Chapter 714: Qin Xin Died, Killed by An Mingyu

Qin Xin died, killed by An Mingyu.

The result somewhat matched Cheng Shi's expectations; except for Gers, all three others confirmed that the 【Abyss Volcano】 has always been flowing backward!

This gave Cheng Shi a bolder guess regarding the 【Time】 discrepancies currently happening to the NPCs.

If the guess about the era on Xielun is correct, then she is a person who belongs to the "Future" in terms of civilization era but to the "Past" in terms of epoch; setting aside Adrick's current state for now, if we reverse-engineer Gers's identity with this logic, does it not imply that this stowaway should be a person who belongs to the "Past" in terms of civilization era but to the "Future" in terms of epoch?

And in the recent deduction regarding the current epoch, it was confirmed that this moment must be either the 【Existence】 epoch or the 【Void】 epoch; so besides 【Void】, there is no second possibility for the epoch where Gers is located.

Furthermore, a conclusion can be drawn: the current moment is the 【Existence】 epoch!

Therefore, judging solely by civilization era, the 【Abyss Volcano】 of the 【Void】 epoch erupts upward, while the 【Abyss Volcano】 of the 【Existence】 epoch erupts downward!

This could be the greatest secret of this 【Abyss Volcano】!

So which epoch does Xielun come from?

First, rule out 【Life】 and 【Sinking】, because these two epochs have no civilization era.

So she can only come from the 【Civilization】 or 【Chaos】 epoch; as for exactly which one, Cheng Shi cannot answer, but he feels the direction of the 【Abyss Volcano】's eruption is very likely a crucial clue.

As for Adrick, there is nothing abnormal about him anymore, nor can any other associations be extended, so he can only be treated as an ordinary discrepancy from a Ping Xing Shi Jie.

After deducing all this, Cheng Shi pondered for a long time and made a bold decision in his heart.

He decided to use the answer to this trial to verify whether his thoughts were correct, but such a huge decision in a team game was not up to him alone, so he prepared to go back and ask his teammates, especially to ask those two Fire Bearers, to see if they would support him.

"You... are very good; if everything is correct, you will eventually gain freedom.

Oh, by the way, as for you, Alrad, your freedom lies not with me but in Xielun's hands; if she..."

"No 'ifs', my lord, your commission is not yet complete!"

When Xielun spoke these words, she turned her head away; Cheng Shi nodded with a calm expression and thrust a flying knife directly into Alrad's throat.

"Commission complete; everyone behave. I hope that when I return next time, you won't cause me any trouble."

Although this was a warning, Cheng Shi did not give them a chance to misbehave; he knocked each of them out one by one, covered their mouths and noses with strong sedatives, then set up a warning trap in the entire room before finally returning to the warehouse with relief.

However, the moment he stepped into the warehouse, his pupils contracted violently.

Because what met his eyes was no longer two NPCs plus three players, but four living humans plus a corpse.

Qin Xin was dead, stabbed to death by An Mingyu with a dagger inside the warehouse.

"???"

For a moment, Cheng Shi felt he had taken off his mask too early, but the next second he raised an eyebrow and sneered, asking:

"What, couldn't win the argument so you resorted to violence?

How did I not see it? The Lady Prophetess also has a move capable of killing... a Mirror Person?"

Could a blind person possibly kill Qin Xin?

Yes, but only if the other party was Zhen Yi would she have the motive and the power to kill.

But if she is just a blind person, she absolutely could not have killed Qin Xin; Cheng Shi was very certain, absolutely impossible!

Unless Qin Xin committed suicide, merely borrowing the blind person's hand.

So when Cheng Shi confirmed that this 【Time】 trial contained only blind people from different timelines and no unlucky things, he felt that Qin Xin's death was not an accident.

What exactly did these two Fire Bearers discuss, and how did they discuss someone to death?

Cheng Shi could not guess, so he used a mockery to probe the other party, but the blind person did not take the bait.

She turned back toward Cheng Shi, threw away the dagger in her hand, and nodded slightly in greeting, saying:

"We have verified each other's cognition several times and found that death can indeed allow one to skip the rules to a certain extent; no matter in which world one dies, as long as vision is 'passively closed', one will no longer participate in the changes of 【Time】 discrepancies.

That is to say, no matter which timeline this world becomes, as long as you can revive him, Qin Xin will still be the original Qin Xin.

So, Qin Xin sought death to lighten our burden, just as your purpose in killing the Investigator was the same."

Cheng Shi pursed his lips: "I certainly know, but why him?"

"That is a stupid question, Weaver of Fates.

The Doctor cannot die, because the Fire Bearers still need the content of that experiment and the divinity.

You cannot die, because you will never agree to cooperate with us through death.

I cannot die, because I am not the An Mingyu of your timeline.

So, only Qin Xin could die.

He understands me, and understands you even more, so he chose to believe in you.

Weaver of Fates, you... do not let him down."

"Heh, then why not let me kill him?"

"Who killed him matters? What matters is that the hour is almost here.

Weaver of Fates, watch the Doctor; I am leaving. Do you... have anything you want to say to me?"

"?"

Cheng Shi always felt that the tone of this blind person from another timeline before him was strange.

What's going on? We have at most seen each other for this one hour; where does such complex parting emotion come from?

Frowning, he sized up the blind person for a long time, then shook his head and sighed: "May you... go further; I think you know what I mean."

The blind person finally smiled; although she was colder than the blind person of her own world, she was more beautiful when she smiled.

"I hope this is the most sincere blessing, and I hope this is the guidance given to me by 【Fate】.

Weaver of Fates, next time you meet Xinxin, deliver a message to her for me."

"?" Cheng Shi frowned again, "What? You are still interested in the Zhen Xin of another world? She, that liar, is probably just like me; there is no difference, right?"

"No, there is a huge difference; consider this my request, just as a greeting from another world.

Just say: 'I am very well, truly very well'."

Having finished speaking, the blind person took out a piece of black coarse linen and skillfully tied it over her eyes again, then resolutely walked toward the outside of the warehouse, brushing past Cheng Shi.

Cheng Shi didn't understand what the other meant; he directly grabbed the blind man's shoulder, but the blind man swiftly brushed his hand away.

She lowered her head and whispered by Cheng Shi's ear:

"Trust the Torch-Bearer, trust me, a Torch-Bearer will never betray a friend."

Saying that, the blind man left.

Cheng Shi's face was solemn; he always felt these two Torch-Bearers had done something behind his back, but the hour was right before his eyes, and no matter how suspicious he was, he could only first keep himself and the Doctor safe—otherwise, this trial would fall apart at the last step.

So the Clown quickly stood in front of the Doctor, forcing the other to look at him, and at that very second, the hour arrived, the staggering of 【Time】 played out once again, except this time the blind man who pushed the door open had his face written all over with a smile.

"We meet again, Cheng Shi."

Right!?

This time it was right!

He didn't know why—perhaps it really was the guidance of 【Fate】—Cheng Shi was suddenly enlightened, and toward the blind man at the door he beamed a brilliant smile:

"Welcome home, An Shenxuan."

The trial ends tomorrow, over.