[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-gods-foolish-game":3,"chapter-the-gods-foolish-game-the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-972":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},2362100,4617,"Chapter 972","the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-972",972,"\u003Cp>You... are the [Deception] Envoy!?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think the [Faith Game] is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi did not answer Xiao Qi’s question; instead, he asked a new one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Qi still maintained his caution; his true form remained hidden, communicating with this mysterious Xiao Shi through the dazed beast-tamer, observing “Xiao Shi”—yet the more he observed, the more he realized the other was not Xiao Shi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because since that moment of resurrection, the other’s attention had clearly not been on him, as if, as he claimed, he had lost some qualification...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On what grounds had he lost it, and what qualification had he lost? Was this qualification tied to the entire game?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Qiyu’s mind spun wildly, yet the shock still left him unable to draw any conclusion—until, under the container’s influence, he suddenly recalled the words spoken by the [Decay] Envoy, connecting the clues and solidifying his suspicion further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could the “He” in Yuge’s mouth... actually be Xiao Shi!?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, could it be someone wearing Xiao Shi’s skin... a Demigod!?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is impossible!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was clearly helpless against Yuge’s trap, he clearly couldn’t even defeat himself, he...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But could he truly not defeat him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when I poured all my strength into it, I failed to kill him, and he didn’t even retaliate—not even at this perfect moment for counterattack—only speaking to me of containers, games, trials...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is a container? What meaning do trials hold? What did I miss? Who is he...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, Du Qiyu was lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at that moment, Cheng Shi continued weaving his deception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He never expected Xiao Qi to respond; if the other did respond, he’d have to reorganize his words—but now, he only needed to recite the script he had already prepared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The era moves forward, and [Void] too shall end. How to collect more faith in an era to ‘feed’ a servant who can remain beside the True God despite the era’s end—that is what this game is doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, why is it called the [Faith Game]?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this believer has another name: what you call the Envoy, a Demigod beyond mortal reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the container in your hand is the key to becoming an Envoy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mortals dream of ascending to godhood, unaware that gods are never created—they are chosen by us. I have been entrusted by the [Covenant] to test suitable candidates; the term ‘Divine Chosen’ whispered among your players is surprisingly apt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unfortunately, the highest score on the Ascension Ladder does not make one the Divine Chosen—it is only those chosen by us who deserve the title... of Divine Chosen!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi was unsure how much Xiao Qi knew about Them, so he mentioned everything he could—this saturation-level information assault had completely overloaded Du Qiyu’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have tested countless others; aside from a few who caught my eye, the rest are as dull as you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So don’t lose heart—failure doesn’t mean you’re unworthy; it means worthy ones are too few. You’ve merely lost your first chance at trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am not the only examiner. If another examiner takes an interest in you, they will grant you a new trial—and if you luckily pass their trial, perhaps we shall meet again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you understand now? Return the container and continue your trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I will make you forget all this, without overly distorting your perception of the game. This is a necessary step; otherwise, the [Covenant] will deem it cheating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the consequences of cheating, I imagine you can guess.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Qiyu frowned at the container in his hand, realizing he should have sensed long ago that this was no ordinary item—it was actually essential to becoming an Envoy!?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But once this thing was in his hands, how could he possibly give it back?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the other is an Envoy...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, under so much evidence, Du Qiyu’s reason told him this man wearing Xiao Shi’s skin could no longer be a player, let alone Xiao Shi himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And most crucially, if the other were not an Envoy, he could never have known about Du Qiyu’s past corruption—and thus used a [Corrupt] container to test him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, if Xiao Shi truly possessed so many astonishing artifacts, he would have no reason to feign negotiation here—he would simply strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, no matter how convincing all this seemed, Du Qiyu had to consider one possibility—a remote one—that the other refrained from attacking due to some restraint... and after racking his brain, the only possible reason was that the other had not yet located his true form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this, caution once again prompted Du Qiyu to subtly shift position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still did not return the container, but pretended uncertainty, continuing his probing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then... who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph, reluctant to part with your possession?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since you are His believer, I’ll allow you a few more glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Want to see more? Then cherish this time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Cheng Shi casually tossed the [Prosperity] container to the beast-tamer. The moment Xiao Qi, the beast-tamer, grasped the second container, he felt its unparalleled mystical allure—his heart tightened instinctively, and without realizing it, he stole a glance across the vast distance toward his true form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That single glance was sharply caught by Cheng Shi’s peripheral vision, feigning casualness—and instantly, he confirmed his old friend’s location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Found you at last!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The opportunity has come!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Cheng Shi still made no move; he merely paced, restoring his body, and smiled with curled lips:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You may call me Foolish Play. I, like you, am a believer of [Deception].”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You... are the [Deception] Envoy!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You may say so—but now, I prefer you call me Faith Examiner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The authority granted by the [Covenant] surpasses faith itself. This concerns Their secrets; even if you forget all this, I cannot speak further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Cheng Shi deliberately activated the aura of the [Order] Judge’s ring, surrounding himself with the purest, ancient [Order] breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This posed no problem—the very word [Covenant] carried an [Order] resonance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t over—he then, before Xiao Qi’s eyes, retracted his [Time] container and pulled out a [Decay] container, tossing it into Xiao Qi’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the sake of our shared status as dependents of the Entertainment, this is your temporary reprieve from the game's playtime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ask quickly if you have more questions—my time is short; the next candidate is already waiting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he pulled out the [Deception] container—but this time, he did not throw it. Instead, he paused and said: “You are now a believer of [Deception]; you cannot touch the [Deception] container. This one won’t do—choose another.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Shi shook his head with a smile, tucked the container away, secretly altered its aura, then retrieved the [Chaos] container. But this time, he didn’t even need to toss it—the dazed beast-tamer Xiao Qi, staring at the two containers, had already lost all doubt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This cannot possibly be a player!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isn’t this clearly the game’s GM?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, tell me how Xiao Shi could possess so many key artifacts for godhood?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ha, do you think I’d believe that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the container’s existence was stated by him, it could still be a lie—but the aura of faith and the power of the gods cannot be faked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is no ordinary artifact a player could counterfeit—it is clearly something only They could possess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As before: if Xiao Shi truly possessed this level of power, this hunt would have been a joke long ago. My survival until now is the best proof he doesn’t care about me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With so many logical foundations established, Du Qiyu finally grew serious. Even though this Envoy, Foolish Play, wore Xiao Shi’s skin and repulsed him—he had no choice but to show respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether out of pride in belonging to [Deception] or from desire for power, he had no reason not to demonstrate his devotion here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the beast-tamer Xiao Qi obediently returned both containers to him—yet his true form remained motionless, holding back his final trump card, stretching out the time the [Corrupt] container remained his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Cheng Shi snorted and transformed back into Foolish Play’s true form before his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when Xiao Qi saw the tall, gaunt, masked Envoy’s true form, he finally dropped his last trace of suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>",1372,"2026-06-21T06:05:16.216Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","7b35710136561c6a80643f17fb55dd5ab34cf5c49ad7c46855036a15e13b573c","the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-973","the-gods-foolish-game-chapter-971",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-gods-foolish-game-cover.jpg"]