Secret World: I Became a God Through Lies

Chapter 363 The Lies of the Corridor: The War Without a King

"The art of deception is not a disguise, but a reflection:"

The enemy you see is the person you fear becoming.

—Excerpt from "The Dream of Conspiracy: Part Two - The Rules of the Lie War"

Beneath the royal capital's sky, the blood moon, like the eye of fate, slowly opened, its crimson gaze a judgment from the abyss.

The map overlooking the entire Areston was trembling violently.

Prince Orion has finally taken the first step in his destiny.

Just now, through Ian's exquisite "deep injury performance" and "illusion guidance," Si Ming successfully convinced Orion that Medici was attempting to use the Church and mysterious forces.
They forcibly seized the throne in the name of the Cataclysm and rose above the Empire.

Now, Orion has personally issued the order that will shake the entire city:
"The Third Brigade of the Royal Guard and forty-seven Royal Guards are to immediately encircle and annihilate the Diocese of Our Lady!"

“I don’t care if she’s my sister or not—if she truly uses the capital as an altar in an attempt to ascend to godhood, then I will be her divine punishment!”

This command, like the first faint chime in a clock tower, officially heralded the complete collapse of faith and cognition throughout the city.

On the bridge of the Lost One, Lilia closed her eyes slightly, her brow trembling slightly.

Her Mysterious Card "Lost Whispers" has fully entered the "diffusion" state, with countless delicate and transparent whispering sprites...
Like a speck of dust, it flutters lightly between dreams and reality, cleverly conveying the carefully designed messages of the God of Fate to various nodes.

Her voice was low and soft, yet precise and calm as she reported to Si Ming:
"The first unit has already entered the perimeter of the diocese."

The Fate Master stood at the core of the Destiny Chart, his expression as calm as an ancient and enigmatic statue, his tone as gentle as a whispering priest:
"Continue to advance the information. Targets locked: Edel, Mirror Tide, and the neutral faction in the council."

"We don't need to convince anyone."

"All we have to do is force them to take action."

Lilia then activated the second layer of rules in "Lost Whispers": "Citywide Whisper Monitoring" entered a semi-open state.

Her perception, as dense and delicate as a spider web, seeped into every level, listening to and slightly altering the secret incantations of high-ranking nobles, the clandestine communications of church messengers, and the cursed secrets within the Mirror Tide Black Chain.

In the next instant, she swiftly projected five precisely crafted "lies," according to the coded markings, into the ears of the designated faction:

—Spread false intelligence to Edel's military leadership: "The Church's runes have taken control of the military's logistical resources. Under the Cataclysm, they plan to completely destroy the arms supply nodes."

—A message to the Mirror Tide infiltrators: "The Church has completely sealed the Mirror Tower's divine script core, and during the Star Calamity, it will forcibly rewrite the Mirror Tide's mysterious system into the structure of the Mother's language."

—A lie was spread to the neutral noble council: "The church has established a 'life mark transfer ceremony,' and all noble secrets will soon be completely sealed off."

— A message was sent to street militias and black market gangs: "The church is about to launch a large-scale 'spiritual mobilization,' and the black market will become their first testing ground."

—Precise guidance to the remnants of the Mirror Tide Cult: "Medeth intends to completely annihilate the Haran tribe and permanently seal the Mirror Lake of Sazeroth under the Holy Fire."

This is not ordinary inducement or persuasion, but rather like a sharp knife piercing the deepest structure of belief and trust in every power.

Whispering questions into the depths of their minds:

"What if she actually did that?"

Once they begin to imagine, once the seeds of doubt are sown, the scales of victory have already tipped.

Calvino remained silent for a long time, gazing at the departing figure of Si Ming, who seemed to be rewriting reality like a screenwriter of fate, and sighed softly:

"Don't you think this is too cold-blooded?"

Si Ming did not turn his head, but gazed at the network of fate diagrams that shimmered and intertwined throughout the city like stars. His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable resolve:
"I don't want them to die."

“I just can’t accept them living in her carefully crafted script anymore.”

Whisper Sprite Quick Report:
"Within the Royal Capital Diocese, Edel's army has begun to mobilize. The Second Spellcasting Corps of Mirror Tide has successfully connected to the Third Tower Sacrifice Line."

