Chapter 1159: Counting Votes

Counting Votes

"The Covenant of the Gods, the assembly, to pass, a motion, requires, a majority of votes, in agreement.

Your, two patrons, are not on good terms with 【Oblivion】, so presumably, they will both, support it.

【Deceit】, acting as proxy for, 【Truth】's, vote; 【Fate】, acting as proxy for, 【Prosperity】's, vote; plus, my vote, already makes, 5 votes, at minimum, still need, 4 more."

Hearing this, Cheng Shi asked in confusion:

"My lord, but both 【Prosperity】 and 【War】 have already fallen—can those still be counted?"

The green flame in the giant skull's eye sockets swayed gently as it explained:

"If a, god, falls, then we count one, seat less—when that accident, happened, would the gods, not have been, wiped out entirely?

The 【Covenant】, already permits, other deities, to act as proxy for, votes, which means, it has already, acknowledged, that an empty divine seat also counts as, a voting, seat—otherwise, the rule breaks itself.

The remaining, 4 votes—【Chaos】, and 【Deceit】, have long cooperated, perhaps they can be won over; 【Time】, is also, your patron, if It, has the mind, to shelter you, that vote can also be counted.

As for, the final, 2 votes......

I, have thought it over, and it's, very difficult.

【Birth】, though, my sibling deity, but It, on this kind of, matter, never, stirs things up, nor refuses to resist—even if, I, personally, lobby It, most likely, It will only, abstain.

【Decay】, has long, withdrawn from, the gods; even if It, once watched, over you, under 【Oblivion】's, influence, It would absolutely never, cast a vote, in agreement.

【Iron Law of Order】, will not permit, such, defiance, of order to, occur—this vote, will certainly, be against.

【Folly】, never, prevents, foolishness, but to make, It, personally commit folly, is, harder than reaching the heavens.

【Silence】, votes, entirely according to, Its own whims, no one, knows, what It is, thinking.

By this count, only 【Memory】 remains.

But even if, an envoy, replaces, a true god, and acts as proxy for Its seat, it is still, a memory—and as, 【Void】's, opposite, It too, would likely, find it hard, to cast this vote.

So, to take, the divine seat of, 【Oblivion】......

Cheng, Shi, you still need, to work hard.

I, will, this matter, inform 【Void】 of, and in, 【Chaos】, will try my best, to maneuver, but, the other, few votes, do you, have, a plan?"

Sure enough, matters of the gods must be handled by the gods.

After 【Death】 boss's analysis, Cheng Shi immediately realized that next he had to secure at least one vote from among 【Birth】, 【Decay】, and 【Memory】, and also hope that the boss could nail down at least one vote from 【Folly】 and 【Silence】—only then would it be possible to take 【Oblivion】!

He wasn't worried about the votes from 【Chaos】 and 【Time】—after all, by every count, it was the gods of chaos making the call.

But if even the gods of chaos didn't support this bit of chaos they themselves had started, then this 【Oblivion】...... let It go fight It out Himself.

The fear faction?

Whoever wants to do it can do it!

Laozi is not doing it.

Just as he was thinking this, the green flame in the giant skull's eyes flared up once more. Cheng Shi hurriedly looked up to ask if my lord had any further instructions, only to hear the boss snort coldly:

"With no, plan, and no, method, how can you speak of, usurping?

Time, is pressing—you, should go, and work hard!"

Saying so, It drove the flood of white bones on both sides of the hall to sweep Cheng Shi away, sending him tumbling through the void, back into the trial.

And after Cheng Shi's figure vanished, the white bones filling the sky disappeared along with him. The giant skull on that bone throne was gone, replaced by a pair of star-bright eyes with upturned corners.

The star-points within those eyes flickered and spiraled in dizzying rotation as It looked toward the direction where Cheng Shi had vanished and said with a grin:

"Truly a teachable child—just by watching two Covenant assemblies, you've already come up with this loophole scheme.

Worthy of being my follower!"

But as It spoke, It slightly furrowed Its brow:

"This last vote—will it ultimately fall on the clown? Will It...... cast that vote?

Forget it, what's the point of thinking so much—as long as the chaos is big enough.

Even if Those few won't vote, I still have to go try.

