I Didn't Come to Alleviate Poverty

Cheng Shi frowned as he sorted through the clues he'd heard. After a moment of thought, he ruled out the possibility that the killer was a follower of Decay.

Decay and Prosperity were opposing faiths, but if His followers committed murder in a place blessed by Prosperity, they would definitely leave traces of "decay" on the corpse.

Only then would it be considered a provocation to their faith and a way to glorify their Benefactor.

However, the corpse had no wounds, which clearly indicated the killer was creating a terrifying atmosphere.

The killer's faith was likely Filth Fall or Death itself to achieve such an effect.

The reason for considering the killer's faith wasn't for any other purpose than to crack the case.

One must know that Death and Prosperity were both on the Life Path. Although the wills they advocated were slightly divergent, they were not opposed.

This could be seen from "Bloom Awaits Withering."

It only protected individuals within a normal lifespan and allowed them to die when their time was up.

This was because Prosperity vied for the maximum prosperity of the individual, not immortality.

After all, on the Life Path, Death was the epilogue.

Based on this, Cheng Shi couldn't help but start thinking.

The trial of Death ultimately required a sacrifice to be offered to Him.

So this time, would it be to sacrifice a Filth Fall follower who deliberately created a murder but distorted the residents' original way of dying, or to continue the methods of a Death follower and kill a target that He might be very interested in?

One was to catch the killer, the other was to help the killer commit murder.

These two choices could be said to be diametrically opposed.

If he chose incorrectly, he could very well fall into a place of no return.

Just as Cheng Shi was frowning and thinking carefully, not far from him, another player was also lowering his head in thought.

Wei Guan obviously knew that the clue to cracking the case was at the Law Enforcement Bureau, so he had arrived there before Cheng Shi and had been lingering for a while.

When he saw his teammates arriving one after another, he snorted disdainfully and left.

Seeing Wei Guan leave, Cheng Shi couldn't help but chuckle.

Followers of Foolishness considered themselves aloof and disliked associating with others. Whether he had seen something or just disliked working on the same case, he left now.

After obtaining the relevant information, Cheng Shi left the Law Enforcement Bureau and casually wandered around the town for a while.

It wasn't until sunset, when the streets became emptier and the residents' faces grew more panicked, that he slowly walked back to the inn.

At this moment, the first floor of the inn was crowded with people. The other four teammates had already taken their seats around a wooden table, waiting for him to return.

Cheng Shi greeted everyone and took a seat among them.

His gaze inadvertently swept across the corner of the stairs and he saw the Ascetic standing in the shadows, staring directly at them. Their eyes met, and Cheng Shi was startled. He then smiled and nodded in greeting.

The other party's face showed no joy or sorrow, and his gaze did not waver.

What kind of person is this? Doesn't he get tired of standing all day?

Seeing that everyone was in place, Fang Jue began to take charge.

"Let's talk about the information. I'll summarize my observations and thoughts for today first, and you all can point out any gaps or errors."

As expected of the Law Giver, he was the most organized profession. The basic information about Everbloom Town from all aspects was meticulously organized and shared in an orderly manner.

The content was so detailed that it didn't seem like something one person could gather in an afternoon. It was more like a large team had conducted a month-long background check and compiled a report!

Cheng Shi was inwardly astonished, feeling that Fang Jue's abilities were perhaps too strong.

If some fund managers had this level of skill, he wouldn't have lost so much money before the descent of the Gods.

They were all useless bastards who took the money and did no work!

After Fang Jue finished speaking eloquently, the others nodded. Only Wei Guan snorted disdainfully and said, "Extremely redundant."

Fang Jue was unfazed and gestured for them to go next.

Du Xiguang, however, spoke up in his defense, saying, "Then why don't you share your brilliant insights?"

Wei Guan glanced sideways at Du Xiguang and sneered, "Do you crave unearned rewards so much? A brain that never thinks will only become more foolish. If you want to get answers from me, first prove your worth."

"Pfft."

Cheng Shi couldn't help but laugh.

His laughter drew everyone's attention.

Seeing everyone looking at him, especially Wei Guan's disdainful gaze, Cheng Shi quickly waved his hands. "Sorry, I couldn't help it. It's the first time I've seen someone be so unapologetic about freeloading. I've certainly learned something new."

