Foolish Game of the Gods - Chapter 133

The players would never know the outcome of the [Gods]’ negotiations. All they knew was that when the endless storm finally subsided, Hu Xuan had reappeared.

She emerged from the unknown void, landing gracefully on the platform formed by Zangier’s intertwined hands.

Her figure was as alluring and captivating as always.

Except… for the faint glow of the Eternal Sun radiating from her swollen belly.

The storm ceased, and the sky cleared after the thunder had passed.

Li Bola brought Cheng Shi back to the platform, just in time to witness Zhen Xin reviving from the charred remains.

Her skin, smooth and elastic like a peeled egg, caught Cheng Shi’s attention. Unable to resist, he instinctively reached out a hand.

“Boom—”

The roar of thunder… didn’t happen…

It was a dud.

Nothing happened.

Cheng Shi’s ring was out of charges, and the “boom” was a sound effect produced by his own mouth.

Even at the very end, the warrior who had fought him tooth and nail, whose fate he had severed, never once gave Cheng Shi a reason to fear.

What a pity.

He had only wanted to scare the trickster in front of him, make her look foolish.

However, Zhen Xin, covering herself with the shed skin, merely looked at him with an amused smile, utterly unfazed.

“Pathetic.”

“Huh? Abba abba.”

“But… I like it.” Zhen Xin’s smile quickly turned sly.

“…”

Cheng Shi was at a loss for words.

Once again, the thought crossed his mind: When you’re not crazy enough, you just feel like you’re not on the same level as the others.

Li Bola, however, was shocked when she saw Zhen Xin after her resurrection. Her pupils contracted in surprise.

“Shaman?”

“Hello, ranger.”

Li Bola’s eyes were full of confusion, but there was no time for anyone to give her answers.

Their brief exchange was quickly interrupted by Hu Xuan, who had just landed and was walking toward them.

Her gaze never left Cheng Shi, her eyes full of gratitude—and longing.

Cheng Shi took one glance at her and shuddered from head to toe.

“You really can’t say you’re not lusting after my body!”

Hu Xuan laughed.

“Yes, I am.”

“…”

Sister, shouldn’t you at least try to deny it? How am I supposed to respond to that?

In broad daylight, not even bothering to hide it—you’re a she-wolf, and you’re not even pretending!

Brothers, you’ve got to protect yourselves when you go out!

But Hu Xuan didn’t let the awkwardness linger. She gave Cheng Shi a graceful bow, just as elegant as always.

“Thank you. You saved me.”

Cheng Shi smiled and returned the gesture:

“Thank you. You saved me.”

Though their words referred to different events, their mutual gratitude was the same.

They exchanged a glance, both smiling in understanding.

Li Bola, on the other hand, was like an audience watching a play. Her eyes hopped between the three of them, but despite her keen hunter’s instincts, she couldn’t piece together the full story from their interactions.

Zhen Xin, however, stared at Hu Xuan for a long while before clicking her tongue.

“Losing a match isn’t so bad. What’s bad is when someone wins… and wins ridiculously hard.

Sage, are you still you?”

Hu Xuan seemed to recognize Zhen Xin’s identity. She smiled and nodded.

“Yes, I am. Always have been.”

“Oh~

In that case, when I tell people about you in the future, can I still refer to you as ‘she’?”

A sly glint flashed in Zhen Xin’s eyes—it was a subtle way to test Hu Xuan’s identity without directly accusing her.

But Hu Xuan didn’t deny it. She simply smiled.

“That depends on what role you want me to play in your story.

As for me, I don’t mind either way.”

Cheng Shi raised an eyebrow, catching onto their conversation.

Curious, he asked:

“Did you… succeed?”

Hu Xuan smiled and shook her head.

“No, I just received a promise.

He acknowledged my identity. He corrected my path. He unlocked my chains.”

Hearing this, both Cheng Shi and Zhen Xin furrowed their brows.

The way she referred to three different Hes suggested they weren’t all the same entity, and certainly not just the Eternal Sun before them.

Could it be…

They had interfered!?

Hu Xuan left her explanation there, her smile filled with gratitude.

“And that promise… you earned it for me.

So, Cheng Shi, thank you.”

Cheng Shi graciously accepted her thanks.

I admit, I took a gamble, but hey—I won, didn’t I?

In the [Faith Game], only victory matters.

Losing is the original sin.

