"???"
Blacks was dumbfounded. He shot a panicked glance back at Cheng Shi and his companion, then hastily said:
"It's not like that—I wasn't lying!"
He turned back around and explained patiently, "Fate, these two aren't outsiders. They're... extrely skilled private detectives I brought in. Just repeat what you told
this morning. Don't worry, we'll absolutely keep it confidential!"
"Confidential? Keep what confidential?
I've been working in my office all day. I haven't stepped outside once, so what eting are you talking about?
Blacks, you must have the wrong person. Stop causing a scene here. If Freud sent you, forget I said anything.
Out of respect for the fact that the Golden House has sold quite a few tickets for the Sunset in the past, I won't hold today's blunder against you.
But I'm busy. I don't have ti to keep up this farce with you."
With that, Ringmaster Fate turned on his heel and left the lawn.
Cheng Shi and Zhen Xin watched the scene unfold, a strange glint flashing simultaneously in both their eyes.
Blacks, still unwilling to give up, tried to step forward and argue, but Cheng Shi held him in place.
He let out a dry chuckle:
"Stop wasting your breath. Haven't you figured it out? He's obviously already found the person—that's why he won't admit to eting you this morning.
But that's actually good news. After all, making soone disappear is much easier than finding them."
"!?"
Blacks froze where he stood, a chill racing up his spine.
'What on earth are these two terrors planning!?'
He didn't dare move, didn't dare ask. He just stood there like a wooden post.
Cheng Shi and Zhen Xin exchanged a look, both understanding exactly what needed to be done next. The ringmaster was important, but he wouldn't single-handedly affect the circus show itself. To keep the Sunset Circus away from its "ending," they needed to pay a visit to that clown who had vanished and then reappeared.
A clown who had suddenly disappeared and just as suddenly returned was suspicious in itself.
Without a mont's hesitation, the two vanished from Blacks's side. Suddenly freed of his "supervisors," Blacks didn't rush to flee. As the King of the Black Market, he had seen plenty of fools who thought they were clever.
These two terrors could co and go as they pleased—who knew whether they might return, whether they might still need him? The safest course of action right now was to stay put. At the very least, he should wait until he truly couldn't take it anymore before leaving; that way he'd at least have a justification for his departure.
But even if he wasn't going anywhere, certain arrangents had to be made. He couldn't risk the Golden House's vast empire on a gamble—not when these two outsider "bosses" might just put their new lessons into practice and toss him from the "Prosperity" camp straight into the "Death" camp.
While Blacks fretted over his black market empire, Cheng Shi and Zhen Xin had already made their way onto the roof of the ringmaster's office. They concealed their presence, intending to track Ringmaster Fate's movents to locate the clown Lake—only to discover that Lake was right there in the ringmaster's office, and the clown's return appeared to have preceded their own arrival by not very long at all!
Ringmaster Fate hadn't even had ti to find out why Lake had disappeared before having to deal with Blacks.
The mont the ringmaster walked in, he locked the door tight, then bellowed at the clown seated by the desk:
"Why did you leave without a word?!
Where on earth did you go?!
Do you have any idea that I was so desperate to find you that I even risked contacting the Golden House?!
Do you realize your stunt could have plunged the Sunset into ruin?!
Talk! Answer !"
...
anwhile, on the other side.
Since the sa-day competition between Morning Joy and Sunset was practically the hottest topic in the entire country, Hu Wei and Zhang Jizu had learned about it shortly after setting out.
Both of them realized this was the key to solving the trial. The question was which side to head for.
Keen to stay far from the Golden House, when Hu Wei asked for his opinion, Zhang Jizu said casually:
"Morning Joy works. It sounds like the kind of lead the Fun God would give."
Hu Wei's expression turned peculiar. He seed to feel that the word "Joy" wasn't exactly a great on, but he didn't object. He went along with Zhang Jizu's suggestion and headed for the eastern part of the city.
Along the way, he no longer peppered his companion with questions about Yu Xi the way he had during the Mockery and Jeering. Instead, he settled down and earnestly gathered information for the trial.
And true to form, the ultimate extrovert's charisma was formidable. Before they even reached the Morning Joy Circus grounds, Hu Wei had already extracted from the local citizens and visitors practically everything—how many people were in the circus, their nas, their specialties, their performance schedules, even the patrol routes of the security guards.
He even bumped into two black market brokers who, swayed by the Grand Marshal's bold and righteous aura, insisted on leaving the Golden House to follow him, claiming they wanted to make a na for themselves under his banner.
A true boss wherever he went.
