Wei Guan died on the street, killed by Ados.
Yun Ni died in the room, captured by the Grand Tribunal.
Ascetic Monk died from someone taking advantage of the chaos during the battle; the culprit who took advantage of the chaos has not been found yet.
Not only that, even his identity disappeared; no one remembered him.
Du Xiguang also died at the hands of the Grand Tribunal, but this is merely a witness's recollection and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
Fang Jue... was captured, probably not dead yet.
Every Player's Death was very unreasonable, full of strangeness everywhere, yet there was no substantial evidence to prove that their Deaths were peculiar, making it feel bizarre.
Cheng Shi thought hard all night, and a bold idea sprouted in his mind:
Could it be that Death is the answer to the Trial?
Is it possible that this Trial is different from any previous one, and everyone has their own answer?
So, these people who died have long escaped the bitter sea of the Trial, leaving only himself here, lost and struggling to survive?
It's not impossible, but... it still requires a lot of verification.
Looking at it now, the only clue is on Mercsius.
And Mercsius...
Came much sooner than expected.
Before dawn, a majestic figure appeared in Cheng Shi's room.
He didn't bring anyone with him, as confident as those Players who disappeared with 2400 points.
Cheng Shi slowly opened his eyes and sat up from the bed.
Mercsius stood by the room's table; his eyes, as always, flickered with Thunder, but this Time, besides Thunder, there was also a hint of doubt.
"Clumsily fabricated methods cannot conceal the facts of the crime; I saw you last night when we were apprehending the culprit.
You stood in the crowd pretending to be a passerby watching the excitement, but your gaze was always focused on the situation.
Perhaps, you are together?
You should feel fortunate; this abandoned disciple of Order did not reveal you.
But now you provoke the Grand Tribunal with such methods...
What crime should you be punished for?"
Every word Mercsius spoke was colder than the last, and by the Time of the final sentence, the staff in his hand was already raised high, the roaring Thunder at the top of the staff already impatient to bite the enemy.
Cheng Shi smiled faintly, not at all flustered; he slowly stood up and bowed slightly.
"If I am guilty, why doesn't Lord directly arrest me, but instead waste words with me here?
During the day, you were much more decisive than now."
"Hmph."
Mercsius snorted coldly, his response as cold as a deep abyss.
"Five corpses were covered in 'invitations'; this disgusting trick is nothing more than wanting to request an audience with me.
My Time is not much, but I can still generously grant a little Time to a condemned criminal to leave his final words.
No matter what method you used to commit the murders, it is not important.
After your final words, you will accept Order's judgment one step sooner than your companions!"
Tsk, spoken so righteously.
Cheng Shi smiled and spoke again:
"An insignificant Traveler would likely not attract such great interest from a Judge; what interests you, perhaps, is the aura on their bodies?"
That's right, in Order to attract Mercsius here, Cheng Shi indeed wrote some improper words on the bellies of the "corpses".
It wasn't that improper, just five words:
"Come catch me!"
One on each person.
But actually, the words weren't important, what was important was the writing tool!
He used When Fear Arrives!
This way, the aura of Death and corruption flowed from the wound of each corpse!
And Mercsius felt this very point, which is why he cautiously did not act.
He clearly confiscated this dagger and sealed it in a confidential place, but why would the aura of a subordinate god relic still linger outside?
This is what he wanted to investigate.
Every Judge who delivers judgment, when possible, also wants to know the true answer to the crime.
This is human nature; no one is exempt.
Mercsius clearly took Cheng Shi's invitation as the answer.
Little did he know, he was Cheng Shi's answer.
"Lord Judge, I have no intention of resisting the Grand Tribunal, nor do I want to create extra chaos.
As long as you truthfully answer a few questions for me, I will answer all the doubts in your heart.
Even plead guilty and accept execution!"
Mercsius's face sank; he did not give Cheng Shi a chance to bargain at all, directly blasting Cheng Shi with a strike of Thunder.
Cheng Shi had thought the other party would attack, but did not expect him to attack at this moment.
He immediately unleashed his divine power fully, madly casting healing spells and mental spells on himself, and also held a "Past prosperity" between his fingers, ready to withstand this strike of Thunder with his physical body at any Time.
As long as he could withstand this blow, he would probably have the capital to converse with Mercsius.
But what Cheng Shi did not expect was that Mercsius's judgment staff was actually a demigod artifact!!??
The last time his face was half-paralyzed by the lightning, he hadn't noticed such fierce Thunder coming from a demigod artifact!
No wonder!
So this is what it feels like to be locked onto by a demigod artifact:
His mind was wailing, his soul was trembling.
At that moment, Cheng Shi felt his physical body seemed to have its own thoughts; it wanted to prostrate itself and beg for mercy from this terrifying judgment staff!
He couldn't help but wonder, how could Ascetic Monk have possibly withstood this level of Thunder Punishment?
Cheng Shi had always been very confident in his body's endurance and mental resistance; a strong physique coupled with skilled medical arts gave him durability no less than a Warrior of the same level.
Coupled with the characteristics of the Priest profession, with various pre-healing methods applied, not to mention being the tankiest among Players, but definitely among the most resilient.
He had personally witnessed Ascetic Monk surviving a strike from Mercsius without dying; from then on, he felt he must have a way to withstand Mercsius's Thunder Punishment.
But in fact, he miscalculated!
This was simply not power that mortals could withstand!
Just as Cheng Shi hadn't had Time to take the medicine, the Thunder exploded at every joint throughout his body.
