Foolish Game of the Chapter 562: How a Second Faith Exists

"You don't rember what happened in the last trial?"

Once the initial shock had passed, Cheng Shi gradually recovered. He looked at the little skull on the chair before him and asked with a frown.

Zhang Jizu nodded:

"Correct. There must have been a violent conflict, because one of my life-saving asures was expended.

Yet my mory is severely blurred. That's clearly the work of soone using mory's thods.

There aren't many people capable of doing this to . I've narrowed it down to a few, but I still can't confirm."

Hearing this, Cheng Shi's interest was piqued.

"Got quite a few enemies, huh? Tell

— which ones?"

"They just don't get along with , that's all. There's no use in you knowing."

"How is there no use? What if I run into them? Maybe I could help you deal with the trouble?"

"..." Zhang Jizu blinked, slightly uncertain: "I feel like I've heard that line sowhere before."

"?"

Before Cheng Shi could follow up, Squinty narrowed his eyes and continued: "Help

deal with a blaspher first. This one's easier to handle — especially for you."

Cheng Shi raised an eyebrow in surprise. After a mont's thought, he nodded:

"So there really is one, huh? Not impossible, I suppose — but let's be clear on the price. Even brothers settle accounts fairly.

Go ahead — na, profession, tier?"

"Score unknown. Surna Cheng, given na Shi. Profession... fate weaver."

"???"

Cheng Shi was stupefied. What shocked him wasn't that Squinty Old Zhang was ssing with him — but that these words coming from Squinty's mouth were... true!

The Master of Deception told Cheng Shi: it was true!

Which ant Squinty genuinely wanted Cheng Shi to take out... himself.

'How is this possible?!'

'Sothing's off. Way off!'

Cheng Shi's reflexes were quick. He only froze for a second before realizing the crux of the issue: Squinty had apparently also acquired the Master of Deception!

'The gravekeeper has abandoned his graveyard and started playing mind gas with his brother!'

He stared at the little skull in shock, blinking with disbelief: "The talent He granted you — is it the Master of Deception?!"

Zhang Jizu saw Cheng Shi's deflated look and shook his head with a smile: "No."

'Another true statent!'

'It IS the damn Master of Deception!'

'Fine, fine, fine — the clown was

all along!'

'Who'd have thought that a liar's promise would actually turn the other person into a liar too!' But all joking aside — how exactly did Squinty's second faith exist?

It wasn't just about Zhang Jizu. Cheng Shi was curious about the faith-state of every player who had a second faith.

Because he'd always felt his own ability to switch faiths was different from everyone else's.

Initially, influenced by Hu Wei's ability to directly wield Chaos power, he'd assud a second faith simply ant gaining a new class blessing and another faith talent.

But after learning that Hu Wei was a purebred Chaos follower, he realized he was wrong. The Grand Marshal's War power all ca from his greatsword — his true faith was Chaos.

He'd always been single-faith!

Sa for Da Yi.

Among the remaining dual-faith players: Big Cat's side he'd never asked about, since the Destined Ones needed to maintain mystique; Poison had just gotten her second faith and he hadn't encountered her since; Qu Yan could be asked freely, but a Herald asking a regular player about these things was too unreasonable and beneath his dignity. So...

Among everyone he knew, only Zhang Jizu — who'd stepped onto the Deceit path — was soone he could ask.

And today, Zhang Jizu had walked right up to his doorstep. This was a heaven-sent opportunity.

Then again — Cheng Shi now guessed why Squinty had co looking for him. This dual Death-Deceit believer probably wanted to compare notes on how the second faith manifested in others versus his own dual-personality situation.

Having figured out the other's purpose, Cheng Shi nodded. After exchanging a look with Zhang Jizu, he spoke first:

"My faiths haven't rged. I just coincidentally obtained another personality. I can switch personalities to change my faith, but... the two faiths' talents can't be shared.

So I can only be a clown, or a fate weaver."

Cheng Shi's tone was sincere and entirely unhidden. Zhang Jizu blinked in mild surprise.

