When Brando heard the referee call himself Ziwei and say he wanted to help them, he was overjoyed.
"That's great! Even the referee is helping us, how could we..." Brando trailed off as he realized something was wrong.
Normally, if the referee played favorites, victory would be assured. Yet Huang Ji had said he could not see a winning outcome.
Brando asked suspiciously, "Then can you blow the Black Whistle? Tamper with the judgment of victory and defeat?"
Lin Xiqiu said helplessly, "You're overthinking it. Their duel does not actually require a referee."
"In their eyes, there is no such thing as a dispute. Once victory or defeat is decided, everyone will know it perfectly well."
"If I blatantly lied, Mo Qiong could touch me once and send this Supreme Heavenly Devil down to the Lower Interface... casually toss me into the narrative layer of some novel."
Brando clicked his tongue. Being a referee was truly humiliating.
On further thought, Huang Ji had turned the duel into a game only to make everything seem as though there was a chance, as though they could win.
That way, he might still sense the impossible information behind that seeming possibility.
"May I ask, Referee, what exactly can you do?" Lin Li's calmness drew sidelong glances.
Lin Xiqiu said, "I carved the rules, so naturally I can alter them."
"Of course, the original, simple rules that Huang Ji and Mo Qiong settled long ago through their omniscience cannot be changed."
"We can only add to that foundation, making Huang Ji's hope appear as great as possible."
Lin Li glanced at Gou Ye and said, "Gou Ye knew that you, the referee, would do this, which is why he came to keep you in check, right?"
"If you were impartial, Gou Ye would not