Death Game: Starting as a fraudster, pretending to be a god

Lin Yu actually agreed with what he, the two Daoist priests, and the other players had said in the teahouse about their attitude towards "Zhu Qiansi."

As an ordinary contemporary young man with a non-extreme personality, Lin Yu indeed felt that giving Zhu Qiansi freedom would be unfair to those innocent people who had died.

But… …

Before that, Lin Yu was also a good actor who respected character settings.

Obviously, the character image shaped by Lin Yu in his performance and in the character biography he conceived, based on "Xia Yue" as a prototype for "Zhu Ming," was not a character with a strong sense of morality.

Although she might have "family" as a weakness, and might feel compassion for vulnerable groups… …

‘Zhu Ming’ would absolutely not give up her own "interests" because of her compassion, or because of "morality" and "justice."

Even among the players in the ‘Death Game,’ ‘Zhu Ming’s’ prototype, "Xia Yue's" will to survive and adaptability, were the strongest Lin Yu had ever seen.

If a million people died in Willow Town, Zhu Ming might say it was a pity, and if it were possible to help them, Zhu Ming would lend a hand.

She might even avenge the dead; it's not something she wouldn't do.

But, but… …

She would never give up an opportunity to improve her strength by a level for the sake of these million people.

Looking at the astonished Gaoshan, the angry Xue Xiao, and the dignified Haiou, and listening to Li Nian's unrestrained laughter in his ears, Lin Yu only felt that time was becoming slower and slower.

The time between the fulfillment of the [Clearance Task] conditions and entering the [Settlement Space] seemed to be stretched infinitely.

This was naturally a bit abnormal.

But Lin Yu was very familiar with this feeling.

Time was still passing normally, only his perception of time had changed.

It was like… …

Activating [The Frugal and Virtuous Should Drink].

And the source of this abnormal feeling was not difficult to guess.

He looked at Zhu Qiansi beside him—even though she was wearing a [Collar] and was completely his [Summon], Lin Yu was very clear… …

“You’re the one who did it… …Since you can cut off one identity, you can naturally cut off a second one.”

“It’s like the layers upon layers of space here… …The符阵 space, the Willow Town ruins, your main body is on the first layer; the Willow Town environment, Zhu Qiansi, and the remnant soul of Yun Zhen are on the second layer; the real Willow Town and almost all of your karmic threads are on the third layer; and now… …there’s actually one last layer, right?”

“So—my dear Miss Zhu Qiansi, you’ve been plotting against me from the very beginning, haven’t you?”

Lin Yu asked softly.

Zhu Qiansi nodded, not avoiding the question.

“Yes, I do need your help to gain freedom, but… …I don’t need you to take me out.”

“I need… …to replace you and go out.”

Lin Yu sighed: “I knew it—just as I thought.”

“How did you know?”

Zhu Qiansi looked at Lin Yu and asked.

Lin Yu curled his lips: “The so-called ‘freedom’ is a plan that only arose after seeing me—but since what you seek is ‘freedom,’ how could you achieve it through ‘master recognition’?”

“Since the karmic thread divine power can fuse you with the concept of Willow Town, it can naturally fuse and replace me with you… …It’s not hard to guess.”

Lin Yu said calmly.

From the beginning, he knew that Zhu Qiansi was lying to him.

Fortunately, Lin Yu hadn't told the truth either.

Xue Xiao, Gaoshan, and Haiou were deceived by him, but that didn't mean Lin Yu had chosen Zhu Qiansi.

Helping Zhu Qiansi was something ‘Zhu Ming’ would do, but that was just the role Lin Yu was playing after all.

What the real Lin Yu would do was to feign choosing Zhu Qiansi as ‘Zhu Ming,’ and then… …

Use her plan against her.

Looking at Zhu Qiansi in front of him, Lin Yu smiled and said, “What you want is not just to leave the Prison Mountain Realm, but also my identity as a ‘player’—the identity to come and go freely among the realms, right?”

Zhu Qiansi nodded: “Yes.”

“Then you’re really wrong. Although players seem to be able to go anywhere, they’re actually the least free. Whether we come or go, we come with tasks, and we have to come here once a week,” Lin Yu looked at Zhu Qiansi, “I’m serious, I don’t mean to deceive you.”

“I know. My understanding of ‘Outland Travelers’ is more than you imagine,” Zhu Qiansi looked at Lin Yu, her ancient, unwavering eyes pitch black, “A lucky dog like you with only good luck can’t even imagine what I’ve been through… …Just like you can’t even guess why I chose you among so many players.”

Listening to Zhu Qiansi’s emotionless but extremely arrogant remarks, Lin Yu sighed.

“Hoo… …Really, what’s so hard to guess?” Lin Yu rested his chin on one hand, “You chose me, of course, because you can only choose me.”

“Your karmic thread divine power wants to capture those fleeting, shooting-star-like players, and it’s too difficult to maintain fusion with them while they’re alive, unless that person already has a connection with you, a very deep connection… …

“And your means of karmic thread divine power are so incompatible with this Prison Mountain Realm, coupled with your urgent desire to leave this realm, and some rumors I’ve heard from high-level beings in other worlds about ‘threads,’ it’s not difficult for me to guess where my connection with you comes from,” Lin Yu reached out and pinched Zhu Qiansi’s chin, “You want to be my older sister… …but my real older sister is much more talented than you.”

“Now my only question is… …Zhu Qiansi, Thousand-Eyed Thousand-Thread Demon Lord, did you accidentally obtain a piece of ‘fragment of fate,’ or—are you a living ‘fragment of fate’ yourself?”

Lin Yu said softly, and Zhu Qiansi looked at Lin Yu and said in a low voice.

“You… …are really smart.”

“Just as you said, but I am not a fragment of fate myself, nor did I accidentally obtain a fragment of fate.”

“I am the inheritor of the ‘fragment of fate’—I was once the God-chosen of the ‘God of Fate and Rules and Change.’”

“Your body… …simultaneously carries the karmic entanglement of the three fellows who caused my Lord to fall.”

A smile appeared on Zhu Qiansi’s face—this being, who seemed to have no emotions at all, or had lost them, revealed a heartfelt joy for the first time.

“Truly, my Lord bestows grace… …Fate has finally brought you before me!”

“Those who devoutly believe in fate will ultimately receive the grace of fate!”