Chapter 1023: Galusha Again! |
Hu Xuan left swiftly, not even sparing a glance at the visitors in the courtyard.
This mildly surprised Cheng Shi. He'd expected that even an accommodating friend like the Life Sage wouldn't treat a casual suggestion like a military order executed on the spot.
This wasn't Hu Xuan's style at all. More like she needed personal time for something else.
But in a Tusnat on the verge of total collapse — what could she possibly be doing?
For a friend, Cheng Shi felt only curiosity, not suspicion. But whatever Hu Xuan was up to, he had to finish his own performance first.
So, without any pretense, he pulled the church robes back on right beside Meng Youfang. Then, under the bard's contemplative gaze, he strolled out with casual confidence.
Meng Youfang didn't follow. He simply moved to the window and became a silent observer — because he believed what came next would be Cheng Shi's true self-introduction.
He was certain no mere mortal could "understand" him this well.
Seeing Meng Youfang stay put, Cheng Shi allowed himself a knowing smile. Everyone thought Meng Youfang was insane — but in his eyes, the man was a perfect scapegoat.
If the man's delusions were truly as "unwavering" as Cheng Shi suspected, he'd be a second Zhen Yi — someone who'd never refuse "responsibility" and might even volunteer for blame.
Of course, these were contingency plans. Whether they'd be needed depended on how many surprises this trial threw.
Turning to the front courtyard, Cheng Shi felt entirely at ease facing the Afterglow Church's leadership. After all, he was the "genuine" Ultraman. With the [Chaos] container in his hands, he had everything but an envoy's actual power — the identity lacked nothing.
So he slipped into character instantly. Seeing three men before him, he was already formulating how to berate them preemptively — to take pressure off the rest of his performance.
But just as the words reached his lips, he spotted a vaguely familiar face behind the three men. Combined with the vivid glimpse from the Tomorrow Truth tower earlier, Cheng Shi immediately identified the woman standing behind the Afterglow Church leaders — Galusha!
'What are you doing here?'
'I'm here to lecture the Afterglow Church. What's a [Folly] follower got to do with this?'
'Don't tell me after taking over the Extreme Desire Brotherhood, you've meddled in the Afterglow Church too? Are you the underground Emperor — calling shots everywhere?'
Cheng Shi went numb.
His reason for crudely throwing on a robe and playing himself was twofold: genuine confidence in his identity, and saving a mask.
He'd entered this trial as a [Fate] believer. He didn't want to remove his mask or use [Chaos] powers right away. That's why he chose the more direct route — presenting the [Chaos] container.
But he hadn't counted on Galusha tagging along. This madwoman should have been storming Tomorrow Truth tower to capture the Erudition Presidium. Why was she here making social calls?
Social calls were one thing — his real fear was that she'd already recognized him!
Indeed, Galusha definitely remembered Cheng Shi. Even if he was just a passing traveler in the Land of Hope's history, during that Montelani trial's finale, he hadn't forgotten how three idiot teammates had left his image at the scene of little Galusha's death.
So would this [Folly] follower, this mad avenger, confront him on the spot?
If she threw caution to the wind, his only option was switching back to his true faith and using undeniable [Chaos] authority to suppress the chaos.
Fortunately, Galusha merely glanced up at Cheng Shi, then "respectfully" lowered her head.
Her composure felt wrong, but there was no reason to abandon this rare opportunity. So Cheng Shi launched straight into the three Afterglow leaders:
"Beyond your rigid, idiotic devotion, I see not one trace of our Benefactor's will enlightening you!
Uncontrolled chaos might cause [Order] to crumble on its own — but this is [Truth]'s nation! The nexus of all patterns! Letting believers stampede blindly only helps these scholars find the rules, unravel the chaos, and reclaim Tusnat's control!
Have you gone so long without an audience that your thinking has already strayed from our Benefactor's will? Hmm?"
That single "hmm?" made all three elders who'd been about to verify his identity bow instantly. Eyes downcast, they exchanged sidelong glances — each wanting the other to speak first, yet telling themselves to absolutely not touch this hornet's nest.
Anyone who could wear that lord's robes — real or not — as long as he didn't deviate from the grand objective of taking the Tower of Logic, might as well be treated as genuine.
Even if they got the identity wrong, wasn't that in itself an offering to [Chaos]?
But if they challenged him and were proven wrong, they might lose more than just face.
So, following the principle of less talk, fewer mistakes, the three old men simply bowed lower and said nothing.
Cheng Shi clearly read their minds. He scoffed, unbothered. Completing his plan was all that mattered.
"That you still stand here at all — thank my Lord's mercy!
But your failure will disgrace me before the Temple!
The only way to recover your dignity is to follow my instructions to the letter. Do not make me summon you in the mortal world again.
Otherwise, the only thing that will prove your devotion next time... is your blood."
He flung a written edict at the middle elder's face. The man trembled, opened it — and froze.
"M-my lord... what is this?"
"What? Has proximity to [Truth] taught you to question?"
"!!!"
That accusation was tantamount to oathbreaking!
The three elders crashed to their knees, prostrating on the ground, not daring to move. The central leader, drenched in cold sweat:
"We dare not! My lord, forgive us! Benefactor, forgive us!
We are simply too dull to fathom your lordship's true intentions. Please, enlighten us further."
Cheng Shi snorted coldly. With eyes cold as [Fate] itself, he gazed at the only one not kneeling — Galusha — and said:
"Do you know why I call you failures?
The [Truth] followers in Tomorrow Truth have fled!
While you reveled in chaos, the Erudition Presidium vanished!
I won't deny that your chaos-making aims to attract our Benefactor's gaze and favor. But don't forget the Afterglow Church's mission.
This opportunity is once-in-a-millennium. Everything you see wasn't something you waited for — it was won because my Lord held back [Civilization]'s reinforcements.
So don't disappoint me. And don't disappoint Him."
"Yes, yes, yes!" By now, even without proof, the three were seventy to eighty percent convinced. But the edict's orders still baffled them. They bowed again:
"Please enlighten us, my lord."
"Fools. Since you've slowed the Tower of Logic's collapse, you must compensate elsewhere.
Draw [Order]'s gaze here. Under His very eyes, overthrow the order of this place — desecrate Him alongside it. That is the only way to salvage your dignity.
Remember: you are the Afterglow Church — not the Civiliz—"
Cheng Shi nearly said "Civilization Lonely Tower," but instantly realized this era predated [Folly]'s epoch. No such tower existed yet. He pivoted:
"—not [Civilization]'s slaves. If cooperation only slows chaos's spread, then such cooperation need not continue.
Leave."
"Yes, yes, yes!"
The three Afterglow leaders practically crawled out of the courtyard on all fours. Galusha frowned, gave Cheng Shi a meaningful look, and bowed as if she didn't recognize him before retreating.
But she hadn't taken two steps when Cheng Shi spoke again:
"Did I say you could leave?"
Galusha's steps halted. A mad grin curled her lips. She stood her ground, straightened, and locked eyes with Cheng Shi.
The three Afterglow men, seeing the lord openly rebuke [Folly]'s follower and refuse to associate with [Folly] — even singling out Galusha — naturally abandoned all pretense of alliance. They scrambled off to execute the edict.
Cheng Shi studied the woman before him — her eyes no longer as clear as they'd once been — and sighed with genuine emotion:
"Long time no see, little Galusha."
"Time has drowned everyone, yet it seems to have never dampened even the hem of your clothes.
The moment I saw you, I knew your identity was no simple thing. But I never imagined we'd meet again here.
So should I continue calling you 'my lord'... or should I call you Mr. Grind?"
...