전생검신 90권 06화

I thought our allies were all lined up. And in a moment of cold clarity, I assessed the situation.

‘Let’s see. We still have the numbers on our side. But even so, the Three Sovereigns keep getting summoned, albeit imperfectly. If this keeps up, a prolonged battle will only put us at a disadvantage.’

As I reached that thought, I realized what was most important right now and glared at a being casting sorcery in the distance.

‘The Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens!! She’s the one summoning the Three Sovereigns! We need to interfere with her so she can’t continue the ceremony!’

Tezcatlipoca had mentioned it too!

I realized what I needed to do, but quickly figured out that targeting the Heavenly Mysterious Woman directly wasn’t going to be easy.

‘…The enemy’s not stupid, they’re protecting her fiercely. Breaking through that defense will be impossible.’

Sure enough, there were at least thirty god-like beings surrounding the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, looking even more tightly organized than those directly facing us. It was clear they weren’t aiming for a full-frontal attack but instead protecting the Heavenly Mysterious Woman until the ceremony was complete.

There was a way, though. If Tezcatlipoca, the strongest here, charged through, he could break that rigorous defense and wipe out the Heavenly Mysterious Woman. But the sad truth was that Tezcatlipoca was tied up in the joint attack with Nüwa and Fuxi.

What was I supposed to do in this situation?

‘…Ah!!’

Suddenly, looking at Shiva and Vishnu beside me, I realized there was something I could do. With a sly grin, I called out to the Divine Temple’s subjects nearby.

[Hey… Eungui!! This should be your first time seeing me, right?]

At my words, Eungui, one of the Four Divine Beasts, turned to me. After staring at me for a moment, he responded.

[I’ve heard a lot about you from Fuxi, but it’s my first time meeting you, Reborn Person.]

[You might not remember, but I once received the No-No hexagram from you in the past.]

Of course, that wasn’t in this life; it was probably in my twenty-eighth life!

[…!!]

Eungui looked surprised by my words. Enjoying Eungui’s reaction, I continued.

[Why are you following Fuxi? Just because you’re loyal to order?]

[What do you mean?]

In that moment, a gamble that would work on Eungui sprang to my mind. It felt like intuition, even!

‘Anyway, if I keep attacking head-on, we won’t catch the Heavenly Mysterious Woman in time…’

As long as the Four Divine Beasts were steadfast, it was impossible. Although they might not be as strong as the Three Sovereigns, they were still supreme beings. Even with Shiva and Vishnu on our side, it didn’t change the overall situation much. Divine beings on our side, like the Rainbow Snake or Rounkang, were already in fierce battles with other Three Sovereigns.

‘It’s all or nothing! If I keep this up, everyone is going to die!’

So, I decided to trust my intuition as a Reborn Person and opened my mouth to propose a gamble.

[Show me a hexagram again. If the No-No hexagram comes up again, surely your presence there won’t be necessary, right?]

[……]

Unexpectedly, Eungui fell silent at my words. Then Vishnu, standing beside me, said, sounding impressed.

[Not bad… Considering the author’s backing… But isn’t it a gamble?]

[Better to gamble than do nothing at all.]

What I proposed to Eungui was simple.

The No-No hexagram!

That hexagram was the ultimate for fortune-tellers. It represented absolute neutrality and chaos, and they said that the moment a fortune-teller saw it, they’d lose all their abilities.

Eungui took a moment before answering my request.

[The No-No hexagram signifies absolute and infinite chaos that cannot be penetrated by any prophecy or foresight. I, Eungui, have lived a long time as one of the Four Divine Beasts but have never seen this hexagram… Are you saying that you can foresee it appearing here?]

[Yeah.]

[The probability is so minimal that even our gods would call it extremely rare, yet you still…?]

I decided to playfully shrug.

[Yeah. But just predicting it would be boring, so how about we bet on it?]

[What kind of bet?]

[If the No-No hexagram appears, you, Eungui, as well as the Qilin and Shenglong next to you, will join my side. But if it doesn’t, I’ll give up everything right here, and you can seal me under the hands of the Three Sovereigns and the Divine Temple.]

[……!!]

At my proposal, Eungui and the other Four Divine Beasts, including the Qilin and Shenglong, looked taken aback.

Moreover, Shiva and Vishnu, who were beside me, also seemed unable to hide their shock. Especially Vishnu, who looked at me as if I were a crazy person.

[Are you insane? You’re betting the fate of everyone following you on just a flimsy fortune?!]

I chuckled at Vishnu’s outburst.

