Chapter 55: Uncertain Fate, Altered Reality

Fang Shi felt a sudden chill.

First, the Lady of Luck had possessed a male.

Second, being targeted by a deity was no good thing.

"Luck favors you" did not refer to luck in the literal sense.

Rather, it meant the deity who compared herself to the embodiment of luck, the Lady of Luck, had taken a liking to Fang Shi.

"Luck favors you" basically meant the Lady of Luck wanted Fang Shi to become a Chosen One.

Had Fang Shi not been reborn, he might have agreed.

After all, with a deity's protection, the most direct benefit was a massive surge in power.

It provided extra specializations and skyrocketing levels, and in times of crisis, one could even pull people up to the Heavens.

Safety increased greatly in the apocalypse.

But the problem lay in Fang Shi's rebirth.

One must know that no one can master the authority of time; even the Time Dragon merely wanders within time itself.

It cannot transport outsiders through space and time.

After becoming a Chosen One, one's mind would hold no secrets before the deity.

Past memories could be dug up one by one.

If a deity discovered one was a reborn person, being flayed alive and swallowed whole would be the least of it.

Soul decomposition, spirit tearing; until the mystery of rebirth was uncovered, a deity would absolutely not rest.

Because this represented the supreme authority—Time.

Mastering Time meant mastering everything in the multiverse.

Even benevolent gods were not safe; they might, in order to break free from dogma and the bonds of faith,

crave Time even more and resort to any means necessary.

Moreover, the deities' stance in this apocalypse game was unclear.

The monsters attacking Blue Star included not only followers of evil gods, but also followers of benevolent gods.

Some benevolent gods even personally ordered the invasion of Blue Star.

The deity worshipped by the Fire-Feathered People, Avandra, should theoretically belong to the Chaotic Good alignment.

They should not have committed an invasion, yet in fact, they did.

Once, a Chosen One priest communicated with a god, wishing to understand the reason behind it.

Their Chosen status was immediately severed; had it not been for the dominance of the attribute panel, their level might have been wiped clean.

In short, Fang Shi did not wish to be the Lady of Luck's Chosen One.

Even if power surged temporarily, the long-term consequences were endless.

"My Lady, I am but an ordinary mortal. What merit do I have to earn Luck's favor?"

Fang Shi said modestly, barely stopping short of stating outright that he was unwilling.

The Lady of Luck chuckled, seeming to sense Fang Shi's discomfort.

A flash of Jin Guang shimmered, and the youth Jiang Xian before her transformed into a young girl, Jiang Xian.

Yes, a young girl.

For the things that should not exist on a youth's chest had appeared on Jiang Xian's.

Her face became feminine, not to mention cute and beautiful.

Combined with the Lady of Luck's aura, every gesture held a young girl's playfulness, yet also a mature woman's charm.

Divine Power—Reality Alteration.

This was the creative power of a deity.

"How could one whose fate is uncertain be an ordinary person?"

Tymora's laughter, like silver bells, echoed through the maze, as if she found Fang Shi's ordinariness laughable.

Fate uncertain?

Fang Shi asked in confusion, "What does that phrase mean?"

Tymora smiled, "Mortal, do you know what Fate is?"

Fang Shi shook his head, "I do not know."

Tymora waved her right hand, and the world around them instantly changed.

A surging, ceaseless river appeared below.

Tymora and Fang Shi stood upon the river.

Divine Power—Virtual Reality.

She pointed to the great river beneath their feet, "The river below is Fate."

"All living beings in the world exist within the river, flowing downstream; their fate is already predetermined."

"But the multiverse is so vast; accidents inevitably occur."

」

"There is a group of beings whose fate exists within the river, yet they do not flow downstream; their path is unknown."

"Such beings are called those whose fate is uncertain."

Hearing Tymora's explanation, Fang Shi suddenly understood.

Wasn't this just fatalism?

It meant everyone's fate was decided long ago, but some people's fate was uncertain.

As for why his own fate was uncertain, Fang Shi strongly suspected it was due to his rebirth.

Before rebirth, one's own fate was fixed; after rebirth, having changed fate, it naturally became uncertain.

But Fang Shi disliked this line of reasoning; he disliked the feeling of fatalism.

"Lady, I think this view is wrong. If there is a person whose fate is uncertain,"

"then the fate of anyone who comes into contact with him will be stirred, and thus also become uncertain."

"Those whose fates have been stirred will continue to contact another group, and the fate of that other group will also become uncertain."

"In this way, one passes it to ten, ten to a hundred, and the fate of everyone will become uncertain."

