Chapter 886: Since I'm Already Here

Foolish Game of the Gods

"..."

'If truly nothing is going to happen, as You say, then You wouldn't be feeling fear in this era.'

Cheng Shi knew his Benefactor was hiding many things from him, but he also possessed enough self-awareness: a mortal had no business meddling in the struggles between gods. Moreover, the Fun God's current target no longer seemed to be the gods within this sliced universe, but rather a higher existence beyond it.

So was this container a symbol of His accelerating plan?

And was Oblivion's arrival connected to His schemes? Had the Fun God lured Oblivion here, or had Oblivion sensed something and come to interfere?

Those eyes saw through Cheng Shi's thoughts and let out a derisive snort.

"As if He's worthy?

Just a confused fool searching for the meaning of his own existence.

He's not even as 'devout' as Decay of the same Path. At least that stinking beggar found a true will that suits himself. Whether or not it aligns with His expectations for Decay, the beggar has at least set foot on the road to proving his own self.

"???"

'Hold on — was I asking about that?'

'The word clown is practically a trash bin at this point — any piece of garbage gets sorted into it.'

'Benefactor, You'd better not be shooting arrows at me through someone else's target. If You're really trash-talking this clown right here, then don't blame me for gossiping—'

'Actually, I don't dare gossip. I'll just endure it.'

'Wait till the Fun God leaves, then I'll gossip. Otherwise the blasphemy charges will just keep stacking.'

"So Void and Oblivion have no grudge — He came to obliterate me just to amuse Himself?

Benefactor, that doesn't sound like Oblivion to me. That sounds more like Your style.

Please don't tell me in a few days that Oblivion was also one of Your alter egos?"

Cheng Shi was spooked. His own abundance of disguises had clearly been "inherited" from above.

Right — a crooked roof leads to a crooked foundation.

Those eyes chuckled through their nose and glanced at Cheng Shi.

"If fantasies can soothe your anxiety, then by all means, dream bigger.

Maybe Origin is me too, while we're at it?

I know your other Fear Faction Benefactor will do everything possible to keep you alive, but let me warn you, Clown — Oblivion is not so easy to deal with.

Be careful. If you die by His hand, you won't get to visit your skull boss afterward. And at that point, forget Old Bones — even I probably won't be able to find you."

"!!!"

Cheng Shi had just managed to walk out of his deicide-induced terror, and the Fun God's words nearly shoved him right back in.

"Then what do I do if He comes for me again?

Benefactor, based on past experience, You and Fate can't possibly watch over me all the time. Chaos is also You, which means I've lost one Benefactor's eyes. And Time has no time to watch at all..."

The more he thought, the more his face fell.

'Great — my four Benefactors are basically the same as having no Benefactors.'

'All that faith fusion for nothing.'

Those eyes observed this and chuckled lightly.

"Since you can't dodge it anyway, why not change your thinking?

If He can come find you — why can't you go find Him?"

"???" Cheng Shi was flabbergasted.

'Me? Go find Him?'

'What kind of logic is that? What would I go find Him for? To die?'

'That wouldn't even be called seeking death — because dying at His hands wouldn't leave so much as a skull behind!'

"Rather than sitting around waiting to die, you might as well strike first.

You've offended Him before, haven't you? The fact that a mortal's disrespect can send a confused god into a rage proves there's a crack in His mentality. The more cracks there are, the more openings..."

At this, Cheng Shi's eyes snapped wide open. He finally understood the Fun God's meaning.

He was scheming against Oblivion!

He even wanted to use Cheng Shi himself as bait to lure Oblivion in!

This confirmed that Oblivion was not Deceit — at least not in the past or present. As for the future... that depended on whatever the Fun God was planning.

Having grasped the picture, Cheng Shi lowered his head and conceded. "What would You have me do, Benefactor?"

"Just keep 'taunting' Him the way you did before. You may not even need to do anything deliberate — His zealous followers will come looking for you on their own under the banner of piety.

