COZMART: Corner Shop of Visiting Gods

The screen flickered, replaying the tragic image of Qiongqi's disbelieving face as he vanished into muted monochrome, mouth mid-protest. The montage sent a ripple through the crowd, heightening the brewing paranoia in the air.

Around the round table, the commanders dispersed, each pairing off cautiously. Qiongqi's elimination had taught them harsh lessons about solitary exploration.

Amber lamplight bathed the library shelves, shadows dancing across rows of organized volumes. Lady Meng, maintaining her characteristic grace, poured tea from a porcelain teapot, steam curling upwards.

"Tea for clarity amidst confusion?" she offered.

Taeril accepted the cup, long fingers closing around the porcelain. Beside him, Ao Bing eyed the tea skeptically, his gaze sliding away from Meng Po's gentle smile. "I prefer my clarity without additives, thank you."

Lady Foxfire's lips quirked. "Oh, dear Physician. Afraid the tea leaves might whisper uncomfortable truths?"

Ao Bing shot her a venomous look, straightening his robes. "I've learned caution around those who see signs in clouds."

"Clouds?" she echoed, amused. "I prefer stars—and stars whisper especially loud tonight. Particularly about doctors who distrust tea."

Meng Po sighed with a smile. "Now, now. The killer thrives on our discord." She turned to Foxfire. "Perhaps the Garden offers less… contentious atmosphere?"

"Anywhere without skepticism suits me," Foxfire replied airily, waving goodbye at the two men. Ao Bing glared after her, jaw tightening.

The ladies moved away with a rustle of silk, leaving Ao Bing and Taeril with their own awkward companions. Silence hung between the two, fragile and sharp as glass.

Taeril's gaze traced slowly over dusty archives. "Curious, isn't it? These records vanish exactly at the most inconvenient moments."

"Convenient for you, perhaps?" Ao Bing said dryly.

Taeril tilted his head, faintly amused. "Or inconvenient for you."

RealmNet exploded in speculation, theories swirling faster than lightning:

[@DivineSuspicion]: White Tiger, ever the master of deflection.

[@IceDoctorFan22]: Ao Bing is aggressively honest. Love him or suspect him?

Across the manor, within the sterile chill of the medical chambers, Erlang Shen frowned at a vial slightly displaced upon the shelves. He reached out, turning it to reveal a stark label—"Poisonous."

"A physician would never be this careless…"

Beside him, Wen scribbled nonstop in his ledger. "The serpent sheds skin beneath eyes unseen."

Erlang Shen shot him a baffled, mildly exasperated look. "You don't have to remain so immersed in character, Archivist Wen."

"A tree's rings speak only truth, if read by one who listens."

"…"

Meanwhile, Li Wei paced through Prince Xuan's bedroom, expression tight with suspicion. Meng Po watched him from the doorway. Beside her, Lady Foxfire adjusted her wide sleeve, glancing around with curiosity. The two had stumbled across the stressed man while on their way to the Imperial Garden.

Lady Foxfire bent close to the scorch marks. "He clearly died fighting—yet there were no defensive wounds. It doesn't add up."

Li Wei stopped pacing, gaze sharp. "Unless… it was someone he trusted."

Meng Po nodded, a subtle flicker in her composed eyes. "Betrayal is most cruel when unexpected."

Foxfire straightened and let out a dramatic sigh. "Trust—such a foolishly mortal thing."

Deciding to pursue further clues, they moved toward the Imperial Garden. The land was bigger than expected. Greens stretched all around them, ivy and shadows merging into an indistinct labyrinth. The three soon became separated, paths twisting and ivy-laden walls obscuring lines of sight.

Lady Foxfire, drifting ahead, paused suddenly. Her eyes widened as she knelt by tangled ivy. Beneath lush leaves, a hidden sigil glowed, corrupted symbols pulsing in the darkness.

"A corrupted Oath Sigil…?"

As her fingers hovered above the mysterious mark, a silent, cloaked figure emerged from shadowed hedges behind her. The next second, Foxfire spun around as footsteps approached from elsewhere—

"Hey! Stop right there!" Li Wei's urgent shout rang out.

The hooded figure froze, then bolted swiftly down a shaded path. Li Wei surged after the fleeing shadow, barely glancing at Lady Foxfire's stunned expression. Leaves whipped past his face as he rounded a bend. But when he reached the corner, he nearly collided directly with Erlang Shen, who emerged from a parallel path.