The flames of judgment erupted from the inside out, instantly burning him charred black!
SSS subordinate god level power was displayed to its fullest extent at this moment.
It's over, a step too late!
Misled!
Now, the game is truly over.
Cheng Shi's mind did not have a carousel-like flashback of memory, because the roar of the Thunder was still echoing.
He closed his eyes in relief, feeling that it was good to be free.
At least he wouldn't be deceived anymore.
But just as Cheng Shi felt he had called GG, something even more shocking happened.
Just like being stabbed by Yun Ni in front of bloom awaits wither, the aura of Death overflowing from Cheng Shi's body surprisingly collapsed at a certain lethal point in Time, and then disappeared.
As if some rule had jammed his Death line!
Cheng Shi, who barely survived, crawled out from the wreckage of the smashed bed; like a ghost from the Nine Nethers, he revealed a mouth full of blood-stained white teeth towards Mercsius.
Mercsius watched his Thunder Punishment fail again; his face was so gloomy it seemed to drip water.
"You are indeed in league.
Not many people in this world can withstand my Thunder Punishment; I didn't expect to see two in these past two days."
!
Cheng Shi suddenly felt he understood many things, but he still had questions, so he struggled to look up and ask:
"Do you remember Ascetic Monk?
The monk who snatched When Fear Arrives?"
Mercsius frowned and said coldly.
"No need for nonsense to disturb my mind; you know I'm talking about your friend who wears glasses.
His Death is your path ahead!"
The friend who wears glasses?
Du Xiguang!?
Du Xiguang, with that Mage physique, also withstood a strike of judgment Thunder Punishment?
Indeed!
Cheng Shi lowered his head, the corners of his Mouth curved up to the maximum.
So, this is the answer!
"No one can withstand a second strike, sinner, leave your final words."
This person is quite interesting.
Clearly wanting someone to explain the whole story, but just wouldn't open his Mouth, only using his staff to force them.
Fine, if you're too embarrassed to speak, I'm not.
Cheng Shi crawled forward two steps, slightly uncomfortably covering his chest; in his misery, there was a hint of a smile.
"Lord Judge, aren't you curious why we were able to withstand your punishment?"
A trace of doubt flashed across Mercsius's face, but it quickly disappeared.
He slightly closed his eyes and snorted.
"Last sentence."
Haha, quite cute.
Cheng Shi laughed mockingly in his heart, but on the surface, he spoke mysteriously.
"Because... all of this...
Was taught to us by Lord Chernosley!"
"Who!!??"
Mercsius's thousand-year unchanging serious face showed an expression of shock for the first Time, and even the hand holding the staff trembled slightly.
Cheng Shi seized the opportunity, taking advantage of his weakness to finish him off, and continued to speak.
"Have you forgotten?
But Lord Chernosley has not forgotten!
He can never forget the injustice of the Grand Tribunal towards him, cannot forget your betrayal of him, cannot forget the filth under the gaze of Order!
Today, Lord's will has returned!
It's right here,
It's right...
Behind you!"
"Impossible!!!
Uh...
Uh!!!"
Just at the instant Mercsius suddenly turned his head and blurted out, an aura of Death, condensed like substance, exploded in his chest.
This beloved Child of Order, this First Class Judge from the Grand Tribunal, this holder of a demigod artifact who had the absolute upper hand, suddenly...
All the light in his eyes suddenly scattered!
His vigorous Vitality suddenly withered, the power of Order vanished into thin air.
His slightly open Mouth hadn't closed yet when he could no longer utter a single word.
His face was still etched with fear, his pupils were still constricted, but they would never change again.
Mercsius died.
In the blink of an eye!
The corpse fell to the ground with a "bang", knocking over the table and chairs, dropping the staff.
In the last sentence of the sinner's final words, this great Lord Judge also left his last words.
"Impossible?"
Nothing is impossible.
Cheng Shi coughed and laughed madly; from where he covered his chest with his hand, he pulled out the demonic red dagger.
When Fear Arrives.
You treated me with a demigod artifact; I shall repay you with a demigod artifact.
At this moment, When Fear Arrives was saturated with "heart's blood", shining brightly.
Who would have thought, mentioning his senior brother Chernosley, the Child of Order from the Grand Tribunal actually felt fear in his heart.
"What kind of filth is hidden within the Grand Tribunal, I'm really curious, cough, cough, cough...
However...
I guessed correctly.
Mercsius, you are indeed not the answer either.
Ha, hahaha, hahahahaha!
The Trial of Death, ah, it's truly interesting!
It's truly interesting, hahahaha!"
Cheng Shi laughed for a long Time, until he was tired from laughing and couldn't stop coughing, only then did he turn his face with difficulty and swallowed the pill in his hand.
In this Town watched over by prosperity, "Past prosperity" seemed to have a much stronger effect than before.
Before long, a "tender newborn" whose charred outer skin had peeled off, stood up from the ground.
He silently cleaned up the scene, dealt with the corpse, picked up the staff, and put the table and chairs back to their original positions.
Everything was like when night had just fallen; except for a collapsed bed, it seemed as if no one had ever been here.
execution hour!
The staff's name is execution hour!
Its name matches its power, truly formidable!
However, now it belongs to me.
Cheng Shi looked at his watch; it was almost dawn.
Just in Time for the Executive Law Bureau to start work, maybe he could still visit the prison to see that one surviving teammate, Fang Jue.
Oh, follower of Order, I seem to have found the answer.
What about you?