Having won the trial, Cheng Shi felt quite pleased with himself. He was about to say something like, “Gratitude should come with a price,” when his mouth, without his brain’s permission, suddenly blurted out:

“Tsk, how about something more tangible?”

???

Cheng Shi froze, his face turning pale in an instant.

Bro, be a decent human being! This is Hu Xuan you’re talking to!

What do you mean by ‘something more tangible’? Are you asking for a child?!

So as soon as the words left his mouth, he slapped himself across the face, pretending it was an overexcited slip of the tongue.

“Ahaha, a mosquito, yeah, I had a mosquito on my face.”

Watching Cheng Shi’s awkward attempt to cover up his blunder, everyone burst into laughter.

“So… it’s really over?” the ranger asked, still in disbelief.

“Yes, it’s over.”

With a wave of Hu Xuan’s hand, the Stellar Dagger gradually faded into the void, and everyone found themselves back in the pitch-black emptiness.

A door stood tall in the void, and beyond it was the same room in the dark chapel they had entered earlier.

“Fate has begun to evolve as per the judgment, and we’ve won the trial.

However, the countdown is still ongoing, and during this time, you’re free to leave.”

“And then what? What’s the conclusion?” Cheng Shi blinked in confusion and pressed further. “Shouldn’t the trial give us a definitive answer?”

Hu Xuan smiled cryptically but didn’t answer.

An answer?

No one knew the answer.

No one knew what had transpired during the negotiations deep within the void.

Even Hu Xuan had only glimpsed the Pillar of [Birth] at the moment of her near death.

No divine edict had been issued, but Hu Xuan knew one thing for certain—she lived.

To behold Him was to be acknowledged.

He had acknowledged her identity—or perhaps the identity of the child in her womb.

But it didn’t matter—it was all the same.

I will be my child, and I will be my mother.

As the atmosphere grew silent, Zhen Xin’s eyes sparkled with mischief. She glanced at the others and playfully pointed to the door.

“Look, the door’s right there. If you walk through it, won’t you find out?”

“You’re still acting like you’re in charge?” Cheng Shi growled, glaring at Zhen Xin. “I haven’t even given you a piece of my mind for all the lying!”

Zhen Xin put on an innocent expression and mimicked Cheng Shi’s cold tone:

“‘We’re even.’

Didn’t you say that yourself?

And you call yourself a man? Holding grudges like that? I helped you win, didn’t I?”

“…”

Cheng Shi’s face darkened.

This damn trickster hadn’t died at all.

Even after being blasted into charcoal, she had heard everything.

She’d just been lying there, pretending to be dead, watching him and Ji Ran, and when he thought he could pull off a quick 2:1 victory, she popped out just in time to tie the vote and mess everything up!

How could someone be this infuriating?

As Cheng Shi stood there speechless, Li Bola finally found her chance to speak. She nudged him in the back and asked:

“Who is she?”

Cheng Shi chuckled coldly. “Zhen Xin, Chosen One of [Deceit]!”

As soon as those words left his mouth, both Li Bola and Hu Xuan’s expressions changed.

At this level of the game, encountering a Chosen One was almost as rare as meeting a God.

Because of her own circumstances, Hu Xuan’s reaction wasn’t as intense.

But Li Bola was different. She eyed Zhen Xin cautiously, her sharp gaze trying to pierce through this deceitful teammate’s true identity.

Upon learning that there was an unseen [Deceit] follower among them, all the previously inexplicable events in the trial suddenly made sense.

So, silence wasn’t really [Silence]—it was the silent workings of [Deceit].

One player had managed to play the role of an NPC…

Such an advanced strategy.

No wonder Cheng Shi had been so on edge yet unable to vent his frustration.

It turned out she was a Chosen One!

And which Chosen One is ever easy to deal with?

Especially when they’re a trickster.

After revealing Zhen Xin’s identity, Cheng Shi no longer felt the need to hide his own. But curiously, Zhen Xin didn’t seem interested in exposing him either. She simply continued to observe him with amusement.

Li Bola’s gaze flickered between the three of them, analyzing each of her increasingly bizarre teammates, lost in thought.

She rarely doubted herself, but this time, she began to wonder.

Not about her abilities, but about her… train of thought.

Maybe… 2400 points was a terrifying boundary.

Below it, there were strong players, but they were still understandable.

Above it, there were monsters—beyond comprehension.

“What are you thinking about, ranger? Why are you staring at my chest? Don’t tell me you’re into women?”

Li Bola blinked, then nodded.

“Mm-hmm.”

“?”

“??”

“???”