Zhen Xin had many things she wanted to say, but she knew this wasn't the ti. This was the beginning of soone who'd lost a beloved person trying to break free from a walking-dead existence. She couldn't pour cold water on that hope.
But certain things had to be addressed.
She couldn't watch her Aunt Jing wander down the wrong path—or at the very least, she couldn't let her beco so god-worshipping fanatic. So she furrowed her brow, wrestled with herself for a mont, then said with her head lowered:
"The God Worship Society... isn't a good choice."
The mature woman puppet clearly understood what Zhen Xin ant. She smiled warmly, stroking Zhen Xin's hair: "Paths aren't good or bad. As long as they reach the other shore."
"Aunt Jing... you've made up your mind?"
"Mm. You've grown up. You're not the scared little girl at the orphanage who needed
to take care of her anymore.
In fact, lately, it's been you and Ming Yu taking care of .
You don't need to burden yourself like that."
"I'm happy to." Zhen Xin pressed her lips together, then reached into her blazer pocket and pulled sothing out, pressing it into An Jing's hand. "This is for you."
"What is...?" The mature woman puppet looked at the gleaming golden poker card in her hand, slightly startled. She noticed the card's face depicted a silent, eyes-closed mask.
"A Master of Deception Card. I just swindled it off Cheng Shi. I've heard there are many devout [Decay] followers near the Septic Final Tomb. Take this with you—don't let them lead you astray."
The mature woman puppet blinked, then smiled and accepted it.
"So these things really do exist. It seems the other little swindler didn't do his howork well enough—his card face appears to be wrong."
"Deception isn't about the card face. The mont you focus on a con artist's card face, you've already been conned.
He's very skilled. At least no worse than Zhen Yi."
"High praise. But you didn't find what you were looking for. How are you going to explain yourself to Yiyi, whose mories you took?"
At the ntion of this, Zhen Xin sighed helplessly.
"Ugh, that's exactly what's giving
a headache.
She found two diocre Person Society cards during a trial. She told
it's a rehearsal stage built by a group of 'diocre people' trying to step onto the world stage. She thinks she has the keen eye to judge these self-proclaid diocre players—wants to go help vet them. But I think...
The diocre Person Society's purpose probably isn't so innocent.
I've been refusing her, and now that this trip turned up nothing, she's going to mock
for a while. And per our sisterly agreent, since I lost this round, I've lost my grounds to stop her from 'causing trouble.'
All I can do now is pray she doesn't go too wild, and hope the ss won't be too hard to clean up..."
The mature woman puppet seed to recall that little troublemaker. She curled her lips:
"So that's why you used this chance to slip the second diocre Person Society card to Cheng Shi?
You want him to help keep an eye on Yiyi?"
Zhen Xin pressed her lips together and nodded:
"I just hope Zhen Yi puts all her attention on Cheng Shi. That way, maybe she won't cause as much chaos. As for Cheng Shi...
The two of them will probably have plenty to talk about.
Honestly, I owe you thanks for timing the Ranger's movents just right, Aunt Jing. That's what made Cheng Shi suspicious in the first place, and gave
the window to send the card his way.
But I have to say... what a greedy heart that man has!"
The mature woman puppet couldn't help but laugh: "If you know he's greedy, why keep giving him good things?"
Zhen Xin shook her head:
"That [Prosperity] Divinity was always intended for Baldy. She and I had an agreent to search for each other's needed Divinity fragnts in our spare ti. I just happened to accumulate faster than her. Using Cheng Shi as the middleman was simply convenient.
As for the Tongue of Eating Lies...
Honestly, even though it's not exactly well-behaved, I never intended to give it away."
"Then why did you?"
"It asked
to!"
"Hmm?" The mature woman puppet blinked. "That tongue... can talk? Yiyi never ntioned this to ."
Zhen Xin's expression grew complicated: "Yes. None of us knew until just now, when it demanded I hand it over to Cheng Shi as compensation. That's when I discovered the Tongue of Eating Lies could actually speak!"
"..." The mature woman puppet was stunned. Even the "little puppet" in her arms started blinking, looking utterly bewildered.
"I'm guessing... Cheng Shi has sothing it likes. Or maybe—sigh, forget it, it's all speculation. aningless.
I made a verbal agreent with it. It'll co back. Probably."
"Aren't you afraid it'll trick you? It is your Benefactor's creation."
"I'm not afraid. It wouldn't dare."
Seeing Zhen Xin so certain, the mature woman puppet smiled.
"Since you didn't find what you wanted, where do you plan to go next?"
Zhen Xin lowered her head and thought for a mont, then said softly:
"I think... I'll wait a little longer. There might still be a turn of events.
Oh—Aunt Jing, since you really do want to go to the Septic Final Tomb, would you mind returning this to that historian who 'dares not claim fa'? Perhaps once he gets his history book back, he could serve as your temporary companion."
As she spoke, Zhen Xin produced from her storage space the very history book that Cheng Shi had found completely flawless!
She did indeed possess the talent "Lie Like Yesterday." However, she had not prepared a history book in advance for her historian disguise.
The reason the book had been flawless was simple—it actually was Zuo Qiu's history book. Zuo Qiu's own book, handed to Zhen Xin by Zuo Qiu himself!
When An Jing had taken control of Zuo Qiu and summoned Zhen Xin, they hadn't killed the historian. Instead, they'd struck a deal with him.
Zhen Xin had shown Zuo Qiu a path to witness the Septic Final Tomb. In return, Zuo Qiu had to lend her his inseparable history book. Of course, in the circumstances, the "lender" hadn't exactly been in a position to refuse.
But Zhen Xin hadn't lied to him. She'd genuinely pointed Zuo Qiu toward a correct path—one leading to the Septic Final Tomb.
"That path should be safe enough. If you want to go, Aunt Jing, just follow the historian's route. But...
Please be careful. Extrely careful.
Ming Yu, Zhen Yi, and I—none of us can afford to lose Aunt Jing."
The mature woman puppet smiled tenderly. She stroked Zhen Xin's hair and nodded gently.
"Don't worry. I won't die for nothing."
And then she added silently to herself: 'Because I still need to protect all of you.'
The two embraced for a mont before parting ways. The Puppet Master walked into the depths of the fog, while Zhen Xin sat down where she was, waiting for her chance.
She didn't know if a chance would co. But she had plenty of ti and patience enough to wait.
"Let
see... what ssage, exactly, did you leave for him..."
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