He studied Cheng Shi through narrowed eyes for a mont, then said with so amazent: "You seem different. More trusting of others than before."

"Well, that depends on who it is!

As Void's wanderer and that lord's employee, I naturally trust a fellow employee from a brother company under the sa corporate umbrella more than I'd trust an outsider.

Right, Old Zhang?"

Zhang Jizu was silent for a mont, noncommittal about the framing. But soon enough, he reciprocated with equal sincerity:

"I received the Clown's blessing, along with three additional Deceit faith talents. I don't need to switch — in my Gravekeeper state, I have... nine talents."

???

'How many?'

'Nine talents?'

'Squinty at 2400

score would have six innate talents. So faith fusion gave him three new ones?'

'What? Three?'

'Seriously...'

'Who exactly is Void's darling here?!'

Cheng Shi was green with envy. He smacked his lips, scrutinizing Zhang Jizu up and down — practically oozing acid from his eyes.

He stared for a long ti before speaking, barely willing to believe it: "Old Zhang, you're not lying to , are you?"

Seeing Cheng Shi's reaction, Zhang Jizu let out a satisfied huff: "Yes, you guessed right. I'm lying."

'The Master of Deception activated again!'

But even setting aside the talent — even with zero expression possible on that skull — Cheng Shi could tell that Squinty was telling the truth.

This made him even more envious.

So faith fusion really was a stacking of talents. But how was the number of second-faith talents calculated? What were the rules?

If each fusion gave three faith talents, then...

'Damn — turns out I spent the entire last trial showing off, only to beco the clown. That chaleon Bianse Long was the real winner!'

'Three Decay talents. Absolutely cleaned up...'

But another question arose: why did everyone else's faith fusion result in a true rger, while his own "fusion" didn't actually rge at all — it was just switching between Void faiths?

Was it because Deceit and Fate had opposing views?

No — that didn't seem quite right. There had to be deeper reasons. Next ti he had an audience with Them, he absolutely needed to find out.

Cheng Shi pondered silently for a while, then looked back at Zhang Jizu on the chair and pouted:

"Squinty Old Zhang, you didn't just co here to rub it in, did you?

How long does this little skull form last?

One-way?

Does that lord's gadget have another one? Can it also..."

Before he could finish, Zhang Jizu snorted softly and spat sothing out of his hollow mouth — a key forged from bone.

Cheng Shi blinked. 'There actually is one?'

He quickly snatched up the key, only to discover it was no longer than a finger. One side bore two delicately carved characters: Cheng Shi.

'Hiss—'

'What is this — an employee badge?'

"A communication tool. A tool for

to pray to Him.

Unlike certain people with their competitive streaks, I'm pragmatic. Mutual information exchange between allies is a necessity."

'Allies?'

'That's a fresh term.'

Cheng Shi pocketed the key and laughed heartily: "So I can go hang out in your cetery now? Perfect — my neighbor's gone, and I keep running out of corpses. Looks like you're here to make deliveries, then.

But Old Zhang — what do we call this... alliance of ours?"

"?" Zhang Jizu froze, blinking.

'Allies are allies. Why does it need a na?'

'Do friends who help each other really need a fancy title?'

He looked at Cheng Shi yet again with exasperation and sighed:

"Visits don't have unlimited ti. Breaking through the Convention's constraints to reach this place cost that lord considerable effort. So say what you need to say — ti's almost up."

Cheng Shi hadn't actually planned to establish any formal alliance. But the conversation had reminded him of the Destined Ones he'd ford with Big Cat, and he figured — since they were cooperating anyway — he might as well create so kind of organization with Squinty too.

Thinking it over: they were both Deceit followers, both clowns. So why not call this "alliance"...

"Joker.

We're both this world's Jokers — standing on Deceit's stage, performing our absurd acts to tell the gods the story of Void.

Praise Deceit. What do you think, Old Zhang?"

There was no response from the rooftop. The little skull on the chair had vanished before he'd even finished his second sentence.

"..."

Staring at the empty rooftop, Cheng Shi clicked his tongue with an awkward expression.

'Ha.

— the clown. The Joker among Jokers.'

...