Recaps

Cheng Shi pretended to be a Divine Envoy and invented trials for the Fungus-Footed People, with Hong Lin reluctantly supporting his deception. The clan chief believed the tribe had a chance at forgiveness and asked what the next trial was.

• Cheng Shi returned the newborn's baptism to Hong Lin, who used Prosperity's power to strengthen its light and reassure the Fungus-Footed People.
• Cheng Shi declared that the Fungus-Footed People had passed the first of five trials by holding fast in the face of despair, while Zuo Qiu played along as the registrar.
• The old clan chief thanked Cheng Shi and asked what to call him, and Cheng Shi chose the name Baldy before Hong Lin kicked him to the ground.
• Cheng Shi explained away his fall as trouble adjusting to his human vessel, then argued with Hong Lin over using her name in his act.
• The old clan chief asked Cheng Shi what the next trial was.

Cheng Shi delayed the Fungus-Footed People’s promised oracle while learning about their history and the Everlasting Desolate Lamp. The old chieftain explained that the lamp opened the Mist Gate and drew the Eupusca, then asked Cheng Shi to confirm whether these dangers were divine trials.

• Cheng Shi told the old chieftain that the trials could be completed only once a day and that he would deliver Prosperity’s oracle after five days.
• The old chieftain recounted how Prosperity had granted the Fungus-Footed People a protected home after their first chieftain ventured into Decay’s domain and proclaimed Prosperity’s name.
• The old chieftain identified Zuo Qiu’s Everlasting Desolate Lamp as Prosperity’s gift, explaining that it opened the Mist Gate for tribesmen to gather food beyond the Sighing Forest.
• When the old chieftain asked Cheng Shi to explain the lamp’s purpose, Cheng Shi called the tribe’s understanding of the trial another test of faith and enlightenment.
• The old chieftain said the lamp converted Prosperity’s power into Decay, attracted the Eupusca, and returned to the altar restored each night before asking Cheng Shi whether his interpretation was correct.

Cheng Shi explained why he had pretended to be a Divine Envoy to keep the Fungus-Footed People from losing hope, and the players agreed to follow his lead. The chapter left Cheng Shi wondering why the others trusted him to call the shots, as a memory of his former boss promising him a promotion resurfaced.

• Cheng Shi ended the meeting and arranged for the players to stay in the old patriarch's room while the tribe quietly left them alone.
• Hong Lin kicked Cheng Shi and demanded to know why he had revealed her identity.
• Cheng Shi argued that the Fungus-Footed People might abandon Prosperity for Decay if they lost hope, and questioned why Prosperity had given them the Desolate Lamp.
• Hong Lin realized the players' arrival had given the Fungus-Footed People hope, making it dangerous to let that hope disappear.
• Cheng Shi invited the players to discuss their next move, but they silently accepted his plan to keep pretending to be Divine Envoys.
• Cheng Shi wondered why the players had put him in charge and remembered his former boss promising him a promotion.

The group learned that Eupusca was the body of Dizer, a former Divine Envoy of Prosperity who had embraced Decay, and debated whether Prosperity was using the Fungus-Footed People to awaken his sealed soul. They agreed to investigate Eupusca the next day, as night brought Decay monsters and the Sighing Tide around the tribe.

• Cheng Shi pretended to sleep when the others fell silent, while Hong Lin concluded that killing Eupusca could make the trial easier.
• Zuo Qiu explained that Dizer, Mother of Prosperity’s third child and former Divine Envoy, had betrayed Prosperity and joined Decay.
• Zuo Qiu revealed that Decay killed Dizer, splitting his divinity: his body became Eupusca, while his soul was sealed in the missing dagger Gift of Scars.
• Zuo Qiu theorized that Prosperity might be using the Fungus-Footed People and their Everlasting Desolate Lamp to draw Eupusca out and awaken his soul.
• The group agreed to find Eupusca and assess his condition the next day.
• Night fell, and Decay monsters and the Sighing Tide surrounded the tribe.

Jiang Wu Mei secretly entered Cheng Shi’s dream and discovered fragments of his childhood in an orphanage. The dream ended with young Cheng Shi realizing that Little Seven had lied to him and learning how lies could be used.

