Chapter 1205
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Four Gods’ Soul
I couldn’t believe what Hang-a was saying.
Why would I want to restart the Knot when I’m in such an overwhelmingly advantageous position? If I restart, who knows what trap might end my past life! If Zhuge Sa hadn’t intervened, it definitely would have ended that way!
…But, just as Hang-a said, I do want to hear Mangnyang’s story.
I want to know why Mangnyang granted me the Wheel King’s powers.
The reason is something I don’t want to believe.
‘There’s no way Mangnyang would betray me… not possible.’
That guy even called it his convoluted speculation. I want to hear Mangnyang say that he was wrong.
…And there’s one more thing, I want to suppress this unbelievable thought boiling inside me.
A trap that, despite knowing, tempts me.
Hang-a has accurately hit the gaps in my heart.
“……”
As I clenched my fist in silence, Hang-a lounged back in her chair leisurely.
“I told you before, right? There’s plenty of time here… Take your time and give me your answer.”
“Don’t get cocky.”
“Hehe, what can I be cocky about when I’ve already lost?”
Hang-a smiled sweetly.
“Just make a choice that’s [only for yourself]. That’s all you need.”
“……”
I can’t stand this. This guy is definitely a master tactician.
Unlike the naive deities intoxicated by their own powers, he understands the position of the [weak] and, above all, he’s smart. Threatening and angering such a cunning guy would only backfire on me.
‘Oh, right!!’
In a moment of clarity, I turned to Zhuge Sa and shouted.
“Zhuge Sa!”
“What do you want?”
“Since this is [a dream], you said anything I want would appear, right? Then summon Mangnyang here!!”
“Oh….”
Zhuge Sa nonchalantly tapped his cigarette against the armrest. Upon my shout, Hang-a flinched. It was a clear sign of agitation, so I couldn’t help but smile in triumph as I continued.
“According to that guy, there’s no need to restart the Knot. I’ll hear the truth from Mangnyang through him!”
This couldn’t be a better plan!
Hoo…
Then, Zhuge Sa lit his cigarette and took a puff.
“For Baek Woong, that was quite clever. I’ll commend you. Usually, you’d never come up with something like this; is this the will of the Great Universe?”
Zhuge Sa, with a somewhat intoxicated expression, responded to my statement.
“However, are you sure that’s a good idea, my lord?”
“Is there an issue?”
As I questioned, Zhuge Sa spoke slowly.
“If the Knot is a [dream] and Hang-a created that dream, then the power over that dream lies with her. Plus, I’m just a character in it, so the Mangnyang I call forth in this dream is ultimately just an imaginary avatar reflecting my perceptions. It’s merely an icon of Mangnyang, as I know him.”
“……? What do you mean? I don’t get it.”
“In other words, the Mangnyang I call is just the Mangnyang I know. He can’t actually act as the true Mangnyang in the dream, so even if I summon Mangnyang, I won’t be able to grasp his true intent.”
“……!!”
“That’s how dreams work. In a dream, you can freely manifest your usual thoughts, but that doesn’t mean they are real beings. You may call upon Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen in a dream and slap him, but that’s not the real deal.”
Realizing Zhuge Sa’s words, my face stiffened.
“That’s insane. So, this space is completely separate from reality?”
“Did you not realize it from the beginning? If I don’t use the Soul Exchange Technique, I would never have known when you came into this space. At least it’s true that it’s a [dream] independent of reality. Therefore, there’s no way to summon Mangnyang here after handing over the Wheel King’s seat to you.”
“…….”
Listening to Zhuge Sa’s words with a devastated expression, I suddenly shouted.
“…Why tell me all this!! If you just summoned him without saying anything, that would have been fine, wouldn’t it?!”
“What would have been fine?”
“Just like that—Understanding it… I could have moved on to my 29th life! Why…”
This explanation Zhuge Sa offered only bolstered Hang-a’s position. If Zhuge Sa had simply summoned the representation of Mangnyang without explaining, I could have heard his inner thoughts and settled my emotions. But instead, Zhuge Sa had casually revealed the truth, closing off an easy path.
