전생검신 93권 11화

“H-Hold on, Xiang Yu.”

“…….”

Even the Primordial Void Ruler thought this situation was dangerous? He was sweating profusely, trying to persuade Xiang Yu with an unusually urgent tone.

“Are you really going to let some kid you’ve never seen before toy with you? There’s no reason for you to hit me…”

Thwack!

In the next moment, without a word, Xiang Yu smashed a fist right into the Solar Plexus of the Primordial Void Ruler. Xiang Yu’s speed reached a level even I could barely perceive, and the impact sent the Ruler’s spirit folding grotesquely with a terrible sound.

Kruuunk!

“Guhhh….”

Barely suppressing a scream, the Primordial Void Ruler struggled to hold on! Looking down at him with a clenched fist, Xiang Yu remarked with satisfaction.

“It seems there’s a restriction preventing you from fighting back. I was worried I wouldn’t get a good hit in on a deity like you, but it looks like I can land some real shots.”

The Primordial Void Ruler wasn’t just an immortal but a powerful deity, which seemed to make Xiang Yu aware, albeit vaguely, of his strength. Honestly, it would be tough to gauge the odds even for Xiang Yu if the Ruler truly fought back, but now it seemed Xiang Yu confirmed the Ruler was in no position to resist.

“Ugh… ugh…”

In that state, the Ruler twisted around like a bug crawling on the ground and barely regained his composure. Hoarsely, he shouted at Xiang Yu.

“You…! You hit me just to kill me for no reason? What grudge do I have against you?!”

“There could be a grudge.”

“……What?”

Xiang Yu continued, looking at him with an icy stare.

“After being stuck on Nine Immortals Mountain for thousands of years, I have conceived countless suspicions about the identity of the hideous being that abducted Yu Ji’s spirit and set me up for a trick. I can’t be sure, but I filtered through a few candidates, and you were among those suspicious figures.”

“What… are you….”

“I honestly don’t have to bother discovering the exact identity of this hideous being. I initially came to the Celestial Realm with the intent to eradicate all beings here. You were simply one of those I couldn’t easily kill, but with this opportunity at hand…”

Xiang Yu’s eyes gleamed with a bizarre light.

“It’s time to hit you until you’re dead!”

Boom!

In the next moment, Xiang Yu’s second blow crashed into the Primordial Void Ruler’s face. In that instant, the Ruler’s face lost all semblance of a living being and morphed into a mass of formless spirit, grotesque pieces splattering in all directions like blood. Even though he was a Ruler, being hit with Xiang Yu’s fist packed with the power of Reverse Mountain-Lifting Rock could only be dangerous; a gurgling sound seemed to bubble up from him.

[Urgh……!]

Xiang Yu coldly lifted the limp Primordial Void Ruler by his collar, chuckling wickedly.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

[Ugh…….]

“If you die quickly, you won’t feel any more pain!”

Kablam!

With brute force, Xiang Yu unleashed a flurry of punches on the Primordial Void Ruler’s face! Each strike bore the power to destroy a continent, and with every hit that landed, the power of the constellation within Xiang Yu only grew stronger and stronger. As time passed, I felt the increasing strength of Xiang Yu and couldn’t help but swallow hard from the sidelines.

‘What… What’s up? I thought I’d be able to gauge Xiang Yu’s strength, but it feels like he’s infinitely growing stronger!’

At some point, he exceeded any limit I could measure! Xiang Yu’s strength seemed to have long surpassed the realm of gods, and while the Ruler tried to resist, it was apparent his strength was slowly waning.

Kaboom!

Like a grotesque execution, the Sovereign’s avatars watched the whole process with intrigue, taking no action to intervene. Finally, after about thirty punches, Xiang Yu’s fist stopped moving.

Drip drip.

The essence of the Primordial Void Ruler flowed like blood from Xiang Yu’s hand. The Ruler’s head, gripped tightly, disintegrated completely, leaving no trace behind. Xiang Yu silently gazed down at him before casually tossing him aside.

“Hmph… weaker than I expected.”

“…….”

Well, it’s impressive that his form is still intact after taking such a beating…

As I was left speechless, Xiang Yu turned his gaze to me.

“So, who are you and why did you ask me to kill the Primordial Void Ruler? And why are the Three Sovereigns here?”

