Lai Er's Betrayal?

Lai Er froze for quite a while before realizing that Carter seemed to be... trying to poach him?

So he looked at Carter, wanting to confirm it. "Why don't you make yourself clearer?"

"Wasn't I clear enough?" Carter said flatly. "Why pretend to be stupid?"

...So that was really it!

Lai Er suddenly became interested. He realized this was a rare opportunity to show Visas-sama just how loyal he was!

So he said righteously, "How could I possibly—"

"You don't need to worry about him hearing you." Carter cut off Lai Er's declaration of loyalty. "This necklace has already severed the connection between you and him."

Lai Er paused, then lowered his head to look at the necklace around his neck.

"If you don't believe me, try it," Carter said. "See whether you can still contact him."

Lai Er hesitated, but he still cautiously called out to "Visas-sama" in his heart.

There was indeed no response.

Lai Er was surprised. Could this necklace truly block even Visas-sama?

Hmm... perhaps not necessarily. After all, Visas-sama did not usually pay much attention to him either. When he had first obtained this finger, he had greeted Visas-sama once each morning, noon, and night. His devotion had been truly outstanding.

But Visas-sama rarely responded. Most of the time, he was just amusing himself by shamelessly flattering him.

"See?" Seeing that Lai Er had remained silent for so long, Carter seemed to have already guessed the outcome. "He didn't respond, did he?"

Lai Er thought for a moment and decided to play along for now. "He really didn't respond. So?"

"So we can speak openly." Carter continued walking forward. "At least here, no one can monitor you. You can make a better choice."

Lai Er followed him. "So you want me to betray my... business partner?"

"You black-market merchants even have business partners?"

"Of course we do," Lai Er said. "Business is built on trust."

"Isn't it built on paying more?"

"Of course not... or at least, not entirely." After reporting to Bai Wei in his heart, Visas-sama, let me see what this guy is really planning, Lai Er continued speaking with Carter. "Without trust, who would do business with us?"

"If you truly had integrity, you would not need to rely on the Seed of Covenant to maintain your credibility," Carter said. "Stop changing the subject. My Lord does not like this pointless nonsense. If you are willing to pledge loyalty to her, I guarantee that she can give you more than the Tongue-sensei can. Even if you are currently bound by the Seed of Covenant, My Lord can help you remove it."

They could actually remove the Seed of Covenant?!

Lai Er was somewhat surprised, but on second thought, the Seed of Covenant itself was a product of this place. It was not strange that they could undo something they had created.

But this guy really was trying to poach me, and he was being so blunt about it.

After thinking for a moment, Lai Er asked, "Then what exactly does your master want me to do?"

"I will only tell you after you agree to swear loyalty to her."

"Isn't that backward?" Lai Er raised a brow. "She should first tell me what she wants me to do... no, she should first tell me what she can give me. Then I can decide whether to work for her."

"That question has no meaning."

"Why?"

Carter replied calmly, "Because My Lord can give you anything."

Lai Er opened his mouth, clearly stunned by Carter's arrogance.

He wanted to directly ask who Carter's master was, but he knew Carter would not give him a straight answer. So after some thought, he changed his question. "If I pledge loyalty to your master, do I have to become like you?"

"What do you think?"

"Don't speak in riddles at a time like this," Lai Er said. "If I have to become like you, then I definitely don't want to."

Carter narrowed his eyes slightly, clearly displeased by those words. But he did not lash out. Instead, he said, "Not everyone has to become My Lord's servant. If you do not wish to, you need not do so."

"Your master can still give me those things if I don't?"

"Of course," Carter said. "If you knew who My Lord was, you would not ask such a question."

...If you knew whose lackey I was, you would not be trying to poach me either.

Lai Er forced himself not to say that aloud. He merely nodded to show that he understood.

Seeing that Lai Er had no further reaction, Carter could not help frowning. "Are you willing to serve My Lord or not?"

"Well..." Lai Er scratched his head. "I think I'll pass."

"It seems you still do not understand the weight of My Lord's invitation," Carter said flatly. "Come with me. It is time for you to see it for yourself."

It wasn't that I couldn't understand—it was that your master definitely wasn't as impressive as mine.

Sigh, what a headache.

Since when had he become so important?

Two great powers fighting over him alone—what an incredible blessing!

Lai Er happily followed Carter, but after taking two steps, a strange thought suddenly rose in his mind.

But then again.

Was the one inside his body... truly Visas-sama?

Lai Er was startled by his own sudden thought.

