CHAPTER 373: CHAPTER 312: FRAUD WITHOUT A TRUE SECRET CEREMONY_2

Zhou Xu was, of course, no exception. When that sliver of purple thread dangled above his head, an uncontrollable desire to defraud spread from the depths of his heart, accompanied by an intense urge to fervently praise an unknown Evil God called ’God of Deception’. He struggled against this madness with all his might, but the impulse was so overwhelming, his own will seemed so insignificant in its presence. In just an instant, Zhou Xu felt he was losing himself.

In the critical moment, another refreshing sensation surged in his mind, causing Zhou Xu’s desire to defraud to quickly fade. He heard a seemingly casual yet deeply serious voice by his ear, "This is a form of corruption. My mystical item won’t hold for long. If we don’t think of a solution soon, we’ll end up just like these people."

It was the Dark Star,

The founder of the ’Dark Star Moment’, the convict numbered 109, had taken action at a crucial time.

Zhou Xu looked around and saw that the entire ’Deceit Prison’ had fallen into chaos. Every inmate seemed in a daze, like puppets on strings, playing deceit games with their cellmates. With each successful deceit, they would fervently worship the ’God of Deception’.

Zhou Xu had been engaged with the ’Deceit World’ for half a year and, as a senior member of the ’Deceit Bureau’, he had access to certain books and had a profound understanding of mysticism.

He instantly realized that these were ’invaders’, accumulating mystical elements of the Deception Domain.

"Oh, Dark Star, you’re actually in the ’Deceit Prison’? I heard you were devoured by your own harem before?" A slightly surprised voice rang out, and a figure wearing round-frame glasses, looking thoughtful and smiling, walked in from the other side.

Sect Leader of the Death Cult... Mr. Death.

The full sacred name of the ’Iron Blood God’ had already been chanted. The honorable ’lamp holder’ might be on their way, buying time but not allowing themselves to be detected. Zhou Xu quickly came up with a plan.

He took out a handgun, his expression cold, and squeezed the trigger in an instant, the flash of the muzzle instantly appearing and dissipating,

This was not an ordinary gun but a magical item crafted from the flesh and blood of the Ancient Dominator, holding the effects of ’Weakness’, ’Slaughter’, and ’Deadly Strike’. The bullets were specially made, containing forces of order, designed to weaken mysticism and increase lethality.

However, due to issues of hierarchy, both effects were not very strong.

Mr. Death slowly and leisurely yawned, and in the next second, the flash glinted off both walls, the bullet that was supposed to hit with 100% accuracy had veered off course.

"Decisive, ruthless, swift, truly worthy of ’Zhou Gun God’, but do you think I am really standing in the position you see?"

My vision was being deceived,

Just as this thought emerged in his mind, Zhou Xu felt a sharp pain and found a dagger lodged in his abdomen, blood streaming down.

"Zhou...!" A colleague, seeing this scene, couldn’t help but rush over desperately.

Then,

His body was inexplicably torn apart, with blood flowing and pupils constricting, as if witnessing some terrifying scene.

Zhou Xu’s pupils contracted, but then he seemed to realize something, calming his expression, he shouted in a low voice around him: "Yang Feng, don’t believe anything you see in front of you, the place is filled with ’deception’ power, real scenes are impossible, whatever happens is an illusion."

Yang Feng was the name of that colleague.

Applause rang out, and the figure wearing the ’monster mask’ said sinisterly, "Although the ’Dark Star’ helped you, it’s remarkable how quickly you’ve seen through the essence of the ’No-True Deception Secret Ceremony’. Unfortunately, you are about to die here, the ’Deceit Bureau’ will also lose a precious elite."

Zhou Xu was unmoved by the enemy’s praise, closed his eyes, raised the gun, and fired, the process swift and decisive.

