You simply couldn't have a normal conversation with a pervert who refused to wear clothes. To ensure future effective communication, Cheng Shi spent a long ti talking this [Corruption] Herald out of being so [Corruption]-like.
Aph Ros kept insisting Cheng Shi co inside to talk. Though Cheng Shi had previously ventured deep into the cage, this ti he declined the invitation.
In Cheng Shi's mind, the invisible doorway was a baseline he never dared approach, let alone cross — especially with [Corruption]'s aura this thick.
Of course, being directly teleported inside... that didn't count.
'After all, even standards had to adapt with the tis.'
So he sat cross-legged in the doorway, face-to-face with Aph Ros, and began verifying certain things.
For instance — what He'd just said about Hu Xuan.
"I'm not sure why Miss Sun suddenly ca back. She told
you'd joined a new trial, but she chose not to go with you.
"She said she had more important things to do. One of which was eting that legendary 'girlfriend' of yours.
"What a strange term — 'girlfriend.' Shouldn't it be 'prey'?"
"..."
'Great. So during their pre-trial prayers, Hu Xuan had faked her participation and returned here to see Zhen Yi?'
'What was she planning?'
Aph Ros read Cheng Shi's confusion and continued:
"Your script didn't include instructions for handling those two players, so I granted Miss Sun's request. After all, she's also... my sister, in a way.
"I t your prey. Mm, quite attractive indeed.
"They talked for a long while and seed to reach so agreent. Then Miss Sun took your prey and left.
"She assured
you'd agree. So I didn't refuse.
"Now seems like a good ti to ask — do you agree?"
'The person was already gone. What good was his consent or lack thereof?'
'Still — Hu Xuan had taken Zhen Yi?'
Cheng Shi frowned, deep in thought.
'Two completely unrelated — even mildly antagonistic — players suddenly joining forces?'
But a mont later, he looked up at Aph Ros with suspicion:
"What do you an 'seed to reach so agreent'?
"They were on your turf, talking for that long, and you don't know what they said?
"Sothing's off. Very off.
"I don't buy that you'd so generously let Hu Xuan walk off with prey that already 'belonged' to you. So — you definitely overheard sothing. And what they discussed involves you!
"That's the only reason you'd agree to let Hu Xuan take Zhen Yi!"
Cheng Shi's eyes glead with certainty. Aph Ros roared with laughter:
"Worthy of my brother. Your wits are as sharp as ever.
"Yes, I heard what they said, and I know what that Miss Sun is up to."
"What?" Cheng Shi's brow arched.
Aph Ros's smile turned mysterious: "This secret involves many parties. So — that'll be a separate price."
"..." Cheng Shi was speechless. After a pause: "I do have so ideas. Put it on my tab. Later I'll bring more people over — add so living warmth to this Inquisition... no, to Dolgod."
Aph Ros blinked, then nodded with a smile:
"You always manage to move
with different bargaining chips. Noted.
"Mm, what they discussed does involve , though the connection is minor.
"Your prey told Miss Sun that she'd tracked down information about Lu Xia — seemingly found his whereabouts. So Miss Sun took her to go find him."
'Lu Xia?'
'Who was that?'
Cheng Shi frowned. 'If Hu Xuan's interested in this person, they've got to be at least Envoy-level.'
'Soone who'd interest her and have a connection to Aph Ros... the two probably share a single common thread... [Birth]?'
Cheng Shi startled: "A [Birth] Envoy?"
"Smart. Seems you're unfamiliar with Him.
"He's a [Birth] Envoy born during the Civilization Era. Beyond that, I don't know much either."
"?"
Cheng Shi laughed in exasperation. 'You don't even know the details — what are you playing mysterious for, bro?'
'Hu Xuan took Zhen Yi away for intel on an Envoy. Did that an [Birth] was still searching for Her children?'
'How many children did She even have?'
'What was She planning — a family reunion spanning multiple eras?'
