Foolish Game of the Chapter 812: A Blame That Flew In from the Past

"Zhang-lao, that's too much. Not helping

is one thing — but 'stay away'?" The Trench Coat Cheng Shi closest to Zhang Jizu darkened his expression, jabbing a finger at the squinting man.

"Yeah, stay away is right. You really think you're Cheng Shi, huh.

Fine, fine — you're all Cheng Shi. I'm Zhen Yi, how about that?

Heeheehee~

Mi... lao Zhang, wait up. I'll walk with you."

The sole Jacket Cheng Shi hurried over, but Zhang Jizu acted deaf. He sealed the corpse away using a specialized technique, then headed for what appeared to be the sewer's exit without looking back.

Ai Si shot the cluster of Cheng Shis a half-amused glance and chuckled.

"Liars will be liars. The mont I realized you were a liar, I understood your score couldn't possibly be so re 1,501. I just didn't expect your rank to be even higher than I'd imagined.

Gentlen — I've got a rough guess at who each of you might be, and this tier of trial is way above my pay grade. But I know my limits. I won't get involved in your feud. However...

Surna Cheng — you should know how to prove your identity to . So if you need , co find .

I'll repay the debt I owe you for saving my life.

Well then — good luck, everyone."

With that, Ai Si flicked her ponytail, dragged her massive blade, and fell into step behind Zhang Jizu. Once again, three Cheng Shis were left on their own.

They exchanged a three-way glance and, within this labyrinthine sewer network, chose completely different paths.

Direction didn't actually matter. What mattered was that to enlist teammates' help or accomplish their goals, each of them first had to shake the other two.

All three clearly thought the sa thing. So they separated again.

Cheng Shi took the path he'd co from. He was now wearing the jacket, which ant another one of the "Cheng Shis" had also joined the wardrobe shuffle. Apparently every Cheng Shi here was "hiding sothing."

He retreated a long way, until both impostor silhouettes had vanished from sight, then furrowed his brow and returned to the spot where the dead Player's body had originally lain.

He ticulously scanned the surrounding traces, searching for any sign of the "hidden" teammate.

This was critical, because he too suspected the vanished teammate was likely Zhen Yi — or possibly even Zhen Xin, since the absence of Zhen Yi among the other two Cheng Shis made Zhen Xin's appearance far more probable.

He recalled that Zhen Xin still owed him a favor, and that she'd said she'd make it sothing tangible.

So...

Was it possible that her idea of "tangible" was fetching the ear and offering it as a thank-you gift?

If that was truly the case, he absolutely could not let her beat him to it.

'I'm already at the ear's front door. If I let you snag it under my nose and then gift wrap it for , I lose twice!'

With that thought, he examined the traces even more intently.

Mi Laozhang had taken the corpse, which made reconstructing the scene significantly harder. Understandable choice, but still — were three Cheng Shis really that repellent?

'No — he's probably just avoiding those other nuisances.'

Searching, searching — and Cheng Shi found sothing. As his sweep widened, he discovered that one segnt of the iron grate at the end of this branch pipe was loose.

He removed the segnt, revealing a small gap at the grate's top. Too small for an adult — a child could squeeze through, at best. But for Players, such an obstacle was negligible. He demolished the entire grate and entered the far end of the branch pipe.

anwhile, elsewhere.

The sewer system was staggeringly vast and complex. Zhang Jizu led Ai Si through passage after passage, choosing his direction instantly at every junction, pushing steadily toward the "exit."

Ai Si observed him the entire way. It wasn't until she felt a whisper of cold at the end of one main tunnel that she realized the Death Chosen had been using temperature differences as his compass.

His ticulousness reminded her of certain Truth followers she'd t. So, after staying silent for nearly the entire walk, curiosity finally got the better of her.

"You've fused with Truth?"

"Yes." Zhang Jizu didn't turn around, still walking, eyes scanning every direction, ears tuned to every sound — all while casually chatting with Ai Si. "Sotis Truth lets you see the world more clearly."

"Figures. The strong always gravitate toward Truth. But on that note — you and surna Cheng, are you close?"

"Not particularly.

We've been matched a few tis. Sa as you?"

Ai Si's footsteps hitched. Sothing clearly unpleasant surfaced in her mory, and she pursed her lips.

"I've only been matched with him once. And he did technically save .

It was a Chaos trial in the Kingdom of War. We got caught up in a mutiny — targeted by a rebel army. We were on the brink of total wipe.

That liar — though I didn't know he was a liar at the ti — was playing the role of a rcy Lord.

Thanks to the collapsing situation, his compassion was fully condensed, so the two of us priests managed to keep our team alive through one crisis after another. But the mutiny was too massive. Six re Players couldn't possibly survive its epicenter.

Just when we'd all given up hope, surna Cheng pulled out a small pouch of potions."

Here, Ai Si's tone turned to teeth-gnashing fury, punctuated by sidelong glances at Zhang Jizu.

"They were called 'Dead Disgust.' He said he'd purchased these life-preserving potions from the Death Chosen's own hands at exorbitant cost. Spent a fortune on them. If not for a situation that dire, he'd never have shared them."

"..." Hearing this, Zhang Jizu's eye twitched. This bla inexplicably flying at him from the past left him montarily speechless. "I see. I take it the potions were expensive."

"Oh yes. We practically emptied our pockets. But can any potion be worth more than your life?!

Stay alive and there's still a chance. Dead ans ga over.

The potions did work, fortunately. After they kicked in, we played dead among the corpses, let the soldiers stab us for good asure, and then — once the human wave passed — we dressed in rebel uniforms, morphed from the losing side into the winning side, and survived.

But when I tried to buy more bottles from him afterward, in the ruins where I'd scavenged plenty of loot, he flat-out refused to sell."

"Because there was never any such thing."

"Exactly. I only caught on later, spotting clues in the chat channel. Those potions never existed. It was all a scam — swindled from Void itself!"

Zhang Jizu paused mid-step, narrowed eyes turning to Ai Si with a slight smile.

"War Supervisor — say what you want to say. There's no need to share this much unprompted. Sincerity laced with ulterior motive is suspicious in its own right.

Yes, Cheng Shi deceived you all. But he did save you. You clearly hold a grudge over it, yet you keep circling back to those potions. Don't tell

you're hoping to trade for so life-saving supplies from ?"

"Yes." Ai Si admitted it freely. "My reason for being here is simple. I heard San Dales has leftover divinity fragnts and wanted to try my luck.

But the instant I saw you and three Cheng Shis, I knew this trial had nothing to do with

anymore.

I may not be a textbook War follower, but when it cos to brainwork, I know I'm utterly outmatched by Deceit followers — to say nothing of two other people bold enough to impersonate one.

So my objective changed. Now I just want to stay alive.

And Gravekeeper — you understand keeping people alive better than anyone."

"If you're not lying, then you've made the right choice." Zhang Jizu smiled aningfully and continued walking toward the distance. "Though I'm curious — when did that trial of yours happen?"

"End of the third month after the Faith Ga descended. I rember clearly, because that day I changed my birthday. My day of rebirth."

"End of the third month... Dead Disgust...

Hmm. Let's keep moving. The exit's just ahead."

...