Chapter 48: No Form

**Chapter 48: Faceless**

"Reverse the era... restart the world?"

Chen Ling understood each of these eight words individually, but strung together, he couldn't grasp their meaning.

"It's exactly as it sounds," Chu Muyun slowly replied. "To reverse everything that has happened since the Great Cataclysm, to bring human civilization back to the day the Red Star descended..."

"You mean, rewind time??"

"Not rewind, but restart... there's a big difference between the two."

Chen Ling looked at Chu Muyun in disbelief. "Is that... even possible?"

"Haven't you already seen it?"

Chu Muyun pointed to the USB drive in Chen Ling's hand. "The result of our attempts."

Chen Ling's mind immediately recalled the scene of him inserting the USB drive into the snow and traveling back to his "previous life"... undoubtedly, that was the world he had once lived in, the era when the Red Star had just descended.

And the Twilight Society had perfectly recreated it, sealing it within this USB drive.

"How... how did you do this??" Restarting the world seemed like a fantastical impossibility to Chen Ling, yet he was a firsthand witness.

"This process is quite complex... We've only managed to complete these two hours of 'archived data' so far, but we've found the method. One day, we will make this archive replace history and restart the world."

"But if the world can truly be restarted, then you yourselves should represent 'justice.' Why are you wanted by the nine major human domains? Why don't you join forces with them?" Chen Ling countered.

Chu Muyun smiled.

He pushed up his glasses and spoke calmly,

"You'll understand later."

Chen Ling was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"I've told you the most basic principles of the Twilight Society," Chu Muyun's gaze fixed on Chen Ling. "Now... you need to make a decision."

"Will you join us, become the highest-level wanted criminal in the nine domains, living a life of constant upheaval, despised and feared by the world... or will you leave?"

Chen Ling's eyes flickered. After a brief pause, he slowly raised his head,

And spoke firmly:

"I'll join."

Reverse the era, restart the world.

For others, the Great Cataclysm was merely a historical description, but for Chen Ling, it meant the destruction of everything that belonged to him.

He disliked this world, disliked this era. He wanted to return to where he belonged, to honor his parents and live a stable life... He wanted even more to reverse the predetermined history, allowing his father, relatives, and friends to live well.

He wanted to go home.

Hearing these three words, Chu Muyun smiled faintly. He took out three playing cards from his pocket and placed them on the table one by one.

Spades 6, Hearts 6, Clubs 6;

"What are these?"

"Joining the Twilight Society, for many of our members, means completely letting go of their past, including their names, families, and identities... They use playing cards to represent themselves. You can also choose one."

"...Why are they all 6s?"

"The number represents seniority. The earlier you join, the larger the number... For your batch, it starts with 6." Chu Muyun shrugged. "Actually, 6 isn't bad. I joined a few years before you, and I'm only a 7."

"Then why are there only three suits? What about Diamonds?"

"Two months ago, another newcomer joined, and he chose the Diamonds."

"Alright..."

Chen Ling's gaze swept over the three playing cards. He subconsciously touched his chest... beneath the skin, it was empty.

"I choose Hearts, Hearts 6."

Chu Muyun raised an eyebrow, nodded, and pushed that playing card towards Chen Ling.

"Then, officially welcome to the Twilight Society... Hearts 6."

The woman who had been silently sitting in the corner began to applaud at the appropriate moment.

Chen Ling gave her a strange look. The woman yawned again and turned her head away.

"...Is she also part of the Twilight Society? What card is she?"

"She hasn't embarked on a divine path and has no other abilities; she's just an ordinary person, so she's only an peripheral member... Generally responsible for message delivery, essentially found in every domain, every city."

"What card are you, then?"

"Spades 7."

Chen Ling nodded.

He looked at the Hearts 6 in his hand, suddenly feeling a sense of unreality... He had just casually picked a playing card from a convenience store and had become a wanted member of the Twilight Society across the nine domains... Just a few hours ago, he was convinced it was a cult.

"There are only three copies of that archive in the entire Twilight Society. The Red King and the Grey King each have one. This copy will be temporarily kept by you, but it can only be activated once a month, otherwise, its contents will be damaged."

"What should I do next?" Chen Ling asked. "Do I need to report somewhere, handle procedures, and then live in a dormitory?"

"..." Chu Muyun shook his head speechlessly,

"The Twilight Society is more of a community; we are very loose in managing the personal actions of our members. You can do whatever you want... just make sure to complete tasks quickly when they arise, and maintain your disguise to ensure you aren't discovered by the human domains.

Speaking of disguise... you should be the best at it."

"Me?"

"Didn't you embark on the 'Path of the Thespian God'? Disguising yourself as different characters should be your strength," Chu Muyun said matter-of-factly. "And your ability seems even more abnormal than typical Thespian Gods."

"Path of the Thespian God... ability..."

Chen Ling seemed to remember something. He touched his chin, and with a thought, instantly ripped off his entire face.

To the woman's astonished gaze, two identical Chu Muyuns sat opposite each other.

"Precisely, that's it," the left Chu Muyun nodded. "After embarking on a divine path, each advancement to a new stage automatically grants a corresponding ability. Abilities vary depending on the chosen path... You've walked a twisted divine path, so your abilities should also be unique."

"I see..." The right Chu Muyun looked down at his body; even his clothing and speaking voice had changed.

If the woman hadn't known their original seating arrangement, she wouldn't have been able to tell which one was the real Spades 7.

"As far as I know, the first-stage ability of a normal Thespian God is called 'Thousand Faces,' allowing free changes to face and voice, but not clothing, and certainly not into objects... You can do all of that," Chu Muyun paused. "You're the only one on this path. Aren't you going to name this ability?"

"Thousand Faces..." Chen Ling pondered,

"In that case, I'll call my ability Faceless."

Formless and without appearance, form arises from the mind.

"Your divine path is quite peculiar. While your abilities are strong, the side effects are also obvious. Unless something unexpected happens, each future advancement will trigger a short period of mental confusion. You need to pay particular attention to this."

"Mental confusion? Did I have that when I advanced?"

Chen Ling had no recollection of the chaotic rampage after transforming into a gun barrel and then Chen Yan.

Chu Muyun briefly described it to him, then glanced at the dim night outside and slowly stood up.

"It's about time. I should go."

"Go where?"

"Back to Aurora City. I still have a task there."

As he spoke, Chu Muyun took a letter from his pocket and handed it to Chen Ling.

"What is this?"

"This is your mission," Chu Muyun answered seriously. "A mission personally assigned to you by the Red King... In the entire Twilight Society, perhaps only you can complete it."