"Does he have any abilities?"
Arthur paused to think. "Tossing coins to divine the future?"
009 looked at Zhang Yuanqing. "Why don't you tell us yourself?"
"What ability? How would I even know what ability I have?" Zhang Yuanqing snapped.
"Relax. We're not interrogating you—just inviting you to join a grand revolution." 009 said.
"A revolution?"
"This world is a mess. Only by tearing down the old and building the new can we crush everything and establish a fresh order beneath the dying light of the old world."
"And the money?"
"If you want it, all the wealth in the world will be yours."
"I'm in!"
Zhang Yuanqing was released.
Arthur yawned, unimpressed. "Why such an obsession with money? What good is it? It's just a string of numbers."
Zhang Yuanqing spread his arms. "Money is a string of numbers, sure, but watching that string keep growing—that brings me joy."
"Only people who care about money know the rush of gambling, the cliff-edge feeling between wins and losses."
"If you don't care about money, losing it means nothing—and the thrill disappears."
"Imagine staking everything, even your life. The winner becomes king; the loser becomes a thief."
"Every breath stretches into forever. Have you ever felt that high?"
"It's like walking a tightrope with your life on the line. That's the point of living. Only then do I truly feel alive."
Computer didn't understand. "But from what I know, after you gained your ability you've never lost."
"Then how can you still feel that excitement?" the Computer asked.
Zhang Yuanqing lowered his arms. "Because I love winning. I love watching others fall into the abyss."
009 folded his arms. "All right, but what is your ability? It can't be pure luck, can it?"
Zhang Yuanqing pulled a coin from his pocket. "Of course not. I work with fate."
"When fate's scales tilt in my favor, no matter what I do, success is inevitable."
"Oh?"
"That's interesting. Explain it in detail." 009 ordered.
Zhang Yuanqing flipped the coin and caught it in his palm. "Maybe you think my power is simply predicting outcomes."
"But if it were only prediction, people could always take desperate measures to change things when I bet everything."
"So my ability doesn't just predict outcomes—it changes them."
"Clown, you should understand this well, right?" he added. "I'm ordinary, but if fate declares that my punch can level a skyscraper, then my punch will level a skyscraper."
Change outcomes?
That sounded terrifying.
If fate told him he could crush a 5th Step life form underfoot—then he could crush a 5th Step life form?
"Are you sure your ability is as strong as you claim?"
"Absolutely."
"Alright, then try breaking one of my bones," 009 said calmly.
"If I hurt you, I don't owe you compensation, right?"
"Hahahaha! If you can hurt me, I'll even pay you money!"
"It's a deal—sealed in words!"
Zhang Yuanqing narrowed his eyes at 009 and tossed his coin. The coin landed—tails.
He said nothing, tossed again—tails.
Once more—tails.
"…Hm?"
"This is strange. How can it keep coming up tails?"
Unwilling to give in, he tossed again and again, but every single time the result was still tails.
Something was wrong. It shouldn't be like this.
His ability always had a 50% chance. As long as he landed heads, no matter how absurd, the event would become reality.
Yet the moment 009 became his target, the coin refused to land heads.
It was just like Arthur trying to slash at 009. Doomed to fail.
"All right, no need to keep trying," 009 said flatly. "You could try a million times, and it would still end the same."
"Because I am—Absolute Indestructibility."
Absolute Indestructibility?
Zhang Yuanqing pocketed the coin, scowling. "That's beyond shameless. How can such an ability even exist? Not even in game space…"
Not even in the Death Game had he ever seen such a monster.
He coughed lightly. "Of course, my ability isn't limited to coins. As long as something has a one-half probability, I can trigger it."
"Coins are just convenient to carry."
The Computer stepped forward, holding a detailed world map. "Actually, his ability has far broader applications."
After hearing Zhang Yuanqing's explanation, the Computer had instantly computed more than a hundred different uses.
"Listen. The next place you casually point to will be the exact location of the monster ranked right after you."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded, tossed the coin—this time, it landed heads.
Then, without hesitation, he placed his finger on the map—right on the Asian continent.
"…So his ability can be used like that too?"
Subsequently, the Computer had Zhang Yuanqing undergo a series of experiments, compiling a full summary of his abilities.
First: Zhang Yuanqing's power cannot interact with absolute characteristics.
