Chapter 32: A Story, and the Second Final Door

A story, and the second final door

“What?”

The bai ling behind him was startled.

Cheng Shi said with considerable excitement:

“Bai Ling, he mentioned the broker!”

So is it possible the guard didn’t know who those dwarves were, only recognized this ring?”

Bai Ling wasn’t foolish; she immediately understood Cheng Shi’s meaning.

If the guard had hired the dwarves through the broker, he shouldn’t have known what they looked like or who exactly they were—at least, not all the details.

And the dwarves in the servant’s quarters showed no logical inconsistencies whatsoever.

They even knew to kill the invading players to silence them.

Bai Ling’s eyes widened in disbelief: “But... but the answer was already clear...”

Fang Shiqing chimed in:

“Cheng Shi, a memory puzzle never has a second answer.”

Heh, forbidden arts never appeared in the 【War】 trial before—didn’t we still encounter them last time?

“I remember, Jiazi’s roll was... 5?”

Xu Lu was furious at Cheng Shi calling her Jiazi, but dared not speak up.

Fang Shiqing pondered: “Yes.”

“So could this prophecy be telling us we still have another 50% choice?”

Cheng Shi looked at Xu Lu, speaking slowly and clearly:

“She has 1600 points, a ten-sided die, rolled a 5—exactly half.”

“!!!”

Everyone was stunned, but no one disputed it—Cheng Shi’s explanation made perfect sense.

And the 【Fate】 prophecy’s meaning remains unknown until the very end.

“But we have no other evidence or clue to find the second answer, Cheng Shi. There are too many people in the manor, too many dead. We’re at a disadvantage.”

“But we have time, don’t we?”

Cheng Shi smiled and stepped forward:

“I thought of someone. Maybe she’s one of the answers.”

“Who?”

Bai Ling hurried after him; Fang Shiqing hesitated, then pulled Xu Lu along.

Xu Lu was extremely reluctant to follow, but Fang Shiqing gripped her tightly—she couldn’t break free.

Clearly, Fang Shiqing still trusted Cheng Shi; she didn’t want Xu Lu to walk into death.

But Xu Lu clearly didn’t think so—her gaze toward Fang Shiqing carried anger and mockery.

The once-reliable ally seemed to have lost her mind.

The followers of 【Time】 are sowing discord!

Cheng Shi led the group away from the second floor and quickly searched the manor.

The banquet guests hadn’t left; they still laughed and chatted as if the duke’s tardiness were routine.

He ignored these brainless nobles, leading everyone swiftly out of the banquet hall to the original servant’s quarters.

As everyone wondered why he’d returned, Cheng Shi looked at the ground by the door and smiled.

Fang Shiqing followed his gaze and noticed fine soil beneath the threshold—a faint footprint pressed into it.

“What’s this?”

Cheng Shi pointed at the ground and smiled:

“Soil from the courtyard.

I’d already guessed: whoever invited these dwarves, for whatever reason, would come to investigate when they failed to appear at the right time and place—to see what had become of them.

So I scattered a handful of fine sand by the door.

And now, as you see, the imprint of a noblewoman’s high-heeled shoe.”

This time, Bai Ling finally caught on—whether deliberately playing along or genuinely confused, she asked:

“What does this prove? Uh, the duchess came here? The duchess is connected to the broker?”

Cheng Shi looked at her as if she were an idiot. Before he could speak, Fang Shiqing mused:

“It proves the duchess isn’t as simple as we thought.

Cheng Shi said her reaction to the duke’s death was extreme—but if these dwarves were hired to assassinate him, she shouldn’t have been here.

The only explanation is: she knew the dwarves were coming!”

“Exactly!”

Cheng Shi nodded: “As duchess, she’s shown unusual interest in refugee dwarven circus performers recently—that alone speaks volumes.”

“What does it mean?”

“I have a theory, but I won’t confirm it until I find the duchess.”

Fang Shiqing immediately nodded: “Split up and search!”

She pulled the furious Xu Lu away quickly; Bai Ling crept closer and whispered:

“Big boss, you’re really not holding back anymore?”

Cheng Shi clicked his tongue in disgust:

“If I hold back any longer, we’re done for. I can’t rely on you!”

Bai Ling smiled sheepishly:

“Sorry, big boss. I’m just too weak.”

That phrase felt so familiar.

Cheng Shi suddenly froze, looking at Bai Ling’s apologetic face—his gaze softened.

“It’s fine. Big bosses can carry you to victory.”

With that, he strode out the door, beginning his search for the duchess.

Bai Ling hurried after him, lifting her skirt.

Only half an hour later did they find the “outgoing” duchess on a path behind the manor’s hill.

Seeing the duchess trying to flee, the players swiftly knocked down the surrounding guards to stop her.

The duchess stared at these strangers and demanded angrily:

“Who are you? What do you want?

On Brooks’ land, near the duke’s manor, you dare attempt to attack the duchess? Are you mad?”

