Chapter 1169: Usurping the Throne

"Usurpation."

"You've probably already figured it out.

When the perspective limited to this stretch of starry sky is pulled back to encompass the entire true universe, your patron's laughable will becomes nothing but a complete joke.

I'm not singling Him out — all the gods are the same, all jokes.

The Creator's experiment must have some result, but what that result is, no one knows.

The gods' devotion to *Him is undoubtedly the clearest guidance, so if your patron still wants to carry out His will and fulfill His grand wish, the only option is to become the most 'correct' 【Oblivion】 among these countless sliced universes!

And this is also why I said 【Oblivion】 is about to disappear — because once another 【Oblivion】 beats you to it, all that's left for the failed sample is the one ending of annihilation."

The scene was utterly silent. Herobos nearly obliterated the sound of his own breathing. His expression shifted several times as though weighing the truth of what Cheng Shi had said. After a long while, he said coldly:

"Evidence.

I cannot take a liar's bare word at face value."

Cheng Shi gave a contemptuous snort:

"Pfft —

Herobos, I think you've got something mixed up.

I'm not here to tell you a story and make you believe me. I'm repaying kindness with kindness, doing you a good turn. Believe it or not, it's your call.

What does it have to do with me?"

Herobos' face darkened. "I doubt your intentions are that good."

Cheng Shi spread his hands and said:

"Yes, I admit it — I'm sick of my patron's hunt for me. The 【Game of Faith】 isn't over yet, and I haven't truly become a 【Fraud】's Emissary.

This is my one chance in this era. I won't let 【Oblivion】 stop me from ascending to godhood."

"So you fabricated all this to defuse my offensive?

If you're not yet a true Emissary, Cheng Shi, how dare you stand before me spouting such wild words?"

As he spoke, Herobos was about to act again, but Cheng Shi made no move to counter. He simply stood there, smiling as usual, and said:

"Those with too much suspicion often fail because of their hesitation.

The fact that you didn't obliterate me the moment doubt arose shows you're not sure whether what I said is true.

I don't have the patience to make you believe every word I say. Whether these things are real, you'll have to verify yourself. All I can do is give you one suggestion — one suggestion that might preserve your patron in the true universe.

If you want to hear it, then sit tight and listen.

If not, you can activate your 【Hand of Purifying Decay】 right now and try."

"......"

Herobos froze in place once more.

No wonder He was so torn. Anyone else would have died eight hundred times over. But the one before Him was both a vassal of 【Fraud】 and a darling of 【Fate】, and now he claims to be an Emissary elevated by 【Fraud】......

Yes, Herobos knew the 【Covenant】 existed in order to draw closer to *Him, but now the appearance of the true universe had overturned the gods' understanding of 【Origin】. Combined with the fact that no one could see through 【Fraud】's doings, if He really were to choose an Emissary in this absurd game... it didn't seem impossible.

More importantly, everyone knew 【Fraud】 was moving away from 【Origin】. Under such a purpose, it was only reasonable that He could discover things the approaching faction could not. So Herobos fell silent.

He didn't dare gamble — especially not with his own devotion and his patron's will as the stakes.

He feared that if what Cheng Shi said happened to be true, then 【Oblivion】's will might truly be severed beneath this stretch of starry sky.

What He most wanted to do right now was return to those worlds on the verge of oblivion to discuss matters with his patron. But He also feared Cheng Shi's words were nothing but bluster. Caught between the two, He fell into Cheng Shi's rhythm.

Seeing that his opponent neither left nor attacked, Cheng Shi felt greatly assured and continued with a smile:

"Looks like you've made your choice. Very good.

Herobos, you know it — once I become an Emissary, the great waves of the era will no longer be able to erase me. I'll stand at the crest of the era's tide alongside you, laughing as I watch the mortal world change and faiths shift.

Only how far this era beneath this starry sky can go still depends on whether the world we inhabit catches the eye of that Creator.

So put that way, my method is both helping you and helping myself.

Even if I win this era and become one of the gods, the power I can enjoy only begins in the next era. I don't want to just ascend to godhood only for this world to be cast aside by the Creator. So I'll try anything that can please that Creator."

