Chapter 142: Fate: Are You Sure You Want to Go? (Contains Di Hua)

Chapter 142 Fate: Are You Sure You Want to Go? (Including Dimensional Delusion)

Yi Fengchu retired the alter egos of Wu Suer and Elius, gradually resurfacing from his deep immersion in scriptwriting and performance. His true self relaxed into peaceful sleep.

Upon waking in the morning, he suddenly sneezed without warning.

"Strange," Yi Fengchu frowned, sniffing lightly with a puzzled expression as he muttered to himself, "Is Fate warning me that something unexpected is about to happen?"

Though theoretically, Yi Fengchu could precisely foresee every future development, he rarely constantly monitored his own or others' futures to maintain life's spontaneity.

No matter. If something important arose, his subconscious would naturally find a way to alert him—just like now.

Hesitating at his threshold, Yi Fengchu paused for a few seconds, considering whether to cancel his plans. But his intuition told him the impending event wasn’t serious, so after some deliberation, he went ahead with his plans.

As was his weekend routine, Yi Fengchu visited the Anomalous Affairs Bureau to visit the restless classified archives and artifacts that became restless in his absence.

The moment he stepped into the bureau’s local branch, the sound of a heated argument reached his ears:

"I’m an official reporter from a cross-dimensional authoritative organization—I have official press ID! What right do you have to detain me?"

"Ma’am, we disregard your identity or origin. We’re strictly enforcing regulations. According to Chapter 2, Article 160 of the *Ability Users General Management Regulations*, all ability users entering our world must register their information, submit to 24-hour observation, and swear an oath to the director’s Ability, *Scales of Oath*, pledging not to use their abilities to cause chaos..."

"But I’m here on assignment—I can’t afford to waste 24 hours! Seriously, have you never heard of *The Grand World News*? Did your world just get internet access?"

"Please refrain from making remarks that could be construed as interdimensional prejudice, or your observation period may be extended to 48 hours or longer."

"Oh my god, time is money! What kind of draconian policy is this? Can’t you show any flexibility?"

The voice, which Yi Fengchu found distinctly familiar, then pleaded, "At least let me finish my interview before you cuff me! That way, I can write my article while detained—it won’t interfere with my work..."

Yi Fengchu recognized it as Chang Shuyue’s voice and was genuinely surprised.

Could the "unexpected event" Fate had warned him about involve her?

He could roughly guess that Chang Shuyue was likely preparing to write a story about the Ill Fate Witch—in fact, this was part of his prearranged scheme.

Chang Shuyue represented media influence, one of the key supporting cast and audience members Yi Fengchu had selected long before the performance began.

In his spare time, he had read a few of her articles and knew she was bold enough and skilled at commanding public interest—exactly the talent he needed.

If he wanted to cement Elius’s notoriety in the shortest time possible, leveraging media coverage was the most efficient route, wasn’t it?

Wait.

Yi Fengchu frowned slightly, sensing an anomaly.

If Chang Shuyue wanted to write a report, why wasn’t she interviewing other players? Why come to this world?

She said she was here for an interview—interviewing whom? Surely not him?

Over on her side, Chang Shuyue was dejectedly hanging her head, clutching a notebook filled with fragmented information extracted from the "prophetic threads" by Wang Lin and Luo Shengle, along with inadvertent personal disclosures.

Connecting lines spiderwebbed across the pages, converging after a series of deductions to triangulate the general location of the Son of Destiny:

Third Dimension, First Universe, Milky Way Galaxy, Earth, a Mandarin-speaking country, in a city with a university hosting dedicated folklore and religious studies departments...

With these clues, patiently narrowing the scope, Chang Shuyue had no trouble pinpointing City A.

She could do it—and so could any other dedicated ability wielder.

The only reason Yi Fengchu had remained undisturbed thus far was that even the most fanatical Fate Believers or Fate-hating extremist heretics would never dare confront the true Divine Prince.

In a way, this planet had become the safest place in the Third Dimension, far removed from the conflicts of the mystical world.

Unconsciously, it had been bearing the insignia of the Lord of Fate.

"Damn it, I anticipated every scenario except this country’s strict legal regulations..."

Chang Shuyue raked fingers through her hair in frustration, muttering, "Novice worlds new to the Game are always like this."

The worlds she frequented had long become inured to the Gods’ Playground, players, and ability users. Cross-dimensional travel was commonplace, never meriting special oversight from local law enforcement.

