Cheng Shi had naturally been oblivious to the apocalyptic battle that had just unfolded. All he knew was that he'd been knocked unconscious.
An unknown amount of ti later, when he woke, he found himself back in the rest area, having been lying on the rooftop for quite a while.
Falling asleep without any precautions was highly un-steady. A shaken Cheng Shi discreetly examined his physical state. Finding no issues, he let out a heavy sigh of relief.
'What did [War] an with that last line? The Fun God showed up?'
'But even so, why send
away?'
'The trade was my idea! Then the two of them hit it off and cut out the middleman?'
'Is that fair?'
Cheng Shi pouted, thinking that his mortal status had ultimately lowered his voice and sense of participation. Ultraman, Yu Xi — these alter egos worked on fellow mortal players, but in front of Them, they all beca hollow jokes.
'Indeed, clowns are funniest in [Void].'
But what did the Fun God an by intervening? He'd appeared before [War] — surely not just to rescue him?
And His attitude toward Cheng Shi ddling in His plan for the first ti — what was it?
Cheng Shi desperately wanted answers, but asking the Fun God was a dead end. So he switched tracks: he'd visit his other Benefactor, [Fate].
Even if [Fate] was kept in the dark, the person who knew you best was often your opponent — especially a sibling god. If [Fate] felt the predestined path had beco rougher, it might well an the trade had succeeded.
No sooner thought than done.
Without a word, he pulled out his mask and began: "Stars of destiny—" But his prayer was interrupted halfway.
This ti it wasn't so mysterious force yanking him into the void. His phone rang.
Cheng Shi arched a brow, considered the matter, decided it wasn't that urgent, and set down his mask to answer. The irritated voice of Big Cat ca through:
"You were right. After I prayed to [Fate], I ran into Him again. Too bad He got away again!"
"?" Cheng Shi blinked. "Yu Go?"
"What else!?"
At the na, Big Cat's agitation visibly spiked. "Compared to Lin Xi, He's the real sewer rat. Why is this one so good at running?
Does He have no dignity as an emperor!?
Forget Him. It's not all bad news lately. At least there's one good thing — Lin Xi is dead. Did you know?"
"..." Cheng Shi blinked but said nothing.
"Hello? Cheng Shi, are you listening? I said Lin Xi died—" Hong Lin's voice caught. Then she asked in wary surprise: "You already knew, didn't you? Don't tell
you had sothing to do with it!?
Did you just co out of a trial too?"
'Well, well. Who said Big Cat was dumb? She's razor-sharp.'
No point denying it. He acknowledged: "I killed him."
"You... killed Lin Xi?"
"Mm. It's complicated. I ran into—"
He'd planned a quick intel exchange, but Big Cat cut him off and sighed:
"Did you know that Chun died too? 'Only Carving Rotten Wood.' I'd assud she finally fulfilled her lifelong wish. But turns out you were the one who killed Lin Xi. aning she probably... ended herself..."
"I know."
"You know?" Big Cat's voice went off-pitch. "Wait — Cheng Shi, did you kill Chun too?"
'Right, who said Big Cat was sharp? She's too...'
'Never mind. We're all friends here.'
Cheng Shi shook his head helplessly and briefly recounted encountering both in the trial.
Regarding Lin Xi's death, Big Cat offered nothing beyond a curt "good riddance." But the [Prosperity] believer's death left her unsettled for a long ti. She really had considered the girl a friend — whether an ally-friend or a "fun sparring partner" kind of friend.
Hearing the sighs on the other end, Cheng Shi fell quiet too. Only after a long pause did he steer the conversation back to Yu Go. He was curious about the [Ti] power Yu Go had used to escape, so he asked Big Cat why Yu Go would carry [Ti] energy.
This ti Big Cat was baffled.
"Who has [Ti] power?"
Cheng Shi hadn't realized the disconnect yet. "Yu Go, obviously. How else did He slip past you?"
"Yu Go?