[Isn’t it the opposite? If the No-No hexagram doesn’t appear, it means I won’t win in this situation no matter what. It’s basically the same, so let’s just gamble.]

[…Oh, I see, that makes sense.]

Vishnu seemed to catch on to something at my words. Shiva, looking confused for a moment, then appeared to understand after receiving some signal from Vishnu.

[Alright! I, Shiva, along with Vishnu, will fully participate in your bet, Baek Woong! You all better join in!]

[Whoa!!]

[The authors trust Baek Woong to that degree…?]

At Shiva’s bold proclamation, the Four Divine Beasts seemed to fall into deep thought. This wasn’t just because I unexpectedly placed a risky wager, but likely because they didn’t have great motivation for this battle themselves.

Eungui muttered to himself.

[The No-No hexagram is nothing more than a legend. The author is making a nonsensical gamble; we shouldn’t lose…!]

The Qilin scoffed arrogantly.

[Hmph! I don’t understand why everyone’s groveling to this nobody. Let’s show them some real sauce!]

After a short while, after exchanging views, Eungui stepped forward and said.

[Very well. I, Eungui, shall accept the bet proposed by Baek Woong, receiving the wills of the Qilin and Shenglong amongst the Four Divine Beasts. We will stake our names to [Father] and swear that not a single act of treachery or sorcery shall interfere with this wager. Baek Woong, you swear as well.]

[I swear.]

[Alright then.]

Woo Woo Woo!!

A massive hexagram for fortune-telling was summoned above Eungui’s head. Moments later, Eungui raised his voice, like letting out a huge shout.

[Great will of [Father], please show us our fates here!!]

Swish!!

Shortly thereafter, a massive counting tube made of light burst forth, filling the sky with a meteor shower. The meteor shower fell for some time before all the light converged into a single point, and as Eungui stared in astonishment at the light beam, he let out a cry of shock.

[Ugh… A… Ah!!]

It wasn’t a long cry, but every divine being in the hall heard it loud and clear.

[……]

Eungui, who remained silent for a long time, finally let out a lamenting sigh.

[How can this be… Fuxi, the rightful heir of the order, you… what choice have you made! Did you really lead the fate of our order’s divine beings to ruin…? I thought you would restore the dignity of your rightful position with Pangu’s authority…!!]

[Hey, what are you talking about?]

[Eungui… what do you mean?]

The Qilin and Shenglong next to him questioned Eungui, looking anxious, but he remained transfixed as if entranced. After a moment, he slowly lowered his head and declared to the hall.

[… The No-No hexagram has appeared… My fate as a fortune-teller is now over, and thus the victory goes to Baek Woong!]

Wow!!!

[Amazing!]

[Long live the venue!!]

In that instant, the other stakeholders, the [Old Rulers], erupted in cheers. Moreover, the Shenglong and Qilin from the Four Divine Beasts stood there, dumbfounded.

Shiva and Vishnu also laughed heartily, almost in disbelief.

[Ha ha ha, this is crazy.]

[Heh, to understand the background and still do such a gamble… You’ve got guts.]

As cheers rang out around me, I raised my hand and shouted.

[You guys from the Four Divine Beasts are now my allies!!]

[……!!]

[Come here and fight with me!]

At my shout, the Shenglong and Qilin hesitated in surprise for a moment. After a short while, their reactions diverged.

[… This can’t be… But if the No-No hexagram indeed appeared… siding with the author might be the right choice…!]

Whoosh!

The Shenglong seemed to accept the wager and quickly teleported near me. He appeared to have a personality that adapted quickly to reality.

Zzap!

Zzap!

In contrast, the Qilin was trembling, releasing a fierce thunderous aura from its entire body. Its energy was so intense that the [Old Rulers] present instinctively distanced themselves from the Qilin. Failing to hide his boiling emotions, he spoke in an erupting voice.

[Ugh… I… can’t accept this… There’s definitely some sort of trick involved…!!]

At this, Eungui sighed and responded.

[Hoo, Qilin… we all staked our names to [Father]… In such a bet, there’s no room for any sorcery to interfere.]

[But!! This!! Can you really think this is true!! Of all times!! The No-No hexagram…!!]

The Qilin bellowed at me with fiery eyes, seething rage, absolutely denying reality.

[You worthless fool!! What trick did you pull? How on earth could you have confidence in the No-No hexagram!!]

Seeing him act like he was denying reality made me feel pretty good inside.

‘Hehe.’

However, if I laughed out loud right now, the Qilin would surely charge at me, trying to kill me for breaking our deal, so I maintained my expression and casually replied.

[Want to know how I was so sure?]