In many worlds and nations, the highest authority was often the churches of the gods. Even the most revered emperors or leaders had to bow before the pope and the divine statues behind them.

Just as Chang Shuyue was frantically plotting escape, she heard an unfamiliar young man ask softly:

"What’s going on here?"

His voice was crisp, like a stream laced with glacial meltwater, sending a chilling ripple through her nerves. She started upright, snapping her gaze toward him.

The young man had short black hair and aristocratic features, but his unnaturally depthless eyes left the strongest impression—as if a faint veil separated him from the outside world, radiating impenetrable detachment.

Yi Fengchu bestowed a cursory glance at Chang Shuyue.

For some reason, the moment their eyes met, she felt instinctively rigid, instinctively holding her breath as if afraid of disturbing some slumbering primordial entity.

She even faintly sensed that the pressure from that single glance... was orders of magnitude greater than Mr. Chu’s!

And what could surpass an existence like Mr. Chu’s level, aside from the divine pantheon itself?

A suspicion had just crystallized in Chang Shuyue’s mind when it was instantly confirmed.

The official ability user who had been arguing with her earlier exclaimed with recognition, "Mr. Yi? You’re here today too? We appreciate your hard work."

"This ability user came from another world—allegedly a journalist for some news outlet. But we’re just following protocol. We can’t just let her go!"

The officer grumbled, "Honestly, her ability rank seems pretty high. If she hadn’t landed within *All-Seeing Eye*’s observation range, and if we didn’t have another A-grade artifact on standby, we might not have caught her..."

Though the officer’s tone suggested she was unlucky, Chang Shuyue was too preoccupied to care. Her eyes lit up as she pressed against the iron bars, staring at Yi Fengchu excitedly:

"‘Yi’? You’re the Divine Prince mentioned in the forums—Classmate E?"

So it was a phonetic alias!

She was relieved the two original posters hadn’t chosen something more obscure—otherwise, she’d never have connected the legendary figure from the forums to the man before her so quickly.

"Mr. Yi, do you know her?" The officer eyed them warily. "Or is she harassing you? Should we handle it for you?"

Sanity, temporarily suppressed by excitement, reasserted control. Chang Shuyue’s smile stiffened.

She could guess that if this Divine Prince openly expressed displeasure toward her, the local Anomalous Affairs Bureau’s measures would be more than enough to make her regret it—no need for the Lord of Fate to intervene personally.

Their idea of "handling" certainly wouldn’t be gentle...

Chang Shuyue’s heart leaped into her throat. Her fingers tightened around her notebook, crimping the edges of the pages.

Fortunately, the legendary Divine Prince’s demeanor remained mild. He nodded to the officer and said, "Let me speak with her alone first."

"Got it."

The official ability user got up without protest and shut the door on their way out.

Chang Shuyue let out a quiet sigh, some tension easing, though she remained on guard. Right away, she explained her purpose to Yi Fengchu, which earned her a brief, subtle shift in his gaze.

"Wait, you mean..." Yi Fengchu paused, surprised that Chang Shuyue had the nerve to come straight to him. He echoed her request, hesitant, "You wish to interview me?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Chang Shuyue cleared her throat, sitting stiffly, all seriousness. "In all nine dimensions, who could be more qualified than you to learn and convey even a whisper from Fate?"

Truthfully, had this been any other true Divine Son, such flattery would've swelled their pride and delight.

To all Divine Sons or followers, praise like "close to or resembling the divine" was the highest, most glorious honor they could receive—likely enough to make them overlook a mortal's abrupt intrusion and indulge in a few extra words.

However, Yi Fengchu was neither a divine descendant nor a blessed one, so such compliments did nothing for him.

To him, this was no different from someone saying, "You know yourself well"—wasn’t that just pointing out the obvious?

So, unfazed, Yi Fengchu replied bluntly, "I can do a quick interview. I hope your final report doesn't let me down."

"Of course, Your Highness."

Chang Shuyue nodded eagerly, her impression of Yi Fengchu shifting.

Hm, an easygoing, polite young divine being—but that didn’t mean he was easy to handle.

His indifferent response made it clear he didn't fall for flattery or get suckered by empty compliments.

Tricky.

Far more troublesome than many hot-headed but transparent divine beings.

