Chapter 1157: The Top Salesman's Performance Review

Foolish Game of the Gods

The Fishbone Hall was unusually quiet today.

Within the torrent of white bone, countless little skulls watched Cheng Shi's arrival with varying expressions, not uttering a word—as though a storm were brewing.

Cheng Shi was startled too. He thought perhaps the boss wasn't pleased about him using the Bone Bell to make contact, because all his earlier elation had vanished, replaced entirely by unease.

Naturally, you couldn't read unease on a tiny skull—but you could read pure death energy.

And that death energy came not just from Cheng Shi, but from another little skull: Skart.

Although his corpse had exploded into the Bone Gate, Death had still pulled him in. But Skart had never seen anything like this. The instant he materialized on the steps of the Fishbone Hall, he shuddered head to toe, rolled himself off the path and into the bone torrent, and found the spot where he belonged.

With his companion gone, Cheng Shi felt the atmosphere grow stranger by the second. He carefully hopped his way up to the Bone Throne, craned his skull upward at the massive cranium above—its eye sockets devoid of even a flicker of green flame—and wondered: 'What is He thinking?'

'Surely He's not thinking about how to punish me?'

'He wouldn't. I'm an exemplary employee. Even without a bonus, punishment doesn't apply!'

His gut told him this wasn't the time for flattery. He didn't dare disturb that lord's contemplation, so he simply stood quietly beneath the Bone Throne and waited.

It was as good a time as any to organize his thoughts and the pitch he'd prepared for the boss.

But the wait stretched on, indeterminate.

Not until the massive skull emitted a resonant hum did Cheng Shi snap back to attention.

"You... came here... to seek... an audience... or to... take shelter... from the trial... and slack off?"

"You have... been here... for so long... without uttering... a single word."

"?????"

Cheng Shi was dumbfounded. He jerked his head toward the lord, his hollow eye sockets radiating shock.

"My lord, weren't You deep in thought?"

"I didn't want to interrupt Your contemplation!"

"Who... told you... We... were thinking?"

"..."

'Nobody, technically. But...'

"...You were completely still. I assumed the trivial matters of the universe had caught Your attention, preventing You from looking down upon this humble employee."

A wisp of green flame ignited in the massive skull's eye, and it huffed heavily:

"Since you... set foot... in this hall... We have been... watching you."

"Yet you... ignored this completely... and sat there... lost in your own... thoughts."

"Cheng... Shi."

"Do you... treat this... as your... Void... domain?!"

'Oh no, the boss is angry!'

Cheng Shi's heart clenched, but outwardly he remained calm. Steeling himself, he nodded:

"My lord, as a Void walker, the Void is indeed my home."

"But this place—this is my home too!"

"Home is home. So You speak correctly—if I may be so bold—though I am but a mortal, I truly do think of this place as home."

At these words, the bone torrent in the Fishbone Hall surged once, then each skull settled back into place. Silence returned.

Cheng Shi ducked his head, thinking he'd played the wrong emotional card. But from an angle he couldn't see, the massive skull actually contorted into an expression of extreme distaste—before reverting to its cold mask:

"Your... silver tongue... is the spitting image... of your... wretched... Benefactor's."

"Speak... why... have you come?"

"?"

'Did I pass?'

Cheng Shi brightened and looked up again:

"Well... Esteemed Lord, besides returning a wayward follower to the fold, I do have something else."

"But I'm not quite sure how to put it."

"Then... don't." The massive skull hummed.

"?"

'That won't do!'

Cheng Shi had a creeping suspicion the boss found him annoying today, though he couldn't pinpoint why. To ensure his plan went smoothly, he needed to clear this hurdle with the Death lord first.

So after weighing his words, he began:

"Then I'll just say it, my lord."

"You remember the time I intercepted a flood of Oblivion sacrifices for You, yes?"

The massive skull went still. Then it said ominously:

"If... you are here... to ask for... a reward... you may leave... now."

Cheng Shi panicked:

"No no no!"

"My lord, those were offerings from Your humble employee's own devotion. How could devotion be measured by rewards?"

"Of course, if there happened to be one, that wouldn't be unwelcome either—"

"Why are Your flames flaring up? Please, stay calm—that's not what I meant!"

"What I mean is: after extensive preparation, Your employee is preparing a second offering for You. And this devotion is far, far greater than the first!"

These words sent the green flames in the massive skull's eyes blazing for an instant. Interest flickered, but the voice remained stern:

"Those who... curry favor... always want... something."

"As We see it... you show no such... devotion... even to your... two annoying... Benefactors..."

"So... now... what do you want... from Us?"

"..."

Cheng Shi's jaw clicked a couple times. He felt a twinge of injustice.

'Is that really how You see me? Your outstanding employee—just some insatiable greed machine?'

'Can't I be genuinely devout?'

'Never mind. Fooling myself is pointless. I do want something. But this time, it costs You nothing!'

Steadying himself, Cheng Shi shook his head:

"My lord, with all respect—You're wrong."

"My devotion to You has never wavered. Even if I have received blessings from Your hand, those were affirmations of my devotion—not the grabbings of a greedy employee."

"Especially this time. I guarantee this offering will satisfy You."

"In fact, You'll be so satisfied that You'll want to give Your employee the greatest reward of all."

"..."

The green flames in the massive skull's eyes hitched. He sensed that no matter how many times the conversation circled, it always came back to "reward" with this person. Although greed bordered on the sin of Corruption, He chose not to dampen Cheng Shi's enthusiasm and hummed:

"Very well... Let Us... hear... what manner of... surprise... you have... prepared."

Cheng Shi's expression turned deadly serious:

"Oblivion's Divine Throne!"

"Are You interested?!"

"?"

The massive skull froze solid.

"What... did you say?"

Cheng Shi repeated with solemn gravity:

"Oblivion's Divine Throne!"

"My lord, if You're interested—I want to help You knock Oblivion off His throne!"

"Does an offering like that satisfy You?"

"...Utter... nonsense."

"If... a mortal... could shake... the seat... of a true god... this world... would have long since... escaped... the gods'... control!"

"But the universe isn't under the gods' control anyway, is it, my lord? The one truly pulling the strings in this world—shouldn't that be the one sitting high above all... Him?"

Cheng Shi lowered his head, staring at the ground, enunciating every word.

"..."

The massive skull's gaze shifted. It fixed Cheng Shi with a cold stare, but made no move. After a long pause, it spoke—voice deep and measured:

"Tell Us... your plan."

Cheng Shi's jaw worked twice. In his mind: 'It worked!'