Chapter 1345: Changes in the [Memory] Collection Hall

No one could read [Deceit]'s mind — not even its closest first and second artifacts.

But no one had anticipated that the Magician who walked furthest down [Deceit]'s path would, on the eve of the Assembly of Gods Convention, become [Chaos].

The good news was that in the Assembly of Gods Convention, Cheng Shi's side — not [Deceit]'s — had just gained another vote.

The bad news, however, was that Zhen Xin had not lost her ranking on the Ladder of Ascent. She still sat at the very top, which meant Cheng Shi wasn't able to advance any further.

At that, Cheng Shi felt a complicated pang.

"Thank you."

Zhen Xin blinked. "What's this for? Any way you look at it, shouldn't I be thanking you?"

Cheng Shi shook his head. "I know you didn't necessarily want to become [Chaos]. But you accepted it anyway. And after inheriting the authority of a god defined by disorder — you didn't let the world become even more disordered..."

Zhen Xin's expression shifted into something complicated. She studied Cheng Shi, considered for a moment, then let out a soft sound of understanding.

Cheng Shi — that doesn't sound like you. The Fate Weaver I know was bold and precise, without hesitation. Only that version of you could come up with imaginative, sweeping answers to every problem in front of you.

But now — you have too many worries. They've become chains around you, holding back your steps forward.

You..."

Zhen Xin had meant to offer some encouragement. But the words reached her lips and she swallowed them back.

Because she felt that this kind of nudging wasn't "fair."

Anyone who had come to understand that they were the hinge on which the entire universe turned — the weight of that, mountain-tipping and tide-swallowing — would probably feel unable to breathe. And the Fate Weaver had already done more than enough. He had always been walking toward an answer. He had never compromised.

What Cheng Shi needed right now probably wasn't comfort or guidance. It was trust — a word of affirmation from a friend.

So Zhen Xin smiled. She raised a fist toward him.

"No matter where you lead the world — the Jokers will be standing at your back. Using your own will to write the era's ending, in an age where gods exist — isn't that something worth doing?

So don't overthink it. Be yourself, Cheng Shi. We naturally trust you. But the condition is — you have to trust yourself.

I still admire that clown who looked down on gods and deceived heaven and earth alike. And I'm looking forward to the clown giving us a performance that shakes the universe."

Zhen Xin's words came straight from the heart, unmistakably sincere. Cheng Shi could feel the genuineness in them — no, he could even feel the "Zhen Yi" in them. "Isn't that something worth doing?" — that really didn't sound like something Zhen Xin would say. Could this be Zhen Yi taking the wheel?

Cheng Shi's expression shifted slightly — but he was still moved by the sincerity. He smiled and bumped his fist against hers.

"As expected — working with President Zhen always feels like a breath of spring air.

Enjoy your temple. I need to go handle a few other preparations.

The Fun God won't avoid me forever. Before the Assembly of Gods Convention, I need to build up enough confidence to face whatever changes are coming."

Zhen Xin smiled brilliantly. "Don't worry. At the very least you'll always have [Chaos]'s vote."

Cheng Shi smiled and nodded, then turned and left.

The moment Lord Cheng Shi disappeared, Kataro's smile disappeared too. He stood awkwardly to one side, waiting for the new god's instructions. But Zhen Xin made no move to treat Kataro as a proper servant — she only asked, expression somewhat grave:

"Do you know San Dales?"

Kataro blinked. "Your grace, that is an experiment site of the Tower of Logic, and also the home city of the clown Crown."

"Right. And since you know of it — you must also know that San Dales has a Joy Theater?"

Kataro wasn't sure where Zhen Xin was going, so he could only answer what he knew.

"Yes. Crown was the clown of the Joy Theater. Lord Cheng Shi also once... performed there."

"Yes — performed at a new stage..." Zhen Xin's expression became complicated. Bewilderment filled her eyes. Whatever she was thinking about, she said with a soft sigh:

"The History School traced things back and found, on the northern ice plains of the Land of Hope, a record of past history. That history shows that among the group who fled south to escape the frozen wasteland was a clown performer. And rather conveniently, among the northern migrants taken in by the Tower of Logic, there was also a clown — and this clown was the one who founded the Joy Theater.