Cheng Shi, have you been drinking?
Yu Go is a [Decay] follower. Where would He get [Ti] power!?
He escaped using [Decay], not [Ti]. Are we even talking about the sa Yu Go?"
'???'
'Where am I supposed to find a second Yu Go? He's not a twin. He...'
'Wait!'
Cheng Shi's eyes sharpened. His grip tightened on the phone: "You said He escaped using [Decay] power?"
"You definitely drank sothing."
"When was your trial?"
"?" Sensing Cheng Shi's deadly-serious tone, Hong Lin caught on that sothing was wrong. She recalled the timing and answered with certainty: "Seven minutes ago. After the trial ended, I drank one cup of water and called you."
'Seven minutes...'
'That's impossible!'
'The previous trial ended ages ago. Even if the audience-with-god ti didn't sync with the world, he'd already napped for a while in the rest area. This wasn't a seven-minute issue. By all logic, Yu Go had long since lost [Decay]'s protection — so how could he use [Decay] to escape!?'
'Who's the one who had too much to drink?'
'Or is sothing actually wrong?'
"Cheng Shi, what's happening?" Big Cat's tone turned grave.
He didn't know either. But a wild guess was forming — one too unthinkable to share carelessly. So he could only explain the fading he'd applied to Yu Go and admit he was equally in the dark.
Hong Lin went quiet. Finally, she spoke:
"Maybe there really is another Yu Go?
[Ti] extrapolates countless iterations. What if one of the two we encountered was from an extrapolation world?
I can confirm there were no [Ti] followers in my trial. So Cheng Shi — the one you ran into was the fake from an extrapolation!"
'What a Big-Sherlock-Cat!'
But the problem was: his trial hadn't contained any other [Ti] believers either. The sole [Ti] follower was Cheng Shi himself.
'Did I run an extrapolation or not? Wouldn't I know?'
...
anwhile. The rooftop rest area.
"Delivered?"
A silhouette sat facing the dying sun at the roof's edge, chugging a sli drink.
The hooded figure in black behind him snorted with a laugh and nodded:
"That Yu Go was excessively cautious. But thankfully, An Shenxuan's divination was convincing enough. Mission accomplished."
Hearing the affirmative, the seated figure wiped his mouth and smiled:
"Good. That's all we can do. The rest is up to them — whether they can find their own path."
No sooner had he finished than several more silhouettes landed on the rooftop. A crisp female voice rang out, tinged with teasing:
"I heard you turned down Qin Xin?"
The seated figure didn't turn. He gazed at the sinking sun and nodded.
"We're different from them. The Torchbearers shouldn't pin their hopes on . I am who I am. I was never any god."
"What a sha. You refuse to join a safe God Creation Plan, insisting on leading so kind of god-slaying plan instead..."
The woman chuckled and trailed off. A male voice followed imdiately:
"Interesting. Tell us — who's the target?"
All eyes were on him. The figure slowly stood, his solemn gaze fixed on the horizon, hardening with ironclad resolve.
"[Prosperity]!
Perhaps She is the true answer."
"Just because that world's [Prosperity] fell?"
"Not only that. Recently, I t another interesting '.' He told
that while [Ti] is the answer, [Prosperity] is the paper screen blocking it.
So he helped that world pierce the screen and topple [Prosperity].
It's a bit late for us now. But what if?
Until the gamble is over, nobody knows what face the dice in the cup will show."
As he spoke, the figure raised a single red dot between his fingers, eclipsing the last of the dying sun.
"Oh? So that world's success wasn't a spontaneous miracle, but an inevitability pushed by many hands?
Fascinating. I'm suddenly curious what kind of mory the '' in that world would record. But I'm even more curious about the one who pierced the screen for them. Did he... escape?"
"Escape...?
Nobody escapes. If their own world still had hope, who would light their only spark sowhere else?
He's more unfortunate than I am. At least I still have all of you."
...
Reviews
All reviews (0)