Obviously, the third line was Cheng Shi's.
He wasn't trying to lighten the mood. He was "serious."
Because he'd suddenly realized just how awkward his position was in this makeshift team — he had no real ally!
Poison was the core of this interest-driven group. She held the biggest secret everyone wanted, and had a pre-existing arrangent with the Pointer Knight Jiang Chi. Her position was the most secure.
Even with two hunters targeting her outside, as long as she controlled the pace of her revelations and strung along her two helpers, she could easily leverage her secrets to survive the trial.
Jiang Chi was a collaborator whose partnership with Poison clearly predated this trial. This ant his expressed desire for the Gift of Sores was likely just a cover. Poison probably held other things he wanted, making their bond far more "solid" than any temporary alliance here.
Moreover, while he'd saved Poison during the plaza hunt, he'd done so with restraint — never creating irreconcilable conflict with anyone. Jiang Chi always retained the option to disengage, since he was a warrior who could fight, take hits, and exploit timing.
Da Yi's situation was even clearer. He had an openly acknowledged deal with Poison. Until she led him to the Gift of Sores, the two were unlikely to clash. Plus, he and Cheng Shi were acquainted, which naturally eliminated one potential hostile player.
His biggest headache was protecting Poison from Gongyang Jiao's hunt. But he'd said it himself — the deal lasted three days. If he didn't get what he wanted by then, whether he walked away or switched sides to hunt the assassin who'd jerked him around was entirely his call.
Because he was an assassin — a capable, elusive one.
Only Cheng Shi...
He was a priest. A priest with no one to rely on.
"No one to rely on" didn't an he lacked the hidden strength to go head-to-head. It ant he had no one he could trust!
Even within this team, even before two familiar faces, there wasn't a single person he could "entrust his back" to.
These people weren't Mi Laozhang or Big Cat. They were all here for profit, making them hard to trust. So whether for the trial's progression or for seizing treasure, Cheng Shi was missing a partner.
Priests were a class that needed a partner. Other priests sought partners for combat power. Cheng Shi needed a tool — constantly putting himself in harm's way was irrational. With soone to scout ahead and clear traps, the trial beca far easier.
But clearly, no such partner existed among these teammates. So Cheng Shi shifted strategies, abandoning his usual approach of building a "stable" inner circle in favor of becoming a "central heating unit."
Central heating ant... maintaining a warm connection with everyone.
He would use shallow, manufactured rapport to solidify his position within this team.
During the walk downstairs, Cheng Shi had thought extensively. With the tools at his disposal, once he learned the Gift of Sores' location, he had a strong chance of claiming it — becoming the last one laughing as the fisherman who profited.
But that assud the Gift was easy to obtain.
Da Yi's eagerness, Hu Wei's scheming, Poison's caution — all signaled that this dagger wouldn't co easily. So his current goal was to avoid being squeezed out of this temporary alliance, surviving by every ans necessary until the mont soone else obtained the Gift of Sores.
As long as the legendary dagger safely appeared in another player's hands, Cheng Shi had ways to... acquire it. Or at least con it away.
So his priority was befriending everyone!
He didn't need their full trust. He just needed them not to exclude him when facing external threats.
And thus, another ga of exchanging "sincerity" for "sincerity" began.
Which was why he'd said that to Poison.
"What, should I strip right here?"
Poison arched a brow and smiled: "You want to get frank with
like that?"
"Don't you? Did I misunderstand?" Cheng Shi looked bewildered. An act.
Poison lightly licked the corner of her lip: "No. You understood perfectly."
"..."
This exchange left both Jiang Chi and Da Yi stunned. They'd been listening from downstairs for quite a while, initially assuming Cheng Shi and Poison knew each other but didn't get along. But his sudden tonal shift made them realize they'd been wrong.
The relationship between these two was apparently more complex than a one-ti acquaintance.
