Mystery: When the Fool Meets the Masked Fool

Chapter 68 About Exploring Joy
Amber King? Audrey and Alger looked at each other, then simultaneously focused their gaze on Ceris.

"Amber King," Serris looked at Derrick. "You actually know about the Amber King. Can I only say that you are worthy of being a city-state left over from the Second Age?"

"In fact, we only found out about this recently." Derrick dismantled Serris's steps straightforwardly.

"Tsk, is that so?" Serris changed the subject.

"Since you want to know, I'll tell you about it." He looked around the table. "I'd also like to share some basic knowledge with you. Maybe one day you too can embark on this journey."

Klein immediately realized, "Destiny?" So the Amber King was the title of a destiny walker?
"He is the builder of the Comet Wall, the Sub-Space Crystal Wall, and the Great Attractor Foundation. His worshippers call him the 'Amber King.'" Serris said in an aural tone.

"Him?" Everyone present, except Little Sun, expressed confusion about this third-person pronoun.

"He has another name, a more well-known name, [Protection] Star God Krippo."

"Speaking of Star Gods, we must first discuss the concept of destiny."

Facing the Tarot Club's curious, puzzled, and curious looks, Ceresko said, "There's no clear definition of destiny yet, and its essence remains to be studied. However, some believe that at this stage, we can only describe it in the simple, easily understood form of a 'philosophical concept.' It can be understood as a phenomenon."

"Someone explained to me before: it's part of an imaginary number, a formal aggregation of spirits. When certain conditions are met, this part of imaginary energy will be completely occupied by an intelligent creature."

"This intelligent being is called a Star God, and the energy it possesses is called Fate. While a Star God can freely utilize the energy within Fate, he is also firmly bound to it."

[You copied Lao Yang's exact words directly.]

"Well, if I think about it myself, I will definitely argue with you, a nagging guy, no matter what." Serris confronted Erha in the team voice chat.

[That's right. After all, if I don't refute it, I'll get a headache.]

[No, I can still argue. Do you think what Lao Yang says is necessarily correct? Do you think what miHoYo writes is necessarily correct?]

"You are pure rice alkali."

Audrey raised her hand slightly: "Professor Jiao, why have we never heard of the Star God?"

She actually remembered to call me "Master Jiao". She really did. I cried to death.

"That's a good question, Mr. Zhengyi." Serris nodded in approval of Audrey. "Because Star Gods rarely appear before the public, even if someone happens to see a miracle, they most likely wouldn't recognize it as the work of a Star God."

"Although the concept of Star Gods is quite common in the universe and even beyond, the planet we live on may be quite remote, causing it to be out of touch with the universe, which is why you don't know about it."

"In fact, as far as I know, the Star God only appeared once, about three hundred years ago."

"They are Akivali, the pioneering star god, and Aha, the joyful star god."

Audrey asked again, "So how many Star Gods are there?"

Ceris cleared his throat.

"I don't know all the Star Gods, but I know of about eighteen."

He didn't say everything here, after all, the Iron Collapse was not finished when he traveled through time.

"First is the Star God Akivelli, the pioneering god. He is a cosmic street stalker, wandering between universes. He endlessly explores the unknown and expands the boundaries of the universe."

The term "street slicker" also came from Russell, so everyone except Little Sun understood it. Little Sun could also roughly guess what it meant from the second half.

"I know of two groups of people who follow the footsteps of the pioneering Star God: nameless ones and named ones. The nameless ones are also called pioneers, known as the universe's good people and the universe's great enemies. I have a nameless friend who, as long as you truly need help and make a legitimate request to her, she will do her best to help you, even if the reward is just a piece of candy."

This is a truly good person. Audrey, Derrick, and Klein thought so.

Stupid... but undeniably good. This is Alger.

"They say: The compass of fate is marked with three directions: the unknown, the known, and the unknowable. We can tolerate the 'unknown', but we must never succumb to the 'unknown'. Therefore, their pace of exploration never stops."

"They say: the hands of a clock go round and round, just like your hands always stay in front. There is no end to exploration, and only you can decide the end of your journey. The so-called 'exploration' is to follow the unfinished path of your predecessors and go a longer distance." "How romantic." Audrey couldn't help but say, with little stars in her eyes.

Not Leonard.

"Next is the Star God of Joy, Aha. He is a god of pleasure, and it is said that you can see him everywhere. The joy here is not simply happiness, nor is it the low-level pleasure of a witch."

"Everything that has meaning is joy. Feeling happy is joy, and feeling unhappy is also joy. Joy can be found in happiness, and joy can also be found in pain."

Serris patted his chest and said, "We Masked Fools are those who seek pleasure."

Klein nodded secretly, thinking: So the Lord of Free and Eternal Joy mentioned in old Serris's letter must be this Joyful Star God.

“Most people who follow a joyful life path seek out fun. We do whatever makes us happy.”

"Many people don't understand us. They think we are crazy, fools, and... fools. Of course, I'm not talking about you, Mr. Fool."

Klein nodded nonchalantly, indicating that it was okay.

Ceris continued, "But so what? It's just as interesting that they don't understand us."

At this point, Serris couldn't help laughing a few times.

"The truth of the world is but a joke. The ultimate meaning of all things lies in pure laughter. The universe is ruthless, but joy can dispel pain, dilute sorrow, resist emptiness, and heal wounds. Laughter is the innate right of intelligent races and the only answer."

"Some say we seek amusement at all costs, often turning everything upside down. We laugh at the self-righteousness of heroes, the lust for power of kings, the obsessive entanglements of lovers, the scheming of the wise. All to stir up the stagnant waters of life, to stir up change, and fools find amusement in this change that is worthy of ridicule."

"That's right, that's who we are." Serris leaned forward and lowered his voice, as if to reveal a shocking secret. "You can find us anywhere, because we are everywhere."

As everyone listened attentively, Ceres suddenly raised his voice: "But!"

Everyone was shocked.

"Among us Masked Fools, those who are self-righteous, unable to bring joy to those around them, and only care about their own enjoyment can only be the lowest of the lowest." Serris' tone was quite disdainful.

"And if someone can fool us," Serris paused, a smile evident in his words, "that would be even more desirable!"

He shifted his sitting position. "Besides that, meaningless things are also joyful, because He believes that meaninglessness itself is a kind of meaning. In the universe, there are people called the Mourning Troubadours. They walk the path of joy, yet they deny joy and promote abstinence."

Klein thought of the actor he met in the simulated universe.

"Guess what the great Star God of Joy did to them?"

"Suppression?" Audrey asked uncertainly.

"Wrong!" Serris made a big X with his hands.

"The Joyful Star God distributed his power to them."

"Ah?" Everyone couldn't believe it.

“Because they can make the denial of pleasure their goal. They find their meaning.”

"Many people's lives are meaningless..." Serris said sadly.

"If that's the case!" Serris's tone became powerful again. "Then the Joyful Star God will give them meaning!"

“He said: You can believe in me, you can deny me, you can mock me, you can hate me. Everything is meaningful, everything is joy.”

“If you can find your meaning in denying joy, then go for it. The God of Joy will be your greatest helper.”

"In the beauty of tragedy, the god of joy can also witness the brilliant flowers of joy."

(End of this chapter)