Chapter 1036: Alright, Alright, I Believe You... |
'Isn't this a bit too absurd?'
The security scholars the Erudition Presidium had taken should've been the Tower of Logic's most loyal. How were Galusha's people among them?
And not just one — a whole group. Was this even plausible?
Cheng Shi stood atop the ruins, rubbing his head and replaying the events. He distinctly remembered those security scholars fighting Galusha's moles before the second explosion. Now they were all moles?
'Wait — has the Erudition Presidium been infiltrated into a sieve!?'
'Don't tell me every single person in the experimental team — aside from the three grand scholars — is a mole!'
'Then this isn't the Erudition Presidium's experiment — it's [Folly]'s experiment!'
'Hold on!'
'[Folly]?'
'Hss—'
'Could Galusha have been driving this experiment all along!?'
The conjecture was so audacious it startled even himself.
He hadn't forgotten: this was the Erudition Presidium's trap, designed specifically against Galusha and Pe Laya. And it was likely improvised — not a pre-existing contingency.
If even an improvised plan was dominated by Galusha's will, then the assistants closest to the grand scholars — their students, their aides — had long been replaced by Galusha's people!
Only that way could they subtly influence every decision the grand scholars made.
If true, Galusha's infiltration was terrifying. She'd single-handedly turned the Tower of Logic into a sieve, silently steering the Erudition Presidium's choices. And possibly even—
The Barren Walker's shell that Pe Laya had "abandoned" in the lab could be another piece on the board!
And Pe Laya's betrayal was the masterstroke — threading that inconspicuous piece into the grand scheme.
Together, they'd placed countless subtle moves that collectively guided the Erudition Presidium into mounting this desperate "retrogression" experiment to save their collapsing tower!
So what exactly was this [Folly] Wise Man trying to accomplish through this experiment?
That wasn't the most critical question. The most critical was: if this experiment no longer belonged to [Truth]... what should the players do?
Help it succeed? Or sabotage it to abort?
Cheng Shi froze.
He wanted to discuss this with someone, but he still lacked a key piece: what exactly was Galusha sending back through the experiment?
He ran toward the west district once more, face grim.
This time, he wouldn't interfere with the experiment at all. He wanted to see what Galusha was truly after!
SNAP—
Fingers snapped. Body vanished.
Cheng Shi reappeared at the corridor corner. The environment was etched into his bones by now. He timed it precisely — dashed out, knocked over the unfortunate Acier again, stole his clothes, and blended in with the scholars.
The corridor scholars mostly did relay communication between the experiment ground's stations. Cheng Shi lingered in the crowd for a while before finally being summoned — joining several scholars heading toward the departure platform to inspect equipment functionality.
He didn't know how many of his group were Galusha's sleepers and didn't dare probe. If exposing someone's identity triggered those hotheads to pull out their pinky-finger detonators again...
So this time, he was perfectly obedient. Did nothing. Just worked quietly while observing everyone's body language.
And he noticed plenty. Among the dozen-plus scholars who'd come with him from the corridor, seven or eight had repeatedly glanced at the small door connecting to the first echelon beneath the departure platform — clearly awaiting Galusha's appearance.
Among the security scholars already guarding the departure platform, at least ten were exchanging glances with the infiltrators. Meaning in a group of thirty-plus around the departure platform, at least a third were Galusha's "rebels"!
'With those numbers, how could this experiment possibly "succeed"!?'
'Even if the grand scholars were half-blind, how had infiltration reached this level?'
'Or had they sat on their thrones so long they'd stopped caring about the people below them?'
Cheng Shi was staggered. His curiosity about Galusha's plan intensified.
But soon enough, corridor guards somehow discovered the real Acier stuffed in a corner. The alarm triggered immediately. Security scholars converged on Cheng Shi's position.
"..."
'Luck's a bit off. But not terrible.'
Because right then, vibrations rippled from the formation above — someone was attacking it!
Teammates!
Cheng Shi checked the time. The designated rendezvous had arrived. Someone had found this place — undoubtedly thanks to Wei Zhi's "tip." The only question was how the Life Sage would react to finding him missing.
The formation's disturbance drew the experiment ground's attention. Scholars exchanged alarmed, grave looks — giving Cheng Shi an opening.
He snapped to the spot where he'd hidden Acier. Then, to the man's utter confusion, knocked out the one scholar who'd been helping Acier up, changed into that scholar's clothes, and walked back into the experiment ground supporting the dazed Acier.
Acier was terrified. He tried to cry for help — but the next instant, a scalpel pressed into his ribs. Cheng Shi smiled warmly:
"The experiment belongs to the Tower of Logic, but this life belongs to you. If I were you, I wouldn't shout. Agreed?"
Acier bit down hard. Through gritted teeth: "[Truth]'s followers never submit!"
Cheng Shi blinked. He hadn't expected this one to be so fierce.
"Alright then. Guess I'll send you to meet [Truth] in person."
He moved to thrust upward. Acier frantically seized his arm, even angrier: "Why can't you just knock me out again!?"
"?"
Cheng Shi burst out laughing: "This is 'never submit'?"
"Not submitting doesn't mean not adapting! [Truth] that can't adapt is dead dogma — how is that different from [Order]?"
Acier lifted his chin, eyes silently urging: 'Hurry up and knock me out before someone notices!'
Cheng Shi rolled his eyes. One chop to the neck — then dragged the body into the experiment ground.
Incoming security scholars frowned and questioned him. Cheng Shi deflected each one. But everyone's attention was on the formation's massive reverberations overhead, so they let him haul Acier off to "rest" without thorough checks.
Cheng Shi edged closer to the experiment ground's center. Then, as before, Volent declared launch-ready status. First echelon scholars filed onto the departure platform.
Seeing he'd been forgotten, Cheng Shi dumped Acier in a corner, fixed his gaze on Galusha's position, and waited for her to make her move.
Sure enough — with the formation still intact and the experiment about to begin — Galusha struck!
This time, without any player interference, Galusha again removed her hood and confronted the grand scholars in a blaze of madness. She activated the experiment before they could, then slaughtered every scholar on the departure platform!
Cheng Shi watched the scene repeat. He still didn't understand her goal — until he saw Galusha's companions extract two scholars from the reserve team and shove them onto the departure platform. That's when it clicked: everything Galusha had done was to send those two people back!
Unfortunately, the explosions' shockwaves and flames blocked his view. He couldn't make out the two faces. By the time he found an angle, the experiment was done — the scholars had been blasted through the spacetime corridor.
"...Interesting. Now I've got you."
A glint flashed in Cheng Shi's eyes. He casually snapped his fingers.
At the formation entrance, Fang Yuan and Meng Youfang — who'd strained everything to finally break through — watched in bewilderment as the shattered formation runes repaired themselves, and their own figures vanished.
"?"
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