Chapter 276: Look, he even has to thank us

Look, he even has to thank us.

"Aluweni, as fellow children of Him, we are no different from one another, there is no high or low. You need not act this way, nor should you."

"Rise. His trial has not yet ended; harder roads still await you ahead."

The trembling, weeping mushroom-folk immediately stopped crying at these words and hurriedly scrambled to their feet.

At this moment, in their eyes, nothing in the world mattered more than receiving the forgiveness of 【Prosperity】. So one by one they stood ramrod straight, like soldiers awaiting inspection, their gazes full of expectation and anxiety as they looked at Cheng Shi, waiting for this divine envoy to bestow a new trial upon them.

The old chieftain even retreated a few steps, wanting to usher him to the center of the hut.

Cheng Shi smiled and declined, then returned the newly born baptismal item to its rightful owner.

It was not that he didn't want to keep "pocketing" it; he simply feared that holding something that didn't belong to him might change and become a flaw that gave him away. So he hurriedly handed the sprout back to Hong Lin.

When Hong Lin took it, her expression changed again. She knew that now she had no choice left.

The trial's target was most likely the mushroom-folk tribe before her eyes. Although she still couldn't be certain whether this dying ember was the hope in the mushroom-folk's hearts or the survival of their tribe, none of that mattered anymore.

Because they had already made their choice.

Due to the passivity of the others and Cheng Shi's excessive initiative, everyone had been swept up in Cheng Shi's ruse and could only close their eyes and follow this Fate-Weaver's lead—there was no other way.

Although she would have preferred to complete the trial as a passerby, untainted by any karmic entanglement with history, things had already come to this and further thought was useless. So Hong Lin, who had instantly grasped the situation, could only press down her inner thoughts and turn to begin playing along with Cheng Shi.

She was seen releasing a dense surge of 【Prosperity】 power, activating the newly born baptism to the greatest extent, making the light of 【Prosperity】 in the hut burn even more vigorously.

And this move undoubtedly gave all the mushroom-folk a reassuring pill.

Praise 【Prosperity】—this could only be a power possessed by a divine envoy!

Seeing this, Cheng Shi gave Hong Lin a gratified smile, his gaze unmistakably saying: Good eye, sister!

The corner of Hong Lin's mouth twitched slightly. She was helpless.

She really wanted to ask Cheng Shi exactly what plan he had, but to tell the truth, Cheng Shi himself had no idea either, because he had never had a plan to begin with.

He had simply seen endless disappointment and a will to die in the old chieftain's eyes, and suddenly wondered if the mushroom-folk's hope might be that dying ember. So he had no time to discuss it with his teammates, thought of nothing, and went straight up on stage.

But the script wasn't even written yet, so the next part would be a bit hard to act out.

However, this couldn't stump a swindler—especially a clown who was always taking the stage.

Cheng Shi looked around for a moment, then said with perfect seriousness:

"He has set five trials for you. When all five trials are passed, you will have earned the right to return home."

"The silence we just kept was the first trial: Steadfastness in Despair!"

"His children must not abandon their faith even in their most desperate moments. You have done it; your devotion is plain for all to see. I will instruct the scribe to record every detail carefully, and at my next audience with Him, I will report all of this to Him."

"......"

Hearing Cheng Shi's speech, the teammates were all dumbfounded.

While he was putting on his act, he was even thinking up an excuse for the other teammates' strange behavior......

A scribe?

I've become a scribe?

Zhang Zhang Chouzui twitched the corner of his mouth, forcibly suppressing his laughter, and cooperatively nodded at Cheng Shi.

Hong Lin held back even longer before she could suppress the urge to roll her eyes, and inwardly ranted at Cheng Shi.

What do you mean "at my next audience with Him"—isn't that a bit too "grand" a thing to say?

Have you even seen Him?

She thought to herself: I've only been summoned twice in total, and I have no way of guessing when the next time will be, yet you make it sound as if you can go to an audience whenever you please.

Even if you're lying, shouldn't you rein it in a little?

The players, listening, thought it was absurd, but in the ears of the mushroom-folk these words rang like a holy bell, lingering long without fading!

Standing before them was actually a divine envoy who could have an audience with Him at any time!

Upon learning this, the mushroom-folk's expressions grew even more devout, and their postures lowered still further.

The old chieftain, uneasy and anxious, lowered his head and thought:

So He has set five trials for us, and we have already passed one!

If that's the case, then as long as we win the other four, doesn't it mean that the charges our tribe has borne for hundreds of years will be pardoned!

The day of forgiveness has finally come for us!

Divine grace is vast indeed, divine grace is vast indeed!

At this moment, besides praising Him, what else could one do?

After much thought, the old chieftain raised his head and said to Cheng Shi with utmost devotion:

"Praise 【Prosperity】, praise the divine envoy.

It is you who have brought His forgiveness to the tribe; it is you who have given us anew the hope of redemption.

The entire tribe will forever remember your kindness, and generation after generation will sing of your great name. Praise be upon you!

Forgive my presumption, but how should we address you, my lord, the revered divine envoy?"

Look, he even has to thank us.

"......"

All the players on the scene were struck speechless. Cheng Shi, too, was a bit embarrassed by the praise, but he quickly rolled his eyes, cleared his throat twice, and said:

"Ahem, you may call me Baldy."

The words had barely fallen when the divine envoy flew—ah no, the divine envoy fell.

His legs suddenly went weak and he toppled to the ground.

"Bal... Baldy?"

The old chieftain had still found it somewhat unbelievable that a divine envoy would bear such a name, but upon seeing the envoy collapse, he turned pale with fright and hurriedly stepped forward to help him up. Then he saw my lord the divine envoy rubbing his backside and laughing dryly:

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Standing for so long, I'm not quite used to this human body. No matter, no need to worry."

Oh, right, how could His divine envoy have a specific physical body? This was nothing more than a temporary flesh-and-blood vessel for the divine envoy, my lord.

The old chieftain nodded in sudden realization and stepped back. Cheng Shi gave two dry chuckles, returned to his original spot, and looked awkwardly at Hong Lin behind him, whose eyes were shooting fire, while muttering in a tiny voice without moving his lips:

"Big sis, if you kick me again the whole act falls apart. I just praised you for having some sense, and you immediately bail on me — can you act or not!?"

Hong Lin's forehead veins bulged as she ground her teeth: "Why did you say my name?"

"Big sis, you're the Chosen of Prosperity. If not yours, then whose?"

"I'm a Chosen, not a divine envoy!"

"The Mushroom-Foot don't know that. What's wrong with borrowing your name for a bit!"

"You're making trouble for me! 'Never entangle yourself with the karma of history' — haven't you heard that saying!? Why not use yours!"

?

What kind of logic is that?

It's precisely because I'm afraid of entangling myself with karma that I used your name — what did you think...?

But he obviously couldn't say that out loud, so Cheng Shi slightly furrowed his brow, pretended it was a slip, and softly coaxed:

"It's already been said, what can we do? Not saying it would be even more trouble. If there's a problem, just hold it in. Wait till they leave, then... then you can kick me!"

"......"

Hong Lin's vexed expression shifted several times, and finally she exhaled sharply and endured it.

Cheng Shi, seeing that the Chosen, my lord, had been handled, silently recited devoutly in his heart:

Praise be to Fate — it is You who have taught everyone patience.

The old chieftain, his mind on the tribe, saw that the two divine envoys had finished their quiet exchange and asked uneasily:

"Baldy, my lord, please, the next trial He has bestowed is?"