"There's nothing to apologize for. If anyone should apologize, it's . Although I do have designs on this trial, I truly don't have more historical intel to share.
"However, there's one thing I've just figured out. If Hu Wei is right and Eposka's body really was abandoned, then it might actually turn up on [Truth]'s territory — because the Barren Walker was killed by [Truth] in the first place."
"!"
Hu Xuan raised her brows with great interest and smiled: "You're finally willing to share the history you witnessed?"
"Did you guess, or did Mo Li tell you?"
"He did. Before making his friendly overture, he probed around one thing and another. He didn't say much outright, but from the fragnts I could piece together the general picture.
"So... is it true what they're saying? [Prosperity]... truly fell?"
Cheng Shi glanced at the others, didn't answer directly, but conveyed the result in his own way:
"There's no need to worry. [Life] was not affected."
Hu Xuan's pupils contracted sharply. She first fixed Cheng Shi with a grave stare, then her expression suddenly softened, and even her smile grew relaxed.
'So this was him. A player capable of creating miracles.'
Her gaze toward Cheng Shi was complicated, but within that complexity one could clearly see a trace of unsurprised amazent and a touch of "that's exactly what I'd expect from you."
Who could imagine that a player had witnessed the fall of a deity?
No — who would even dare imagine it?
If Hu Xuan put herself in that position, the re thought sent a jolt through her. After all, They were gods!
If one of Them fell, what an overwhelming, terrifying, indescribable scene that must have been!
And the Fate Weaver standing before her had just casually admitted to witnessing it!
If anyone else — even another Chosen One — had told her this, Hu Xuan might have questioned its authenticity. But coming from Cheng Shi? No need for elaboration. It was absolutely true.
Because her own identity was the best proof!
This Fate Weaver had used unfathomable thods to nd her fate and graft it onto an Envoy's trajectory. One could say her Envoy candidacy had been... "created" by him.
Since he'd "birthed" a Servant God, why couldn't he also witness the "death" of a true god? Especially when that god was "Prosperity"...
'[Life], it seed, was equally fragile — high or low made no difference!'
While Hu Xuan's mind wandered in shock, Cheng Shi suddenly frowned, then his eyes lit up. He lifted his head as if struck by revelation, nodding continuously:
"I get it!
"I've figured it out!
"I know what the Grand Marshal is really after.
"No wonder! Mo Li's gesture was a double warning. He wasn't just telling you to watch out for Hu Wei — he genuinely wanted you to know the trial's risk.
"It seems Da Yi knew about this all along. That's why the Grand Marshal said he absolutely had to obtain that thing. And in my view, it really is trendously appealing!
"Even more valuable than the Barren Walker's shell!"
"?" Hu Xuan's elegant composure finally cracked. In her experience, she'd always felt Cheng Shi wasn't one of [Fate]'s typical riddlers. But today, that assessnt changed.
Riddlers were truly annoying.
Fortunately, Hu Xuan was direct. She "solved" the riddle her own way:
"They say the suprely brilliant can understand with a single hint, so they speak little and don't care whether common people can follow.
"I'm probably that common person. However, if possible, I do hope our children inherit your towering intellect."
"..."
Cheng Shi's excitent froze on his face.
He shuddered in fright, imdiately realizing he'd been speaking in clouds and fog and had annoyed Xuan. He rubbed his face and hastily explained in a whisper:
"I don't know if you've heard this history. The Grand Marshal ntioned it too. [Prosperity]'s second son Dizel was sentenced by [Decay] to spiritual-physical separation. His shell beca the Barren Walker, while his soul beca the Gift of Sores.
"And the Barren Walker is dead — killed by [Truth]. I don't know for certain whether its shell was truly used and then discarded by [Truth], but what I can confirm is...
"The Gift of Sores is in danger!
"Because it went from being a penitent soul that might soday sway in faith and beco an Envoy again... to a Servant God's soul with absolutely no patron!
"He once betrayed [Decay]. Now [Prosperity] has fallen. His own body was seized by [Truth]. He's beco a completely abandoned, utterly alone 'orphan'!
"Think about it: if you had the chance to obtain a Servant God's soul, would you share it with anyone?"
A fierce light flashed through Hu Xuan's eyes. This ti, she understood:
"So Hu Wei's real target is the Gift of Sores!
"He used Eposka as a smokescreen — a pretext for assembling the team?
"But many people probably already know this. You, for instance. Mo Li, for instance. So he's not actually fooling his teammates. If they can't be fooled, why bother with the charade?"
Cheng Shi gave a low chuckle:
"I wouldn't call it pointless. Only when the prize is big enough can you convince Chosen Ones to take action.
"I'm sure he received extrely reliable intel from a special channel before deciding to gamble. But the search process itself will likely be extraordinarily perilous — it might even cost lives!
"Rember the Yu Mu I ntioned earlier?"
"The [Decay] hunter who wasn't released?"
"Yes. [Decay] players have never been well-liked. I'd been wondering why the Grand Marshal cared about him so much. Now, thinking about it..."
Cheng Shi left the thought unfinished, but Hu Xuan understood. She mused aloud:
"He's far better suited than anyone else to fill the trial's body-count quota..."
Cheng Shi nodded, his gaze darkening slightly:
"I'm afraid so.
"The Grand Marshal is an honorable man. But all that honor only applies when your interests don't overlap with his.
"Right now, the interests are too intertwined and too enormous. So we need to be careful. And that, I think, is part of why Mo Li warned us.
"That Chief Grand Secretary... he does seem like a friend worth having."
Hu Xuan studied everyone for a contemplative mont, then slowly nodded.
After leaving, Long Jing exchanged so words with Mo Li. Before long, the site fell quiet once more.
Seeing that everyone had finished their preparations, Hu Wei strode to the center of the group:
"It's about ti. We should head out."
He casually produced a round clock face and stuck it into the ground, gathering everyone before it.
The second hand ticked forward, one beat at a ti. Midnight would arrive very soon.
Of course, it was already well past midnight. The clock's ti was entirely arbitrary — it was rely an anchor to synchronize their simultaneous prayers.
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