"What's wrong?"
Cheng Shi rolled his eyes, his disdain evident.
Fang Shiqing hadn't expected Xu Lu to react so strongly. She asked in surprise:
"How can you be so sure this is fake? Xu Lu, you saw the entire process of Cheng Shi's deduction. If you have any questions, you can say them. There's no need to be like this."
"I..."
Seeing Xu Lu's hesitant look, Fang Shiqing knew she was hiding something. So she gently persuaded her:
"Say it. We still have enough Time."
Xu Lu glanced at the Time, gritted her teeth, and said firmly:
"My Lords gave me a new decree before. He said:
[Do not let the follower of Time deceive you]"
"!?"
Both Fang Shiqing and Cheng Shi were startled.
Cheng Shi was surprised that the other party's Lord seemed to have some cognitive issues.
He was not a true follower of Time.
Fang Shiqing, on the other hand, was surprised. Could what Xu Lu said be the Truth?
"You..."
"Sister Fang, I know you look down on me, think I'm foolish, think I'm weak, think I'm a burden.
But I can see that you've been protecting me.
So I'll tell you this:
Cheng Shi is a big liar. He wants to kill everyone.
He killed A Ming and Huang Bo, then killed Bailing, and now it's your turn!
Sister Fang, will you come with me? Don't believe him!
Everything He says is fake!"
Fang Shiqing turned to look at Cheng Shi, only to see Cheng Shi suddenly relieved.
"Oh, so the prophecy of destiny is here. Big Sis, now it's your Time to choose.
Hahaha, believe Her or believe me, it's a choice between two."
After speaking, Cheng Shi walked to the edge of The Final Gate with a smile and silently began to wait.
"Even you..."
Fang Shiqing tightened her grip on the book in her hand, her gaze shifting.
"Cheng Shi, what was the decree He gave you?"
Cheng Shi was stunned, then smiled:
"You guessed it?
I did indeed receive a decree. Just as we entered the third act, Time gave me instructions.
He said: [Kill that follower of destiny]"
"..."
"It's you! It really is you!
Sister Fang, I wasn't wrong, was I! He just wants to kill me!
But He lied, He wants to kill everyone!
He's already doing it! Only the two of us are left.
Sister Fang, I'm saving you! I'm saving you! Please believe me, He wants to kill you!
Why aren't you coming over!?
Fang Shiqing! Do you think you're so amazing?
Do you think your choices are always right?
You idiot, and you're a follower of Truth. You still don't see that He's harming you, only I am saving you!
You!!!
Fang Shiqing, what are you doing!
Come back!
He wants to kill you! Come back!"
Seeing Fang Shiqing choose Cheng Shi, Xu Lu completely broke down. She gritted her teeth, looked at the two getting closer, and turned to run.
"Go to hell, all of you! You idiots, go to hell!"
Cheng Shi watched the approaching Fang Shiqing with interest, amused:
"Why didn't Big Sis choose her little follower?"
Fang Shiqing sighed helplessly:
"To borrow a phrase from Xu Lu, if you wanted to kill Her, you wouldn't need to go through so much trouble."
Cheng Shi was overjoyed.
"Not going to save Her?"
Fang Shiqing looked back, then shook her head:
"The Fire-Bearer carries the flame of continuation. This kind of person...
Forget it. Put down the urge to help others, respect their destiny."
Cheng Shi pouted: "Yes, respect their destiny."
He emphasized the word destiny.
Fang Shiqing knew what He meant and didn't mention the invitation again. Instead, she extended her hand and looked at Cheng Shi.
Cheng Shi was stunned, bewildered, and without knowing what He was thinking, He placed his hand on hers.
Two warm hands, tightly clasped.
Of course, it wasn't intertwined fingers, but a handshake.
His hand forced Fang Shiqing's flat hand into a handshake.
"..."
Fang Shiqing's expression was momentarily awkward, which was rare, then quickly returned to normal. She smiled and reminded him:
"Where's my compensation?"
Only then did Cheng Shi remember that the other party was asking for the reward for the "Eternal Prison" page.
Damn, that's too awkward, my toes are cramping.
"Ah hahaha, I remember, I remember."
Cheng Shi quickly withdrew his hand and took out a... from his personal space.
Mask of All Beings.
This was a golden mask with a brilliant smile, quite substantial.
As soon as Fang Shiqing held it, the mask's description popped up in her mind:
Mask of Joy (S): When you wear this mask, your mood will be forcibly changed to joy; when you consume this mask for summoning magic, your summoned creature will be replaced by the individual who gave you this mask.
"?"
Fang Shiqing blinked, and it took her a long Time to understand what "replaced by the individual who gave you this mask" meant.
