Cheng Shi's eyelid twitched. "Is this how you normally throw your sister under the bus?"
Zhen Xin smiled carelessly. "She's caused
so much trouble. Why can't I cause her a little?"
Cheng Shi blinked. 'Fair point!'
But given the current picture... were those troubles really caused by Zhen Yi herself?
You borrow her talent, wear her identity, accomplish your goals — then erase her mory. After that, who besides you would know whether any of it was really Zhen Yi's doing?
With Zhen Yi's personality, when attacked she'd probably double down on the chaos rather than imdiately shed the bla. So over ti, the black marks above her head would only pile higher.
And as her sister — the steady player constantly cleaning up after the younger sibling — Zhen Xin naturally earned more and more... "recognition." After all, from a certain angle, she too was a victim.
But was she really a victim?
Cheng Shi's pupils contracted.
'Wait—'
'So this is the advantage of dual personality?'
'Arsonist sister Zhen Yi. Sincere and steady sister Zhen Xin!'
'Beautiful. Your solo two-man show is a masterpiece!'
Fear crept in. Steadiness reasserted itself. He eyed the "harmless" Zhen Xin suspiciously and stepped back half a pace.
"Zhen Xin — you wouldn't be planning to fra , would you? Announcing in Zhen Yi's na that she gave the ears she obtained to ?"
Zhen Xin snorted, tilted her head in thought, then nodded with a smile. "Hmm, that's a good idea. I'll consider it."
"?"
'Oh no — the great Cheng Steady has just supplied the enemy with ammunition!?'
"Relax and stop being paranoid. I did all this to save ti on explanations.
So — can we talk now, Cheng Shi? What kind of world are you referring to?"
Indeed — Zhen Xin and the Blind One were kindred spirits in their hunger for mysteries. The mont the topic arose, they could discard everything else — even the fact that she'd lost the treasure race.
But the Blind One had surely told Zhen Xin already. What more did she want?
"Didn't the Fate Chosen already explain it to you?"
"Yes, but not in detail. I'd like a supplentary perspective. It'll help complete my understanding of the world."
"What do you want to know?"
"Whether she ca from a parallel tiline... or from an entirely different world."
Cheng Shi silently marveled at her sharpness, but played dumb. "Isn't that the sa thing?"
Zhen Xin laughed and shook her head.
"Of course not.
But I understand — that's extra, isn't it?"
'?'
'The girl's polished. No wonder she runs the ga's biggest intel organization.'
Cheng Shi smiled. He looked relaxed, but his mind was carefully weighing options.
Should he exchange this colossal secret with her? It was priceless — almost impossible to match with equivalent intel. Sharing it ant adding Zhen Xin to his "ally" circle. Only then could he freely engage this intelligence queen in a deep analysis of the ga, the situation, and Them.
He wanted to. But Zhen Yi's existence made this "ally" slightly unstable.
His entire impression of Zhen Xin had been built from others' accounts. His sole direct encounter was one long con. But through this trial, he'd learned a bit more.
And now, with the Secret Peeping Ear's help, he might have a better chance to truly understand her.
After a mont's deliberation, he decided, and smiled.
"Talking with a clever colleague is entertaining. I'll skip the pleasantries.
By the rules of equivalent exchange of secrets: for
to share mine, you share yours first.
So, Zhen Xin — dare you have a completely honest, heart-to-heart exchange with ?
Or to put it differently: can I trust you?"
Zhen Xin blinked in mild surprise. The sincerity felt genuine. But she hadn't planned to build this deep a connection — she'd been considering how to recruit this intel-rich con artist...
Into the History School.
After reviewing his mories and watching him save Ming Yu, Zhen Xin believed she'd gotten a read on Cheng Shi. A "good person" redeed by paternal love. She didn't mind such people — even admired them.
Add his mysterious yet repeatedly validated divine intel, and she figured a vice-president seat would suffice.
After all, if the president was a liar — adding another liar as VP seed... reasonable.
But apparently he wanted far more than that.
Zhen Xin deliberated briefly, then mused:
"So it's the latter. The world's parallelism isn't a product of Ti's projection — there's another secret.
Cheng Shi, I don't entirely buy your 'heart-to-heart' talk. But... considering you probably need a partner..."
"Hmm?"
Cheng Shi laughed in disbelief.
'Sister — listen to yourself. Where's your self-awareness? You—'
Zhen Xin raised a hand and interrupted his inner rant with total confidence.
"Settle down. I've been fooling myself for so long that I can tell when others are fooling themselves too.
No need to hide it. You do need this kind of partner — soone you can trust with your back, like Hong Lin. But different from Hong Lin. Because we both know she'd give you everything she has — even her life. But she can never give you... intellectual support or strategic feedback."
"..."
Cheng Shi didn't want Big Cat subjected to such a "put-down." But this ti, he truly couldn't argue. Not one bit.
"I see it's true." Zhen Xin chuckled. "Sorry — I'll find a chance to apologize to Hong Lin. But my point is: to a degree, I really can help you.
I'm growing more curious about the secrets you carry. And to set your mind at ease about sharing them...
Co. Let's exchange.
I know what you need."
She produced a card — a gold-edged poker card. On its face: two hands, each clutching a beating heart.
"Silence's S-rank talent — Unspoken Understanding.
Hold this card. No voice needed, no questions asked. You'll see the inner secrets I choose to share. No loopholes. No faking.
Well? Is this sincerity enough?"
"..."
Cheng Shi stared. Neither Brother Mouth nor Brother Ear objected, which ant Zhen Xin was almost certainly telling the truth. He'd heard of this Silence talent, but it had always been used to extract from others. Rarely did anyone use it in reverse.
He studied Zhen Xin for a long mont, uncertain.
"You're serious?"
"Absolutely." Zhen Xin's smile was open.
"Because of the Fate Chosen?"
Zhen Xin nodded firmly. "Yes. The mont you saved Ming Yu, you earned my unconditional trust."
"But I didn't save—"
"Every Ming Yu is Ming Yu." Zhen Xin's smile was warm. "Co — with a true heart... et Zhen Xin."
She extended the poker card before Cheng Shi's eyes.
...
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