Chapter 195: Praise the Great... [Fate]!

Praise the Great... 【Fate】!

Cheng Shi's body shuddered violently, and he quickly withdrew his hand.

As his hand retracted, the oppressive pressure surging with the aura of 【Void】 gradually dissipated, and the Dice of Fate flipped back to six.

"......"

Cheng Shi wore an awkward expression and offered a polite smile.

He stared at the unfamiliar "six" for a long time, and finally, after sighing, extended a hand of compromise.

But the direction toward which that hand reached...

Was still the Mask!

The terrifying pressure that had just vanished rose again, and the dice jumped back to one once more!

Seeing the situation turn dire, Cheng Shi immediately withdrew his hand, and the immense pressure that hadn't yet crushed him vanished into thin air again...

But that dice did not flip back for a long while.

Until... Cheng Shi tentatively took a step in its direction, and only then did it "reluctantly" slowly jump back to six.

But this time, the intangible Mask changed along with the dice.

The phantom of the Mask was seen "struggling" to twist twice, and then, right before Cheng Shi's eyes, it gradually dissipated and merged into the Void.

It was gone.

Only a single dice remained on the scene.

Cheng Shi stared at this scene, dumbfounded.

"......"

Damn, they aren't even pretending anymore, are they?

He was extremely speechless toward that certain 【Him】, yet also deeply impressed by 【Him】.

To be honest, 【He】 really has the patience of a saint.

Putting oneself in 【His】 shoes, if I were that 【Deity】 gazing down here, and now a clown was teasing 【Me】 again and again, what awaited that clown would certainly not be 【My】 compromise or forgiveness, but destruction and wrath.

So, 【He】 truly has immense patience.

But even if 【He】 has great patience, there will eventually come a time when 【He】 loses it; what should I do then?

Is there truly no way out?

Am I really going to become an Oathbreaker?

My Patron, who claims to be completely indifferent, is 【He】 truly completely indifferent?

Won't You come save Your poor devotee?

If an employee as hardworking and capable as me gets poached, won't your company's performance drop by half?

Cheng Shi constantly slandered his Patron in his heart, his mind racing frantically, but after thinking for a while, a ridiculous thought suddenly rose in his mind:

Huh?

My Lord Patron, could it be that You want me to become a spy at 【Fate】's place?

Given 【Deceit】's nature, it's not impossible...

Cheng Shi's face instantly turned incredibly expressive.

Fine, fine, fine, since You have no objections, what objections could I possibly have?

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and finally, he compromised with this "predetermined" Fate.

He had no way out, and no choice.

So he accepted his "fate".

Cheng Shi was seen straightening his clothes, calming his mood, adjusting his breathing, and then, with a solemn expression and steady steps, walked to the front of the Dice of Fate and extended his hand toward this predetermined six.

It seemed the dust was about to settle.

However, no one could have expected that just as Cheng Shi's hand reached halfway toward the dice, this slightly trembling, nervous hand suddenly changed direction and veered toward the Mask for the third time!

Even though there was no Mask there anymore!

Yet he still reached out!

Once is an accident, twice is a habit, but thrice is a pattern; after such three reversals, finally, a "person" grew angry.

The boundless pressure that had dissipated at the starting point of the path of destiny erupted fully, surging from every corner of space toward the clown who was mocking 【Him】.

The Dice of Fate jumped back to one again, and the striking number one, like a furrowed brow of cold anger, proclaimed the endless wrath in 【His】 heart!

When a 【Deity】 rages, heaven and earth change color!

Cheng Shi instantly felt a pulling force from the depths of his soul and an annihilation from the dissolution of his body!

Irreversible death seemed imminent, yet Cheng Shi looked utterly unafraid; moreover, he was smiling.

Yes, he was still smiling.

At this very moment, Cheng Shi, with death at his doorstep, was like a madman whose treacherous plot had succeeded, laughing wildly and recklessly.

Because right at this life-or-death edge, this devotee of 【Deceit】, this annoying clown, this "blasphemous" player, unexpectedly, with lightning speed, extended his other hand and tightly grabbed the dice showing one into his palm!

"......"

It was at this very moment that the pressure filling the entire space instantly froze.

This incredibly angry "punch" seemed to suddenly lose its target and just froze in place.

Cheng Shi spat a mouthful of fresh blood due to the terrifying pressure, but he didn't care in the least; instead, completely disregarding his wretched appearance, he laughed aloud with blood in his mouth:

"Hahaha!

Hahahaha!

It's not that I'm unwilling to pick up this dice, it's just...

I still prefer it in its original form!"

Speaking, he held the die in his hand, raised the one-dot face high, and presented it before 【God】.

"......"

This was undoubtedly another provocative act of "blasphemy," yet the one being blasphemed remained utterly silent.

At the instant Cheng Shi raised the Die of Fate, everything around the starting point of destiny receded like a tide.

Space collapsed; the void emerged.

Beneath Cheng Shi's feet, that ink-black void appeared once more, while above his head, a pair of eyes painted with starry points and spirals unfolded again.

Only this time, those eyes, familiar beyond familiarity, looked strangely alien.

Because It did not smile, because It was utterly cold.

【Fate】!

It had finally arrived...

Insulting someone to their face is clearly different from muttering behind their back; when those eyes opened before Cheng Shi, Cheng Shi stiffly withdrew his hand, grinned awkwardly, and greeted his "new patron":

"Praise... the great... uh...

【Fate】..."

Those vast starry eyes remained cold; It glanced at Cheng Shi without joy or sorrow, made no movement, and merely let out a cold "Hmm."

Yet that emotionless "Hmm" undoubtedly proclaimed to the outside world: It had accepted this "prodigal son returned" believer standing before It.

Huh?

No way!

Cheng Shi was stunned.

He did not feel that 【Fate】's slight hum was emotionless at all; he even felt that this soft "Hmm" was no different from celestial music playing, with stars resonating in unison!

It... doesn't seem angry?

Cheng Shi blinked, quickly reviewing his own actions in his mind; such a provocative act of blasphemy, could it be wiped clean just because he had picked up the die?

What kind of b... what kind of magnanimity! What breadth of spirit!

No wonder 【Fate】 embraces all; no wonder 【Fate】 forgives all beings!

Ah! Praise 【Fate】!

This time, it was sincere!

Watching Cheng Shi's expression shift from "resistance" to "slightly pious," the cold corners of those eternal, unchanging eyes actually seemed to soften a fraction.

Cheng Shi blinked, thinking he had misseen, but just then, It spoke.

"Cheng, Shi."

"Yes." Cheng Shi lowered his head and responded, obedient and meek.

"Now, do you recognize your patron?"

"......"

This familiar dialogue made Cheng Shi recall again his first experience of dying within the void.

You hold quite a grudge...

But that time, the one who died was clearly me! Me!!

Thinking of this, he nodded wordlessly and said:

"Ma... maybe?"

Fearful in his heart, stubborn with his mouth.

Fortunately, It felt no displeasure, merely staring at Cheng Shi and saying again:

"When paying homage to your patron, why do you not smile?"

"......"