"The entire royal city has begun to tear itself apart."

Si Ming lowered his head and gently crushed a fragment of memory with his fingertips—it was a memory he had witnessed of a Holy Mother Knight being burned at the stake, his face contorted in agony.

He bestowed this memory upon a fictitious clone, which he quietly placed on the east side of the parish.

In an instant, an extremely realistic "roaring death demonstration" unfolded.
It shocked the fragile nerves of all the witnesses, quickly igniting their doubts and fears about the Church of Our Lady.

Then, Ian's voice came again through the whispering sprite, carrying the lingering fatigue from the previous scene, yet filled with determination:

"I'm ready for Act Two."

"Do I need to play the victim again, or the seducer?"

Si Ming smiled gently, a rare warmth and appreciation appearing in his eyes:
"No, you just need to be yourself."

"You are the most perfect lie in the entire capital."

At this moment, the entire capital city is like a burning curse, its structure trembling, its order collapsing, and everyone's fate is being quietly swallowed up by this theatrical chaos and lies.

Trean, the 12th diocese, is the Church of Our Lady of the Blood.

The night was deep and heavy, and the blood moon silently opened its indescribable gaze in the sky, seemingly carrying some ancient and cold will.

Looking down at the twisted and floating fate charts and curse lines within the city below.

At that very moment, outside the Bloodstained Chapel, the first explosion, like a sigh of fate, resounded through the night sky—

"Enemy attack!"

"The altar has been attacked!"

Terrified screams shattered the solemn silence of the church, and countless clergy members on guard rushed out in a panic.

In an instant, the entire area surrounding the prayer hall was engulfed in a chaotic battlefield of mysterious flames and turbulent incantations.

Rex stood before the altar, his black robes cascading like an iron curtain. His expression was cold and calm, unmoved by the chaos before him.
Only the lens with the life pattern on his right eye kept rotating, reflecting the illusory images surging towards him like a tide.

These "attackers" approaching from all directions included those clad in military armor, those wielding the Mirror Tide Spell Seal, and even a frenzied guerrilla waving a noble's oath.

Their steps were perfectly synchronized, their movements decisive, yet they were merely phantoms summoned by the God of Destiny through the "Corridor of Illusion."

Although they lacked sustained fighting strength, they successfully created the illusion that the parish was under siege by forces from across the city.

Of these illusory projections, two figures are particularly oppressive:

A disguised "Mirror Tide High Spellcaster" casts the advanced dream spell [Reflection of Fate], causing illusory realms to pour forth like a tide;

Another clone, clad in the armor of "Vice General Edel," roared out a clear and unambiguous military order:
"The Church has taken control of the military lines, and the Prince has ordered the complete eradication of the source of the curse!"

Rex's eyes remained calm and icy, showing no sign of wavering. He raised his staff high and chanted in a low voice:

“I mend the blood-stained path with the words of the Holy Mother.”

"Those who reject the Destiny Chart will also be rejected by the Destiny Chart."

In an instant, a crimson life light suddenly surged from the altar beneath his feet, shooting straight into the sky, its life diagram spreading out like blood.

They coalesced into an indestructible "faith shield," completely protecting the blood sacrifice core behind them.

At this moment, Rex plays the role of a faithful guardian of the church. What he is protecting is not only the altar, but also the fundamental faith logic of the church.

When the diocesan bishops finally arrived, they found Rex standing alone in the center of flames and blood, while the attackers scattered in the storm of retaliation.

Cardinal Dalsé Caulan walked slowly forward, his gaze calmly fixed on the ravaged battlefield before him, and gave Rex a deep look:
"Father Raymond,"

"Our Lady will remember your faithfulness."

Rex bowed respectfully, his expression solemn, yet his voice conveyed an unwavering devotion of faith:
"Glory belongs to the Virgin Mary forever."

At that moment, he knew that his disguise had been completely integrated into the core of the church.

After the cardinal had disappeared into the distance, Rex quietly activated the whispering sprite hidden in his sleeve and sent a message to the Lost One:

"The First Sacrificial District is stable and has successfully gained internal trust."

"The cardinal is confirmed without a doubt."

