[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-foolish-game-of-the-gods":3,"chapter-foolish-game-of-the-gods-foolish-game-of-the-gods-chapter-495":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Foolish Game of the Gods",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},579466,829,"Chapter 495: Hu Xuan and Zhen Yi — And Eras and Epochs","foolish-game-of-the-gods-chapter-495",495,"\u003Cp>You simply couldn't have a normal conversation with a pervert who refused to wear clothes. To ensure future effective communication, Cheng Shi spent a long time talking this [Corruption] Herald out of being so [Corruption]-like.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aph Ros kept insisting Cheng Shi come inside to talk. Though Cheng Shi had previously ventured deep into the cage, this time he declined the invitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Cheng Shi's mind, the invisible doorway was a baseline he never dared approach, let alone cross — especially with [Corruption]'s aura this thick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, being directly teleported inside... that didn't count.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'After all, even standards had to adapt with the times.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he sat cross-legged in the doorway, face-to-face with Aph Ros, and began verifying certain things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance — what He'd just said about Hu Xuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm not sure why Miss Sun suddenly came back. She told me you'd joined a new trial, but she chose not to go with you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She said she had more important things to do. One of which was meeting that legendary 'girlfriend' of yours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Great. So during their pre-trial prayers, Hu Xuan had faked her participation and returned here to see Zhen Yi?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What was she planning?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aph Ros read Cheng Shi's confusion and continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your script didn't include instructions for handling those two players, so I granted Miss Sun's request. After all, she's also... my sister, in a way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I met your prey. Mm, quite attractive indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They talked for a long while and seemed to reach some agreement. Then Miss Sun took your prey and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She assured me you'd agree. So I didn't refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now seems like a good time to ask — do you agree?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'The person was already gone. What good was his consent or lack thereof?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Still — Hu Xuan had taken Zhen Yi?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi frowned, deep in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Two completely unrelated — even mildly antagonistic — players suddenly joining forces?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a moment later, he looked up at Aph Ros with suspicion:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean 'seemed to reach some agreement'?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They were on your turf, talking for that long, and you don't know what they said?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Something's off. Very off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't buy that you'd so generously let Hu Xuan walk off with prey that already 'belonged' to you. So — you definitely overheard something. And what they discussed involves you!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's the only reason you'd agree to let Hu Xuan take Zhen Yi!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi's eyes gleamed with certainty. Aph Ros roared with laughter:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Worthy of my brother. Your wits are as sharp as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, I heard what they said, and I know what that Miss Sun is up to.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\" Cheng Shi's brow arched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aph Ros's smile turned mysterious: \"This secret involves many parties. So — that'll be a separate price.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\" Cheng Shi was speechless. After a pause: \"I do have some ideas. Put it on my tab. Later I'll bring more people over — add some living warmth to this Inquisition... no, to Dolgod.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aph Ros blinked, then nodded with a smile:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You always manage to move me with different bargaining chips. Noted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mm, what they discussed does involve me, though the connection is minor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your prey told Miss Sun that she'd tracked down information about Lu Xia — seemingly found his whereabouts. So Miss Sun took her to go find him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Lu Xia?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Who was that?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi frowned. 'If Hu Xuan's interested in this person, they've got to be at least Envoy-level.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Someone who'd interest her and have a connection to Aph Ros... the two probably share a single common thread... [Birth]?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi startled: \"A [Birth] Envoy?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Smart. Seems you're unfamiliar with Him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He's a [Birth] Envoy born during the Civilization Era. Beyond that, I don't know much either.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi laughed in exasperation. 'You don't even know the details — what are you playing mysterious for, bro?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Hu Xuan took Zhen Yi away for intel on an Envoy. Did that mean [Birth] was still searching for Her children?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'How many children did She even have?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What was She planning — a family reunion spanning multiple eras?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No answers, but a new question suddenly surfaced. Cheng Shi straightened up and asked with dead seriousness:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I recall you died in the Civilization Era — before [Truth] cast its gaze. So then, was Lu Xia born during the period after your death, when [Truth] prevailed and war raged? That is, the mid-to-late Civilization Epoch of the Civilization Era... correct?