Chapter 1008: [Memory] Doesn't Remember Its Memories |
People convulse when pushed to extreme terror.
Whether it was genuine or not, Long Jing shut his eyes, twitched twice, and lay motionless on the ground.
If Cheng Shi had thought for a second this trick could work, he'd have done the same. But with those divine eyes growing colder by the second, his brain went into overdrive. Before the true god's punishment could fall, he shoved the blame squarely onto the Fun God.
He had no choice. What should have been a salvageable situation had been wrecked by Long Jing's idiocy.
'You're just a mortal — barely a high-scoring [Deceit] follower — and you had the nerve to call [Memory]'s Collection Hall your backyard? Running your mouth is one thing, but doing it in front of the owner? Ask the Fun God if He'd dare!'
'...He absolutely would.'
Which was exactly why Cheng Shi was using Him as a scapegoat.
As for why not use his other Benefactor, [Time], as an excuse — he wanted to, but couldn't. The Jokers had just held their inaugural trust exercise. He couldn't ditch Zhen Xin now — she wasn't a [Time] follower.
If either Zhen Xin or Long Jing had been absent, Cheng Shi could have concocted a righteous excuse to slip past. But with both present, all he could think of was the Fun God.
The three of us, as [Deceit] believers, were holding a gathering to discuss how to offer Him our devotion. Though this scene displeases You, it stems from the most extreme sincerity of three mortals. I believe the Faith Game's purpose has always been to cultivate sincerity — so I don't believe we've done wrong.
The one who erred... is our Benefactor.
Perhaps the joy of toying with followers outweighed the patience of awaiting offerings. Our gathering drew His gaze, and then He dumped us into Your Collection Hall — with a message for You..."
By the time Cheng Shi had rattled this off in one breath — even pulling out his mask for dramatic effect — Zhen Xin's gaze had transformed.
Hard to say whether it was admiration for the clown's desperate argument or shock at the Fate Weaver's shameless fabrication. Either way, she swallowed every draft response she'd prepared in the last second, standing perfectly still as she waited for Cheng Shi to clear their names.
She didn't believe a single word. But she somehow felt Cheng Shi could get them out of this.
If even Zhen Xin didn't believe him, would [Memory] — one of the sixteen true gods upon Their divine thrones — believe a word from these small-time liars sheltered by the biggest liar of all?
Absolutely not.
He had no intention of believing them.
Yet He didn't act immediately. Why?
Because Cheng Shi's real purpose was exactly this — spewing a wall of words just to set up the final line. And [Memory] had noticed that final line. He was curious: what "message" had supposedly been conveyed?
Curiosity didn't just kill cats — it could also delay a god's sentencing.
Seeing it had worked, Cheng Shi clenched the finger-snap behind his back, steeled his gaze, gritted his teeth, and made his biggest gamble.
"He told us to tell You: You seem to have forgotten a memory about Him!"
"!!??"
'What are you SAYING!?'
Zhen Xin and Long Jing were thunderstruck. The acrobat on the ground nearly broke character, his face twitching from sheer fury at Cheng Shi's self-sabotage.
'Getting caught was bad enough — but before they've even started interrogating us, you just volunteer our entire criminal history?'
'Are you afraid [Existence]'s judgment won't be harsh or fair enough, Cheng Shi!?'
Of course not!
Cheng Shi detested being judged. But this time, he had to say it.
From [Memory]'s first and only statement after catching them, the Collection Hall's owner hadn't mentioned the Jokers' earlier intrusion — which was their greatest crime. Why would He overlook that?
No — perhaps He hadn't overlooked it. Perhaps He simply hadn't "seen" it!
So Cheng Shi made a bold conjecture: as long as outsiders had touched that self-sealed memory, [Memory] wouldn't detect their "visit" — would even automatically "forget" it.
Everything Cheng Shi was doing now was to stall for time. Stall until he could signal Zhen Xin to make their desperate move together — dual insurance for this mad hypothesis.
