[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-gods-foolish-game":3,"chapter-the-gods-foolish-game-the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-26":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},2361154,4617,"Chapter 26: So You're the Executioner","the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-26",26,"\u003Cp>So you're the executioner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mist had not yet cleared; not a finger could be seen ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi had barely taken two steps with the person in his arms when he heard Ming’s anxious shout from ahead:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister Fang, Brother Cheng, where are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi strained his ears, listening carefully, and realized the surrounding clamor of voices had vanished—he turned toward the direction of Ming’s voice, surprised at how efficiently the young assassin had handled things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just this short time, he’d killed them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, these few dead, faceless wretches were not the memory cores.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi shouted out, then crouched low and slipped away silently from his spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming followed the sound, found no one, and his alarm bells rang loud—he was about to retreat when Cheng Shi grabbed his arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who!？ Hey? Brother Cheng?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm. I was afraid you’d been replaced, so I tested you. Didn’t expect it, comrade assassin—your reflexes are sharp.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, then asked, looking at the unconscious Fang Shiqing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What happened to Sister Fang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing serious. I saved her. Where are the others?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Probably behind us. The moment I woke up, I spotted several berserk dwarves—they struck to kill. I couldn’t react in time, had no room to retreat, so I... fought back with my life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, they weren’t tough—just infused with some [Defilement] divine power.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men were dead, but their memories hadn’t shattered—the players were lucky; these dwarves weren’t memory cores.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi gave Ming a thoughtful glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Injured?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lucky. No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. Wait for the mist to clear—it won’t last long.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, okay. Need help?” Ming extended his hand, offering to support Fang Shiqing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi smiled and declined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two sat in the corner, chatting idly, now and then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How many were they?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Six.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Six people taken out in this short time? Impressive.” Cheng Shi offered praise without restraint, leaving Ming stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After all... I’m an assassin. The mist favors me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm. If you can move this fast, why did you show up so late when we went to the second act—the circus?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi, holding the unconscious Fang Shiqing, asked casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This question left Ming speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming’s expression froze for a moment. Before he could speak, Cheng Shi added casually:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Say, why hasn’t that old guy Huang shown up yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming’s face darkened further. He stammered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s not essential. Not showing up is better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re afraid he’ll mess things up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi raised an eyebrow and smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know he’s the Disordered Harpist? Oh~ I get it. So you’re the executioner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Disordered Harpist, the Singer of [Chaos].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Executioner, the Assassin of [Order].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Order] and [Chaos] are mortal enemies of opposing faiths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming’s movements halted for an instant. His gaze darted across Cheng Shi—sharp, irritated—but only for a moment before reverting to awkward stammering, rubbing his head, unsure what to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mist still lingered; Cheng Shi hadn’t caught his facial expression, but he already knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine. Opposing faiths? So what? An ancient said: faith opposition isn’t our doing—no need to carry such a burden.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi shrugged, smiling, but his hand slipped toward Fang Shiqing inside his arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming’s perception in the mist was clearly sharper than Cheng Shi’s—he clearly saw Cheng Shi’s hand slip into Fang Shiqing’s bosom, but he only frowned, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, new sounds emerged from the mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister Fang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah~ Big Shot, save me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One voice trembled; the other was sultry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, neither had been harmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the two female voices reached them, the awkward tension between Cheng Shi and Ming shattered. Cheng Shi stood, patted his backside, and grinned:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone’s here. Let’s regroup.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the mist began to slowly clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ming also rose, glancing sideways—and saw that Fang Shiqing, in Cheng Shi’s arms, had long since opened her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister Fang, you’re awake?