Despite the Fun God's mocking tone, He granted Crown's plea.
Those eyes blinked gently. Crown exploded into nothingness within the Void — then the shapeless ripples beca five streams of light, shooting toward three different locations.
In the nearest direction, three streams twisted together, clearly landing in the sa spot.
Zhang Jizu squinted and witnessed everything. He expected to be returned to the trial once Crown's audience ended. But Deceit didn't release him. Instead, He posed a loaded question:
"Do you think the clown's devotion was real... or fake?"
"..."
Cold sweat erupted down Zhang Jizu's spine.
A death-sentence question!
Before a true god who governed the universe's falsehood — how do you judge whether His follower's piety is real or not?
Say real? That desecrates His authority.
Say fake? That desecrates His honor.
Zhang Jizu's mind kicked into overdrive, pouring every ounce of lifeti wisdom into this single mont.
His approach wasn't brute-force trial-and-error — he borrowed another clown's answer sheet, constantly asking himself: "What would Cheng Shi say here?"
And that line of thinking actually yielded an answer.
A few breaths later, Zhang Jizu took a deep breath and replied with utmost solemnity:
"My Benefactor — are you doubting Cheng Shi's devotion?
Understood. I will keep a close eye on his movents and report everything about him to You."
Hearing this, those eyes blazed with a brilliant eruption of Void-colored light. He studied Zhang Jizu with clear satisfaction and nodded.
"Indeed — clowns are funnier than the rest."
Whether the "clown" in His mouth ant Crown, Cheng Shi, or Zhang Jizu himself — Mi Laozhang didn't dare guess.
He simply squinted, lowered his head, feigned ignorance, and stayed silent. When Deceit neither left nor spoke further, Zhang Jizu suddenly realized — his audience had begun!
He snapped his gaze up, eyes slitted tight, and asked his Benefactor the question burning in his mind:
"My Benefactor — when everything belonging to Crown is pieced back together... will Lord Yu Xi... return to this world?"
At the words "Yu Xi," the corners of Deceit's eyes soared. The stars in His pupils flickered wildly, spirals reversing like rivers.
He chuckled, gaze drifting toward sowhere beyond the Void.
"He has never appeared, nor has He ever vanished.
When you know of Him, you do not truly know Him.
When you understand Him, you do not truly understand Him.
Only He knows and understands Himself. And once an outsider truly knows Him, truly understands Him — then He...
Is no longer Him."
With that, Deceit left — carrying a surge of joy that made the Void itself seethe.
The invisible bonds holding Zhang Jizu released simultaneously. He let his body fall through the Void, brow knotted the entire way, parsing the riddle-like divine guidance.
What did He an?
Was Crown really Yu Xi?
If yes — He'd appeared right before Cheng Shi. How could He "never have appeared"?
If no — then who was Yu Xi?
Given Deceit's reaction, the Envoy's existence seed beyond doubt. But His words made the Envoy feel epheral — a phantom without a trace.
Was this what Void ant?
Mi Laozhang sighed with a headache and thought of his other Benefactor.
'The one on the Bone Throne is so much easier to deal with. At least conversation doesn't make your brain hurt.'
'And co to think of it, Death's slow speech is actually an advantage — at least you can relax your neurons between words.'
"..."
Zhang Jizu returned to reality. The instant he was back on the rafter, he wrote down everything and now presented it to Cheng Shi.
Everything — except the riddle about "Yu Xi."
And when Cheng Shi read Mi Laozhang's unedited audience response, his face went pitch black.
He shot Zhang Jizu a withering side-eye. The resentnt was unmistakable: 'So you threw
under the bus.'
'Fine — you dare gossip about
to My Benefactor's face. Don't bla
for doing it right back.'
"Oh — so that's who had such quick wits. A faithful witness, I see.
Mi Laozhang, when did you start cozying up to mory?
Dragon King's disguise was truly a masterstroke. With your level of devotion to mory, another Dragon King must be rising in Void's embrace!"
"..."
Zhang Jizu completely ignored him.
From the mont he'd used Cheng Shi's na as his escape card, he'd expected this sarcastic roasting. But he had to share his response — because he feared Cheng Shi hearing about it from the Fun God later would result in even worse "verbal violence."
