"You put a mirror here just to welco yourself?
Tch, how cute. Seems like [Deceit]'s corruption is spreading faster than I thought..."
Before he could finish, Cheng Shi's tone hitched. He suddenly realized what stood before him wasn't a mirror at all — it was... another skull!
For a [Death] Chosen, placing a skull at the entrance to greet a guest was understandable enough. But... why did this skull look so much like him?
Cheng Shi froze. At first he thought it was so trophy left by one of Zhang Jizu's enemies. But he quickly noticed sothing wrong: the skull bore faint but unmistakable traces of deliberate carving!
This had clearly been sculpted from a large piece of bone. Coupling that with Squinty Zhang's practiced cara skills from earlier, Cheng Shi's bone-complexion darkened. He spun around and let loose:
"You bastard, Squinty Zhang, so this is what you were setting up.
You carved this little skull for what exactly?
I was about to use you as a scap— I treat you as a friend, and you keep using
as a scapegoat!?"
"How am I using you as a scapegoat?"
"This isn't!?" Cheng Shi gnashed his teeth, bouncing around the carved skull. "You carved an identical replica of
so you could whitewash your own blasphemous deeds!"
"Cheng Shi, that's just a skull. All skulls look pretty similar." Zhang Jizu squinted with a smile.
"You think I'd believe that?" Cheng Shi scoffed. "Who are you trying to fool?
Fine. Even if I bought that — what about Them?
You don't actually think that placing this thing on each tombstone and snapping a photo will fool the gods?
Are you underestimating the divine? They may not be truly omniscient, but do you think They don't know everything that happens in this ga and everything mortals do?
You think this would get past Them?
This is textbook self-deception!
Ha, don't tell
you're planning to offer this whole farce as a tribute to the Fun God?
Then I'll admit it — from now on, you are a proper [Deceit] believer."
If the little skull had salivary glands, Cheng Shi's spit would be spraying Squinty Zhang's... no, his shoes.
He bounced ceaselessly at Zhang Jizu's feet, as though suffering so monuntal "betrayal."
But Zhang Jizu didn't engage with the scolding. He just smiled, dragged over a stool, hoisted Cheng Shi up, and sat cross-legged across from him. Squinting, he returned Cheng Shi's own words:
"That question should be directed at you, Cheng Shi.
Do you think this would fool Them?"
Cheng Shi blanked. He hadn't expected Squinty Zhang to an that.
Zhang Jizu continued in his unhurried way, as though he'd anticipated Cheng Shi's visit all along.
"Because of the Jokers, I've been in frequent contact with Li Jingming lately. He seems to have a particular read on you. He thinks you possess many secrets that no mortal should hold, and that the weight of those secrets without anyone to share them with will only trap you in imnse fear.
So he told : sooner or later, you'd look for soone to confide in.
I didn't really believe it — until I saw you show up at the Cetery again today...
Anything that can be communicated over the phone doesn't require face-to-face. An in-person visit ans the matter is either critically important, or the person lacks confidence — or both.
There's been no progress on Yu Xi's mask. Neither the History School nor Li Jingming has found new leads. And you've been here for a while without once bringing up Yu Xi. So you're clearly not here to discuss the mask.
But what information could rival the importance of mask fragnts... besides sothing about Them?
So your visit this ti definitely concerns the gods. And if you've been stalling with jokes this entire ti, it's probably not good news about the gods...
That's why I want to ask: if sothing is important enough, do you really think you can hide it from Them?"
'There are no fools in this ga...'
Cheng Shi fell silent for a mont, then tapped his chin: "Can't I have just co by to visit?"
"No. Because you're Cheng Shi. You never do pointless things."
"Squinty Zhang, you're severely underestimating our friendship!"
"I'm rely facing a liar's craft head-on. The more you deflect, the more it proves my guess is right."
"..."
'Talking to smart people can be exhausting sotis. Good thing this smart person is on my side.'
Cheng Shi tapped his chin and sighed:
"There are indeed so extrely thorny matters. But I think under the Fun God's protection, safety shouldn't be a concern."
"So it's about the Jokers!"
Zhang Jizu's eyes narrowed to slits, nodding as if everything clicked.
"So you really are going to hold the so-called Joker Society eting. What do you plan to confess at this gathering?
Setting that aside — since you said 'shouldn't,' that ans you're not certain. And this involves [Deceit] too?"
Cheng Shi was done.
He glanced at Squinty Zhang, then shuffled back two steps and gestured irritably:
"Co on, here's the mic. You talk. Keep going.
If you're so good at guessing, go ahead and guess my entire purpose.
The whole stage is yours. Let's see what else you can co up with."
No sooner had the words fallen than Zhang Jizu shook his head with a laugh. Casually, he pulled a large bell made of pale, assembled bone fragnts from his inventory.
The bell wasn't huge — about the size of a normal human head. Were it not for its rounded bell shape, it might have passed for an ancient chi.
"?"
Cheng Shi froze. A bell radiating [Death] energy inevitably called to mind the bell ringers — the singers who served that gentleman upon the Bone Throne.
'But Squinty Zhang, what are you pulling out a bell for at a ti like this? Going to perform for ?'
'What is this, [Death] tal musician Zhang Jizu?'
While Cheng Shi sat dumbstruck, Squinty Zhang swayed the bell and slowly explained:
"You should be able to tell — this is a gift from the Benefactor.
I prayed to Him, requesting a supre treasure that could shield against the gods' prying..."
"???"
'What!?'
Cheng Shi stared at the bone bell in disbelief, voice nearly cracking: "This thing?"
"Yes. This. It's called the Bell Ringer's Funeral."
Cheng Shi's eye sockets creased in bewildernt: "I know that gentleman in certain ways better than you do. There's absolutely no way He ca up with that na."
"...That's not the point. The point is, this bell can emanate sufficiently dense [Death] energy to simulate the Benefactor's presence, thereby blocking all surveillance from other gods."
"!!!"
Now Cheng Shi was genuinely, thoroughly stunned. It was obvious this was sothing Squinty Zhang had prayed for specifically for the Jokers.
"You... were already preparing for the Joker Society?
Squinty Zhang, I had no idea your sense of belonging to the Jokers was this strong..."
Zhang Jizu squinted and shook his head:
"Not . It was Li Jingming. Or rather, Zhen Xin.
Their anticipation for the Joker Society far exceeded my imagination. After all, I know what the Jokers really are. But those two had no idea, and were full of expectation.
In fact, these two — who rarely interacted — even re-established communication because of the Jokers. And what I'm holding is the product of their collaboration.
The granting of this bell was actually beyond all our expectations. When Zhen Xin proposed the idea, none of us thought it would work. After all, no god would allow mortals to block Their hearing and sight.
Unsurprisingly, their two prayers naturally failed.
Mine failed too, actually. When I made this request to that gentleman, He didn't agree..."
"?" Cheng Shi blinked, glancing at the bell in Squinty Zhang's hand as if to ask: then what's this?
Zhang Jizu caught Cheng Shi's confusion. His expression turned strange, his squinted eyes fixed on the little skull before him with an unusual look:
"...Until I ntioned you. I told Him this artifact was being requested on your behalf."
"???"
"And then, after a long silence, the Benefactor bestowed this bell.
So Cheng Shi, I'd like to ask you too — why does the Benefactor's favor toward you so greatly surpass His favor toward ?"
"..."
Cheng Shi was stunned. In his mind, the image of that gentleman upon the Bone Throne materialized — a figure so grand and radiant.
'Where on earth can you find a boss this good?'
For a mont, the little skull was moved to tears.
Faking it.
...
Reviews
All reviews (0)