No answers, but a new question suddenly surfaced. Cheng Shi straightened up and asked with dead seriousness:
"I recall you died in the Civilization Era — before [Truth] cast its gaze. So then, was Lu Xia born during the period after your death, when [Truth] prevailed and war raged? That is, the mid-to-late Civilization Epoch of the Civilization Era... correct?"
Aph Ros seed to guess what Cheng Shi was trying to confirm, but He shook His head with a smile, denying the guess.
'Wrong?'
Seeing the headshake, Cheng Shi's heart lurched. Just as he moved to revise his reasoning, Aph Ros continued:
"He was indeed born during the Civilization Era. But he didn't ascend to Envoy status during [Truth]'s heyday.
"He was a citizen under the Grand Tribunal.
"It wasn't until the next era that he... beca Him."
The instant the words landed, Cheng Shi's eyes went wide. A flash of insight blazed through his mind. He stared in shock:
"You're saying Lu Xia wasn't an Envoy during the Civilization Era, but beca one during the Chaos Era?
"But he was born under the Grand Tribunal...
"So the Chaos Era also had a Civilization Epoch! Am I right!?"
Aph Ros nodded with a smile: "Correct."
!!!
It clicked. Cheng Shi suddenly understood the relationship between eras and epochs.
They weren't disordered. They were nested — contained within one another!
Each era appeared to cycle through all the epochs. The Life Era had a complete sequence. The Sinking Era had a complete sequence. Even the Void Era still had a complete sequence!
'So that was the relationship between eras and epochs.'
Excitent surged — but his grin froze almost imdiately. Because he suddenly rembered: the gods had descended in order. If every era contained a full set of epochs, why had no ntion of other paths' gods ever surfaced during the Life Epoch?
'Were They following so kind of rule?'
'Or...'
His eyes darted. He tossed out a casual question:
"Since you beca His Envoy back in the Life Era, why didn't you try to rge directly with [Corruption] to fulfill your wish?"
Aph Ros shook His head with a laugh:
"You can ask
directly — no need for roundabout probing. Before, I couldn't tell you because your status didn't warrant access to such knowledge. But now that you're also an Envoy, you're naturally qualified.
"There was never any [Corruption] during the Life Era. How could I have fulfilled my wish?"
!!??
Cheng Shi gaped, utterly stunned:
"You an to say that during the Life Era... there was only the Life Epoch, and [Corruption] never descended!?"
"Yes."
"So the Sinking Era gained its Sinking Epoch precisely because the [Descent] gods arrived — that era had one more epoch than the last!"
Now Cheng Shi truly understood. He continued excitedly:
"The Civilization Era gained three epochs because the Civilization path unfolded. And the Chaos Era must have been the longest, because it had four epochs!
"But what about [Existence]?
"The Existence Era should logically have an Existence Epoch, yet I've never heard anything about one.
"[Void]... neither has [Void].
"Every other path has three gods, but [Existence] and [Void] each have only two. So does that an sothing changed when the era reached [Existence]?
"It doesn't correspond to a single epoch. Instead, it reorganized — combed through — everything that exists?
"Just as He once said: [Ti] marks annotations for projections, and [mory] transcribes the images into the Collection Hall...
"That's why you found your chance during the Existence Era to beco a dual Envoy of [Birth] and [Corruption]!
"Because it was [Ti]'s brand-new projections that revealed a new possibility to you!
"Am I right, Aph Ros!?"
Cheng Shi's burning gaze locked onto the Herald, awaiting confirmation.
Aph Ros's admiring look deepened. He even applauded.
"Brilliant. A flawless deduction.
"You're entirely correct. That is exactly how it is.
"However, my brother — though your conclusions are perfect, the angle of your reasoning...
"Doesn't quite feel like that of a [Void] Servant God.
"Yu Xi? Yu Xi.
"My dear brother, don't tell
the part you lied about was actually...
"Your identity as Envoy Yu Xi?"
"!!!"
The instant the words fell, Cheng Shi's smile froze and cold sweat erupted.
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