Foolish Game of the Chapter 900: Even in a Cage, There Is a Game

The Clown had a flexible bottom line.

That line could hang high enough to execute sinners who trampled order, or dip low enough to amuse the gods watching from above. The Clown had earned the audience's enduring applause by jumping rope on that ceaselessly fluctuating line of his.

Like right now — grab the benefits first, think later. If he simply never ca back to visit, what could a captive possibly do to revoke his tribunal seat?

At this thought, Cheng Shi smiled happily.

Seeing Cheng Shi accept so readily, Pride of Order experienced a fleeting mont of doubt about His own decision.

He scrutinized the Deceit follower before Him several tis over. Only after confirming He hadn't misjudged the man did He let out a soft sigh and separate a strand of holy light from His pages.

Normally, any power bearing Order's essence would imdiately trigger the Chaos chains to tighten and the Deceit spikes to devour it. But this ti, both restraining forces silently parted ways for this wisp of Order's breath, allowing it to drift toward Cheng Shi bit by bit.

Then Cheng Shi watched as that strand of holy light descended before him, coiling around his finger and solidifying into a ring — a lance and shield crossed into a circle.

A ring representing the identity of an Order Inquisitor!

This Inquisitor was nothing like the ones in the Grand Tribunal. In fact, even the Grand Tribunal's supre inquisitor would have to bow in respect upon seeing this ring's bearer, because this status symbolized infinite proximity to Order Himself. And in the eyes of other Paths, this title was equivalent to... a Servant God.

Sotis, it was aningless for Order to deny the existence of Envoys, because in mortal eyes, He had always been followed by countless subordinate deities.

And so the Clown obtained a ring that carried prestige but no practical power. Yet sotis, identity itself was power — especially for a certain con artist who loved collecting disguises.

Looking at the Order ring on his finger, Cheng Shi's eyes brightened. Then he let out a thoroughly ungrateful remark:

"The texture isn't as good as Ti's. The craftsmanship doesn't match mory's. The design can't hold a candle to Death's. Tsk — diocre, I suppose."

"?"

The instant the words left his mouth, the codex's pages flipped of their own accord, whipping furiously. Rage erupted — it looked as if He was about to reclaim the title He'd just bestowed. But in the next instant, the Chaos chains and Deceit spikes — dormant until now — sprang to life, instantly cinching Pride of Order tight and forcing Him to swallow His remaining power whole.

"..."

Seeing this, Cheng Shi knew his Benefactor was definitely sowhere inside the temple. He'd probably been watching the show for quite so ti.

He exchanged a glance with Kataro, who had just risen to his feet, then signaled Kataro to hurry and rotate the cage back into place. At the sa ti, he tossed a reassuring promise to the darkly brooding Pride of Order, then addressed the empty space above the hall with devout reverence:

"Thank you for the Benefactor's protection..."

He'd learned his lesson. To prevent the absurd scenario where saying "Deceit" prompted the other to play "Chaos," he replaced all titles with the generic "Benefactor."

"However, Benefactor — what were You thinking, having

approach Order?

Actually, what I'd like to say is: since Chaos has already usurped the throne and You've seized Chaos's authority, then this Order... why keep Him around?

It's a disaster waiting to happen, Benefactor!"

"What a 'disaster waiting to happen'!"

The mont the words left his mouth, a pair of starlit eyes opened at the vault of the temple. Those orbs, swirling with stellar points and spirals, had dropped the act entirely — not even bothering to adopt the appearance befitting Chaos in Chaos's own temple.

Those eyes regarded His follower with a half-smile, then let out a scoff.

"You just took His gift, and in the very next breath, you've sold Him out. Your bridge-burning skills are sothing else, Clown-Inquisitor."

"..."

'Clown-Inquisitor? That sounds awful.'

Cheng Shi's eyelid twitched violently. With utmost piety, he bowed his head and explained:

"I never forget that I am a Void walker. Void is my root. Deceit is my path.

My perspective has always been that of Void. So my deception of Order is rely a Void transaction offered in devotion to You.

Now the offering is complete, Benefactor...

Are You satisfied?"

The spirals in those eyes spun faster than ever, the star-points flickering without pause. The radiance of Void even threatened to devour the entire Chaos Temple. Yet He still held down His upturned eye corners and sneered with sardonic bite:

"It seems I misjudged you. You're no Clown-Inquisitor — you're probably still eyeing that Greed Lord title I ntioned earlier, aren't you?

