The Starting Point of Life Path, and the Game of [Memory]

"Who? The one just now?"

"Didn't you guess who It was?"

Cheng Shi frowned, lost in thought.

It wasn't that he hadn't guessed. Once he confirmed that the person before him was his benefactor, he knew that the one just now was likely another god of the Void Life Path, Destiny.

This was because they had the same external appearance, the same form, and the same void fluctuations.

The only difference was their personalities.

One was indifferent, the other playful.

"It seems you've guessed."

"So what if I guessed? As a mere human, how could I possibly retaliate against Deities?"

"Heh heh, you don't need to test me, I can tell you the answer.

Any life form can retaliate against Deities, it's just that this 'retaliation' might not be in the form you desire.

For example, you, from beginning to end, have been retaliating against It."

"???"

Big brother, don't spout nonsense. When did I ever retaliate against Destiny?

If I had the guts for that, would I still be taking on solo dungeons?

Seeing Cheng Shi's surprise, It continued.

"The moment you took off the Mask representing me at the 'Starting Point of the Life Path,' your blasphemy against Destiny had already begun."

Cheng Shi listened, dumbfounded. Countless images flashed through his mind, and his thoughts returned to the day the Gods descended.

On that pleasant afternoon, the Faith Game forcefully invaded everyone's consciousness in a way humans couldn't comprehend, naturally including Cheng Shi.

Deposited at the Starting Point of the Life Path, Cheng Shi looked at a white Mask and a pale, bone-like die before him, his confusion reaching the heavens.

The situation was clear: he had to choose one of the two.

Cheng Shi was conflicted. He didn't even know what these two items represented.

"How should I choose?" he muttered to himself.

Unexpectedly, the Mask responded to him.

"Choose the Dice of Destiny."

Although Cheng Shi didn't know what the Dice of Destiny represented, he knew the Mask must be referring to the die.

Cheng Shi was someone who took advice.

Therefore, he picked up the die.

In his simple view, listening to advice meant a full stomach.

So, he chose the die without hesitation.

Just as the Mask curved its lips into a smile of satisfaction, Cheng Shi reached out and grabbed the Mask as well.

The Mask's smile froze instantly.

Cheng Shi wasn't just someone who took advice; he was also smart.

Since this Mask could advise people to take things, it must be a good item itself.

Thus, the greedy Cheng Shi abandoned the choice of one or the other; he wanted both.

The anomaly then occurred.

The die began to grow heavy, and the Mask began to burn.

Cheng Shi's left hand was scorched black by the searing flames, and his right hand was smashed into the floor by the heavy die.

Yet, even so, he never let go.

He was determined to be greedy even in death.

Only after the Mask burned half his body and the die pierced his palm did these anomalies gradually disappear.

Cheng Shi, on the verge of death, lay on the ground, looking at the burnt remains of the Mask and the grayed die before him. He was back to the state of choosing one of the two.

Cheng Shi let out a wry laugh and placed the remaining Mask's lips onto his own face, but the Mask instantly vanished.

Helpless, he reached out his pierced right hand to grab the die from the ground.

And then...

He inexplicably became a follower of Deception.

A Lips of Foolish Play that he couldn't feel appeared on his face, and in his hand was a Dice of Destiny that would forever only roll a 1.

As a result, from the beginning until now, while others prayed to the Mask for their Edicts of Passage, he could only pray to the die.

"Do you remember?

You defied your own Destiny.

From then on, every Edict of Passage you made was blasphemy against Him.

You said, if there was always a tiny bug questioning you, provoking you, blaspheming you...

What would you do?"

Cheng Shi's expression twitched. He thought, it depends on who it is.

If I were that Deity, I'd definitely crush that filthy bug.

But if I were the bug...

Pah, Destiny is a real bitch!

His eyes under the starry sky narrowed slightly, revealing a smile.

"See, you blasphemed Him again."

"..."

Cheng Shi smiled on the surface but cursed inwardly, "You summoned your believer just to laugh at him?"

"Why else?"

"???"

Was that even human language?

Cheng Shi's face twitched twice, and he sighed as if giving up:

"Let's talk business, my benefactor.

Your pious and humble believer just survived an assassination attempt, his soul under immense pressure, utterly exhausted. He truly has no energy to listen to your teasing.

What do you want to tell me, or what do you want me to do? Please state it directly."

His eyes rolled, and he chuckled, "Why didn't you obey my will and kill that believer of Destiny?"

Cheng Shi honestly replied, "I personally feel that making her recognize her own terrible Destiny and question the benefactor who once protected her might be more unbearable than killing her.

Death is the simplest form of torment."

"Interesting. Perhaps Death disagrees with your view, but it doesn't matter. His word isn't final.

Then, how are you so sure your choice is definitely the right one?"

"Because I am your believer, and Your radiance always guides me."

This was a flattering remark full of ulterior motives, and it was loud.

But it was useless.

His eyes chuckled, "You blasphemed Him again."

"..."

"However, I am very satisfied.

Hmm, how should I reward my pious follower?

Let me think, how about I tell you a few secrets?

With so many secrets, which one should I tell you?"

His eyes blinked cheerfully, and after a moment, he chuckled playfully, "Let's play a game."

"?"

"A game of Memory.

The believers of Memory search everywhere for interesting secrets to please Him. Let's also have a secret exchange game.

You can ask me two questions, and I will ask you two questions.

Considering I bear the divine name of Deception, for the sake of fairness, let's add one more rule:

For the two answers, at least one must not be a lie."

Cheng Shi's gaze sharpened, and his mind began to race.

He knew that the clause in the Faith Game rules, "At the end of each year, players are selected according to their ranking on the Ladder of Audience, and the top ten players will have the opportunity to meet the Deities," would only take effect in another half year.

So, no matter what, this was an opportunity to understand the Deities, to understand the Faith Game, and to understand 'himself'.

What should he ask?

And how could he ensure that He wouldn't lie?

Cheng Shi thought for a long time, and the answer he came up with was: "I cannot guarantee it!"

Even the rules of this game might be a lie told by It.

This was solely because Its divine name was Deception!

Since that was the case, there was no need to waste any more brain cells searching for logical loopholes.

He should just ask whatever he wanted to know.