Chapter 1399: The Exchange — Su Yida's Ambition

Foolish Game of the Gods

"You... you're...!!!"

Su Yida was already beyond words — not just because he was staring at a perfect copy of himself, but because the other had restrained him in the Void with effortless ease!

What kind of power was this?

What level of strength?!

As a follower of Deceit, he had enough mental elasticity to process even an unthinkable scene like this. He had even formed a few guesses about what he was seeing.

So the trembling wasn't only from fear and unease — there was also a thread of exhilaration and delight.

He seemed to be looking at his own... future.

'I become this powerful?'

'Is this an illusion, or a delusion?'

Who was Long Jing? An apex liar. Number two on the Deceit leaderboard. The highest-achieving Acrobat in history. Against a Master of Trickery who was still wet behind the ears, a single glance was enough to read every thought in his head.

'No wonder Jie Shu was willing to bring the Master of Trickery along — with a temperament like this, who wouldn't want to try conning him?'

It was like a painter encountering a sheet of blank paper that fancied itself a kaleidoscope. Not to leave a few strokes on it would be an utter waste.

But even cons needed structure. In the Clown's script, this Su Yida was to be swapped to "the future" — and he was also the key to Long Jing's eventual return home.

So Long Jing didn't dare slack off. He slipped into character in a heartbeat, sauntering up to Su Yida with a taunting grin, appraising his "past self" from head to toe, clicking his tongue:

"A person who's never experienced defeat will never see themselves clearly.

I've seen myself clearly — but I envy the you of right now.

You're clever, and you guessed right. It's exactly what you're thinking. I am Su Yida — I'm the you from the future."

"!!!"

'Destiny has arrived!'

The phrase blazed across Su Yida's mind for reasons he couldn't explain.

Even as a Master of Trickery, his instincts screamed this could be an elaborate mirage. But the other looked too much like himself — the gaze, the expression, the bearing... apart from the slightly weathered face, this was purely another him!

If it truly were a mirage, the only being capable of such flawless replication would be the legendary Chosen One of Deceit — True Heart.

Yet for some reason, Su Yida was more inclined to believe this really was himself. The future version of himself.

His eyes brimmed with longing for that power.

Seeing this, Long Jing scoffed again.

"You might think I'm powerful. But in their eyes, I'm still trash."

Though it sounded self-deprecating, Su Yida had a nagging sense the other was mocking him.

His expression shifted. He wanted to retort, but thought better of it and swallowed his pride, converting the challenge into a question: "Why are you here?"

Long Jing raised an eyebrow, his grin mischievous:

"What — scared?

I told you, you're clever. So you've guessed right again.

Know what 'soul expropriation' means?

A failed me meets a past you. I've walked the road ahead of you, so I know the fastest, easiest route.

All you need to do is hand over your body, and we can reach the pinnacle together — ahead of schedule.

So? Sounds like a win-win, doesn't it?"

"!!!!!"

In that instant, Su Yida was truly afraid.

He trembled — but only for a moment.

As the same individual, his keen senses caught the flash of mischief in the other's eyes. His pupils contracted, and he blurted out with anxious suspicion: "You're lying!"

"When two false meet, they become true. You can't see through my lies."

"I can see through it! You're conning me!

You won't take my soul — but you really have suffered a failure."

Su Yida jutted his chin defiantly as he delivered his judgment, even allowing a hint of disdain for his future self.

'Someone as talented as me — fail? You must have taken a wrong turn!'

Long Jing was stunned. He'd never met a specimen so bold as to look down on his own future self.

'Bro — are you following Folly or something?'

'This road wasn't one you walked yourself?'

'We might be from different worlds, but you don't know that! Where do you get off splitting your future and past like this?'

Long Jing was amused. He seized Su Yida by the throat, baring his teeth in a grin. "Think I won't kill you?"

Su Yida's face turned purple, but he choked out regardless: "You won't — otherwise you wouldn't have come looking for me!"

"..."

'Tch. Reminds me of a certain Clown.'

