The Destined Ones gathered around the gambling table once more, only this ti the focus had shifted to the Wood Elf.
One look at Cheng Shi's expression told everyone that the audience might be hiding sothing. Tao Yi carefully recalled everything that had happened during her audience, doing her best to recount every image from her mory without missing a single detail.
"I... for certain personal reasons, wanted to draw closer to [Fate]."
She kept her head lowered, eting no one's eyes. She didn't ntion that the one she had originally wanted to approach was [Deceit], and that [Deceit] had given no response whatsoever, so she had settled for second best and chosen [Fate].
She knew [Fate] was cold, so she hadn't held any expectations at first.
But to her surprise, that casual prayer — one so offhand it felt more like making a wish — had actually drawn [Fate]'s gaze and pulled her into a dazzling starry sky.
Hearing this, Cheng Shi frowned in confusion: "You're saying It summoned you beneath a starry sky? Are you sure it was the starry sky and not the Void?"
Tao Yi nodded firmly:
"I'm certain.
Because Its eyes were as beautiful as those countless stars.
It was indeed cold — even aloof. For the first half, I was the only one speaking, anxiously paying my respects, until It asked
a question: why I wanted to draw closer to [Fate].
Before a True God, I didn't dare deceive, so I told the truth."
At this point, Tao Yi paused briefly, skipping over the content of that truth, and continued:
"And then I saw It smile. Those eyes suddenly beca dreamlike, srizing.
The star-points flickered without end, spiraling into circles. I was drawn in by that smile, couldn't help but look a mont longer, and then I was pulled into the spinning spiral until my head was swimming — and I plumted into the Void.
When I woke again, I had already fused with [Fate].
I always thought it was Its way of acknowledging . But now it seems..."
Tao Yi's expression shifted. She suddenly looked even more uneasy than during the audience itself. "Could it have been a deception... Cheng Shi?"
"?"
Cheng Shi ignored certain odd forms of address, furrowed his brow, and sank into thought. It was Hong Lin beside them who kept shaking her head:
"The location of an audience is decided by the god. I don't see any issue there. It's just that — [Fate] really is cold. Whether during an audience or at the Assembly of Gods Convention, I've never once seen It smile."
Li Wufang chid in imdiately: "It's true. Its iciness could practically freeze the Void itself. I always assud that was simply the nature of [Fate]."
The denials from two fellow Destined Ones made Tao Yi visibly nervous. She couldn't be sure whether she had beco a piece in [Fate]'s grand design, nor whether today's eting — with her in attendance — could remain a secret under Its watchful gaze. She looked helplessly at Cheng Shi, only to hear the Blind One speak up beside her:
"I've seen it..."
The Blind One's expression was far from pleasant. She smiled bitterly: "But that gentle smile was not directed at .
Among everyone here, the only one who could make [Fate] break into a smile... is probably you, Cheng Shi."
Cheng Shi's face grew even more tense, clearly weighing the sa thoughts.
Although it felt sowhat conceited to think so, he couldn't fathom any reason [Fate] would have smiled at Tao Yi.
'Was it because she brought Hong Lin into the fold, and It was fond of the association?'
'No — if that were the case, why not smile directly at Hong Lin?'
Given Hong Lin's conviction in the Destined Ones and her devotion to [Fate] at the ti, that single smile might have been enough to make Big Cat fight to the death for [Fate].
But It hadn't. Instead, It chose an "insignificant" Wood Elf. Did the Wood Elf harbor so hidden connection to [Fate]?
Cheng Shi looked at Tao Yi with puzzlent, only to find her lashes blinking rapidly, her emotions clearly unsettled.
He reassured her for a mont, then, watching her like this, a sudden flash of inspiration struck — another possibility.
'Was the one who summoned Tao Yi truly [Fate]?'
'Could it have been the Fun God?!'
After all, It and Its sibling god were identical. Add [Deceit]'s Authority of disguise to the mix, and a player attending her first audience would have no way to tell Them apart!
'But if it really was [Deceit], what was It doing?'
'Watching [Fate] go mad too slowly and deciding to lend a hand?'
'Tsk — actually, that does sound like sothing It would do.'
'But there's a problem. Although there's plenty of fun in it, don't forget — the rift within [Void] is widening. Both sides are racing against ti to write Their preferred ending before the other. If the Fun God did this, wouldn't it push the universe even further toward the predetermined outco?'