Wasn't that Cheng Shi?
She looked at Cheng Shi and found Him looking awkward.
Indeed, giving such an item to a lady was not a commendable act.
However, it was very useful.
This meant Fang Shiqing had one chance to summon a Forgotten Doctor, though she didn't know if the summoned Cheng Shi would possess such a monstrous ability to break the situation?
She gently stroked the mask, smiling happily.
"Thank you, I accept."
Cheng Shi awkwardly withdrew his hand, not knowing what to say.
Um, I just wanted you to help me see what this thing does...
Actually, what I wanted to imprint for you was a healing spell with the Grace of Sharing Gods effect...
But you just kept holding it, and then snatched it away and rubbed it hard at the end...
Big Sis, can I ask for it back?
"..."
Ah, forget it.
After all, she was also a lifesaver. This mask, which had no description and no practical use, could be considered a farewell gift.
"This... consider it an extra gift. I'll imprint a healing spell for you, remember it."
"There's more?"
"Huh?"
"Oh, okay." Fang Shiqing smiled and took out her book, beginning to imprint Cheng Shi's skill.
After everything was done, she closed the book and stepped into The Final Gate without hesitation.
"Cheng Shi, goodbye."
Cheng Shi watched the disappearing Fang Shiqing, smiling and shaking his head.
There wouldn't be a chance to see each other again.
After Fang Shiqing completely disappeared into the door, Cheng Shi's gaze sharpened again. He looked in the direction Xu Lu had left and strode after Her.
"You think you can run after being drugged by me? What are you thinking, you fake!"
...
Xu Lu indeed didn't run far. She ran and ran until she fainted in the small garden near the outside of the banquet center.
Cheng Shi had administered the tranquilizer when He pulled Her away from the first The Final Gate.
Even in that urgent moment of "saving" someone, He didn't forget to rub some potion on his hand before pulling Her.
Of course, doing this wasn't a premeditated plan against Xu Lu.
It was just leaving a move casually, preparing for the unexpected.
He hadn't expected it to be useful now.
Originally, Cheng Shi telling Fang Shiqing that "Time gave Him a decree" was pure nonsense, as He wasn't a follower of Time at all.
But unexpectedly, after Fang Shiqing left the Trial, Cheng Shi truly received a decree from a God.
But this God was not Time, but deception, whom He followed.
[Kill that follower of destiny]
The exact same decree.
It was as if deception had watched his performance just now and repeated his words.
"?"
The question is, aren't you and destiny Gods of the same Fate?
What does this mean?
"..."
Cheng Shi was a bit speechless.
When He caught up, Xu Lu was still lying on the ground unconscious.
He grabbed Xu Lu by the collar and dragged Her towards The Final Gate.
Along the way, they encountered many servants who watched from the side, but under his sharp gaze, no one dared to interfere.
Cheng Shi walked the whole way, and Xu Lu was dragged along the whole way.
By the Time they reached The Final Gate, Xu Lu woke up slowly because of the sharp pain in her back.
When she saw Cheng Shi's face, she shrieked and curled up.
"Don't come over!! Ah!!!
Don't kill me!!
Please, I was wrong, don't kill me!!"
Cheng Shi looked at Her with a cold gaze and sneered:
"You? Worthy?"
He grabbed Xu Lu by the neck, lifted Her up, and then smiled:
"I have indeed killed many people and witnessed countless Deaths.
But I still feel that sometimes, Death is too direct.
It lacks some beauty.
Miss Prophet, don't you think so?"
After speaking, without waiting for Xu Lu to react, He directly pressed Her head and threw Her into the memory Gate.
After doing all this, He took out the dice in his hand and said with a grin:
"Compared to killing the follower of destiny, perhaps disrupting Her destiny is more fun."
Cheng Shi looked at the dice with anticipation.
Unfortunately, the dice remained motionless, with no reaction.
"Tch, boring."
Cheng Shi put away the dice and strode out of the Trial.
[Special Trial (Eternal Night Labyrinth [Memory]) Challenge Successful]
[Scoring and settling rewards...]
[Player: Cheng Shi, Performance Score: S]
[Obtained Item: Mask of Hope (S) x1]
[Obtained Item: Mask of Regret (A) x1]
[Obtained Item: Mask of Disgust (B) x1]
[Obtained Item: Mask of Relief (A) x1]
[path to godhood + 9]
[Ladder to the Audience + 3]
[Current path to godhood Score: 2125, Global Ranking: 464024]
[Current Ladder to the Audience Score: 161, Fate Ranking: 64]
[Trial completed, exiting soon]
...