Second: once he establishes an outcome, that outcome becomes fixed.
He operates entirely on the basis of this result. If the outcome has already been set, it cannot be altered.
To give a simple example: the Computer asked him to point to the next target's location on the list.
He pointed it out.
Then the Computer told him to step outside—claiming he could encounter the next list member in just two steps.
But no matter how many times he tossed the coin, the result refused to turn heads.
Why? Because the earlier outcome had already stated the target was not there. To then demand that he appear two steps away would directly contradict the established outcome. Impossible, under any circumstances.
Another example:
Zhang Yuanqing buys a lottery ticket and casually writes down a sequence of numbers, making that sequence today's winning draw.
Next, he writes down a second number set and tries to make that the winning draw.
The results conflict, and no matter how many times he flips the coin, it comes up tails.
Thus, Zhang Yuanqing's power cannot revise or override an outcome once it has already been determined.
Further tests revealed another prerequisite:
To manifest an outcome, the event must be something Zhang Yuanqing can physically interact with.
For instance: hitting someone, buying a ticket, pointing to a map, drawing cards—these all qualify.
But when Zhang Yuanqing activated his ability and willed Zero to suddenly die on the spot, nothing happened. That outcome lay outside his physical reach, and therefore could not take effect.
Next, they tried something else: Zhang Yuanqing fired a "Happy Birthday" missile, using it to blow up Zero.
The result? The missile was intercepted.
There are two possible explanations:
Zhang Yuanqing did change the outcome, but could not guarantee the process itself. Zero would indeed die if struck by the missile, but interception prevented that from ever occurring.
In the end, this only confirmed that Zhang Yuanqing's power is not an absolute characteristic.
And what does that mean?
An absolute characteristic is when even the world itself must bend to your will. If reality doesn't account for such an event, it will invent a way to fulfill it.
But a non-absolute characteristic operates only within the world's framework. If the ability exceeds that framework, the world suppresses it directly.
This, then, is the summary of 029 — The Gambler's ability.
Without activating his power, Zhang Yuanqing is nothing more than an ordinary man.
So ordinary, in fact, that he cannot even perceive the surface layer of the Mist World.
This naturally made several people wonder: was this guy truly worthy of being on the monster list?
The following morning, Arthur and Zhang Yuanqing departed together.
"Why is it still me?"
"Because the organization's short-staffed right now. We need you to make another run."
"Can't Zhang Yuanqing go instead?"
"Zhang Yuanqing's evolution is unstable. He can't even perceive the surface layer of the Mist World."
"Isn't that safer? If he can't see it, he won't get dragged in."
"If he can't see it, how could he possibly identify the names on the list?"
This time, the target was 030.
Information on 030 was completely unknown, but Zhang Yuanqing's ability had confirmed its existence.
Not just 030—031 as well.
031 was located in Kitsune territory. The Computer already knew who 031 was: Deca of Kitsune.
He had infiltrated Kitsune's intelligence network countless times. Each time, Kitsune tried to shut him out, but every time they failed.
This was how the Computer amassed so much intel—
Including the dossier on 029, the Gambler, stolen straight from Kitsune's own servers.
As for 030, Kitsune had labeled him as Lie Eater. Beyond that, nothing. No ability data, no age, no appearance.
Even Kitsune's operatives had yet to track him down.
The Computer had searched endlessly, without success. Without 029's ability to confirm his existence, finding this person would have been nearly impossible.
...
Kitsune Headquarters.
Inside the O5 Council.
Figures gathered through projection, their true bodies hidden across unknown corners of the world.
They sat around a round table, eyes fixed on recorded footage from the Hong Kong battle.
"010 has appeared."
"I fear 009 has returned as well."
"The Exiled One plan was executed perfectly. How could 009 be back?"
Among them, only Zero knew the truth. The plan had been his alone—conceived, proposed, and carried out entirely by him.
He had claimed possession of an Object capable of banishing people to another dimension, and so the strategy was devised.
At first, everything went smoothly.
But none of them expected Mei to set her sights on that other world. Not only had she descended upon it and consumed it whole—she even dragged the exiled 009 back with her.
"…Is this fate's decree?" Zero muttered, tilting his head, his voice laced with helplessness.