• Cheng Shi chose to sleep while Jiang Wu Mei and Zuo Qiu went out to explore, and Jiang Wu Mei returned to secretly watch Cheng Shi dream.
• The Historian recognized Jiang Wu Mei as the Dream-Peeking Ranger, who entered Cheng Shi’s dream to seek interesting memories.
• Jiang Wu Mei saw young Cheng Shi disguise his handsome face with a mask so prospective adoptive parents would not choose him.
• A wealthy couple adopted Little Seven, while young Cheng Shi watched from a window and realized Little Seven had lied to him.
• Young Cheng Shi concluded that he had been lied to and began to understand how lies could be used.

Cheng Shi declared the second trial: he and the players would take the Desolate Lamp into the Sighing Forest for a day to test whether its decay could erode faith. As they entered through the Mist Gate to seek Eupusca, Cheng Shi suspected Zuo Qiu had discovered something during the night.

• Cheng Shi woke after a peaceful night and thanked Hong Lin, who revealed she had guarded him because he had saved Tao Yi.
• Cheng Shi learned the other players were stationed around the tribe and that the Fungus-Footed People wanted to know when the trial would begin.
• At the central altar, Cheng Shi announced that the players would carry the Desolate Lamp through the Sighing Forest and return at sunset.
• The old patriarch warned Cheng Shi and the others to beware of Eupusca, whom Cheng Shi wanted to find.
• Hong Lin opened the Mist Gate, and Zuo Qiu entered first after Cheng Shi hinted he knew Zuo Qiu had gone somewhere the previous night.

Zuo Qiu told Cheng Shi the secret history of Lele'er and Garuda, but Cheng Shi recognized that he had lied about its ending. The group later encountered a gigantic creature in the Sighing Tide, and Hong Lin transformed into a golden bear and charged it.

• Zuo Qiu said Lele'er, Prosperity's youngest daughter, sought fear and was sent by Garuda to the Sea of Desire, where she fell into the Fear Mother Tree.
• Cheng Shi realized Zuo Qiu had concealed the true ending, then traded the memory that he was an orphan for the story.
• After searching the forest for hours without finding Eupusca, the group turned back and encountered a huge creature with blue-flaming eyes in a Sighing Tide.
• Hong Lin blessed the group with Newborn's Baptism, transformed into a towering golden bear, and charged into the tide.
• Zuo Qiu explained that Hong Lin was a battle-focused Druid and undefeated trial fighter as two roars sounded from the fog.

Hong Lin and the others joined forces against the seemingly invulnerable Eupusca, while Cheng Shi grew suspicious of Zuo Qiu despite his apparent role as the Singer. Cheng Shi concluded that Zuo Qiu had known him long before the trial and had been pretending to react to his identities.

• Hong Lin's giant bear form fought Eupusca, whose decay could not overcome her recovery and whose body seemed impossible to injure.
• Cheng Shi recognized that the battle was a stalemate and called the others to help.
• The Hunter shot arrows at Eupusca's withered crown, while the Puppet Master's threads slowed it enough for Hong Lin to knock it down and attack.
• Zuo Qiu sang historical battles to empower the group, but Cheng Shi suspected he was concealing his identity and tested him with a deliberately feeble Mental Art.
• Cheng Shi watched Zuo Qiu's reaction to his behavior and concluded that Zuo Qiu had known him before the trial and had been acting unfamiliar.

Cheng Shi discovered that Eupusca was drawn to prosperity rather than Decay and tested the idea using Newborn's Baptism. The group escaped through the Mist Gate before nightfall, leaving Cheng Shi to consider whether they should help the monster instead of killing it.

• Eupusca ignored the exposed puppet master and turned its attack back toward Hong Lin, while Cheng Shi abandoned his plan to protect the Assassin.
• Hong Lin changed tactics and hurled Eupusca toward the Hunter and puppet master, who fled as it kept focusing on Hong Lin.
• Cheng Shi took Newborn's Baptism and Zuo Qiu toward Eupusca, then confirmed the monster charged at them when it smelled the sprout.
• Hong Lin slowed Eupusca while the Mature Sister Puppet rescued Zuo Qiu, allowing Cheng Shi to reclaim Newborn's Baptism.
• Cheng Shi ordered the others to retreat, rode Hong Lin toward the Mist Gate, and heard Zuo Qiu call him interesting.

