Chapter 425: A Flawless Deduction |
"What's so impossible about it?"
President Gong smiled. He paced the stage, speaking with great confidence:
"Prosperity and Decay share one leaderboard. So friends from both faiths should know: Decay's Chosen One goes by the ID 'Xiu Mu.' Ranks two through four are 'Yu Mu,' 'Bu Ziqi,' and 'Zhen Du.'
I have confirmed intel: since that 'God War,' none of those four have had an audience with Him."
"Oh, very funny. Unless you're one of them, how would you possibly know they haven't secretly had an audience?
And even if you were one of them, you'd only know your own situation. Just because someone tells you something, does that make it true?"
The moment President Gong finished, a barrage of challenges erupted. Naturally, publicly exposing four peak players' personal affairs would raise suspicion. But this time, President Gong hadn't lied.
Because after that challenge, the distinguished man in the first row spoke up.
And the instant he opened his mouth, he confirmed President Gong's words.
I should also note that this unsummoned status has persisted for some time — it's not something that only started recently.
Furthermore, I can add some supplementary intel: Prosperity audiences appear to have stopped as well.
'Tu Tou' and 'Zhidiao Xiumu' haven't shown any activity either."
At this, everyone was stunned.
Every eye in the hall turned to this confident, elegant man, trying to guess his identity.
Cheng Shi only grew more certain of his suspicion: this person had to be one of the Chosen Ones he hadn't yet met.
President Gong clapped his hands in delight at the first-row man's contribution. With impeccable grace, he bowed toward the man and said:
"Many thanks, Chief Grand Secretary, for your support. But I must remind you — no matter how selflessly you share this information, the Mediocre Person Society can hardly accommodate a figure of your stature.
You are one of those 'geniuses' I spoke of. You've even transcended the need for mediocre people to prop you up. So...
What brings you here?"
'Chief Grand Secretary?'
'What kind of ridiculous nickname is that?'
Cheng Shi blinked, confused for a second. Then a name clicked — a person once hailed across every channel as the "Faith Game's number one support": the Arbiter, Mo Li!
"..."
'He's Mo Li?'
'So "Chief Grand Secretary" means "chief support." Is that it?'
'Fine, fine, fine! Chief Grand Secretary it is!'
By now, others had also recognized Mo Li's identity. Gasps echoed through the hall.
"It's him — the Chosen One of Order! The Arbiter who understands human nature best — Mo Li!"
"Who? A Chosen One? A Chosen One is mediocre too?"
"...Whether a Chosen One is mediocre, I don't know. But buddy, you definitely are."
"Yeah, I know — why else would I be here?"
"..."
Amid the commotion, Mo Li in the front row didn't deny his identity. He simply smiled at the stage and spoke at an unhurried pace:
"The difference between a genius and a mediocre person is merely the angle from which they view the world. I wouldn't dare call myself a genius. But those present here may not be mediocre either.
A masterwork's audience is always thin — yet a masterwork isn't always pleasing to the ear.
I only know that the majority defines the mainstream. Just as my Lord's radiance never changes for the differences between living beings, shining equally upon all things in the universe.
So I'm no genius, nor am I the enemy of mediocre people. I bear the Mediocre Person Society absolutely no ill will.
I simply happened to find a card. Curiosity brought me in for a look. And of course — what matters more is confirming whether this place falls under my Lord Order's illumination."
These words filled nearly everyone present with goodwill toward this modest Chosen One. Even Cheng Shi thought this peak Arbiter was utterly impeccable.
"Clap! Clap! Clap!"
President Gong applauded rhythmically from the stage, exclaiming:
"Truly worthy of His follower — still so reassuring.
I should be thankful for everyone's restraint, sparing us the Chief Grand Secretary's judgment.
Now that even the Chief has corroborated this, surely there are no more doubts?"
Mo Li smiled and added:
"I did say the audience cessation isn't something that began only recently. So President Gong, your evidence is rather conveniently selected."