Li Wei stopped, chest heaving. He pointed accusingly. "You—where did you come from?!"

Erlang Shen blinked, clearly taken aback. "The medical chambers. I came when I heard shouting."

Behind Li Wei, Lady Meng emerged breathlessly. Her gaze snapped toward Erlang Shen. "Ex-General Erlang…?"

Before Erlang Shen could protest, the Cloud-Jade Ledger's monotone voice echoed:

"Thirty-minute search period concluded. Return immediately for deliberation."

***

The commanders swiftly regathered at the round table, the air heavy with barely suppressed tension. At the far end, Great Peng and Qiongqi sat greyed out, the former silently ranting in exaggerated mime while the latter glowered into oblivion.

"Second Official Deliberation Round—begin. You have fifteen minutes."

[TIME REMAINING]:

00:14:59

"Foxfire was attacked." Li Wei wasted no time, voice sharp with urgency. "I saw a cloaked figure fleeing toward Erlang Shen's path."

Erlang Shen's brow twitched. "I was inspecting the medical chambers," he retorted. "I do not chase shadows."

"The general's steps echoed the truth." Wen nodded from beside him.

Li Wei faltered momentarily, and his suspicion flickered. Wen's cryptic testimony was strangely convincing.

Then, Wen's quiet gaze turned to the next target. "Inquisitor White—your movements during Lady Foxfire's attack?"

Taeril blinked slowly, as if bewildered by the question. "Precisely where Lady Meng and Lady Foxfire left me—within the residence's library. Stewardess Meng can verify, as can Physician Ao Bing. The good doctor departed shortly afterward, though, so I remained alone for a time."

Lady Meng inclined her head. "This is true. The Inquisitor was engrossed in documents when we departed."

"And so you have it." Taeril shrugged. "Surely, you don't suggest I crossed half the residence unseen?"

Ao Bing shifted subtly, his features cool and unreadable, prompting Li Wei's sudden sharp look toward him. "Physician Ao, what was your purpose in leaving the archives?"

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Ao Bing paused, the barest flicker of annoyance crossing his composed face. "Personal matters required my attention momentarily."

Taeril arched an eyebrow. "Do share, Physician. Nothing can be too personal at a time like this."

A beat of silence stretched; Ao Bing's composure cracked only slightly at the apprehensive stares now focused on him. He cleared his throat, ears tinted pink. "A mortal inconvenience—nothing more."

Lady Foxfire's eyes gleamed, a smirk creeping upward. "The mighty Sea Prince, felled by a call of nature?"

Even Erlang Shen allowed a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, and Wen scribbled furiously into his records, brows subtly raised in silent amusement.

Ao Bing's features stiffened slightly, his cold voice cutting off further inquiry. "I have no further comment."

RealmNet reacted instantly:

[@PalacePigeon]: Commander Ao's dignity just died live on air, rest in peace.

[@TeaSpiller99]: His biggest crime was hydrating properly.

"The deities are given mortal bodies in this round, thus are bound to experience inconveniences." Brother Woo stifled a cough. "Understandable, understandable."

The White Tiger smoothly drew attention back. "Physician Ao's predicament aside, we must address our attacker. Captain Li—did you see clearly?"

Li Wei scrunched his nose, uncertainty flickering across his face. His voice trailed off, but the suspicion remained. "Only briefly. Cloaked, moving too swiftly for clear identification."

"Then," Erlang Shen interrupted, eyes narrowing slightly, "we must rely on alibis alone."

"Trust becomes fragile when truth hides," Brother Woo remarked calmly from above.

Onscreen, Lady Foxfire's face had grown unusually pale, the typical flamboyant flair dimmed by a lingering dread. She straightened, gathering what remained of her dramatic composure, and spoke in a voice that silenced the chamber.

"The corrupted Oath Sigil I found—it directly implicates someone with deep administrative access. Whoever did this had intricate knowledge of manor archives—"

Lady Meng interjected with a nod, "Indeed. Such delicate tampering requires knowledge only a stewardess or perhaps our Archivist could possess."

