Secret World: I Became a God Through Lies

Chapter 382 Golden Eye and the Secret Gate of the Stars
"Money is to people what armor is to a warrior; only those who truly possess it know its weight."

—Excerpt from "The Maxims of the Golden Empire"

Warm lighting enveloped the VIP room, and a faint scent of sandalwood lingered in the air, like a secret ceremony quietly unfolding.

Si Ming was looking down at the documents the manager had brought him, his fingertips lightly tracing the pages, his brows gradually furrowing.

Xiao Jie's activity records seem to exude an unusual eeriness, concealing hidden messages like cracks in the star map.

Lynn sat quietly to the side, her fingertips gently tapping the rim of her glass, her gaze deep and wary, like a cat lurking in the night.

Just as the two were lost in their own thoughts, a soft knock sounded on the door.

Then, the door opened gently, and a familiar yet unexpected figure slowly walked in.

He had a smile on his lips, a refined and composed demeanor, and a hint of mystery in his calm and collected manner.
"Siming, it's been a long time. If Boss Hak knew you were in Dunhuang, he'd be ecstatic."

Si Ming raised his head slightly, a hint of surprise flashing across his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled slightly: "Loren, it has indeed been a long time."

Loren nodded slightly, smiled and gestured to Lynn, then sat down opposite Si Ming, his movements practiced and natural.
It was as if an invisible kite string had suddenly appeared in the private room, subtly connecting the three of them.

"How did you end up here?" Si Ming put down the documents, his gaze filled with amusement, his voice low and questioning.

Loren tapped the table lightly, a mysterious smile playing on his lips:

"The boss's interest in Dunhuang has suddenly skyrocketed lately, so naturally he passed me on. But what about you? Why are you suddenly paying attention to someone as insignificant as Xiao Jie?"

Si Ming chuckled lightly, his gaze as meaningful as the person in the mirror: "Xiao Jie may be a nobody, but the story behind his disappearance is not so simple."

Loren's smile froze slightly, his eyes becoming unfathomable, as if he had sensed a strange atmosphere in the air:

"It seems our old friend is about to get into some serious trouble again."

The atmosphere in the private room froze briefly. The silence between the two was like a still, icy river, until Lynn broke the silence with a soft cough:
"If you guys keep going on like this, I'm starting to wonder if I'm in the wrong place."

Loren chuckled upon hearing this, his expression immediately relaxing: "It seems your new partner is quite interesting, Siming. It's rare to see you and a girl so in sync."

Si Ming replied calmly, "As good as we are, Hark still hasn't helped you get rid of your bad habit of secretly spying?"

Loren shrugged and sighed innocently, "When you're out in the world, you're bound to get hurt. If I don't gather some information, wouldn't my trip have been for nothing?"

As he spoke, he casually rolled up his sleeves, inadvertently revealing eight dazzling star-shaped life patterns on his wrist, which shone brightly under the light.

A glint flashed in Siming's eyes as he smiled and said, "Eight stars? It seems you've made quite a bit of progress."

Loren smiled wryly upon hearing this, his tone tinged with a hint of teasing:

"Don't make fun of me, you eleven-star legend. Your cultivation speed has long been a myth in the mystery circle. People worship you on the forum every day."

Si Ming smiled calmly, his voice low and humble: "It was just good luck. If it weren't for you and Fatty lending a hand back then, I'm afraid I wouldn't even have been able to get started."

Loren looked at him, his eyes filled with a hint of appreciation and emotion, before his tone became more serious: "On the other hand, the waters of Dunhuang are very deep. With your high profile, be careful not to attract unwanted attention."

Si Ming lowered his eyes slightly, a cold glint flashing in them, and then said casually, "There have always been many people eyeing me, but you know I'm never afraid of trouble."

As soon as he finished speaking, Loren and Lynn fell silent. The tacit understanding between the three of them was like the strings of a kite, subtly connecting them to form a shared destiny.

The air in the private room quieted down again, and a faint sandalwood scent wafted through the air, lingering between them like a whisper of fate.

Outside the window, somewhere in the starry sky, a tiny crack seemed to have quietly appeared, hinting at the impending storm and the turning point of fate.

Loren smiled softly and said nothing more, but the complex light in his eyes grew even deeper, like stars in the deep sea, hiding unspoken secrets.