Zhang Jizu had anticipated sothing along these lines, yet he was still caught off guard.
This was probably the first ti he had ever seen Hu Wei approach a trial this seriously.
Based on everything he knew about Hu Wei, in a situation like this the Grand Marshal's typical move would have been to single-handedly besiege both circuses, then use so combination of threats and bribes to make them change their performance tis—ensuring that neither could complete their final show within the trial's window, thereby effortlessly winning the round.
But right now, the man's every action defied the Grand Marshal's usual behavioral logic. Which ant sothing was definitely off.
As for what that sothing was...
His cover had likely been blown already.
The two of them stood before the entrance to the Morning Joy Circus. Zhang Jizu narrowed his eyes and asked with a smile:
"When did you figure it out?"
Hu Wei raised an eyebrow, turned to look at Zhang Jizu, and let out a soft scoff:
"When we left the Golden House."
Zhang Jizu was stunned.
'That early?'
He had assud so flaw in his performance along the way had aroused the Grand Marshal's suspicion. He never imagined he'd been seen through the very mont they'd parted ways with Cheng Shi.
'Interesting. If he saw through , why didn't he call
out this entire ti?'
Zhang Jizu pondered briefly, then said:
"It seems you've also realized how important this trial is."
At that, Hu Wei roared with laughter and clapped Zhang Jizu on the shoulder:
"Brother Zhang, this trial may well be important, but it holds no aning for .
You should have figured out what I'm after by now. That's right—I want to align with Deceit. I want to et Yu Xi.
Everything I've done has been for the chance to see Yu Xi.
My brother told
that clearing this trial would attract Yu Xi's attention. I believe him. But I figured that if I cleared a Deceit trial using my thods, it probably wouldn't draw the gaze of a Deceit envoy.
So I decided not to lift a finger in this trial—just let him handle it.
Following a Deceit follower's judgnt is, in a sense, a way of drawing closer to Deceit's will.
I trust my brother will give
a pleasant surprise. Everything I've been doing is just killing ti.
If you hadn't been willing to drop the act, I would have kept playing along. But it looks like you're pretty worn out from this performance yourself...
And honestly, impersonating Cheng Shi is no easy feat.
If there's anyone in this world who could pull off a lifelike imitation of my brother, I'd say the only person would be..."
At that, Hu Wei's words caught in his throat. His eyelid twitched, and he swallowed the na.
Zhang Jizu knew exactly who he was about to say. His own expression darkened montarily, but then he frowned and asked:
"I'm curious—how exactly did you see through ?"
Hu Wei laughed heartily again:
"Brother Zhang, I have to say—your understanding of Cheng Shi is extraordinarily deep. You even nailed his expressions and mannerisms down to the smallest detail. Grafting all those subtle habits onto yourself couldn't have been easy.
But you overlooked one thing: my brother doesn't actually want to travel with ."
At this, Hu Wei's mouth twitched slightly, and he sighed:
"I know that slippery guy objects to my decisions at every turn. Every ti we et, he tries to slip away from under my wing.
But I really need a priest, so I've been all the more determined to keep him around.
You, though...
Today, you were too cooperative. You didn't show even a hint of wanting to get away.
Sure, taking the Deceit trial seriously is a plausible excuse, but compared to the real Cheng Shi, your act was a little too 'earnest'—it was missing that spark of cunning that deceivers have.
So when we left the Golden House and I noticed you still hadn't made any move, I knew you two must have switched."
"..."
Zhang Jizu had calculated everything—he'd only wanted to cooperate with Hu Wei to distance himself from Cheng Shi, to give Cheng Shi so breathing room. He never expected that very cooperation to beco the key that gave him away.
But fortunately, while Hu Wei's heart was set on Cheng Shi, he also knew it wasn't wise to interfere with Cheng Shi during this trial. In that case, his own mission was essentially accomplished.
The two n shared a knowing smile. Zhang Jizu narrowed his eyes and asked:
"So shall we...?"
"Ha ha ha ha! Let's each do our own thing. What needs to be investigated still needs to be investigated. As for how to solve the problem—we follow the deceivers' lead.
Today I'm not the Grand Marshal. I'm just a soldier under the Deceiver Marshal's command.
Relax. Since the Marshal hasn't given orders yet, let's sit back and enjoy the circus."
With that, Hu Wei strode off on his own.
Zhang Jizu smiled softly, watching Hu Wei's retreating figure. It felt as though he was seeing the Grand Marshal in a new light.
Only after Hu Wei vanished from view did he turn his gaze toward the Golden House, silently thinking:
'I hope everything goes well.'
...
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