After the last ordeal, 009 would undoubtedly be even more cautious—likely already guarding proactively against Zero's abilities.
The advantage of surprise was gone. Zero could no longer rely on an information gap to deliver a strike.
009, without absolute confidence, would never reveal himself so easily again.
Whether he chose to vanish into hermitage or hide for a decade or two, it spelled nothing but trouble for Zero.
Zero himself was already on the brink of the 4th Step.
No matter how much he tried to suppress it, he couldn't halt his body's relentless absorption of energy. By his own rough calculations, he had at most four years and seven months before ascending.
Ascending meant exile—into the Reason World.
Call it ascension, call it banishment; in the end, the meaning was the same. Once he crossed that threshold, all earthly matters would slip beyond his reach.
Zero had long since accepted this. He had already prepared himself for departure.
The Deca, the Twelve Earthly Branches, the acquisition specialists, the special forces, the O5 Council—he had pushed every piece into place.
The Serpent's Hand, the Chaos Insurgency—crushed so thoroughly they could no longer rise.
And Kitsune, spread across the globe, keeping the machinery of world order intact. As long as Kitsune could hold steady once he was gone, it would be enough.
So long as it held… peace would endure.
...
Asia.
A black sedan screeched to a halt outside a bustling shopping mall. Moments later, Arthur and Zhang Yuanqing stepped out.
"All right, we're here," Arthur said. "So where's 030?"
Zhang Yuanqing only shrugged. "How should I know?"
Arthur clutched his head in frustration. "Argh… this is such a pain. Can't the Computer send that metal hunk over? I hate chasing people."
They walked out of the underground parking lot. As they passed the toll booth, the attendant's eyes sharpened.
Once the two had gone, he pulled out a walkie-talkie and whispered into it:
"Chaos has arrived."
"Two targets. They're together. One is unknown… the other is the Clown."
High above, on the rooftop of a skyscraper, a black-robed figure sat casually, biting into an apple. A white mask lay discarded at his side.
The man didn't so much as flinch at the report from below.
"Lord Seth, your command?" someone asked.
Seth took another bite of the apple, his tone indifferent.
"Ignore them."
"But they're brazenly crossing into our territory like this. It's bound to be flashy. If Kitsune notices—"
Reinhard set the half-eaten apple aside. Below the 4th Step, few monster abilities could truly dominate everything; among 3rd Step powers, only a handful ranked as genuinely top-tier.
A strange tension hung in the air.
The man on the phone scanned the two factions below: rows of swords and bows, taut and ready. Their relationship was plain—hostile.
They were distinct in appearance: one side looked like a Clown who'd escaped a circus; the other, a figure clad entirely in black.
One represented Chaos, the other the Serpent's Hand.
A clash looked inevitable.
Arthur seized the moment, spinning the small knife between his fingers, ready to surge forward—when, without warning, a blood-red line traced across his neck and down his arm.
"I advise you not to move."
Arthur's pupils flicked downward. Beads of his own blood hung in the air, sketching several scarlet lines.
Invisible threads.
They had already wrapped around him—at the throat, both hands, elbows, knees, waist, and calves.
"I remember now. So it's you."
Seeing the threads, Arthur's memory snapped into place. He knew who the black-robed man was.
"When did you do it?" he demanded.
Reinhard rested both hands on his sword hilt. "From the moment you set foot here."
This entire mall was Serpent's Hand territory; their eyes and operatives were everywhere. Arthur and his group had been watched since they entered—caught, in fact, in Reinhard's web.
"Now, I'll ask."
"What are you looking for?" Arthur shot back.
"You tell me."
"You expect me to guess?"
"Do you expect me to expect you to guess whether I expect you to guess?"
"Enough."
Beneath the mask, Reinhard's eyes gleamed with cold ferocity. "I'll count to three. State your purpose—or heads will roll."
Seeing the situation, Zhang Yuanqing felt a bad premonition and quietly tried to slip away.
Reinhard noticed. With a flick of his finger, a thread snapped out and coiled around Zhang Yuanqing's arms, yanking him in with one hand.
What's this guy's background…?
Zhang Yuanqing twisted his head toward Reinhard, shouting, "Do you dare gamble your life with me!"
Thud!
Still holding the thread, Reinhard casually kicked down, knocking Zhang Yuanqing off balance and slamming him to the ground.