"Even the strongest evidence, placed before someone who refuses to believe, won't convince them.
I'm merely the Mediocre Person Society's convener — not the mediocre people's teacher. My vision is to benefit those who are willing to trust each other and join the Society, not to convert stubborn lone wolves.
And what I'd like to say is: when people witness something, they shouldn't only look at its surface. They should pierce through those fragmented, deceptive appearances to seek the essence of the matter!
And the essence behind these appearances is: Decay has fallen. Prosperity achieved total victory!"
"..."
President Gong's logic wasn't the most airtight. As he admitted, he was openly persuading people who already wanted to believe. And yes, some in the hall were willing — though mostly because of Mo Li's endorsement.
But these words landed very differently in Cheng Shi's ears.
'Surface versus essence — my Benefactor was just lecturing me about this exact thing!' So the Deceit follower on stage was... pretty high-level.
He was no mediocre person — he might very well be one of those "geniuses" he kept talking about!
A genius walking the path of Deceit!
'Heh — how interesting. A genius convenes countless mediocre people below 2000 points, aiming to build an organization that can keep pace with the geniuses.'
'So what's his angle?'
'If it's just for entertainment, isn't this level of manipulation a bit... low-grade?'
The hall quieted once more. Strangely, the moment that should have produced the fiercest debate and most heated discussion simply fizzled. Players glanced at one another and chose silence.
Perhaps in many eyes, Decay's fall was now a "settled" matter.
"I know this is hard for our Decay friends to accept. But everyone should understand: though the gods shelter their followers, They are also the very reason we're in this mess!
Without Their descent, we wouldn't be suffering like this.
So wake up — don't let the abilities They bestowed blind you.
Humans and gods were never on the same side!"
The hall erupted in thunderous cheers.
Cheng Shi's eyebrow rose with mild surprise. He even sensed the shift in Cui Qiushi's aura behind him.
'Huh — the Mediocre Person Society is starting to sound like a variant of the Torchbearers.'
He stayed silent, didn't turn around, and watched the stage with burning eyes, waiting for President Gong's next act.
"Everyone, please stay calm.
The Mediocre Person Society is a stage for the mediocre — not a stage for fools.
I won't lead anyone to challenge gods we can't possibly defeat. I said it before: I only want everyone to help each other, brave the blizzard together, march in step, and strive to survive.
Those grandiose notions — until the mediocre have transformed, we cannot and need not consider them.
I understand, Decay friends — you're worried about your situation. But don't forget: you can still abjure your oaths.
And even without abjuring — who says the fall of a deity is necessarily...
not an opportunity?"
At this point, President Gong's voice began rising toward mania.
"Everyone!
At the end of Decay's path, that Divine Throne sits empty!
Don't you want to give it a try?"
Hearing this, Cheng Shi's lips curled. He'd basically figured out President Gong's game.
'He wants to be a second "me" — he wants a slice of the pie from this so-called god-fall event!'
And founding the Mediocre Person Society might just be one of his tools for carving that slice.
Who exactly would benefit from the Society remained unclear. But the leaked God War had almost certainly become the perfect catalyst for the Society's establishment.
Without it, this President Gong probably wouldn't have had such perfect "material" to share with the assembled mediocre people.
His impassioned speech continued.
"I've said it before: the geniuses are gifted, and they run fast. But if we work together, moving as one, we may yet follow in their footsteps and pick up the scraps!
And today's intel is my sincerity. I'm sharing this information precisely so that all of you can grab a piece of the pie in this monumental upheaval!
It doesn't matter which one of us gets that piece — whoever does can give the Mediocre Person Society the capital to sit at the same table as other organizations, and negotiate as equals.
With more and more sharing, we will grow faster than those rigid, hierarchical, old-guard institutions!
And when the mediocre people of the Society shed their mediocrity through unity — we will very likely be the ones who survive to the very end of this game the Gods have bestowed upon us!
Friends, think carefully. Opportunities...
don't come along every day."
...
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