Why had he suddenly begun doubting Visas-sama's authenticity? That was not something a qualified lack—servant should do.

But once that thought appeared, he could not stop himself from pursuing it further.

This doubt had not emerged completely out of nowhere. He had never questioned whether Visas-sama was real because he had never seen anyone capable of housing a soul inside a finger. If that was not the legendary Visas-sama, then who else could it be?

But the problem was that another person extremely similar to him had now appeared before his eyes.

Behind him was "Visas-sama," while behind Carter was "My Lord."

"Visas-sama" could communicate with him through their minds, and Carter's master possessed the same method.

"Visas-sama" could take control of his body and unleash overwhelming power, while Carter's master could also use Carter's body, even displaying obvious feminine traits.

Furthermore, "Visas-sama" knew Carter's master's identity and called her Ring Finger, while Carter's master also knew "Visas-sama's" identity and called him Tongue-sensei.

From that perspective, these two were completely the same kind of being.

And since they were the same kind of being, then he absolutely could not be the real Visas-sama. No one could compare with the legendary Visas.

Thinking of this, Lai Er could not help deeply furrowing his brow.

Oh no, had he been deceived? He cheated people into chopping off hands and fingers every day with Visas' Corpse Pieces, and now someone had used Visas' Corpse Pieces to deceive him too?

Although he knew that even if "Visas-sama" was not real, he was still not someone Lai Er could afford to provoke.

But if "Visas-sama" was not real, then he could not casually brush off the invitation from Carter's master.

And now that he could not contact "Visas-sama," perhaps this master's necklace truly was working? If so, then this master's strength might really be no weaker than his "Visas-sama."

In that case...

Lai Er quickened his pace and caught up with Carter.

"Um, tell me more about your master."

Lai Er's actions and psychological changes naturally did not escape Bai Wei's notice, and they almost made him laugh.

Of course, Bai Wei was not surprised. This fellow was an utterly self-interested person. His former fear and flattery toward Bai Wei had only existed because he believed Bai Wei was Visas. Once a flaw appeared in Bai Wei's identity, new thoughts naturally arose in him.

Just like now, he had not spent even a moment agonizing over whether Visas-sama's identity was real. The instant he realized there was a possibility of fraud, he immediately began searching for new possibilities for himself.

Naturally, he would still keep up appearances. Before leaving, he had still righteously told Bai Wei in his heart, Let me see what this guy is really up to.

Who knew what reaction Lai Er would have if he learned that Bai Wei could see through every one of his thoughts?

But Bai Wei had no intention of revealing it, nor did he intend to prove himself.

At the end of the day, he did not care whether Lai Er would betray him.

Because once he brought Lai Er here, Bai Wei's task was already complete.

What came next was Lai Er's one-man show.

"So that's how it is." Lai Er's brows were tightly furrowed.

After changing his mindset, Lai Er began subtly probing Carter for information regarding "Visas-sama"—or rather, the "Tongue-sensei" as they saw him.

Carter was naturally happy to answer those questions. So long as he laid out My Lord's situation and Tongue-sensei's current predicament, any normal person would know which side to choose.

Although Carter could not tell Lai Er every detail, a general explanation was enough.

Thus, Lai Er learned that this "Tongue-sensei" truly was not Visas-sama, but someone who possessed several Corpse Pieces at once. He had now been driven into a desperate situation, and his deal with Ring Finger was merely to survive.

Carter even told him the content of the deal—a Corpse Piece.

Upon hearing that, Lai Er unconsciously clenched his left hand, concealing his middle finger.

Because Carter's words inevitably made him think... Damn it, I'm not the bargaining chip in that deal, am I?

He had brought the finger here, and once the deal was completed, he could simply hand over the goods. Tongue-sensei would not even need to appear personally. It ensured his safety while making full use of Lai Er's value.

The thought left Lai Er with lingering fear.

How insidious!

He had nearly fallen for it.

Though he still had no way to fully confirm that Carter was telling the truth, Lai Er's view of Bai Wei had already changed from "the omnipotent Visas-sama" to "a despicable and scheming manipulator behind the scenes."

Under normal circumstances, he might have realized that his shift in thinking had come too quickly. But he did not know that he was not in a normal state now.

Carter glanced sideways at the necklace on Lai Er's chest.

My Lord's power was taking effect.

This fellow was only one step away from betrayal.

Then he would make him take that final step.

Carter stopped walking. "We're here."

Here? Here where?