When it looked like Cheng Shi might genuinely beco Poison's asset, Da Yi's expression turned slightly more serious. Jiang Chi's smile, anwhile, widened.
Setting aside the tangled relationships, front-row drama was truly entertaining.
His gaze bounced between the two, waiting to see who'd undress first.
Poison wore a sleek white down jacket — completely different from the black one at the start, clearly just changed. This implied they might have already been "frank" once. At minimum, Poison had been "frank."
Cheng Shi, on the other hand, wore a plain casual jacket over a white T-shirt. Minimal layers. Two items removed and he'd reach "total frankness."
So the question was whether these two really intended to play this little [Corruption] ga under the others' watchful eyes.
At this level of play, most players were consud by faith and rarely cared about re flesh. So "mutual frankness" wasn't exactly novel for anyone present. What they cared about was what it revealed about the relationship.
Cheng Shi didn't hesitate for a second. He swiftly removed his jacket, tossed it at Poison's feet, and said flatly:
"Your turn."
Poison froze. She hadn't expected him to actually do it. In her mory, the little priest wasn't this kind of person.
She was surprised but not opposed — she was a catalyst for desire. When desire ca knocking, she only ever welcod it in.
And so, under Cheng Shi's silent pressure, Poison lifted her chin, bit down on the high collar of her down jacket, then swiftly pulled the zipper down and shrugged off her only garnt, tossing it at his feet in mirror fashion.
Of course, "only" was what Cheng Shi had assud.
Because the instant Poison's jacket fell away, everyone saw she was also wearing a white T-shirt underneath.
But a closer look revealed it wasn't one shirt — it was two. Layered.
Which ant if this ga continued, Cheng Shi would reach "total frankness" one step ahead of Poison.
Seeing this, Da Yi looked unsurprised. Jiang Chi's grin grew wider still.
As for Cheng Shi himself — he froze.
Also an act.
He couldn't care less how many layers Poison had on. He had no interest in the scenery beneath the jacket. This whole "frankness" ga had never been about any of that. It was about...
The down jacket.
Because the instant Poison tossed her jacket at his feet, Cheng Shi bent down, scooped it up, and pulled it on with practiced efficiency.
Yes. He'd conned her out of a down jacket — and put it on right in front of the mark!
Cheng Shi was slightly taller than Poison, so the fit was passable. But fit was beside the point, because the mont he zipped it up, all three of the others short-circuited.
Brains crashed.
'What happened to frank openness?'
'Frank openness? I never said that. And even if I did — you'd trust a con man's word?'
Feeling their stares bore into him, Cheng Shi showed zero embarrassnt. Instead, he clasped his hands together with a shaless grin:
"Thanks for the jacket, generous friend.
"Man, I really didn't expect to land in a blizzard trial. Didn't pack enough clothes in storage. Had to mooch a little from the deep pockets. My humble little trick — please, have a laugh at my expense."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Da Yi stared at Cheng Shi as if beholding a lunatic. Jiang Chi's jaw dropped, eyes wide with awe — he even involuntarily began to clap.
Poison — the other party in this ga — had thought she'd seen through Cheng Shi's teasing intentions. She'd expected to turn the tables in this thoroughly [Corruption]-flavored little ga, making him the one who lost face. But here the little priest hadn't wanted her embarrassnt at all — he'd wanted the jacket off her back.
?
'Getting inexplicably swindled out of a down jacket — sotis you really just wanted to call the police.'
After standing stunned for a long while, Poison watched Cheng Shi rubbing his hands together and finally burst into laughter. She clutched her stomach, laughing for ages before shooting him an exasperated glare. Then she picked up his abandoned jacket and pulled it on.
Once dressed, she hugged her shoulders and shivered theatrically:
"Little priest, I only packed one outfit too. If it gets too cold outside later, I hope you'll rember your promise of frank openness.
"Don't worry — I don't want my jacket back. What I'm saying is, I'm quite slim. We could share the sa down jacket and...
"Squeeze in together."
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