At his words, the ghosts stilled for a moment, looking at one another in surprise. Feiyu was right—if they started betting on one of us, with this many people involved, millions of stars could be won.
Ghosts were fallen humans. Fallen humans loved gambling.
The crowd was still until there was a trail of smoke from somewhere in the crowd. A candle had been lit. The first ghost had made a wager.
I hoped Chance Sought Gold Serendipity didn’t hate me for stealing his future income.
At once, the crowd went wild, thousands of candles being purchased in rapid succession. I would have to act fast, before all of it went to Qiu Feiyu.
I could already see him breathing out a sigh of relief, without a doubt feeling the effects of all the spiritual energy being directed toward him.
“It’s such a warm feeling, Jiejie. It’s like receiving the biggest, warmest hug. I hope you can relate, yes?” Feiyu smiled at me.
[Divinity Supreme Commander of the Heavenly Hosts is buying as many candles as he can!]
[Divinity Great Sage Equaling Heaven reluctantly opens the system store.]
[Divinity One Who Fights in Front is waiting for a more impressive display.]
[Divinity One Who Fights in Front threatens that Disciple Peijin cannot lose without severe consequences.]
[Divinity Ears that Hear what Comes on the Wind publicly voices support for Disciple Peijin.]
[Divinity Ears that Hear what Comes on the Wind has granted Disciple Peijin a miniscule amount of spiritual energy.]
[Demon Great Sage who Pacifies Heaven is too busy shouting at the screen for the fight to seriously start.]
“Only the sting of karma excites me.” I slid my back foot against the ground and gripped Zhige, slowing my breathing and lasering my focus until all I could feel was the beating of my heart in my ears.
I felt the warmth of spiritual energy flowing through me, relaxing my muscles and providing relief from the constant soreness I felt since the apocalypse started.
[Card Dealer activated!]
All of Feiyu’s 56 minor arcana cards opened up before me, and almost all of them were lit up. They were colored beautifully, floating before him and encircling the two of us until it felt like we were surrounded by all his stories, and not a single other person in the world existed.
Of course, Feiyu had no clue this was happening. But, for a moment, his face contorted, and he shook his head in confusion.
I hardly interacted with Feiyu, but since I was his creator, as long as there wasn’t a significant shift in events that occurred to him since the apocalypse began, I still had an incredibly high understanding of his character.
Evidently, I didn’t know some of his memories weren’t known, since they were formed with his party. I didn’t have access to those cards. But luckily, the apocalypse wasn’t far enough along for too much to change.
I was going to erase Qiu Feiyu.
I swirled my hand around me, selecting all of the lit up cards. I was surprised to see our first interaction on the Page of Cups card, though I wasn’t quite sure what that meant yet.
[You have selected 48 cards!]
[How would you like to alter these cards?]
[Delete.]
At once, a furious flurry of yellow sparks appeared all around me. Karma was pissed.
At once, I felt all the energy drain from my body. Card Dealer was one of the most powerful skills I knew of, and it required an utterly ridiculous amount of spiritual energy.
Furthermore, my usage of the skill on Feiyu was an overstep. The only reason I had access to so many of his cards was because I created him, not because I had taken the effort to understand him. It was a wicked advantage, and I was being heavily punished for it.
The Tower tattoo on my arm burned terribly, lighting up so much that it was visible even beneath the sleeve of my hoodie. I clamped my teeth together, barely able to hold myself upright.
Feiyu stared at me in shock before he stumbled back, a hand coming up to grip his head.
I turned back to the blue screen, altering the command.
[Cancel skill.]
[Card Dealer cancelled!]
None of Feiyu’s cards had vanished yet. My spiritual energy, although a significant portion depleted just from triggering the skill, quickly returned to me. I could feel my tattoo sucking up the majority of it, and I tightened my grip on Zhige as I swung at Feiyu.
Yellow sparks erupted from all around me the moment I struck him, but they vanished not long after once the skill was successfully cancelled.
But, to outsiders, it would look like, for just a moment, that I learned how to wield Karma. If blue sparks represented genuine skills and the system, then yellow signified punishment and horror. But there I was, striking a disoriented Feiyu after a sudden eruption of yellow sparks around me.
Feiyu barely reacted in time. Zhige cut through his side, the length of the blade extending to dig deeper into his flesh, but Feiyu leapt back and quickly deflected Zhige. Apart from his shock, now that the skill was cancelled, Feiyu returned to his usual alertness and focus.