'Or did It plant another hidden card within [Fate]'s fixed destiny?'
'Were the faith and talent It bestowed nothing but [Deceit]'s disguise?'
Cheng Shi couldn't figure it out. He felt certain this was far from simple. It would be best to go and ask the deity in question directly, to avoid deeper misunderstandings creeping into their future plans.
So he addressed the group:
"There's definitely sothing fishy about this. But don't panic. I'll verify it myself. Until I do, just chalk it up to [Fate] having a mood swing."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"As you've all seen, whether it's this era or this ga, everything is hurtling toward its end. And the closer we get to that conclusion, the more chaotic things will beco.
If we want to secure enough chips before the finale arrives, we need to pick up the pace too.
Wufang, after this eting you're coming with . There are so things we need to 'settle' with [Order].
Hong Lin, stay sharp. I may need you to accompany
to the Real Universe."
"!!!"
Even soone as formidable as Big Cat's pupils contracted at this. She exclaid in shock: "What for?!"
"We can't exactly leave our own god to die out there, can we? So this trip — we're going to bring [War] ho."
"!!??"
Big Cat froze, her scalp tingling.
"You want to collect [War]'s remains? But It already turned to ash!"
"Not the remains — the Authority. The chips I was talking about!
With those chips in hand, our position improves by a asure."
That statent finally cald Big Cat down. Fighting spirit and fear coexisted in her eyes. She glanced at Tao Yi several tis, her expression complex, then answered with resolve:
"Fine. I'll wait for your word."
Cheng Shi nodded: "I haven't found a way to reach the Real Universe yet. It may take a long ti, but this journey is unavoidable. Prepare yourself early.
As for the rest of you — stay vigilant. Feel [Fate].
As long as the weight of those shackles remains formless, it ans fate's chains are far more terrifying than we imagine.
Since we've chosen to defy [Fate], we must be prepared to be baptized by suffering. I'm not being an alarmist — I truly don't know where this path the Destined Ones have chosen will lead.
But no matter where it ends, that ending will be one we wrote ourselves. An ending of flesh and blood — not a puppet's final bow.
So embrace your fear, everyone. Fear is nothing to be afraid of. It is the force that drives us forward — the firm footprints we leave behind when we look back at the road we've walked."
His impassioned words seed to carry an almost enchanting power, setting the blood of those who had just been lost and panicked racing with renewed heat.
Cheng Shi saw the desired effect and moved to end the small eting, intending to take Li Wufang to pry loose [Order]'s "estate." But just then, Li Wufang stopped in his tracks and said to Cheng Shi:
"I'd like to stay a bit longer."
"?" Cheng Shi paused, glancing thoughtfully at the others present. 'Who does this Investigator want to have a post-eting chat with?'
He didn't refuse, simply smiling: "All right. When you're done, pray to [Chaos]. I'll be waiting for you there."
With that, Cheng Shi left — leaving a thoroughly mystified Li Wufang opening and closing his mouth, unable to recover for quite so ti.
'Weren't we going to see [Order]? Why am I praying to [Chaos]?'
'So this is what "devotion taken to its extre becos blasphemy" ans?'
'And blasphemy taken to the extre becos the ultimate devotion?!'
Li Wufang felt like he had achieved enlightennt.
The Blind One exchanged a few more words with Hong Lin before leaving the eting ground. Just as Hong Lin was about to take Tao Yi and depart, Li Wufang suddenly called out to them.
He looked at Tao Yi — yes, Tao Yi, not Hong Lin — his expression complicated: "May I speak with you, Wood Elf?"
Hong Lin froze, staring at Tao Yi in surprise, but Tao Yi seed to have expected this. She nodded gently: "Sure."
The two walked into the deeper darkness under Hong Lin's suspicious gaze. Tao Yi remained silent until Li Wufang stopped walking. Only then did she ask quietly:
"About what?"
Li Wufang broke into an open grin: "We're both Destined Ones. There's no need to be so guarded with each other. You probably already know why I'm here. Don't forget — I'm an Investigator. My senses are sharp. I noticed you were staring at it for a long ti."
As he spoke, he tugged at his leather jacket.
"If I'm not mistaken, you've also t the previous owner of this jacket. Am I right?"
Tao Yi pressed her lips together. After a mont of silence, she nodded: "Yes, that's correct. I have t him."
...
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