Foolish Game of the Chapter 404: Blow the Whistle — Phone Calls Just Don't

Cheng Shi didn't want to share his mories, so he scamd Dragon King.

Though calling it a scam was generous — he hadn't actually heard Aph Ros's story either.

If one had to fra it a certain way, two Deceit followers had engaged in a brief telephone sparring match, and Cheng Shi felt he'd co out slightly ahead.

But knowing Aph Ros's identity alone didn't resolve his confusion. What he wanted wasn't a label — it was the reason Birth and Deceit had shoved Aph Ros right in front of him.

The trial was bestowed by Birth. Yet the one ultimately tied to him was a Corruption Envoy. Did that make any sense?

It did not.

Bewildered, Cheng Shi pondered for a mont and made another call. He wasn't sure this one would even connect — but to his surprise, it went through.

An elegant voice tinged with a hint of coquettishness answered:

"Hello?"

At the sound of that long-absent voice, Cheng Shi involuntarily shivered.

He hadn't said a single word — he'd only let out a breath — yet sohow the person on the other end seed to guess who it was:

"Cheng Shi?"

"..."

'Are you all cheating? Every last one of you?'

'You can identify

from breathing?!'

Cheng Shi's brain short-circuited. He forced an awkward laugh and greeted her while curling his toes: "Hu Xuan, long ti no see."

The other side laughed — warmly, happily.

"It really has been. Where's the Night Curtain Spring Whistle I gave you? Why haven't you blown it?"

"..."

'Sis, do I dare?!'

'One toot and I'm afraid this rooftop's headcount jumps from one to three — maybe more!'

'That whistle is NOT ant for normal circumstances!'

Cheng Shi's mouth twitched. He laughed it off:

"Blowing a whistle would disturb the neighbors. The person across from

is a light sleeper. I'd hate to bother him.

A phone call works just fine, you know? The second I found out you had a phone, I contacted you right away."

"Is that so? Then I should thank Tu Tou?"

And then, on the other end, Hu Xuan laughed — and even without seeing that smile, Cheng Shi felt an instinctive Birth-related impulse stir in his subconscious!

'She's gotten stronger again — even her voice carries His color now!'

Hu Xuan continued with a soft chuckle:

"When she ran into

yesterday, I was debating whether to accept the phone to stay in touch with a new friend. Looks like I made the right call.

You're the first friend to phone , Cheng Shi. I'm very happy."

'Huh?'

'Wait — huh?'

'What do you an yesterday?'

'Sis, that "I contacted you the second I found out" was just a pleasantry — I didn't actually an it!'

"..." Cheng Shi's brain stalled. He'd never imagined an offhand courtesy could bury him like this. He blinked in bewildernt, then rushed to explain. "I—"

"Everyone's talking about you and Zhen Yi... Is it true?"

"I—"

"I recall you didn't get along with her sister. So is this your way of getting revenge on Zhen Xin?"

"I—"

"In that case, giving

a child could also count as a form of revenge against her, couldn't it?"

"Huh? No, I—"

"Blow the whistle. Phone calls just don't hit right.

I'm guessing you didn't call to catch up. Perfect timing, actually — I have sothing to pass along to you too. So...

Blow the whistle, Cheng Shi. Whatever you want to know, I can tell you."

"..."

'Sis, I'm terrified. Can I please get a word in?'

Cheng Shi wanted to hang up. But he could tell that the "sothing" Hu Xuan ntioned was probably... a very good sothing!

'Damn it — Aph Ros's influence must have left aftereffects. There's a greedy impulse devouring my reason!'

'Anything the Birth Chosen, the Eternal Sun candidate, is willing to part with can't be ordinary. Free loot — why say no?'

But just as quickly, he squelched that thought.

'No — steady, Cheng Steady. You can't lose your head. That thing probably costs a life to obtain — or maybe is a life!'

'Rember what that great one said: greed is the path to death!'

While his brain churned in panicked debate over whether to risk it, a different question suddenly struck him:

In reality — how could Hu Xuan even co to him?

He jolted. Then, disbelieving:

"You succeeded?"

Hu Xuan laughed.

"Not yet. But I'm on the right path now.

Ever since I t you, Fate seems to have begun favoring . So...

I should thank you.

Relax — I can't break the Convention's constraints. I'm just looking at you from far away.

Mm. One look is enough."

Cheng Shi's gaze sharpened: "You even know about the Convention."

"Surprised?

Compared to

knowing about the Convention, the fact that you know about it is what surprises .

I really don't have the luck.

And I'm starting to regret. If back then I had..."

"Stop, stop, stop — hold on, Hu Xuan. One question. You want

to blow this whistle, and it has nothing to do with luck — correct?"

The other end fell silent for a mont, then chuckled softly: "Correct. Nothing to do with luck. But it does involve... Him."

'Him?!'

'Who?'

'Birth?!'

Cheng Shi frowned. Was the thing He wanted to convey split in half — with one part entrusted to Hu Xuan?

But that seed absurdly prescient. How could He have foreseen Cheng Shi would phone Hu Xuan?

Or was it that regardless of whether he made this call, He'd have arranged another encounter — engineering a eting between Hu Xuan and him?

If so — there was no escaping it?

After lengthy deliberation, Cheng Shi decided to trust Hu Xuan one more ti.

If she was telling the truth, then this friend was well worth having. And if she was lying — better still. One phone call to see through a so-called friend was a bargain.

So he agreed, hung up, and with trembling hands retrieved the Night Curtain Spring Whistle from his storage. He raised it gingerly to his lips and gave it the faintest blow.

A crisp, bright note rang out — the kind that filled you with surging spirit and energy the instant you heard it.

Just as Cheng Shi sensed sothing off about this particular brand of "energy," he noticed his hands had turned white.

But he quickly realized it wasn't his skin — the rooftop had gotten brighter!

The sunlight was growing blindingly intense.

Cheng Shi startled violently. Sothing occurred to him. He looked skyward in utter disbelief — and there it was: a sun rivaling reality's own, blazing into existence directly above him!

Right on the rooftop!

Close enough to touch!

!!!

Cheng Shi gaped, scalp tingling. He'd never imagined the "et-up" Hu Xuan described would look like this!

'Sis — you call this "looking at "?!'

'You're not going to lt everything on my rooftop, are you?!'

Cheng Shi gulped, flashing back to several months ago — scrambling in panic beneath the fire-rain of the Wrath of Abomination.

And the scene before him now looked terrifyingly familiar!

...