The atmosphere in the room gradually froze. Si Ming slowly sipped his tea, his gaze turning cold as he raised his eyes, his tone carrying a subtle but palpable pressure:

"Loren, the things your Golden Country is doing in Dunhuang this time don't seem like ordinary business dealings, do they?"

Loren paused slightly, then his smile became inscrutable. He slowly put down his cup, his fingertips lightly tapping the table.

He said in a low voice, "Siming, in our line of work, it's always been difficult to draw clear lines, you understand."

Siming's gaze narrowed slightly, his voice neither hurried nor slow, yet carrying a hint of sharp intimidation:
"You mean your cooperation with Kunwu University isn't just a simple financial transaction? Is Xiao Jie's disappearance also related to your Golden Township?"

Loren remained silent for a moment, then looked at Siming with a complicated expression and slowly said, "Siming, this world is far more mysterious than you and I have ever seen."

There are some things I can't tell you directly. But I can reveal that the legend of the 'back room' might not just be a joke on the internet.

Si Ming's eyes sharpened, and his brows furrowed: "It seems that you have also noticed the existence of the 'back room' all along."

Loren chuckled softly, a deep, enigmatic glint in his eyes:
"With your keen insight, you may be closer to the truth. But I remind you, some secrets, once revealed, may not be the answers you seek."

After he finished speaking, the room fell into a brief silence again. Si Ming's eyes were deep, as if reflecting the endless abyss of the broken star chart.

Loren quickly regained his mysterious and gentle smile, stood up, gently adjusted his cuffs, and gazed through the dim light from the window:

“Siming, do you want to see the true secret of the Golden Land? Perhaps the answer you have been searching for is there.”

Si Ming paused slightly, then turned his gaze to Lin En beside him.

Lynn smiled slightly and nodded in response without hesitation, his voice carrying a lighthearted teasing tone:
"If you say you're not going at a time like this, I'll suspect you've been replaced."

Si Ming chuckled softly and slowly stood up: "Let's go. The truth never comes looking for us."

Loren smiled slightly, turned around and led the two out of the private room, through the luxuriously lit hall, and to a dark corner at the far end of the club.

An ancient and somber metal door stood silently in the shadows, its surface engraved with mysterious and eerie runes, as if whispering unspoken incantations, completely out of place with the surrounding opulent atmosphere.

Loren raised his hand and gently touched the cold door, chanting an ancient and obscure incantation in a low voice:

"With gold as our oath, and the stars as our witness..."

The gates of slumber open in the eternal night.

Pierce through the fog and reach the other side of truth.
An unknown whisper echoed in my ears.

To illuminate the path of destiny.

As he chanted his incantation, the runes on the door flickered slightly, emitting a mysterious, eerie blue glow.

A low humming sound filled the air, and the metal door seemed to melt into a slowly rotating vortex of void, vaguely revealing the mystery and eeriness on the other side.

Siming stared at the teleportation portal before him, his pupils slightly contracting as he sensed a profound and ancient power emanating from within.

Pulled by the curiosity and vigilance deep within his heart, it was as if a hidden kite string was pulling at his fate.

Loren stepped back, bowed slightly to Si Ming, his smile a mixture of respect and caution:
"Welcome to the true world of the Golden Land, Sir Fate. But I wonder, are you ready to face the truth behind it all?"

Si Ming smiled slightly, his voice as calm as a lake, yet concealing a sharp edge like a sword: "Now that I have embarked on this path, I will no longer back down."

Lynn gently took Si Ming's arm, a sly smile appearing on her lips: "Don't worry, I will accompany you into the abyss."

They exchanged a glance, stepped forward, and entered the eerie, dark blue portal without hesitation.

The subtle cracks in the star chart were quietly closing behind them, and a deeper theater of truth and destiny awaited their arrival.

The moment the mysterious door was pushed open, light and shadow intertwined, and fate took a strange turn at that moment.

Siming's eyes lit up; everywhere he looked was a luxurious and mesmerizing scene.

An underground casino shrouded in mysterious power unfolds, its brilliant lights and bustling crowds intertwining in a bizarre and dazzling spectacle, like stars fallen to earth.

Moving through this mysterious and extravagant banquet were wealthy merchants dressed in expensive formal attire, and mysterious sorcerers with obscure auras and sharp, razor-sharp eyes.

They huddled around tables covered with mysterious cards, whispering about the unpredictable nature of worldly transactions.

With a casual glance, Si Ming sensed the mysterious power subtly emanating from behind these cards.

Lynn's eyes widened, and he murmured, "These...are all Mystic Cards?"

