Chapter 818: Woof! |
"If I trust you one more time, I'm a dog." Ai Si's face was granite.
Cheng Shi scoffed and extended his hand. "Then give them back."
"I..." The War Supervisor didn't move. She looked down at the vials once more, expression warring between suspicion and desire. "These are real?"
"What, you want to test them right now?
I'll tell you: unless you're at death's door, they do nothing. Only when you're truly on the brink does drinking one keep you alive. They're good stuff.
If you don't accept the deal, hand them back."
He reached for the vials.
Ai Si's face shifted. She stepped back and stuffed them into her pocket — then caught the taunting appraisal and sardonic grin on Cheng Shi's face. Flushing with anger, she fired off a single fierce protest:
"Woof!"
That single bark launched Cheng Shi straight back to Kannar City, to the memory of Poison voluntarily becoming someone's dog.
Speaking of which — that pretty boy who'd been "offered" to the Warden by Aph Ros, how was he doing now?
Funny how things circled around — some people ended up in the same line of work as Poison.
Fate really was something.
Cheng Shi fell quiet for a beat, then pulled the teasing smile back into place.
"Impressive, War Supervisor. Now I'm thoroughly convinced you won't do anything stupid...
Hey hey hey — put the sword down! But I am curious. What's the deal with your life?"
Ai Si, mid-swing with the great sword, froze. A complicated flicker crossed her eyes. She pulled back, shook her head slightly.
"Nothing. Just preparing for the unpredictable dangers ahead. A rainy-day precaution.
Anyway — huh? Where's the Gravekeeper?"
They'd been walking side by side for a while. Only now, looking back, did they realize Zhang Jizu had fallen far behind. Watching his pace slow to a crawl, Cheng Shi's chest tightened. He stopped and scanned the surroundings.
"Spotted something?"
Zhang Jizu didn't answer until he was beside them. Then, face smiling and tone dead-serious:
"I noticed two people openly strategizing about how to deal with me. Didn't want to spoil the mood, so I slowed down to give you space.
Didn't spot anything, no."
"..."
"..."
Cheng Shi's guarded expression froze on his face. He rotated his stiff neck toward Zhang Jizu, lips twitching.
"Zhang-lao, you seem like a different person."
Zhang Jizu squinted at him. His look said it all: somebody's influence has been considerable.
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere — as the trio explored toward the edges of San Dales' center, near an ice prism they'd passed earlier, two figures collided.
Jacket Cheng Shi looked up and found himself face to face with none other than Zhang Jizu, Death Chosen.
He arched a brow, halted, the corner of his mouth curving into an amused grin.
"Interesting. You waiting for me, Zhang-lao?
What — finally figured out that other guy isn't me?"
Zhang Jizu's squinting eyes measured Cheng Shi top to bottom. After a moment, he said:
"All is given to Void."
Cheng Shi blinked, then snapped irritably.
"Great. So now you're testing me, Zhang-lao?!
Cut the mystical mumbo-jumbo. Did he send you, or are you here on your own?
I'm not thrilled about your behavior, but the fact that you came to probe means you've started doubting that counterfeit too.
Interesting — if the impostor were Zhen Yi or the Dragon King, they probably wouldn't show any cracks. So whoever it is, their impersonation isn't perfect.
That narrows it down to a handful of players on the Deceit leaderboard.
Add in the combat prowess I displayed during 0221's Experiment Ground, and we can rule out everyone who isn't primarily a fighter.
Which leaves exactly one person who can replicate both my identity and my combat ability — Long Jing.
So the one traveling with you is Long Jing. Am I right?
You saw through him and came to me to 'leave the darkness for the light'?"
After that speech, Zhang Jizu's eyes narrowed to mere slits. He nodded, then shook his head, and smiled.
"Wrong."
"?" Cheng Shi frowned. "Impossible. If not Long Jing, I can't think of anyone else capable of pulling this off. Zhang-lao — have you identified his real identity?"
"I haven't identified his. But I've identified yours.
Long Jing — impersonating Cheng Shi and then pinning your own name on someone else. Clever trick, isn't it?"
"!!!"
The instant the words landed, Zhang Jizu's scalpel slashed for his chest. Cheng Shi didn't flinch; one hand clamped the blade mid-arc. Face dark as coal:
"Did the cold freeze your brain?
What did Long Jing drug you with, that you trust him over me?
Or have you two teamed up to strip me of my identity?
Zhang-lao — I consider you a friend. Don't make me regret it."
Zhang Jizu didn't press the attack. He simply felt the strength in the other's grip and spoke with a loaded tone. "You seem... considerably stronger."
"Drop the probing. You know my full hand. I fused with Fate. My Fate-side class is Hero of Today.
Zhang-lao — I've been this transparent. You still doubt me?
Keep being this 'obstinate' and I'll have no choice but to beat some sense into you."
As he spoke, his free hand produced a die. The face showing: six.
The instant Zhang Jizu saw that six, he smiled.
The impersonation was superb — the impersonator had even reverse-engineered the Hero of Today class from Cheng Shi's performance at the Experiment Ground. But no plan was flawless. That six? Zhang Jizu had never once seen Cheng Shi roll it.
But he didn't call it out. Instead, he withdrew his hand with a smile and a parting suggestion.
"I have a rough idea why you're here. But I don't think you'll get it. Good luck."
He turned and walked away, leaving one last line:
"Also — watch out for Zhen Yi. I'm certain she's here."
After Zhang Jizu vanished around the bend, Jacket Cheng Shi's face turned to stone.
He picked up the flawless Fate die and frowned hard, trying to figure out where he'd gone wrong.
"Doesn't make sense. I researched it over and over — Cheng Shi's die has exactly six faces.
Could there be... some trick I'm missing?"
Jacket Cheng Shi climbed an ice prism, squinting through the driving snow at scattered firelight beginning to converge in the distance. His gaze sharpened. Leaning into the wind, he swapped outfits.
Once the trench coat replaced the jacket, he pocketed the die and crept cautiously toward the flickering lights.
The wind in the frozen abyss grew fiercer, shaking the frost-covered plants that clung upside-down to the prisms. Like the Cheng Shis' identities — about to slip free at any moment.
...
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