"The core area infiltration plan has been officially launched—approaching the Altar of the Star Calamity within a day."

On the bridge of the Lost One, Lilia nodded slightly after receiving the coded message, while the Fate Master, who was stationed at the core of the Illusory Corridor, smiled softly:

"A city built on faith is always the easiest theater to control."

-

The mist over Mirror Lake had not yet dissipated, and the cursed armor of the Reflection Warrior was still dripping with the cold lake water.

Arthur sat atop the tower, his fingertip lightly touching a red circle on the battle plan presented by the old priest of the Harlan Legion.

The old priest reported in a hoarse voice:
"Your Highness, a large number of Cursed Knights have appeared in the Sixth District. Their shields belong to the orthodox lineage of the Church."

"Our original reflection altar has been destroyed, and we are currently engaged in fierce fighting with the soldiers at the Harlan outpost."

Arthur's brow furrowed slightly:
"The Knights of Our Lady?"

At that moment, Victorian returned from the battlefield, her steps composed, her mirror shield still stained with damp blood. She glanced at the battle map, her gaze turning icy.

"Meddes... how dare she trespass on our territory?"

Arthur gave a low, cold laugh, his tone laced with disdain and hidden meaning:
"She is no longer a believer, but a self-proclaimed chosen one. Perhaps she has forgotten that she once belonged to this royal capital."

“In that case, let’s remind her that Harlan is by no means her altar.”

Arthur casually signed the order, his voice devoid of any emotion:
"Release the Mirror Tower War Witches and wipe out the Church's vanguard—treat them as war criminals."

The map of destiny subtly changed color, adding another crack to the capital.

-

On the eastern coastal defense line of the royal capital, Edel stood atop the bridge, the map of destiny surging behind him like waves.

He had just finished a fierce battle with the "Doomsday Rose" and hadn't even had time to catch his breath when his adjutant rushed in, holding a scroll and reporting:
"The military camp has been attacked, and the life runes have revealed a mysterious structure of the High Order of the Church!"

"Enemy forces are attempting to breach the logistics tower, and fighting has been confirmed at the side gate of the command tower!"

Edel's gaze suddenly turned cold, a sharp and icy hint of doubt flashing in his eyes:

"Meddes?"

The adjutant responded cautiously:
"At least it's her emblem; the enemy is holding up the Seal of the Virgin Mary."

Edel remained silent for a moment, then resolutely gave the order:
"Activate the reserve inner city garrison regiment, targeting all combat units outside the church."

He gazed at the distant city, a storm-like shadow flashing across his eyes, his tone as firm as iron:

"The capital must not fall into her control."

Trean, the 12th diocese, the central church of Our Lady, the "Church of Blood".

The blood moon, like a nightmare's eye, hung high in the night sky, casting a suffocating crimson shadow.

The mysterious, ethereal lines floating above the parish were slowly twisting, as if a silent, eerie tragedy was about to unfold.

Medusa stood atop the altar, having just completed the third layer of the "Divine Echo of Fate Diagram," the warmth of the sacrificial runes still lingering in her palms. At that moment, a cardinal, his face covered in cold sweat, rushed into the hall, his voice trembling with terror as if he had encountered a nightmare:
"Holy Mother, please look—"

He hastily activated the Destiny Map projection, and the screen flashed, revealing that the three core forces in the entire capital—the Royal Palace, Mirror Tide, and the Military—had all entered a state of "full-scale war against the Church"!
Another deputy head of the religious association gave an urgent report:

"Prince Orion has mobilized the Third Royal Guard and is now closing in on the Eastern Shrine!"

"Edel mobilized the military dependents' garrison, setting up a pincer attack from three sides!"

"The warriors of Haran from the Mirror Tide are shouting 'War of Revenge!' and fiercely attacking the Seventh District!"

Medici slowly lowered her gaze, and for the first time, a deep, unfathomable chill and doubt flashed in her usually calm eyes:

"They... all see me as an enemy?"

The cardinal, flustered, knelt down and offered a terrified and bewildered explanation:

"Holy Mother, we are puzzled. We have never attacked any force on our own initiative..."

Medici slowly raised her head, gazing at the slowly rotating shadow of the blood moon.

