Chapter 410: Working for a Boss, and Working for a Boss Again

Working for a boss, and working for a boss again

Working for a boss?

What a "high-class" term—at least for the lofty 【Them】, those who could be said to be working for Them could only be the subordinate gods of every Path.

And Aphlos just happened to be a subordinate god.

The eyes narrowed slightly, the spirals in their gaze stalling for a moment. It seemed to see through Cheng Shi's thoughts, yet did not expose them, instead letting him continue his "nonsense."

"Think about it, my lord.

【Birth】 and 【Corruption】 stand opposed to each other, yet they gave rise to an Envoy who believes in both sides at once!

This was originally a trivial matter between 【Life】 and 【Fallen】—why would 【Time】 insist on sticking its foot in?

It is the sworn enemy of our 【Fate】, my lord—could it be that It wants to find some inspiration from Aphlos, then follow Aphlos's example and create some Envoy of 【Fate】 and 【Time】 to disgust you?

After all, you are a great being who selflessly protects all your followers. 【Time】 must have aimed at this very point and is now plotting to make a move against you... ah, to set a trap.

So we cannot sit and wait for death—we must strike first. Before 【Time】 gets its way, we must take one step ahead of It and get Aphlos under our control. That way, no matter what move It makes, we'll have enough time to counter each blow as it comes!

What do you think, my lord?"

The eyes turned slightly, and gave a nod.

"No."

"... Huh?"

No—if it's no, why did you nod?

Cheng Shi was dumbfounded, his head buzzing. So all that talking had been for nothing?

The eyes glanced at Cheng Shi once, and spoke again, cold and solemn:

"It was Aphlos who blasphemed first, and only then did 【Time】 imprison It.

Your comprehension of 【Fate】 runs especially deep, but of 【Time】 you know nothing at all.

It does not care about any of this. It only cares whether the future It deduces and the present It marks are precise and flawless.

As for everything else, It does not care, and will not care."

"So Aphlos interfered with 【Time】's precision, and only then was sentenced to eternal imprisonment by 【Time】?

But didn't you say Aphlos only wanted to build a pleasure-paradise where all the world could rejoice? That doesn't seem to clash with 【Time】's will, does it?"

"... You ask too many questions.

What It profaned was not 【Time】."

Not 【Time】?

Then wouldn't it be 【Memory】?

【Existence】 only has two gods in total. If It profaned 【Memory】, then why would 【Time】 step in?

Are They on such good terms?

Wouldn't that be even better than the relationship between the two of you?

Besides, what could desire possibly have to do with 【Memory】?

Cheng Shi grew even more confused, but this time, his lord did not explain.

So he pondered for a moment, then continued along his own train of thought:

"Fine, even if Aphlos has nothing to do with 【Time】, that doesn't stop him from having something to do with our 【Fate】!

Don't be in a hurry, my lord. I don't mean to get close to 【Corruption】, nor to rescue Aphlos—I mean to make the trapped Aphlos useful to us."

The eyes clearly saw through Cheng Shi's thoughts. It offered no further explanation, merely gave a soft "Mm," signaling Cheng Shi to continue.

Cheng Shi gathered his words and went on:

"You said 【Corruption】 is very dangerous and must be kept at a distance. But flip the angle—since we need to stay away, couldn't we push our enemies into 【Corruption】's 【Sea of Desire】?

Uh, I may have misspoken. The great 【Fate】 observes the fate of all the realms from the side, bearing no grudge or grievance with the other Existences—even 【Time】 is nothing but a thief picking up your scraps.

But the ones we need to deal with aren't necessarily enemies—that's just a loose way of putting it.

Let me give you an analogy. Look—the Destined organization, pretty good, right?"

The moment these words fell, the starlight in the eyes began to flicker rapidly.

Cheng Shi took the hint, found his confidence, and said cheerfully:

"An organization needs to expand, so first it needs to recruit people.

But you're swamped every day—you can't possibly keep... ah, watching over every lucky soul whose will aligns with 【Fate】 for me.

So I was thinking: why not build a place suited for the Destined to gather? With such a place, whether it's spreading your will outward or recruiting more of the Destined, it would all be more... uh... convenient.

So what I'm saying is—we could set up this place right at Aphlos's door. I've been there; the space isn't large, but it's safe enough.

Most importantly, the trapped Aphlos inside can serve as a free tool.

First, 【Corruption】's pull of desire can help us weed out those whose will isn't firm.

Second, 【Time】's cage gets requisitioned by 【Fate】 and turned into a place that spreads our faith for us. Whether It cares or not, to the outside world it would look like our 【Fate】 has the upper hand, wouldn't it?

And you said it yourself: one who has fallen into the trap need not be bothered with. So as long as I keep to my true heart, it doesn't count as being tainted by 【Corruption】.

Of course, even if I do slip up and take one wrong step, these small 【Changes】 should still fall within 【the Established】.

