On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons-Chapter 246: #Everyone has a Plan, Maybe

Everyone had a plan—at least until they got their ass handed to them.

I learned it the hard way. After going through all sorts of hardships, I thought I could overcome anything. How wrong I was! In fact, what I had faced was far more terrifying than anything I’d seen on God-Maker’s screen.

“Haa...! Haa...!”

Wrecked by primal fear, I pounded on the tightly shut iron door as hard as I could.

Bam bam bam!

“N-no! Open up! I must get out of here!”

Clunk!

Then, a small hole on the door opened, and a dreary sorcerer covered in rags peeked in. A demon in a gleaming black carapace advanced on me.

Shashasha!

“Aaaargh! I-it’s coming! Save me!”

One of the Ten Swords, Demon Sword and Sorcerer Cockroach said, “His Majesty has ordered that you mustn’t be released until you regain your power. In the first place, wasn’t this your request?”

“Love—no, I mean, people change! B-besides, the emperor ordered to treat me like an equal, so open the door! Open it! Eek! It’s coming! They’re coming!”

Cockroach’s feelers fidgeted briefly in hesitation, but then he ruthlessly covered the hole.

“I can’t! Stay strong, Noble One!”

Clunk!

“Eeeek!”

I scratched at the door with my nails, but the tightly closed iron door did not budge a single millimeter.

Shaa shaaaa!

The shadows of those co—no, abominations, crawled toward me from all directions; on the floor, walls, and even the ceiling. Status windows flickered above their heads.

-----

[Cockroaches (Summons)]

Demons of darkness. Summoned by Sorcerer Cockroach from the demon realm.

Special note: Their number doubles every hour.

Remaining time: 3 seconds.

-----

Oh my god! Cock—no, those darned monsters are multiplying again!

I desperately called out to Demon Lord, who was strung around my waist. “P-please help me, sir!”

-Ha! I-I don’t want to kill those filthy things!

How could a master ruthlessly reject his disciple’s plea?!

Ding!

[The demons of the darkness are multiplying!]

Krik krik!

The roac—no, the demons split in half like planaria, multiplying rapidly.

My Gayami children, how admirable you are! How did you prevail against such abominations in your previous life?!

“Eeeek!”

Shaaa!

Even though they were already over the hundreds, they multiplied again, pouring down on me like a torrential downpour in all directions.

“Aaargh! Don’t come over! Convicting Middle Finger of Goood!”

-Kieeeek!

And so began my lonely, filthy, horrific, and disgusting battle.

Clunk! Creeaaaak!

After what felt like an eternity, the iron door finally opened.

“Ooh, how incredible, Noble One! I can feel that your divine power has increased! Boys, escort the Noble One!”

Clack clack!

“I... hate roaches...”

Cockroach and the imperial ants dragged me out, who frothed at the mouth while covered in the beasts’ charred corpses.

“Noble One, we will proceed with the next schedule in line.”

Ding!

[You have successfully replicated the innate power Proliferating Thumb of God, originally possessed by Earth’s Yu Il-Shin.]

[You can now use the Proliferating Thumb of God again.]

***

On the top layer of the dazzling temple...

“Muuuscles! Hear ye, those with worries, sorrows, and pains! Please come this way!”

“This isn’t just any ordinary day! As Lord Yu Il-Shin has decreed, it’s the huge bargain sale day! Come and receive the grace bestowed by the great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin!”

Il-Ho and Anty, along with my cute Gayami children, were busy touting in public.

Meanwhile, I sat atop a throne adorned with sparkling jewels, wearing a ridiculous outfit covered in all sorts of elaborate decorations. Kamikiri, the praying mantis, stood beside me, guarding me with his two sharp, scythe-like arms.

“Uh, you don’t really have to guard me...”

Honestly, he was making me uncomfortable. Aside from his terrifying appearance, there was also the fact that I burned him to death in my previous life.

Kriiiik!

“Nonsense! How could I leave His Majesty’s esteemed guest unattended and unguarded?! His Majesty has personally ordered me to ensure your safety! Are you asking me to disobey His Majesty’s direct orders?!” Kamikiri yelled menacingly, spinning his head 360 degrees.

“N-no. Do as you see fit...”

I finally understood why the praying mantis was called the king of insects. My heart pounded much faster than before, probably because I was an ant.

Just then, Anty came running to me with her stubby legs. “Lord Yu Il-Shin! I’ve brought the next guest!”

Was this the 621st guest?

“Alright, bring them in.”

Il-Ho brought in an old, raggedy ant, leading him to me. The old ant trembled and fell to the ground.

“T-this lowly creature pays respect to Lord Yu Il-Shin, friend of the great Emperor and new God of the Empire.”

In a solemn, god-like manner, I asked him, “So, what ails you? You may speak. The more difficult and painful the situation, the better.”

The feeble ant told me his story in detail, shedding huge droplets of tears. In summary, he’d borrowed a single grain of rice from a moneylender, who demanded a hundred grains as interest afterward. Unable to repay the enormous debt, the moneylender kidnapped his beloved granddaughter. The old ant immediately reported the incident to the authorities, but since the moneylender was backed by an aristocrat, he wasn’t able to get any help.

