The Existence of the Second Faith
"Don't you remember what happened during the previous Trials?"
After the First shock subsided, Cheng Shi gradually recovered. He looked at the Little Skull on the chair in front of him and asked with a frown.
Zhang Jizu nodded:
"Yes, there must have been a violent conflict in the last Trials, because my life-saving measures were used up once."
But my Memory is very vague, which means someone has used Memory manipulation techniques.
There aren't many people who could use this method against me. I've narrowed it down to a few, but I'm still not sure if it's them.
Upon hearing this, Cheng Shi immediately became interested.
"You've got quite a few enemies, tell me, who are they?"
"It's just that they don't get along with me, it's no use knowing that."
"Why wouldn't it be useful? If you happen to run into one, it might be able to help you solve your problem."
"..." Zhang Jizu paused for a moment, then said uncertainly, "I feel like I've heard this somewhere before."
"?"
Before Cheng Shi could ask any more questions, Mimi narrowed his eyes and continued, "Help me deal with a blasphemous sinner first. This person is easier to handle, especially for you, as it will be more convenient for you to deal with him."
Cheng Shi raised an eyebrow in surprise, pondered for a moment, and then replied:
"Yes, there is. It's not impossible, but we have to discuss the price clearly. Even brothers keep their accounts straight."
"Tell me your name, your profession, and your skill level."
"Score unknown, surname Cheng, given name Shi, is a... Fate Weaver."
"???"
Cheng Shi was stunned. What shocked him was not that Squinty Old Zhang was playing a trick on him, but that these words came out of Squinty Old Zhang's mouth... and they were actually true!
The Master of Deception told Cheng Shi that this statement was true!
That means that Squinty Old Zhang really wants him to get rid of him.
How so!?
Something's not right, something's really not right!
Cheng Shi reacted quickly. He was only stunned for a moment before he immediately realized the problem: it seemed that this kid, Squinty Old Zhang, had also become Master of Deception!
The Gravekeeper isn't keeping the grave anymore; he's started playing tricks on his brother!
He stared in shock at the Little Skull before him, blinking in disbelief, and said, "The talent He bestowed upon you is the Master of Deception!?"
Seeing Cheng Shi's embarrassed expression, Zhang Jizu smiled and shook his head, "No."
It's the truth again!
He's Master of Deception!
Alright, alright, the Clown is actually myself!
I never expected that a promise made by a swindler would actually turn the other party into a swindler as well. But to be fair, how exactly does Squinty Old Zhang's second Faith exist?
In fact, Cheng Shi was curious not only about Zhang Jizu, but also about the Faith status of all players who had a second Faith.
Because he always felt that he could switch his Faith state and be different from them.
Initially, under the influence of Hu Wei's ability to directly use the power of [Chaos], he thought that the second Faith would simply add the blessing of a new profession and the talent of another Faith.
But after learning that Hu Wei was a pure Believer in [Chaos], he realized he was wrong. The power of [War] used by the Grand Marshal came entirely from his greatsword, while the power of [Chaos] he used was the true Faith.
He has always been a single- Faith!
The same applies to Da Yi.
Of the remaining dual- Faith players, Big Cat, being the Fated, needed to play the mysterious role and had never asked anyone. Poison had just acquired his second Faith and hadn't had a chance to meet him again. Qu Yan, on the other hand, could be asked casually, but it was too unreasonable and beneath an Emissary ask a player these things, so...
Of all the people he knew, only Zhang Jizu, who had embarked on the path of Deception, was someone he could ask questions about.
And coincidentally, Zhang Jizu came right in front of him today, which was simply a godsend.
However, thinking about this, Cheng Shi seemed to have guessed why Squinty Old Zhang had come to find him. This dual Believer of [Death] and [Deception] probably wanted to find out what this second Faith was like in other people, and how it differed from his own dual personality!
Having figured out the other party's purpose, Cheng Shi nodded, exchanged a glance with Zhang Jizu, and then spoke first:
"My Faith have not merged; I just acquired another personality by chance. I can switch personalities to change my Faith, but... the talents of the two Faith cannot be shared."
So I can only be a Clown, or perhaps, a Fate Weaver.
Cheng Shi's words were sincere and without any concealment, which made Zhang Jizu slightly taken aback.