Tch—

You've got so nerve, trying to probe your own Benefactor?"

Cheng Shi hastily ducked his head and denied all charges. "Accusation without evidence is slander, Benefactor — this is defamation!"

"Whether it's defamation or not, you know perfectly well.

And this isn't just probing, is it? You're forcing yourself into a performance of fake piety so you can demand a reward for the show. Your next line was going to be asking for paynt, wasn't it?"

"..."

Having a mind-reading Benefactor did make things rather inconvenient when you wanted to run your mouth.

But this was Cheng Shi. He was only embarrassed for a heartbeat before he peeked up shalessly. "So... is there a reward?"

"Heh. There is. Of course there is."

With that, those eyes retrieved the Order ring from the Clown's finger — then bestowed the very sa ring right back to him, unchanged.

Cheng Shi froze. He stared at the ring in his hand — still identical — and his face went completely dark.

"That's it?"

"What — not satisfied?" Deceit's tone dripped with amusent.

"But, Benefactor!" Cheng Shi was indignant. "This was already mine!"

"Tch—

Sophistry doesn't work on .

What you should say is: from this very mont, this ring belongs to you. Before this mont, even though it was in your hand, it did not belong to you.

Don't forget — Order is my prisoner. Only when I bestow this ring — which represents Order's subordinate status — unto you, do you truly possess it.

Now — any more questions?"

"..."

'YES!!!'

'So many questions!!!'

'Who's really doing the sophistry here?!'

'You took the ring, passed it through Your hands, and suddenly it counts as my reward?'

'I don't think that was a reward — that was a slap! Smacked

right on the nose. My nose is still red!'

Cheng Shi rubbed his nose, utterly helpless, and admitted complete defeat.

"You accept the benefit and still play coy. Visiting my prisoner without my permission, betraying your own faith, daring to act as another god's proxy — every one of these is a grievous sin. The fact that I haven't sentenced you for blasphemy is the greatest reward you could ask for."

"Wait!" Cheng Shi panicked again. He pointed at Kataro and argued his case. "It was Kataro who brought

to see Order. How does that not count as Your permission?"

The mont Kataro heard this, he snapped to attention, kept his head down, and said nothing — the very picture of "I didn't hear anything."

'No kidding — when the Benefactor isn't here, of course I listen to you, sir. But that was when the Benefactor 'wasn't here.''

'When the Benefactor is present, who to obey? I, the loyal Kataro, can still sort my priorities.'

'So forgive , Lord Cheng Shi — your "lord" isn't lord enough.'

"..."

Seeing Kataro abandon all support for his defense, Cheng Shi still refused to give up. He wanted to keep "arguing his case," but those eyes gave him no further opportunity, scoffing:

"Excessive favor has made the Clown lose himself.

You should take a good look in the mirror and figure out who you really are.

Now — this matter is concluded. Get out.

The stench of Order on you is giving

a headache."

With that — never mind Cheng Shi's questions about "how will You deal with Order?" or "what are Your plans for Zhen Xin?" or the endless other queries — He flung the Clown straight out of the temple.

The instant Cheng Shi vanished, Kataro took it upon himself to stride out and close the temple doors behind him for the Benefactor within.

He had a feeling that what ca next was beyond a lowly servant's involvent.

And when the Chaos Temple returned to silence, Deceit rotated the divine throne once more and gazed upon the imprisoned codex with a teasing grin.

"How has Order fallen so far that You'd believe even my follower's words?

You don't actually think he'll carry out Your will and protect the order of this universe, do you?"

Pride of Order recovered His arrogance. With equal derision, He regarded this long-absent "warden" and let out a cold snort.

"Deceit — you seem to have forgotten who I am.

Even as a re fragnt, I am still Order.

I know full well who in this universe has been drawing close to Order.

Rather than mocking , you'd do better to ask that favored follower of yours — ask him why, beneath all those filthy disguises, his pure heart still harbors a genuine sense of order.

When you have the answer, do co back and tell . I'm curious too."

"..."

Hearing this, those starlit eyes stopped smiling. Even the upturned corners drooped.

He seed to have had His defenses broken.

Seeing this, Pride of Order twisted the knife:

"I look forward to the day he rebuilds order for this universe."

"You're dreaming!"

"Yes — I've been dreaming for a long ti. From the mont I stepped into the Sea of Desire, the dream began."

...