Why…?
Then Zhuge Sa grinned wickedly.
“I’m selfish. I don’t want to get caught later over something I should have been careful about. If I didn’t explain now, I could easily defeat Hang-a, but eventually, you’d keep harboring discomfort, being reincarnated.”
“Ah, no, that’s…”
“At that time, you’d keep wondering what thoughts the real Mangnyang had when doing all that. For thousands of years, your mind would keep circling that question again and again…? Ultimately, what you resent most would not be Hang-a or Mangnyang, but me. You’d blame me for not explaining back then. You would definitely think that.”
“……!!”
“Don’t shift the blame of truth onto me, my lord. If you’re going to do it, confront the truth head-on and overcome it.”
Ugh…!!
Zhuge Sa felt harsh. But at the same time, I sensed his desire for me to reflect constantly and win against shortcuts.
Then, Hang-a, who had been listening, laughed.
“You’re so overly confident, Zhuge Sa. You don’t even seem to have an inkling of how Baek Woong will react when he truly faces Mangnyang.”
“Haha!! I admit. I don’t even know what that dimwit will choose after being pushed this hard.”
Zhuge Sa readily acknowledged Hang-a’s statement as he flicked the ash off the end of his cigarette and continued.
“Yet believing in my lord is what distinguishes a first-rate strategist. That choice is beyond someone like you.”
“…….”
Hang-a wore a face that seemed struck.
As I contemplated how one path was blocked, I sat down and desperately racked my brain. But other than what I had just mentioned, I realized there was no real way to confirm Mangnyang’s true heart.
‘…There were past instances where my companions crossed the [Great Cycle]. In the past, Miho showed up after crossing the cycle in front of me. But I have no clue how that happened….’
The issue is that as the number of my past lives accumulates, it will become even more impossible to summon the Mangnyang from my past lives. Unless I know how to deliberately summon a past companion, if I give up on this [Knot], the means to confirm Mangnyang’s true intentions would also vanish.
Suddenly, an idea struck me, and I spoke again to Zhuge Sa.
“…Zhuge Sa! You said the [Knot] is a [dream]. Then even if I restart the [Knot], the Mangnyang appearing there wouldn’t be the real Mangnyang, right?”
“Hmm. You keep making me defend Hang-a. I don’t mind, but….”
Zhuge Sa took a puff from his cigarette, remained silent for a moment, then continued.
“That’s not quite right. Even if it’s a [dream], the characters within are clearly independent consciousnesses. There’s no problem in confirming the true intent of the real Mangnyang. Hang-a knows this, which is why she’s challenging you.”
“What? It’s a [dream], so why….”
“Baek Woong. I didn’t want to state this explicitly…”
When Zhuge Sa continued, my expression hardened.
“I’m also a character trapped in the [Knot] until just now. Yet, I appeared, disregarding Hang-a’s will. If Hang-a could control the dream’s existence, she wouldn’t need to manipulate a guy like me into self-destructing, right? Unless she’s lost her marbles.”
“……!!”
“Fuxi within the Land and Earth Diagram was the same. He was a being within the dream, but he had full self-awareness and actively fought to outmaneuver the Emperor. Even though it’s a [dream], Hang-a lacks the ability to command and manipulate the beings within it. She only possesses the authority to [start].”
Hang-a’s eyebrows twitched, showing visible irritation. Yet, I barely had time to pay attention to her expression as my words stumbled out.
“Ah, no, that’s….”
“Hehe… Is there a problem?”
I froze, realizing something important from Zhuge Sa.
“You, you’re aware that you’re a character within the dream… How are you still okay?! What you’re saying is that by ignoring the [Knot] and starting my 29th life, you will cease to exist, right?!”
“That would be the case.”
“How can you be so nonchalant?!”
As I was stunned, Zhuge Sa chuckled.
“Haha… I’m not anything special, my lord. The companions who’ve seen your past lives felt the same from the start. There’s nothing surprising about it.”
“What?”
“When you die, the world ends, and everything starts anew. The memories of the previous instance of [me] don’t carry over, so, to your past-life companions, this world appears as if it’s a [Knot] from the beginning. Unwittingly, your past-life companions could only recognize the [frame], so it doesn’t create a massive shock in their hearts.”