While professing his devotion to [Deceit] before [Memory], Cheng Shi had deliberately produced his mask. At first Zhen Xin hadn't grasped what the mask meant — until Cheng Shi blurted out the very memory that [Memory] had forgotten...
If she couldn't catch a hint this obvious, the Jokers could hardly claim any understanding.
The brilliant Zhen Xin instantly grasped his thinking. So in the split second [Memory] paused to contemplate this seemingly [Deceit]-flavored joke — the two mortals moved, right under the god's nose!
Zhen Xin whipped out a golden playing card and flung it before her. It transformed into a gleaming golden door, which she pushed through without hesitation.
Cheng Shi's method was even simpler: one finger-snap teleported him back before that "[Deceit] riddle" painting!
When the two reconvened at the sealed artwork one after the other, [Memory]'s interrupted contemplation turned to cold fury. Then — ignoring the acrobat still lying on the floor — He vanished from the Collection Hall and appeared in the void beyond.
There, He met a pair of eyes that irritated Him to no end. Those eyes, meanwhile, gazed meaningfully at everything within the Collection Hall, then let out a cryptic hum.
"Long time no see. Since when is [Existence] this courteous — greeting me personally?"
Those weighty historical eyes regarded [Deceit] coolly:
"Whatever deal you struck with [Time], this place doesn't welcome you."
"Oh?
If I'm unwelcome, why did you let my followers in?
One face in public, another behind closed doors — well done. When it comes to understanding appearances versus essence, nobody beats you [Existence] types."
[Memory] frowned. His gaze swept meticulously through His Collection Hall, finding nothing amiss.
So He sighed:
"Don't think your tricks can blind my eyes and ears. Some things I'll tolerate once — but never twice.
Rein in your schemes. This has never been your playground for twisting [Existence]."
[Deceit]'s eyes crinkled upward, apparently quite pleased with [Memory]'s response.
"So you really are forgetting. Hmm, excellent. Keep it up.
Though don't forget everything. Where is [Folly]'s authority? If you remember, do share."
"Nonsense!" [Memory] shook His head. With a wave, He concealed the entire Collection Hall and Himself within the void. He couldn't drive away the annoying fly, but He could choose to stay far from it.
Watching [Memory] depart, those stellar eyes spiraled for a long moment, then snort-laughed:
"You little liars are bold indeed. Thinking every memory in the world is yours to browse?
There are reasons some things are hidden from the world. A half-baked guess at Fixed Destiny already terrified you all that much. If the real Fixed Destiny comes...
Heh. This world grows more and more tedious."
As those eyes prepared to leave, they paused inexplicably. Then, with an amused blink, they reached into the void's depths and retrieved a skull no larger than a speck of dust.
This tiny skull differed from every other skull beneath that gentleman's throne — because its eye sockets weren't two holes. They were two slits!
The small skull appeared and calmly reported to those stellar eyes:
"My Lord, the [Death] Benefactor summoned me and asked why He detected fluctuations resembling His own divine presence near me.
I deflected as per Your instructions, but that gentleman clearly didn't believe me. What should I do now?"
[Deceit] smiled, eyes spinning with a new idea:
"Next time, just tell Him outright. Otherwise the old bones will grumble about me swindling His followers again.
Ha, I can hardly wait to see Him throw a tantrum. Oh right — He doesn't have feet."
"..."
"You've done well. Keep it up."
The small skull showed no joy at [Deceit]'s praise. Instead, brow-slits furrowed gravely:
"My Lord... if everything Cheng Shi said is true... are You truly destroying the world?"
"What, think I lied to you?"
"...I wouldn't dare."
"Tch—
Wouldn't dare think it, or wouldn't dare say it?
The little liars do understand me. But sadly, they don't understand [Void]'s surface — much less [Void]'s essence.
I am clearly saving the world. Just as you raise my tombstone yet remain devout.
Don't worry. That little graveyard of yours can't hold that many gods.
This world might still be salvageable."
With that, those eyes tossed the bowed, silent little skull out of the void, then gazed sharply into an unknown direction:
"But only might..."
...