“Ha… what kind of skill is that?” Feiyu stated. “You should teach me that one sometime, Jiejie. Not a single blue spark. What a monster you are.
I panted heavily, my arm feeling like it was on fire. I did my best to tune him out, hardly having the energy to focus on anything but the feeling of Zhige in my hands and my skills swirling around me.
“She really struck him!”
“Is it a psychological skill?”
“Why didn’t the King react sooner?”
“I heard a rumor that she’s a god. Of course the King doesn’t stand a chance against somebody like that. It’s an unfair fight!”
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
“She’s a god?!”
“She sure doesn’t look like one.”
“Well, my money is on the line now, you bastard! Do I switch my vote?”
“She still couldn’t land a true strike on him. I’m giving the King more spiritual energy.”
“What an idiot you all are! A disciple could never beat a god!”
[Card Dealer activated!]
[You have selected 48 cards!]
[How would you like to alter these cards?]
[Delete.]
Feiyu let out another pained groan. This time, it took me longer to recover from the activation of Card Dealer, my entire body trembling violently.
I let out a loud cough, blood sputtering from my mouth. I wiped it away, not wanting to show Feiyu how much each attack was draining me.
[Divinity Supreme Commander of the Heavenly Hosts is shouting at you to get up!]
[Dozens of gods are clamoring, unable to believe what they were witnessing.]
[Divinity One Who Fights in Front is remembering when you first revealed your identity as god of fate and fortune.]
For the first time, Feiyu’s eyes went dark and serious. His lips were pressed in a thin line. Before I could cancel the skill and recover, he jerked his sword toward me, thrusting it straight for my neck.
[Cancel skill.]
[Card Dealer cancelled!]
I quickly ducked as yellow sparks burst all around me. But Feiyu’s reaction time also increased as he became used to my attack. He pivoted his sword, slashing it deep into my back as I wrapped around him. Zhige flew out of my hand, slicing into Feiyu’s leg before flying back into my grip.
I let out a loud groan, but I struggled back onto my feet behind Feiyu. Feiyu stumbled before regaining his balance. He stared at the blood gushing out from his leg before he slowly turned around to face me. He cocked his head, analyzing me the way a predator watched its already dying prey.
I could feel the hot blood dripping down the skin of my back, and I smirked. “What’s wrong? Your first time taking a hit over there?”
“I can tell you’re a professional. Look at how well you’re handling this, Jiejie.”
[Card Dealer activated!]
[You have selected 48 cards!]
[How would you like to alter these cards?]
[Delete.]
I inhaled deeply before practically soaring at him, yellow sparks bursting all around me. I extended my arm out all the way, aiming for his collarbone.
Feiyu’s recovery to my trick was getting faster and faster each time, but I was getting weaker. Zhige sliced into his collarbone before Feiyu pulled away again, scoffing.
[Cancel skill.]
[Card Dealer cancelled!]
[Card Dealer activated!]
[You have selected 48 cards!]
[How would you like to alter these cards?]
[Delete.]
I didn’t even give myself a moment to breathe. My arm erupted into yellow sparks, and they traveled up my blade, crowding over Zhige whose red eye now moved in a total frenzy. Blue sparks flew out from Zhige, who was now tapping into its own spiritual energy, leading to a completely destructive hit.
[Hindsight activated!]
I finally spotted the American node, trapped securely in the inner pocket of his coat.
I aimed for his hip, trying to drag my blade up vertically to cut through his entire front side.
The disorienteted Feiyu lowered his stance, and he breathed out a wisp of ominous, dark gray smoke. His eyes glowed a deep purple, almost red, and locked right on me.
Panic took over me when I registered his actions over the flurry of blue and yellow sparks. He was getting ready to use his signature offensive skill.
I threw Zhige forward, now focusing solely on surviving Feiyu’s next attack.
[Cancel skill.]
[Card Dealer cancelled!]
Zhige stabbed straight into Feiyu’s hip, exactly where I was hoping. The yellow sparks travelled up Feiyu’s body, tearing into his skin, but it didn’t faze him in the slightest.
It was like nothing could break his current state of focus. His now clear gaze remained locked on me as a red thread appeared between the two of us.
He was going to land the next hit. His skill Thread of Malice guaranteed it.
He lunged forward with a horrific speed and his blade aimed right for my heart. Instead of making a completely futile attempt to dodge him, I moved toward him, slightly turning my torso so the blade would just miss my heart.
I felt his sword slice straight into my body and a horrific, searing pain in my lung. I let out a pained wheeze, frantically trying to keep my breathing calm.
