Cheng Shi looked at the door. When a black-dressed blind woman with a faintly cold bearing pushed her way in, he raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Not her!
But honestly — this was exactly how Cheng Shi had always pictured the original Blind One. A mysteriously cool woman who perfectly matched every archetype of a prophet. Except for the reckless fortune-telling.
He was about to tease this "outsider" again when Qin Xin — having laid eyes on this particular Blind One — broke into a knowing smile.
"Destiny has always favored you, Ming Yu. Welco back."
The Blind One smiled faintly and nodded to Qin Xin:
"An interesting trial. I've t many versions of you — and many versions of the Fate Weaver."
She turned to Cheng Shi, a trace of complexity crossing her face.
"Qin Xin varies slightly across every tiline. But you're different. Every version of you... is nearly identical.
Besides minor differences in awareness and experience that let
tell you apart, I almost can't distinguish one of you from another. And... I'm sorry, Qin Xin. Though the Torchbearers try not to bother our friends too much, I couldn't resist — I secretly invited him each ti. I don't know how many versions I t, but without exception, every one refused .
What a failed day. At least today, He doesn't seem to have granted
any luck."
"..." Qin Xin was obviously exasperated by the Blind One's invitations. But Cheng Shi — hearing these words — felt his brain nearly explode.
"!!??"
Sothing was wrong. Very wrong!
This was definitely not the Blind One who'd been with him from the start!
That Blind One was far warr — in both attitude and tone. This An Mingyu was too cold. She did resemble a mysterious prophet — but she didn't resemble the Destined One he'd recruited today!
Yet Qin Xin said she was the right one. What was going on — was his judgnt off? Was Qin Xin compromised too?
Impossible!
The Torchbearers would never pull off a Deceit-style trick in this regard. They had no reason to. So had Qin Xin misjudged?
Also impossible. Could the Torchbearers' founder fail to recognize his own Fire Seeker?
Absurd.
If Qin Xin couldn't tell, he wouldn't have exposed the previous Blind One's identity with those revealing words. He was clearly searching for his Fire Seeker too. So why would he be wrong?
Cheng Shi's gaze darkened. He produced the Rainbow Orchid bouquet and asked both of them with utmost gravity:
"Set down your Master of Deception Cards. Answer my next question. Qin Xin, Chosen One — this question is critical. Critical enough that I may need to re-evaluate my teammates."
Both Torchbearers froze. Seeing Cheng Shi's seriousness, they frowned, exchanged a "look," then nodded and tucked their cards away.
With no Deceit protection left, Cheng Shi asked directly: "During the trial's first morning — when we split up for the first ti — what color were the ball-flowers you saw?"
"Red."
"Blue-violet."
"???"
"!!!"
As expected — soone was wrong!
The two answers rang out simultaneously. But when the words landed, both Torchbearers stared at each other in disbelief. A sharp gleam flickered through Qin Xin's eyes. His piercing gaze drilled into the Blind One — clearly stunned that she wasn't from this tiline after all.
The Blind One was even more shocked. She'd tracked Qin Xin using Void's perception — a sense that had convinced her she'd found the right person. How could it still be wrong?
Could the Cheng Shi and Qin Xin before her both be "present discrepancies" from her perspective?
Regardless of what An Mingyu labeled Cheng Shi, he'd confird she was definitely a discrepancy. aning the last hour-mark swap hadn't brought back the real An Mingyu!
So the "present discrepancy" Blind One was a cold-tempered prophet?
Cheng Shi looked to Qin Xin for confirmation. But Qin Xin's brow was deeply furrowed — clearly unwilling to accept his own misjudgnt.
The Torchbearers' founder raised a silence tool, approached the Blind One with a tight expression — apparently about to compare private details. At that mont, the Doctor — who'd been silently observing — suddenly spoke, back still turned to Cheng Shi:
"It's not her. I have a clear impression of the prophet who originally traveled with you. She was far warr than this An Mingyu."
"?"
Cheng Shi wasn't sure what the Doctor's sudden offer of help ant. He eyed Wang Mou suspiciously — but the Doctor's gaze hadn't shifted. Instead, he slightly raised both hands, as if showing Cheng Shi sothing.
"I have no Deceit protections. What I'm saying is: that was the truth. And I can also tell a lie."
After a pause, the Doctor delivered his lie:
"I've mastered every step of the experint."
Then, with a straight face: "The experint is complex. The step of isolating from mixed Divinity alone is imnsely ti-consuming. I'm telling you this because I want you to be an asset to my observation — not noisy distractions arguing about identity in my ear.
If you really care so much, do
a favor. Throw
out of this tiline. Maybe I'll find a quieter world to study my experint in peace."
Cheng Shi curled his lip: "Doctor — has it occurred to you that maybe the current world is the quietest one?"
"..."
Indeed, the clown's sarcasm was inherited straight from his Benefactor. Before long, Wang Mou decided he shouldn't have engaged.
But before the Torchbearers reached a conclusion, Cheng Shi added: "Do you know your own identity?"
Wang Mou frowned slightly and sighed: "If you an my identity as a slice — then yes. I've always known."
"!!!" Cheng Shi was stunned. "You don't seem to care?"
"I don't concern myself with useless things. Scattered thoughts only slow my approach to Truth.
Until soone has drawn sufficiently close to Him, nobody can declare with certainty whether they're a slice. If I approach Truth more closely than every other slice — or even the original — I can entirely rewrite and overrule the cosmos's laws, making the whole world believe I am the original and the so-called original is the slice.
Though by that point, I probably won't care about such distinctions anymore. Even now, I hardly care.
Fate Weaver, if you need soone to chat with, I suggest you go talk to the NPCs. The Abyssal Volcano — a subject even the Tower of Logic hasn't fully cracked — remains a rich trove of knowledge. Searching for worlds and teammates here is a complete waste of ti. Compared to knowledge, personal identity is worthless."
"..."
You couldn't have a lengthy conversation with a true Truth believer. They might not look down their nose at you like a Folly follower, but their blunt corrections were even more infuriating — because you knew they were usually right.
'Fine, fine, fine — that single-minded efficiency-über-alles attitude is exactly like the original Wang Mou.'
So if even the Truth believer confird the Blind One was off, then the current Blind One really did have issues.
Seeing Qin Xin still arguing with the placid An Mingyu, brows locked tight, Cheng Shi sighed. He decided to follow good advice and go talk to the local NPCs.
He'd brought Shi Lolin up here a while ago. Ti to complete her commission. Right now was safe — and before the next hour mark, hopefully the Torchbearers would reach so conclusion.
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