Cheng Shi and the others returned to the Fungus-Footed People's tribe after passing the second trial, then debated how to interpret the clue about the spark that would die. Cheng Shi concluded that they could win by choosing either Eupusca or the tribe as the one to perish, but the group left the choice unresolved.

• Hong Lin brought the team back through Mist Gate, and Cheng Shi announced that they had passed the second trial.
• After dismissing the celebrating Fungus-Footed People, Cheng Shi asked Hong Lin to confirm that they carried Prosperity's power.
• Cheng Shi reasoned that Decay's presence meant Eupusca could not awaken, so either Eupusca or the Fungus-Footed People could be the spark that died.
• Hong Lin objected to killing the tribe, while the Hunter seemed open to it and Zuo Qiu hid his stance beneath exaggerated praise.
• Cheng Shi questioned Zuo Qiu about his nighttime activities, and Zuo Qiu admitted he liked observing other people's lives late at night.

Jiang Wu Mei entered Cheng Shi’s dream and watched memories from Cheng Shi’s childhood, including the events that led to his adoption by Old Jia. The dream ended with Little Cheng Shi writing his new name, Cheng Shi, on the adoption agreement.

• Cheng Shi proposed that the group go out again the next day to gather more information about Eupusca, and the others agreed.
• Jiang Wu Mei chose to enter Cheng Shi’s dream, hoping to observe the memories stirred by Memory.
• Jiang Wu Mei followed Little Cheng Shi through the orphanage and learned that he used lies to improve his life and had helped drive cruel staff members away.
• The director arranged for Old Jia to adopt Little Cheng Shi after catching him searching the director’s office.
• Old Jia admitted he could not read, and Little Cheng Shi filled out the adoption agreement for him.
• Old Jia named the boy Cheng Shi, and Little Cheng Shi wrote the name on the agreement.

Jiang Wu Mei watched Cheng Shi’s dream recount how little Cheng Shi reluctantly settled into Old Jia’s impoverished home and gradually learned to live honestly with him. Years passed, and just as Cheng Shi prepared to attend college, Old Jia unexpectedly brought home twenty thousand yuan for tuition.

• Little Cheng Shi tried to run away from Old Jia’s home, but returned after overhearing Old Jia buy ham for him.
• Cheng Shi began visiting Aunt Sun for food and tricked the supermarket into giving him cola with a forged bottle cap.
• Old Jia caught Cheng Shi cheating, punished him, and explained that lying was wrong; the next day, he brought home a case of cola for Cheng Shi.
• Cheng Shi cried, shared a meal with Old Jia, and stopped lying as they lived together peacefully.
• Cheng Shi grew up, finished high school, and worried about college tuition until Old Jia returned home with twenty thousand yuan.

Jiang Wu Mei left Cheng Shi’s college memories and used Memory to investigate Old Jia’s past, uncovering how carefully he had arranged Cheng Shi’s adoption and upbringing. The chapter ended with Jiang Wu Mei watching Old Jia’s elaborate scheme to teach young Cheng Shi a lesson, while Cheng Shi remained unaware of the deception.

• Jiang Wu Mei abandoned Cheng Shi’s perspective and traced Memory back to the orphanage before Little Cheng Shi was adopted.
• Jiang Wu Mei discovered that Old Jia had paid three thousand yuan to adopt Little Cheng Shi before another bachelor could take him.
• Jiang Wu Mei learned that Old Jia and the wealthy woman surnamed Sun already knew each other, and that she had supplied Old Jia with clothes and money for Cheng Shi.
• Old Jia timed Little Cheng Shi’s attempt to leave the urban village, then bought a ham sausage so Cheng Shi would hear him and turn back.
• Jiang Wu Mei discovered that Old Jia had planted the bottle cap to catch Cheng Shi’s cola lie and had prepared the broom handle for the beating.
• Old Jia won money playing chess, bought food and cola, then pretended to have stomach trouble so he could leave Cheng Shi at home and return to chess.

