The sa familiar platform, drenched in swirling yellow chaos-mist.
When Cheng Shi opened his eyes, he found himself draped once again in a murky yellow ceremonial robe. Beyond that, a passage had opened within the chaos-mist at the platform's edge, and from within the Mockery and Jeering on the opposite side, a familiar figure erged.
A large, round face propped against a golden apricot tree, lumbering forward with labored steps.
Hu Wei!
His good "big bro" was back — but this ti, alone.
At the sight, Cheng Shi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He'd always found the idea of Chaos followers seeking an audience through the Mockery and Jeering absurd, yet the mont he rembered that his current self was Deceit fused with Chaos, the arrangent suddenly made perfect sense.
Apparently, the Fun God's collaboration with Chaos went back much further than he'd imagined. And this privilege of walking through the Void was likely the sweetener the Fun God had offered to Chaos's followers.
But now that Chaos had fully beco Order, this temple was clearly vacant. The one in charge appeared to be Kataro — or perhaps himself...
'Given the situation, doesn't the Fun God have designs on this temple?'
'That doesn't sound like Him at all...'
With that thought, Cheng Shi glanced nervously toward the far end of the Chaos Steps, wondering whether Chaos had left any contingencies inside the temple and whether a minor figure like Kataro could actually fend off the Fun God's covetous eyes.
As he mulled it over, Hu Wei arrived. The mont he appeared, he launched into a torrent of praise for Cheng Shi, though the tone carried an undercurrent of heaviness. After a beat, he got straight to the point.
"My lord, Da Yi has gone missing."
"?"
Cheng Shi was lost for words.
'What is going on today?'
'Have I beco the missing-persons bureau?'
'Why does everyone co to
with the exact sa line?'
'And besides — soone at Da Yi's level can still go missing? Has he beco a consumable too?'
After a mont of stunned silence, Cheng Shi nodded. "I'm aware of this matter."
Hu Wei wasn't surprised by the Envoy's nonchalance — after all, Lord Ultraman was a divine Envoy, lofty and presumably omniscient. What worried him was that the four-man squad originally assigned by the lord had now dwindled to him alone. That ant he'd have no one he could trust for executing the lord's secret mission, and his efficiency would drop significantly.
He wasn't worried about lacking the ability to complete the task. He was worried that the delay would lower the lord's opinion of him.
So Hu Wei hadn't co to ask for help finding people — he'd co to request new personnel. Just like last ti, he desperately needed teammates he could trust at this level.
Cheng Shi had understood his "big bro's" intentions the mont he heard of Da Yi's disappearance. A re missing-player case wouldn't warrant being reported to an Envoy. But he genuinely didn't know any Chaos followers, and he certainly couldn't summon players on the god's behalf.
'How should I respond?'
After a mont's thought, a flash of inspiration struck.
If Chaos was still willing to let him play the role of Ultraman, and if Kataro even sought his approval for audiences — then perhaps his authority here extended far beyond what he'd assud. Maybe even personnel assignnts were within his purview?
After all, he was half a Chaos follower himself. Even if he couldn't recruit others, recruiting himself should be fine... right?
So he arched an eyebrow and, as Hu Wei bowed in waiting, delivered a response that visibly stunned the man.
"Our Lord has recently granted an audience to a new player. If you find yourself lacking support on your travels, feel free to contact him for assistance."
'A new player?'
Hu Wei froze. His first thought went to the nas just below his on the rankings — wondering who had caught Lord Ultraman's eye, and whether they might threaten his own position. But after chewing on the lord's phrasing, a look of surprise crossed his face:
"My lord, from what you're saying... this person doesn't seem to be one of our Lord's followers?"
Cheng Shi nodded without hesitation:
"Correct. Our Lord intended to offer him a fusion with Chaos.
However, his original Benefactor is... not one to be trifled with. So the matter was shelved. But cooperating with you on a task or two should pose no problem.
Besides, you're familiar with this follower. He is a Fate Weaver from the Void path."
'Void?'
'And a Fate Weaver?'
'Wait — huh?'
"Cheng Shi?!" Hu Wei blurted, sohow arriving at his buddy's na as his very first guess. "Our Lord granted an audience to Cheng Shi?"
Seeing his big bro's face turn green, Cheng Shi nearly broke character. Suppressing a laugh, he nodded. "Correct. Just recently, He granted Cheng Shi an audience."
"..."
At those words, Hu Wei's expression soured into visible envy.
He had been running himself ragged for Chaos. Maybe he hadn't executed every single mission flawlessly, but he'd always delivered results. He'd even manufactured spectacular "chaos" in the affair of stealing the War Chosen's position — surely enough to earn his Benefactor's appreciation and a personal audience. Yet here he was, having encountered a god or two from other faiths but never once receiving a word from his own Benefactor.
Sure, an audience with Lord Ultraman was technically equivalent to an audience with a god. But with that extra layer in between, it just didn't feel as good as a direct audience in the temple above!
Hu Wei didn't dare look up at the temple, lest it displease the lord before him. So he swallowed his "grievances" and consoled himself: maybe he was just unlucky. After all, his brother Cheng Shi had been granted audiences with Fate, and Fate hadn't even summoned His own Chosen One, An Mingyu.
That thought made him feel slightly better.
'Yeah. Just a bit short on luck, that's all.'
Cheng Shi naturally saw through Hu Wei's feelings, but he was playing Ultraman, not Chaos. Granting divine audiences was beyond his authority.
Besides, the current Chaos wasn't chaotic anymore. He couldn't very well bring his "big bro" to the Grand Tribunal for an audience with the Iron Law of Order, could he?
Still, Cheng Shi knew that if you wanted your "underling" to work hard, you had to dangle so incentive. So after establishing the groundwork about his own identity, he thought for a mont and offered reassurance:
"This audience was rely our Lord extending a gesture of goodwill to the Void. That Fate Weaver has already fused with Deceit, becoming a true walker of the Void path. That's why our Lord was interested enough to summon him for a look.
However, very few know of this. Now that you're privy to it, feel free to use it to get closer to him and observe the movents of the Void."
"Cheng Shi fused with Deceit?"
Hu Wei was shocked again — though it also made a certain sense. In his estimation, Cheng Shi had always been a slippery character!
But Fate fusing with Deceit — wasn't that a perfect match for the Void path?
If even his own Benefactor wanted to draw closer to the Void, then didn't that an his good brother had already stolen a march and beco the "ta answer"?
Hu Wei furrowed his brow slightly, already scheming about how to reconnect with this "unfamiliar" brother of his.
Cheng Shi had no idea what Hu Wei was thinking. To give Hu Wei so extra motivation, he added with a smile:
"Indeed. Fusion can no longer be stopped — the tide of faith will eventually sweep everyone up.
Previously, our Lord observed and planned before acting, making no promises. Now the ti has co to offer you so guidance.
Hu Wei — is there a faith you wish to fuse with?"
"!!!"
The mont those words registered, Hu Wei's brain detonated.
An eruption of ecstasy surging up from the depths of his soul seized every last scrap of his rationality, and the "Grand Marshal's" composure crumbled entirely.
"Any faith at all, my lord?"
"..." Cheng Shi's eyes darted. 'He's not going to pick Origin like I did, is he? Besides, this is just a pie in the sky — whether it's even what He intends is another matter entirely. I'm only testing Hu Wei's attitude. As for whether it actually works out...'
'Even if it doesn't, that would be because Chaos abandoned us and defected to the Order camp. What does that have to do with Ultraman?'
"Chaos knows no constraints. Speak freely."
"I want to... fuse with Deceit!"
"?"
...
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