As the interview began, Chang Shuyue started with the usual questions about Yi Fengchu's views on the Ill Fate Witch, receiving cookie-cutter responses similar to those from previous player interviews.

After a brief warm-up, she worked up the nerve to ask her first real question: "Can you guess Lord of Fate’s stance regarding the existence of the Ill Fate Witch?"

Yi Fengchu’s movements hitched slightly.

Being so seriously questioned about his own thoughts under another identity was... an odd experience.

But the pause was barely noticeable, and he quickly regained composure.

The current Yi Fengchu wasn't the same as he used to be—he had gotten good at adapting to different roles and playing the part.

"I don’t know much about His affairs," Yi Fengchu said. "I can only reveal that allying with the Ill Fate Witch means opposing Fate itself. One dumb choice may demand a lifetime’s repayment."

Scribbling notes furiously across the paper, Chang Shuyue offered a polite praise: "We can glimpse the hardline, no-mercy approach of the great Lord of Fate toward His enemies."

"Now, for the next question: What are His thoughts on the Fate Black Goat, thought to be pulling the strings behind the witch?"

Just as Yi Fengchu was about to answer, his phone cut in mentally: *"Pfft. Honestly, Fate, the black goat, the witch, and the interviewee are all rolled into one."*

"...What’s so funny?"

One of Yi Fengchu’s mental fragments shot back with a mental hiss, arguing, *"Life gets boring. What’s wrong with mixing things up with a few extra identities?"*

As the two bickered internally, to Chang Shuyue, Yi Fengchu’s eyes glazed over for a second, his gaze drifting emptily as if lost in a trance, zoned out completely.

Almost as though... he was listening to a voice no one else could hear.

—Could he be directly receiving divine revelations?

The thought startled Chang Shuyue.

If true, it meant everyone—herself included—had vastly underestimated this Divine Son’s significance.

It seemed Lord of Fate spared no privilege for His only heir, even allowing him to grow up peacefully in a habitable world like an ordinary child, while maintaining constant communication...

"Apologies, I spaced out for a moment."

Yi Fengchu’s voice jolted Chang Shuyue out of her wandering thoughts. He stated firmly, "That washed-up god's era has passed. If He could slay the old god once, He can do it again and again—until the enemy won't dare show their face before Him."

"Past, present, and future... all belong to Fate."

While her mind raced, Chang Shuyue automatically jotted down his words and reflexively pressed, "Has the benevolent Lord of Fate shared anything further with you?"

No.

Yi Fengchu answered silently. Lord of Fate couldn’t care less to fabricate more official responses.

"He did mention one more thing—"

After deliberately building suspense, Yi Fengchu added airily, "If any... peculiar ability users pester me, I’m to report them to Him."

"..."

The "peculiar ability user," Chang Shuyue, fell silent.

Yi Fengchu’s intention was to hint that she should wrap up the interview promptly and tactfully. But to Chang Shuyue, it sounded like a barely hidden warning—"I’ll tattle to my dad."

Too much parental concern isn’t healthy, Lord of Fate!

Independent exposure to the mystical world is a necessary step for young divine beings to mature...

Is doting an inescapable parental instinct, even for gods?

Chang Shuyue mused privately, though she dared not voice her wild speculations. Instead, she offered a polite smile and obliged, "Very well, I have no further questions."

"Thank you immensely for your cooperation. As a token of gratitude, you’ll enjoy a VIP membership with *The Grand World News* for at least fifty years, receiving complimentary, timely deliveries and exclusive access to the latest updates..."

The VIP perks meant that just two days later, Yi Fengchu found the latest issue waiting at his doorstep.

With anticipation, he carried the newspaper inside, poured himself tea, and unfolded it leisurely under the warm sunlight.

The faint scent of ink filled the air, blending with the cozy atmosphere.

Spotting Chang Shuyue’s article—prominently placed with a bold headline featuring "Ill Fate Witch"—he skimmed through her interviews with players, analytical references, and personal insights, nodding in satisfaction before taking a sip of tea...

Then nearly choked.

Because the section about his interview—

Forget the content—what was with the accompanying image?

Why were the other interviewees depicted with actual photos or press shots, while his was a round, cartoonish sketch of a baby snake, its tail still half-tangled in a broken eggshell?

Yi Fengchu couldn’t help but question his serpentine existence.

So... this was how Chang Shuyue saw him?