Chapter 1176: I Object! I Agree!

I object! I agree!

The gods had long grown used to 【Foolishness】's contempt, and no one answered.

Cheng Shi, however, had no intention of indulging Him; even if he didn't dare to rebut a true god to His face, at least a muttered curse or two was still permissible.

He stole a glance at that eye of chaotic white miasma, lowered his head, and muttered: "You talk as if you weren't part of this folly yourself — what kind of big bad wolf are you trying to play?"

But no sooner had his words fallen than the god of amusement beside him rolled His eyes and repeated verbatim to the gathered gods what the jester had just said.

He squinted toward 【Foolishness】 and retorted:

"You talk as if you weren't part of this folly yourself — what kind of big bad wolf are you trying to play?"

"......"

When 【Foolishness】 spoke, no one paid attention; when 【Deceit】 spoke, even less would anyone respond — the scene instantly fell silent.

【Foolishness】 didn't mind, snorting with a laugh — presumably treating 【Deceit】's little stunt as yet another folly.

Cheng Shi was stunned; he hadn't expected his patron could be played this way.

So, struck by inspiration and acting on the principle that a "tool-god" should be used or wasted, he once again spoke in a barbed, insinuating tone.

He'd long wanted to curse 【Foolishness】; the moment was now ripe.

He heard himself whisper:

"If you were really so clever, then the one sitting atop everyone should be you — not some 【Origin】."

Those words startled the two nearest 【Nihility】 gods.

【Fate】's gaze darkened, and the look He cast toward His own worshipper was brimming with warning.

【Deceit】's smile faltered for a beat; with a half-smile, He turned to look back at His own worshipper, thinking: this brazen little jester — surely he doesn't want to turn me into the jester?

But quitting halfway was clearly not 【Deceit】's style, so He rolled His eyes once more and, without altering a single word of Cheng Shi's...

broadcast it to every god present!

Yes — He didn't relay it; He broadcast it.

And when the gods heard a mortal daring to speak ill of 【Origin】 at the Covenant Convocation...

Setting aside the gods' reactions, Luo Luo Bosi's eyes went wide as he stared at Cheng Shi in disbelief, his shocked expression plainly saying:

You really think having 【Nihility】 backing you means you can do whatever you want?!

I never thought that!!!

Cheng Shi was utterly dumbfounded.

He could never have imagined his patron would, in a setting like this, set him up for a death sentence.

No, my lord — are you saying you have too many worshippers or something?!

Or is it that you've already gained the power to protect me from the gods?

If you were really that strong, then the one sitting atop the gods should be you — not some 【Origin】 or 【Foolishness】!

But it was too late for regrets.

Seeing the gods' gazes converge upon him all at once, Cheng Shi shut his eyes tight and simply began imitating the Big Cat.

That's right — the Big Cat at this moment was exactly like this: as the 【Prosperity】 whose seat had been restored, Hong Lin had once again received an invitation from 【Justice (Order)】; even though she held no voting rights, she was still qualified to attend such a meeting.

Knowing full well the importance of the Covenant Convocation, she naturally couldn't let such valuable intelligence slip by; but ever since arriving at the venue, she had kept her eyes shut, gathering every scrap of information in the hall with nothing but her ears.

She heard 【Oblivion】's fury, heard Luo Luo Bosi's rebellion, heard 【Deceit】's goading, heard Cheng Shi's voice...

Wait?

Whose voice did I just hear?

Cheng Shi???

How did he get here?!

The Big Cat's eyes flew open — and there, behind the burly 【Oblivion】 herald Luo Luo Bosi, stood a familiar figure, resisting the gods' collective gaze in the most familiar of ways!

The Big Cat was first delighted, then alarmed; she hurriedly shut her eyes and sat back, obediently resuming her role as a sightless member of the audience.

Since Cheng Shi was present, could she perhaps slack off a little?

Her expression eased; she shifted her bottom to settle in more comfortably. From start to finish, she had never believed the gods could do anything to Cheng Shi.

After all, even if the heavens fell today, there were tall 【Nihility】 standing beneath to hold them up.

