Back home, Le Shuya stared at her tidy, sparsely furnished living room, the USB drive clenched in her hand. She sank into thought, and Cheng Yu's words surfaced in her mind.
"I think it'll be more convincing if you investigate it yourself, Miss Le, rather than hear it from me. Of course, if you hit a dead end, I'm always available to help."
She didn't know what had possessed her to accept Cheng Yu's USB drive, or why she had kept it from Lin Mo. Lin Mo treated her well and liked her very much-she knew that. She also knew he was involved with more than one girl, but she didn't particularly mind.
To her, Lin Mo had been a ray of light in her darkest hour. She had feelings for him, too, but that didn't mean she truly wanted to be with him.
Helping his career, working hard for him, and becoming a lifelong friend and confidante was a good choice, too. In short, what she felt for Lin Mo was gratitude, friendship, and a little love.
But if Cheng Yu was right, and there was a side to all this she knew nothing about, how would she face Lin Mo? If he really was one of the people she needed to take revenge on, could she actually bring herself to do it?
After much deliberation, Le Shuya plugged the USB drive into her computer. She opened a folder and found a passage of text inside. Yet those words shook her to the core.
"I knew you would open this USB drive, Miss Le. Your father borrowed from loan sharks because of his gambling debts, indirectly leading to your parents' deaths.
I'm sure you know that better than anyone. But have you ever considered something? Your father was only a small construction contractor. Although he had some money, he shouldn't have been spending it at a casino.
Which raises the question: why did your father go to a casino and run up gambling debts? Who led him there-or, perhaps, deceived him?
Here's a name for you, Miss Le: 'Wang Long.' I'm sure you'll be able to uncover something, though perhaps not much.
Oh, and I imagine you used my business card to deal with Lin Mo. With your abilities, remembering my contact information shouldn't be difficult, but I'd still better leave it here: XXXXXXXXXX."
It wasn't that she had never wondered why her father had gone to a casino, but she had never truly looked into the details. She had still been a university student then.
At the time, she had lost both her parents at once and still had to face the gambling debts her father left behind. After all, her parents had died in an "accident," so the debts still had to be repaid.
How could she have had the presence of mind to think about all that? Later, Lin Mo had helped her resolve everything, and she had joined his company.
But Lin Mo's company had only just been starting out. As one of his most trusted employees, she had been worked nearly to death, and over time, she had gradually overlooked that issue.
And then there was Cheng Yu. She had known he was a formidable man. After all, apart from Lin Mo, he was the only person she knew who was both so young and so accomplished. Even Lin Mo had admitted to suffering quite a few setbacks at Cheng Yu's hands.
Yet she had never felt even a hint of fear toward this man as she did now. She had only met him a handful of times, but he had actually predicted how she would act.
What made him so certain she would open this USB drive? What made him so certain she wouldn't take all this to Lin Mo? Was it luck? If not, his grasp of human nature was far too terrifying.
And that name, "Wang Long"-there was practically no one in Jiangcheng, whether in legitimate society or the underworld, who didn't know him. He was Jiangcheng's underground emperor and Lin Mo's close friend.
Could Cheng Yu really be right? Is there something here I don't know about? Le Shuya's expression darkened at the thought.
"Man, having the script really is awesome! Oh, thanks, big... uh... ma'am."
Sitting on the sofa and watching Le Shuya's reactions in the script, Cheng Yu couldn't help voicing his delight. He also remembered to thank Miss Puppet for pouring his tea.
Honestly, having someone else imagine him as some ridiculously brilliant mastermind could be summed up in one word: amazing!
Ah, no wonder those protagonists love showing off. This feels incredible!
After pouring Yog a cup of tea as well, Miss Puppet moved to stand behind Yog without being told.
Yog picked up the tea, took a sip, and said softly, "The script is only for beginners. You won't have it in the next world."
Cheng Yu's face immediately fell. "Looks like I'll have to make the most of my time playing the mysterious mastermind, then. Otherwise, I won't get another chance."
"What's interesting about following a script for everything? It's like knowing the ending. No matter how brilliant the story is, half the fun is gone. Don't worry, you won't die. Even if you do, I can bring you back."
Cheng Yu really wanted to ask how the Big Shot could say something so cold with a mouth that was thirty-something degrees warm.
But he asked a different question instead.
"Big Shot, aren't you busy reclaiming your authorities? Wouldn't it be better to move as fast as we can? Having this script would help me reclaim them for you faster, too."
Yog lowered the teacup just before it reached Yog's lips and spoke softly.
"Would you want to live forever?"
Cheng Yu froze.
"Of course. Who wouldn't?"
"The inferior thinking of a short-lived species."
Another mocking remark came from Yog's mouth, followed by another question.
