The trial's remaining ti was running out. After that exchange of anxieties, Cheng Shi had nothing else to convey to Mi Laozhang.
A single Yu Xi identity had already provoked such wariness from Mi Laozhang. If he revealed the truth about obtaining the Container, in the other man's eyes he'd probably already be on the verge of being replaced by Yu Xi...
Cheng Shi's emotions churned—a bittersweet mix. Touched by his friend's concern, yet wondering when this endless chain of lies would finally reach its end.
But so what if it never did? To spare his friend from ever feeling "deceived," all he could do was press forward, burying his sincerity beneath even more falsehoods.
Just like Zhen Xin. If one day the lies he'd woven fooled the entire world—even himself—would those lies still be lies?
No. That would be Cheng Shi's honest heart.
In this peculiar atmosphere, Cheng Shi bade farewell to Zhang Jizu. He expressed genuine gratitude for Mi Laozhang's help in San Dales and stated plainly that his promises remained in effect—whenever the man needed assistance, he could co straight to him. He even said mobilizing the entire Joker Society wasn't out of the question, since the group's cards were already on the table.
Zhang Jizu only smiled at that, then extended his hand and pointed toward a direction beyond the theater.
He hadn't forgotten that there was still a teammate in this trial—and the Fun God had even bestowed a special "guidance" upon that teammate.
"The way I see it, as long as the secret hasn't been broadcast to the masses, that cautious War Supervisor is probably still in the Devout Land. So as for Deceit's little howork assignnt...
"Are you going, or am I?"
Cheng Shi checked the ti and smiled. "I'll go. The trial's practically over—we can't very well not let her et the real Cheng Shi.
"Besides, I might as well borrow Lord Yu Xi's prestige while I'm at it. Maybe I can squeeze out a few more secrets."
That was what he said, but Cheng Shi didn't actually care much about the intelligence or secrets Ai Si might hold. He simply didn't want to let the Fun God's chess piece out of his sight, so he planned to use certain thods to develop her as an off-the-books asset.
Of course, the remark wasn't entirely about Ai Si. By deliberately ntioning "Yu Xi" by na, Cheng Shi was testing what exactly Mi Laozhang had forgotten. He knew that if the man had chosen to forget everything related to Yu Xi, he'd inevitably learn of His existence again during future Joker Society discussions. Since the truth would co out sooner or later, he might as well seize this chance to probe.
To Cheng Shi's surprise, Mi Laozhang showed no unfamiliarity with Yu Xi at all. He simply nodded, apparently having forgotten only his own suspicions and concerns.
And he'd clearly guessed what Cheng Shi was up to. But those secrets in his heart—Cheng Shi had probably figured them out long ago, so there was nothing left to hide.
"Mm. Let's leave it at that then. I may need to go ahead and report this matter to that Lord—otherwise I have a feeling Deceit is scheming against my Benefactor again."
A smile tugged at the corner of Cheng Shi's lips. "That's a funny thing to say, Mi Laozhang. The Fun God isn't your Benefactor too? How impious of you!"
"Even if I'm impious, it's not for certain clowns to judge.
"Before worrying about others' piety, worry about your own.
"I'm off."
With that, Zhang Jizu left the trial without another word.
"..." Cheng Shi was speechless.
He wasn't sure if it was because he'd reaped the biggest rewards and exhausted all his luck, but how co everyone kept getting the last word in?
He shook his head with a rueful laugh and scratched his nose. Taking one last look at the stage behind him, he offered a quiet round of applause for Crown and San Dales' past, then strode toward the theater doors with an expression that betrayed neither sorrow nor joy.
It was ti to see this old acquaintance—and to find out whether she'd figured out who the real Cheng Shi was.
anwhile, outside the theater, in the Devout Land.
Ai Si hadn't moved an inch. She hadn't dared budge even when violent upheavals shook the Devout Land around her. At so point, she felt the roiling fog beside her recede like the tide, leaving nothing but a lone theater standing in the near distance.
That had to be the trial's final destination, harboring this trial's greatest secret. Yet she still didn't dare approach, because the fog's sudden retreat felt wrong.
Even those Chosen Ones and peak-level players had been forced to surrender their own secrets to earn entry—and she was just a 2,400-point Priest. What made her worthy of the fog parting to welco her in?
Driven by this simple survival instinct, Ai Si dug a coffin camp into the frozen ground right where she stood and settled in. She stayed there for two full days.
During those two days, she wanted nothing more than for the trial to end quickly. But just before it did, her coffin camp finally received a visitor.
Ai Si felt soone stomp twice—hard—on the ventilation hole above her head.
"War Supervisor, are you part mouse? What are you doing burrowing holes in San Dales?"
"?" Ai Si started. That snarky tone sounded an awful lot like—
"Cheng?!"
Her spirits surged as she thrust her greatsword upward through the frozen earth and crawled out of her tiny camp.
Seeing this old acquaintance living in such "cramped" conditions, Cheng Shi laughed. "If I call you steady, well, one word was enough to bait you out.
"But if I call you careless, you did manage to sit tight through an entire trial without moving.
"What, fallen in love with this place? Planning to settle down in San Dales?"
"..." Definitely him. Absolutely him!
Ai Si glared at Cheng Shi in exasperation. She was about to fire back, but then rembered she'd been helping Long Jing "temper" Cheng Shi earlier, and a twinge of guilt crept in. "You... who won?"
"?" Cheng Shi arched an eyebrow. 'So the War Supervisor does have sothing up her sleeve.' He flashed a cryptic smile and gave an ambiguous reply. "Guess."
"You're the one who ca to find , not Long Jing—so I suppose he lost...
"That's not surprising. If he'd had the better odds, Lord Yu Xi would never have sent
to boost his chances...
"I... Sigh. In the end, I never did manage to latch onto Lord Yu Xi's coattails."
Ai Si sighed, then turned to Cheng Shi with a complicated look. "And I wasn't any help to you, either. But don't worry, Cheng—I won't forget this kindness."
She squeezed the "Never Defeat" potion in her hand. "Make that two kindnesses."
"..."
Hearing these words and watching Ai Si's reactions, Cheng Shi had no idea where to even begin pitying this follower of War.
'Sis, exactly how far off the deep end did you get scamd?'
'Everyone else ca here treasure-hunting. You ca here purely to get swindled, didn't you?'
'This is San Dales—the ancestral ho of clowns—not so MLM den or telecom fraud compound. How did you fall for this many tricks in just three days?'
'What Yu Xi would've told you to help Long Jing?'
'And what on earth is that thing in your hand?'
Cheng Shi's mind was reeling. Thank goodness he'd co out to check, or this old acquaintance would've truly beco a clown.
Then again, San Dales really was a clown factory.
Reviews
All reviews (0)