When the two circled behind the theater's backstage and up to a rafter near the ceiling on the second floor, they finally found Zhang Jizu — hidden here.
Mi Laozhang had been dozing with his eyes closed, apparently waiting for Cheng Shi a long ti.
He heard the noise and opened his eyes. When he saw Zhen Xin following Cheng Shi, those just-opened eyes imdiately squinted shut again.
"So it's you, Zhen Xin."
Zhen Xin studied Zhang Jizu thoughtfully, nodding with mild surprise.
"So that's where my flaw was.
Interesting — your relationship is clearly much closer than I imagined. Outdated intelligence does lead to blind spots. But I'll note it for next ti."
"?" Cheng Shi stopped in his tracks, forgetting to ask Mi Laozhang for an explanation. He spun around and shot Zhen Xin a look. "Next ti?"
Zhen Xin laughed lightly. "Relax — not impersonating you. It's about refining and cautioning my own disguise thods."
"You'd better an that..."
Eye twitching, Cheng Shi turned back to Zhang Jizu. The two Jokers didn't say a word — just locked eyes for an instant, as though a thousand words had already passed between them.
Zhang Jizu read the question in Cheng Shi's gaze: "What happened here? Where's Crown?" And Cheng Shi caught a flash of helplessness and powerlessness in Mi Laozhang's eyes.
So it was a force no mortal could resist that had shattered his plan. None of the Players present could have left the Death Chosen this deflated.
Seeing Cheng Shi's confusion, Mi Laozhang sighed and pulled from his left pocket a... sprawling thousand-word report!
The thorough Steady-ite had anticipated this scene the mont he failed to protect Crown. To avoid triggering the trial's settlent by speaking too much, he'd written down everything.
And the story on that paper delivered yet another shock to the two newcors.
...
Rewind slightly. Shift to Zhang Jizu's perspective.
When the Cheng-Shi-played Crown was dismbered on stage, Deceit's descent silenced the theater like winter cicadas.
But He didn't leave after that sneer. He appeared on the rafters, dragged the unprepared Mi Laozhang and the trussed-up Crown into the Void together — granting these two mortals the supre honor of a divine audience.
Of course, the true guest was Crown. The mont Zhang Jizu was pulled into the Void, he was "muted." He couldn't voice a single praise or greeting. He stood there like a frozen witness — mortified and stunned.
As for Crown... he was even more shocked than the Player. This was the first ti since his birth — since San Dales' "creation" — that anyone had touched transcendent power. And he was face-to-face with a supre Him. So the instant the Fun God untied his bonds, Crown's legs buckled and he collapsed before those eyes.
Those star-flecked, spiraling irises studied the "follower" with interest and chuckled:
"You wish to follow ?"
Crown prostrated imdiately, voice trembling with excitent: "Yes — I want to follow You — no, praise You — I an, I don't not want to follow You — it's that I feel I should praise You before answering — I..."
"Save it. If I enjoyed formalities, I wouldn't be here today.
For you, clown, I have only one question:
Will you follow ?"
Crown nodded frantically. But mid-nod, he gradually stopped. Conflict crossed his face. After a mont's courage, he gritted his teeth and asked:
"Great God of Joy — forgive my boldness — but is San Dales saved?"
Those eyes sneered. "No."
No!?
How could it be no!?
You descended because of their devotion — how could it be no?
Crown's mind went blank. Trembling, he straightened and looked up at those eyes — eyes that seed to embody the universe's mirth — in disbelief.
"Wh... why?"
Another sneer.
"No why. They're not funny. So they don't deserve salvation."
Crown's face froze. Fear was written across every feature. The deity wasn't what he'd imagined.
They sat high above and truly didn't need to care about mortals. But Crown was different. He was born here, raised here. His sole wish was to be useful — useful to San Dales.
That's why he'd rejoiced when faith first flickered. Not purely out of newborn piety, but because he'd finally seen a chance to fulfill his wish — to matter to San Dales.
Rember: this land had never known faith. Nobody could expect soone grown in such soil to develop devotion overnight. Not even Crown, who was closer to piety than anyone.
But the clown hadn't given up. He sensed divine goodwill. If his "Benefactor" truly didn't care about this place, there'd be no audience. So he saw another chance — one to prove his devotion and maybe save San Dales.
He raised his head once more, trembling, and pleaded:
"I'm funny!
Great God of Joy — I'm funnier than any of them."
"And?"
"I wish to ask You to take my mouth, my tongue, my ears... everything I am — and give them to the people. That way, they'll beco as funny as .
I'll spread Your faith with my flesh and blood. And You'll gain a host of funny followers. A win-win!
My Benefactor..."
Crown's voice quaked on "my Benefactor." He wasn't sure his "insolence" would be forgiven. But whatever Deceit's response, when Mi Laozhang — standing beside them — heard those words, he sighed internally.
The plan was dead.
Cheng Shi's sche had crumbled.
mory hadn't been overwritten. And the one correcting this mory was none other than the Fun God Himself.
Why was He here correcting history? Why not save His own follower?
Had the Fun God yielded to mory?
No — impossible. He'd probably struck a new deal with His opposite number. But what deal required this person who looked like a Seedling Follower — or even like Yu Xi — as a bargaining chip!?
The Secret Peeping Ear clearly originated from Crown. But was he truly Cheng Shi's "Envoy Yu Xi"?
Zhang Jizu's head filled with question marks, but he couldn't ask. He could only watch in silence.
Those stellar eyes gazed down, amused, studying Crown.
"You're making demands of ?"
"No — begging."
"You think you're devout?"
"No... Great God of Joy, I intend to prove my devotion through action."
"Even at the cost of your life?"
"...Yes." Crown pressed his forehead to the ground, trembling head to toe.
"Tch—
You really are quite funny."
...
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