Lai Er had nearly forgotten why he had come in the first place. It was only when Lai Er reminded himself that he snapped back to his senses and suddenly realized they had already walked out of the yellow sands.

Before them stood the towering "pillar" they had seen amid the sands.

This pillar was completely unlike what Lai Er had imagined. At first glance, it resembled a pale sculpture carved from limbs and flesh. Countless tentacles and severed limbs overlapped and tangled together, seeming to struggle upward. It looked lifelike.

...No, not lifelike. It was alive!

Lai Er could clearly feel the white flesh constantly writhing. It tangled with itself, struggling to climb higher while dragging other severed limbs down. From afar, it looked like worms endlessly struggling in flames, making Lai Er's scalp go numb.

He could not help raising his head, wanting to see what lay above—the thing this flesh fought so desperately to reach.

And then he saw it: a divine statue standing at the very top.

Lai Er did not know which god it belonged to, but he clearly knew it was a god.

Because it was too sacred and solemn.

Its eyes were tightly closed, and the wings extending from its back seemed capable of blotting out the sky—or perhaps it itself was the sky.

Even Lai Er, a man with no faith whatsoever, could not help wanting to bow his head when he saw the statue.

It was holiness taken to its extreme, yet the flesh beneath that holiness was blasphemy taken to its extreme.

Lai Er did not know whether the meaning of this pillar was that the god had suppressed these blasphemous things, or that these blasphemous things were desperately trying to reach the god. He did not dare ask. Before such a miracle, all he could do was obey.

Wait, obey?

"This is Obedience of Heavenly Voice." Carter's voice sounded behind Lai Er. "As long as you give it a name, it can erase everyone in the world who bears that name. This is the power of a god, and it is also My Lord's power."

Carter paused, then looked at Lai Er.

"Do you dare oppose such power?"

Lai Er opened his mouth, yet could not say a word.

"Of course, I know that Tongue-sensei behind you also possesses considerable ability," Carter said slowly. "But do you truly think he can contend with such power?"

Lai Er still could not answer. He raised his head again to look at the divine statue, and the light spilling from it was so blinding that he could not keep his eyes open.

He had never seen such intense light in No Man's Land. Merely looking at it made him feel as though it would ignite him.

It made Lai Er feel as if he had returned to five years ago, to the terror he felt when he first gazed directly at the sun.

"I..." Lai Er's lips were dry.

"Don't be nervous." Carter smiled and extended a hand. "You still have a choice. You do not need to become its enemy, do you?"

Lai Er looked at Carter's outstretched hand, then instinctively turned his head to look around Obedience of Heavenly Voice.

The Contract Land Guardians maintaining Obedience of Heavenly Voice wore holy armor. The same light as the divine statue reflected from their armor, as if it too could set everything ablaze.

Lai Er had never considered becoming a follower of any god, until today.

"Join us," Carter said flatly. "Become My Lord's servant, and we will give you everything."

This was not the first time Carter had said those words.

He had said them half an hour ago, and Lai Er had only found them amusing.

He had said them again ten minutes ago, and Lai Er had begun to consider them.

But now that Carter brought them up once more, Lai Er felt only... ecstasy.

That's right, I can join this place. I can become one of them!

This place can give me everything!

Lai Er involuntarily extended his hand, preparing to clasp Carter's.

He had already made his decision, and Carter smiled as well.

But at that very moment.

A massive retching sound rang out, startling Lai Er so badly that he jolted.

He instinctively turned his head and saw one of the tentacles beneath the divine statue suddenly open its mouth, then vomit outward.

Corroded skeletons spewed from that enormous mouth one after another.

Lai Er froze. "What is that?"

"Don't be nervous." Carter glanced at it. "It is merely feeding."

"Feeding?"

"Yes, Obedience of Heavenly Voice is alive, so naturally it needs to feed." Carter said flatly, "It is merely indigestion after eating. There is no need to make such a fuss."

Lai Er watched the surrounding Guardians approach without surprise, collect the vomited flesh and bones, then feed them back to it. That tentacle showed no disgust as it ate them again.

The loud chewing made Lai Er's skin crawl, and it also calmed him down considerably.

...It seemed anything connected to a god was at least a little abnormal.

Lai Er did not foolishly ask Carter what that thing had eaten.

After all, as a black-market merchant, he had seen many similar things. Thus, Lai Er quickly relaxed again.

But each time, he comforted himself in his heart.

It doesn't matter. These outsiders' god eats their own people. It has nothing to do with me.

As long as No Man's Land isn't affected—

Lai Er's smile suddenly froze.