Cheng Shi knew he had been saved.
When he was pulled into that coffin, he had seen a pair of eyes identical to his own. The two gazes t for less than a second, yet in that instant he read a lifeti of emotions within them.
Regret, guilt, longing, defiance, struggle, despair, hope — and even a trace of envy and jealousy that he could not quite na...
In that single glance, he seed to see another version of his own life — to live through another existence, brilliant yet fleeting.
Then he was knocked unconscious. In the last sliver of light before his vision plunged into darkness, he caught sight of four large characters carved neatly on the inside of the coffin lid:
Live well.
Block lettering.
It was Old Jia's hope for him, and it was another Cheng Shi's final wish.
In that mont, his eyes did not even have ti to grow wet before consciousness tumbled into endless darkness.
Cheng Shi had been sealed — sealed inside that coffin by another "Outer God Deceit" wearing Zhang Jizu's face.
Anyone who opened the coffin and saw the figure lying within would never realize it was actually this world's Fixed Destiny, because Deceit understood deception best of all — and Cheng Shi... understood Cheng Shi best of all.
He knew how to hide himself, and He knew how to fool the world.
So when Cheng Shi woke and found himself wearing a body that was not his own, he imdiately understood what had happened and guessed where the other version of himself had co from.
But this truth was one he could not accept. It ant not only that Mi Laozhang had left this world to save him — it also ant another version of himself was about to die before the Outer God Fate.
Whether or not the other Cheng Shi truly beca the sacrifice, death was his unalterable destination — the final act on this world's stage.
Why?
Cheng Shi collapsed on the ground, writhing in agony. The question surged up from within him once more, only this ti it was directed not at the Outer God, not at the other Cheng Shi, but at himself:
Why did he have to endure so much misfortune?
Why had "fate" never favored him?
Was this what being Fixed Destiny ant?
But why did suffering have to be bound to Fixed Destiny? What possible aning could there be in everything the Origin had forced upon him?!
The wise always said that the more you know, the more you suffer. But for Cheng Shi, knowing nothing was worse.
The pain was nearly tangible — one look at it was enough to feel it in your own bones.
Beside him, An Mingyu gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, watching Cheng Shi's trembling form. The great lord upon the Bone Throne fell silent as well, and even the chattering skulls throughout the Fishbone Hall went quiet. In this mont, the entire Void was saturated with the aura of Cheng Shi's unraveling mind.
Though An Mingyu did not know what plans the others had devised, rescuing Cheng Shi was undeniably a "victory." At the very least, this world's hope remained. At the very least, they had not let the Outer God take their friend.
But...
Cheng Shi was not her only friend.
There was a question she had wanted to ask for so ti, but Cheng Shi's state had kept her silent.
Only after a long while, when Cheng Shi slowly steadied himself and she saw him rise from the ground with a blank expression, did she finally find the courage to approach. But before she could open her mouth, Cheng Shi — as if reading her mind — said flatly:
"I'm sorry. I didn't see her."
The words struck like a bolt of lightning that obeyed no reason, blanking An Mingyu's consciousness entirely and draining her of every last ounce of strength. She clamped a hand over her mouth and crumpled to the floor, shaking her head frantically, unable to believe what she had heard.
A magician who so closely resembled Deceit could not possibly have missed this spectacular farewell performance — especially since she had already been brought beneath the stage, just one step away from walking on. What reason could she have had to give up her chance and simply vanish?
If there was none — then she had not chosen to stay offstage. She simply no longer had the chance to take it.
At this thought, the An Mingyu who had been painstakingly pieced back together by Cheng Shi and the Destined Ones shattered into fragnts once more.
This follower, abandoned by one Benefactor after another, wept without restraint — just like Cheng Shi monts ago, unable to breathe.
Misfortune was contagious, after all. And so was pain.
But the Cheng Shi of this mont could no longer sense An Mingyu's grief. His gaze passed over her, fixed directly on the colossal skull seated upon the Bone Throne at the top of the stairs, and he asked, word by word:
"My lord — are you still sheltering us?"
"..."
"My lord — do you believe the words of an Outer God?"
"..."
"My lord — do you truly believe that a Divine Throne built by the Outer God Fate from Fixed Destiny could move the Origin? Could convince Him to halt the experint and spare this world?"
"..."
"The Creator personally fashioned tens of thousands of Slice Universes — just so He could find a single 'Divine Throne' offered up by experintal variables?!
Ha! My lord, don't you find that ridiculous?"
"..."
Cheng Shi's voice rose higher with each question, his tone heavier with each sentence. The green flas inside the colossal skull's eye sockets blazed wild — yet it maintained its silence, offering no answer.
Seeing this, Cheng Shi scoffed, shook his head, and asked once more, his expression perfectly blank:
"My lord — have you ever known fear?"
"..."
"You must have. Otherwise you would not have accepted the answer the Outer God Fate offered.
But you were never afraid enough. Otherwise you would not have accepted the answer the Outer God Fate offered!
I believe it is ti I reintroduced you to fear. Not the wariness one feels before the Origin — but the shadow you feel when you stand face-to-face with Him!
Forgive , my lord. I am grateful for the shelter you once gave , whether it was real or a lie — it no longer matters.
I need the world to understand why I despise Fixed Destiny. And I need the Outer God to understand why the Fear Faction exists!"
With that, Cheng Shi produced a Dice of Fate. He raised it high and addressed Death in a cold voice:
"Fate has given
much. Now it is ti to use Fate's own thods to teach Fate a lesson:
Whether it is a mortal's fate, Fixed Destiny's fate, or Fate's own fate...
So long as it touches destiny, there is never a straight path — only detours!
If He so desperately wants to send
before the Origin, why bother with the extra step of forging so Divine Throne?
And why wait for a Spaceti Storm?
Right here, right now — I too want to see what that rciless Creator actually looks like!
There's no need to send
to Him. I'll make Him co to !"
With that, Cheng Shi tossed the Dice of Fate into the air and pressed a Singer Mask over his face. That mask was so cold that even tears could not warm it.
And yet it was warm — because it was one of the few "legacies" that this world's Void had left for Cheng Shi.
"Lies of Yesterday... what a fine Lies of Yesterday. A lie so vast it leaves
with nothing but a bitter laugh at what today has beco.
Ha.
This is the end.
No matter how dazzling the stage may be from here on out — the Clown... must exit."
Cheng Shi watched the Dice of Fate tumble down the bone steps and land on one.
He raised both arms toward the infinite Void and roared:
"Fate like stars — within sight, out of reach.
Origin — show yourself!"
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