“…….”
“Fuxi’s words perfectly explain this situation. Is the frame reality or a dream? Just a difference in terminology. If I cannot perceive or carry over the reality and dream’s differences, then wouldn’t that be ignorance and meaningless?”
“But….”
“Well, it’s true that the powerful magic of obsidian helped me navigate the discomfort more smoothly. This could be seen as a privilege for the reincarnation companions.”
Zhuge Sa’s tone was incredibly cynical, which made my heart ache. Though he spoke so calmly, ultimately, the moment I pass on the obsidian to him, I will owe a debt of the heart to all my past-life companions.
As I lost my words, Zhuge Sa spoke up.
“Well, it seems I’ve given you almost all the necessary explanations. Now, it’s time to make a choice.”
“W-wait… I’m still not ready!”
“No. There’s already plenty of time. In fact, I, as your strategist, insist that dragging this decision out like Hang-a suggested would not be wise. It’s merely end up with a regretful handshake.”
“……”
Zhuge Sa’s gaze became cold like a snake.
“Live however you want and just let yourself die. That’s the privilege of a reborn person!”
“……!!”
Damn it…!!
I realized I couldn’t avoid making a choice, as Zhuge Sa had said. Either I secure triumph with his help and skillfully dodge this subtle trap to start my 29th life, or I fall into Hang-a’s ploys and begin the [Knot]!
‘Really… is there nothing else? No other option…?’
In this moment of binary choice – I had to confront reality with a dazed mind.
No way….
I can’t accept this….
‘Isn’t this another forced binary choice imposed by others…?’
No matter how much Zhuge Sa arranged this for me… I can’t choose like this.
…….
I refuse.
For reasons I can’t describe, I’ve always hated binary choices…!!
Damn it!
Think of something!!
Even if it’s crazy talk!!
And just like that, a trust-defying thought slipped out of my mouth.
“Hang-a. Do you want to be reincarnated?”
In that moment, Zhuge Sa, who had been smoking, showed a rare expression of surprise for the first time, and Hang-a, who sat nearby, widened her eyes. It meant my question was something even the all-knowing Zhuge Sa hadn’t anticipated.
For a moment, silence lingered.
Hang-a hesitated, her lips twitching before she finally spoke.
“That’s quite a speculation. Don’t say nonsensical things.”
“But… I just feel that way.”
“How ridiculous. Why would I want to be reborn?”
Hang-a suddenly scoffed and continued.
“Do you really think I’d want to go through meaningless cycles, watching everyone around me die while failing to avert the apocalypse? Pretending to be a savior with nothing left in the end? Don’t think of me as a lunatic like yourself.”
“…….”
For some reason, the more I listened to Hang-a, the stronger the feeling that I had grasped a clue settled in me. But the clue wasn’t properly sorted out in my brain to lead to conclusions. So, I retorted to Hang-a’s statement.
“It’s just… that thought stuck with me. If the only power you possess is to start the [dream], maybe… the reason you betrayed me is because of my Rebirth Ability.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I wouldn’t take what’s given.”
“Really? You can’t swear on it?”
“…….”
Suddenly, Hang-a hesitated. There was unmistakable dismay on her face. And Zhuge Sa, watching from the side, couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.
“Hahaha!! So that’s it, huh?!”
The inability to swear was highly revealing.
I realized that I had inadvertently struck something significant. So, I glared at Hang-a and said.
“The reason behind the deal with [someone]. You were planning to become a reincarnated person by handing over victory to that guy.”
I had no idea how that was possible. It was completely off the cuff, yet unexpectedly, it fell into place.
But knowing this now, I recognized that I could obtain beyond the binary choice mentioned earlier. Before I realized what I had uncovered, I opened my mouth to ask more questions when Hang-a suddenly rushed in.
“Looks like… discussing this further won’t help.”
Hoo…
Suddenly, Hang-a’s figure vanished from this space. A resonating sound seemed to echo throughout the entire space, like a bell tolling.