Jiang Wu Mei watched Old Jia deceive the world to give Cheng Shi an honest, secure childhood, then saw Old Jia die after arranging one last recorded conversation with his son. Jiang Wu Mei wondered whether Old Jia had known he was watching and eagerly waited to see the dream’s ending before offering the memory to Them.

• Old Jia encouraged Cheng Shi before his college entrance examinations, hiding his envy and worry behind jokes about collecting bottles.
• When Cheng Shi needed money for university, Old Jia borrowed twenty thousand yuan from Sun Yuying and refused to use the wealth he had gained through dishonest means.
• Old Jia secretly supported Cheng Shi near his university, but his health failed before Cheng Shi graduated.
• Old Jia took a final bath at Sun Yuying’s home, gave her a recorder, and returned home to die in bed.
• Sun Yuying played Old Jia’s recorded replies during Cheng Shi’s call, and Cheng Shi unknowingly spoke with his father after his death.
• Jiang Wu Mei was astonished by Old Jia’s uncanny predictions and wondered whether Old Jia had seen him watching.

Cheng Shi discovered that Old Jia had died and learned through his memories how his father’s lies had shaped his life. After killing Jiang Wu Mei in the dream, Cheng Shi awakened at dawn, having finally said goodbye to Old Jia.

• Cheng Shi returned home to find Old Jia gone, then read his final message telling him to live well.
• Cheng Shi found Old Jia’s grave beside Aunt Sun’s and wept as Jiang Wu Mei witnessed the memory.
• Jiang Wu Mei discovered graves bearing the names of Dream-Peeking Rangers, including his own, and realized Cheng Shi had noticed him.
• Cheng Shi asked Jiang Wu Mei whether he would report what he had seen; Jiang Wu Mei lied, so Cheng Shi killed him in the dream.
• Cheng Shi bid Old Jia farewell as the dream faded, and he awoke in the Fungus-Footed People’s tribal house at dawn.

Cheng Shi suspected An Jing had turned Jiang Wu Mei into a puppet and prepared to fight her, but Zuo Qiu interrupted with news that the Everlasting Desolate Lamp had not reset. Cheng Shi then suspected Zuo Qiu was also An Jing’s puppet and attacked him, only for Zuo Qiu to escape with Shadow Shuttle.

• Jiang Wu Mei rose after his death and knelt before An Jing, who revealed she was the Puppet Master and had turned him into a puppet.
• An Jing admitted she had taken Jiang Wu Mei as a puppet, while Cheng Shi suspected she was hiding her true motives and drew his scalpel.
• Zuo Qiu entered and reported that the Everlasting Desolate Lamp was gone from the altar, though Hong Lin still had it in her personal space.
• Cheng Shi suspected Zuo Qiu was An Jing’s puppet and charged at him, while Hong Lin stopped An Jing’s puppets from intervening.
• Zuo Qiu dodged Cheng Shi and disappeared using Shadow Shuttle, confirming Cheng Shi’s suspicion that he was a puppet.

Cheng Shi distracted the Fungus-Footed People from the fight inside the main house by inventing a new trial, then learned that An Jing belonged to the Worship God Society and that Hong Lin had bargained with the Puppet Master. The chapter ended with Hong Lin revealing she had resold the information she had given the stinking bird.

• The Fungus-Footed People reported that Huangdeng was missing, and Cheng Shi claimed he had taken it after the previous trial ended.
• Cheng Shi announced the Persistent Offering trial and chose Amir to carry Huangdeng into the Sighing Forest to forage.
• Hong Lin emerged from the main house victorious, and Cheng Shi returned inside with her.
• Cheng Shi found the Puppet Master unharmed and learned from Hong Lin that An Jing was a member of the Worship God Society.
• Hong Lin told Cheng Shi that she had sold the information she had given the stinking bird again.

