[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-gods-foolish-game":3,"chapter-the-gods-foolish-game-the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-20":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Gods' Foolish Game",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2361148,4617,"Chapter 20: The Believers of [Chaos]","the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-20",20,"\u003Cp>The Believers of [Chaos]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Forgotten Doctor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shiqing regarded Cheng Shi with interest, smiling as she picked up the pocket watch on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others also picked up their pocket watches, but their expressions varied wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their gazes kept flicking between Cheng Shi and Xu Lu, thinking the Girl with Clips had good reason to be afraid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s already in a defensive stance, yet this Cheng Shi is still closing in like he’s performing a grand ritual—like he wants everyone to know he’s at odds with the Girl with Clips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Lu clearly didn’t dare accept Cheng Shi’s gift; she checked the time against her pocket watch, then pushed it back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Forgotten Doctor isn’t a good answer in the [Memory] trial, Cheng Shi. I hope you’ll avoid meddling with NPCs—over-accelerating them causes memory collapse. We might get trapped inside the memory and never escape.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi shrugged indifferently, picked up the pocket watch, and turned to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was going somewhere alone to enact [Edict].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tavern was large, two stories high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its style resembled medieval Scandinavia: wooden interiors decorated with animal pelts, rugged and coarse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of tables filled the upper and lower levels, nearly all occupied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clinking glasses and shouts filled the air; after walking just a few steps, Cheng Shi could no longer hear his teammates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the center of the bar stood an open space, with the entire second-floor railing encircling it—leaning forward let you easily see the whole first floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi quickened his pace, turned down a corridor, and in a hidden corner, pulled out his “Dice of Fate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Edict] concluded successfully; he felt Time’s favor tingle at his fingertips, and stepped out smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time to begin the investigation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The [Memory] trial was infinitely more “civilized” than the [War] trial—combat was rare, and even when it occurred, it was confined to small areas and resolved quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the [Memory] trial, every scene was someone else’s memory; if too many images were distorted, the memory might collapse, trapping the person forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trial’s goal was to continuously locate the “memory core” within each scene—the true owner of that memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this scene, the memory’s owner must have visited here and stayed for a long time, hence the vivid recollection of the tavern’s layout and patrons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a person’s memory is selective; places they focused on made the NPCs more active, their behavior and logic resembling normal humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Places they ignored often contained blurred fragments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The NPCs reconstructed from these fragments would have various “errors,” though subtle—yet players aiming to complete the trial had to find them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The simplest, most mindless way to find these errors was... canvassing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is, approaching each NPC one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But approaching required skill; if a failed approach triggered chaos, the memory might twist, causing the trial to fail outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi wasn’t good at approaching, but he was excellent at lying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw several bar servers emerge from a small room; taking advantage of no one being around, he slipped inside, quickly stole a server’s uniform, changed into it, and slipped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he stepped out, he saw Fang Shiqing leading the Girl with Clips sneaking toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smiled knowingly—perfect, we thought the same thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shiqing noticed Cheng Shi already dressed as a server, her eyes brightening, and whispered praise:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clever!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi was pleased. “Your praise is my motivation to improve.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Lu hid behind Fang Shiqing, eyes wary, muttering softly: “Fake.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shiqing smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I assume you know my Lord’s [Edict]. Share one piece of knowledge with me—the light of [Truth] will illuminate your path.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The [Truth]’s [Edict] is seeking knowledge; any unknown law or fact brings [Truth]’s believers closer to “Truth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For [Truth] believers with support or defense skills, to gain His protection, they must share knowledge with His followers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi’s eyes darted, and he quickly shared a small fact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Inserting a finger into the anus and rotating for thirty seconds effectively suppresses hiccups.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Cheng Shi finished speaking, the two women froze in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Girl with Clips wore an expression too complex to decipher—fear or disgust? Either way, the player of opposing faith was clearly deranged, a threat to her safety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She slowly shuffled two steps closer to Fang Shiqing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Fang Shiqing, she felt [Truth]’s radiance surge toward Cheng Shi—meaning he hadn’t lied; it was genuinely true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How... did you discover this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, I’m a doctor. Practice yields truth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A doctor from reality?