Hearing this, a flicker of suspicion crossed Herobos' eyes.

"Your patron doesn't think this way at all. He is moving away from 【Origin】, yet as the Emissary He elevated, you'd actually want to submit to *Him."

Cheng Shi curled his lip, unbothered, and said:

"That's exactly why you should believe me.

My rebellion is identical to His, which proves my will is closest to 【Fraud】."

"?"

Can it really work like that?

Herobos was stunned for a moment, thinking no wonder this was the most meaningless 【Void】 era — when the top beam is crooked, the lower beams will be too. Absurdity was truly the defining color of this age.

After thinking for a long while, Herobos finally asked the question:

"What method?"

Here it comes!

After all that buildup, he'd finally conned the guy.

Cheng Shi forcibly suppressed his excitement, fixed the other with a burning gaze, and solemnly uttered two words:

"Usurpation."

"!!??" Herobos started, unable to believe it. "You want to replace 【Fraud】!?"

No, buddy......

Cheng Shi hurriedly waved his hands:

"Wrong, wrong — it's you who should replace 【Oblivion】!"

"Nonsense!"

At this moment, Herolobosi's 【Annihilation】 power surged out from his entire body, dragging the whole Redikor directly into a world on the verge of being annihilated.

Cheng Shi staggered, his footing unsteady; after steadying himself he found he had already arrived in the void, where the furious Herolobosi stared at him with an ashen face, gnashing his teeth as he spoke:

"You are sowing discord!"

Cheng Shi smiled, rang the bone chime from 【Death】 the boss right in front of the other party, and explained:

"Easy, easy.

This is not a trap, nor is it a conspiracy.

The aura of 【Death】 will block the gaze of your benefactor, so that we may have a freer space for a more thorough exchange.

I know you are utterly devout toward your benefactor — otherwise you would not have withstood the pressure of the two Sovereigns of 【Void】 just to take my life.

But the usurpation I speak of is by no means asking you to betray 【Annihilation】; it is to save 【Annihilation】.

Think about it — apart from the annihilation of all creation, what else is there in your benefactor's will?"

Herolobosi gave a cold snort: "You think you understand Him better than I do?"

"No, no, no — no one understands 【Annihilation】 better than you. But I have one virtue: the angle from which I look at things is exceptionally unusual.

I know 【Annihilation】 is not annihilation for its own sake; He too yearns for rebirth.

This will is undoubtedly a sign that He intends to draw near the Creator. But the problem now is that there are too many 【Annihilations】 vying to perform before the Creator — how can you make the Creator remember the very Him whom you follow?

It's a bit late to start thinking now, so let me just tell you the answer outright:

Rebirth!

All 【Annihilations】 walk the road of annihilating the cosmos and have not found rebirth. Once your benefactor takes that step ahead of the rest, our world will gain the Creator's gaze — at the very least, 【Annihilation】 will enter 【Him】's sight."

"What does that have to do with usurpation?"

Cheng Shi smiled a strange smile:

"Of course it has something to do with it. Without casting off everything, where would rebirth come from?

Look at 【Decay】 — why has He suddenly begun to rot Himself?

Who knows whether He long ago discovered the secret of the true universe and took the lead in this way to vie for the Creator's favor?

I know 【Annihilation】 and 【Decay】 are both of 【Sinking】, helping one another. But on this matter, can your benefactor be certain 【Decay】 has not lied?

Don't forget — although They are all devout toward that existence, on the road of drawing near to 【Him】 They are rivals!

So learn from 【Decay】...

First annihilate yourself, then seek rebirth.

And the first step in annihilating yourself is to cast off the divine throne He cannot let go of.

However, this matter cannot be done by Him of His own accord; only when cornered into a desperate situation can one burn one's boats. I think you understand what I mean.

If you don't understand, let me put it more plainly: this time, you must be the villain who betrays Him.

Can you do it, Herolobosi?

For your benefactor, for the will of 【Annihilation】."

"......"

Really working hard to like the chapter, there really are too many......