After Saving The Universe A Thousand Times: Chapter 23

Chapter 23: All Gods’ Descent 23

That night, Dong Jin didn’t go looking for Fei Lin.  

After all, he wasn’t some heartless capitalist who would ruthlessly exploit every opportunity for profit.  

For trial participants with unique talents, using their secrets to force them into alliances or servitude was always a last resort—he had to wait for Fei Lin to come to him on her own. That would be the best time to negotiate.  

Perhaps due to the sudden change in environment, Dong Jin didn’t sleep well that night. By the time he adjusted his schedule and got up to get something to eat downstairs, the first-floor lounge was already scattered with people.  

The moment he entered, he heard their idle chatter.  

“How many letters of encouragement did the Cosmic Will send you before the Divine Selection? Yesterday, I asked Serge, and he said he got three. Even the word count in each letter was higher than ours! Since when did the Cosmic Will start catering to individuals like that?!”  

“What’s the point of asking? I only got one. The Cosmic Will’s ability is equivalent exchange, so of course, it pays more attention to those who are more valuable. What’s strange about that? Besides, Serge’s three letters aren’t even the most outrageous.”  

“Let me put it this way—I have a friend in the entertainment industry whose talent is related to rankings. While compiling the list of 《The Universe’s Most Romantic Moments》 this year, she found that the number one spot was 《The Cosmic Will wrote thirty letters of encouragement to someone.》”  

“Later, she and her friend with a special ability used every means to see one of those letters. The content was disgustingly sappy—something like, ‘You are ice, you are fire, a star forged from ice and fire, beauty beyond gold, silver, or diamonds…’ Ever seen an encouragement letter like that?”  

“By the way, wasn’t the top MVP of our universe here yesterday? The moment I saw his face, I knew those letters must’ve been written for him. Compared to the love letter-like words in his letters, Serge’s three are nothing!”  

“Oh, and I heard that an entertainment star changed ownership and was renamed last night. That name doesn’t seem like the style of the Cosmic Will at all.”  

“From what I know, after Serge became MVP, the Cosmic Will directly gave him a large sum of money. Considering that, it’s possible this drafted star has already been given to Dong Jin as a reward. Tsk tsk, based on its actions, I’m starting to think our Cosmic Will is a hidden romantic.”  

After these words, a burst of laughter filled the room.  

Hearing this, Dong Jin glanced at the people gathered around the sofa.  

Who would’ve thought that among these desperados, they’d be gossiping about trivial matters so early in the morning?  

Dong Jin’s glance caught the group’s attention, and instead of feeling embarrassed about being overheard, they openly waved him over, inviting him to join their conversation.  

“Dong Jin, you came at the right time! Come check out this hot post.”  

Dong Jin casually walked over, glanced at the screen in front of them, and read aloud the title of the post: 《Our Fates Were Not Meant to Be, All Thanks to My Money.》  

“Yeah! You’d never guess—it’s actually about you and Kale. The post is both well-researched and hilarious. The author went on and on analyzing, saying that if Kale hadn’t told you there was a gem behind the door, you wouldn’t have let him live until the divine descent was almost complete. So, is it true?”  

What nonsense. Dong Jin lazily slouched on the sofa, refusing to admit he had been momentarily blinded by the allure of the Godhood.  

If anything, this title fit better for him and Lei Ming rather than Kai.  

After all, Lei Ming spent the savings of a hundred lifetimes chasing him from dream to reality. Compared to that, Kai’s involvement was nothing.  

As Dong Jin mused over this, he raised his eyes to see Fei Lin entering the room from the lounge’s doorway.  

The information broker had clearly overheard the chatter about Kale and, driven by her curiosity about gods, couldn’t help but draw closer.  

Noticing this, Dong Jin instantly emptied his mind, ceasing all thoughts about Kai and Lei Ming.  

In the very next moment, as the familiar sensation of being probed returned, he didn’t bother pretending not to notice. Instead, he raised his right hand, which held a table knife, and casually aimed the blade at Fei Lin.  

“Miss, twice wasn’t enough? For me, some things can happen once or twice, but never a third time.”  

The others couldn’t understand their cryptic conversation, but Fei Lin, who couldn’t hear any of Dong Jin’s thoughts, shot him a startled glance, clearly shocked that her otherwise foolproof ability had been detected so quickly.  

She quietly waited for Dong Jin to finish his breakfast, then followed him to the training room in the villa.  

Such a closed environment was perfect for discussing secret deals.  

As soon as they entered, Fei Lin dropped any pretense and admitted bluntly:

“My talent is perception. Under normal circumstances, I can sense the emotions of nearby living beings by expending a bit of stamina. By paying a certain price, I can even hear the thoughts of a designated target at close range.”  

For an information broker, the most crucial thing is the means of gathering intelligence. Relying on this ability, she had listened to Sergei’s thoughts multiple times. Yet today, she hit a wall with Dong Jin.  

The only thing she could do now was to cut her losses in time and do everything possible to ensure Dong Jin kept her secret. Otherwise, if others learned about her talent, any trial participant with secrets would treat her as an enemy.  