Feiyu had punctured one of my lungs.
I let out a violent cough, bright red blood flying out from my mouth. My saliva began to froth in my mouth, and I could hardly breath.
[Countless gods are gasping in shock.]
[Countless gods are staring at their screen in disbelief.]
[Divinity Supreme Commander of the Heavenly Hosts lets out a mortified cry.]
[Divinity Ears that Hear what Comes on the Wind is holding Divinity Supreme Commander of the Heavenly Hosts from interfering in the arc.]
[Divinity One Who Fights in Front stares at her screen with a solemn expression.]
[Divinity Spirit of the Jade Moon covers her mouth in horror.]
Polling ongoing…
- 43%
- 44%
- 13%]
I grit my teeth, pressing myself deeper into the blade of his sword as I reached for Zhige, who was still stuck deep in his hip. I grabbed Zhige, dragging the blade straight up Feiyu’s side in hopes that the pain would make Feiyu retreat.
Without hesitation, Feiyu pulled his blade out from my body to block Zhige. Zhige clattered to the ground. In that split moment, I reached into Feiyu’s pocket and took the American Node. He hardly noticed—thinking I was simply flailing around stupidly.
But, the damage was done. I took a few, weak steps forward until I hit the ground, grabbing my chest. I was choking on my own blood. I was going to suffocate to death.
[LIU PEIJIN AND QIU FEIYU’S CONTRACT CONDITIONS HAS BEEN FULFILLED!]
[Winner: Qiu Feiyu
Reward: 400,000 stars and respective spiritual energy.]
Polling ongoing…
- 11%
- 81%
- 8%]
Feiyu looked down at me, stepping closer until he got down on one knee. His face was only inches from mine, so the only thing I could make out through my fading vision was his bright smile. He must have felt an unbelievable surge in spiritual energy.
[Divinity Supreme Commander of the Heavenly Hosts is attempting to descend into the arc!]
[Divinity Ears that Hear what Comes on the Wind is attempting to descend into the arc!]
[Warning! Severe karmic violations!]
Warning! Severe karmic violations!]
[Dozens of gods attempt to subdue Divinity Supreme Commander of the Heavenly Hosts!]
[Divinity Great Sage Equaling Heaven warns that Divinity Supreme Commander of the Heavenly Hosts is about to summon a calamity!]
“Jiejie, I really like you a lot. So, just grovel a bit, and I’ll save you, yeah?”
Just one more move from Feiyu, and I would be done for. Everything I worked toward was already lost. Feiyu had defeated me.
My lip trembled. Blood was welling in my throat and lungs, and the pain was excruciating. There was no way I could die like this—not after everything I already survived. And to die at the hands of Feiyu… that was the worst shame I could bring myself.
Blood gargled out of my mouth. With my last few seconds of consciousness, I reached into my Boundless Bag, my fingers squirming with the effort of finding a certain small object.
I felt the little puzzle piece grace my fingertips.
[MEDITERRANEAN NODE]
[Location: Building AK13829 — Floor Two]
[Description: The Mediterranean node controls the citadel’s environment. Use the node’s artifact to toggle these settings regardless of the user's current location.
Temperature: 5/10
Weather: 5/10
Gravity: 5/10
Pollution: 1/10
Light: 5/10
Time Loop: 1/10
Owner: Liu Peijin
This was my last hope.
[Set Time Loop: 2/10]
Feiyu looked down at me, stepping closer until he got down on one knee.
“Jiejie, I really like you a lot. So, just grovel a bit, and I’ll save you, yeah?”
Time unwound before me, only going back a mere second. So, in total, I had nine seconds to fix this because I couldn’t surpass the maximum time loop setting.
In that case, I had one chance.
I reached into my Boundless Bag and found the Mediterranean node.
[Set Time Loop: 10/10]
My body slowly repaired itself, our movements going in reverse until I was standing
before Feiyu once more.
One.
The red thread appeared. Feiyu’s hit was guaranteed.
Two.
I reread the contract. “The winner will be declared when a disciple is able to land a killing blow.”
Three.
Feiyu got into his stance.
Four.
I flipped Zhige around, pointing the tip of the blade straight against the side of my neck.
Five.
There were six main vessels in my neck. If I sliced far back enough, I would theoretically
miss all of them and survive.
Six.
Feiyu lunged forward.
Seven.
Zhige attempted to dull itself and shrink, realizing my plan.
Eight.
I plunged Zhige straight through my throat.
Nine.
The red thread snapped.