Tell me — do you think these two clowns could be the same person as the clown who once left the theater that became ashes?"

"?"

Kataro knew a fair amount about the Land of Hope — but all of it had been gleaned from his patron's words in passing. He was no all-knowing, universe-transcending being. He simply didn't know who the clown in Zhen Xin's story was.

He ventured carefully: "He was Crown's ancestor?"

Zhen Xin shook her head.

"No. There's no evidence that connects these clowns to each other. The only link between them is probably having performed on the same stage once upon a time...

Never mind. Perhaps I'm overthinking it. No one can ever read the Fun God's mind after all.

Kataro — show me around this place. Let's see if we can find any more guidance it left behind."

"Your grace, it would be my honor."

...

The void — the [Memory] Collection Hall.

After leaving the [Chaos] Temple, Cheng Shi arrived at the [Memory] Collection Hall immediately through the Joker gathering place and the That Dream My Nightmare mirror.

When he appeared inside the pure-white hall, Li Jingming was still wandering through it — seemingly committing the Hall's every detail to memory.

Sensing Cheng Shi's arrival, he gave a slight wave of his hand and summoned him forward.

Seeing that, Cheng Shi's pupils tightened. He confirmed what he'd already suspected — Long Jing had become something like Kataro at the [Chaos] Temple, holding some degree of control over this Collection Hall.

Between two sharp minds, conversation rarely required many words. Sometimes a glance or a single gesture was enough for mutual understanding.

Li Jingming knew he couldn't hide it from Cheng Shi. He hadn't intended to. He gave a nod.

But the moment his guess was confirmed, Cheng Shi still couldn't suppress a moment of shock.

"The [Memory] Collection Hall... is yours now?"

"Yes. I obtained the Hall's key."

As he spoke, Li Jingming extended his hand, materializing in his palm a brilliant, crystalline hourglass that shifted and transformed endlessly. Each time a grain of sand fell, countless memories refracted through thousands of ice-crystal facets — a sight that dazzled and captivated, impossible to look away from.

Cheng Shi recognized it in one second. He hadn't realized his guess had still been too conservative.

"A Container..."

Li Jingming nodded, his expression solemn.

"Yes. A Container. I had originally come to seek an audience with [Memory] — but it wasn't there. Instead, the memories in the Hall came crashing down and buried me. I was struggling in the Sea of Memory when I grabbed onto this 'last lifeline.' Only afterward did I realize it was [Memory]'s Container. With it, I now hold the ability to control the [Memory] Collection Hall."

Cheng Shi's surprise gave way to delight. "And that artifact?"

"Still inaccessible..." Li Jingming had clearly already tried. "The Container is the Hall's key — but it isn't the key to that particular artifact. Because the lock on that artifact wasn't placed there by [Memory].

To see the memories buried within it, perhaps the only answer is Crown's Mask — the Fool's Play Mask. That is, Yu Xi's — your — mask."

"..."

Cheng Shi was out of options. Even knowing the Nose of Verification was somewhere in the Mockery and Jeering river — the problem was it couldn't be found. He'd been hoping for some back-door method to open the memories hidden inside that artifact. Now it was clear that was wishful thinking.

The clown's spirits deflated. He said with a slight pout:

"So the artifact that set off [Chaos] earlier — that was something you fabricated, wasn't it?

Well, well, well. First day on the job as new master, and already you've used [Deceit]'s methods to overwrite a memory inside the Collection Hall. Long Jing, oh Long Jing — you're a properly qualified blasphemer now."

Cheng Shi gave him a genuine thumbs-up. A real one this time.

Li Jingming accepted it graciously and smiled. "Staying at the side of a blasphemer long enough — the influence was inevitable."

"Right, right. You really should keep your distance from Long Jing. We can't have the clown contaminating us."

"...?"