Her gaze shifted toward Wen, who continued scribbling cryptic runes without glancing upward. The commanders exchanged wary looks, suspicion flickering between Meng Po's calm innocence and Wen's impenetrable silence.

Lady Foxfire blinked, a frown making its way up her confused features. "But Stewardess Meng had been with me in the library as well as the Imperial Garden. Captain Li witnessed us together as well—"

A sharp, resonant chime interrupted her speech. The Cloud-Jade Ledger's voice echoed in the chamber:

[PLAYER STATUS UPDATED]:

Foxfire (Seat 008) — Wayward Oracle — has been killed!

[PLAYER IDENTITY]:

Loyal.

Lady Foxfire froze mid-sentence, eyes wide as her image shifted into muted shades of grey. Her unfinished words lingered in the now-silent room, tightening the tension like a noose.

The commanders stared, the realization washing over them that they'd lost another comrade.

"…Well," Taeril was the first to recover. His eyes shifted between Lady Foxfire and the other two eliminated commanders. "Looks like our Oracle joins the grey squad."

Great Peng and Qiongqi: "…"

Li Wei, face growing taut with frustration, gazed sharply at Erlang Shen. "Ex-General Erlang, I can't help but view your silence as suspicious. You appeared conveniently after the cloaked figure fled—"

Erlang Shen drew himself to full, intimidating height. "Am I suspicious because I'm quiet, or does my quietness threaten someone's guilty conscience?"

"I wonder about that."

The general pivoted toward the voice, accusation blazing openly in his eyes. "Inquisitor White, you have a curious talent for being conveniently absent when tragedy befalls—first Peng, now Foxfire. Have you been orchestrating these coincidences?"

Taeril met Erlang Shen's stare unflinchingly, obsidian eyes gleaming with an amusement as dangerous as it was calm. "Mister Retired General, if mere absence makes a villain, then you must be the most heroic person in the world." He paused. "Especially when you were right there when the cloaked figure was sighted."

The stare-down reverberated through the chamber. Even the RealmNet audience collectively held its breath, with comments erupting across holographic screens in a cascade of speculation. Arguments volleyed back and forth, but no consensus emerged. Instead, they only further entangle suspicions into an intractable web.

A sudden chime from the Ledger announced the end of the fifteen-minute mark, cutting through the charged accusations.

"Second round of deliberations has ended. Players should now depart from the round table to resume their search."

With the departing announcement, Qiongqi shot a colourless, muted glare towards the White Tiger, who only shrugged a helpless smile.

"Ah—apologies. Looks like elimination via voting wasn't mandatory after all," the latter said with a half-hearted sigh.

The demon commander only bristles further.

Reluctantly, the remaining commanders rose, urgency driving them away from the table towards the final search for decisive evidence. The Ledger's declaration echoed above them:

"The final search has been expanded to forty-five minutes. The Final Deliberation shall last thirty minutes. Players must identify successfully the killer(s) in the final round if they wish to win."

RealmNet flared back into speculation, netizens placing frantic final bets.

The commanders dispersed rapidly. Li Wei exchanged a stern glance with Erlang Shen, both stalking off to the study and medical chambers respectively, distrust tangible. Wen quietly retreated down the corridor. Lady Meng, composed yet watchful, disappeared toward the kitchen inventory.

Amidst the scattering, Taeril moved with toward the Xuan Residence's grand treasury, a chamber shimmering subtly beneath muted lighting. Endless artifacts gleamed under a thin veil of dust and history.

The White Tiger strolled about, his robes whispering across jade tiles. He stopped beside Wen, who silently thumbed through faded manuscripts, aloofness unbroken even amidst unfolding chaos.

From the adjoining hallway, Ao Bing examined the cabinets one by one, fingers tracing the polished gold inlay. His expression remained cold as he catalogued each item with care. Unseen, Taeril observed him thoughtfully before turning to the silent archivist.

"Find anything enlightening yet, Archivist Wen?" Taeril's voice was casual, though his gaze keenly observed the other's reaction.

Wen barely glanced upward. "The ledger hides more than it reveals. But perhaps… clarity lies not in what is said, but what is concealed."

Taeril's lips curled. "Always the poet."

He inclined his head, acknowledging the archivist's neutrality before turning his attention toward a distant hallway, where Ao Bing meticulously examined artifacts lined in golden inlay.