Cheng Shi strolled up to the duchess and grinned:

“Are you really the duchess?”

Dilar’s face stiffened; she flew into rage:

“You’ll pay for your stupidity!”

Cheng Shi ignored her and continued:

“Forgive me, madam, I’d like to borrow a moment of your time. I’ll tell you a story—then you may leave.

I promise, my companions won’t harm so much as a single hair on you.”

Dilar blinked: “Really?”

“Truly. But you must not pursue us for this intrusion afterward.”

“You... you came here just to tell me a story?”

“Yes, honored madam. May I begin?”

Dilar hesitated, but power favored them—she had no choice but to agree:

“Then tell it.”

Cheng Shi bowed, then spoke slowly:

“The story I’ll tell is of a group of dwarves corrupted by underground faith, who attempted to steal a town’s administrative authority through imitation and disguise.”

No sooner had he finished than Dilar bolted backward.

Fang Shiqing’s face changed; she swiftly drew a page, flung it onto Dilar’s escape path, and vines erupted, tripping her to the ground.

Bai Ling moved instantly, darting beside her to bind her.

But as Bai Ling reached for the rope, she realized it snapped the duchess’s waist, tearing through her skin.

Beneath the torn flesh, two massive feet and a bald head emerged.

“???”

“This...”

“A dwarf!?”

Everyone stared at Cheng Shi in disbelief. Cheng Shi exhaled deeply and smiled elegantly:

“See? This is the story I meant to tell.”

Fang Shiqing still couldn’t believe it; she asked, shaken:

“When did you figure it out?”

Cheng Shi thought.

“Maybe he remembered hearing that they had impersonated many people in the tavern?”

Fang Shiqing once again felt regret that he had declined the Firebearer’s invitation.

Cheng Shi was clearly a high-end [Player], a strong one skilled at observing details and understanding human nature.

Most importantly, from start to finish, his heart’s strings had never darkened.

Even when he killed Huang Bo.

“Big leg, why are you staring at me all the time?”

Fang Shiqing sighed. “You know what I’m thinking!”

“You say that like I’m a worm in your belly.”

Cheng Shi stepped toward the “Duchess,” pulling out two dwarves hidden beneath the human skin.

The two ugly dwarves, exposed to the light, clutched their faces and wailed:

“It was Sangbos’s idea—he made us impersonate the Duke and Duchess to control the town. We were just following orders. Don’t kill us!”

“I have no interest in killing you. I only want to know: who fell into memory?”

With that, he cast two hypnotic spells upon them.

This time, Xu Lu didn’t speak, and Fang Shiqing stayed silent—Cheng Shi had to do it himself.

After he finished questioning, the dwarf playing the Duchess’s lower body burst into countless starlike specks, coalescing once more into a Final Gate.

A second Final Gate!

“This… there really is a second one.”

“!!??”

Fang Shiqing stared at the second gate before her, her expression a tangled mix of emotions.

“Cheng Shi… you really won’t reconsider what I said?”

Xu Lu and Bai Ling exchanged glances between the two, and Cheng Shi smiled casually:

“No, thank you.”

He bowed to everyone, cheerfully saying:

“The performance is over. Please exit in order, ladies and gentlemen.”

It was meant as a lighthearted interlude, but not a single person moved.

Cheng Shi watched this awkward scene, twitched his lips, and prepared to walk away.

But then, Bai Ling moved.

She giggled, wrapped her arms around Cheng Shi’s, and swiftly kissed his cheek before darting toward the Final Gate like a swallow returning to its nest.

Just as she was about to step through the gate, Cheng Shi suddenly spoke:

“Why choose Him?”

Bai Ling paused, turned back, flashed him a flirtatious smile, and said:

“Isn’t it because you like him?”

With that, she plunged into the gate without looking back.

Her answer was a question—but also an affirmation.

Cheng Shi froze, then laughed.

He wasn’t laughing at Bai Ling’s bluntness—he was laughing because she lied.

As a companion he’d met by chance but shared life and death with, he never dug too deep.

But knowing she had lied was already something to be glad about.

In this world, just staying alive was hard enough—there was no reason to judge others.

Besides, she had never harmed anyone.

Watching Bai Ling vanish behind the gate, Cheng Shi’s smile brightened.

But Fang Shiqing’s face was grim. She wanted to invite him again—but she knew he wouldn’t accept.

Helplessly, she walked toward the Final Gate.

Before entering, she pushed Xu Lu forward—clearly, she still didn’t want Xu Lu left alone with Cheng Shi.

Yet neither of them expected this:

As Xu Lu was about to be shoved into the Final Gate, she suddenly struggled violently and ran away.

She sprinted dozens of meters, then screamed hysterically at Fang Shiqing’s stunned face and Cheng Shi’s tilted-head confusion:

“It’s fake! All of it’s fake! He’s lying!”

“Sister Fang, he’s lying!”

“This whole thing is his trick!”

“Don’t believe him!”

“This gate is fake! If we go in, we’ll all die!”