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi kept his face blank. “Doesn’t it look like it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Cheng Shi meant he’d practiced on others, Fang Shiqing couldn’t help her gaze drifting toward his rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Thank you. I’ve learned something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She forced a smile and led the Girl with Clips straight into the changing room without looking back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi walked off smiling, beginning his investigation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The players had roughly divided the area; Cheng Shi was assigned the entire eastern section of the first floor—about a dozen tables.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Approaching people was incredibly boring, especially for socially anxious Cheng Shi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He casually grabbed a tray, stole a few bottles of wine from tables where patrons were passed out drunk, and began his wine delivery rounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At each table, he delivered his lines with perfect seriousness: “This is today’s promotion—free wine from the boss. How’s the drink? Happy? If you are, tell me a gossip—consider it payment for the wine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truthfully, Bilius’s wine was expensive; seeing free wine, the patrons were delighted and quickly shared every rumor they’d heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, they were already boasting—exchanging more boasts for a free bottle? Perfect deal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi became a gossip vacuum, absorbing wherever he went.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, he’d heard every rumor about the town called “Brooks Village.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The village originally belonged to Duke Brooks. As refugees flooded in, it became an administrative town—but the mayor isn’t appointed by the king; he’s a refugee in disguise. Don’t ask how I know—it’s a secret.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even the town’s chief judge is a disguised refugee.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They even impersonated strippers—until they stripped completely and were discovered to have male parts. The nobles finally realized all the dancers were men.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still, they’re more popular than the original dancers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why’s your boss being so generous lately? Did he get impersonated too? What, you’re going to expose him? Buddy, isn’t generosity better? At least you make money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The refugees came from Gasmela. Supposedly, the underground faith is spreading in the Tower of Rationality—they’ve started civil war, expelled heretics, and now these people fled to Bilius. Isn’t this old news? Why ask now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Refugees outnumber citizens. The duke is worried, but at least the nobles like them—cheap and good value.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gossip? What gossip? Is it gossip that Yorck paid for a beastwoman? Supposedly after that night, Yorck kept calling her name in his dreams. Who’s Yorck? He’s the duke’s stablehand—sitting over there, the one who looks the most cowardly...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Weird—Yorck has money to pay for prostitutes and booze? Isn’t he still deep in debt to your boss?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An hour passed. Cheng Shi was so engrossed he’d have kept listening—if not for the pocket watch chiming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was fascinating—far more interesting than the trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What? You ask why a socially anxious person loves chatting so much?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I think a social anxiety terrorist counts as socially anxious too?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But trials are trials. Cheng Shi found nothing unusual and had to return to regroup with his teammates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the six players gathered again at the table, every face was grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except Cheng Shi’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was grinning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why so glum? Did anyone find anything wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming pursed his lips and shook his head. Fang Shiqing frowned in thought. Even Huang Bo, who usually scratched his scalp constantly, sat motionless, head bowed, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From past experience, a memory scene should contain subtle but noticeable errors. But this time, Xu Lu and I listened to nearly every table—including the second floor—and found no NPC with ‘overly rigid’ logic corrections. They all seem normal—too normal to be memories.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Same here. I even used my talent to sense their inner thoughts—calm, orderly. Not like memories at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can read minds?” Cheng Shi blinked, suddenly interested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming quickly shook his head. “No, no—just a vague feeling. I can’t elaborate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi nodded, turning again to Fang Shiqing—he suspected she had a similar skill, and likely stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shiqing, sensing his gaze, asked: “What about you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me? Nothing unusual. But I heard a ton of gossip. Want to hear?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...” Remembering his earlier “fact,” she twitched her lip and turned to the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Huang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm... headache... No! Shouldn’t be!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Fang Shiqing and Cheng Shi both frowned slightly—they shared the same thought:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shit. This guy’s a [Chaos] believer.\u003C\u002Fp>",1455,"2026-06-21T06:05:06.137Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5d69f0e4b10a0c89ada7cde0d43fb89bce9341d6dab02ef5c36242384e62e762","the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-21","the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-19",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-gods-foolish-game-cover.jpg"]