"Then please carry on," Taeril said, stepping away. "I'll check on what our good doctor has found."

With graceful ease, he glided from Wen's side toward Ao Bing's hallway, the distant murmurs of the archivist's cryptic musings fading behind him. His steps echoed faintly against marble floors as he approached Ao Bing. The Sea Prince paused, immediately reacting the man's presence with caution.

"Doctor," Taeril's voice was pleasantly conversational.

"Inquisitor," Ao Bing greeted evenly. "Surprised to find you here instead of laying another bureaucratic ambush."

Taeril merely smiled, stopping beside a gilded cabinet, fingers brushing against its carved surface. "Curious as to why?"

Ao Bing sneered half-heartedly. "Do enlighten me."

"Your methodical attention intrigues me." The White Tiger slowed, stopping beside a cabinet studded with pearls, his attention seemingly caught by the object. He tilted his head, his gaze lingering on Ao Bing's organized inventory. "Care to share your insights?"

Ao Bing arched a brow, crossing his arms. "You've rarely sought my counsel openly before. Strange, isn't it, that curiosity tends to spike when one suspects another of treachery?"

A soft laugh escaped the white-haired man, amused yet devoid of warmth. "Indeed, suspicion does strange things to alliances. Perhaps a mutual understanding could prove advantageous to us both."

He turned slightly, offering Ao Bing a direct gaze. "Tell me, Physician—how do you read our remaining colleagues? Captain Li's blatant sincerity? Stewardess Meng's quiet composure? General Erlang's stubborn righteousness?"

Ao Bing's lips tightened. He seemed to weigh each observation carefully. "Captain Li's transparency makes him both trustworthy and vulnerable. Lady Meng is enigmatic, though her thoughtfulness feels genuine. General Erlang's aggression does seem somewhat excessive—perhaps a diversion…"

Taeril's smile deepened imperceptibly, a slight nod of acknowledgment. "Well observed. And Archivist Wen?"

"Cryptic, obviously," Ao Bing replied, mildly irritated. "But harmless, I believe. He's too caught up in his role to orchestrate deception. I doubt he's capable of treachery."

"Fascinating," Taeril murmured. For a moment, he appeared deeply in thought, then turning fully toward Ao Bing. "Our insights align closely with my own. Perhaps a temporary alliance might serve us well in these final moments? After all, chaos is best weathered together."

Ao Bing's expression grew cautious, his gaze evaluating the man carefully. "An alliance… intriguing. But tell me, Inquisitor—why now? Why choose me at this precise juncture?"

"Clarity." Taeril paused. "The fog of suspicion grows thickest toward the end. An alliance ensures at least one clear path forward."

Ao Bing hesitated visibly, suspicion warring against pragmatic logic. The White Tiger's reputation wasn't simple—among commanders, he was both feared and mistrusted. Yet beneath his casual, almost irreverent demeanor lay intelligence and an undeniable competence. Ao Bing, known for cold precision and rarely moved by whims, found himself carefully considered this alliance.

At his stillness, Taeril waited patiently, while the audience's anticipation grew tangible. The tension in the chamber grew, viewers leaning forward collectively, all awaiting his final answer.

Sensing his hesitation, Taeril's voice lowered, revealing a more earnest tone seldom heard. "You have reason to mistrust me, but know this: I am not one to propose an alliance without a genuine reason."

"And what would that reason be, exactly?"

"Justice," he said quietly. "Unity strengthens chances. A divided group benefits none."

Silence settled briefly, stretching taut as Ao Bing deliberated, eyes carefully searching Taeril's expression. Finally, he released a slow exhale.

"Perhaps," he said, "cooperation could prove beneficial. Allow me to consider your offer."

Taeril inclined his head. "Of course."

[@TeaSpiller99]: Is the White Tiger actually forging an alliance?

[@FrostBingFan]: The collaboration that we did not know was needed..!

The spectators regarded the big screen as Ao Bing turned his back to reach for a gleaming artifact, visibly more relaxed now.

However, it was at that moment.

Taeril adjusted his sleeve, stepping a fraction closer as though curious about his discoveries. At the same time, his fingers brushed gently against the physician's medical satchel.

In that precise instant, a hidden talisman shimmered into existence for the audience's eyes alone—glowing faintly at first, then dissolving into Ao Bing's blue robes like melting snow.