“I am Baek Woong. And yes, the Primordial Void Ruler is indeed your enemy. Here’s what happened…”

I briefly explained the situation to Xiang Yu. After hearing my story, he smirked.

“Interesting. So, you want to sacrifice the Primordial Void Ruler to save humanity from the hands of the Three Sovereigns?”

“……In a way, yes.”

“You’re a curious one. You, of all people, don’t need to bother saving a species like humanity…”

“……?”

What’s he talking about? Is it so strange that I’d want to save humanity?

I was tilting my head in confusion when Xiang Yu said again.

“Anyway, if what you say is true, I’ll thank you. For now, I’ll help you out.”

“You believe me?”

Xiang Yu looked at me as if it was absurd.

“What would I gain from deceiving someone negotiating with the Three Sovereigns directly? It seems you don’t know your own stature well…”

“…….”

“Heh. What a fun thing to witness after such a long time. Let’s see what you’ll do.”

With a grin, Xiang Yu approached and crossed his arms, preparing to assist me as he promised. I felt reassured having someone like Xiang Yu on my side, shifting my gaze towards the Three Sovereigns.

“Great Three Sovereigns! As you can see, the Primordial Void Ruler is completely incapacitated. Now, I wish to sacrifice him to ensure the safety and well-being of humanity, so please accept this proposal!”

…….

A heavy silence hung in the air.

After a while, Nüwa’s avatar slowly stepped forward and placed her foot down firmly in front of me. In an instant, she transformed to look eerily similar to Daji, almost sister-like in essence. Nüwa then gazed at me with a peculiar expression and spoke.

“Are you really not curious about what we’re scheming? Do you simply wish to ensure the safety of humanity?”

I calmly replied to Nüwa’s question.

“‘Right now’ that is all I want. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind exposing all the gods’ conspiracies and solving everything like some heroic saga, but at this point, I feel unequipped to do so. Hence, I want to prioritize the safety of my kind!”

This was simply the thought that raced through my mind after somewhat regaining my mental strength in Soeul Village during the early part of this 30th cycle!

It wasn’t that I felt strong enough to fight the gods; I simply wanted to ensure major chaos didn’t unfold on earth, and afterward, seek guarantees of safety from the Three Sovereigns, eventually finding time to enjoy a leisurely life as the Village Chief. Of course, engaging with the outer universe has complicated that plan significantly.

Regardless, I am confident.

If I lay my final outcome on this trial, it would be along these lines.

‘…I could fight against the Three Sovereigns through strength, but they are many and I am one. Even if I might just barely win one-on-one, challenging a united front they formed would be perilous.’

Perhaps if I were more prepared, it would be a different story, but for now, this is all I can do. Even if I survive, my comrades—far from the level to challenge a deity—would be utterly annihilated.

Fighting is not always the answer.

Nüwa, seemingly intrigued, asked again.

“Thus far, we have not destroyed you humans. Why are you so eager to guarantee the safety of the human race?”

“Just look at the current situation in Luoyang.”

I frowned and continued.

“Hephaestus and Tsukuyomi are nothing more than your subordinates, aren’t they?”

“…….”

“If this keeps up, you’ll inevitably begin exterminating humanity. Am I wrong?”

At my retort, Nüwa chuckled lightly.

“……You’ve picked up on things. I thought I was being pretty discreet.”

“……!”

Realizing I had guessed correctly, I clenched my jaw.

“Damn it! I wish I hadn’t!”

Indeed.

During the course of this 30th cycle, I had been sensing something off. The odd appearances of beings like Hephaestus wreaking havoc in the Imperial Palace and Tsukuyomi inciting a Great Flood were unprecedented events. Initially, I had thought both Hephaestus and Tsukuyomi were formidable villains, but the longer this went on, the stranger things felt.

Regardless of their divine status, Hephaestus and Tsukuyomi weren’t strong enough to disregard the Three Sovereigns! Among the Three Sovereigns, just two teaming up guaranteed utter domination over them even without a fight! Just one of them appearing could entirely wipe them out.

Seeing such mediocre beings causing chaos in the Eastern regions, well-guarded by the Three Sovereigns, was impossible under the previous balance of power. In fact, among the [Old Rulers] hiding in the west, deities like Hephaestus or Tsukuyomi would be enormously more beneficial.

If that’s the logic—then what’s determined changes.