[I cannot acknowledge you, Baek Woong. I just thought it would be better to take that ability than let it rot!!]
“What….”
[If I have it, I’ll start again from [that time] and…]
Then Hang-a’s voice abruptly stopped.
Kuuguu….
Suddenly, the entire space was showered with dark fragments, and a tremendous tremor engulfed everything. It felt like an earthquake was tearing it apart.
“……!!”
“Just as expected.”
Zhuge Sa showed no trace of surprise. I turned to him and asked.
“Just as expected?”
“If she really had nowhere else to go, that crafty fox wouldn’t calmly be guiding your choice. Even knowing death was the solution, you can’t just stab yourself in the neck in this space to end it. To fully win, you must take some risks again.”
“Huh?! If I’d known that, you should have told me earlier….”
“If I told you, she’d have responded accordingly. I needed to see her reactions too. And….”
As my face twisted, Zhuge Sa, holding his cigarette between his fingers, said.
“Baek Woong, your desire to know Mangnyang’s true intent hasn’t changed, has it?”
“…….”
“Since you’ve come this far, I wanted to see what choice you’d make as a strategist. That’s all.”
“Honestly…. I have no idea what’s the right thing to do…”
I bit my lip and spoke.
“But!! I feel the same way!!”
Having just talked with Hang-a, I managed to collect my thoughts.
I resolved to clarify my determination.
“The same way?”
“I’m his ruler. No matter what choice Mangnyang has made, that’s something I must bear as someone who accepted him as a companion! I’ll trust that choice!”
Surprised, Zhuge Sa said.
“Even if he truly betrayed you? Even if that betrayal could end your past life?”
“There must have been a reason! Even if Mangnyang betrayed me, it was my fault! So I won’t look back. I’ll let the past remain in the past!”
“Oh… It truly sounds sincere. Are you saying it’s because you bear too much on your back? That you’re turning a blind eye to the truth in the name of saving the world?”
“No!! I don’t care about the weight I bear!”
I clenched my fists tightly.
“I trust Mangnyang!! That won’t change no matter how the surrounding circumstances might shift!”
“…….”
Zhuge Sa stared into the void for a moment. A hidden emotion seemed to swirl in his eyes. Then, as the ash continued to fall from his cigarette and completely darkened his fingertips, he flicked it away and said.
“The greatest fool under heaven. My lord may be exceedingly dull; yet, that’s why you are my lord… Haha.”
“Zhuge Sa! Now tell me what I should do!”
“Hehe, alright. From now, it’s crucial.”
Zhuge Sa’s eyes sparkled.
“You must call out the name of Mangnyang Seonsa to [commit suicide] in this space. Do you remember?”
“……!! Ah!”
In that moment, I recalled something that had happened a short while ago.
[No one knows the experiences you’re about to face, but if that tome begins to wreak havoc, call my name. I’ll stop you from being trapped in the Knot.]
[Make sure to remember. If you can’t finish it, then I, too, won’t see the end.]
It was the moment I first faced death before Jin So-cheong.
After talking with Jin So-cheong, I had encountered Mangnyang Seonsa, who had spoken to me with an identity I couldn’t grasp. I had no idea at the time what it all meant, but now I finally understood.
The tome’s rampant power.
That was undoubtedly the rebellion Hang-a had instigated against me.
I recalled that incident and said.
“That’s right. But after that, I was troubled because I didn’t know the name—a true name—of Mangnyang Seonsa….”
“Now is not the time to dawdle. Just summon it with all your strength.”
“What? Just shout Mangnyang Seonsa?”
Zhuge Sa smiled slyly.
“Yes. If you think about it, isn’t it obvious? Mangnyang Seonsa is suffering from memory loss.”
“Ah!”
“He wouldn’t even know his true name. It means it’s time to call him by the alias ‘Mangnyang Seonsa’.”
“R-Right.”
Why did I overlook something so simple? Perhaps it was because I expected it to be impossible for a Seonsa to speak straightforwardly. I immediately prepared to exclaim Mangnyang Seonsa’s name but hesitated.
“…….”
