"Right, right, right— story's over. Ti for the new one to begin.
"Hu Wei has certainly guessed that you killed his friend. But after today, once you've saved his life, the friction between you two might ease up.
"The Grand Marshal isn't exactly a good person, but in certain ways...
"He's actually more trustworthy than certain people who never tell the truth.
"But I have to warn you: that trust only holds as long as your interests don't clash.
"Never trust anyone."
"Including you?"
"..." Cheng Shi froze for a mont, caught between laughter and tears. He wanted to say 'I never lie, how can you not trust ?' But after a mont's thought, he answered with gravity: "Including ."
Hu Xuan studied Cheng Shi with an inscrutable gaze, the [Birth] aura around her quietly intensifying.
She gave a slight nod, seemingly ignoring his words and responding only to the topic of Hu Wei:
"It doesn't matter. Whatever he thinks has nothing to do with . This isn't arrogance born from my status— it's that we serve different Benefactors. I have no need to fear his Benefactor entering the fray.
"Because [War], He is... unique. Yes, unique. Completely different from what I'd previously imagined."
Cheng Shi chewed on that statent carefully. Sothing seed to click, and he nodded with a hint of agreent.
The two exchanged a glance and fell silent. Cheng Shi sensed the mont had arrived. He gave an awkward chuckle and snapped his fingers behind his back.
That crisp snap was like a clapperboard striking— it set the "entire crew" into motion.
The instant the sound fell, the phantom of the Dolgod Church dissolved into nothing. The entire space plunged into the pitch-black, boundless Void. The stillborn infants suspended overhead slowly descended, then gradually spread apart, leaving ample space between each [Birth] prison.
To mask his aura, Cheng Shi had already switched back to his [Fate] faith. Now he retrieved blood packs from his storage, splashed them across himself, flicked so casually onto Hu Xuan, then produced a broad, flexible whip and began lashing himself.
He was fabricating whip marks— simulating the aftermath of a vicious battle. But when Hu Xuan watched this scene, she genuinely couldn't contain her laughter.
"If you happen to have certain... unusual preferences—"
"I don't. Thank you!" Cheng Shi's voice rang with ironclad conviction. After finishing his self-flagellation, he glanced up at Hu Xuan: "Do you... need so?"
Hu Xuan's smile was pure mischief. Her expression clearly said: 'And you claim you don't?'
Cheng Shi's mouth twitched and he imdiately put the whip away. Seeing his preparations complete, Hu Xuan's gaze softened. Without doing anything visible, her [Birth] aura abruptly plumted— the sensation was so authentic it felt as though so terrifying invisible force had drained her spirit dry.
Yet paradoxically, the mont Hu Xuan lost her vitality, the great sun in the Void grew increasingly solid and real.
The change startled Cheng Shi. Seeing his shock, Hu Xuan explained through pallid lips:
"I've returned my power to the Eternal Sun. This is an ability that erged after receiving His approval. When the Eternal Sun solidifies, my physical strength withers in proportion.
"Don't worry— the power never disappears. It simply changes containers.
"Let's go, my leading man. It's ti for your entrance."
As she spoke, Hu Xuan dispersed the phantom of the great sun behind her. Apart from Cheng Shi and a select few who knew the truth, no one yet knew she could actually beco the Eternal Sun. So even if only to preserve a trump card, she would never reveal the great sun to others.
Cheng Shi understood this perfectly. So when he'd written the script, the great sun made no appearance.
As for the phenonon of radiant light flooding the scene when Hu Xuan had descended— he'd already devised a plausible explanation for that.
Everything was ready. The show was about to begin.
After one final look at Hu Xuan, at the very instant the writhing shadow-tentacles beneath the Void were about to erupt, Cheng Shi suddenly charged with all his might toward the nearest stillborn infant.
He lunged forward, tore open the fetal mbrane, and yanked the imprisoned player out.
Of course, the actual extraction wasn't his doing. Even with Go Lis relaxing her grip, an Envoy's prison couldn't be torn open by mortal flesh and muscle. The one who truly released the player was Go Lis herself. Cheng Shi was rely putting on a show.
But putting on a show was the entire point!
If he wanted to earn everyone's goodwill, Cheng Shi had to be the one doing the rescuing!
And when he saw that the player he'd pulled out of the first prison happened to be his good brother Hu Wei, his heart settled.
'Locked in! This is in the bag!'
He'd specifically told Aph Ros not to reveal who was trapped in which cocoon. He'd only asked the Envoy to drag the one containing the female player as far from him as possible. That way, Cheng Shi wouldn't accidentally rescue Zhen Xin, and he could perfectly perform genuine surprise upon seeing who he'd saved.
Because he truly hadn't known who was inside!
So when he saw that his first rescue was Hu Wei, the delight in his eyes looked more real than reality itself!
But Hu Wei, upon seeing the two of them, felt no delight whatsoever. Only sheer terror!
During the three-way eting at the long table, Hu Wei's consciousness had suddenly plunged into chaos. Only when Cheng Shi had just torn him from the prison did his awareness finally stir from its fog.
But the instant he awoke, he felt no relief. Instead, he held his breath, focused his mind, and without an ounce of hesitation, slashed a blazing arc of blood and fire at the unknown figures beside him!
Sensing [War]'s fury, Cheng Shi went pale: "Hu Wei! We're on the sa side! Don't attack!"
Hearing that familiar voice, Hu Wei not only didn't pull back— his greatsword fell even faster.
Hu Xuan's eyes narrowed. She endured the risk of being killed on the spot and didn't dodge, because according to the script, she'd already exhausted herself fighting Go Lis's pursuit. As an "excellent" actress, she knew she couldn't evade now— and shouldn't be able to.
More importantly, she trusted Cheng Shi. She knew he would never let her die.
And indeed, Cheng Shi would never let his good brother kill his lifeline. But the way he saved Hu Xuan...
Caught Hu Xuan completely off guard.
Because at that critical instant, Cheng Shi lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Hu Wei's waist, driving his shoulder into the burly warrior to push him back:
"Hu Wei! Stand down! If you don't, we all die here!"
Feeling Cheng Shi's pitiful strength, Hu Wei frowned. His blade shifted three inches in its descent, screaming past Hu Xuan's left arm before crashing down with a thunderous boom.
The howling flas lit up the Void in an instant. Seeing Hu Xuan drenched in blood with her left arm charred and blackened, the Grand Marshal's frown deepened further.
'Not an illusion!'
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