Long Jing released his grip in an instant and gave a cold snort. "You're clever. Worthy of being me."

He waved a hand, freeing Su Yida from his restraints. Turning his back on the gasping man kneeling on the ground, he spoke:

"I didn't come back on my own. They sent me back.

In the future, every god has fallen. The Divine Thrones sit empty. Everyone is eyeing those sixteen seats that stand above the Universe.

People band together to fight over them. I was one of them.

But I still haven't reached the heights they occupy. My companions questioned me at every turn. So I came back.

This isn't a reunion. It's a test. I need to prove myself in the past — to meet their expectations.

But I... don't want to."

"Why not?!" Su Yida demanded, his expression wild. "Those are Divine Thrones! Don't you want them? Have you forgotten what we set out to do?!"

'Already using "we," are you?'

Long Jing glanced back at the frenzied Su Yida and shook his head. "I want them. But I know I can't beat them to it.

What they need isn't a friend to share the thrones with. They need cannon fodder to pave the road there.

I know my limits.

Rather than fighting them for those thrones, it's better to come back and lay the groundwork early — to prepare for the future.

So I negotiated this opportunity and returned."

With that, Long Jing turned around, his smile laden with hidden meaning. "Unfortunately, one timeline can't hold two identical Masters of Trickery. If I'm here, you shouldn't exist here any longer."

"!!!"

In that instant, Su Yida understood what his future self meant.

"You really want me dead?

If I die, there's no you!"

"Wrong. The original self and the alternate self aren't distinguished that way. I may be the future you, but I have no connection to your future.

Of course, you don't have to die either. I think you understand what I mean."

"..."

He understood. Of course Su Yida understood.

If one timeline couldn't hold two Masters of Trickery, then putting one in each world solved everything.

His future self was telling him to go to that future where everyone was scrambling for Divine Thrones. Honestly, the moment the other had uttered the words "the Thrones sit empty," Su Yida had wished he could be the Master of Trickery in that future world — to compete alongside everyone for those seats.

'The gods have all fallen — wasn't that to make way for mortals?'

'The Divine Thrones belong to whoever has the ability to claim them. Why can't I be that person?'

Already maddened enough by his desire for godhood, Su Yida had been tempted from the start. He'd simply kept his covetousness hidden in front of his future self.

And now, his future self had given him the perfect opportunity — a chance to be "forced" into going to the future world.

Su Yida's heart stirred!

Long Jing saw it clearly.

And "helpfully" offered a word of advice: "It's merely the difference between dying sooner and dying later. If I were you, I'd choose to die right here — at least the suffering would be less."

Su Yida's face darkened. "Aren't you afraid I'll seize a Divine Throne and come back to settle accounts?"

"???"

'Bro — how many bottles have you had?'

'We're not even out of the gate and you've already claimed a Divine Throne?'

'If fish in the pond were this easy to catch, there'd be no such thing as going home empty-handed!'

Long Jing laughed. "If that day ever comes — you'd be more than welcome."

Su Yida couldn't laugh. He felt that from this moment forward he had to endure in silence. For the sake of a Divine Throne, for the sake of Authority, he needed to step into character immediately — become the future Su Yida.

So he addressed Long Jing with utmost gravity:

"What's the mission?

How do I earn their trust?

Does your group have any kind of token?"

"..."

Hearing this, Long Jing couldn't help but sigh inwardly. 'The Fate Weaver really did calculate everything to the letter.'

'Is he even a Fate Weaver? He's practically a Prophet!'

Long Jing furrowed his brow. "You're sure? You really want to go?"

Su Yida gave a cold smile. "Isn't this what you were hoping for?"

Long Jing nodded and began walking toward the direction Su Yida had come from.

"Wait here. I'll bring you the corpse of the assassination target, along with my token.

With those, you'll have everything you need to report back.

But a word of warning — every one of them is the peak of the peak. Watch yourself. Try not to die too quickly."

Su Yida watched his future self descend from the Void, expression shifting between emotions, a flash of fanaticism and madness in his eyes.

"I will not die. I will become a god!"

...