“What’s wrong? Hurry.”
“But if I do this….”
The characters within the [dream], known as [Knot], Zhuge Sa would vanish.
As if they had never existed in the first place.
The companion who had been my greatest support would disappear.
“Hehe… You’re clinging to useless things, despite how far you’ve come.”
Zhuge Sa laughed heartily.
“I said… every companion from previous lives is already aware of the frame. Even if I disappear now, I expected that from the start. Even if I’m just a fleeting dream, I take pride in having resisted the essence of the dream.”
“But.”
“Hehe… Don’t hesitate. Summoning Mangnyang Seonsa smoothly won’t be all that simple.”
“What?”
Zhuge Sa spoke as if something existed in the void.
“If Hang-a is the one who initiated the [dream], she’ll surely resist in some manner. Having already attempted a rebellion against a reincarnator, she’ll go all in, so that resistance will be brutal. And I, who will soon vanish, won’t be able to assist in that battle.”
“……”
“You must win using only your own strength. Considering Hang-a’s powers, it won’t be easy.”
Zhuge Sa murmured this before continuing.
“If you want to specifically repay me… Win. And serve all those using you a taste of karma!”
I shared a glance with Zhuge Sa. Gritting my teeth, I nodded.
“…Alright!!”
The next moment – I shouted at the top of my lungs.
“Mangnyang Seonsa!! Awaken me from this dream!!”
Crackle!
As I did, a web-like crack began to form around me, and I felt a gigantic darkness coming in from beyond. At the same time, Zhuge Sa’s figure before me wavered as if being swept away by an immense tidal wave. This was indeed a [dream] and thus, the Zhuge Sa in this dream was dissipating.
“……Mangnyang Seonsa!!”
I shouted again. I felt something rise up in my throat without me realizing it.
Just as I recognized Zhuge Sa had already vanished, a sense of what he had left behind emerged in my awareness.
Madness.
A furious mentality that defies reason seemed to take root within me. So much so that I felt like Zhuge Sa was right next to me even now.
Kwa-ching!!
Just before my third call, all time and space shattered, and I was met with an empty white void that resembled the feeling of crossing into another universe. Then before my feet appeared countless lands of clouds, and from the horizon, something began to materialize.
Kugugu….
A celestial maiden draped in infinite white. A faceless woman swathed in silk of chaos began to unveil itself. Soon enough, the celestial maiden granted color to the silks enveloping her body, gradually emitting seven-colored waves.
That being landed on the cloud continent, her wings of garment allowing her footfalls, and spoke.
[I am the terminal of Heavenly Secrets. Even if it was Mangnyang Seonsa, he can no longer undo the [Knot]. The Heavenly Secrets will no longer allow it.]
“…….”
[Your past life ends here.]
Ching!
I summoned dual blades into my hands. Was it due to my accurate recognition of this as a [dream]? Before I knew it, Tydaht and Moon Sovereign floated around me. Zhuge Sa’s claim that I could summon anything I envisioned was indeed true.
I nonchalantly replied.
“So, if I kill you, I can leave.”
[Is that really the only way you see? Even if you escape, all that awaits is the reality of being turned to tears of blood in Xiang Yu’s hands.]
“After coming this far, is that all you’ve got to say?”
[Consider it. You’ve acquired the powers of the Wheel King and the status of the Jade Emperor, becoming the ruler of the three realms. As long as you pass the apocalypse, you could reign as the highest being in the universe for ten thousand years, or even a hundred thousand years. A being admired by humanity, countless alien races, and the otherworldly races—an absolute being in the universe.]
“…….”
[What’s the difference between a [dream] and reality? You could have the happiest dream… Even if you reincarnate hundreds or thousands of times, do you think another opportunity like this will come?]
I smiled faintly. Within Hang-a’s words, I could sense her desperate feelings.
“If it’s the happiest dream… then once I wake up, the unhappiest hell will greet me.”
[…….]
“Enough of the talk, bring it on, Hang-a.”
I gripped my sword tightly.
“If you want to become a reincarnated person that badly, I’ll test you as your senior!!”
In the next instant, the battle commenced.
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