I was furious. “Gosh! What a terrible person!”

It seemed like life was the same, regardless of whether on Earth or Antrinia!

Bam bam!

Yikes! That scared me! A deafening sound echoed in the air all of a sudden, and I turned to see Kamikiri’s scythe piercing through the floor of the temple.

“How dare they commit such an act in the capital of the Iron-blood Empire, where His Majesty resides! Guys! Arrest that moneylender and the aristocrat, and cut off their limbs!”

“Yes sir!”

At Kamikiri’s command, the imperial soldiers rushed forward to capture the moneylender.

That was brutal. Kamikiri had the decisiveness and boldness of Justice Bao.

Ding!

After some time had passed, new messages came in.

-----

[Quest: Save others if you want to live]

Reward: Yuanhua’s Pill made Using Secret Formula from the Classic Green Satchel (Low-tier God)

Number of humans saved until quest completion: 66/100

-----

“Oh, it increased by two.”

It seemed that Kamikiri’s subordinates handled the situation relatively well. I was doing the Hua Tuo quest—the same one where I’d once struggled to heal myself after being attacked by Blood Sword Mosto in my previous life. I remembered obtaining the Healing Ring Finger of God after completing the quest. Yes, I was merely repeating what I did back then.

“Next guest.”

“Hic, hic... My father fell while working at a construction site. He has been unconscious for four days now. We don’t have any tributes, so he hasn’t been able to receive proper treatment...”

“Oh, that’s terrible. Here, give this to your father.” I handed a small amount of magical white powder to the crying little girl ant.

This was sugar from Earth that I’d smuggled from Goddess Arachne. Before my Gayami children’s evolution, it was a cure-all that could even regenerate severed limbs.

“Lord Yu Il-Shin, what is this?”

“My muscles shiver at the sweet scent!”

Suddenly, I could feel the gazes of my Gayami children on me, drooling. Of course, they would go to any length for sugar.

“Alright, you guys can have some too.” I generously sprinkled some for them.

“Aah! This is so sweet!”

“This is the taste of heaven!”

“Oh! Praise Lord Yu Il-Shin! Puck puck!”

Anty and the Gayami children danced joyfully while praising me.

Hoho, this reminds me of my previous life. My children are so cute.

Everything was great, except that “Puck puck!” I deserved this. I should’ve watched my words in front of them.

“Alright, what ails you?”

So I did this for about ten thousand customers, solving their problems one by one.

Tzzz!

Suddenly, a dazzling white light enveloped me.

Ding!

[Congratulations! You have completed the quest: Save others if you want to live!]

[You have been rewarded Yuanhua’s Pill from the quest.]

[The owner of the Classic Green Satchel is pleased with your good deeds.]

[His divine power has been imbued in you as an additional reward.]

[You have successfully replicated the innate power Healing Ring Finger of God, originally possessed by Earth’s Yu Il-Shin.]

[You can now use the Healing Ring Finger of God again.]

“Hell yeah!” I cheered, clenching both fists. “Anty, tell all the injured to come in at once!”

“Yes sir!” Anty rushed out and brought back the ants gathered in front of the temple.

“Ugh, it hurts! It hurts so much! God!”

“Please, grant us your mercy...”

“Save me!”

There were over 10,000 of them. I reached my hand out to them.

“Just wait a moment. Hyaa! Healing Ring Finger of God!”

Kwaaaa!

A blinding white divine power swept over the wounded like a wave. The crippled suddenly rose from their seats, and the blind opened their eyes. The festering sores and pus covering some of them vanished, as if being washed away.

“I-it’s a miracle!”

“Oh my god... Thank you! Waaah!”

Kamikiri’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I-incredible! As expected of His Majesty’s close friend!”

I felt accomplished. Doing good deeds did really make one feel better. Now that I had regained my fourth innate power, there was only one left!

Ding!

[Experience points of the tribe have reached the maximum threshold!]

Ding!

[All conditions for race evolution have been met!]

Huh? Race evolution?

Ding!

[Evolution begins!]

Crack!

An immense glow surrounded me, and I transformed.

***

I looked at my reflection in the imperial castle’s VIP room. My lower half was no longer mangled. Now, I looked like my Gayami children—a two-headed-tall half-man, half-insect, with antennae protruding from my forehead.

My cute appearance naturally made me recall someone.

“Des...troy!” I tried mimicking him for no apparent reason. “Wow, we really look alike.”

A wave of longing washed over me from the deepest corner of my heart. I missed my alter egos, who were slaughtered in my previous life. The foul-mouthed and grumpy Yi-Shin, and the king of gluttony Sam-Shin.

However, I still lacked divine power to summon them. I had to at least be a Mid-tier god. Furthermore, not by increasing the number of followers as a benevolent god, but by receiving offerings and killing to elevate my malevolent god status. Since I wasn’t at odds with the Empire, collecting offerings in the billions was nearly impossible.

Just then, a servant’s yell echoed outside the door.

“Noble One! Ruler of the Iron-blood Empire, His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!”