An uncontrollable, icy curse blazed in her eyes, and a low, dark murmur, not of human language, began to rise from her throat:
"Who... is distorting the perception of this city?"

"Who...made them believe that I am the end of this city?"

She gazed at the battle map. The flames of war raged throughout the capital like vibrant flowers in full bloom.

She was surrounded by the flowers, becoming the "heart" of this burning display.

At this moment, on the bridge of the Lost One, Siming stared at the frantically pulsating "lies" on the holographic map, a hint of pity in his eyes, and whispered to Lilia:
"The moment a goddess is recognized as a witch, she is destined to be an enemy."

Lilia's tone was calm, yet carried a hint of coldness:

"You have already written the final chapter for her."

Si Ming shook his head slightly and whispered:

"No, this is just the second round of voting for her divinity."

Meanwhile, in the lower-class residential area of ​​Pota Street, the embers of the flames still flickered and danced in the alleyways, and the streetlights dimmed like tears.

Seri stood quietly on the newly formed ruins, her cloak half-undone, revealing her right arm, shoulder blade, and back.

The vibrant life runes were slowly igniting with crimson flames, reflecting on her calm and divine face.

Behind her was a group of terrified young people—students of the Mysterious Night Class, street-side spell artists, and teenagers who had secretly listened to the Star Chart lectures.

Before her stood five shadow warriors who had suddenly appeared from the rift in the mirror tide.

They are the last descendants of the Haran people, loyal servants beneath the mirror lake of Sarzeros, and prayer warriors who "sacrifice their souls for the illusory god in the mirror."

They gripped long blades emblazoned with twisted destiny diagrams, chanting low, eerily resonant curses:
"Before the King of Reflections awakens, you will all be reduced to fragments in the mirror."

Selene remained silent. The next moment, she drew a scarlet card from her robes, then slashed her right palm's life line, softly chanting:
"With my blood... I will protect this street."

The card suddenly shone brightly.

As the mystery was activated, her hair shimmered with a faint red metallic sheen, and her pupils suddenly stretched into the vertical shape characteristic of a hunter.

The shoulder blades slowly unfolded like blooming blood-red wings, and red energy threads condensed into ethereal wings, appearing and disappearing intermittently.

The first Reflection Warrior had just taken a step forward and hadn't even made a move when a scarlet crack burst open from his chest.

Selene's figure reappeared behind him, her right hand stained with blood.

With a gentle wave of his left hand, a spell line as sharp as an arrow pierced through the throat of the second enemy in an instant.

She is like the wind, like blood, and like a princess hunting in the dark alleys of the city.

The young people gasped in surprise, but did not scream.

They had seen her at her gentlest; during evening classes, she had led them in drawing destiny charts, reciting star chart poems, and explaining the quadrants of the vast celestial sphere.

At this moment, they finally witnessed her true hunting stance—fighting solely to protect them.

The third Reflection Warrior frantically unleashed spell waves, attempting to pinpoint her location.

However, before his spell was complete, Celian had already silently leaped behind his ear and whispered:

Who exactly is that you see?

The silver blade flashed like moonlight, instantly severing half of the warrior's body, splattering blood everywhere.

The remaining two enemies finally began to retreat in fear, but they inadvertently stepped into the "Reverse Pattern Sealing Trap" that Selian had already set up. Their destiny charts instantly became disordered and their spiritual power scattered.

In an instant, three consecutive attacks cleared the battlefield.

Selene slowly turned around, calmly waved to the young people, and a gentle, reassuring smile appeared on her lips:

"Come on."

"Go to the refuge, where the lights of dreams will illuminate your path."

Basilica of Our Lady - Blood Moon Main Hall.

At this moment, the dome, engraved with countless mysterious and incantations, has been swallowed up by the blood-red radiance.

The twelve main star lines intertwined and tangled, like a complex web of blood hanging above everyone's heads, sending chills down their spines.

It was as if the entire sky had been transformed into a huge and eerie heart, slowly beating and pumping out an indescribable divine fear.

Below the magnificent stone steps of the main hall, Rex knelt on one knee. His divine robes, stained with blood, still shone brightly, the black robes heavy and solemn as if cast in iron.

He had just returned from the front lines, single-handedly stabilizing the source of the curse in the twelfth magic circle, and was hailed by the diocese as the "Blessed One of the Blood Moon".

