Thus, while Zhang Jizu was still leading the others around in circles at the southern stronghold, Cheng Shi, who had returned from the dead, had already secretly used the page and infiltrated the mist.
But he encountered the exact same predicament as Squinty Old Zhang: there was no way to tell direction or destination within the mist. He walked for a long time, exploring until the others had all entered the mist, yet he still could not find the exit.
After confirming that he had exhausted every method and still could not reach the Faith Theater, Cheng Shi had no choice but to start considering where the key to solving the problem lay.
Of course, once the Clown regarded the mist around the Place of Piety as a puzzle rather than terrain, the answer quickly surfaced. His line of thought had nearly coincided with Zhang Jizu's.
The mist was clearly demanding a ticket from outsiders, and that ticket was very likely the secret in their hearts.
At that thought, Cheng Shi became deeply conflicted.
He had far too many secrets in his heart—so many that he had no idea which one the mist would choose to broadcast. But whichever it was, Cheng Shi did not want to share any of them with everyone.
Thus, he decided to skip class and consult Mouth Brother again.
He said to Lips of Foolish Play, "Since we've already made one deal, why not make another? Mouth Brother, do you have a way to help me avoid this social-death segment that I absolutely have to go through?"
Lips of Foolish Play said that it did. It could pay that secret in Cheng Shi's place, but on the condition that all the gains from this trial belonged to it.
Cheng Shi froze for a moment. He