Truth be told, Zhen Xin had indeed considered Chaos. And her reasoning was quintessentially a liar's.
In this ga, the only talent system that rivaled Deceit in "deception and obfuscation" was Chaos. With Chaos talents backing a con artist, the possibilities for trickery beca mind-boggling.
Case in point: present-day Cheng Shi. Without Chaos Acting, he still couldn't have fooled Zhen Xin and her double talent set.
An Deceit follower wielding Chaos talents was fundantally different from a Chaos follower wielding Deceit talents. The forr's purpose remained "deception" — Chaos was rely a tool. The latter leaned into "chaos" — like Hu Wei, who'd fused Deceit solely for the cognitive dissonance his Grand Marshal identity created.
Probing the Fun God through Hu Wei was impossible. The Fun God never stingy with granting second faiths. What He controlled was which faith His followers should fuse. So using His own collection to probe His grip on Chaos was actually an excellent thod.
Rember: Cheng Shi's Chaos fusion had been ratified by the true Chaos deity. That final twilight of Chaos had shone upon him, making him a Sanity Eroder.
But now Chaos had beco Order. So if Zhen Xin could fuse successfully, that would prove the Fun God had deeply infiltrated the Chaos temple — perhaps already wielding all of Chaos's power and authority by proxy.
Verifying this would give Cheng Shi a foundation to boldly deduce the Fun God's grand design and attempt probes he'd never dared before. After all, when every tool of "deception and obfuscation" in the universe was controlled by the Fear Faction — as a mber, Cheng Shi could safely chase truths others feared to glimpse, without worrying those truths might be twisted by other entities.
Zhen Xin's brow furrowed slightly as she began seriously considering it.
She was genuinely brilliant. When Cheng Shi raised Chaos right after discussing Order, she imdiately elevated the conversation to figure out his intent.
When deities and faith were involved, one player's thoughts wouldn't change anything. But if a god's will — specifically the Fun God's — was behind it, things got interesting.
She'd assud her current state already counted as a fusion — Deceit fused with Deceit. But apparently, both she and Zhen Yi could fuse again?
Zhen Yi would have zero interest in faith fusion. But that didn't an Zhen Xin didn't.
She parsed the relationships between deities, wondering: was the Fun God Order's opposite? Or had He simply allied with Chaos?
'An alliance like mine with Cheng Shi?'
"If Order really shattered, I doubt He'd probe with such 'subtlety.' Given the Fun God's personality, He'd just storm the gates. So I lean toward this being a probe of Chaos...
Is He probing Chaos, or are... you probing Chaos?
Or are you probing the Fun God?
Cheng Shi — be clearer. If you want
as a chess piece, you should know that on matters like this, an inford
outperforms a clueless
by orders of magnitude.
I can play my part in this drama, but I need the full script.
A director may see the big picture, but on details, an actor has far more experience. Don't you agree?"
"..."
Every response from Zhen Xin kept validating Big Cat's assessnt: "She's very good at cooperation." But... she might be too good.
The excess of perfection gave Cheng Shi a nagging feeling that anything handed to her would slip beyond his control.
Zhen Yi giving that feeling was one thing — she was genuinely unhinged. But Zhen Xin was composed and steady. So why did she radiate... a faint hint of madness?
'Her "parents" truly broke her.'
Regardless, Zhen Xin was an excellent card. Using her Chaos fusion to observe further would also determine how deep their cooperation could go. Cheng Shi nodded and, almost hiding from Mi Laozhang, whispered a few words to Zhen Xin.
Hearing that brief ssage, Zhen Xin's face transford violently!
Honestly, Zhang Jizu had never seen such dramatic emotion on Zhen Xin's face. In that mont, he wondered what new bombshell had dropped among the gods — and why it was being hidden from him...
Zhen Xin stared at Cheng Shi in disbelief, her expression spectacular. "Who are you, really?"
"?" Cheng Shi laughed.
'Co on — when you got info from Poison's mouth you were certain I was only playing the Yu Xi role. And now you're doubting
again?'
"As you see — Cheng Shi. Seeing-is-believing Cheng Shi."
"But I still can't accept that a player could obtain this information from anywhere. Did He tell you?"
Zhen Xin's "He" didn't an the Fun God — she ant Yu Xi.
Cheng Shi heard the distinction. He nodded sincerely.
"Yes. He knows much, but is also kept in the dark by Those who know more. Every He rides the waves of the era. Every He has a different purpose.
I just happened to grab a surfboard and hitch a ride on His wave. So I know a little more than you."
"And your purpose? To stand firm on that surfboard — or to kick the original owner... off?" Zhen Xin's eyes burned.
"?" Cheng Shi gave her a look. 'You're just like Big Cat.'
'Haven't learned to walk and already want to run?'
"Sa thing. I just want to survive first, then figure out the rest. Though lately I've added a wish — not just surviving, but understanding why I'm surviving."
"Understanding is never that easy. Might be better to live in blissful ignorance."
Zhen Xin murmured this almost to herself, gaze drifting. Before Cheng Shi could react, the quietly invisible Zhang Jizu suddenly smiled.
"Live long enough — and understanding cos naturally."
"..."
Cheng Shi stared at Mi Laozhang. 'That really hit ho, didn't it? Great — my con job is so convincing that the marks are spontaneously emoting.'
A delicate silence settled over the three.
Before long, Zhen Xin nodded and accepted the script.
"I'll give it a try, Cheng Shi. In return for today's secrets, I'll trade the results of my faith fusion for those secrets about another world.
Equivalent exchange of secrets. I won't shortchange my allies."
"Generous!" Cheng Shi was liking Zhen Xin more by the minute. At least in decisiveness, she beat the generous-yet-stingy Dragon King by miles.
Speaking of Dragon King... Cheng Shi raised a brow. "Ms. Magician — where did you lure them?"
"The illusion broke ages ago. They've figured out that both Zhen Yi and Crown were fakes. They're heading back to the theater.
Sigh — even without your prompting, I'd need to plan how to clean up Zhen Yi's ss."
"..."
'Girl, that practiced bla-shifting tone tells
this isn't your first or second rodeo. Zhen Yi really is a born scapegoat.'
But this ti, Cheng Shi didn't let Zhen Xin handle the aftermath alone. He'd thought of an ending far better than standing aside.
Zhen Xin noticed his eagerness. She tilted her head. "You have a suggestion?"
"Suggestion?
With the Jokers holding absolute numbers advantage right now, I'd hardly call it a suggestion.
I happen to have so 'guidance' I'd like to 'bestow' upon a certain soone present. Ahem — no specific acrobat implied. So why don't we keep singing this fraudulent opera?
"How?"
Cheng Shi's lips curved. His smile was deeply playful.
"Simple. You play yourselves. I play Yu Xi.
Ti to give these lost little followers... a small Yu Xi shock."
...
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