Neither Hephaestus nor Tsukuyomi oppose the will of the Three Sovereigns! Rather, they are acting under the commands of the Three Sovereigns.

‘Tsukuyomi was certain. Having served as an executor of calamity, this god had previously caused a flood during the era of King Yu… so it was clear he served the Three Sovereigns… the problem was Hephaestus.’

This was also confirmed in real-time.

Hephaestus openly maneuvering around in the Imperial Palace tasked with creating the Phlogiston, a treasure of the Law of Cause and Effect, and even growing the World Tree in Luoyang indiscriminately, were starkly revealing that he was a subordinate of the Three Sovereigns. If he weren’t, then what reason would he have to demonstrate the World Tree in Luoyang and offer the Law of Cause and Effect to the Three Sovereigns?

“Hephaestus is using the World Tree to slaughter the humans in Luoyang to amass Cause and Effect, while Tsukuyomi incites a Great Flood to annihilate humanity and gather Cause and Effect… All of this is merely a sacrificial ceremony to present great Cause and Effect to you, the Three Sovereigns.”

I barely suppressed my anger as I spoke clearly to Nüwa, who responded with a tone almost taken aback.

“You figured that out beforehand, which led you to propose sacrificing the Primordial Void Ruler, right? You thought that with sufficient compensation, you’d be able to guarantee the safety of humanity? You’re just confirming what has already been spoken through Nüwa’s lips, so why so angry?”

“…….”

“Is it because we’re of the same kin? However, despite looking human, you’re a god after all… Quite peculiar, don’t you think?”

I gritted my teeth and replied.

“What’s the darn reason? The Three Sovereigns have cared for the human race so well for thousands of years, and now suddenly they want to sacrifice them?”

“Hmmm… it seems you don’t fully understand the situation. Normally, I wouldn’t relay such information, but your very existence piques my intrigue, so I’ll share.”

Nüwa continued with a mysterious smile.

“Originally, those we call the Three Sovereigns were antagonistic towards each other. However, with the Emperor’s sudden sealing and the calamity deities being unable to intervene on earth, the situation changed. With no Emperor, the Three Sovereigns no longer needed to abide by the Emperor’s wishes to spare humanity, while I needed to revive Fuxi. Shennong must have actively cooperated to unseal me, requiring my aid to restore him.”

“……!”

“That is the simple truth. The reason we Three Sovereigns didn’t annihilate you humans was that the Emperor had a fondness for you and didn’t feel the need to dispose of such insignificant entities. With all those reasons gone, naturally, obtaining Cause and Effect for our gain is expected, isn’t it?”

“So that’s how it was…”

I muttered under my breath.

To the Three Sovereigns, humans were merely food once the Emperor was sealed and calamity deities were blocked from interfering!

They’d been calm all these years, not demanding human sacrifices, and now they were finally hungering for a buffet.

I shouted at Shennong’s avatar, nearby Nüwa.

“Shennong! Did you cooperate with Nüwa to break your seal to show yourself to us? But the Divine Race are kind gods who would have compassion for humans—how could they commit such a cruel act?!”

Shennong’s avatar, appearing in the dream of Seo Mun-hye, revealing his presence in life thirty and thirty-one—

That was due to the Emperor being sealed, allowing his seal to weaken, but surely Nüwa unsealing him was an effort to bolster her forces. If Nüwa had unsealed him, Shennong was likely free from most of his seal now.

Whoosh!

Then, Shennong, donned in ritual garb, glared at me with flashing eyes.

[…… Don’t speak recklessly without understanding. I have my own reasons for cooperating with this matter.]

“Is that reason more important than exterminating humanity?!”

[You’re a truly strange one. What makes humanity so valuable?]

Stunned, I retreated slightly at Shennong’s annoyed words.

“……What?”

[It’s true that the Divine Race, being the order of the gods, has compassion for you humans. However, if our fate is involved, yours will unavoidably drop to the back of our priority list.]

“……!”

[Baek Woong! Yet I truly have worried about you humans. The long-standing descendants of the Divine Race… I purposely appeared to your kin in dreams so you could reach me. Once you did, my plan was to shelter some of you humans in the sacred grounds of the Divine Race to preserve your lineage. After the calamity deities were sealed, I worried even more for you and your kin’s safety.]

“Is that… really so?”

