Chapter 953

Who is giving the orders?

Apology: The section in yesterday’s chapter about Xiao Qi eliminating the Firebearer was incorrect—it was carried over from an abandoned draft. It has been corrected... Not crucial to reading, but readers must now revise this prior assumption: X10 does not know Xiao Qi eliminated the Firebearer. My apologies for the confusion to those following along. Bowing deeply!

Below is the main text:

The war began without warning; no one could fathom why the Grand Inquisition would launch a full-scale assault just as twilight was about to fall.

At this hour, visibility would soon drop to levels unsuitable for large-scale troop maneuvers. Though the battlefield of Hope Continent had no shortage of illumination methods, wouldn’t it be better to use those consumables for extra output instead? Why choose a time that only invites trouble?

Besides, even night raids have never been known to begin with bugle calls—such noise can only signal the final battle. This decision was incomprehensible, bordering on stupidity. If history truly must unfold here, then it’s no wonder the Grand Inquisition collapsed like a mountain falling.

They avoided every advantage and deliberately imposed a negative condition on themselves. Even if the night darkness disrupted both armies, at least the enemy had fire!

The fire of 【War】 would naturally dispel darkness—but what of 【Order】?

【Order】 despises all filth and crimes, yet most loves to see them unfold in darkness.

When Cheng Shi and Sun Miao saw the left flank army actually move, they knew the Grand Inquisition was already on the path to defeat—but what they now feared was not the Grand Inquisition, but the one issuing orders from the central command tent...

Could it really be Kiyinlaer?

Given Kiyinlaer’s demonstrated ability to defend the left flank against night raids, it was hard to imagine him making such a decision.

But if not him... then who was commanding?

Wait—no.

There really was one other person!

In that instant, Cheng Shi and Sun Miao reached the same conclusion. Their faces darkened simultaneously as they spoke in unison:

“Xiao Qi...”

“The Beast Tamer!”

Indeed, Cheng Shi immediately thought of Du Qiyu.

It was known that Xiao Qi was searching for the great bow lost on the Boro battlefield, and he seemed unaware that the bow was in Kiyinlaer’s hands. Under these circumstances, having failed to locate the real Kiyinlaer, he might well have impersonated Kiyinlaer to issue orders and accelerate the war’s progression.

After all, he was a believer of 【Deception】, possessing ample disguise techniques. Moreover, he was a Beast Tamer—taming knights with similar military bearing and making minor alterations would be enough to fool NPCs, even if players might see through it.

So this historical defeat was actually caused by Xiao Qi himself?

But even if the opponent had somehow replicated past history, who in the true history had issued the order that destroyed the frontline forces of two nations?

No time to think further. Cheng Shi had to confirm his suspicion—and he needed to infiltrate the Grand Inquisition’s battle lines immediately. The coming meteor shower and elemental surge wouldn’t recognize Lord Yu Xi. If he died here under falling meteors, not only would the Laughing God and Xiao Qi die laughing, even his fellow traveler, 【Wrath of Loathing】, who had thrown fireballs onto the Boro highlands, would laugh himself to death inside his cramped prison.

So the two sprinted decisively toward the center, determined to uncover what was happening in the command tent before the Grand Inquisition’s frontline clashed with the enemy.

This time, they were racing against every second. With the players’ situation now obvious, Sun Miao no longer concealed himself—he burst forth from the Mime Master’s belly, a flash of silver light, and the horse-faced 【Foolish】 believer Cheng Shi had seen only once stood before him again.

Cheng Shi looked at the Mime Master behind him, whose eyes were slowly losing focus, and frowned: “I thought you two had reached an agreement. Now it seems it fell apart?”

Sun Miao, taller than Cheng Shi, glanced down at him with a haughty sneer and smiled:

“Either you trade in silence, or you die in silence.

She knew too many secrets yet refused to share them with anyone. So, to help her keep those secrets exactly as she wished, I’ve simply buried her here.

I’m not a killer by nature—but organizations like Chongshenhui? Honestly, if you tossed a dagger randomly, you’d be more likely to kill someone guilty than innocent.”

It made sense—but why did it sound so much like sophistry?

Cheng Shi snorted: “If even ordinary members aren’t innocent, then aren’t you, as vice-leader, deeply guilty?”

“I said it: their madness is real madness. Mine is fake madness. I only wanted to use them to gather intelligence, but they truly believed I was closer to Them.

Ha—having met the Divine twice, how could one claim closeness?

True closeness belongs to the attendant gods and messengers who serve Them daily...

Enough. Let’s not speak of this. Say more and you’ll think I’m a Chongshenhui fanatic. Cheng Shi, I waited a long time for you to break the void. Do you have something on your mind?

You don’t still plan to go back, do you?

It would take all night to run from the left flank to the center. By the time we arrive, the war will already be halfway through.

Don’t you want to lend even a little effort?

Or do you believe such laborious tasks must always fall to others, just to conserve a bit of unnecessary spiritual energy?

You’re a priest—a combat priest. If you won’t use this spiritual energy for something worthwhile, what are you saving it for? Hunting your old friend?

But he’s clearly in the direction we’re heading.”

Without typing, Sun Miao’s speech finally carried the flavor of 【Foolish】. Seeing Cheng Shi keep smiling without responding, he took a deep breath, angrily slashed the void with his dagger, and stepped through first.

He knew that if he hesitated even a second, Cheng Shi would never move ahead of him. Better to save that second and reach the center ranks sooner than gamble on whether the other would go first.

Thus, the two swiftly traversed the void, and within hours, they returned to the center.

When they emerged from the void, the entire central force had already descended from the highlands, abandoning their superior terrain, and now surrounded the War Army across the flat valley floor.

Seeing this, Sun Miao shook his head:

“I’m now one hundred percent certain the commander of this battle is an idiot—possibly even your old friend, because only he would launch such reckless charges.

But I wonder: even if ‘Kiyinlaer’ has lost his mind, wouldn’t his battle-hardened subordinates stop him?

Or is it...”

Cheng Shi’s gaze sharpened, and he spoke the two words again: “Beast Tamer.”

Sun Miao nodded:

“Precisely. The only explanation I can conceive is that the Beast Tamer wiped out the entire command staff, turning every general into his tamed beasts.

But now I’m even more curious: even if the Beast Tamer altered the way history was displayed, what of the original history? Who ordered this ‘suicidal’ charge?

If a single impersonation could doom the Grand Inquisition, could the historical defeat have also stemmed from impersonation—from the War Army’s deception?

Did they carry out a decapitation strike, eliminating the Grand Inquisition’s command tent?”

Cheng Shi watched the flaming ranks advancing forward, shouting thunderously. After a moment of deep thought, he shook his head:

“Kiyinlaer’s fragments wouldn’t fear a decapitation strike.

But you’ve reminded me—where is Kiyinlaer right now?

If his fragments are everywhere, why doesn’t he appear to stop Xiao Qi’s folly? Even holding back just the left and right flanks, outside the center, could he not turn the tide with over half his forces?”

Now Sun Miao understood. His expression hardened, but his eyes burned with curiosity.

“Because he also expects the Grand Inquisition’s defeat. This scene is precisely what he wanted to see.

No destruction, no renewal. Good, good—so his true intent lies here.

Perhaps you’re right: in history, the one who wrote this defeat was none other than Kiyinlaer himself.

But fate is cruel—every effort by the Gonglü Sect ultimately served as a dowry for the War Army.”