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flash of anger passed through Fang Shiqing’s eyes, but she quickly smiled and nodded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m fine. Thanks to Cheng Shi—he saved me in time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words were kind, but spoken with gritted teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The matter of the Firebearer couldn’t be discussed in front of others, so even though Fang Shiqing resented Cheng Shi’s method of refusal, she couldn’t lash out now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Warriors who crawl in darkness tread with extreme caution—any unexpected flicker of light could expose them and undo all their efforts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi clearly understood this. He immediately turned and smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t you owed a thank-you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shiqing nearly broke composure. She bit her lip hard, quickly rearranged her expression, then forced a reluctant smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you. I’ll remember you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem. Just a small favor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It truly was a small favor—only required raising a hand for the knife-strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mist gradually lifted; the two groups, not far apart, immediately spotted each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group gathered and walked forward—halfway, they saw the horrific massacre site.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six dwarves, each decapitated, blood pooling on the ground, forming a blurred outline of a guillotine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had Cheng Shi not known Ming was the executioner, he wouldn’t have recognized the pattern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the signature cruel trick of the Grand Inquisition’s executioners: using the condemned’s blood to draw the instrument of their death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the blood-drawn guillotine was crooked and clumsy—clearly unpracticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tch. Brutal method.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Lu and Bai Ling shuddered at the sight. Only Fang Shiqing gave Ming a thoughtful glance, then fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are we?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They stood in a very large room. To the left were a dozen beds lined in a row; to the right, various workbenches; ahead, a long rack hung clothes of all sizes; behind, several private rooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spot where Cheng Shi and Fang Shiqing met was clearly one of those rooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Shiqing glanced at Cheng Shi several times. Seeing he was still playing dumb, she let it go and frowned in thought:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like the servants’ quarters, but too large—enough for over a dozen servants. I’ve never seen such a big servants’ quarters. For safety, we should change clothes first, then explore outside, to avoid conflict with those out there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one objected. They each picked out clothes, changed, and followed Cheng Shi out of the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After confirming the surroundings were safe and encountering several true servants, they learned this was indeed the servants’ quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it wasn’t the only one of its size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this was the Duke of Brooks’ estate, and the duke was currently hosting a grand banquet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Banquet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hypnotized servants answered eagerly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. The duke invited all the nobles in town and plans to announce the new refugee decree at the banquet—all refugees from Gasmela will be expelled. Our food won’t be scarce anymore, and our work won’t decrease!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So the memory core of the previous act was a servant in the duke’s estate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? You didn’t know? Yorke is the duke’s stablehand,” Cheng Shi added helpfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Lu frowned and complained:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why reveal useful info now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi blinked, retorting: “Did you ask?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Lu was furious but stayed silent, stepping closer to Fang Shiqing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the dwarves are refugees, why are they in the duke’s estate?” Ming cut in, defusing the tension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The duke wants to expel refugees; the refugees don’t want to be driven out. So their purpose here is obvious, isn’t it, Big Shot?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi looked at Fang Shiqing, but Fang Shiqing had no interest in speaking to him now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She felt a certainty deep inside—that Cheng Shi would never reveal the Firebearer’s secret—but she still couldn’t understand why he had refused so easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the talent “Tuning the Heartstrings” wasn’t merely about hearing the symphony of thoughts; it could even faintly sense another’s intentions and inclinations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His inner voice clearly leaned toward acceptance, yet he still refused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What exactly was this man thinking? How could he defy his own instincts?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t understand, and she had no time to figure it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So far, nearly five hours had passed; the countdown still had 7:14 remaining. They had to hurry, because several more memories remained, and they had no idea what lay ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Personal estates differ from public spaces; recklessness will quickly cause unrest, especially in a duke’s manor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We need a proper identity. Servant status is convenient, but still leaves many areas inaccessible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, split up. Hide yourselves. See if you can acquire a new identity. Maximum one hour—meet back here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, Fang Shiqing pointed toward a small porch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember: stay away from the servants’ quarters. We haven’t dealt with the bodies inside—they could trigger a chain reaction. The closer you are, the more likely you’ll be noticed. Now, move out. May fortune favor us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone dispersed. Before leaving, Fang Shiqing cast one last glance at Cheng Shi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too bad Cheng Shi wasn’t looking at her—he was watching Ming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He watched Ming walk away from the servants’ quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, when no teammates remained in sight, Cheng Shi’s lips curled into a wry smile, then he strolled back to the place where they had just arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The very place everyone had avoided...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The servants’ quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>",1517,"2026-06-21T06:05:06.137Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d9ff9f6bb18f695ba54ecd5376a54742d68dd91c4451ec43c53984175eb9884a","the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-27","the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-25",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-gods-foolish-game-cover.jpg"]