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aph Ros seemed to guess what Cheng Shi was trying to confirm, but He shook His head with a smile, denying the guess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Wrong?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the headshake, Cheng Shi's heart lurched. Just as he moved to revise his reasoning, Aph Ros continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He was indeed born during the Civilization Era. But he didn't ascend to Envoy status during [Truth]'s heyday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He was a citizen under the Grand Tribunal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It wasn't until the next era that he... became Him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instant the words landed, Cheng Shi's eyes went wide. A flash of insight blazed through his mind. He stared in shock:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're saying Lu Xia wasn't an Envoy during the Civilization Era, but became one during the Chaos Era?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But he was born under the Grand Tribunal...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So the Chaos Era also had a Civilization Epoch! Am I right!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aph Ros nodded with a smile: \"Correct.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It clicked. Cheng Shi suddenly understood the relationship between eras and epochs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They weren't disordered. They were nested — contained within one another!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each era appeared to cycle through all the epochs. The Life Era had a complete sequence. The Sinking Era had a complete sequence. Even the Void Era still had a complete sequence!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'So that was the relationship between eras and epochs.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Excitement surged — but his grin froze almost immediately. Because he suddenly remembered: the gods had descended in order. If every era contained a full set of epochs, why had no mention of other paths' gods ever surfaced during the Life Epoch?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Were They following some kind of rule?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Or...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes darted. He tossed out a casual question:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since you became His Envoy back in the Life Era, why didn't you try to merge directly with [Corruption] to fulfill your wish?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aph Ros shook His head with a laugh:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can ask me directly — no need for roundabout probing. Before, I couldn't tell you because your status didn't warrant access to such knowledge. But now that you're also an Envoy, you're naturally qualified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There was never any [Corruption] during the Life Era. How could I have fulfilled my wish?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!!??\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi gaped, utterly stunned:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You mean to say that during the Life Era... there was only the Life Epoch, and [Corruption] never descended!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So the Sinking Era gained its Sinking Epoch precisely because the [Descent] gods arrived — that era had one more epoch than the last!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now Cheng Shi truly understood. He continued excitedly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Civilization Era gained three epochs because the Civilization path unfolded. And the Chaos Era must have been the longest, because it had four epochs!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But what about [Existence]?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Existence Era should logically have an Existence Epoch, yet I've never heard anything about one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"[Void]... neither has [Void].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Every other path has three gods, but [Existence] and [Void] each have only two. So does that mean something changed when the era reached [Existence]?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It doesn't correspond to a single epoch. Instead, it reorganized — combed through — everything that exists?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just as He once said: [Time] marks annotations for projections, and [Memory] transcribes the images into the Collection Hall...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's why you found your chance during the Existence Era to become a dual Envoy of [Birth] and [Corruption]!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because it was [Time]'s brand-new projections that revealed a new possibility to you!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Am I right, Aph Ros!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi's burning gaze locked onto the Herald, awaiting confirmation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aph Ros's admiring look deepened. He even applauded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brilliant. A flawless deduction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're entirely correct. That is exactly how it is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"However, my brother — though your conclusions are perfect, the angle of your reasoning...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Doesn't quite feel like that of a [Void] Servant God.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yu Xi? Yu Xi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My dear brother, don't tell me the part you lied about was actually...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your identity as Envoy Yu Xi?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"!!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instant the words fell, Cheng Shi's smile froze and cold sweat erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>",1394,"2026-05-30T16:17:59.407Z","2026-06-01T04:31:40.442Z",1,"novelbin.me","d582912a3e193aab9282b197beebbacf12a3903fbbbaf5e5d78553a0362a9513","foolish-game-of-the-gods-chapter-496","foolish-game-of-the-gods-chapter-494",1463,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ffoolish-game-of-the-gods-cover.jpg"]