The Trial

"Mirror Miemie, I didn't just fabricate some conspiracy theory out of thin air. You yourself are highly suspicious.

You're clearly already inside the [Magic Mirror], so why do you need my permission to act? If you wanted to fix it, you could just do it yourself."

"These are the rules of the [Trial]."

"See, you've exposed yourself again. I've never heard of an anomaly obeying another anomaly from a completely different species.

The [Magic Mirror] is a mystical item, and its function is to imprison a [Trial]. That much is barely plausible.

You claim you can control the [Magic Mirror], and the [Magic Mirror] can trap the [Trial], yet you still have to abide by the rules of the [Trial].

What, are you trying to play some three-way standoff with me, a game of mutual checks and balances?"

"Then who do you think I am?"

"According to the rules of the [Trial], there must always be a choice between two options. Out of the two people this time, I am one of them.

Since Father Jing, as a former inheritor of the trial qualifications, could be one of the chosen people.

Then I imagine that as the initiator of the trial, it's equally possible for you to participate.

So, you are an anomaly, yes, but not some mirror anomaly. You are the [Trial] itself."

"Haha, interesting. To think I was exposed so quickly."

The Mirror Miemie in the glass dissipated, turning into a cluster of phantom shadows.

The scene became even more bizarre.

Chen Miemie faced the [Magic Mirror]. There was no reflection in the glass, only a faintly writhing ripple of air.

"Speak up, [Trial]. You put on such a big show just to face me. What do you want to talk about?"

"Chen Miemie, you've seen my power. It's no exaggeration to say that I alone could easily take down a city. As long as you choose me, I can satisfy all your demands."

Chen Miemie looked thoughtful.

"I see. The person I choose will enter the [Magic Mirror], but the prerequisite for 'entering' is that they must currently be outside the mirror.

You are imprisoned by the mirror. If I chose you, you would be able to completely escape first, and then directly destroy the mirror before 'entering' it.

[Trial], you want me to set you free."

"Yes. In the beginning stages of this [Trial], I originally had no such intentions.

If it were Father Jing or any other mystic, even if they chose me, the contradictory rules wouldn't allow me to leave the mirror.

But, to my surprise, Father Jing actually brought you here.

When I saw you help the clown in the third round get the Joker card he could never otherwise obtain, I realized you possess an incredibly unique power. It is a power several tiers higher than even my absolute peak.

Only your choice can free me from the imprisonment of the [Magic Mirror].

Therefore, for the fourth round, I took the field myself."

Chen Miemie nodded. "If you had been honest with me at the very start of the fourth round, I might have just let you out directly. But you chose to deceive me, and I don't like that approach. You should know, once I, Chen Miemie, get angry, the consequences are very severe."

The rippling air that was the [Trial] trembled for a moment:

"Apologies. According to my judgment, if I had told you directly, you would not have agreed.

I am the [Trial]. One of my passive traits is that once a trial begins, I myself must also obey its rules. If someone successfully completes the trial, even if it hurts me, I must carve off my own flesh to provide a precious reward.

That is to say, if you chose me, I would be forced to destroy the sealing point.

You probably wouldn't let me do that."

"Are you that eager to destroy the sealing point?"

The [Trial] sounded somewhat helpless. "It's not really a matter of what I want or don't want; it depends on you. If you want to repair it, I will be the destroyer. If you want to destroy it, I will be the repairer. Based on your current behavior, you want to repair it."

This was a paradox.

No matter what Chen Miemie's stance was, he would never choose the [Trial] that opposed his own will.

"Oh, [Trial], you're still not being honest. Knowing full well that I wouldn't choose you, what was the point of you stepping in personally?

Your attitude doesn't depend on me; your very nature is to destroy.

The [Magic Mirror] is immensely important to Sixiang City. The magnitude of its effectiveness largely depends on the strength of the anomaly imprisoned within it. As the prisoner, could you really not harbor hostility toward Sixiang City, which relies on the [Magic Mirror] and uses you as a power source?"

"Then tell me, what do you think I can do to you?"

"Father Jing wouldn't lie to me about what happened ten years ago. He said back then that during the last trial, Bishop Yi led the team, and they only barely passed after suffering heavy casualties. This proves that there is combat within the trial.

So the question arises: why is it that when it comes to me, I just have to make a few choices, answer a few questions, and flap my lips to pass the trial?

That's why I said from the very beginning that you want to trick me into stepping into the [Magic Mirror], so you can kill me inside the mirror world, on your own turf."

At this point, the [Trial] began to tear off its disguise.

"So what if you know? If you want to repair the seal, you have to come in."

"There's no time limit anyway, so I can just stall. Given enough time, the humans outside will eventually dispatch stronger experts, and they'll find a way to deal with you."

"Haha, how could a trial have such a massive loophole? When I said there was no time limit, it was only relative, meant to give you ample time to think and choose.

Chen Miemie, this is the night of the sixth day of the week. Once the clock strikes midnight, it will be the [Day of No Tomorrow]. The [Day of No Tomorrow] is very special; it represents the temporary suspension of many rules and orders. That exact moment is the deadline for the trial.

If the trial is not completed by that time, I can directly declare it a failure."

The [Trial] actually didn't want to reveal this hidden time limit, but since the trial-taker had actively brought it up, the rules dictated that it had to inform him.

Chen Miemie glanced at his watch.

After the leisurely conversations and choices at the first three locations, it was already 10:18 PM.

There were less than two hours left until the [Day of No Tomorrow].

Having torn off its disguise, the [Trial] was no longer as polite as before.

"Chen Miemie, make your choice now. Either you choose me and let me out;

Or you choose yourself. But once you enter the mirror, you will immediately face my lethal attacks. The mirror world is my territory. You won't even reach the seal, and you still won't be able to complete the repair.

I'll tell you plainly: last time, that Bishop Yi, along with Father Jing and the others, had a total of four [Mystery] Rank 6 experts. Three of them were even at the peak of [Mystery] Rank 6, and there were plenty of [Mystery] Rank 5s as well.

They were fully prepared and brought all sorts of the city's foundational artifacts to ambush me. Even so, two [Mystery] Rank 6 experts died on the spot before they could barely defeat me.

Even if you aren't afraid of sacrificing yourself, why make a futile effort?

Let me out, and I can consider your trial a success, granting you generous rewards."

Chen Miemie sighed. "I was wondering how a grand place like Sixiang City had withered to this extent, not even having a single [Mystery] Rank 6. So they were all expended on you ten years ago."

"Enough. Make your choice. You are a smart person, so I presume you won't disappoint me."

The [Trial]'s analysis was very clear.

Let it out, and receive benefits—massive benefits. Insist on fighting against it, and end up dying in vain, a meaningless sacrifice that wouldn't even secure the repair of the seal.

The corners of Chen Miemie's mouth curled up slightly.

He took a large step forward and strode directly into the surface of the mirror.

His choice left [Trial] looking both astonished and furious.

"You... how dare you..."

After entering the mirror world, Chen Miemie took a few deep breaths, testing the air in this wondrous place.

It was remarkably fresh and felt quite nice.

Then, without giving [Trial] a chance to fly into a rage, Chen Miemie took the initiative to walk toward it.

"[Trial], now it is your turn to be the challenger and face my trial."

As he spoke, the entire mirror world began to turn into porcelain, spreading outward with him at the center.

Behind him, Qinghua, Bobo, Loop who had been folded into paper, Pure Water, Origami, and Red appeared one after another.