[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-ring-of-fate":3,"chapter-the-ring-of-fate-the-ring-of-fate-chapter-995":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Ring of Fate",{"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},2298964,4496,"Chapter 995: Important Figures","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-995",995,"\u003Cp>Xinhong Community, rental apartment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Franca recounted all of Rosan’s observations and questions, then added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The more I think about it, the stranger this feels. The Major Arcana cards clearly mentioned in the records that the ‘Fool’ slept to combat the Heavenly Sovereign’s consciousness—so why are they so fixated on awakening the ‘Fool’ instead of helping weaken the Heavenly Sovereign? And we, too, despite having sufficient prior information, never once considered this angle—it’s as if we’d been cursed, no, bewitched by a mind-numbing spell…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, Franca fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone in the room instantly thought of one word:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deception!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the uneasy silence, only Ludwig remained unaffected, crunching noisily on boiled corn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jianna thought carefully for a while, then said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perhaps awakening the ‘Fool’ itself weakens the Heavenly Sovereign and strengthens our advantage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian shook his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if that symbolism holds, we should still have considered the possibility of weakening the Heavenly Sovereign to help the ‘Fool’ awaken.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then that direction must be the correct one? That’s why the dream deceived us—to keep us from thinking along those lines,” Franca exclaimed, suddenly excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not necessarily,” answered Anthony. “The Heavenly Sovereign stands at the pinnacle of the ‘Con Artist’ path. It may have deceived us from the start, steering us away from considering its own weakening, precisely so that after we gain some progress in our exploration, we’ll believe this is the only correct path—and charge forward blindly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the enemy opposes us, it means we’re right—but what if the enemy opposes us on purpose… feigning weakness while being strong…” Franca understood Anthony’s meaning, and sighed in frustration. “How do we choose?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why choose at all?” Lumian chuckled. “Awakening the ‘Fool’ and weakening the Heavenly Sovereign can be done simultaneously.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood up and began pacing across the small living room, speaking as he walked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s reanalyze what Zarathustra’s actions might have aimed to achieve:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Contacting Zhou Mingrui was likely meant to get him to ingest the next potion, become the ‘Witch,’ and establish a fixed, long-term ‘Mirror Person’—one that would partially destabilize Zhou Mingrui’s self-perception;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Negotiations to merge and restructure with the Indus Group were to acquire more money and resources; using the Mirror Roselier to erode and influence Huang Tao was almost certainly for the same purpose;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Erasing and replacing the dream-images tied to Gelmans Sparrow’s life experiences may have been intended to weaken the ‘World,’ indirectly weakening the ‘Fool’…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“None of these actions clearly indicate an intent to awaken the Heavenly Sovereign—except perhaps the accumulation of money and resources.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Jianna, Franca, and Anthony nodded slightly, Lumian contradicted himself:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No—creating a fixed ‘Mirror Person’ in Zhou Mingrui might also be to let the Heavenly Sovereign use it to gain greater initiative, gradually gain dominance, and awaken. Erasing Gelmans Sparrow’s dream-images weakens the ‘Fool,’ but replacing them with its own figures and taking away Jia Yu? That’s to later blur truth and falsehood, making the ‘World’ identity point toward the Heavenly Sovereign rather than the ‘Fool’? That’s also a form of awakening…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But all these awakenings come paired with weakening the ‘Fool’—they’re inseparable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian meant that weakening the Heavenly Sovereign and awakening the ‘Fool’ must both be done—and sometimes, they are simply two sides of the same act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Franca hummed in agreement:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But how do we weaken the Heavenly Sovereign?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Major Arcana cards knew nothing of the Heavenly Sovereign’s past, nor did they mention any dream-city figure closely tied to it. Franca had no target, no way to begin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only Peng Deng is suspected of being connected to the Heavenly Sovereign—but it’s still unconfirmed,” Anthony said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can be certain Peng Deng has unique significance within the dream-city,” Lumian nodded lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This conclusion came from Anthony’s experience and Peng Deng’s rental of the magic mirror Arodes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian then said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Actually, there is one place that can be confirmed as closely tied to the Heavenly Sovereign.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Franca, Jianna, and others look thoughtful, Lumian stated the answer outright:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mushu Hospital!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Without close ties or prior cooperation, the Heavenly Sovereign would never have sent Gelmans Sparrow’s dream-image corpse to the underground morgue of Mushu Hospital for ‘rebirth’—and that ‘rebirth’ turns the image into a puppet entirely under the Heavenly Sovereign’s control.