You're Already Starting to Sound Like Them

The words are not crude, and the reasoning is sound, but the execution is too crude.

The Hope's Flame hung precariously in the air, leaving Qin Xin speechless for a moment. She simply smiled and considered how to comfort Nangong and let her know that the Fire Keeper had not suffered any loss due to Cheng Shi's arrival.

It was a rare moment for Cheng Shi to recall the joy of the Fishpond Bureau, and he chuckled for a while. However, he remembered his purpose for coming, so he quickly got back into the swing of things, his gaze sharpening as he began to explain his plans.

"The Audience Assembly just around the corner, and I suspect that God of Merriment has prepared a big surprise for me ahead of me."

I'm not sure what lies ahead, I can only do my best.

Qin Xin, I desperately need your vote.

This vote naturally refers to [War]'s voting rights in the [Covenant], so Cheng Shi's meaning is also very clear: he is urging Qin Xin to inherit everything about [War] as soon as possible, sit on that Divine Throne, and appear before the world in a brand new guise.

This does not conflict with Qin Xin's position, but the problem lies in the timing of the showdown being too early.

Qin Xin originally intended to remain hidden for a while longer, relying on his growing strength to expand the scale of the Fire Keeper as much as possible. At least after finding the path to the future, he would inherit the Divine Throne and bring the Fire Keeper to the forefront.

But Cheng Shi's statement today will undoubtedly accelerate the "God Creation Plan" of the Fire Keeper.

It was clear that Cheng Shi's tone was extremely sincere, and the Fire Keeper did indeed owe the Fate Weaver a debt of gratitude. As the founder of the Passing the Flame, Qin Xin seemed to have no reason to refuse Cheng Shi's request.

But Qin Xin's thoughts were never just about protecting the good things in life; beyond his personal will, he was always thinking about the world.

He will still choose to help Cheng Shi, but the arrangements of the Fire Keeper may need to be slightly changed before he takes over. They cannot be known to the world so quickly with his "exposure".

Cheng Shi saw Qin Xin's hesitation and shook his head at him, saying:

At this point, no one cared what kind of organization the Fire Keeper were.

The gods' eyes are on me. With such a troublemaker who wants to drag them down from their Divine Throne, they won't cast too much attention on a group of Mortals who are not yet a threat to them.

And once you become [War], they will not easily become your enemy just because of the resistance of a group of Mortals.

The gods who hindered the end of [Nothingness] have long been swept away by the tides of time. You must know that all the arrangements made by the God of Merriment throughout this era have been to clear away all obstacles in the path of the Fear Faction.

Cheng Shi began by recounting the [Deception] scheme as he knew it, continuing until the False Curtain Call that no one in the Cosmos remembered.

He couldn't bear to tell Qin Xin about the Final Decree again, but instead mentioned how the Hope's Flame had transformed into Vessel of [Destiny] to save him.

Upon hearing this, the flames on the Candlelight Person blazed for a moment before quickly waning.

He stared at Cheng Shi in disbelief, listening as Cheng Shi finished recounting the play called "Change," his entire fiery body freezing in place.

He said, somewhat bewildered:

"Is He Outer God [Destiny]?"

"No, He is [Deception]. The Outer God is just an act He plays. Although I still don't know why He would play an Outer God, but... He is definitely not Outer God," Cheng Shi said firmly.

At least in Qin Xin's and Hope's Flame's eyes, he was exceptionally determined.

However, the Hope's Flame saw through Cheng Shi's confusion, for it was now just as confused as Cheng Shi.

He had doubted his identity countless times, and even felt that [Deception] was not [Deception] at all, but rather the merciless [Destiny] that severed him from himself.

Therefore, in His view, [Destiny] is not [Destiny] at all, but most likely a [Deception] that has deceived the Cosmos and changed its identity.

However, this conjecture was completely overturned after hearing Cheng Shi's account of the False Curtain Call.

Because in His understanding, if [Deception] played the role of [Destiny], He would never choose to sacrifice Himself; and if [Destiny] was [Deception], He would never admit to being an Outer God.

[Destiny] does not consider obsession with Predestination to be a sin, and therefore has no need to shift all the blame onto a mysterious Outer God.

Although everything that has ended in this False Curtain Call is Change, so too is the Hope's Flame. It understands Change best and can see through which wills have been wantonly distorted and which wills have remained unchanged from beginning to end in this False Curtain Call.

So it's still Deception Destiny is still Destiny!

But why do I feel an almost Faith, drawn-in connection with [Deception]?

Could it be that the identity of the Hope's Flame is fake, and that I am merely a completely Deception creation?

Did He relinquish His own Divine Authority, deceive the Cosmos, and create Himself?

What Divine Authority did He relinquish?

In that False Curtain Call, why did I, after my own demise, transform into a true Vessel [Destiny]?

The Hope's Flame was in disarray, its violent flickering revealing the extreme turmoil within Him.

He asked softly:

"And what about [Destiny]... where is it now?"

"Like [Deception], it's gone."

Cheng Shi also wondered if the [Destiny]'s obsession with the Predestination was perhaps just a disguise for [Nothingness].

These two [Nothingness] Dominion finalized their plans for the era's end at the very beginning, and then feigned disagreement to stage a grand drama for the Cosmos?

Otherwise, how can one explain that one's Predestination fate is largely driven by [Deception], yet [Destiny] has no objection to it, and even that the Destiny of Another World has altered one's own will to agree to [Deception] Cheng Shi's salvation plan?

All of this is strange, and it's difficult to find a logical basis to explain it.

"Gone?" Ever since the Hope's Flame was severed by [Destiny], it could no longer feel any connection with [Destiny]. Unable to use it to search for [Destiny], it didn't know whether Cheng Shi's statement about it being gone meant it was hidden away or...

"[Destiny] Is He... still alive?" The Candlelight Person was taken aback.

"?"

What's the problem?

Since it was a false farewell, [Destiny] will naturally live on.

"Of course," Cheng Shi answered without hesitation. "However, I suspect that He may not be free now. The God of Merriment has been planning for a long time and will not allow [Destiny] to ruin His plans. So I have always felt that the scene in the False Finale where He trapped [Destiny] in Giggle and Mock was not fake."

It is very likely that He really is trapped, but we have no way of knowing where He is trapped.

The times are moving smoothly according to the rhythm of the God of Merriment, but even though He is turning away from [the Origin], I still feel uneasy.

That's the main reason I came to find you.

Qin Xin, we must unite before God of Merriment reveals His ultimate plan.

The Covenant not only protects divine authority, but is also the only means for Mortals to survive in dire circumstances.

Only by securing enough votes to change the Cosmos before the Audience Assembly can we face the God of Merriment's plan with equanimity and be qualified to seek the future that belongs to this world...

After hearing Qin Xin nodded solemnly:

"I see."

"..."

The heavy atmosphere was suddenly broken by the words "I understand." Cheng Shi looked at Qin Xin with a strange expression, and finally couldn't help but mutter:

"I can see it; you're starting to resemble them."