"Do you want to know how long the previous epoch existed?"
Cheng Yu looked utterly puzzled. What's gotten into the Big Shot today? Are we discussing philosophy? I just hope my brain doesn't explode. Despite those thoughts, he still answered.
"How long?"
"Impossible to count."
"Huh?" ("゜ロ゜) Boss, are you messing with me?
Yog pointed to Yog's own head.
"These are memories from my true form."
Then Yog continued.
"In the previous epoch, 'I' observed the answers across infinite spacetime. The shortest duration was even less than your humans' smallest unit of time, a nanosecond-one billionth of a second, or ten to the power of negative nine seconds.
The longest duration, even measured in your largest unit of time, the galactic year-the time it takes the solar system to complete one orbit around the center of the galaxy, estimated at 220 to 250 million years-reached a number 97,342 digits long.
And that is only because of the amount of memory this current body can withstand. My true form should have memories of even longer durations."
Holy crap, Cheng Yu exclaimed inwardly. Forget the largest unit of time-even if the unit were just years, how many fucking years would a number over ninety thousand digits long be?
Yog continued.
"Therefore, 'we,' who have existed for such immense stretches of time, are not permitted to possess the 'rationality' that other creatures possess.
Apart from a few individuals, we are not even permitted to possess 'intelligence.' And those individuals 'fortunate' enough to possess intelligence either maintain cold, emotionless thought or behave like 'madmen.' 'I' and 'Nyarlathotep' are the respective examples."
Holy shit, Big Shot, am I even allowed to hear forbidden secrets like these? Cheng Yu felt as though he had walked into some browser company's headquarters today. The shocking revelations just kept coming.
Yog glanced at him and chuckled.
"In the previous epoch, you would not have been able to hear those words. Even if I had allowed you to hear them, the instant the name 'Nyarlathotep' appeared, Nyarlathotep would have come to your side.
And you would have had only two choices: either I erased your memories, or you became one of the Outer Gods outside the Chaos Court playing lullabies for His Majesty, the great Azathoth."
Cheng Yu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and gave an awkward laugh. "Big Shot, I'm a coward. Please don't scare me."
Sure, I've thought about becoming a being with the Divine Status of a Great Old One, or even an Outer God, but I don't want to become a Great Old One outright. Never mind anything else—just those looks... tsk, tsk. No comment, Cheng Yu grumbled inwardly.
Yog ignored him and continued.
"So, in the previous epoch, the intelligent 'I' did something insane. I tried to possess 'rationality.' But I failed.
Within that endless expanse of time, I saw 'our' end. His Majesty, the great Azathoth, awoke, and everything fell silent. At an immense cost, I smuggled myself into this epoch."
Cheng Yu already knew all this. It had been part of the story the Big Shot had told him before.
Yog looked at Cheng Yu.
"Tell me, am I collecting authorities just to become cold and emotionless again, then wait for this epoch to fall silent?"
As if I'd dare offer you an opinion. Whatever you say goes. Yes, smile. Don't forget to smile.
Looking at Cheng Yu's rather smarmy smile, Yog raised the teacup, took a sip, and continued.
"In this epoch, I paid an immense price to create this rational body. Time is meaningless to me, so I am in no hurry to collect authorities.
The “gods” of this epoch are few and weak. Even the one whose Divine Status in this epoch is equivalent to that of His Majesty, the great Azathoth, cannot restrain me. After all, that being has only “just” been born. Though its Divine Status is high, it is somewhat feeble. It is no great trouble.”
Cheng Yu suddenly realized that the being the Big Shot mentioned, whose Divine Status was equivalent to that of Azathoth—uh, His Majesty, the great Azathoth—was probably the “young beast” the Big Shot had spoken of last night.
(The Big Shot can read minds. The Big Shot can read minds. The Big Shot can read minds.) Important things had to be said three times.
Yog glanced at him and continued with a smile.
"So, I am in no hurry to collect authorities. Consider it a journey through a new epoch after leaving the Final Void.
And you, fortunate little fellow, will accompany me on this journey and, as a worthy protagonist, bring one marvelous adventure story after another to life."
Cheng Yu rose and placed a hand over his chest.
"It is my honor, Your Exalted Majesty."
Then he grumbled to himself. So, in the end, the Big Shot finally gets a chance to go out and have some fun, and obviously wants to make the most of it.
And here I was last night, sincerely telling the Big Shot I'd collect the authority fragments as quickly as possible. Only for the Big Shot to tell me collecting fragments is just something to do along the way, and dragging me all over the Chaos Sea to watch me act out adventure stories is more entertaining.
What does that make this? The journey of the lucky fellow and The All-in-One?
Before you continue