Character side story: Long Jing · The missing Mask
It was, in a way, Trials of Destiny.
It wasn't until later, when Long Jing realized that what he wanted seemed to be related to the greatest secret in the Cosmos, that he belatedly understood the meaning of Destiny.
But that's all hindsight. Back then, Long Jing was far less composed and calm when facing that thing than he is now.
The Trials of [Destiny] is titled "Who will be buried in the past?" According to the will of this second god of [Nothingness], the players in the Trials will once again face Destiny's Choice.
The Trials is set when the Grand Inquisition, carrying the will of [Order] Believer, has just begun to spread across the Surface. At that time, under the conquest of [Order], Wild God fell like rain, and countless Faith of Wild God lived in constant fear. In a small town that has not yet been incorporated into the territory of the Grand Inquisition, players, following the guidance of the Trials, found a mysterious diviner.
It was an old man whose entire body was wrapped in black cloth; at least his voice sounded like that of an old man.
He said he could foresee the future of living beings, but anyone who wanted his predictions had to exchange something for him.
Faced with such lax rules, the players naturally wouldn't obediently comply. One Purgatory Bishop immediately turned hostile and tried to force the diviner to submit, but before the flames of [War] could even reach the other's clothes, everyone heard a "smack"...
A perfectly healthy person was simply slapped to death on the ground, sprawling out into a pool of blood and flesh.
Blood and Fire are indeed inseparable, but the will to [War] shouldn't be like this...
"What was that?! A tongue!? He was killed by a tongue!?"
Everyone was shocked. Some sensed danger and tried to leave, but the diviner seemed unwilling to let them go. The first person to run out the door was pinned to the ground by his tongue.
The remaining four people immediately froze, no longer daring to move in the room.
The fortune teller sneered, turned and went into the inner room, leaving behind the words: "Come in one by one. Today you will witness the future."
The four men looked at each other, their expressions grave.
No one was sure what the consequences would be for those who went in, so naturally no one dared to follow them in. They were all stalling for time and trying to figure out a solution, but before long, the sounds from inside came out again.
"If no one else has come in yet, then there's no need for them to come in."
"!!!"
Under such intimidation, someone finally couldn't take the pressure and shouted out:
"There are four of us. If we join forces, we might not be a match for him. Why should we just sit here and wait to die?!"
Upon hearing this, Long Jing sneered, "Since you're so courageous, why don't you just go in and gamble on your 'future'?"
"You keep saying you want to team up, but your eyes keep darting between the window and the door. Brother, you don't think you can get away today by using the three of us as cannon fodder, do you?"
The teammate's face darkened when he realized his trick had been seen through.
So what do you want to do?
"It's simple. Since none of us are confident we'll get out alive, let's go in one by one according to the rules. You go first, I'll go last, and the other two can go as they please. How about that?"
The man's pupils constricted, his anger blazing. "Why should we go first?"
Long Jing smiled and showed his fist:
"You think you'd die if you didn't go ahead?"
On my way here, I observed everyone, and to put it bluntly, none of you here are my match.
Only that Purgatory Bishop had the strength to go toe-to-toe with me, but unfortunately he's dead.
An old man can kill him with a single blow, and he can kill me with a single blow too.
I dare not run, but that doesn't mean I'm incapable of sending you all on your way before I die.
So... if you all want to live, you'd better obey and go in, exchange your damn future for the information, and then bring it out to share with the people behind you. That way, we might still have a chance to survive."
After hearing Long Jing's words, the teammates' expressions were not good, especially the one who spoke first, whose face was so ashen that it could drip water.
"Then why should I be the first one!?"
"[Destiny]'s choice." Long Jing shrugged. "Choosing one out of three is quite difficult, but you spoke up first and were the first to scheme against us, so it wasn't us who chose you, but you who chose yourself."
Laugh--
If you can't accept it, then consider it Destiny that chose you.
"..."
The conversation took up some more time, and as the atmosphere in the room grew increasingly tense, a terrifying and inexplicable aura gradually emanated from the inner room, Long Jing's eyes narrowed, and he stepped forward, his posture suggesting that he was ready to fight to the death with the other party.
However, the one who would fight to the death wasn't the fortune teller, but his teammate.
Seeing the mockery in Long Jing's eyes, the teammate knew he had no chance of defeating Long Jing. After much deliberation, he finally made up his mind, gritted his teeth, and went into the inner room.
Silence reigned in the inner room, and the atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive as each second ticked by.
After a long while, the player staggered out like a zombie, gave a bitter laugh to the people in the room, and said:
"I traded my most precious possession for a fortune telling, and he told me I have no future... Ha, ha ha ha ha, I have no future."
After saying this, the man breathed his last and died.
The three remaining people were shocked, and Long Jing's pupils shrank sharply.
Everything before him told him it was a dead end, but he still keenly noticed that his teammate had brought out some useful information.
"The most precious thing"...
A glint of light flashed in Long Jing's eyes as he looked at the remaining two.
Of the remaining two, one remained silent, while the other nearly went mad. Unable to bear the pressure, the madman howled and rushed out, only to be slammed to death at the doorway.
Seeing this, the silent one tactfully went inside.
She came out shortly after, and with a bitter smile, said to Long Jing, "It's not like there's no way out; at least I survived."
Upon hearing this, Long Jing was startled, because he clearly remembered that this female teammate was a Believer in [Silence]!
But now she's actually speaking!
What's going on?
Long Jing's mind raced through the information. With a grave expression, he brushed past the surviving female teammate. The strong man knocked the frail woman to the ground, knocking her unconscious. He himself stumbled and almost fell at the doorway, but he reacted quickly, grabbing the doorframe to stand up from the carpet and walking heavily inside.
The diviner had already set up his crystal ball and smiled sinisterly at Long Jing:
What future do you want to predict?
Long Jing's eyes flickered as he stared at the old man in black for a long time before saying softly, "Your future."
"?"
The fortune teller paused, then let out an even more chilling laugh, "You want to predict my future? Interesting, but not impossible. However, my future is very valuable. What are you willing to exchange it for?"
Long Jing hesitated for a moment, then handed over a Mask.
"Token of my Faith, my most precious possession."
The diviner fell silent. He raised his head, glanced with his unseen eyes at the slight bulge under the doormat, and sneered:
Are you sure?
Long Jing nodded emphatically. "I'm sure."
"Very good, the divination begins. My future is..."
Before the diviner could finish speaking, Long Jing's eyes narrowed, and he gritted his teeth to begin his Destiny decision!
The question of [Destiny] is who will be buried in the past. Long Jing looked at the fortune teller who was about to give the answer and filled in the other person as the only option.
Diviners should bury the past!
At the very moment the decision was made, the diviner gave his answer.
My future rests on your shoulders.
"!!!"
[Trials completed, rewards being calculated...]
Slumped in the audience Rest Area, Long Jing stared at the Tongue of Lies in his hand, his heart pounding with panic. He nervously asked:
"How could it be over already? I haven't gotten my Mask back yet, what am I going to do?"
The Tongue of Lies flipped over in Long Jing's hand, and said lazily:
"You lost it yourself, what does it have to do with me?"
"..."
Long Jing, Acrobat, Acrobat, [Time].
Birthday: September 19th
Age: 26
Loud Beep Beep: Due to the platform's daily word limit, I can't upload all 24 chapters at once. I can only upload 23 chapters a day, and then 1 more the next day... That's too strange. So, I'll just upload 12 chapters today and 12 chapters tomorrow. See you at 8 AM tomorrow!