I was momentarily stunned.

‘So that’s what the dream was about when Shennong appeared?!’

I had thought the reason was to rally us to fight against the evil deities aligned with the Emperor, but instead, it seemed Shennong had already come to an agreement for the Three Sovereigns’ alliance to eradicate humanity, only intending to save a handful of humans as a final mercy.

But it was impossible for me to grasp Shennong’s reasoning, and I exploded.

“Shennong! But… but there are over a billion humans on this planet! How can you justify the tragedy of exterminating them all at once…?”

[So I leave some alive, don’t I? If I let them breed again, they’ll multiply in the wasteland as they wish.]

“……?!”

Isn’t he one of the gods of order?

Does he really feel no guilt or conscience at all?!

Shennong genuinely seemed tired, shaking his head.

[It’s tiresome to have such trivial conversations between deities. It’s unusual for a god born of mortal stock to reason like this.]

Meanwhile, nearby, Shao Hao Jin Tian burst into laughter.

[Kahaha! Isn’t this amusing? I expected a boring meeting, but that guy Baek Woong is pretty interesting.]

“…….”

In that moment, I felt a deep realization.

‘I misunderstood…!’

The gods of order don’t necessarily regard all humans as precious. It’s merely “better not to kill” unless their fates are on the line, at which point they’d treat us as bugs! As the one who believed Shennong, who had seemed to value humanity, would act with compassion, I suddenly felt my entire understanding shift.

‘…Was I wrong?’

I thought if deities of order could work together while acknowledging one another, there could be an era of peace, but was that a naive assumption?

‘If Fuxi, who loves humans most, had been present here….’

Would it have made a difference?

But I couldn’t even be sure of that.

Because… the strongest foe I faced just before diving into this rebirth was indeed Fuxi.

“…….”

As I fell into deep thought and silence, Nüwa reached a hand toward the Primordial Void Ruler’s corpse on the ground.

Shhhhhh….

Absorbing a light-like essence with her palm, Nüwa remarked.

“Truly a far superior source of Cause and Effect compared to gobbling down humans. I knew he was close to being the foremost figure among the grotesque, but I never expected it to be to this extent…”

“…….”

“Baek Woong! I’ll grant your wish. Here, under the name of all present, I will ensure the safety of your humans. Additionally, our blessings shall grace you and humanity so that a thousand years of peace and prosperity may follow. Congratulations on becoming the savior of humanity.”

I stood in a daze as I stared at Nüwa’s beautiful smile.

I should have been thrilled that my desired outcome had occurred, yet I felt entirely contrary.

Having unknowingly shattered my desire to ally with the Three Sovereigns, chaos suddenly swirled in my heart.

‘Is this… really right?’

I had gained peace by appealing to mighty gods, yet the one sacrificed was solely the Primordial Void Ruler, resulting in the most peaceful and stable resolution…

But I couldn’t accept it.

I thought I would find acceptance, yet in reality, I felt even more disgusted.

Though it was a great feat worthy of being called a hero of humanity, was this achievement truly noble?

“…”

Damn it…!

At that moment, in a surge of emotion, I declared, “This is not enough.”

“Hmm?”

Nüwa and the avatars of the Three Sovereigns turned their gazes toward me.

With fiery eyes, I glared at them all and continued.

“Do you think this is enough just because I sacrificed the Primordial Void Ruler? I demand more than just this.”

Let’s take this as far as it will go.

“……Oh, that could indeed be the case. What do you have in mind?”

“I want to postpone the apocalypse as well.”

“……What did you say…?”

I stared straight at Nüwa as I spoke.

“I understand that normally, one would gather all six needs to challenge the trials of the Seven Luminaries or else postpone the apocalypse. However, if gathering the six needs is too bothersome, I propose you all agree to postpone the apocalypse right here.”

“…….”

Nüwa glanced around at the others, seemingly pondering over my request. They exchanged some knowing looks, and after a moment, Nüwa responded.

“Understood. This could be deemed a breach of imperial authority, but as the Emperor is sealed, I can grant you this much… Then, go well.”

“No, it’s still not over.”

“What? Do you dare to make further demands?”

“Yes.”

I finally spoke up, causing the atmosphere among the Three Sovereigns to tense.

“Everyone, please issue an apology to humanity. Say you’re sorry for wanting to exterminate them.”