The Puppetmaster revealed that she planned to leave the trial and search for Blood Rot Tomb, offering the Prosperity Divinity sealed within her in exchange for being allowed to go. Cheng Shi investigated her motives and learned that Zhen Yi had told her about him, leaving him furious at what she had shared.

• The Puppetmaster explained that the Man in the Coffin had located Blood Rot Tomb and that she had sent Feathered Brother toward it.
• The Puppetmaster admitted she wanted to enter the Sighing Forest to approach a god, even if it meant following another Him.
• The Puppetmaster offered to abandon her sealed Prosperity Divinity if Cheng Shi and Hong Lin let her leave the trial.
• Cheng Shi questioned how the Puppetmaster knew Baldhead and learned she had used an item of Memory to absorb Zuo Qiu's memories.
• Cheng Shi made the Puppetmaster answer through the ranger puppet, who revealed that she knew Zhen Yi.
• The Puppetmaster said Zhen Yi had told her strange tales about the gods and called Cheng Shi interesting, prompting Cheng Shi's anger.

Cheng Shi verified the Puppet Master’s intentions with his Master of Deception and negotiated for a tool in exchange for letting her leave. The Puppet Master lent him the Tongue of Lies, an S-rank compulsory contract tool, and Cheng Shi agreed to complete the deal.

• Cheng Shi and Hong Lin discussed Chen Shu and learned that the Puppet Master could use Zuo Qiu’s innate ability only briefly.
• Cheng Shi used a Master of Deception card to verify that the Puppet Master belonged to the Worship God Society, meant them no harm, and sought Decay in Blood Rot Tomb.
• Cheng Shi demanded the memory-reading tool in addition to Prosperity Divinity, but the Puppet Master refused and offered to lend him a tool of Deception instead.
• The Puppet Master gave Cheng Shi the Tongue of Lies, an S-rank faith tool that could compel people to participate in a truth game.
• Cheng Shi accepted the deal, stored the tongue, and told the Puppet Master to give the Prosperity Divinity to Hong Lin.

Cheng Shi and Hong Lin prepared to enter the forest after Hong Lin sealed the Prosperity Divinity, while Cheng Shi claimed the Dream-Peeking Ranger’s golden Fool’s Society card. As they pursued the Puppet Master through the Mist Gate, they suspected her plans involved awakening Eupusca’s soul of Prosperity, and Hong Lin abruptly asked Cheng Shi to stick out his tongue.

• Hong Lin sealed the large amount of Prosperity Divinity taken from Zuo Qiu’s puppet body while Cheng Shi restored the hypnotic contingencies he had used to trap the Dream-Peeking Ranger in his dream.
• Cheng Shi persuaded the Puppet Master to hand over the golden card marked “Fool’s Society, No. 15,” which she had found on the ranger.
• The Puppet Master said she had found ancient objects from the Tower of Reason among the Fungus-Footed People and had hoped to take some back for her dealings with the History School.
• Hong Lin opened the Mist Gate, and the Puppet Master led her three puppets inside before Cheng Shi and Hong Lin followed with Amir.
• Cheng Shi and Hong Lin suspected the Puppet Master wanted them to use the Prosperity Divinity to contact Eupusca, then questioned whether they were secretly deceiving each other.
• Hong Lin stopped in the spatial passage and told Cheng Shi to stick out his tongue.

Hong Lin’s attempt to question Cheng Shi with Tongue of Lies led to the Mist Gate passage collapsing and sent them into Eupusca’s hidden corpse garden. As Hong Lin fought Eupusca, Cheng Shi searched for clues and found a specimen box from the Tower of Reason.

• Hong Lin used Tongue of Lies to ask Cheng Shi how he had tricked Zhen Yi, then tried to force him to reveal more, but the tongue attacked her when she broke the game’s rules.
• Hong Lin fought back and transformed into a giant bear, causing the spatial-sinking passage in Mist Gate to collapse and scatter her, Cheng Shi, Amir, and the tongue through space.
• The group landed in a garden where Fungus-Footed People’s corpses had been planted upside down, and Cheng Shi recognized Eupusca’s private territory.
• Eupusca spotted Hong Lin and attacked her, while Cheng Shi protected the unconscious Amir and searched the garden for clues.
• Cheng Shi found a box like those the Tower of Reason used to store experimental specimens.