"Therefore, there is no such thing as a person whose fate is fixed; everyone is a person whose fate is uncertain."

Fang Shi's argument was very reasonable, unless those with uncertain fates were isolated beyond the multiverse.

Otherwise, even disturbing a single particle would make anyone's fate uncertain.

Tymora shook her head: "Mortal, I originally thought your comprehension was outstanding, but you can't even see through this."

Fang Shi was not annoyed and took the opportunity to say: "So I am not worthy of the Lady's favor."

Tymora laughed coquettishly: "No, mortal. The more you refuse, the more I favor you."

"When you chanted my name, I sensed your existence. This is fate."

I chanted His name?

Fang Shi was startled and carefully recalled; he truly had chanted once during a lottery draw.

Could it have been that time?

"Didn't the Lady say my fate is uncertain? Why then say this is fate?"

Tymora directly rolled her eyes at Fang Shi: "That is why I say you do not understand fate."

Fang Shi was just about to retort that she understood nothing, that her words were so logically chaotic and nonsensical.

But thinking of the authority the other party held, perhaps she truly understood fate very deeply.

He was just a mortal with limited knowledge; it was better not to bring shame upon himself.

Tymora continued: "Most people think fate has only one possibility, but in reality, there are countless possibilities."

"A creature with uncertain fate represents having more choices, not that they are truly outside of fate."

"Their unknown is relative to the mainstream of fate."

Tymora waved her hand again, and instantly countless tributaries branched off from the river.

"These tributaries are the fate of those with uncertain fates."

"They hide within the river; even the Gods cannot see through them."

"As for the fate of other creatures, even if disturbed by those with uncertain fates,"

"under the powerful force of the mainstream, the ripples formed will eventually be smoothed out."

"The final result is still predetermined."

Fang Shi understood again; this was grouping all possibilities into one set, and this set is called fate.

And within fate, there are two subsets: one subset is called the mainstream, and the other is called the tributaries (others).

Ordinary creatures belong to the mainstream, while those with uncertain fates belong to the tributaries (others).

And the influence of the tributaries on the mainstream will eventually be corrected.

Fang Shi deeply suspected that the so-called inability of the Gods to see through it was because the content of the tributaries set was too vast.

The Gods' abilities were limited; they could not see everything, so it was called 'unable to see through.'

However, there must be a way to change this classification of sets.

According to the Lady of Luck, his past life was definitely one with a fixed fate.

Otherwise, before his rebirth, he had chanted the Lady of Luck's name; why didn't She come looking for him?

"Apart from those with uncertain fates, can the fate of other creatures not be changed?"

"Or, do other creatures have any method to become those with uncertain fates?"

Fang Shi felt his rebirth was absolutely not that simple; it must contain a huge secret.

If he didn't subtly probe while the Lady of Luck was by his side, he would feel unwilling.

Tymora explained: "Of course there is. The Gods can change the fate of all beings."

"But this change is merely merging their own tributaries into the mainstream of fate, thereby influencing the direction of the mainstream."

"Essentially, the fate of these creatures is still fixed; only the mainstream changes."

Fang Shi's eyes narrowed: "Your Majesty means that the Gods are all those with uncertain fates."

Tymora smiled: "Mortal, do you still not understand? Those with uncertain fates possess the possibility of reaching immortality."

"Although this path is covered in thorns and only one in ten thousand can reach the end, this is already luckier than all mortal things."

Fang Shi fell silent for a moment: "Why me?"

Although he had not learned from the Lady of Luck how to become one with an uncertain fate, he understood the Lady of Luck's purpose.

The Gods have diverse personalities, but there is one thing that does not change.

They are all existences that do nothing without profit.

Where would they have the leisure to cross worlds to meet a completely unrelated person, and even expend divine power to perform acts like altering reality?

Fang Shi warned himself that he could no longer casually call out the names of Gods in the future.

It would not be good if he attracted other Gods again.

Of course, it might also be an issue of the Lady of Luck's authority, making Her perception of those with uncertain fates clearer.

Tymora smiled seductively: "Because I like it. I want to see what waves a person with an uncertain fate can stir up on Blue Star."

"And don't you think the theme of survival in the apocalypse is too unfair to humanity?"

"If a strong person can appear among humanity as soon as possible, the apocalypse will no longer be an apocalypse, but a scenery."

Fang Shi actually believed the Lady of Luck's words; her personality was indeed like that.

Unable to tolerate the injustices of the multiverse, she often intervened to help the side of justice.

But this was certainly not the whole truth.

Before his rebirth, the various actions of the gods all pointed to one issue.

