Deceitful Game

Chapter 187 The Ability of the Poor and Desolate

Chapter 187 The Ability of the Poor and Desolate

The moment Mingpo's fingertips touched the cool marble tabletop, she felt a chill seeping into her heart, even colder than the table itself.

----broken.

Could this be the "real deal"?

If Mingpo previously thought that this seemingly older anime fan using Nyaruko's avatar might be her boss from a past life, or perhaps a deceiver from another organization plotting against Ai Shiping.

They even planned to make contact to see how sincere the other party was and how much of it was just empty talk.

But now—Mingpo can't quite manage a smile.

—Because there is no need to chat or probe at all.

Some beings are so powerful that you can tell at a glance that you shouldn't mess with them.

Just as an extreme fragrance can turn into a foul smell, the "beauty" that brings joy to the mind and body can even cause dizziness and nausea when concentrated to a certain degree.

There is a less common condition called Stendhal syndrome, which refers to this phenomenon—people who are overly sensitive to art and beauty may experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, auditory hallucinations, and visual hallucinations when exposed to a large number of high-quality artworks in a short period of time. In severe cases, they may even experience a sense of impending death.

Now, Mingpo has a similar feeling.

If Mingpo's composure were any weaker, he might already be breathing heavily. The fact that he could sit calmly without trembling and maintain his ability to think clearly is already quite remarkable.

And the other party was obviously aware of this as well.

"Hmph—"

Nyarlathotep let out a joyful laugh.

She picked up a pair of ordinary black-rimmed glasses from the table and put them on.

Strange to say.

Although she still possessed an intellectual beauty even with glasses on, at that moment, the bewitching beauty that made Mingpo want to vomit was indeed obscured to the point of being "very pretty."

"Long time no see, Mingpo."

She rested her chin on her left hand and said leisurely, "Looks like you've been doing pretty well lately."

----haven't seen you for a long time?

Mingpo paused for a moment.

If he had ever met someone who possessed this "demonic beauty," he would definitely have been impressed.

Unless—he has lost his memory.

When did he lose his memory?

Thinking of this, Mingpo's expression changed slightly.

The answer is simple: "last week's playthrough".

The people she knows are very likely other Minpaku who participated in the Deception Game!

Nyarlathotep tilted his head at Minpe's reaction, clicking his tongue with a hint of regret: "Looks like your memories haven't fully returned. That's understandable—the final trial was probably too difficult for you back then. It's already quite an achievement that you're still alive."

The final test.

Upon hearing this word, Mingpo relaxed considerably.

He breathed a sigh of relief—he understood which side the other party was on.

At least the other party really is just a charlatan, not the real "Nyarlathotep".

If he is just a strong person, then at least he is still within Mingpo's comprehension—his worldview has not completely collapsed.

"—Your title is Nyarlathotep, isn't that right?"

Mingper disliked beating around the bush, so he asked directly.

"Oh dear, why are you still so impatient?!"

Nyarlathotep smiled, his eyes crinkling, and tilted his head even further, which he was supporting with his right hand: "Sodayo (Yes, that's right)."

"—The gold of the year?"

After all, the title is "God," and not just "incarnation." It's not surprising that Mingpo has this guess.

"sodayo".

""

She remained motionless as she responded.

The girl wearing black-rimmed glasses looked exactly like a harmless, homebody.

If that one glance hadn't rendered Mingpo instantly incapacitated, she might have genuinely thought he was just a harmless old anime fan.

"Ai Shiping, was he sent to the Deceitful Games by you?"

Mingpo was silent for a moment, then asked directly.

"Oh, don't be in such a hurry."

The girl smiled and waved her hand, like shooing away a puppy that hadn't even been put down yet: "Aren't you going to ask which side I'm on?"

"—Anyway, at least they're not enemies."

Mingbo was very clear about this, so he wasn't too nervous.

When charlatans clash, it's a fight to the death. After all, time is a powerful tool for creation, but incredibly easy to destroy—leaving even one enemy can lead to one's own downfall and death.

The other party already knew my intelligence, yet didn't attack me. That means they're at least not a hostile organization—at worst, they're just neutral spies.