"Now, his life goes on the table too."
"One."
"Two."
"Wait! If he won't talk, I will!"
Pinned to the floor, Zhang Yuanqing blurted out first: "We're looking for someone called 030!"
030?
Reinhard froze for a moment—he actually knew the name. He'd been present when that number came into existence.
Just like products stamped with a factory serial number, Mei had given numbers when distributing potions.
And 030, 029, and 006… they were the final batch to emerge from the Death Game.
"Well. That's really inconvenient."
At that moment, the man lounging to the side finally spoke.
"I happen to know the person you're looking for."
"Hm?"
Everyone turned their heads toward him.
"Who are you?"
"I'm 001."
As he spoke, the man's figure rippled, shifting into a raven before their eyes.
001?
Why was she here?
No—this wasn't right. He couldn't be 001.
Reinhard suddenly remembered. "Do you recall? The last time we met, I took that book from your hands."
"Of course I remember…"
The Raven's voice trailed off as his body warped, feathers unfurling—he became 007 True Ancestor. With a single beat of his wings, he spun midair and dove from the fourth floor straight down toward the first.
"You're not 001."
Reinhard snapped his wrist, threads recoiling, and vaulted after him.
The imposter landed, morphing back into the man's form. Reinhard closed in, and Arthur, blade flashing, hurled himself after them.
Watching the trio vanish floor by floor, Zhang Yuanqing hesitated, then flipped a coin.
"Can I land safely?"
Tails.
He tossed again. Tails.
"…Yeah, I'll just take the stairs."
Unlike these monsters, who could jump eight stories without blinking, he was just an ordinary guy. If he tried that stunt, he'd splatter across the tiles.
He pounded down the stairwell, but by the time he reached the ground, the three were already gone.
"What? They didn't even wait for me."
As he headed for the exit, a security guard stepped into his path. "Think you can just come and go freely?"
"I'm one of Lord Seth's six subordinates—"
"I don't care who you are!" Zhang Yuanqing snapped. Dare to block me? I'm on the list too!
He flipped a coin. "One punch, and I'll smash you to pieces!"
The coin spun… tails.
Thud!
The guard slammed him flat against the floor.
"Wait, wait—I just remembered I forgot to wash my face before coming out! That last one doesn't count!"
The guard tightened his grip. "You'll wait right here for Lord Seth. Guards, take him away."
Meanwhile, Reinhard pursued the fleeing man—until his quarry suddenly stopped.
"You must've figured out who I am. I could have left long ago. But I stayed. Do you know why?"
Reinhard's instincts screamed. He pivoted on one heel and lashed out with a kick—striking Arthur, who had been creeping up to ambush him.
Arthur froze. "How did you recognize me?"
"Voice."
The man tapped his ear. "Back when I still had enhancement abilities, I used a special-grade hearing boost. Thanks to that blessing, I caught every word—including what that tagalong of yours just said."
He shifted his gaze to Arthur, who had been kicked aside. "Zhang Yuanqing. The three of us received our numbers together. During that time, I was constantly testing myself, probing my limits… until I stumbled on a side of the world I'd never seen before."
His eyes narrowed. "A hidden world. Kitsune, Chaos—they existed there. But who would've thought they existed here, in reality, too?"
Reinhard's threads flashed, lashing out. Arthur's twin blades carved arcs through the air, slicing the strands.
"These two factions have been clashing endlessly," the man continued calmly. "One side, hunting us down in the name of peace and order. The other, recruiting the listed, waging resistance against Kitsune."
Reinhard's voice was flat. "That you could dig this far doesn't surprise me."
"And yet," the man replied, "my intelligence is incomplete. Serpent's Hand. Black Queen. Two names that never appeared there. I know only fragments about them."
Arthur struck back, knives flashing, pressing toward the man. "Then you should also understand—your only way out is to join us!"
The man glanced at his watch, expression unreadable. "To be honest, the Chaos Insurgency hasn't reached what I want. And Kitsune? I've dealt with them, openly and in the shadows, many times. In my eyes, neither Chaos nor Kitsune grasps the one thing that matters."
He fell silent for a beat. He could not name it, not even hint at it—the Death Game's absolute law of secrecy bound his tongue.
At last, he said quietly: "Enough. Kitsune's hounds should be here any moment."