Loren raised the corners of his lips slightly, a hint of pride appearing in his eyes: "Exactly. From the most common [Breath of Rejuvenation] to the precious [Source of Immortality], everything is available here."

At this point, he sighed softly, his tone wistful:

"Once upon a time, the mysterious world belonged only to a very few people. But now, its boundaries with reality have become blurred. Those who yearn for extraordinary power and eternal youth have long since thrown themselves into it like moths to a flame."

Loren turned to look at Si Ming, his words carrying a cryptic meaning:
"What we in Golden Village have done is merely to follow the tide of fate and establish such a semi-legal place, tacitly approved by the authorities and the Mystic Masters Guild."

By conquering secret realms and acquiring those mysterious cards, they can then be transferred to truly qualified individuals through trade and strategic gameplay.

Si Ming frowned slightly, a hint of sharpness in his calm voice: "So, the reason why your Golden Township settled in Dunhuang is for the sake of the secret transactions here?"

Loren didn't answer directly, but simply smiled and nodded slightly, letting the secret fester in each other's hearts.

The lights deep inside the casino flickered, like a pair of spying eyes, quietly observing Si Ming's every move.

Si Ming clearly felt as if he were being pulled by an invisible kite string, gradually approaching the reality woven by fate.

In a luxurious VIP room, the decorations are elegant and the lighting is soft as water.

A solemn-looking middle-aged man sat upright on the sofa, his dignified demeanor subtly revealing a deep-seated unease and anxiety.

Loren spoke first: "Siming, this is Mr. Xiao, Xiao Jie's father. He specifically requested to meet with you."

Si Ming nodded slowly, calmly sitting down on the opposite sofa, his expression serene yet exuding an undeniable sense of oppression.

Father Xiao scrutinized Si Ming, his voice low and tinged with a hint of wariness and suspicion:

“Mr. Fate, you have quite a reputation. Mr. Loren strongly recommended you to me, saying that if anyone could bring my son back from the ‘back room,’ that person would definitely be you.”

Mr. Xiao paused, his tone suddenly turning cold: "But I can't easily trust someone I don't know. After all, Xiao Jie is my own son."

Si Ming was not surprised. He nodded slightly, his tone calm yet assertive: "How do you want to verify my strength?"

Xiao's father's lips curled up slightly, and his expression became even sharper:
“I have a bodyguard who is quite strong and possesses a high-level Life-type card—'Three-Headed Dragon'. If you can defeat him in the arena, this mysterious card will be yours.”

The room fell silent instantly, the air almost frozen. Lynn couldn't help but look at Si Ming, her eyes filled with unease, but she ultimately didn't say anything.

Siming merely smiled faintly, gracefully rising to her feet, gently adjusting her collar, her gaze sharp as a knife: "Then, as you wish. However—"

His tone suddenly turned cold, each word like a sharp blade: "I don't think we need to team up. He's not worthy of my serious attention."

Before the words were even finished, the entire room fell into a brief moment of shock. Mr. Xiao stared in disbelief, his face changing drastically, shock and anger swirling in his eyes.

Only Loren seemed to have anticipated Si Ming's reaction. He smiled faintly and calmly signaled his men to prepare the arena.

Si Ming picked up the wine glass on the table, gently swirling the scarlet liquid inside, a mocking smile on his lips, as if the battle before him was nothing more than a game.

He took a sip of wine, slowly stood on the chessboard of fate, and waited for his opponent's supposedly powerful piece to enter the game.

The next moment, the star chart of fate is about to break, and unknown whispers come from the darkness.

Si Ming stood there, a calm smile on his face, welcoming the storm and shock that fate was about to bring.

A hint of tragic determination flickered in his eyes, as if he had already been destined to embark on this endless gamble.

Ultimately, does he control his destiny, or has destiny already controlled him?

When the blinding lights suddenly focused on the center of the arena, the entire arena seemed to be pushed to the peak of madness by an invisible hand.

The heavy mechanical roar accompanied the gate as it slowly rose, as if opening a rift to the unknown from the darkness at the end of the world.

The audience inside the stadium erupted in a deafening roar, their fervor and fervor resembling an ancient ritual about to be performed under a blood moon.

The gate opened fully, and a burly figure, as imposing as an iron tower, slowly stepped out.

His entire body was covered in hard dragon scales, the dark red luster shimmering menacingly under the light.

