Apocalypse: System of lotteries



"Boss, forgive me, I'm under a spell. I can't control myself; I have to slash your left arm. Dodge!"

With a single punch, Ming sent Mike tumbling to the ground. Mike groaned in pain. "Boss, why didn't you dodge? Did you have to hit me? We are brothers, after all."

Knowing Mike was under a spell yet still partly lucid, Ming had a simple solution in mind—to wake a 'sleeping' man with a jolting blow. "I'm trying to free you from his control. How do you feel? Any better?"

"I'll kill you!"

Mike rose to his feet, brandishing his large blade and charging again, shouting, "Boss, dodge; I really can't control myself. Dodge! Don't hit me!"

Ming dodged and retreated, searching for an opening to attack Pangu. After all, Mike was his brother; he couldn't kill him.

Dodging and advancing, he swung his staff at Pangu in one fluid motion. Yet, everything felt too easy—there had to be a catch!

"Boss, it's me!"

Suddenly, Mike appeared before Pangu, shielding him with his own body.

Ming immediately pulled back his staff, flipping backward to disperse the force. Meanwhile, controlled by Pangu, Mike launched an attack—not at Ming, but at the tent!

The tent was shattered with a sweep, a vertical slash, and a ripping sound. For a moment, all warriors paused, staring at the divine king, now bare-bottomed and standing in the mud. Where was Atlas?

Digennaro, witnessing the scene, smiled at the serpent woman beside him, "See, Mike and my brother are handling that guy; you won't be a widow now."

"Uh..."

The serpent woman wasn't quite sure how to respond. Should she say thank you?

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On the other side, Pangu, forgetting he was pants-less or not caring, raised his arms and shouted to the crowd, "Everyone, bribe me!"

No longer restrained by the tent's silencing magic, the skill took immediate effect, leaving everyone speechless. "My money!"

Pangu then pointed at Ming, triggering 'Hire an Assassin' again. "Kill him!"

Whoosh! All eyes turned to Ming. He calmly surveyed the crowd, "So you all want to kill me?"

"Hmm," the crowd nodded in unison, raising their weapons.

Ming raised his staff vertically. He had initially planned to save his final move for last, but given the situation, there was no other choice. He then activated his domain: 'Abyssal Gaze'.

[Abyssal Gaze] activates successfully.

Hum~ Within the domain, all minds buzzed. 

David's thoughts abruptly cleared. I can't betray Boss for money, and I have principles! He lifted his hourglass, about to look for Pangu, only to find the surroundings dimmed, the sandy ground now a brick path. As he slowly walked on, it seemed increasingly familiar. 

Ahead appeared a small stone house, bamboo fencing enclosing the yard where vegetables grew, several plants bearing ripe red tomatoes. A white-haired elderly woman bent with age smiled at the tomatoes.

"..." David froze, lips trembling, eyes blinking rapidly, chest tight like suffocating though no tears fell. He saw the old woman turn and totter unsteadily, falling to the ground... That year, the tomatoes he ate were very sweet.

Mike didn't know why he was running now instead of fighting. Where was everyone else?

He felt exhausted yet still sprinted with all his might, barely getting tens of meters, it seemed, before glancing down to see himself in split-crotch pants and red loincloth. He realized something and saw a vicious yellow dog snarling and chasing him, barking madly.

He whipped his Head forward, running desperately for his life and yelling, "Mom!! Mom!!"

That year, his butt hurt badly, nearly losing his dick.

Digennaro crouched alone in a street corner, watching the two retreating figures disappear around the bend without ever looking back. 

Staring into the dim alley, she bit her bread and sipped milk. That year, she'd become an orphan, forever afraid of the dark, wishing it could always be day.

Alan sat on the sofa, morning sunlight streaming into the room. The pajama-clad girl awkwardly making breakfast still smiled happily. 

Alan smiled.

Ming stood in place, watching everyone's differing expressions - anguish, joy, melancholy, tearful... He approached Pangu, met the terrified face, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Hum~ A buzz, and the vista changed...

He'd entered Pangu's inner world, flipping through every corner like a viewer. 

Pangu was born to a noble estate chauffeur and a cleaning woman. 

At age 5, the young master smashed his toy and his bafflement when his father made him apologize and slapped him publicly. He didn't understand why.

At age 8, he understood the other children were more precious than him for their higher status. 

He seemed to get it.

At age 12, he understood he had to change his fate.

At age 18, he tested into college. 

Age 23, graduated, fawned, struggled, 

Age 26 succeeded, returning to the estate to find the children still profligate. 

At age 30, he schemed, suppressed, and bribed his way up desperately. 

Age 32, enjoyed the weak flattering him, money entering his pockets. Giving and taking bribes, ascending upward.

Age 34, top dog of the region, towering over the estate folks.

Age 35, repossessed the estate, building a park. He relished that feeling.

Here, Pangu suddenly looked up, laughing at his surroundings and peering through the mist to Ming. "Trying to trap me in illusion? Hah~ You underestimate me."

"..." Ming felt awful having his [Abyss] domain entirely ineffective against him.

"Heh, didn't expect that you..." Pangu stared at Ming but cut off mid-sentence.

Buzz!

Everything buzzed! Pangu felt his body seize up, then go numb and immobile. Next, myriads of ants seemed to crawl through his insides, gnawing and tugging every blood vessel. Another buzz! His mind sunk into chaos, weariness, and murkiness, assaulting and weighing down his body.

[Your Merlin sees Pangu's darkened complexion and is quite sure the medicine has taken effect, a bit late perhaps but just in time, it seems~]

"~~" Ming regarded Pangu, standing numbly in the mire, gaze empty without a flicker of movement. He touched him again, entering the inner world.

Pangu sat alone in a dim room, cash, gems, watches, and gold bars neatly stacked floor to ceiling. No smile on his face despite the fortune.

He understood his power hadn't peaked. A misstep could lose everything, especially in quiet moments, fearing this bubble might burst. After years of pursuing this, the thought of regressing to nothing terrified him most. 

In the next instant, he found himself handcuffed in the defendant's seat, wearing prisoner garb. Looking up, he saw a solemn-faced judge seated on high, familiar yet unfamiliar. The judge stood and read the verdict:

"The defendant Pangu, abusing authority and position, embezzling public funds, bribery, extortion, false imprisonment, blackmail..."

"..." Head lowered, Pangu stayed silent as deeds were listed like flipping through ledger entries - he didn't even know he'd done so much, things blending once habitual.

"Divulging secrets, colluding with spies, cumulative convictions... Dismissed with prejudice, full seizure of personal assets..."

"..." Pangu raised his Head, sclera threaded with red - the scene that haunted his lonely nights, finally his turn. Power and wealth, all dissolving to nothingness, his years of struggle and empire-building destroyed in an instant.

At this moment, he felt death held no fear. Rather, the terror was dying before ever reaching the pinnacle.

An unknown time later, everyone stirred awake, standing quietly as if still immersed in the [Abyss], those sealed memories vividly relived, leaving them shaken.

Ming put away the staff, watching the light fade from Pangu's eyes as he slowly reclined back into the mire... Pangu showed no hesitation or struggle, simply gazing at the sky before closing his eyes as the mud enveloped him. 

Pangu dead.