Chapter 159
Chapter 159
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: Lies Get Countered with Bigger Lies
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ‘Meiling... That’s obviously a woman’s name... Did this bastard sneak into the mansion by hiding their gender...? Sneaky fucker...’
There was no reason to assume I was the only one who’d gotten my hands on gender-swap items like ‘TS Injection’ or ‘Confusing You.’ Peddlers roamed the world far and wide, and there were plenty of ways to score items through achievements or other means.
In this apocalyptic world, it made perfect sense for women to turn themselves into men to avoid the clutches of lustful bastards. Especially if they had pretty faces— who knew what kind of trouble they’d run into? Personally, I thought snapping up any TS-related items on sight was the smart move.
In a world without laws or morals, women were prime prey for the strong. Hell, even I’d slapped Slave Brands on every decent-looking woman I came across and made them mine.
‘Whatever... Man, woman— what’s it matter? The important thing is this bastard’s Luck and class...’
Man or woman, it didn’t matter to me. Once we got out of this mansion, we’d divvy up the spoils and part ways forever. What counted was their Luck stat and class.
I turned to Meiling— still struggling to wrap her head around the situation.
“Hey... Meiling... Don’t tell me... you’ve lost all your memories...?”
“Y-Yes...?”
“Meiling... You don’t remember me? I’m Jun... Jun... Ring any bells...? Damn it... Meiling...”
“Wh-who are you...? I... I don’t remember anything but my name... Where is this...? Eek! What the hell are those?!”
Only then did Meiling notice the corpses strewn around, retching and grimacing in disgust.
“Urk... Uh... My body... Why’s my body like this...? Why... Why’s this thing dangling there...?”
She poked at herself, then jolted in shock. She seemed to vaguely recall not just her name, but her gender too. Since I hadn’t fine-tuned the dosage and just eyeballed it, maybe her memories weren’t fully wiped.
“Wh-why’s my body... Why’s there something between my legs...? Wait, was I a guy...? Ngh... My head...”
Meiling tried to dredge up her memories, only to clutch her head in agony from the headache. Hopefully, nothing would come rushing back. Couldn’t let my guard down. I was the owner of 666 Luck... Anything could happen.
“Meiling... Calm down first.”
“Th-these bodies... Why am I a guy...? I... I don’t know... What the hell’s going on...? Was I a woman or a man...? It’s all fuzzy now... My head... It hurts... Hurts...”
“Calm down, Meiling! Those monsters on the floor temporarily swapped your gender. And right now, you seem to have amnesia too. Don’t force any memories. It could mess up your brain.”
Yeah, don’t force it... I was anxious she might actually remember.
“I can’t remember... Nothing but my name... Who... who was I...? And who are you? Tell me... I don’t know anything... I’m scared...”
“Relax... For now, we were comrades.”
“Y-you and me... comrades...?”
“Yeah... True comrades fighting through this brutal world together. Practically family.”
“Oh...”
“Whew... Let me explain the situation, so listen up, Meiling.”
“Mm... Okay...”
I told her the world had gone to shit like some disaster flick, and we were comrades protecting each other from the bipedals— presumed aliens.
I spoke nothing but the truth, no lies. The world really had gone to hell, and we’d been forced to watch each other’s backs against those two-legged freaks.
“I see... So that’s what happened...”
“Yeah. It was rough... But at least you’re alive, Meiling. That’s a relief.”
Luckily, Meiling bought my story hook, line, and sinker without a shred of doubt. The dead bipedals right in front of her eyes helped, and John and Liam— now my slaves after a few sword slashes— nodded along, eyeing me warily.
“Um... excuse me... Are those two comrades too...?”
Meiling asked about them. I casually explained they were survivors we’d met here and were traveling with now. She nodded along without question.
‘She’s buying it too easily... Kinda suspicious. Was she a naive girl before the apocalypse hit? Even if she’s an old dude now...’
Once Meiling had a rough grasp of the situation, she brushed the blue blood off her body and stood.
“That’s a relief. Having a comrade who can explain things makes me feel a bit safer... Thanks.”
Meiling, who’d been on edge until now, seemed somewhat reassured and hit me with a cringey line. It didn’t feel great getting sincere thanks from what looked like a guy, but since the insides were still a woman, I let it slide.
More importantly, I needed to naturally probe her class and stats... Time to build a little rapport.
“Hey, Meiling. What was your class again? Gambler, right?”
“Huh? Class?”
“Yeah, think about your status window, stat screen, menu— something should pop up. Oh, and tell me your Luck stat too. I need it to make an amnesia cure... By the way, I’m a Summoner. Remember that.”
“Ah... Hold on...”
There was no amnesia cure even with her Luck stat, but I bullshitted anyway. Meiling stared into space intently, then checked her status window.
