The Divine Throne's shape was two regular triangles pressed together — an inverted triangle forming the back, an upright triangle for the base.
And since two faiths were missing, both triangles were hollow at their centers.
The throne Cheng Shi had retrieved from the Corpse Field of Gods was identical to this. But because the gods' remains that comprised it were shattered, the throne looked fragnted and riddled with gaps, so no one had recognized the resemblance at the ti.
But looking at it now — wasn't this complete throne clearly an hourglass folded to a 90-degree angle?!
With a grave expression, Cheng Shi pulled from his spatial storage the previous throne assembled from the gods' remains. Under everyone's watchful gazes, he placed the large and small thrones side by side.
It was obvious: the Dyeing Container was the blueprint Deceit had left for crafting this throne. The larger one was a replica — assembled from despair and corpses.
Only gods could stand on the Sinking Land at this point, and they were all new gods — every one of them sharp enough. The mont the two thrones stood together, they had already guessed how to construct the throne, and how to assemble the final Container that would let Fixed Destiny find the "mont of negligence" and lead the world out from under the Creator's gaze.
It was simple. Follow the blueprint and fill in the materials.
As for what those materials were...
Cheng Shi suddenly realized the problem. He lunged forward, trying to snatch everything back — but Qin Xin caught his arm, pressed his hand down, and smiled.
"The answer is right in front of us. We have no reason to flinch now.
Cheng Shi, don't step back.
The era has pushed us to this point. The Fear Faction has already paved the road ahead. Now all we have to do is assemble the throne according to the blueprint, follow the script Deceit wrote for the universe, and the far shore is the future we've longed for.
They resisted for an entire era. We resisted through an entire ga. Now, on the brink of the ending — how can we retreat?"
Everyone nodded in unison, all eyes on Fixed Destiny.
But as he stared into those eyes brimming with passion, those eyes painted with hope, Cheng Shi shook his head. Faster and faster, more and more frantically — he shook his head without stopping, retreating step by step, saying as he backed away:
"No, no, no!
That's not how it works!
You don't understand what it takes to fill this throne! The instant I touched it, it told
— it doesn't need divine power, or matter, or flesh. It needs Will. Spirit. Faith. It needs the Will and Faith of every god drained dry, sared upon it, made manifest!
Qin Xin, do you understand what that ans?! It ans that when the throne is assembled, when the Container begins dripping Divinity, you — all of you — in that future you long for... you won't be in it anymore!
Gone!!!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
The scene plunged into deathly silence, broken only by Cheng Shi's shattered voice.
Did they not know?
No — they had guessed the mont the two thrones were placed side by side.
Or perhaps even earlier. From the mont the Clown nad Fixed Destiny stopped smiling, they knew the world's future could not make the Clown happy.
The Clown's joy was pure. Everything he did was for his friends. So if the Clown ever stopped smiling, it could only an the Clown had lost his friends.
But his friends were all right here beside him — so how could he have lost them?
Simple. The Clown hadn't lost the friends of the present. He had lost the friends of the future.
It wasn't a difficult deduction, but no one had pierced the veil voluntarily.
They, too, had hoped to find another way before the truth was laid bare. But now, everything told them: only this single path — the one the Fear Faction had plotted for an entire era — could lead to the far shore.
If they chose to abandon it now, an entire era of resistance and planning would be reduced to nothing.
And worse — they wouldn't survive either.
Because the Creator's experint would fail, and every soul in the universe would be left with no way to live.
Everyone understood this. But not a single person tried to talk Cheng Shi around in this mont. They knew the one who understood this best was Cheng Shi himself, and the one least willing to let the Fear Faction's sacrifice amount to nothing was also Cheng Shi.
After all, he was the greatest link between everyone and the Fear Faction. He had orchestrated the succession from old gods to new. He had shared the fear in his heart with them all. He had unveiled the universe's truth and its secrets for the world...
The Clown understood everything. Reality was simply too cruel for him to accept.
Into the prolonged silence ca a soft laugh. Everyone turned to see Zhen Xin stroking Zhen Yi's head with a smile.
"That's not so bad, is it? It's liberation, right?"
Zhen Yi grinned, looking aningfully at her sister.
"Hehe~
Well, not necessarily. But we'll be liberated eventually.
Since we're all going to die sooner or la—"
Before she could finish, Zhen Xin clapped a hand over her mouth — exasperated yet doting. "You're not allowed to say that."
Zhen Yi rolled her eyes.
"Fine, fine. I won't say it. Since we're all going to 'leave' sooner or later — the word 'leave' is acceptable, right? — then I'll go first. Let
set an example for everyone.
That way, given little Shi Shi's personality, when he misses us in the new world, maybe I'll be the first one he thinks of?"
"?"
Zhen Yi's one remark opened a door in Long Jing's mind. He suddenly stepped forward.
"Then let
go first. If the new world truly escapes the Origin's gaze, I have only one request:
Carving a Monunt for the selfless who gave everything — that's not too much to ask, right? Oh, and put my na at the very top..."
"I can carve one right now. Want
to?" Zhang Jizu cut in, eyes narrowed.
Long Jing's face fell. He shot Zhang Jizu a look of utter disdain. "Old Zhang, you're such a killjoy..."
The Jokers' gags injected a sliver of life into the scene. anwhile, Cheng Shi had retreated all the way to the Sea of Desire's edge. A few more steps and he'd fall in — but then a hand pressed against his back and began pushing him, step by step, back toward the others.
The person behind him said nothing. Cheng Shi didn't look back. He had already guessed who it was — and at last confird that the Sea of Desire did indeed harbor contamination connected to the Origin.
The figure walked past Cheng Shi, glanced at the throne among the crowd, and Qin Xin, watching the two approach, let out a resigned yet relieved smile, followed by a sigh.
"It seems the Sea of Desire can't be taken away. In that case, perhaps the only option is to separate reality from the Void.
A single god's power wouldn't be enough. But all the gods combined shouldn't find it difficult.
However, splitting reality from the Void will very likely make the Creator think the petri dish has cracked — that the experint has failed. The world would face enormous risk.
So this task, too, must fall to you, Cheng Shi. When the faith and Will of every god is placed upon you at once, you will have the power to lead the world out from under the Origin.
Tear open the Void. Take reality with you. As for how to preserve the world — I believe that by then, you will understand better than any of us.
Don't hesitate. Do it. We believe in you. And the world is running out of ti..."
...
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