Who Had Walked into Whose Trap?

To a conman, the words of [Pride) ] sound exactly like seductive talk about escaping from prison.

But Cheng Shi didn't move; he even held down the uneasy Katarro.

He frowned slightly and said:

"[Order] will not run away, because it knows that its presence will only make the Cosmos more chaotic."

The gods will distinguish between the two [Order], and this distinction will create a stance. However, the Cosmos is currently almost entirely under the shadow of the Fear Faction's will. If He were to realize this, He would know that once He runs out and exposes this matter, the gods, led by the God of Merriment, will stand on the side of the [Iron Rule of Order] and completely Naming the usurped [Chaos].

This will give the God of Merriment a chance to get the vote for [Iron Rule of Order].

Therefore, His choice to 'escape' at this time will only allow our Lord of Grace to reap the benefits.

He was just Pride, not stupid; he wouldn't do something so foolish.

But He must be trying to do something during this time. The only thing I don't understand is, even if He breaks free from His bonds, what can He do...?

Katarro admired Cheng Shi's shrewdness, but he also shared the same doubts. He looked into the Temple and saw that Li Wufang's expression of hesitation was even stronger than that of the two bystanders.

Li Wufang bowed deeply, his devotion utmost.

"Lord of Grace, the Cosmos needs Order at all times, but I am neither your Chosen of God one nor Benefactor. I do not know if I am capable of fulfilling this duty..."

"Divine pronouncements are inviolable, and divine gifts cannot be refused."

The cold voice of the Codex interrupted him, and the frantic clatter of pages turning once again echoed through the sky.

"At this point, it's no longer a question of whether you can or can't, but that you absolutely must!"

Don't let your cowardice plunge the Cosmos into chaos!

The struggle on Li Wufang's face intensified. He desperately wanted to turn back and catch up with Cheng Shi to ask him if the so-called "becoming a god" required bearing the will of Old Gods.

He wasn't afraid that he couldn't carry the load, but he was afraid that his failure would lead the Fated to an unfortunate end.

He wanted to help Destiny, but only if he didn't drag Destiny into the Abyss.

Seeing that the Believer remained indecisive, the Codex became increasingly agitated and finally resorted to its trump card.

Think about the person who brought you here. Do you really think he's gone?

Ha, the fact that he hasn't shown up to stop you yet means he also hopes you can take everything from me.

I know his schemes, but I have more faith in my Believer!

"..."

Li Wufang was persuaded.

The analysis of Pride Cheng Shi's attitude finally convinced him, making him nod emphatically and ask resolutely:

What should I do?

"Good child, come forward and free me."

Li Wufang had no doubts and approached the Codex with firm steps. This was the first time he had felt the aura of a god so closely. The fine creases on the cover of the Codex, the light and shadow marks on the pages, the faint aura of [Order] that was filled with weariness, and a vague hope that was hard to explain.

He thought it was the relief of the [Order] finally being passed on, but little did he know that everyone had misunderstood from beginning to end!

Seeing Li Wufang reach for the long nail, a taut string in Cheng Shi's mind suddenly snapped, his breath caught in his throat, and his pupils contracted sharply.

"Don't rush to attack!"

But the call came too late.

The Investigator's hand passed effortlessly through the cage woven from the power of [Deception] and [Chaos], landing on the Mockery Spike. With a gentle pull, he tore off the nail and chains that had bound [Pride) ] for countless years.

The cage that imprisoned a True God was like a fragile windowpane, which was pierced by a Mortals on the highest Temple.

When Li Wufang heard Cheng Shi's shouts, it was too late. He turned around in horror, only to see Cheng Shi jump down from the Chaos Yellow Mist and reappear in front of him, just as his Lord of Grace had said, this the Fated had never left.

However, the other party's expression at this moment was very strange and complicated, and even Li Wufang, as an Investigator, found it difficult to characterize the mixed emotions.

Cheng Shi's eyes were indeed complex, and among his many emotions, the most prominent was undoubtedly shock.

He looked incredulously at the freed [Pride) ], his lips moved for a moment, and he asked blankly:

"Why?"

The Codex, freed from its shackles, floated above everyone's heads, its cover gleaming with gold. Pages peeled away, fluttering like leaves and falling like rain, the laws of the rules singing loudly, the Divine Resonance of [Order] echoing through the heavens.

The fallen pages rolled back up, gradually wrapping the shriveled Codex, now only a cover, into a ball, like a pupa transforming into a butterfly, or a tomb shrouding a corpse.

Looking down at the shocked Cheng Shi, the terrified Katarro, and the frightened Li Wufang, He first let out a sneer, then said with a sigh of self-mockery:

"I often pride myself on being orthodox, building [Civilization], banishing [Chaos], and despising [Nothingness], but at this moment, I am forced to approach [Nothingness] in this way."

That's the only thing I learned from [Deception], lies.

My Believer, I have deceived you.

As a shattered fragment of [Order], I have long since lost all Divine Authority over myself; otherwise, how could [Chaos] have stolen my Divine Throne without the gods knowing?

Granting you the Seat of Judgment is the limit of what I can do. Ironically, the Divine Authority and the Vessel you desire... are also things I want to reclaim.

The Codex's gaze swept over Li Wufang and Cheng Shi, then turned to the Cosmos beyond the Temple.

At this moment, in everyone's eyes, He no longer resembles [Pride) ], but rather the complete [Order] that was once Naming by [Origin].

Not every question in this world has an answer. You want to ask why, but little do you know that over the years, I've also wanted to ask why.

I don't know what [He] is doing, I only know that I am [Order], and this Cosmos needs Order!

As soon as the words were spoken, all sound suddenly fell silent around the Codex, which was wrapped up in pages.

Countless cracks burst forth between the pages in an instant, like golden veins rebinding the Codex. Unfortunately, this dazzling scene lasted only a moment. The next second, the gold faded, [Order] lost its luster, and the Pride that once disdained imprisonment finally succumbed to this Temple that did not belong to Him.

The Codex dissolved, shattered silently.

As a fragment of [Order], His death, unlike that of other True God, did not even alarm the Cosmos beyond this Temple.

His departure was so An Jing, so sudden, yet it still deeply moved us.

As the golden light rained down, Katarro and Li Wufang were completely dumbfounded.

They never imagined that the True God, who in their eyes had just shown signs of "escaping," would choose to perish in the world while trying to break free.

Before He died, He said: This Cosmos also needs Order.

If this was His Will, then why did He choose to perish!?

[Order] is dead. Where is Order in the Cosmos?

Only Cheng Shi guessed what Pride) was going to do, because He said at the time, "Come forward and free me," not "Release my chains and grant you Divine Authority."

What a relief!

He just hadn't expected that the liberation [Pride) ] desired would be so decisive!

Why?

The question resurfaced in his mind.

Without a doubt, the God of Merriment must have foreseen this, and even expressed his approval of the self-destruction of [Order] by not showing himself.

Otherwise, how could a fragment of True God, still of some use, possibly perish before the eyes of three Mortals!

But why is [Pride) ] acting this way? And what changes have occurred in the attitude of the God of Merriment towards [Pride) ]? All of these are questions.

Cheng Shi looked up at the top of the Temple with a blank expression, then looked at the other two beside him, but he could see nothing but a deeper sense of bewilderment in their eyes.

Li Wufang was both shocked and frightened. He opened and closed his mouth for a long time before finally managing to squeeze out a sentence:

"Is this... destiny?"

Cheng Shi clenched his fist, nodded with a complicated expression, and said:

Perhaps so, but it's not our destiny.