Chapter 1033: Trial Failed |
Nobody knew how Galusha had infiltrated.
But it was easy enough to guess. The underground faiths had long since spread to the surface thanks to the Extreme Desire Brotherhood. And who exactly was mixed in among the refugees that flooded from Gasmira into the Tower of Logic's territory — even the Tower itself probably hadn't investigated thoroughly.
So with enough preparation time, Galusha — who possessed both truth-based scholarship and slice techniques — could surely find any crack to slip through.
But managing to embed herself among the scholars the Erudition Presidium took during their escape? That was genuinely impressive.
No wonder Galusha had shown zero reaction to the news of the Erudition Presidium's flight. It had all been within her calculations.
'Good thing she was caught at the last moment!'
Cheng Shi exhaled in relief. But the next second—
'Wait. Something's wrong!'
His smile froze instantly. He realized: if Galusha could truly infiltrate the experiment ground to sabotage the grand scholars' work, why would she keep her own face — letting anyone recognize her at a glance?
Every grand scholar knew this lunatic who wanted to destroy the Tower of Logic. They had every reason to screen these backup scholars. So how had Galusha hidden until now — until he found her?
How had she dared go without disguise?
If she'd simply changed her face, wouldn't the experiment have been guaranteed to fail?
The instant this thought formed, Cheng Shi knew he'd been played. The Galusha in the crowd was bait — designed to draw everyone's attention!
"Danger! There's more than one!"
He flung Galusha's arm away, spinning to warn the grand scholars. But he was one step too late.
Because the moment he'd grabbed Galusha — the instant every eye in the experiment ground was drawn to this unexpected spectacle — several head-bowed scholars silently approached the control consoles across each platform. In the single gap where the three grand scholars couldn't react in time, they directly activated the retrogression experiment!
Yes — they didn't destroy anything. They prematurely launched the experiment!
Even Cheng Shi, who'd cautiously retreated to safe distance, was dumbstruck.
He couldn't fathom why Galusha hadn't stopped the experiment but launched it. Was she that certain she wouldn't be affected?
Or did every scholar in the first echelon about to be sent to the past... belong to her!?
No time to think. The moment the experiment activated, a massive spacetime energy beam had already struck the departure platform. Non-echelon security scholars scattered in panic, leaping off the platform. The first echelon was frozen in confusion — unsure whether to proceed with their mission after this disruption.
Then — another surprise.
Galusha sneered at Cheng Shi. Then, provocatively, she extended her pinky finger toward the three grand scholars high above.
And before everyone's eyes — as countless spacetime energy beams hammered into her body — she drove that pinky finger into her own eye socket.
'SPLCHT—'
Blood sprayed. Thunder and fire detonated!
'BOOM—'
The entire departure platform exploded. The shockwave snapped the conduits connected to the experimental materials, hurling Pe Laya and the Barren Walker's shell to the ground.
Screaming flames instantly melted everything near the platform. The blast forced Cheng Shi back into the corridor for cover.
But his reaction was fast. He dodged only the first, most violent shockwave, then used his dice to teleport back into the experiment ground. Braving the explosion's aftermath, enduring fire's erosion, he watched helplessly as the only two survivors on the departure platform were transmitted to the past the grand scholars had anchored.
The experiment had technically succeeded!
But the plan had obviously failed...
Even ignoring whether two lone survivors could save the entire Tower of Logic — one look at their charred, half-dead state told Cheng Shi it was hopeless.
Surviving the spacetime corridor would be their best outcome. As for reversing the Erudition Presidium's defeat?
Hah. Dream on.
And once the grand scholars' plan failed, the Tower of Logic's collapse was inevitable. The path of [Truth] severed — soon to become finite [Truth]...
The trial had spiraled beyond recovery.
"...Shit."
Cheng Shi never imagined that in a 3-day trial, they'd lose before the first day was even over. But fortunately, he always kept a card in reserve. If everything could be reset, there might still be a chance to turn things around!
So, face dark, at the moment the flames nearly melted him alive, he decisively snapped his fingers.
This snap no longer represented [Fate]'s favor — it manifested [Time]'s mercy.
In that instant — time froze. The universe crystallized. Everything reversed like a rewinding film. Flames contracted. Explosions collapsed inward. Figures flickered. Cheng Shi... returned to the starting point.
He snapped his eyes open. The sky still echoed with "Fabricated laws — a cosmic joke!" His fingers still held the shape of a freshly completed snap. Slowly, his lips curled.
He was back!
This was exactly why the esteemed [Chaos] agent, the Afterglow Church's puppet master, the mysterious Lord Ultraman, had desecrated [Chaos] to summon [Order]!
Because he needed the time battlefield to activate on a conflict-free whole hour. Only then could he try again and again!
Indeed — Cheng Shi had entered this trial as a Time Walker. The moment he learned this trial was granted by [Truth], he'd donned a mage's mask.
[Truth] demanded trial and error. And [Time] permitted trial and error!
So the technique that had deflected the three grand scholars' attacks in the underground corridor naturally came from his other profession: [Fate]'s mage, the Screenwriter.
For a Screenwriter without the relevant talent, Cheng Shi might not rewrite an opponent's will or influence an enemy's movements. But he could alter the status of insignificant objects in the script.
Making a blade miss. Making magic veer. These small tricks could all be rewritten — if his hands were fast enough.
And now, with a fresh chance, Cheng Shi's eyes hardened. He sprinted straight toward the west district. This time, before the rendezvous, he'd strangle every crisis in the cradle.
If once wasn't enough — twice. Three times. A hundred times!
Under the protection of the Time of Eternal Imprisonment, this [Time] follower would never be lost in the river of time.
...
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