Foolish Game of the Gods - Chapter 44

Though they cursed, no one sitting at the table was a fool.

They quickly realized what Wei Guan was trying to do.

He wasn’t just storming off—he was baiting the killer!

The murders had all happened on the streets at night, which meant that any clues related to the truth were hidden in the darkness.

For the players, nighttime wasn’t just dangerous; it was also the best opportunity to get closer to the answers they sought.

But Eternal Bloom Town was too large—too vast to search every corner in a single night, let alone encounter the killer.

So Wei Guan was offering himself up as bait, hoping to draw the killer out.

Fang Jue had seen right through Wei Guan’s intentions. Without exchanging a single word or glance, the two had executed a flawless performance based purely on their sharp instincts and similar agile strategies.

It wasn’t until Wei Guan walked out the door that the other players realized the genius of their impromptu “act.”

But their muttered “idiot” still came from the heart.

No one liked a show-off.

That was a fact.

Suddenly, Cheng Shi found himself sympathizing with Chen Chong—what was up with that?

Fang Jue shook his head with a light chuckle before addressing the group:

“Looks like we won’t be getting any sleep tonight. Everyone, get ready and follow along.”

As he spoke, he cast a glance behind him.

The shadowy corner where the ascetic monk had been standing was now empty.

Clearly, the monk had also figured things out.

Tsk, not a single fool here, Cheng Shi thought with a mix of admiration and irritation as he straightened his clothes and quietly slipped out the back door.

The full moon hung high overhead, and a warm breeze blew gently through the streets—Eternal Bloom Town’s night had a surprisingly mild warmth to it.

As soon as Cheng Shi stepped outside, he noticed that not all of the town’s residents were adhering to the curfew. Some drunken patrons were still staggering down the streets.

As they wobbled along, they loudly called out the name of [Prosperity], as though invoking the god’s name would grant them protection from death.

Cheng Shi smiled at the sight of the intoxicated fools, then quickly slunk toward the direction Wei Guan had disappeared.

Wei Guan was truly a lone wolf.

Even though Fang Jue had supported his ploy and given him a perfect setup to provoke the killer, Wei Guan didn’t seem to care one bit.

After leaving the inn, he hadn’t left a single trace behind.

The faint footprints in the dirt vanished as soon as they left the inn’s vicinity, leaving no clues or trail to follow.

“Damn, this guy’s good.”

Cheng Shi stood atop the roof of a nearby house, scanning the area for any sign of Wei Guan.

Not far away, on a windmill tower, Yunni was doing the same.

Everyone had lost track of the target, unsure of where Wei Guan had run off to.

“Does he really think he can take on the killer by himself?” Du Xiguang finally broke the silence, adjusting his glasses with a hint of frustration in his voice.

“If he finds the killer first and makes the decision for us, who’s going to deal with the consequences?

Followers of [Folly] are always so infuriating.”

True, Cheng Shi thought, smirking inwardly. Once again, it seemed like [Deceit] and [Memory] were on the same page.

Wei Guan’s methods were slick, and as a hunter, his ability to erase his tracks was top-notch. The group had divided up the search in eight different directions, yet after an hour of scouring the area, no one had managed to find him.

Another half hour passed, and with sour expressions, they regrouped—only to have the previously missing ascetic monk suddenly appear before them.

His face was even grimmer than theirs.

Fang Jue was the first to notice him and asked in a low voice:

“Did you find something?”

The ascetic monk said nothing but turned on his heel and began walking away.

Everyone’s hearts sank, and they quickly followed.

Under the monk’s lead, the group leaped across rooftops and darted through the night. Before long, they arrived at a location on the southern edge of the town.

There, on a wide street, the players were met with the sight of a corpse.

The body was dressed in the white shirt and black vest provided by the inn.

It was Wei Guan.

Wei Guan was dead!

The group was stunned, their faces pale. Cheng Shi’s pupils contracted in shock.

He couldn’t believe that a player with 2400 points could have died so quietly, without causing a stir.

To make matters worse, the location wasn’t far from the inn. It was practically right under their noses while they were searching.

If there had been any sign of a fight, surely at least one of them would have heard something.

This left only two possibilities: either the killer was overwhelmingly stronger than Wei Guan and had killed him instantly, or the killer had some means of silencing the area.

Fang Jue’s face darkened as he quickly descended to where Wei Guan’s body lay.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he angrily declared:

“No lies are permitted here!”

[Order]’s S-rank faith talent—Decree of Far-Reaching Truths!

This wasn’t a skill unique to Lawbringers. All followers of [Order] could make their “temporary laws” take effect by singing corresponding judgment hymns.

However, Lawbringers were bards of [Order], and when they sang, they could add additional effects. This made the talent especially useful in their hands.

A golden light instantly flooded the entire street. Fang Jue glanced back at the others, his voice low as he began to chant:

“The time for judgment has arrived, under the watchful eyes of the Justiciar.

All lies shall be exposed, and all truths revealed.

The accused shall endure interrogation, confessing their sins and facing the torment of their guilt.

And then!

Under the gaze of [Order]…

They shall be cast into the prison of death!”

A radiant white glow enveloped each of them. Cheng Shi felt his body grow weak, and a new status appeared in his vision: Conviction.

He frowned deeply, sensing that something was wrong.

Was Fang Jue suspecting that one of them had secretly killed Wei Guan?

After all, there had been enough time during their hour-long search for someone to slip away and commit murder.

But why would someone kill one of their own?

Cheng Shi froze, his mind racing as he suddenly grew alarmed.

If I think about everyone’s faiths…

“?”

Crap, are they coming after me?

Before Fang Jue could question anyone, Yunni, who was the closest to Cheng Shi, suddenly stepped forward and asked him:

“You’re a follower of [Deceit], aren’t you?”

!!!

She still suspects me?

Cheng Shi’s entire body tensed as a tremendous pressure suddenly surged in his mind, forcing him to speak the truth.

You’ve got to be kidding me!

Riding the coattails of Fang Jue’s talent, are we?

Cheng Shi shot Yunni a fierce glare, clenching his jaw and tensing the muscles in his face as he tried to resist the overwhelming urge to answer.

But he only managed to hold out for a second before his mouth betrayed him.

His face twitched, and with a begrudging tone, he gave his answer:

“No.”

Yunni seemed genuinely surprised by the response, raising her eyebrow before turning and starting to walk away.

But Cheng Shi wasn’t about to let her off that easily. Gritting his teeth, he loudly called after her:

“Why did you want to kill Wei Guan?”

Yunni froze, blurting out without hesitation:

“Because I don’t like him, so I wanted to kill him.”

!

As soon as the words left her mouth, her expression shifted, while Cheng Shi grinned like a fox.

He had twisted the question, swapping “wanted to kill” with “killed”—a subtle but significant difference.

And as expected, Yunni’s response led to confusion, as the two phrases could easily be misconstrued.

Sure enough, the moment Yunni spoke, an aura of [Memory] surged forth, locking her in place.

Du Xiguang stepped forward without a word, pressing his index finger against Yunni’s forehead.

“Let’s take a look and find out.”