The other gods, upon hearing those words, were at most displeased by Cheng Shi's blasphemy against 【Origin】; but upon recalling that his patron was in the process of distancing from 【*Him*】, most would assume this was simply 【Deceit】 using a mortal's mouth to voice His own true thoughts.

But 【Oblivion】 did not see it that way. From the moment He laid eyes on Cheng Shi, He had felt that today's Covenant Convocation — or rather, Luo Luo Bosi's rebellion — absolutely had to be connected to that insufferable 【Nihility】 offering!

If the other dared to blaspheme Him to His face using 【Death】 as his tool, why wouldn't he dare to tempt Luo Luo Bosi into rebellion!

A dark glint flashed in His eyes; seizing upon Cheng Shi's transgression, He petitioned 【Justice (Order)】:

"A mortal daring to show 【Origin】 disrespect has committed the most unforgivable sin of blasphemy in all creation — he should be sentenced to death on the spot. 【Order】, don't tell me you've also begun to distance from 【*Him*】 like 【Deceit】 — otherwise show me where the order you uphold lies!"

To Cheng Shi this might have been a fright, but in the gods' eyes, 【Oblivion】 looked more like a man raging at his own helplessness.

Everyone present knew that even if a single blasphemous remark was enough to condemn a mortal to death, who could bypass the two 【Nihility】 standing right there to grant death to that jester?

【Justice (Order)】?

Don't be ridiculous — the very topic that exceeded the gods' comprehension had been agreed to by 【Justice (Order)】 personally. A rigid, inflexible 【Covenant】 proxy like that — how could He out-argue the jester?

Especially when behind the jester stood the universe's greatest loophole-finder, the wielder of sophistry's authority — 【Deceit】!

If 【Justice (Order)】 didn't end up losing Himself in the bargain, that would count as a win.

Still, 【Justice (Order)】 was indeed just — He would respond to anyone's request, and in accordance with 【Covenant】 rules.

He looked toward 【Oblivion】 and rumbled:

"The 【Covenant】 does not concern mortals, hence it contains no clause for sentencing a mortal to death for blasphemy; I cannot carry it out.

The current upholder of cosmic order is 【Order】; if He is willing to execute this justice, I will not stand in the way."

"You!!!"

【Annihilation】 was furious. He turned his head to look at 【Order's Iron Law】, only to see the codex radiating the aura of 【Order】 also looking at Him. The two gods met gazes, and 【Order's Iron Law】 said meekly and dutifully:

"If I fall, the cosmos will lose all order, so I am powerless to act.

But this motion clearly violates order, so I will cast a vote of opposition in support of you."

Do I need YOUR one vote!?!?

【Annihilation】 broke composure.

Though He still felt unwilling, He had already realized that Luo Luo Bosi's bid to usurp the throne was a foregone conclusion. He could no longer turn the tide and could only accept it.

But the start of the motion did not mean He had no chance of winning at all. He surveyed the room, calculated back and forth, and felt that the 【Void】 side could not possibly secure 9 votes no matter what.

At this moment, among those seated at the council, aside from 【Corruption】 who never attended and 【War】 who had not shown himself for a long time, the other fourteen were all present.

【Prosperity】's voting rights were still in 【Truth】's hands, making it the biggest uncertainty. Setting aside these two votes, the votes of the others were, in His eyes, almost a foregone conclusion.

He did not need to know how many votes would pass; He only needed to confirm that abstentions or opposition votes added up to 8 seats.

【Birth】 had always been a mere formality and would definitely abstain; 【Corruption】, being absent, naturally counted as an abstention; 【War】 likewise; and 【Folly】... such a foolish act He would never personally enact, so He would also abstain.

Thus, abstentions would account for 4 seats.

Adding 【Order's Iron Law】's opposition out of upholding order, His own opposition, 【Decay】's opposition — also of 【Depravity】 and having cooperated not long ago — and 【Memory】's opposition, the rival of 【Deception】!

With all this, the matter of "usurpation" was simply laughable.

【Annihilation】's heart was greatly settled. He gave a cold snort and said directly:

"I oppose!"

The next second, two voices rang out simultaneously:

"I agree."