Not only would they avoid her, but they might even work together to eliminate her just to be safe.  

With this thought in mind, she sincerely continued, “If there’s anything you need from me, please tell me directly. I will do my best to help. I hope you can forgive me this time and not reveal my talent.”  

Dong Jin didn’t have much animosity toward Fei Lin. From the beginning, he had only taken precautions because her ability was unique. So now, he straightforwardly made his request:  

“I want you to promise under the witness of the Cosmic Will that you will never use your ability on me voluntarily.”  

Fei Lin agreed without hesitation.  

The Cosmic Will in their universe had the power of equivalent exchange, and under its witness and constraints, no vow could be broken.  

In fact, when Lei Ming first approached him, Dong Jin had already prepared to make a mutual Divine Selection vow in front of that god. What he didn’t expect was that Lei Ming directly believed him at the time and didn’t even ask him to swear.  

Dong Jin was not Lei Ming; he didn’t have such strong trust in others. So he chose to silently watch as Fei Lin made her vow.  

After Fei Lin finished, he smiled and said, “I’m not interested in spreading others’ abilities, so I’ll keep your secret. Also, if you’re really that curious about gods, you can ask me directly in the future.”  

After speaking, Dong Jin prepared to leave the training room. Just as he reached the door, Fei Lin hesitantly asked, “Can you tell me how you discovered I used my talent?”  

Hearing this, Dong Jin continued walking out of the training room without pausing, clearly uninterested in explaining.  

Sometimes, maintaining a certain level of mystery helps others stay respectful. Besides, there was no way he would foolishly reveal his new trump card just to answer Fei Lin’s question.  

Thinking this, Dong Jin glanced at his reflection in the metallic door of another training room as he passed.  

At that moment, the information displayed by his earring in the reflection was:  

[Daytime Earring: A piece of jewelry made from 1/7 of the Daytime Godhood, changes color with the wearer’s pupils.]  

[Since your compatibility with it is 100%, you can use part of the Daytime Godhood’s abilities while wearing it.]  

Clearly, this earring was the reason he could sense Fei Lin using her talent.  

Because of it, a temporary skill had even been added to his skill list—”Equal Treatment.”  

Skill Name: Equal Treatment (Temporary)  

Skill Description: Under daylight, all things are equal except for me.  

Skill Effect: Under your gaze, the talent abilities of any being within three meters of you will be weakened to varying degrees. During daytime, the weakening effect increases by 50%; at night, it decreases by 50%.

Skill Evaluation: “Darling, you’re like the sun shining on everything, always treating all equally. Even I can’t help but wonder, who could be the most special one in your eyes? Could it be me? (Laugh)”  

At this moment, as Dong Jin scanned the game panel and once again glimpsed that skill evaluation, he really wanted to tell the Cosmic Will:  

Stop laughing, it’s definitely not you.  

After dealing with Fei Lin’s matter, Dong Jin spent the remaining three and a half days living a reclusive life.  

It wasn’t until the seventh night, just before the second trial was about to begin, that he took a throwing knife from his bag and walked to the mirror.  

As he confirmed the length of hair he wanted to cut and pressed the knife to his neck, ready to cut, a slender, well-defined hand silently gripped his wrist from behind.  

Even without turning around, just from the familiar strength, the familiar scorching warmth, and the unmistakable stormy aura, it was clear who had arrived.  

“Lei Ming, what do you want this time?”  

The next moment, Dong Jin turned his head to look at the uninvited god behind him, asking with some exasperation.  

Lei Ming, hearing this, didn’t say much. He merely flicked his fingers, casually tossing the sharp knife back onto the table, then lazily said, “Shouldn’t I be the one asking what you’re trying to do?”  

To this, Dong Jin raised his eyelids and glanced over, “Have you never seen someone cut their hair before?”  

Such an obvious thing, yet you still ask?  

“By the way, how did you even get in? This planet’s been off-limits to outsiders for a while now.”  

“Outsiders?” Lei Ming repeated the word with a mocking tone and said, “I’m not human. Besides, your universe’s rules don’t apply to me. I come and go as I please. What’s it going to do, strike me with lightning?”  

Just as Lei Ming finished speaking, the planet, now renamed Calamity Star, echoed with the sound of thunder.  

Hearing the thunder, Lei Ming chuckled softly, “That’s all it can do.”  

Dong Jin glanced at the cracks on Lei Ming’s black clothing and the dried bloodstains, guessing that the Cosmic Will had likely given him some resistance when he entered the planet.  

However, since the Divine Selection was ongoing, neither Lei Ming nor the Cosmic Will had likely gone all out.  

“So, what exactly are you here for?” Dong Jin, unwilling to dwell on the topic, asked again.  

This time, Lei Ming replied, “Originally, I thought your combat skills were too lousy and planned to give you a crash course on the last day. But with all the Cosmic Will drama, I only just got here.”  

“Seeing as there’s no time left to teach you, consider me here to send you off.”  

Why does your “send-off” feel more like a funeral procession?  