He threw his head back and let out a soul-shaking roar, and then his body swelled wildly at a terrifying speed.

With a series of cracking sounds, the bones suddenly split open, revealing three ferocious dragon heads with gaping maws, spewing forth crimson flames, poisonous mist, and black smoke, as if it were the prelude to the end of the world.

In the blink of an eye, the burly man had transformed into the awe-inspiring "three-headed dragon".

The enormous body filled the arena, and a heavy sense of oppression swept through everyone's hearts like a storm.

Xiao's father squinted, his steady gaze concealing a hint of expectation and worry as he silently scrutinized Si Ming, hoping to catch a trace of wavering on the face of this mysterious young man.

However, he was soon disappointed.

The God of Fate showed no surprise whatsoever; instead, a faint smile appeared on his face, and his tone was as calm and unhurried as a breeze:

"This is what you call a strongman? Unfortunately, among the life-type mystics I've ever met, he's probably the weakest."

The voice wasn't loud, but it was like a drop of water falling into a pot of boiling oil, causing an uproar throughout the arena.

The audience gasped in surprise, followed by a cacophony of exclamations and excited chatter that filled the entire venue.

Loren, however, seemed to have anticipated this, merely raising the corners of his mouth slightly and gesturing to his subordinates: "Get ready."

Completely unaware of the commotion around him, Si Ming leisurely raised the wine glass on the table and took a sip.

His gaze was calm and indifferent, as if the upcoming battle was merely a pastime for his leisure time.

Xiao's father could no longer contain his shock; his eyes flickered slightly, and his opinion of Si Ming was instantly overturned.

Lynn smiled and shook her head, as if Si Ming's behavior was the most normal thing to do.

Just as the audience held their breath in anticipation, Siming suddenly raised his hand gently, his fingertips lightly tracing the void, and a star map faintly appeared.

The space in front of him distorted slightly, and in an instant, another phantom exactly like him appeared in the center of the arena.

The entire venue fell silent instantly, as if time had frozen in that moment.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the two Fates: one sat calmly in the VIP section, the red wine in his hand still shimmering softly.
The other stood quietly in the arena, calmly watching the raging three-headed dragon.

"Since you want to watch, then watch it properly." Si Ming turned her head leisurely to look at Xiao's father, a faint hint of mockery and disdain on her lips.

"You can place your bet now, Mr. Xiao."

Mr. Xiao's breath hitched slightly, his expression complex and heavy, a silent storm raging within him.

He never expected that this seemingly simple gamble would make him experience the unpredictability and cruelty of fate for the first time.

The referee raised his arm and announced in a loud and solemn voice: "The mysterious gambling game officially begins!"

The crowd in the stands instantly went wild, their shouts erupting like a torrent, shaking every inch of the venue, as if calling for the god of destiny, who was sleeping under the endless starry sky, to descend.

But Si Ming remained unperturbed. He smiled and lazily swirled his wine glass, as if everything in the arena was nothing more than a trivial game.

His composure and calmness inspired a sense of awe and reverence in everyone present.

Lynn gazed at the indifferent phantom in the arena, a gentle yet complex look passing through her eyes, as if she had already foreseen the outcome of this battle deep in her heart.

At this moment, the illusory figure of the Fate Master stood quietly in the center of the arena, his gaze calm yet sharp, the surrounding air subtly distorting as if the runes of fate were slowly unfolding in the void.

The three-headed dragon roared, its claws digging at the ground, preparing to attack, while the illusory figure of the Fate Master merely slowly raised its arm.

A dazzling light, like that of a star, shone from his palm, as if it were an invisible blade wielded by fate itself.

The threads of fate are about to tighten, the battle bells are quietly ringing, and everyone inside and outside the arena is like an audience member in the theater of destiny, holding their breath and waiting for the unknown ending.

At this moment, Si Ming's eyes flickered with a faint sense of tragic grandeur and resolute determination.

He knew he was walking on the edge of a precipice where the star map had broken; this gamble was a fateful choice he was destined to face.

Whether he can truly control his own destiny or has already become a reflection in the mirror, controlled by the unspeakable eyes of the Whisperers.

The suspense remains unresolved, the truth shrouded in mist, but this battle in the arena will ultimately ignite the flames of intertwined destinies, illuminating the path to the truth.

"A truly powerful arcane master never puts themselves in danger, but rather remains outside the game." — Excerpt from *Card Master: The Secret Sayings of an Advanced Arcane Master*

(End of this chapter)