Every single one showed maximum.

"...was my answer."