Yet, the anticipated scream still did not occur,

"Knowing your vision has been deceived, you try to use your other senses to find our real positions? It’s a nice idea, but you’ve underestimated the ’No-True Deception Secret Ceremony’. It was set up to draw power from the ’Old Lands’, to replace the god-ascension ritual. The deception on you isn’t limited just to your sight," Mr. Death’s urbane voice came again.

In the next moment,

Zhou Xu felt a tremendous force, as if struck by a cannonball, flinging him backward with no resistance, crashing hard against the wall, feeling like all his bones were about to shatter.

Not only that, a painful groan came from the Dark Star’s side as well, clearly not in a great situation either,

"Going so all out, let me guess, you’re buying time." The sandalwood ’monster mask’ wearing hermit, like a foul player enjoying a game, spoke with a voice full of malicious interest.

How does he know?

Zhou Xu first felt a surprise then understood instantly. Though he knew to stall for time, his fierce and resolute actions seemed aimed at quick resolution—this was an illusion in itself and perceptively spotted by the ’Hermit Association’ and ’Death Cult’.

The deteriorating situation in the ’Deceit Prison’ was happening much faster than expected.

Zhou Xu felt pessimistic, thinking, "Dear lamp holder, if you don’t show up soon, you’ll only have my corpse to collect."

Elsewhere.

Mr. Death adjusted the round-frame glasses on his nose, watching as the last line of defense in the ’Deceit Prison’ was quickly subdued, a smile forming at the corner of his mouth, "Fortunately, everything is going smoothly so far."

He then turned his gaze to his phone, where the Deceit World’s text was updating.

The current plot was... the god-ascension ritual had begun. Mr. Death’s ’game character’ had activated prior arrangements, with a third of the members reciting altered incantations, gathering the power of fraud.

"I wonder what the Dark Crow of Profane Fortune did to cause such a stir in Asgard, forcing even the Deceiving Apostle to initiate the god-ascension ritual prematurely."

"But at least, everything is on track for now."

"Alter god-ascension ritual incantations, set up a small scale ’No-True Deception Secret Ceremony’ on the real world level, to steal the Deceiving Apostle’s godhood ritual, having waited so long, finally, finally, becoming a deity." Mr. Death’s heart surged, as if seeing himself seated on a divine throne, overlooking all life.

Of course, the night is long and full of dreams. He didn’t intend to let ’Zhou Xu’, the ’Dark Star’ and the last line of defense left in the deceit prison get away, wanting to take full control here.

Just then,

A voice, taunting, rogueish, yet mostly teasing, rang out in the darkness, "Oh, so lively, why not include me?"

"Who?"

For this sudden voice, both ’Mr. Death’ and the ’Hermit’ felt a massive shock and filled with vigilance. You need to know that ’Deceit Prison’, as a place for imprisoning players of the Deceit World who had committed crimes, naturally had strong defensive power. Even with a ’Teleportation Scroll’, one couldn’t directly enter. Moreover, nearby was the meticulously arranged ’No-True Deception Secret Ceremony’, also possessing formidable isolation strength.

Nevertheless, this mysterious newcomer appeared silently in their vicinity, which was truly beyond comprehension.

Then,

The members of the ’Hermit Association’ and ’Death Cult’ saw a figure walking out from the unreality, gradually becoming clear, eyes leisurely surveying the surroundings, in stark contrast to the tense, combative atmosphere before.

It was Yang Qizhou...

In fact, after Zhou Xu began chanting the full sacred name of the ’Iron Blood God’, he hurried over at the fastest speed, though the ’Teleportation Scroll’ had a one-minute cooldown, and the ’Deceit Prison’ itself had defensive measures, this process wasted a bit of time, resulting in his late arrival.

Well, not too late really, at least ’Zhou Xu’ hadn’t perished, oh, and this one beaten to a pulp, that’s the ’Dark Star’, huh? If his harem got wind of his state, wonder if they’d still crazily adore him.

Yang Qizhou’s eyes swept around, finally settling on the ’monster mask’ wearing Mr. Hermit, cracking a slight smile, "Long time no see."