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The underground section of Mushu Hospital…” Franca murmured, then drew in a sharp breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was where the psychological shadows of the Great Ones had solidified, the critical node through which other Great Ones leaked their power, the place where the Heavenly Sovereign forged its exclusive puppets—even the True Gods of Rank 0 dared not enter lightly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tonight, I’ll contact an important figure at Mushu Hospital and see if I can gather useful intelligence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Late night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rosan still chose to lie on the bed, attempting to fall asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the world doesn’t explode, I don’t take a break—even if this is truly a dream, I still have to go to work before the dream collapses…” Rosan muttered, half-self-mocking, half-self-reassuring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she closed her eyes, took a long time to quiet her restless thoughts and emotions, and finally fell asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, after falling asleep, she did not immediately enter the ‘Shaman’s’ world to guard the semi-transparent barrier—instead, she drifted into a foggy, dazed state, just as she had before becoming an adept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She faintly heard a voice echoing beside her ear:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The real can become false, the false can become real, Fusheng Xuanhuang Heavenly Sovereign…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The real can become false, the false can become real, Fusheng Xuanhuang Heavenly Sovereign…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…………\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the edge of Red Moon Hospital, a hidden corner overgrown with mushrooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian, transformed into the ‘Despair Witch’ and wearing a woman’s shirt, waited patiently. Then he saw Greene appear suddenly not far ahead, accompanied by another person—as if stepping from another world into this one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Respected Son of the God, this is Lü Yong’an, head of obstetrics at Mushu Hospital,” Greene introduced his companion. “She is also a child of the Mother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Yong’an was in her forties, with fair skin, a beautiful face, round like a full moon, gentle and maternal in appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She carried a medical case and bowed slightly toward Lumian:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Praise the Mother, and praise you, Son of the God.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The important figure Lumian had said he wanted to meet was indeed this obstetrics director, Lü Yong’an—Greene had kept his promise, sending Lumian a message the moment the cycle ended, reminding him to go perform reproductive assistance for Li Keji tonight—both mystical and scientific.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian had not rushed to abort Li Keji’s fetus, precisely to first placate Greene, avoiding the need for elaborate deception. Afterward, he had at least two to three weeks to perform the abortion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Lü Yong’an’s greeting, Lumian—with his long black hair—nodded slightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go in. First, do the task.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not immediately ask Lü Yong’an about internal matters at Mushu Hospital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That had to be done slowly, with preparation—figuring out what a Son of the God should already know, and what he need not ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Son of the God,” Greene and Lü Yong’an replied in unison, their expressions solemn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian walked toward them and gripped their shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he activated the black mark on his right shoulder and used “Spirit World Transit,” appearing directly inside Li Keji’s ward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Keji, who had been touching his belly and lost in thought, sat up sharply. The jellyfish-shaped mushroom on the ceiling sank slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Keji glance at him with mild surprise, Lumian winked his left eye, signaling him to cooperate—there was a reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Keji’s face lit up with sudden understanding:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re here to help me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Greene couldn’t help turning his head to gaze at the stunningly beautiful face of the Son of the God:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When had he convinced Li Keji?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Greene and Lü Yong’an had both expected to use abilities to subdue the target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Yong’an sat beside Li Keji’s bed with her medical case and began a careful examination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After nearly a minute, she turned her head and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The fetus is healthy, developing well and rapidly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Greene immediately gave the Son of the God a thumbs-up, praising again:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No wonder it’s you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian was numb by now, nodded slightly, and focused on watching Lü Yong’an pull out a syringe, draw up some medicine, and inject it into Li Keji’s belly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, Lü Yong’an’s maternal aura intensified; her hands hovered gently over Li Keji’s abdomen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian saw Li Keji’s belly swell visibly—within one or two minutes, it looked as if he were six months pregnant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can feel her heartbeat,” Li Keji murmured, stroking his belly again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Yong’an packed away her instruments and medicine, smiling at Lumian:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Son of the God, come back in two weeks, and he’ll be ready for labor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good,” Lumian nodded, insincerely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ll abort it as soon as I leave! The sooner, the safer!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re leaving,” Lumian gave Li Keji another meaningful glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he “teleported” back to the hidden corner with Lü Yong’an, who had returned, and Greene, who had been standing nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lumian gave neither Greene nor Lü Yong’an a chance to say goodbye. He turned to the latter, tilting his chin slightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is things going inside Mushu Hospital?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He planned to ask vaguely first, in the tone of a Son of the God seeking subordinate feedback, then probe deeper based on Lü Yong’an’s answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lü Yong’an replied with warm kindness and clear reverence:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The underground area is nearly finished being renovated. The surface level still has only us a few people and those who frequently go underground.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearly finished “renovating” the underground? Those who frequently go underground aren’t considered people? Lumian raised an eyebrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1604,"2026-06-20T06:22:37.987Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9c234e7f727864bbdf78f9c126aebf9db866a2cf1dd0d3fa49b48ef2c240c84c","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-996","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-994",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ring-of-fate-cover.jpg"]