Cheng Shi discovered that Abusfu had made a pact with Eupusca, a Decay creature posing as a new Prosperity to protect the Fungus-Footed People. Hong Lin wounded Eupusca, exposing its blue blood and revealing that it had been tracking the people by following the scent of its own blood; Cheng Shi was left wondering what the pact had gained Eupusca.

• Cheng Shi opened a box and found a contract signed by Abusfu, who had promised worship and sacrifices to the Desolate Walker in return for sheltering the Fungus-Footed People.
• The contract revealed that Abusfu had presented Eupusca as a new Prosperity, and Cheng Shi confirmed with Amir that Abusfu had been the tribe’s first chief.
• Cheng Shi realized that Abusfu had deceived the tribe into worshiping Eupusca so they could survive in the Sighing Forest, while the people remained unaware of the blasphemy.
• Hong Lin drank honey, strengthened her giant bear form, and tore open Eupusca’s chest during their fight.
• Cheng Shi recognized Eupusca’s blue blood as the source of the Everlasting Desolate Lamp and understood that Eupusca had tracked the Fungus-Footed People by following its own scent.
• Cheng Shi and Hong Lin found the dying spark but remained uncertain how to spread its fire, while Cheng Shi wondered what Eupusca had gained from the pact.

Cheng Shi and Hong Lin discovered that Eupusca contained a new kind of Prosperity, apparently created by intercepting the Fungus-Footed People’s faith. Cheng Shi suspected the Tower of Reason had experimented on the tribe and decided to investigate while Hong Lin held off the Decay.

• Cheng Shi realized that killing Eupusca could leave the Fungus-Footed People exposed to the Sighing Tide and doom the trial.
• Hong Lin noticed Eupusca healing with Prosperity and recognized that its power shared a source with the Fungus-Footed People’s faith but differed from her own.
• Cheng Shi concluded that Eupusca had grafted the tribe’s faith into a new power of Prosperity and suspected the Tower of Reason had captured the Fungus-Footed People for an experiment.
• Hong Lin warned that Eupusca’s power was resonating with the Prosperity Divinity sealed within her and wondered whether the puppeteer had known about it.
• Cheng Shi asked Hong Lin to hold on while he searched for clues, and she offered to replenish the Desolate Lantern before telling him to cast Focus Technique on her.

Cheng Shi discovered that his shadow had become a lifeless faith converter and suspected the Puppet Master had altered it. He connected the incident to Zhen Yi and a prophecy involving his future, but could not yet explain why the Puppet Master had targeted his shadow.

• Cheng Shi cast Focus Technique and several other spells on Hong Lin, who questioned whether he was truly a Fate Weaver.
• Cheng Shi noticed that his shadow had lost the lively quality it once showed when he switched faiths.
• Cheng Shi recalled that the historian puppet had touched his shadow and used Shadow Shuttle through it, and suspected the Puppet Master had tampered with it.
• Cheng Shi reconsidered the prophecy about the future and Grand Marshal Hu Wei's interest in him, wondering whether the prophecy concerned him.
• Cheng Shi realized that the prophecy theory still did not explain why the Puppet Master would have touched his shadow.

Cheng Shi connected Conjugate Whisper’s fruit to a prophecy about the future and realized Zhen Yi might have deceived everyone about the prophecy’s end. After learning what happened while he was outside the room, he suspected the historian had entered the void through his shadow to search for that future, but he did not know whether the historian had found it.

• Cheng Shi reasoned that the fruit’s link to future Prosperity Divinity could connect his shadow to the prophecy.
• Cheng Shi realized Zhen Yi might have tricked the divine chosen ones into climbing the rankings again and that the prophecy might not be over.
• Cheng Shi demanded that the giant bear recount everything that happened while he was outside the room with the old clan leader.
• The giant bear said the historian had disappeared and then reappeared at the same doorway, while she had briefly confronted the puppeteer.
• Cheng Shi concluded that the historian had entered the void through his shadow and searched for the future described by the prophecy.