[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-gods-foolish-game":3,"chapter-the-gods-foolish-game-the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-70":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},2361198,4617,"Chapter 70: Bureau for the Elderly, Weak, Women, and Children","the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-70",70,"\u003Cp>Bureau for the Elderly, Weak, Women, and Children\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Interesting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The male actor, who seemed loud and talkative, had lied during their initial introductions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More interesting still, the statement was long, offering many opportunities to lie, and Cheng Shi couldn’t yet pinpoint exactly what he was hiding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he kept his expression calm, but mentally tagged Big Soy Sauce Brother as a high-priority subject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Su Yi reached the end of his introduction, the white-haired old man beside him finally straightened up and nodded with a smile toward the group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet that smile looked painfully forced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forgive me, everyone. I know time is tight, but I’d like to ask one thing first:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Has anyone here encountered a college student named Cui Qiushi?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cough cough cough... He’s tall, a bit taller than me, about 1.83 meters, thin, short hair—might have grown it out by now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His skin is dark, and he has a burn scar on the back of his neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cough... His eyes resemble mine, but he has a mole near the corner of one eye. He...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the old man could finish, Su Yi couldn’t hold back and waved his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop, stop, stop, old man, what are you even doing here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking for someone? Who is this guy, your grandson?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man shook his head, coughing violently, then straightened again with an apologetic expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m truly sorry. My body’s failing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s my son. I just want to know if he’s still alive, if he’s safe. I’ve searched for him a long time, but haven’t found him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Son?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi looked at the old man in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man looked at least seventy—if his son was a college student, he must’ve had him in his fifties?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder he’s still searching for his son even after the world collapsed—old men who have children late dote on them to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t you seventy or eighty, sir? Your son’s a college student?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man showed no anger at Su Yi’s skepticism, only nodding repeatedly as he coughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Qiushi was a good student—he got into Nanjiang Science University...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Forget it, who cares what university he got into? There are no universities anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ll tell you, nobody’s seen him. Think about it—twelve billion people on Earth, six matched per group. If you ran into him, that’d be a miracle. Besides, he might’ve...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps realizing how cruel it was to suggest the old man’s son was dead, Su Yi opened his mouth, then swallowed the words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry for wasting your time. My name is Cui Dingtian. My faith is 【Decay】. T Ti  score: 1677.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Dingtian, 【Decay】, 1677\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Decay】!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man had just spoken his faith aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone stared at each other in shock. Cheng Shi quickly scanned the others’ faces and noticed only Tao Yi’s expression flickered with slight unease for an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh, now this gets interesting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s a believer of 【Prosperity】!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yi also froze for a moment:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You... old man, you just said that out loud?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tao Yi’s a believer of 【Life】. Aren’t you afraid she’ll...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, I’m already a withered stump—what’s the point of hiding it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone’s seen my condition. I’m lucky to live another day. My only wish is to know Qiushi’s fate before I die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cough cough cough... But don’t worry, I still have some strength left. I can help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I slow you down, just leave me behind. It’s fate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cui Dingtian’s words were sincere, and he hadn’t lied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Cheng Shi, watching this truly “withered stump” of a 【Decay】 believer, frowned deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his state, his 【Decay】 power should be at its peak—honestly, his 【Decay】 energy ought to be several times stronger than a young man’s. So why was he like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We need to move faster, everyone. The rain’s getting heavier.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who had first warned them their storage spaces were sealed seemed unusually perceptive to everything around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slowly tore his gaze from the old man and twisted the water from his clothes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhao Qian, 【Civilization】, Hunter, 1937.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Qian, 【Civilization】, Hunter, 1937\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Hunter, indeed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi smiled faintly, silently praising himself—but he couldn’t shake the memory of Zhao Qian’s earlier gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Hunter seemed unusually interested in the old man. His flickering eyes hid unspoken lies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he found his prey?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or had he seen the man named “Cui Qiushi”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Cheng Shi carefully observed the old man and the Hunter, the boy beside him spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gao Yu, 【Civilization】, Mage, 1721.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Yu, 【Civilization】, Mage, 1721\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another Mage?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is today Mage team-building day?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi suddenly felt like laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This young Mage looked boyish, and his voice still carried a childlike lilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still looked young.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“High schooler?” Cheng Shi asked with a grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Yu’s face stiffened. He turned his head and muttered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no high school anymore. I’m almost eighteen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, high schooler.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Yu stared at Cheng Shi, utterly unimpressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pfft, kid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But... this group’s interesting. All the elderly, weak, women, and children are here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for who’s weak...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough cough... Cheng Shi, 【Life】, Priest, 1501.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nice to meet you, esteemed seniors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi smiled brightly, as if he felt honored to be matched with a group of 1700s and 1800s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the others heard Cheng Shi was a Priest, their furrowed brows eased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, in this desperate survival trial, a Priest had arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if this Priest’s score was low, it didn’t matter—better than nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Cheng Shi finished his introduction, a flash lit up the distant horizon, followed shortly by a thunderous boom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boom—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightning surged wildly through the ink-black clouds, as if a true dragon were summoning rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rain intensified visibly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Splash splash splash—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems the initial disaster is tied to rain—likely flooding or landslides. Move quickly. After the ritual, decide whether to go up or down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The six players were currently on a mountainside. If the disaster was flooding, the summit would be safest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if it was a landslide, the valley floor would be safer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This decision would affect survival difficulty—potentially life or death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Must be cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Zhao Qian spoke, no one moved—except Su Yi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced at the group in shock, then awkwardly turned and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he turned his back, Cheng Shi watched his stiff posture and suddenly laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Interesting. I’ve met a fellow traveler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man isn’t from 【Existence】—he’s from 【Void】!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 【Deception】 Mage, Master of Trickery!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the six present, only Cheng Shi, Tao Yi, and Cui Dingtian had opposing Paths—everyone else had no opposing Path here, so no need to hide anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The 【Memory】 ritual requires offering a memory—anyone’s memory. The 【Time】 ritual demands precision and punctuality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither requires secrecy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Personal privacy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinance practice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, under the pressure of time, none of this is necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, even the followers of 【Prosperity】 haven’t left—why would a follower of 【Existence】 depart alone?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder he started with a lie!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the ordinance practice of 【Deception】 is deception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether to deceive enemies or allies depends entirely on one’s profession and talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironically, the ordinance practice of 【Existence】 is not tied to any tangible object, whereas the ordinance practice of 【Void】 requires prayer to a specific divine relic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Yi’s departure was likely to conceal his false face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For followers of 【Deception】 without the 【Lies Like Yesterday】 talent, how to fake their faith has always been a profound question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But most 【Deception】 followers I’ve encountered before pretend to be followers of 【Fate】, because all they need is to replicate a single die—the rest they can cover with a silver tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, when others aren’t looking, they secretly swap their prayer target for the hidden false face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s rare indeed to find someone like the Demon Realm’s Great Sauce pretending to be a 【Existence】 follower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there’s a saying: the more you talk, the more you slip up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Players who follow 【Deception】 generally speak little, and when they do, they cut straight to the deception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using a loquacious manner to mask true intent, and chatter to divert attention—that’s a clever trick, but only if you can control it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because it places a heavy burden on both mind and spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back to ordinance practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This fellow must have some smooth little trick up his sleeve, which is why he’s so cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, Cheng Shi became even more interested in him.\u003C\u002Fp>",1394,"2026-06-21T06:05:06.137Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","1abed9e916261b4878a4599375b629ad6b06f9323e060040c03abb40d3806771","the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-71","the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-69",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-gods-foolish-game-cover.jpg"]