Foolish Game of the Chapter 1219: He's Not Cheng Shi!

Hong Lin's pockets were full of useful things — like seeds that could hover in midair and pulse with light.

These [Prosperity] seeds beca convenient markers for her and Cheng Shi to trace their route. As long as they followed the markers back, they could always find the starting point.

Traveling together was infinitely better than searching alone. Even if her companion was suspect, at least having soone around eased the crushing loneliness.

Cheng Shi trailed behind Hong Lin, keeping a deliberate gap. This wasn't his idea — it was Hong Lin's suggestion.

She said the Real Universe held unknown dangers; if two people stayed too close and a threat suddenly appeared, they could be wiped out together. Keeping so distance while watching each other's front and rear was the safest choice.

When it ca to combat instincts, Cheng Shi never doubted Big Cat. But whether this was truly Big Cat remained uncertain, so he was more inclined to think she had so secret she didn't want him observing at close range.

He didn't refuse, because he also needed that buffer space.

And so the two searched in this "aimless" fashion. Under "fate's" guidance, the seven o'clock direction yielded nothing.

After a long while, Cheng Shi stopped and frowned: "Looks like there's nothing in this direction. Should we try another?"

Hong Lin halted, casting a reluctant glance ahead, hesitating:

"Getting through the last stretch is always the hardest. Maybe we're almost there?"

Cheng Shi was smiling on the surface, but his guard intensified. It seed his companion very much wanted to lead him in that direction. But what was out there — an ambush? A trap?

Or sothing else entirely beyond his comprehension?

Cheng Shi's heart pounded. He felt this situation had pushed past the boundary of his steadiness. He couldn't keep going this way. Even if this Hong Lin couldn't take him alone, who knew if she had allies waiting ahead?

He had to find a way to change direction.

A plan ford in his mind. His eyes shifted subtly, and he shook his head with a smile:

"I made an error in judgnt.

We ca here to defy [Fate]. So [Fate]'s guidance shouldn't count.

Even if Its will may not work properly out here in the Real Universe, I think we should change direction just to be safe — lest we stumble right into Its trap."

These words were rather transparent. Though he used [Fate] as a pretext, anyone with eyes could tell who he was really hinting at.

Conveniently, Hong Lin was not soone with sharp eyes for subtext — or at least, the Hong Lin before him wasn't acting like one at the mont.

She widened her eyes, seeming to find his reasoning sound, then asked where they should head instead, apparently deferring to his decision.

Her easy surrender raised more suspicion. 'She can't possibly have backup in every direction, can she?'

He thought for a mont, then pointed casually: "This way."

Hong Lin blinked. A flicker of sothing strange crossed her eyes, gone in an instant.

"Okay!"

Both turned and shot off into the distance.

...

On the other side.

An almost identical scenario had unfolded before Hong Lin — the real one — only here, it was Cheng Shi who rolled the dice.

Looking at the one-pip result in Cheng Shi's palm, Hong Lin said flatly:

"Can you roll anything else?"

Cheng Shi chuckled:

"One direction is enough. The Real Universe is massive, and we know nothing about it. Rather than wandering aimlessly, we might as well bet on a single direction.

Maybe we'll actually find sothing.

Ready, Hong Lin? It's ti to go."

Despite her lingering doubts, Hong Lin chose to trust Cheng Shi. She charged ahead, leading him toward the one o'clock direction.

Naturally, the journey turned up nothing. Hong Lin wasn't surprised. But inexplicably, a wave of irritation welled up from the deepest part of her being.

This was the sixth sense of her combat instinct. She kept feeling that she was teetering on the brink of battle — but in this empty Real Universe, who could possibly be her opponent?

If she had to pick one, the only candidate was the Cheng Shi trailing behind her. But why would she fight Cheng Shi?

The agitation was completely groundless. Cheng Shi would never turn on her.

So it couldn't be his problem. It had to be that she had gone mad.

Hong Lin laughed at herself in self-mockery — but in the very next instant, her feet froze.

'Why can't it be Cheng Shi's problem?'

Her sudden halt put the Cheng Shi behind her on alert. The Fate Weaver flicked out a scalpel, swept his gaze cautiously around them, and said with gravity:

"See sothing?"

Hong Lin turned back with a pensive look and began re-examining Cheng Shi. Her suspicious gaze unnerved him, until he couldn't stand the scrutiny and asked again:

"What's wrong?"

Hong Lin frowned and countered with a question: "Why did we co up here?"

Cheng Shi froze for an instant, then broke into an understanding smile.

"Ah, Hong Lin, Hong Lin — we've walked this far and you're only now starting to question my identity...

I don't know whether to be happy about your vigilance or sigh at your thought process.

But it's fine — at least being cautious is never wrong.

We ca here to retrieve [War]'s Authority and defy [Fate]. Right now, [War]'s Authority is nowhere to be found. Don't tell

you want to fight

— use a battle to resonate with Its Authority?"

Those words made Hong Lin's fingertips itch with excitent. She flexed her wrists and asked eagerly: "Would that work?"

"..."

Cheng Shi was dumbfounded. He blinked, then sighed helplessly before his expression turned serious: "The road is long and hard, Hong Lin. We need to endure the loneliness."

Hong Lin's brow remained tight, but she nodded.

"I know. But my instincts tell

there's danger ahead in this direction. Since we're defying [Fate], maybe we should switch.

How about... this way?"

She pointed to one side at random.

Looking at that direction, a fleeting oddness crossed Cheng Shi's eyes.

"Your understanding of [Fate] is deepening, Hong Lin. Your call — let's go this way."

Hong Lin smiled and resud leading the way. But the instant she turned around, every trace of that smile vanished. A shadow of graveness flickered through her gaze.

'He's not Cheng Shi!'

His patter was flawless. He even knew they were here to salvage the Authority in the Real Universe. But Hong Lin had still found the crack — because...

He had never once questioned whether she was real!

Hong Lin knew exactly what kind of person Cheng Shi was. If her vigilance scored a 100, that man was at least 1,000. He was cunning and steady to the bone. After discovering they had been separated for a full ten days before reuniting, how could he not have questioned whether she was the real Hong Lin?

In the initial rush of joy at their reunion, Hong Lin had overlooked this. It wasn't until her combat instincts made her suspect Cheng Shi that she realized: today's Cheng Shi had never once doubted her.

Was that normal?

Back in the original world, absolutely — because Cheng Shi trusted her.

But where were they now? This was the Real Universe, a place where everything was unknown and anything was possible. Why wouldn't he doubt her?

Because her performance was convincing?

No — even so, he should have verified her identity. Doing so would have simultaneously proven his own.

But he hadn't done that.

So — who was he?

A Cheng Shi from another world? A hallucination conjured by her own madness?

Or sothing more terrifying still — the Creator's...

"Eyes"?

...