Chapter 1035: I Refuse to Believe This! |
Something felt deeply wrong. Everything before him struck Cheng Shi as supremely bizarre.
Logically, this experiment was designed to counter Galusha. Now that she'd infiltrated — why didn't she destroy it? Why activate it instead?
The first time, Cheng Shi could rationalize: she'd seized the departure platform, ensuring the two charred survivors couldn't complete the Erudition Presidium's mission.
But this time? She'd literally blown up the experiment platforms. She could've strangled the experiment in its crib. Why trigger the activation again in the chaos?
Cheng Shi couldn't make sense of it. But there was no time to think. The experiment was about to fail — the departure platform cleared again. Through smoke and pandemonium, he glimpsed two shadowy figures still standing behind Galusha. Then, steadily, he snapped his fingers before the trial failure notification could trigger.
SNAP—
Time curled backward. Everything reset once more.
The echo of "Fabricated laws — a cosmic joke" faded. Cheng Shi's brow was tight. He immediately pulled out the Thorn Weeping Rite and strapped it to his arm.
"I refuse to believe this!"
From two retrogression attempts, the number of Galusha's moles embedded in the backup experimental team remained unknown. As an outsider, gaining the grand scholars' trust quickly was nearly impossible — which meant he couldn't rapidly screen the entire team.
And Galusha's agents were like suicide bombers — one misstep and they'd self-detonate to create chaos. Extremely difficult to handle.
So he needed a complete strategy before he could compete with the well-prepared Galusha inside that experiment ground — racing against the clock.
Cheng Shi sprinted toward the west, thinking. If the outsider identity didn't work, then... what about an insider?
His eyes lit up. A plan crystallized instantly — though he'd need someone's cooperation.
He stopped mid-sprint, turned, and probed toward the shadows amid the surrounding smoke and fire:
"Stop hiding. I know you're there."
No response. Just crackling flames and the occasional spray of sparks.
'Not here?'
Cheng Shi's brow twitched. He moved to leave — then paused and spoke again:
"I've found the Erudition Presidium's hideout. Instead of lurking in the dark debating whether to ambush me, go see if you can dig out the grand scholars.
Find them, let me get the Ritual of Truth, and I promise to craft you a pair of eyes perfectly resembling His — for you to admire day and night."
The moment those words fell, a figure emerged from the nearby shadows.
Chen Yi!
The Old Days Hunter appeared, expression frigid. He had zero interest in Cheng Shi's proposal — to him, it wasn't love. It was blasphemy.
But just as he was about to "judge" Cheng Shi and make a move against this [Deceit] follower who dared tempt him into sacrilege, Cheng Shi took all the blame upon himself.
"Easy. I know this is blasphemy — but the sin is mine alone.
I used the Ritual of Truth to create a sculptural replica of [Memory]'s eyes, intending to defile Him nightly. Then a devout [Memory] follower seized the sculpture from me — keeping it close, guarding it always.
Such pure faith — earth-shaking, heaven-moving. Surely worthy of being recorded as a memory and placed in His Collection Hall. Don't you think, Chen Yi?"
"..."
Chen Yi — dagger already drawn — froze mid-step. His expression shifted. Slowly, he moved his hand behind his back and slid the dagger right back into its sheath.
Fierce internal struggle played across his face. Seeing this, Cheng Shi knew the fish had bitten.
'Good lord. These fish are way too easy to catch nowadays.'
'Straight hook or not — the fish was willing to climb the line!'
Cheng Shi didn't want to waste more time. Seeing Chen Yi still agonizing — no, glancing repeatedly his way as if waiting for an exit — Cheng Shi caught on immediately. He turned and said:
"I was just talking to myself. Pretend you didn't see me.
I'm heading to the underground space beneath the west district timber warehouse. Unfortunately, the grand scholars sealed it with a formation. I can't get in.
And if I can't get in, I obviously can't get the Ritual of Truth. Sigh — I'll keep trying."
With that, Cheng Shi simply walked away.
Watching the Fate Weaver's retreating figure, Chen Yi clenched his fists, teeth grinding.
He knew he was being used. But thinking about having His eyes beside him always...
"West district timber warehouse!"
A swift-footed assassin vanished into the smoke-filled shadows.
Soon, formation-breaking explosions echoed from the timber warehouse — identical to the first time. Chen Yi had dragged Pe Laya over again to do his work. Clearly, after his fight with Meng Youfang ended in a draw, he'd encountered the isolated grand scholar.
As the formation neared collapse, Cheng Shi stood in an inconspicuous corner of the ruins, calculating the timing. He snapped his fingers — teleporting back into the experiment ground.
He knew that when the formation disturbance began, the three security-assigned grand scholars would head to the tunnel to intercept intruders. That window was his best chance to don a grand scholar's disguise.
So this time, he didn't play the unfortunate common scholar. At the corridor corner, he pulled out the grand scholar robes preserved from the corpse inside the Molten Coffin, smeared his face with a blood packet until his features blurred, donned a hood, and hurried toward the experiment ground.
Every scholar who saw him scrambled aside, bowing respectfully. Cheng Shi said nothing. Reaching Volent's platform, he waved — and the security scholars let him up.
The instant he faced Volent, the old fox's eyes narrowed. After a moment's pause, rather than exposing Cheng Shi, the grand scholar beckoned him close and asked quietly:
"Who are you?"
Cheng Shi smiled. His gamble had paid off. The Erudition Presidium's top-ranked grand scholar was deeply shrewd — genuinely unflappable. It was Volent's decisive handling in the previous two runs that had earned Cheng Shi's trust, making him believe this scholar could be a reliable "inside man."
"Forgive me, Grand Scholar Volent. I didn't mean to impersonate — but the problem you're facing is extremely severe..."
Cheng Shi shared every detail once more. Then, expression grave:
"To protect the Erudition Presidium's plan — to ensure the Tower of Logic can continue pursuing [Truth] — Grand Scholar, you must consider locking down the experiment first. Complete the screening and purge, then restart.
After everything I've said, you should realize I'm on your side. So — how we proceed is your call. I'll follow your lead."
Volent's eyes shifted again and again. He studied Cheng Shi for a long while before asking:
"Why help us? You're not a [Truth] follower."
Cheng Shi didn't hide it: "This is a transaction. After I help you through this crisis, I trust the Erudition Presidium won't shortchange me. Right, Grand Scholar Volent?"
Volent pondered with an inscrutable expression. Then he summoned several security scholars, issued final inspection orders, and instructed them to use magical barriers to isolate all suspects — preventing self-detonation from affecting the experiment ground.
Watching the security scholars bow in acknowledgment — then sneak glances at each other — Cheng Shi's heart dropped.
"No!"
The next second, every security scholar simultaneously drove their pinkies into their eye sockets.
"..."
BOOM — BOOM — BOOM —
Time rewound once more. [Time]'s kin returned to the beginning.
...
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