Everything is 【Fate】's choice. Your devout believer has only added some trivial embellishments to that choice—and these little embellishments might just lead more people to embrace the path of 【Fate】!

You'd say... wouldn't you?"

"..."

The void went still.

Cheng Shi finished this whole speech parched and hoarse, expecting some response from his lord. But to his surprise, those eyes woven of stars merely glanced at him, joy and sorrow alike absent, and then vanished straight into the void.

Cheng Shi froze. Before he could even try to hold It back, a violent gust swept him down out of the void, and he was back on the rooftop.

Looking at this familiar scene, his heart gave a sudden lurch.

Ruined, did I say something I shouldn't have and anger my benefactor?

Meanwhile, after Cheng Shi fell into the void, those starry and spiral eyes opened again right there.

He saw them blink twice, and black mist swirled within the void; before long, a magnificent and grand building slowly "grew" from the churning black mist. Looking closely, it was precisely the Evil Infant Tribunal that Cheng Shi had just stepped into!

Yes, He had moved the tribunal that imprisoned someone right before His own eyes.

Gazing at this thing that did not belong to this era, the spiral in the eyes spun faster and faster, as if trying to see all the fate contained within it.

At this moment, the great doors of the Tribunal remained tightly shut, but human voices soon came from inside.

That hoarse and ugly voice sounded like tones squeezed out by masses of rotting flesh rubbing and pressing against each other; every syllable squeezed out made one's hair stand on end.

"The old people of 【Life】... welcome... the arrival of the New God."

As the voice settled, the great doors of the Tribunal were slowly pushed open.

In the shadows behind the door, sticky tentacles twisted and turned one after another, rising high; their giant eyes all closed tight, and they bowed their bodies humbly toward those eyes in the void.

Of course, what the tentacles called bowing was almost equivalent to flattening themselves against the ground.

Those lofty eyes looked down on all this coldly and issued a powerful sound of eternal void.

"I am not 【Birth】, and you need not be so humble."

"The True God is above... propriety cannot be abandoned."

"Acting is useless to me.

You have seduced my believers merely to know whether the era after 【Existence】 can tolerate your delusions and turn the universe into a paradise of desire.

I can grant you the answer, which is: yes.

But this is meaningless.

Because whether it is your paradise or your fate, in the end, when the era concludes, it will all turn into 【Void】 along with everything in the universe."

Hearing these words, the tentacles inside the door trembled violently.

Before long, countless spread-out flesh masses reformed, shaping a flawless body like jade; immediately after, mad laughter came from her mouth.

"Hahaha, hahahaha, interesting, too interesting.

So this is the era of 【Void】?

Indeed, 【Existence】 should move toward 【Void】.

I like 【Void】, hahaha. In that case, the two of 【Existence】 probably do not like you, do they?"

That naked body laughed uncontrollably, laughing until tears were about to flow; only after a long while did she lean on the door and rise, turning the shadows on the ground into clothes to cover herself.

She looked with burning eyes at that pair of eyes high above; there was no fear in her gaze, only full of reverence.

"The humble Aphros greets you. Please, True God, forgive my ignorance. Do I have the honor of hearing your divine name and the divine name of your other sibling god in 【Void】?"

The eyes gave no reaction, remaining cold; He merely swept His gaze over Aphros's face and then said without joy or sorrow:

"You do not have that honor.

Folded fate will not appear in the universe's script, so do not make futile struggles anymore.

I came here to tell you that 【Sea of Desire】 might block 【Order】, but it cannot bypass 【Fate】.

Do not try to seduce my believers again; otherwise, whether it is 【Life】 or 【Fallen】, neither can stop you from embracing 【Void】 one step before the universe."

Having finished speaking, without giving Aphros any chance to refute, the Evil Infant Tribunal and those eyes simultaneously vanished instantly into the void.

Aphros felt a flash before her eyes and found herself back inside the cage of 【Time】.

That New God of 【Void】 had actually so easily pulled Him out of the cage and safely sent Him back; moreover, regarding this, the god who imprisoned her, 【Time】, had no reaction at all!

What kind of existence is He?

Aphros collapsed; she slumped to the ground, but not out of fear, but out of excitement and exhilaration.

She suddenly discovered that by chance she had found a breakthrough, and this breakthrough undoubtedly had the potential to lead her out of this cage!

She wanted to leave; of course she wanted to leave!

Here, she could only review the past, but outside, she could continue to push forward her magnificent blueprint that would shake the universe, letting everything in this world sink into desire, then constantly giving birth until the day 【Birth】 and 【Corruption】 completely merged!

Thinking of this, Aphros laughed madly again.

She lay on her back on the ground, looking at the dense divine patterns engraved on the ceiling; the corners of her mouth curled high, and her gaze wandered restlessly.

"My brother, how many more surprises will you give me?

Will we meet again?

I feel your longing; come see me, come look at me.

I am truly... too much looking forward to it..."