Although Mingpo doesn't particularly enjoy interacting with other fun-loving people, he himself is actually somewhat of a fun-loving person.

Those who seek amusement are being made a spectacle of themselves; it's a case of karma coming back to bite them. If you like playing games, then keep playing; you're willing to accept the consequences of your gamble.

"You're even less interesting than before, Xiaoming."

Nyarlathotep sighed, "The puppy's grown up—and getting less and less fun. He was cutest when he was innocent and reckless, not knowing anything at all."

"Have you known me for a long time?"

Do you know how many times you've died?

Nyarlathotep smiled and extended two slender, white fingers: "Since your defeat in the final trial, you've already died twice."

"This is the third time—time is almost up."

2

"—What do you mean?"

Mingpo's right hand unconsciously clenched in the air, and he asked in a deep voice.

He realized something.

"Did you see the countdown?"

Nyarlathotep countered, "Shouldn't you be able to see it? After all, the 'Desolate Bones' ability is still in effect."

"What exactly is the ability of 'Deceitful Exile'? What happens if you pass the final test? What is the secret of the Deceitful Game?"

Mingpo's heart tightened, and he asked questions in rapid succession.

For the first time, he lost his composure in the presence of this "deity".

"You're asking too many questions!"

The girl smiled and stretched out her hands, making an "X" shape: "There are some things I can't tell you. This is for your own good."

Mingpo's brows furrowed slightly.

He hates riddle tellers.

But we can't beat this one.

“Not a riddle teller,” she said lightly, as if she had guessed what Mingpo was thinking, “[Knowledge is poisonous] — since you know my name, you should understand this. Not all knowledge is worth exploring.”

Mingpo's heart tightened.

He could tell that the other person wasn't trying to scare him, but was saying it from the bottom of their heart.

In other words, there is indeed one secret among his own that he cannot reveal to the present.

In that instant, he thought of "Nameless".

Is this why Wuming kept hesitating to speak?

"Alright, I'll give you a little hint—otherwise, you'll look really pathetic. Like a puppy caught in the rain."

The girl interlaced her fingers and placed them on her chin.

She smiled, her demeanor as unapproachable as a deity.

The passive ability of "burying bones in the dust" is called "simple burial".

"Its effect is—when your existence completely perishes, it can temporarily keep you alive and allow you to be reborn directly when the world resets next time. When you die again in a new cycle and become a deceiver, one of your souls will be scattered over seven days." In each cycle, at most one soul will be scattered.

"In other words, it can allow you, who originally attempted to challenge the final challenge and should have been completely erased, to remain alive for seven lifetimes and seven days, for a total of forty-nine days."

"Your first soul is called Corpse Dog. When you were resurrected for the first time, you had lost the pleasure of sleeping and your original sense of good and evil."

"Your second soul is named Fushi. When you were resurrected for the second time, you lost your appetite and your tolerance for others."

"The third soul is called Sparrow's Shadow. This time, upon resurrection, you lost the pleasures of desire and the restraint of reason. This is the most important step, because it means you have been freed from the limitations of 'Twilight Transformation.'"

"—What is twilight transformation?"

"You can simply understand it as, falling into the clutches of destiny and becoming the destroyer of the world. Becoming the Great Demon King."

At this point, Nyarlathotep said meaningfully, "With each soul you lose, you lose a layer of humanity, a virtue, and a weakness."

"It is precisely because you have lost Queyin that I can see you. In your third life, you are no longer purely human. Now you should be able to look me in the eye without going mad, and you should be able to retain more memories, titles, and leverage when you begin your next life."

"However, within these seven lifetimes, if you can pass the final test, you will transcend time and space, and be able to return to the past..."

Now and forever. Freed from the side effects of being reduced to ashes and desolation, then there will still be a chance to start over.

"And if after seven lifetimes and seven days you still fail the final test, you will no longer be yourself, but a god without humanity, virtue, or weakness. Or rather—a demon, or the destroyer of destiny."

"And this cycle of reincarnation—"

She glanced down at the time: "You probably have less than a day left."

""

As she spoke, Nyarlathotep raised her head and looked at Minpe with a bright smile.

"You're about to die. Do you have any last words that you'd like me to pass on to your future self?"

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