Unfortunately, the Doctor's experint didn't seem to go well. He didn't show up at the Joker venue.
After waiting fruitlessly for a while, Cheng Shi gave up, picked out a new seat, and planted himself on... the [Fate] tombstone. He announced to the group with an awkward nonchalance:
"Everyone's here. We can begin."
"?"
"What about the people you were waiting for?" Zhen Xin blinked.
"Didn't you notice? He stood us up. The livestock industry's really booming these days — there's always soone who loves releasing pigeons."
"He?
So you were only waiting for one person?
Anticipated six, present five. Cheng Shi, this is your mysterious Jokers?"
Zhen Xin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This wasn't even the size of the History School's History Correction eting.
Long Jing was stunned blank.
By now he knew perfectly well he'd been duped. That invitation letter was never from the Dragon King — it was Cheng Shi's own handiwork.
The Fate Weaver had been using deception on every attendee to build up gravitas for this gathering. But... five people? Even today's attendance was only five liars!?
If he'd known beforehand that the so-called Jokers were a five-liar organization, he might have never believed — back when eting the other Cheng Shi — that these five could be the world's hope.
'Are you kidding ?'
'A group of people incapable of speaking truth — what hope could they bring?'
'Weaving lies into gauze to bandage the world's wounds?'
'Hilarious. What clown behavior.'
Long Jing scoffed: "What an old joke, Fate Weaver. Don't tell
you're about to claim this place is full of people we just can't see?"
Cheng Shi spread his hands with unusual sincerity:
"I never said that. If you're seeing people everywhere, I suggest finding an ophthalmologist. Of course, you could also co to
— I may not specialize in eyes, but I'm still an excellent doctor.
Every patient in Dolgod can vouch for that.
But today isn't my delivery room. It's the Jokers' ho court.
As you can all see, the Joker Society is about to begin."
He picked up his mask, gestured invitingly to all present, and assud a solemn expression of utmost devotion:
"I know you've all guessed it. Yes, the Jokers were indeed born of Him. In that case, before we begin, let us loudly praise this universe's greatest deity.
Cannot distinguish truth from falsehood..."
Cheng Shi's call rang out, his smiling gaze sweeping every face.
The others felt helpless but couldn't resist the atmosphere. They raised their masks, pressed them to their faces, and chanted in unison: "...nor debate reality from illusion."
"Excellent. Everyone is very devout.
However, I must remind you — our Lord favors falsehood. Performing such devout sincerity is, by nature, blasphemy against the Fun God. Dragon King, please note this down. If anyone later does sothing unworthy of the Jokers, I'll file a complaint using today's mory."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Li Jingming was numb. He hadn't expected Cheng Shi's single sentence to trap him. If he morized it, he'd validate the absurdity — creating evidence of his own blasphemy. If he refused, it would blasphe his faith in [mory]. Blasphemy either way. For a mont, the [mory] follower was utterly speechless.
Long Jing rolled his eyes at the twisted logic. Squinty Zhang, accustod to the other's chaotic thinking, didn't even bother reacting. Only Zhen Xin watched Cheng Shi with a half-smile, tapping her heel against the tombstone:
"I hope your next sentence gets to the point. Otherwise mine will."
"..."
'That "point" wouldn't happen to be a "heh," would it?'
Cheng Shi pursed his lips. 'Kids these days are so impatient. Can't wait at all.' Fine, if they didn't want to wait — let's go.
He rose from the tombstone, gave an exaggerated bow, sat back down, and behind his back tapped the bone bell hidden beneath the tombstone. With perfect seriousness, he dropped the gathering's first bomb on every Joker watching him.
"The gods are not gods."
"!!!"
Every brow furrowed. This wasn't Cheng Shi's usual storytelling style.
Based on what they knew of the Fate Weaver, if he didn't fleece you of at least two rounds of intel before sharing, whatever ca out of his mouth was suspect — possibly not even lies, but random jumbles of text.
Yet today's atmosphere was clearly different. Cheng Shi seed driven by a powerful urge to share. And beneath that urge lurked a wisp of barely detectable... fear?
Sothing that frightened a friend of envoys? Interesting. Zhen Xin couldn't help wondering: what truth about the world could make this Fate Weaver — usually as playful as her younger sister — feel fear?
Yes. Sharp as she was, she'd already guessed Cheng Shi's direction. His opening line would inevitably lead to that omniscient, omnipotent [Origin]. So just by watching everyone's reactions, she'd know which attendees were truly Jokers.
Unfortunately, scanning the room, she found everyone unfazed by his premise. This ant every Joker present already possessed a deep understanding of the current world.
This was indeed a rare intelligence feast — not just the spoken words, but every gesture could be intelligence.
Long Jing's eyes glead even sharper. He was wondering: did this world's Cheng Shi discover this conclusion himself, or did soone tell him? If the latter — was it a player, or... one of Them?
Different answers implied vastly different degrees of complexity.
Minds raced in all directions. Cheng Shi knew everyone here had so awareness of [Origin] — if not the title, at least the concept.
So he didn't pause long. He continued:
"What I just said may have been ambiguous. What I an is: the gods are not omniscient, omnipotent deities. They are created gods. And the one who created Them — that is the true supre divine.
For the safety of this gathering, I won't na this genesis entity here. And I advise anyone who knows the na to refrain from dwelling on it, lest it invite disaster.
That aside, everything about the gods is fair ga today. I guarantee your blasphemous words will not be heard by Them."
At this, Li Jingming's interest piqued. He glanced at Zhang Jizu with raised brows: "You succeeded?"
Zhang Jizu nodded without concealing it, then pointed at Cheng Shi: "It's with him. He said that surrendering this artifact exempts
from all future intelligence-exchange costs at Joker etings — I'd only need to listen. I thought it was a fair deal, so I agreed."
"???"
'Wait, Squinty Zhang, you're making things up now?'
'When did I—'
Before Cheng Shi could process, the only uninford person — Long Jing — spoke up: "What does that an?"
Zhen Xin chuckled softly:
"The secrets this Fate Weaver carries are likely too complex to discuss under the gods' surveillance. So we've been trying to find a way to block Their vision and hearing.
It seems [Death] and the other gods don't see... eye to eye.
But I'm curious: has the 'omnipotence paradox' been solved by higher-dinsional power? If not, doesn't [Death] hear everything we say today?"
'Blocking the gods' surveillance!?'
Hearing this, Long Jing's entire body trembled. Goosebumps erupted across his skin.
He knew the gods weren't truly gods. But he'd never fantasized about one day escaping divine control.
Because he knew: once that door opened, the next steps — criticizing gods, spying on gods, resisting gods, even slaying gods — might no longer be fantasy!
What did this an? It ant these five-person Jokers might truly beco this world's hope.
So would their future resemble that other world's Cheng Shi?
If he rembered correctly, that Cheng Shi hadn't fared well at all...
For a mont, Long Jing was lost.
...
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