Unknown reality. An unknown rooftop in so unknown city.
A leather-jacketed youth stood behind another young man who sat on the building's edge, legs dangling, eating a al. Gazing at the enormous root systems that crisscrossed and pierced the sky throughout the distant city, he sighed quietly.
"What — feeling sentintal?" The eating youth drained the last of his sli drink, wiped his mouth, and smirked. "Think Jiang Chi was right?"
The leather-jacketed youth shook his head with a wry smile:
"Self-preservation is human instinct. I can't judge that — anyone who finds a lifeline in this world will clutch it for dear life.
Wanting to live in another world? Sure, why not. Plenty of people from our side have already run.
But the thing is — that lifeline wasn't sothing he found himself. You found it, boss. So to take an opportunity from the Destined Ones and then imdiately wipe his mory to sever the connection...
Hah. Trying to play native?
Not that easy. No wonder Destiny never sheltered him again."
The eating youth gathered his trash, stood up, and took his own place at the rooftop's edge, staring into the distance. Watching the countless gargantuan, terrifying roots swaying against the horizon — perpetually leeching nutrients from the present world — he clicked his tongue:
"That side... what did they say?"
"Nothing extra. Very cautious. Cautious like you, boss.
Honestly, if he hadn't barely given
any instructions, there were monts I'd have thought he was you.
But his reaction to Jiang Chi was 'big.' He deliberately slowed the conversation when ntioning him, which ans he's already run into Jiang Chi.
Crossing the barrier through a Ti gap creates a Ti entanglent — people connected to that entanglent keep drifting closer... Perhaps Jiang Chi's already picked up that 'distorted-Ti gravity.'
Which ans Poison's understanding of Ti seems correct after all. Existence's power really does quietly influence everything, silently patching whatever gaps appear.
And that also ans we don't need to clean up anymore. Because knowing you, boss — once Jiang Chi crosses the other you, well... he won't live long."
The youth on the edge turned, giving the one behind him a "you want to try rephrasing that?" look. The leather-jacket's eyelid twitched. He instantly corrected himself:
"The Ti believer thought he'd escaped Destiny. Little did he know — that's a kind of Destiny too.
Another world's Destiny will deal with him. Nothing wrong with that take, right?"
The youth in front nodded, smile growing radiant. But mid-smile, his brow furrowed again:
"Jiang Chi doesn't matter. What matters is the attitude Ti expressed through the trial.
I had in-depth conversations with several Qin Xins. Learned a few things, but this whole 'divine slices' theory still feels off to ."
"Boss, you... didn't ask?"
"I did." At this, the youth picked up the die beside him and sighed. "Every single one of Them ignored . Forget it — They're all busy headaching over the Convention. We'll have to figure this out ourselves."
"Fine. Where to next?"
"Mid-Chaos Epoch. Civilization Lonely Tower No. 413. There's a small town nearby called Redi Core.
Go rally the troops. See how many are free at ho."
The leather-jacket froze, looking confused. But monts later his eyes blew wide with disbelief: "The Eye of Mockery? You got a lead?"
"Mm. Probably there. Just not sure about the timing. Let's go check — hopefully luck's on our side." The youth in front dusted himself off and grinned. "Co on — what are you standing there for?"
"Wait — boss, where'd you get this intel?"
The youth tapped his own ear, lips curving into a playful smile: "My ears told . Accidentally overheard a little secret of Wei Mu's. That Folly believer — he sure hides things deep."
...
Reality. A cramped, run-down apartnt in so unknown city.
Li Wufang woke up. He jolted upright from the sofa, imdiately pulling out the three dice in his hand.
That's right — three!
The first was the final nto left by the mysterious leather-wearing stranger from his childhood. The second was the so-called Destined One's "token" that Cheng Shi had given him. And the third...
Hard to believe: a player who'd never even received a Destiny die at the Path Starting Point had sohow just — at the very instant the trial ended — been granted an audience with the second deity of Void: Destiny!!
This was Li Wufang's first divine audience. More importantly, it was an audience with the Destiny who'd "accompanied" him through the first half of his life. In that instant — when those cold, spiraling eyes opened before him — he was so nervous he nearly stopped breathing.
He straightened his back, wanting to present the perfect posture for "inspection." Then worried such stiffness might be disrespectful. So he subtly stooped — but how much was respectful? How much was sycophantic? He agonized, until he was twitching in place like a dehydrated shrimp.
Soon the Investigator realized how ridiculous he looked and froze in embarrassnt.
That very embarrassnt chipped away at so of his fear, giving him the courage to look at this Lord of Void.
Destiny seed... very cold.
He felt the frigid wind stirring through the Void and suddenly thought that Destiny should be exactly this cold. That was why the world held so many tragedies that brought people to tears.
But at least his own fate wasn't a tragedy. Good fortune had saved his grandmother and freed him from fearing Destiny's indifference. He knew that no matter how cold the surface appeared, it was all facade — because Destiny's essence was the good luck that sheltered people.
Destiny studied Li Wufang without moving. Those eyes — star-specked, spirals stilled — seed to read his innermost thoughts. The corner of one eye twitched, ever so faintly.
And right then, a die materialized before Li Wufang out of thin air.
Li Wufang was thunderstruck. His pupils contracted — then wild joy erupted from his heart. He reached out, seized the Destiny token. Just as he opened his mouth to praise—
The cold wind from the Void blew him back to reality.
"Praise— hm?"
The Investigator was dumbfounded.
'The audience... that's it?'
'That fast?'
'Hand over a die and done?'
'Wait — did He refuse my praise?'
Li Wufang panicked. He snapped his eyes open, grabbed the die, and prayed at it loudly. But the die showed no response.
'What's happening — was my praise not quick enough?'
Clutching the die Destiny had bestowed, cold sweat beaded on Li Wufang's forehead.
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