Chapter 1059: I Took the Wrong Path — I Can't Guide You |
Cheng Shi was stunned.
His ears were ringing; his skull was buzzing.
Scarred Cheng Shi had only spoken a few words, yet each one fell like a sledgehammer smashing against his brain.
"What do you mean... all of..."
Scarred Cheng Shi tugged at his collar again. The too-tight suit seemed to choke his neck — like fate closing around his throat, impossible to get used to.
"Literally that."
He let out a self-deprecating laugh, then sniffed.
"[Decay] fell. The universe [Prospered].
The branches that pierced the heavens finally discovered the truth behind the cosmos. It no longer believed that [It] was the eternal ultimate — and grew increasingly radical.
Whether for them or for us, the truth was clear: the moment [Prosperity]'s anomaly attracted the attention of the experiment's Observer, this world would instantly be erased as a failed product.
So while the gods were tied down, all we could do was try to break the stalemate ourselves — to face [Prosperity] head-on.
Unfortunately, even though they aren't true gods, they're far beyond what a handful of mortals can shake. So you see the result..."
Scarred Cheng Shi pointed at his scar, his eyes reddening:
"I walked away with a medal of service. And they — as if they'd planned it — gave me a mass funeral."
[Decay] fell, and [Prosperity] went berserk!?
The script sounded disturbingly familiar.
Cheng Shi's pupils contracted sharply. Something clicked, and he looked at Scarred Cheng Shi in shock:
"Passing the Flame is never easy?"
"Hmm?" Scarred Cheng Shi startled, then studied Cheng Shi up and down before breaking into a smile through his tears — a strange, crooked smile. "Oh — so it's you...
Ha. [Fate], you dog. Not bad — really not bad.
Come to think of it, it was a shame we missed each other last time. I'd wanted to ask why your [Prosperity] fell first. Now I finally have the chance.
But before that — say hello to Wufang. You two have met, after all."
Li Wufang!?
Where was he?
Cheng Shi straightened up and looked around frantically, but saw no one else. Then Scarred Cheng Shi, eyes red, tugged at his own suit with an odd tone:
"Right here.
These are his clothes. Besides a [Order] follower who worshiped [Fate] with all his heart, who else would pray for a suit this solemn and stuffy?
He probably never imagined he wouldn't even get to wear it himself — that I'd end up using it to see everyone off."
"..."
Cheng Shi fell silent.
He could genuinely feel the other's grief. But at a time like this, could they please not crack jokes from the depths of hell?
Perhaps because the person across from him was himself, the sadness slowly seeped over like contagion.
Cheng Shi felt the weight in his own chest. To change the subject, he answered Scarred Cheng Shi's earlier question, relaying every detail about Cheng Dashi's visit. When Scarred Cheng Shi learned that the apparent smoothness of Cheng Shi's world wasn't self-generated — that external help had been involved — he suddenly erupted into manic, almost deranged laughter:
"Then I was right!
I wasn't wrong!
The facts prove it: fixed destiny can never be altered by individual effort alone. Without external forces to break the stalemate, it's simply impossible.
You're lucky — one of us chose you.
It's a pity our world came up a little short on luck. No — we came up far too short. There's no hope left.
But... other worlds still have hope.
As long as I'm still struggling, as long as [Time] still lives, I can transmit hope to countless versions of myself just like you.
The road beneath my feet might be wrong — but the path I chose was right.
Even if I ultimately kneel beneath [Fate]'s gaze, you — all of you — countless versions of me — one of us, through this chain of hope, will stand up under Its watchful eye. Spine straight. And break this goddamn fixed destiny!
That's enough. Ha — that's enough!"
Watching the other version of himself scream and pound the ground in frenzied abandon, Cheng Shi felt a storm of emotions. But he knew he couldn't keep wasting time. The Time Deduction talent had a limited duration; he needed to absorb as much of the other world's failed experience as possible to make the foggy road ahead more solid.
So he started to ask a question — then withdrew it. His gaze hardened with resolve:
"What can I still do to help you?"
Scarred Cheng Shi lifted his head, crimson eyes fixed on Cheng Shi, and smiled:
"Live. Live until the end and shatter fixed destiny. That will be the greatest comfort — to yourself, to me, and to every version of us that's already lost hope.
I'm not worth your investment anymore. While we still have time, I'll tell you everything I can.
I took the wrong path — I can't guide you. But I can share my conjectures with you.
Whether you listen or not is your choice. And even if you listen, don't take it all as gospel — I am, in the end, a failure.
First — Crown's mask definitely hides an enormous secret. That secret is very likely the key to why the Fun God walked his irreversible path, and it may also be the key to breaking free.
Believe me — he would never just sit there and wait for death. He would never launch a counterattack without any hope at all. So figuring out what happened to him is absolutely critical.
You haven't found the Eye of Mockery yet. In our world, the Eye of Mockery was enshrined by [Folly] followers in a small town called Redi Core, within the territory of Civilization Lonely Tower No. 413. You could try your luck there.
As for the final piece of the puzzle...
Brother Mouth told me that even he doesn't remember where the Nose of Verification ended up."
The Nose of Verification?
So that was the nose's name. But why would his Brother Mouth share that kind of information?
Cheng Shi tried calling out to Brother Mouth internally several times. As usual — dead silence.
"..."
He sighed quietly and continued listening.
"Second — [Prosperity] may not be the final answer, but it's definitely the first prerequisite.
From my own experience, and from cross-referencing with other versions of us, I have a persistent feeling that [Prosperity]'s fall doesn't just point to [Prosperity] itself, or even [Life] — it points to [Descent]. To [Corruption]!
Remember Le Le'er?
The Mother Tree of Fear is absorbing the universe's fear. And as [Prosperity] grows stronger, Le Le'er's ability to absorb fear multiplies as well — at the end of the day, mother and daughter share the same root.
But precisely because of Le Le'er's acceleration, our entire world nearly lost its 'fear'...
Maybe mortals standing against gods looks like a foolish act to you. But I only realized it in hindsight — by that point, we'd already lost ourselves as fear evaporated around us, becoming absurdly inflated and overconfident.
Of course, that confidence has already exacted its price.
So do you understand? Fear is crucial. Whether it's finding more allies for the Fear Faction or keeping the entire world on its guard — Le Le'er must die.
I suspect this is also why another version of us helped you eliminate [Prosperity]. When you go back, you need to confirm as soon as possible whether Le Le'er might have, because of [Prosperity]'s fall—"
"She's already dead."
"Mm, good... wait, what?" Scarred Cheng Shi's voice caught. He looked up and blinked. "Already... dead?"
"Yes." Cheng Shi nodded solemnly. "Just as you guessed — [Prosperity]'s fall severed her root, and she fell as well."
"..."
Scarred Cheng Shi pursed his lips, seemingly jealous of Cheng Shi's good fortune. But soon his expression brightened — because the smoother Cheng Shi's world ran, the "brighter" his so-called hope became.
And when he realized that some of that brightness carried his own contribution, Scarred Cheng Shi broke into a wide grin — as if everything he'd done had finally been worthy of his friends' trust.
After all — if Cheng Shi could live, then they, in that other world, could live too.
...
Comments 1