Suppressing the instinctive urge to retaliate due to Lei Ming’s close proximity and the faint smell of blood, Dong Jin prepared to retrieve the knife and continue cutting his overly long black hair.  

However, just as he took a step toward the knife, Lei Ming once again blocked his path.  

“Don’t. Didn’t you always say you’re valuable? That hair must be worth something too, right? Instead of cutting it here, why not use it in the instance to exchange for energy with the Cosmic Will?”  

Dong Jin finally realized that Lei Ming had never intended for him to cut his hair from the start.  

And yet, Lei Ming still managed to come up with such a plausible excuse.  

Just as Dong Jin decided to ignore this meddlesome god, Lei Ming spoke again:  

“After all, this is only the second trial. Does a trial like this deserve for you to cut your hair?”  

Hearing this, Dong Jin’s hand, which had just picked up the knife, suddenly paused.

No matter the starting point of Lei Ming’s words, this sentence hit Dong Jin’s weak spot directly—if he had to go to such lengths in the second trial, even cutting his hair to make fighting easier, then what would he have to do for the remaining five trials?

Would the external gods and demons think that he lacked confidence, that he wasn’t handling things with ease?

In the midst of his thoughts, Dong Jin eventually threw the knife handle aside, abandoning the plan.

He then turned to Lei Ming and said, “Since you’re here, why don’t you answer a few questions for me?”

“I met Kai, who sealed his memories in the last instance. Was that a coincidence, or does every instance have an incarnation of the God of Revelry?”

“Coincidence.” Lei Ming quickly gave an answer.

Kai went into the instance just to have fun, but he didn’t go into every instance. It just so happened that the instance for the first trial suited his taste, and Dong Jin, in turn, ignited his interest, awakening Kai’s instincts and nearly causing a divine descent.

“You don’t need to worry about Kai’s situation; at least in the next trial, he won’t be able to enter any instance.”

Dong Jin, upon hearing this, subconsciously asked, “Why?”

At that moment, Lei Ming, who had picked up the throwing knife and was fiddling with it, slowly revealed a crazed smile:

“Because I reported him.”

Of course, the gods and demons of the Supreme Universe could enter the trial instances for a vacation, but they had to seal their memories so as not to affect the balance of the instance itself. The problem was that in the last trial, the strength of the incarnation of Kai had far exceeded what was allowed for the original Kale, let alone when Kai’s memory began to break and he tried to invoke a divine descent.

If no one mentioned this, the Supreme Cosmic Will might not say anything. But once someone raised an objection, Kai wouldn’t be able to enter any trials for a short while—at least not this time.

Because when the second trial began, Kai, who was punished, had to sit in the commentary seat instead of him.

And Lei Ming, who had reported the violation of the God of Revelry, now had some free time.

Dong Jin, who had just heard this major news, didn’t know what to say, so he simply changed the subject:

“There are three minutes left until the second trial starts. I’ll ask you one last time, you really don’t have any cheats you can give me?”

Hearing this, Lei Ming sneered softly. He was about to mock Dong Jin for his wild imagination, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he stopped the sarcastic remark that was on the tip of his tongue. He looked at Dong Jin with an ambiguous gaze, then casually said:

“I don’t have any cheats, but I do have a blessing ritual.”

As he spoke, he walked closer to Dong Jin.

In the still-thundering storm and under the desolate, damp night, the god’s burning fingertips quietly landed on Dong Jin’s forehead.

“Touch the forehead, I will do my best to miss you.”

When his right hand, capable of destroying cities, pressed against Dong Jin’s forehead, Dong Jin instinctively tensed his nerves. After touching his forehead, Lei Ming’s fingers slowly moved towards his eyes and said:

“Touch the eyes, I will spare no effort in watching you.”

Next were the lips.

“Touch the corner of the lips, I will pray for you day and night.”

Then it moved from the throat to the back of the hand.

“Touch the throat, with command, you are undefeated in battle.”

“Touch the back of the hand, with conquest, you are invincible.”

Finally, it was the left side of the heart.

When Lei Ming’s rough fingertip touched his heart, and Dong Jin’s dark golden eyes met his, Dong Jin suddenly felt a chilling sense of dread.

It was a sensation like a beast showing affection with its fangs. You couldn’t predict whether the fangs would retract or strike down in the next second.

And now, this beast continued speaking: “Touch the heart, what I await to return is surely your victory.”

After finishing all his words, Lei Ming looked at Dong Jin with a half-smile, half-smirk.

This little madman had no fear of gods or demons. Thinking of how he would still have to clean up the mess Dong Jin made with the gods and demons in the future, Lei Ming couldn’t help but try to scare him, hoping he would take things easier from now on.

However, this blessing process wasn’t something he made up; it was truly a ritual passed down from their Supreme Universe.

The only difference was that the real blessing ritual wasn’t done with fingers but with a kiss.

But Lei Ming had never been interested in kissing.

So, to him, there was no difference at all.

TN:

Am I really supposed to believe these people hate and want to kill each other!? I want a redo of the blessing! This time as the Universe intended~

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