“Uh...”
Too busy gawking at the window to suspect anything. While she browsed, I prayed silently.
‘Please... be 777...’
If it was 777, I’d have her read Manti’s Book and end it right there.
Luck: 99 Class: Trickster But against my hopes, Baiyu wasn’t a hero of the good gods.
“Um... Luck is 99... Class is... Trickster...?”
“What?”
“It says Trickster? Weren’t we comrades...? Don’t tell me you didn’t even know my class?”
Her Luck being 99 threw me so hard I reacted obviously. Meiling shot me a suspicious look, like how could her comrade not know her class. But I’d been shocked by the Luck, not the class.
‘If I panic or stammer here, she’ll really suspect me. Remember: bullshit requires confidence.’
I turned the tables and yelled at Meiling.
With her memories wiped, whatever I said would stick as her reality. She was no match for me from the start.
“No way!! There’s no way I wouldn’t know your class!! You’re the one lying to me!!!”
“What? M-me?”
“Yeah!! You lying sack of shit!! You told me you were a Gambler!!! Trickster?! So you were deceiving me after all...”
“N-no!! That’s not—”
“No wonder you never told me... You were planning to ditch me all along... A weak-ass Summoner’s not worth sticking with... I really thought you were a true comrade... I’m disappointed...”
I hung my head with a bitter expression. The sensitive woman inside Meiling started babbling excuses. Hard to argue without clear memories— her words just tangled.
‘More importantly... A 99-Luck Trickster? Class name’s already a headache... Myriad Ghost Realm? Definitely not Ten Thousand Demon Realm...’
Trickster gods... From what I knew, Loki or Hermes. So Meiling was probably from the Myriad Ghost Realm, where the ancient gods gathered.
‘Maybe that’s why she suspected me...’
She might’ve doubted me from the moment I mentioned Myriad Ghost Realm affiliation. Whatever the reason, the suspicious Baiyu was gone. All that remained was clueless Meiling, untouched by true disaster.
“Fine. If you hadn’t lost your memories, you’d have kept deceiving me. Good thing I caught on now.”
“N-no... Th-that’s not...”
I shook off her hand and turned away. She started getting anxious again at the sudden shift.
Whether she freaked out or not, wasn’t my problem. No more business with this amnesiac whatever-the-hell— Meiling, Baiyu, whatever.
‘Next candidate’s Nick... Is that bastard really a hero...?’
My next target was Nick. He might not be 777 either. Hell, maybe not even from the Pantheon of Gods. But I’d already decided to off him...
“Let’s keep moving for now. And Meiling... No more lies to me. I hope you won’t betray my trust.”
“Yeah... Sorry...”
Still useful until we escaped the mansion, so I fed her some empty words. She gazed at me all touched, this shabby-looking chink.
‘Baiyu at least looked manly enough not to feel too off...’
A guy acting all girly was hard to get used to.
“Everyone, stay sharp and follow. Don’t touch anything weird.”
“Yeah... Got it...”
Situation resolved for now. The bipedals haunting the mansion were reduced to mushy piles by the cockroach swarm, and Ebony Cockroach plus its offspring had gone off to hunt any remaining lifeforms on my command.
‘Wandering around at this hour’s a waste of time...’
Realizing there was nothing special after poking around, I reached for the double-helix pocket watch. No need to linger in this blood-soaked mansion reeking of alien gore.
That’s when a signal came from Ebony Cockroach.
Room that won't open. Sturdy. Cannot break. “Hm?”
I followed Ebony Cockroach’s signal, leading the group along. Felt like something was there.
“That’s unusual...”
The door waiting for us was different from all the ones we’d seen wandering the mansion so far.
‘Solid steel door...?’
Clunk. Clunk.
“Hmm... Won’t open.”
We’d smashed through every other locked room with Nick and Baiyu. Honestly, no need for the peddler’s Emperor’s Universal Key. But this one... Tough to break.
No budge even forcing it, and my corrupting touch didn’t faze it.
“Meiling. You know how to use your skills?”
“Yeah... I remember.”
“Good. Smash this door.”
I ordered her to bust it. Meiling closed her eyes, focused, then coated her arms in blue mana. First time seeing the skill.
‘Activation’s too slow...’
Baiyu would’ve fired it off instantly, but with memories wiped, her combat experience reset— took her forever.
BAM!!!
“Damn... Not even a dent.”
“Yeah...”
Even her blue-mana-infused punch didn’t faze the door.
‘Didn’t want to waste it, but...’
I pulled out the Emperor’s Universal Key. Only ten uses, so I’d been saving it, but no choice.
“Alright... Opening it.”
Shoved it into the keyhole— slid right in smooth as butter.
Click.
The door opened.
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