After all, there's no more perfect ending than making a player vanish silently during a trial. So the threat you need to watch for was never Him — it's the God Upholders who serve Him.

Alright, I've said far too much today. It's gotten boring.

That's enough. I have other things to attend to."

With that, those eyes moved to blow Cheng Shi out of the void.

But Cheng Shi had far too many questions. He hurriedly raised his hand to stop the Benefactor's "dismissal" and craned his neck.

"One last question, Benefactor — just one last question!"

"Today's clown is so noisy it's becoming annoying. Hurry up and ask."

Cheng Shi pretended he hadn't heard the jab and blurted out:

"Benefactor, I want to ask about Your relationship with Time...

Normally I wouldn't dare think this way, but since even Chaos turned out to be You — why couldn't Time be You as well?"

Those eyes paused, then regarded Cheng Shi with a half-smile.

"I see that someone isn't really wondering about my relationship with Time, but rather has an ulterior motive. Am I right?"

"..." Cheng Shi scratched his head sheepishly. "Since I can't hide it, I'll come clean. Benefactor, here's the thing — aside from Ultraman and Yu Xi, I previously 'fabricated' a third identity as Shi Zhen. So, if You could consider..."

"Tch—"

Deceit knew exactly what kind of person His follower was. Hearing this, He smiled meaningfully.

"So the Clown has been eyeing the position of Existence Servant God."

"I wouldn't call it 'eyeing' exactly..."

"Since you're not eyeing it, then forget it."

"I am! I am!! I'm totally eyeing it!!!" Cheng Shi panicked. He immediately straightened his back, his eyes gleaming. The greedy expression couldn't have been more different from his cautious demeanor moments ago.

Could it be — there was actually a chance?!

Had Time really let go of the reins?

Those eyes studied Cheng Shi's posture and said with biting sarcasm:

"Finally willing to tell the truth.

Good — I underestimated you.

Shi Zhen... becoming Time's Envoy might be a bit difficult for you right now. But becoming Corruption's Envoy would be easy enough. Wouldn't you agree, Greed Lord?"

With that, those eyes gave Cheng Shi no chance to defend himself and hurled him out of the void.

Watching the Clown's figure vanish, He shook his head with a string of derisive laughs.

"Doesn't know when he has it good. But I must say, you've played the role of the Clown rather vividly.

It seems all clowns, no matter what world they're from, are the same. No wonder He sees you as Fixed Destiny.

I'm starting to wonder whether choosing you in the first place was truly Fate's doing.

What do you think, Fate?"

No one answered in the void. Those eyes gave a casual laugh, turned, and disappeared into the depths of Void — into the river called Mockery and Jeering.

Before leaving, He surveyed the entire universe through His creations, the corners of His eyes high with glee, smiling happily.

"Since I'm already here — wouldn't it be rude not to leave a little gift?"

With that, He bestowed an edict upon every Deceit follower in the universe — an edict identical to the one Fate had issued.

When it was done, those eyes vanished instantly.

The void and the emptiness sank back into silence. It looked as though everything had returned to peace.

But things were far from over. At some moment after Deceit departed, two pairs of eyes suddenly opened beside the river of Mockery and Jeering.

One bore the weight of the universe's entire past and present. The other captured the ceaseless rush and ebb of time.

Existence!

The twin deities had descended here, in the deepest reaches of Void, beside this creation of Void.

The eyes of Memory made no move to file this place's memories into the Collection Hall. Instead, they asked the other calmly: "Where does this absurd tide lead?"

The eyes of Time were silent for a moment, then shook their head with a sigh. "I don't know."

Memory chuckled.

"From what I can tell, you've fused less with Fate and more with Deceit — you've learned how to lie."

With that, Memory left — neither probing further nor reminiscing.

Time gazed in the direction the Mockery and Jeering flowed, sighed softly once more, and departed as well.

He still had things to do — and no time to linger.

...