Three days earlier, in the Carnivore instance, Qi Si had asked the God what kind of stake it could put on the Scales of the deal beside the Blood River.
The God had silently told him, "I will allow you to wield the authority of contracts within the limits permitted by the Rules. You will travel through infinite worlds, luring lambs astray with deception and standing shoulder to shoulder with the gods through your crimes and malice."
A blood-red contract and a gold-trimmed quill floated amid shifting light and shadow. The hazy mist above them flickered, conjuring phantoms of the Rules.
Once written, a contract was binding. Any terms could be put to paper.
Reasonable or unreasonable, fair or unfair... as long as both parties agreed, anything could be traded, and the Rules would ensure its strict enforcement.
Qi Si considered the details and said with a faint, knowing smile, "It sounds like it just adds another layer of security to cooperation and trade. Even without a contract, if the circumstances are right, I can still persuade others to obey my orders and willingly let me squeeze value out of them."
The God lowered its eyes indifferently and said, "You once signed a contract with the Eerie Game, wagering your soul to enter the stage of death. You will also make contracts with all living beings, using their souls as stakes at the final table."
Qi Si said, "This authority has a lot to do with the Eerie Game. Will it really let a player like me poach from under its nose?"
The God asked, "Are you afraid?"
"Not at all," Qi Si said with a laugh. "On the contrary, I think it sounds pretty interesting. But I'm no devil. What would I do with so many souls?"
The God