Chapter 1038: Facing Pe Laya Again

Foolish Game of the Gods

So — the "she" Pe Laya's reflection had been talking about was never her present self. It was Galusha!?

Once Cheng Shi figured this out, his expression became absolutely exquisite.

He'd imagined countless methods Galusha might have used to turn Pe Laya — but never this one.

'You're telling me that the [Folly] Wise Man — the person most likely to be a sapiosexual — used love... to turn a [Truth] scholar who needed emotion least of all?'

'Wise Man. Love. Scholar. Can these three form a coherent sentence?'

'Who said "sentimentality is the greatest obstacle on the road to [Truth] — it will trip you"?'

'Ha. Turns out you tripped yourself, didn't you!?'

Cheng Shi laughed in disbelief. But this only fueled his motivation.

Compared to studying how to clear the trial, gossip was the true engine of human effort!

His eyes lit up. He found a suitable spot for conversation, then summoned Chen Yi. He knew the hunter was currently controlling a Pe Laya — whether the original or a slice didn't matter. She would know the details of this so-called "love story." Cheng Shi was dying to eat this melon.

When Chen Yi heard Cheng Shi call him by name, he was puzzled — how had the other detected him? But then:

"I know Pe Laya is in your hands. You must have noticed the thing between her and Galusha by now.

With your sensitivity to emotion, you definitely picked up on her irregularity. Well — that unusual story is exactly what I want to hear. And I think it's quite the memory.

Think about it: [Folly] and [Truth] abandon rationality and spark love's flame — this scene that defies faith opposition is exactly the direction you should be studying, isn't it?

Humans and gods are also opposed in a way. How to dissolve that opposition, how to cast aside rational faith and merge as one — don't tell me that doesn't move you!"

Chen Yi emerged, face dark:

"You know nothing about love. Mortal love is fragile and twisted — not worth recording. How could it guide me? Absurd!"

"..."

Cheng Shi regarded the disdainful Chen Yi and thought: encountering both him and Meng Youfang in one trial was the ultimate duo of delusion. No wonder [Fate] had to rush in before the trial even started. If this wasn't fate, what was?

Seeing Chen Yi's revulsion toward mortal love, Cheng Shi recycled the Ritual of Truth sculpted-eyes excuse.

And the proof: folly was folly precisely because the hook worked every single time.

Chen Yi gritted his teeth and agreed. He'd trade Pe Laya for the chance. Even if Cheng Shi was lying — as the man himself had said, being willingly used was worth memorizing.

So under multiple straight hooks' stimulation, Chen Yi flung out the battered Pe Laya.

The moment the real Pe Laya appeared before him, Cheng Shi finally understood why she'd looked familiar.

'Bone structure!'

Pe Laya and Melina shared no obvious surface features — but their underlying bone structure was nearly identical. This confirmed that "Melina" was indeed Pe Laya in disguise. The question remained: why had Pe Laya willingly gone back in time — and taken Melina's appearance?

Baffled, Cheng Shi went straight to the point. He told Pe Laya everything he knew and asked why she'd personally returned to the past.

Realizing the entire plan had been exposed, Pe Laya froze. Her first instinct wasn't to explain or plead for her life — she clutched something inside her clothes, apparently trying to signal Galusha.

Fortunately, the assassin Chen Yi was sharp-eyed and quick-handed. One kick sent Pe Laya sprawling. He crushed the signal gun from her coat, voice cold: "Last chance. Any more tricks and I'll kill you."

"Then kill me!" Pe Laya wore the face of someone ready to die.

Chen Yi glanced at her with contempt, snorted, and stepped aside.

Cheng Shi smiled, ready to continue questioning — when Pe Laya turned to Chen Yi:

"If the one you loved was in danger, would you abandon them?"

Chen Yi's face darkened. Then a cold smile: "He wouldn't be. How could mortals comprehend a true god's magnificence?"

"?"

Pe Laya blanked. Something in her muddled brain told her she hadn't misheard. This pale, cold man's beloved was actually a... true god?

'True god — or true lunatic?'

Her train of thought derailed. She went speechless.

But Chen Yi wasn't done. He continued in disdain — on matters of love, he was even more of a [Folly] devotee than Galusha:

"Besides, your love for her has already withered. Stop pretending. I can see it — there's no love left in your eyes."

"?"

Now Cheng Shi froze.

'No love? I just saw Xie Yang-level adoration in Melina's eyes. What do you mean "no love"?'

Chen Yi quickly answered: "You've already transferred your affections."

"!!!"

'There's another player!?'

Cheng Shi was like a dedicated melon-eater — gaze bouncing between the two, providing maximum emotional engagement. Sadly, neither appreciated it.

One had a shattered gaze and ghostly face — as if her deepest secret had been laid bare. The other was cold and lofty — feeling that mortals' sordid affairs didn't deserve to touch his pure love.

'Pe Laya transferred to who?'

'I haven't even figured out how those two got together, and we're already fast-forwarding to the love triangle?'

Cheng Shi's eyes glowed brighter. He looked at Pe Laya for an explanation. But she was set on dying — and refused to speak.

Out of options, Cheng Shi turned to [Memory]'s follower.

Chen Yi's mind might be "special," but his skills were genuinely useful. Without wasting time, he used a straw-like tool to extract Pe Laya's memories and tossed them to Cheng Shi:

"I have zero interest in mortals' unfaithful love. Remember your promise. I'll come find you the moment you attempt to defile my Lord.

But remember — only attempt. Do not let me discover you actually defiled Him!"

Then Chen Yi vanished again.

Watching this singularly focused teammate leave once more, Cheng Shi was momentarily speechless.

No wonder Zhen Yi had loved toying with him so much. A con artist meeting a simpleton — who wouldn't want to see what happened?

"..."

'Not me. Definitely not me. I'm not that unlucky!'

Cheng Shi shook his head, clearing the noise. After confirming Pe Laya was unconscious, he began carefully reviewing memories of her and Galusha.

The tool's contents had already been filtered by Chen Yi — nothing but love-related memories. Whether the man was secretly dying to record this love story despite his protests... well, Cheng Shi couldn't explain the Memory follower's efficiency otherwise.

That whole performance earlier had clearly been an act.

'Tch. Hard to judge.'

Cheng Shi settled his mind and dove into Pe Laya's perspective, exploring this deliciously gossip-worthy memory. But the very first scene yanked his thoughts back to that afternoon in Dolgod.

Because he saw young Pe Laya happily flipping through her great-grandmother's diary. And the name written on the diary's title page was—

Melina.

"!!??"

So — which came first: Pe Laya, or Melina?

...