He squinted at Cheng Shi for a moment, then said with some surprise, "You seem to have changed a bit; you trust others more than before."
"That depends on who it is!"
As a traveler of "Nothingness" and also an employee of that the Great One, I naturally tend to trust employees of a sister company who are nominally working for my own company more than outsiders.
"You agree, right, Old Zhang?"
Zhang Jizu remained silent for a moment, neither confirming nor denying the statement, but soon he spoke with equal sincerity:
"I received the Clown's blessing, and also gained three additional [Deception] Faith Talent. I don't need to switch; I already have... nine talents in Gravekeeper mode."
???
To seize the young?
Nine talents?
Squinty Old Zhang a score above 2400, definitely has 6 innate talents. Does that mean Faith Fusion gave him three new talents?
Huh? Three?
No...
Who exactly is the darling of the "Nothingness"?
Cheng Shi was jealous. He smacked his lips and stared at Zhang Jizu with obvious envy, his eyes practically brimming with sourness.
He stared at it for a long time before finally saying, with a hint of disbelief, "Old Zhang, you're not lying to me, are you?"
Seeing Cheng Shi's expression, Zhang Jizu chuckled and said, "Yes, you guessed right, I was lying to you."
The Master of Deception has worked again!
However, putting aside the Master of Deception, even though the Little Skull had no expression, Cheng Shi could tell that what the squinty-eyed man said was true.
Cheng Shi was even more envious now.
So it turns out that the Faith Fusion is really the superposition of talents, but how exactly is the number of talents in this second Faith calculated, and what are the rules?
If a single fusion grants three more Faith Talent, then...
Oh no! I showed off for the whole Trials last time, but I ended up being the Clown, while that Chameleon became the biggest winner!
Three [Decay] talents, they've won so badly...
However, another question arises: why is it that other people's Faith Fusion is a genuine integration, while my own Faith Fusion is not integration, but rather a switch of "Nothingness" Faith?
Just because of disagreements about "Deception" and "Destiny"?
No, it doesn't seem like it. There must be a deeper reason behind this. I must find an opportunity to ask them about it next time I have an audience with them.
Cheng Shi thought silently for a while, then looked at Zhang Jizu on the chair and pouted, saying:
"Squinty Old Zhang, you're not here just to provoke me, are you?"
How long can your slender frame last?
One-way?
"Does that the Great One still have any toys? Could you perhaps...?"
Just as they were getting to the middle of the conversation, Zhang Jizu let out a soft hum and, seemingly out of thin air, spat out a key made of bone from his empty mouth.
Cheng Shi was taken aback. There really was one?
He quickly picked up the key, only to find that it was no longer than a finger, and two words were finely engraved on one side: Cheng Shi.
Hiss--
What is this, a work badge?
"Communication tools, the communication tools through which I pray to Him."
Unlike some people, I don't have a competitive mentality. I'm very pragmatic; mutual exchange of resources among allies is essential.
Ally?
This word is fresh.
Cheng Shi put away the keys and laughed heartily, "So, I can visit your Cemetery too? My neighbor is gone, and we're always short of bodies. So, it seems you're here to deliver something."
But Old Zhang, what kind of alliance do we have?
"?" Zhang Jizu was taken aback and blinked.
Allies are allies, why is there any other alliance?
Do friends who help each other really need to have a formal title?
He looked at Cheng Shi speechlessly again, and sighed:
"The visit is not without time limits. It took a lot of effort for that the Great One to break through the constraints of the [Covenant] to get here, so speak quickly, time is running out."
Cheng Shi hadn't actually planned to start any alliance, but when the conversation came up, he remembered the Fated he had formed with Big Cat, and thought that since they were all cooperating, why not start some kind of organization with Squinty Old Zhang as well?
Thinking about it this way, since both of them Believer in "Deception" and happen to be Clown, why not call this "alliance"...
"Clown.
We are all Clown in this world, standing on the Stage of Deception, using absurd performances to tell the gods the story of Nothingness.
"Praising [Deception], Old Zhang, what do you think?"
There was no response from the rooftop, because the Little Skull on the chair had disappeared long before he finished speaking the first two words.
"..."
Looking at the empty rooftop, Cheng Shi clicked his tongue awkwardly.
Ah, me, the Clown, the Clown among Clown.
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