Cardinal Dalsey Caulán slowly stepped forward, his eyes revealing for the first time a deep respect for the young priest.

He reached out and solemnly helped Rex up:

"Father Raymond."

"The glory of the Virgin Mary will shine upon you forever."

He gently patted Rex on the shoulder, then led him through the priestly passage toward the main temple.

That was the deepest, most secret place of faith within the Church of Our Lady, a place forbidden to anyone but a cardinal for life. Yet, Rex had entered.

-

Inside the main hall, Medici stood silently atop the ascension altar at the core of the spell runes, half of her body levitating lightly in mid-air.

Her destiny chart burned like fire, and her bloodline spread like vines, tightly connecting her to the altar.

The Altar of the Star Calamity has activated its five-fold curse rings, and the Divine Echo is entering its ultimate resonance structure.

But her eyes were as cold as a frozen lake that had been frozen for thousands of years.

The cardinal brought her the news she least wanted to hear:
"Honorable Sage".

"The four outer blood sacrifice arrays have all been destroyed."

“Orioun, Edel, Mirror Tide, the Noble Guard... all forces are attacking us at the same time.”

Medici didn't turn around; her tone was cold and sharp.
"They...shouldn't have known about the existence of these four sacrificial sites."

The cardinal hesitated for a moment, then whispered:

“We haven’t yet determined the reason… but Father Raymond successfully guarded the twelfth sacrificial site, and we believe you should know that—”

Medici raised her hand to stop him from speaking, and her gaze slowly fell on Rex, looking at the priest for the first time in a truly conscious way.

Rex bowed solemnly, his voice as steady as iron:

“Our Lady, I only want to ensure that this ascension... is not disturbed by mortals.”

She remained silent for a moment, offering no response, but simply nodded slightly before turning back to face the burning altar.

Rex slowly raised his head, and a layer of dark "mirror-like fate patterns" quietly appeared in his eyes.
Like the stars reflected in the depths of a mirror lake—he has quietly entered the core, and he has become the deepest lie in the next act.

-

Under the vast map of destiny, the entire city has been split into two sacrificial theaters that are burning simultaneously.

The southeastern part of the city and the main church area:

Under the gaze of the blood moon, the incantations in the sky, using the tiny pain of every life as ink, outlined Medici's gradually taking shape as her divine true name.

The lamentations and anguish of the soul are precisely converted into strands of subtle yet profound "divine energy."
Her lifeline, like a thread, was ruthlessly pulled away, reflected, and burned, becoming a sacrifice for her ascension to the throne.

And the northwest of the city and the old street of the ruined tower:
The sacrificial ceremony of Kagami-shio has quietly completed four "projections".

Countless silver stars dot the city's mirrored surface, their ethereal brilliance projecting the eerie outline of the "city in the mirror."

Deep within that Mirror Lake, a colossal being, faceless yet possessing a thousand faces, is slowly revealing itself.

It was silent, yet every mortal who gazed upon its reflection heard a curse that ran deep in their bones:

"You are my mirror."

"You will eventually return."

This is not a battle between gods and demons, but the ultimate clash between divinity and divinity, which has already quietly begun.

-

At the summit of the royal palace in the heart of the city, the star chart symbolizing the Trelian monarchy had dimmed to the point of being as dim as a candle flame in the wind.

It teetered on the brink of collapse, like the chest of the dying old lion king Henrian, struggling and heaving in vain, unable to stop the approaching end.

Atop the towering palace, on the cold back of a gargoyle, sat a figure draped in a black cloak.

The illusory avatar of the God of Fate is calmly and composedly overlooking this city that has been completely shattered.

He extended a finger and gently traced in the air, outlining an invisible and profound theater stage.

A slight smile played on his lips, a hint of a cold, sigh-like smirk.

"The lie continues to unfold until the very end."

"The true divinity is finally about to make its appearance."

"That night, there were two kinds of prayers in the city: one was offered to God, and the other was offered to the mirror."

The royal star charts, however, remain silent, like an unsigned script.

—Excerpt from *The Chronicles of Dreamy Warfare: Collapse Chapter - Royal Capital Notes*

(End of this chapter)