"What do you think the Faith Ga is?"
Cheng Shi didn't answer Xiao Qi's question. Instead, he posed a new one.
Xiao Qi maintained his caution. His true body didn't appear. Instead, he conversed with this mysterious "Xiao Shi" through his stunned tad beast, observing "Xiao Shi" closely. The more he observed, the less the person resembled Xiao Shi.
Because ever since the "resurrection," the other party's attention clearly wasn't on him anymore. It was as though, just as he'd said, Xiao Qi had lost so sort of qualification...
'What qualification have I lost? And why? Could this qualification be connected to the entire ga?'
Du Qiyu's brain spun furiously, but the sheer shock left him unable to reach any conclusion. Under the container's influence, however, he suddenly recalled the phrase the [Decay] Envoy had uttered. Connecting the dots, his suspicion only grew stronger.
'Could the "Him" in Yu Go's mouth... actually be Xiao Shi!?'
'No. Could it be a Servant God... wearing Xiao Shi's skin!?'
'Impossible!'
'He was clearly helpless against Yu Go's cage. He clearly couldn't even beat . He...'
'But could he really not beat ?'
'I gave it everything I had and still couldn't kill him. He didn't even counterattack. Even at this most opportune mont for a counterattack, he hadn't lifted a finger. He just kept talking about containers, the ga, tests...'
'What are containers? What do tests an? What did I miss? And who is he?'
In that mont, Du Qiyu was lost.
And right then, Cheng Shi continued weaving his web of lies.
He hadn't expected Xiao Qi to respond. If the man had responded, Cheng Shi would have needed to improvise. For now, he only needed to recite the pre-written script.
"Eras march forward, and [Void]'s curtain will eventually fall. How to harvest enough faith during one era to 'nurture' an attendant who can remain at a true god's side unaffected by the era's end — that is the purpose of this ga.
Why else would it be called the Faith Ga?
Of course, such a follower has another na: what you call an Envoy. What mortals can only dream of — a Servant God.
And the container in your hand is the key to becoming one.
Mortals fantasize about ascending to godhood, never knowing that gods were never created. They are selected by us. That term you players toss around — 'Chosen One' — is rather fitting right about now.
But sorry. A high ranking on the Ladder of Ascent doesn't make you the Chosen One. Being chosen by us does... that's what makes you... Chosen!"
Cheng Shi wasn't sure how much Xiao Qi knew about Them, so he ntioned everything he could. This saturation-level information barrage completely crashed Du Qiyu's already taxed brain.
"I've tested countless candidates. Apart from a few who caught my eye, most were as dull as you.
So don't feel bad. Failure doesn't an you're not excellent. There are simply too few excellent people. You've only lost your first evaluation opportunity.
I'm not the sole examiner. If another examiner takes interest in you, they'll bring you a new test. And should you pass theirs by so stroke of luck, perhaps we'll et again.
Do you understand now? Return the container, and continue your trial.
I'll make you forget all of this. It won't unduly affect your understanding of the ga. This is a necessary step. Otherwise, the Convention would classify it as cheating.
As for the consequences of cheating... I think you can imagine."
Du Qiyu stared at the container in his hand, brow furrowed, thinking he should have realized this was no ordinary tool. So this was the essential item for becoming an Envoy!?
But once sothing landed in his hands, how could he possibly give it back?
Even if the other party was an Envoy...
Yes. Under the weight of so much evidence, Du Qiyu's reason told him the person wearing Xiao Shi's face could no longer possibly be a player. Let alone the real Xiao Shi.
And the most crucial point: if the other party weren't an Envoy, there was absolutely no way he could have known about Du Qiyu's forr [Corruption] affiliation — and chosen a [Corruption] container specifically to test him!
Put differently: if Xiao Shi truly possessed this many unthinkable tools, there'd be no reason to play gas. He'd just attack.
Of course, even if the evidence seed overwhelming, he had to consider one possibility. A slim one. That the other party had refrained from attacking due to so constraint... and after racking his brain, the only conceivable reason was that the other party hadn't yet located his true body's position.
At this thought, caution made Du Qiyu quietly shift positions once more.
He still didn't return the container. Instead, he feigned uncertainty and continued probing.
"Then who... who are you?"
"Heh. Can't bear to part with what's in your hand?
On account of your being His believer, I can allow you a few more monts with it.
Want to see anything else? Cherish this window while it lasts."
With that, Cheng Shi casually tossed the [Prosperity] container to the tad beast before him. The instant tad-beast Xiao Qi received the second container and felt its incomparable mystical allure, his heart instinctively clenched, and he involuntarily — across the vast distance — stole a glance at his true body.
And that one glance was captured by Cheng Shi's peripheral vision, seemingly casual but razor-sharp. He imdiately pinpointed his old friend's location.
'Found you at last!'
'Now's my chance!'
But Cheng Shi still didn't move. He simply continued pacing, letting his body heal, smiling at the corner of his mouth:
"You may call
Yu Xi. I, like you, am a [Deceit] believer."
"You... are the [Deceit] Envoy!?"
"You could say that. But right now, I'd prefer you address
as the Faith Inspection Officer.
The authority granted by the Convention supersedes faith itself. This involves Their secrets. Even though you'll forget all of this, I can't say too much."
As he spoke, Cheng Shi deliberately activated the aura from the [Order] Inquisitor's ring, letting the most pristine ancient [Order] energy suffuse his surroundings.
No problem there. After all, the word "Convention" naturally carried an [Order] flavor.
But he wasn't done. In front of Xiao Qi, he recalled his [Ti] container, then produced a [Decay] container and dropped it into Xiao Qi's hands.
"On account of our shared bond as servants of the Fun God, this is your fun ti — a brief break from the ga.
Anything else you want to know? Ask quickly. My ti is short. The next candidate is already waiting."
Then he pulled out the [Deceit] container, but this ti didn't throw it. Instead, he paused: "You're currently a [Deceit] believer, so you can't touch a [Deceit] container. This one won't do. Let
swap."
Cheng Shi shook his head with a laugh, stowed the container, secretly dyed it, and brought out the [Chaos] container. But this ti he didn't even need to toss it. The tad-beast Xiao Qi, staring dumbly at the two containers in his hands, no longer harbored any doubt.
'This can't possibly be a player!!'
'This is basically a ga GM!'
'Otherwise, you're telling
Xiao Shi has this many key-to-godhood items in his hands?'
'Heh. Do you think I'd believe that?'
Even if the container story had co from the man's own mouth and could be a lie, the aura of faith and the power emanating from the gods themselves couldn't be faked.
These weren't ordinary tools that a player could fabricate. These were clearly things only They could possess.
Sa bottom line as before: if Xiao Shi truly wielded power at this level, this whole "hunt" would have been a joke. The fact that Du Qiyu was still alive was the best proof that the other party simply didn't care about him.
With so many logical anchor points in place, Du Qiyu finally grew formal. Even though this Envoy Yu Xi wearing Xiao Shi's skin was repulsive, he had no choice but to show respect.
Whether out of honor from sharing [Deceit]'s allegiance, or out of hunger for power, he had every reason to demonstrate his devotion here.
And so the tad-beast Xiao Qi obediently handed back the two containers. But his true body still hadn't moved — holding onto his last trump card, stretching out the remaining ti that the [Corruption] container was "his."
Seeing this, Cheng Shi snorted a laugh and, right before Xiao Qi's eyes, shifted into his Yu Xi form.
And the mont Xiao Qi saw the true body of this tall, gaunt, masked Envoy, the last shred of his guard dissolved entirely.
...
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