Blue Star was very important to them.

As for how important, Fang Shi did not know.

Yet this did not stop Fang Shi from guessing that the Lady of Luck's purpose was far from simple.

It was still the same saying: if Fang Shi had not been reborn, he would have truly agreed.

At worst, he could become a faithless one later; could the gods strip away his power by bypassing the Attribute Panel?

Moreover, the primary essence of the Attribute Panel was plunder.

If the gods were unwilling to grant the power of a priest, could the priest not improve?

That was too naive; he would force a plunder right before your eyes.

If you are unwilling to bleed yourself, naturally someone else will bleed you.

Fang Shi still remembered that before his rebirth, some people, for special abilities,

specifically switched classes to become priests of evil gods.

After succeeding, they ignored the evil gods, yet their levels still skyrocketed.

"Thank you for the Lady's kindness, but I am afraid I cannot agree."

Fang Shi politely refused, tightening his grip on the long sword in his hand.

Tymora's expression changed, turning cold directly: "Mortal, you have refused me again and again, even without hearing my terms; you are insulting me."

As these words were spoken, endless pressure surged toward Fang Shi.

He resisted with all his might; his bones creaked and cracked, and he involuntarily bent his waist.

This was a chasm originating from the level of life itself; it could not be dodged, nor should it be dodged.

But it could be resisted through a saving throw!

"Your will has been tempered for a long time; Iron Will has improved: I → II."

"【Iron Will II】: You possess a will stronger than that of ordinary people. (All willpower checks gain a +6 bonus)"

Before his rebirth, Fang Shi's will had long reached the brink of transformation.

After rebirth, through these days of combat, and facing the pressure of a Tier 3 creature and a god,

Fang Shi's Iron Will I finally achieved a breakthrough, raising its bonus from 2 points to 6 points.

It was this 4-point gap that allowed him to break free from the divine might.

Although it was merely a sliver of projected divine might, it was still an extraordinary achievement.

Fang Shi slowly straightened his body: "Your Majesty, you should know you cannot do anything to me; why waste divine power?"

At this moment, his blood-red robes were draped over his body, he held a fine steel sword, his eyes shone brightly, and he faced Tymora without the slightest fear.

Especially since Fang Shi's height was even taller than Jiang Xian's, it seemed as if he were looking down on Tymora from above.

Tymora's expression grew colder: "Mortal, who gave you the courage to provoke a deity? Do you not fear divine punishment?"

Fang Shi smiled slightly: "Lady, why not try using your divine power on me personally?"

"I will not dodge or avoid; I am right here. I hope for a harsher divine punishment."

Tymora's expression was indifferent: "It seems you know about the Decree."

"But do you know that the Decree is not omnipotent? I can lower your luck and make you face misfortune."

"I can even pay a price to make you truly die."

Fang Shi was not afraid at all: "Is that so? I am waiting to see."

Before his rebirth, why did the matter of blasphemy spread so widely?

It was because one day, a giant face appeared in the sky above Blue Star.

That was a deity attempting to descend upon Blue Star, yet no matter how angry He became,

regardless of the changing weather and Lei Ting sweeping across the sky,

or even setting off brilliant fireworks in the sky that illuminated the entire Blue Star,

He still could not descend.

In the end, this farce, which lasted a day and a night, ended in an anticlimax.

Since then, countless faithless ones were born.

Moreover, apart from those who died by the hands of monsters, they all lived well.

They still entered the Trial Tower and the Mystical Realm.

Nor did these gods cause any trouble.

Were the gods all fools? The good gods were understandable, but what about the evil gods?

It was simply that they had the will but lacked the power.

As for Fang Shi's previous encounters, could they really be counted as bad luck?

Encountering a Level 6 monster for the third time in the Infinite Labyrinth could be called lucky, actually.

As long as one did not pursue slaying them, the danger was actually not great.

One could simply run around and clear the stage.

Not to mention Tier 3 creatures; there was simply a scare but no real danger.

Did they really think the Decree was a rigid fool with no judgment mechanism?

If a deity says one cannot act, then one cannot act.

Of course, he accepted the benefits without hesitation.

Tamora, having heard Fang Shi's provocation, said with stern coldness, "Mortal, it seems you need to sober up."

Divine power — to alter reality.

Endless, boundless golden light surged forth from Tamora's hands.

It rushed toward Fang Shi in a torrent.

"Boom!"

An adorable little pink pig dropped to the ground.

PS: Thanks to Dukou Dukou Dukou for the monthly ticket and to Invincible Naiqi-ge for the tip.