The Gravekeeper's Past

The two started anew, Cheng Shi and Zhen Xin walking side by side, heads bowed and silent.

Zhen Xin somehow learned about Squinty Old Zhang's story and didn't seem opposed to sharing it, but the question was, should she know it?

Digging into someone's past without their consent seems rather unethical.

Thinking of all this, Cheng Shi didn't hesitate for a second and decisively spoke up:

"If you know, just say so! Why keep me in suspense?"

You're not planning to trade something with me like the Dragon King, are you?

Zhen Xin wasn't surprised at all by Cheng Shi's "Greed." She glanced at him and smiled.

"If you know any other people's stories, I don't object to exchanging them with you."

But if your Chip is your own story... it's worthless, I already know that.

"..."

Having his Memory stolen was Cheng Shi's first loss at the entrance to the peak game. Although he finally managed to expose the other party's identity with the help of Mouth Brother, which gave him some satisfaction, he didn't really gain anything.

Zhen Xin brought up the old story again, clearly intending to make amends for the Squinty Old Zhang.

Cheng Shi didn't mind and listened attentively.

Zhen Xin smiled and said, "Didn't you ever have even the slightest doubt about Old Zhang?"

What's your question?

"Given his steadiness, composure, knowledge, and temperament... not counting his work clothes, I'm referring to that air of [Truth], he's clearly well-educated. Why would he become a security guard?"

"?"

Cheng Shi was taken aback; he had never thought of it that way before.

But what's wrong with being a security guard? It's a legitimate job; they don't steal or rob, and they can even prevent theft and robbery. What's wrong with that?

Although no one would steal from Cemetery.

He scoffed, believing Zhen Xin's actions constituted occupational discrimination. "Everyone has their own choices, and I don't see anything wrong with that."

Zhen Xin nodded:

Indeed, everyone has their own choices.

I am not belittling any particular profession, but rather questioning a question that clearly defies common sense.

[Death] serves as a camouflage, causing many players to keep their distance from the Gravekeeper. However, once people are no longer afraid of [Death], or even lift the curtain of death, and look at this [Death] Chosen of God one again, they will find a different... Gravekeeper.

His father was Outstanding Young Forensic Doctor, and his mother was a leading Security Expert. How could such an excellent family raise an ordinary child? Old Zhang was once a Top University student with high hopes...

"?"

Did Old Zhang betray the revolution?

Was she reincarnated into such a good family?

But the better he was born, the less he should be like this now. Cheng Shi knew the twists and turns of Destiny. He blinked, said nothing, and continued to listen.

But he dropped out of school.

In his final year of school, he chose to drop out and become a security guard at the Cemetery, which explains why his colleagues always spoke to him Yin-Yang.

When someone suddenly wanders into a place where he shouldn't be, rumors will inevitably spread.

Fortunately, the Gravekeeper was resolute and didn't care about any of that.

At this point, Zhen Xin also sighed. She understood the coldness and human nature best, and knew that the days of the Gravekeeper must have been difficult during that time.

"Why?" Cheng Shi seemed to have guessed, but he wasn't sure.

Zhen Xin suppressed her smile, her expression becoming slightly respectful.

"Because his parents are buried in that Cemetery."

"..."

Really.

"They are excellent, but unfortunately they work too hard. They always want to see as much as possible in their limited lives. The more they want to see, the more they do. Overworking their bodies will only make their limited lives even more limited..."

They fell in the same year, even the same month, and what happened afterward answers the question I had been asking.

So, Squinty Old Zhang's desire to live on was probably his last act of 'rebellion' against his parents.

This is perhaps why God of Merriment valued him.

He likes rebellion, doesn't he?

"..."

Cheng Shi fell silent.

He remembered what Squinty Old Zhang had told him, "The longer you live, the more you see." He had always thought that Squinty Old Zhang cared about the first half of the sentence, but he never expected that the second half was just as important.

Is he using this to commemorate his parents?

What's the meaning behind his fondness for burying people?

Are you in such a hurry to "burn" every little thing in this world to show his parents what it's all about?

Tsk, you know what, he's actually quite filial.

Everyone has their own misfortunes; this is Cheng Shi Truth Cheng Shi had long understood. He wasn't offended by learning about Squinty Old Zhang's past; he simply raised an eyebrow, staring at Zhen Xin, as if he had some kind of realization:

"Did you find out from the Dragon King?"

"This Li Jingming keeps talking about respecting the Clown's personal Memory, but then he betrayed Old Zhang?"

Zhen Xin smiled, neither speaking nor admitting nor denying.

Cheng Shi looked serious:

"No, I have to go and teach him a lesson."

If he doesn't tell me anything else, I'll expose his leaking of information and make him die of shame!

"..."

Zhen Xin rolled her eyes at Cheng Shi, then stopped the conversation.

They had arrived at the theater, and not far ahead, Zhang Jizu stood quietly in the crowd, watching the performance.

Noticing the commotion behind him, he turned around and looked at the two people, surprised that they had arrived so quickly.

The two approached and watched the performance on stage. Cheng Shi suddenly thought of Old Jia and didn't know what to say for a moment. Zhen Xin, on the other hand, didn't react much to the "parents" and asked with a smile:

"You actually have the leisure to watch a performance? You must have discovered something. Tell me, Old Zhang, what's going on with Morning Cheer?"

This tone clearly couldn't be from An Mingyu. Zhang Jizu narrowed his eyes, not surprised by the other party's identity.

Upon seeing this, Zhen Xin's face fell.

Sure enough, the two swindlers had already discovered their identities.

Zhang Jizu nodded in greeting, and then summarized clearly:

"Morning Cheer's background is complicated, and Mrs. Flord's identity is not simple either. She is not just Circus owner, but also a member of the Brotherhood of Extreme Desire."

"???"

What is that?

Cheng Shi turned his head abruptly, and said in astonishment, "She's actually a member of [Filth and Decay]?"

"Yes, to explain this clearly, we need to start with Flord encouraging young actors to leave the Dusk Play with her."

Flord was restless and rebellious from a young age, but it was precisely because of her rebelliousness that she constantly questioned and innovated traditional circus, bringing a new Vitality to the Dusk Play.

However, the traditional ringmaster did not approve of these new ideas, so Flord's position in the Circus gradually became marginalized. After a long period of suppression, Flord could no longer tolerate it, and she left the Dusk Play with the actors she knew.

With nowhere to go, they were fortunate to encounter the Brotherhood of Extreme Desire, which was then infiltrating the Surface, on their journey to find a new life.

What is [Filth and Decay]? I don't think I need to explain it to you two. It perfectly aligns with Flord's spirit. She joined them without hesitation and became the leader of this Surface team with her outstanding action.

Perhaps it was her growing desire that finally erupted one day, causing her to confront her own ambitions. She led her fellow performers back to Kanliwal, vowing to defeat the Dusk Play and make the people there acknowledge that her art was the best circus.

Thus, Morning Cheer was established.