His words were clearly teasing Wei Guan, but Wei Guan didn't react. Instead, the others looked at Cheng Shi with much more friendly eyes.

As expected, everyone gets along with idiots.

As long as you stay away from idiots, everyone can get along harmoniously.

Du Xiguang also smiled. Whether he truly wanted to prove himself or didn't want to wait for Wei Guan's response any longer, he directly stated his thoughts.

It was the same as Cheng Shi's idea, nothing more than choosing between two paths.

A very ordinary way to approach the problem, but also the most reliable.

Cheng Shi kept nodding in agreement. The two looked at each other and immediately felt a sense of camaraderie.

Hah, I never thought I'd end up on the same side as a follower of [Memory] one day.

Yun Ni didn't add any other details; she simply shared what she saw during the autopsy.

"The Law Enforcement Bureau doesn't have a morgue. The bodies of the four deceased were kept in the archives. I examined them from head to toe and truly found no wounds.

This is more like casting a curse than murder."

"A curse from underground?" Cheng Shi asked, surprised.

Yun Ni glanced at him and nodded irritably.

"Yes, this method of killing usually comes from underground. It's likely [Filth Fall] spreading fear. Creating fear and absorbing the resulting dread is also a form of [Depravity]."

Yun Ni's guess was decisive, but it had some logic.

However, each player had their own judgment, and such a subjective guess was unlikely to gain their mutual recognition.

Next, it was Cheng Shi's turn. Cheng Shi didn't hold back. He briefly described the parts of his findings that others hadn't mentioned, then, carefully examining each clue, he pondered where the key to breaking through lay.

Fang Jue looked at Cheng Shi thoughtfully and teased, "You really don't seem like his follower."

Cheng Shi knew what he meant – that he was acting too "orderly."

However, Cheng Shi suddenly laughed and replied playfully to Fang Jue, "Don't you think that getting close to [Order] is also a form of [Chaos] for me?"

Fang Jue chuckled at his words, but the eyes hidden beneath his smile clearly grew serious.

Indeed.

To make a follower of [Chaos] no longer chaotic was, in essence, a form of chaos, and the most profound chaos at that.

Initially, Fang Jue felt that Cheng Shi wasn't someone he needed to pay much attention to.

But now, a sliver of killing intent rose in his heart.

Discovering an opposing believer with high divine comprehension was not good news.

Cheng Shi didn't know what Fang Jue was thinking. After sharing his insights, he tossed the conversation to Wei Guan.

This [Foolishness] follower, who had the air of "I'm not targeting anyone, I'm saying everyone here is trash," had listened all evening without offering a single brilliant idea.

This was truly annoying.

"Alright, the foolish players have contributed their ideas. Now it's time for the intelligent player to comment."

Wei Guan sneered and turned to leave.

As he walked away, he loudly taunted, "Your thoughts are worthless and you don't deserve to know the answer."

This remark even angered the usually good-tempered Fang Jue. He slammed his hand on the table and stood up, saying sternly, "Leaving here means you forfeit our cooperation."

Fang Jue's voice unconsciously incorporated some of the [Singer]'s skill effects, making it quite impactful.

Many people in the inn heard it and turned to look.

But Wei Guan didn't slow his pace. The direction he was heading was not the second-floor room, but the inn's main entrance.

"You are not yet at the stage of 'cooperation' with me. My time is limited, and I'm not here to offer charity."

With that, he pushed open the inn's door.

Just then, the inn's doorman grabbed his sleeve and warned him in alarm, "Esteemed guest, even if you've had a disagreement with your companions, I must remind you:

The night is not safe.

The Law Enforcement Bureau has already recommended a curfew.

Staying inside the inn is the best option. Please reconsider!"

Wei Guan sneered and retorted, "Cowardice and foolishness have always gone hand in hand.

I already know the answer, so I naturally won't fear any so-called murderer.

Moreover, his methods are utterly foolish in my eyes."

Saying this, he brushed aside the doorman's hand and walked straight out.

The moment the door slammed shut, a unified curse erupted from the players' table.

"Idiot."