Rip the bandage off now. No ti like the present. Today's pain ends today. And if there's more tomorrow, then I'll start sniping back.
So Zhang Jizu slowly closed his eyes. Pretended he couldn't hear.
Zhen Xin, watching from the side, had been pondering the relationship between Crown and Yu Xi. When she caught "Dragon King" from Cheng Shi's mouth, her expression shifted.
"So Li Jingming really did fuse.
His fusion doesn't surprise . But this one..."
She studied Zhang Jizu thoughtfully.
"He fused with Death — that I didn't expect.
What is the Fun God after?"
That last question was clearly directed at Cheng Shi. He could hardly tell Zhen Xin that Mi Laozhang — this lovable oaf — had been first conned by Cheng Shi himself and then tricked by the Fun God into Deceit's camp. Bros were bros. Even after the backstab, given how much Zhang Jizu had contributed in this trial... show the man so face.
As for what the Fun God wanted from Death, Cheng Shi wasn't sure either. So he deflected with a casual excuse, then suddenly turned to Mi Laozhang.
"Old Zhang — do you think she... would work?"
Zhen Xin raised an eyebrow. She imdiately realized the "she" was herself. These two were openly discussing her right in front of her?
And whatever they were about to say seed related to what Li Jingming had left unsaid earlier. Did these three share the sa secret?
Zhen Xin was too sharp. From fragnts and reactions alone, she deduced it was likely so kind of alliance. But she said nothing, asked nothing — just smiled and waited for Zhang Jizu's answer.
Mi Laozhang opened his eyes, studied Zhen Xin for a mont, then looked at Cheng Shi.
"When you asked that question, you already had your answer.
Instead of asking , you'd be better off asking her directly."
Cheng Shi was indeed wavering. He'd genuinely considered pulling Zhen Xin into the Jokers.
Before, he'd reached into the History School through the Blind One. But now, through the Blind One, he'd gone deeper and gotten to know the head of the History School — Zhen Xin herself.
If he could bind Zhen Xin to the Jokers' chariot, he could cut out the middleman...
Well — the Blind One wasn't exactly a middleman. But this arrangent would spare her the awkwardness and guilt of feeling like she was betraying her best friend. After all, regardless of which universe's Zhen Xin and An Mingyu, they'd always be sisters.
And it wasn't just that. Having witnessed Zhen Xin's "stability" in this trial — especially after baring her past through the carte blanche exchange — Cheng Shi felt that this equally "absurd" liar who honored verbal promises was rare. That's what planted the idea.
But he couldn't share the details with Mi Laozhang. Regardless of motive, he had to respect Zhen Xin's privacy. So after long deliberation, he made his decision.
He turned to Zhen Xin, dead serious.
"Are you certain you can control Zhen Yi one hundred percent?"
Zhen Xin blinked, then smiled. "Cheng Shi, you needn't be so guarded against her. You said it yourself — I owe her for getting this far. She's not pure liability. At least to so extent, Zhen Yi is also my weapon."
"..."
This was so sincere that even the Fool's Lips
Secret Peeping Ear combo couldn't produce a "no." And Cheng Shi recalled what the Blind One had once told him: if you understand Zhen Yi — make her actions predictable — she could beco a weapon.
'True. When the "Hee-weapon" is in soone else's hands, I'm on tenterhooks.'
'But if I hold the "Hee-weapon" myself...'
'Hee~'
'Then don't bla
for "killing" you all!'
It clicked. Cheng Shi curved his lips and extended his hand to Zhen Xin.
"Since we've all bared our hearts to this degree, I won't hide anymore. Today I formally invite you to join us.
What do you say, Zhen Xin? Interested?"
Zhen Xin's lips curved to match.
"So you really are an organization. Interesting — an organization composed entirely of His followers?
Who's in it?
From what I know: you, him, and Li Jingming?
Because of Zhen Yi, I'm not fond of Li Jingming. But this organization does intrigue .
So what do you call yourselves?"
"Jokers." Cheng Shi's smile was enigmatic. "We are a troupe of jesters who perform absurdist art on the universe's stage, hymning the lody of Void."
...
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