After all, this is the first motion the clown has proposed—if it fails......

Heh~

The clown would be so heartbroken.

Thinking about it this way, winning removes a threat, losing gains some chaos—hm, not a bad deal either way."

Those star-bright eyes laughed to themselves in the void, laughing for a long while before finally blinking, summoning the only small skull left on the spot before It, and gazing at it with deep meaning:

"That loudmouth is really clever, huh—started probing the old bonehead that early on.

Wonder what It saw.

But no matter—if it's folly, there's always a day someone laughs at it.

When that day comes, I'd like to see who exactly is the one being laughed at."

Saying so, It looked at the small skull and said in a kindly tone:

"You...... what exactly did you, hear?"

The small skull showed no reaction. It looked around blankly, muttering to itself: "Why am I here? Where is this? Why is that lord gone?"

The moment the words fell, Its own voice echoed back through the void:

"I don't know anything, I didn't see anything, don't kill me, true gods above, don't kill me, I've acted well enough."

The instant he heard his own inner thoughts, even as a skull, cold sweat seeped from Skalt's face.

But the sovereign of that void did not make things difficult for him—instead, after a snort of laughter, It departed directly, leaving him behind in this stretch of starry sky.

Skalt was dumbfounded. He stared in the direction the eyes had departed, wanting to beg for mercy but not daring to speak, wanting to play dumb but unable to keep it up—so he could only let himself drift in this hollow void, despairing inwardly:

"Is this the price of defying one's patron!?

But what I wanted, was not this kind of immortality......"

【Deceit】, the moment after leaving, sought out another patron of His own believers — 【Fate】.

Though once the topic of the Clown was raised, the other party, out of devotion to the established protection, would certainly agree, but this matter was after all of great importance, and 【Deceit】 had to make sure those two votes in 【Fate】's hands were absolutely secure.

So He came.

However, upon seeing 【Deceit】, 【Fate】 paid no attention at all and prepared to leave.

【Deceit】 was not surprised in the slightest. He did not stop Him, merely grinning as He laid out the Clown's plan, for He was certain that even if the other party was unwilling to pay Him any mind, He would absolutely not ignore His own believers.

Sure enough, upon hearing that His own believers intended to launch a usurpation of a divine seat, 【Fate】 stopped in His tracks.

He did not question it once, merely said coldly:

"How can we guarantee that Luo Luo Bosi will agree?"

【Deceit】's eyes rolled, overjoyed: "Can't guarantee it, that depends on how the Clown himself persuades the other party."

【Fate】's expression darkened, His tone growing colder:

"Then there is risk.

When I spared His life back then, it was not to bring risk to my believers.

I agree to the topic, I will go find Luo Luo Bosi, and make Him agree as well."

【Deceit】 was stunned, blinked and said:

"How will you guarantee it? You don't mean to beat Him into submission, do you?"

"What else?"

"......"

【Deceit】 blinked, at a loss for words. After a moment, He shook His head and laughed wryly: "Besides fighting, what else can you do? The established order of this cosmos — you mean to beat it out with your fists?"

【Fate】's gaze grew colder still, and in the void a biting wind began to rise.

"You want to fight?"

"Tch—

Don't think that just because you broadly gather faith, you can beat me.

What rabbles harbor in their hearts is desire, not devotion.

And don't think me too foolish — even if I am the manifestation of 【Void】, I still possess the ability to see through to the essence.

What you want is surely not that bit of faith-power from mortals, but rather to obtain from the never-refusing 【Corruption】 that share of the authority of assimilation, isn't it?

Tsk tsk tsk, you actually drew close to Him, wanting to borrow His hand to strengthen the established order of the cosmos......

Have you gone mad?"

Some gods' passive-aggressive abilities were simply too overpowered — once those words were spoken, the entire void was dragged into a storm.

【Fate】 cast a cold sidelong glance, neither pleased nor sorrowful, and said:

"Indeed someone has gone mad.

Beyond the Sea of Desire I saw traces once left behind by 【Void】, but before that, I had never come into contact with Him.

So which 【Void】 found Him so early on, and for what purpose!?

Can you tell me, 【Deceit】!"

"......"

No more grinning.