[Yes!! Tell me this instant!]

[If I tell you, you’re not gonna start babbling again, and you’ll accept it without a fuss, right?]

[… Just tell me!]

Oh, how charmingly arrogant. Guess stubbornness doesn’t fade away, huh? Just like when you roasted yourself without thinking about the consequences when you helped me before!

I clicked my tongue a little but replied to the Qilin.

[Fine, here’s the deal. I was confident in the No-No hexagram simply because my existence here means it had to appear!]

[…?!]

I shrugged my shoulders.

[You don’t get it? I’m here. What more proof do you need?]

At my words, the Qilin seemed utterly stunned. All of his intense fury seemed to disappear because he sensed I was genuinely responding. After a moment, the Qilin muttered in disbelief.

[You… you really must be insane.]

[Huh? Not really….]

[No. There’s no doubt about it; you really are a lunatic…!! Damn it!]

Whoosh!

Eventually, the Qilin, seeming to give up, teleported near me. I took one last look at Eungui, who still seemed to be pondering something in the distance before finally locking eyes with me and speaking.

[I’ve come to understand your point.]

[Huh? Really?]

[Yes. You… were confident in your own enlightenment of omniscience. That’s why you proposed the bet.]

I smiled at Eungui’s words and nodded.

[Correct.]

The reason I proposed the bet using the No-No hexagram to reel in the Four Divine Beasts in one go was that I comprehended how bizarre and ridiculous my presence in this situation really was.

‘At the moment when the [Navel of the Sun God] shattered on the continent of Lemuria and Tezcatlipoca was summoned…!!’

What I wished for at that moment was the Dark Sun, the Outer God controlling the Twelve Palaces of the Yellow Path!

And that Outer God had said to me.

[There are those who will be your friends and those who will be your subordinates. Choose who to resurrect.]

At that time, I had chosen a friend, expecting that Quetzalcoatl would be summoned instead, but Tezcatlipoca it was! Yet, I clearly remembered what the Outer God, the Dark Sun, had said during that absurd moment.

[The trifle of omniscience is troubling your choices…].

That was undoubtedly a sneer cast toward someone who was toying with my fate. While I didn’t grasp it back then, it was clearer now that the “trifle of omniscience” referred to someone specific.

Yuso!

Wasn’t that the one using her ability to interfere with me?

And my intent to summon Tezcatlipoca, my “friend,” must have caught Yuso off guard because it was not what she predicted!

Up to this point, I had suspected it in everyday life, but upon further reflection, another fact surfaced.

‘If the omniscient’s prediction was wrong… it means its omniscience has shattered, rendering it almost an absolute truth!’

Yuso was a being of chaotic talent, existing on the same level as young girls — likely possessing omniscience comparable to Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen. However, the fact that Yuso’s predictive ability was flawed meant my destiny’s trajectory had been twisted to the point of no return.

If omniscience had shattered — clearly, my fate had plunged into absolute chaos!

With Yuso’s omniscience so formidable, the chance of the No-No hexagram coming up in our gamble was, paradoxically, skyrocketing!

Just as I was basking in my thoughts, Vishnu interjected.

[When acting against an omniscient, reading their actions makes victory inherently impossible. In that sense, Baek Woong, your gamble was indeed a brilliant move.]

[Hehe. I’m quite talented, aren’t I?]

[Yet a gamble remains a gamble. One wrong step, and everything’s forfeit, yet you still chose to take a risk.]

[……]

I flinched at Vishnu’s retort; he wasn’t wrong.

‘If Yuso’s omniscience isn’t as strong as it seemed… the No-No hexagram wouldn’t have appeared…’

Thanks to Yuso being unexpectedly formidable, my gamble turned out successful, but if she had proven to be a lesser being, I could have faced ruin right here — hardly what one could call a gamble!

As I savored the implications of Vishnu’s words, I heard Eungui from a distance.

[Very well… This too is fate… Absolute chaos will envelop us Four Divine Beasts as well. The dialetic of affirmative and negative is part of the order, so if it is a perverted order, rejecting it is only proper!]

Boom!

Moments later, Eungui, too, teleported to my side. With everyone on my side, I glanced around at those gathered close to me.

‘Right. Why complicate things?’

I made a bet, and I won.

Now, all that remained was to enjoy the spoils of victory.

I then stretched out my hand toward the front and exclaimed.

[Strike!!]

Boom – !!

Simultaneously, the Four Divine Beasts, the Qilin, Eungui, Shenglong, along with Vishnu of Order and Shiva of Destruction — a total of five divine beings — dove at the Heavenly Mysterious Woman all together.