The first person to raise her voice was Han Su-Yeong. “What the hell? How can you even think that? Does one’s intelligence get worse the more you regress?”
第一个大声说话的是韩素英。“怎么回事？你怎么能这么想？一个人的智力是不是退化得越厉害?”
“Taken words right out of my mouth. To think that a so-called writer would cook up something so unpleasant.”
“我竟然说出这样的话来。一个所谓的作家居然会编造出这么令人不快的东西。”
She and Yu Jung-Hyeok growled and glared at each other.
她和余正赫互相怒目而视。
And the first one to back off was also Han Su-Yeong. “Fuu…. Right, regressing three times could mess with your mind and cause you to dream up weird things. So…. You’re saying that ‘Secretive Plotter’ is ‘Kim Dok-Ja from the future’?”
第一个退出的也是韩素英。“福.....。没错，倒退三次可能会扰乱你的思维，导致你做出奇怪的事情。所以..。你是说‘秘密策划者’就是‘来自未来的金道子’?”
“That’s what I think.”
“我就是这么想的。”
“Fine, well. It’s not completely impossible, I’ll give you that. All sorts of crazy things happen in the <Star Stream>, and….”
“好吧，好吧。这并不是完全不可能，我承认这一点。星流里发生了各种疯狂的事情，而且......”
Han Su-Yeong was about to say “A novel can also become reality in our world” but quickly swallowed those words back. Even if that was true, she thought that such a thing shouldn’t be mentioned in front of Yu Jung-Hyeok.
韩素英本来要说“小说在我们的世界里也可以成为现实”，但很快又咽了回去。即使这是真的，她认为这样的事情不应该在余正赫面前提起。
So, she said something else. “Wouldn’t it be quickest to ask the ‘Secretive Plotter’? Did you try to confirm it?”
于是，她又说了一句，“问‘秘密策划者’不是最快的吗?你有没有试着确认?”
He nodded his head. “I had a deal with him. If I do something for him, then he’d answer a single question of mine.”
他点了点头。“我和他达成了一个协议。如果我为他做点什么，他就会回答我的一个问题。”
“What did you ask him?”
“你问他什么了?”
“I asked if his identity was truly Kim Dok-Ja from the future.”
“我问他是否真的是来自未来的金道子。”
“And then, what?”
“然后呢?”
“He said that he wasn’t.”
“他说他没有。”
“In that case, why are you…..”
“那样的话，你为什么......”
“Let me be more clear. He said, ‘Once upon a time, I might have been someone, but now, I am no one.'”
“让我把话说清楚。他说，‘从前，我可能是个人物，但现在，我什么都不是。”’
….Might have been someone, but now, they are no one?
可能是某个人但现在他们谁也不是了？
Han Su-Yeong quickly realised what was wrong with that statement.
韩素英很快意识到这种说法有什么问题。
The ‘Secretive Plotter’ didn’t implicitly deny being ‘Kim Dok-Ja from the future’ in that reply. No, what he said was much closer to ‘I might be Kim Dok-Ja, or I might not be’ than anything else.
“秘密策划者”在回复中并没有含蓄地否认自己是“来自未来的金道子”。不，他说的更像是‘我可能是金道子，或者我可能不是’，而不是别的什么。
In that case, Yu Jung-Hyeok not backing away from his guess made sense.
在这种情况下，俞正赫没有后退，他的猜测是有道理的。
Han Su-Yeong asked one more time. “Was that all you asked him?”
韩素英又问了一遍，“你就问了这么一句?”
“He knew of all the regression turns I’ve lived through.”
“他知道我经历过的所有回归转折。”
He was something once upon a time, but now, just a simple ‘Secretive Plotter’; a being that knew every regression turn Yu Jung-Hyeok had lived in.
他曾经是一个什么东西，但现在，只是一个简单的“秘密密谋者”，一个知道余正赫生活过的每一个回归转折的存在。
“Anything else?”
“还有别的事吗?”
“No.”
“没有。”
“You kidding me? You fought like crazy just to ask him only that?” Han Su-Yeong yelled at him while panting like an angry bull. “That guy didn’t exist in your previous regressions, right? If you couldn’t find out his real identity, you should’ve at least tried to learn other info, you know?!”
“你在开玩笑吗？你拼命反抗就是为了问他这个?”韩素英像一头气喘吁吁的公牛一样对他大喊大叫。“那个人在你之前的记忆回归中并不存在，对吗？如果你不能查出他的真实身份，你至少应该试着了解一下其他信息，你知道吗?”
“….I did hear what his goal was.”
“......我确实听到了他的目标。”
“What was it?”
“那是什么?”
“He said that there was something he wanted to change. And, someone he wished to kill, as well.”
“他说他想改变一些东西，也想杀掉某个人。”
It felt as if the more she heard, the deeper she was being sucked into the quagmire. By flipping the term ‘someone he wished to kill’ around, you’d get ‘someone he can’t kill yet’.
她觉得自己听得越多，陷入的泥潭就越深。把“他想杀的人”这个词翻过来，你就会得到“他还不能杀的人”。
Was there a being on the level that even a godly existence like ‘Secretive Plotter’ couldn’t do anything about?
是否有一种存在，即使是神圣的存在，比如“秘密密谋者”，也无能为力？
“That’s all I’ve heard from him. That was all the questions I was permitted to ask.”
“这就是我从他那里听到的全部消息。这就是我被允许问的全部问题。”
“You couldn’t dig out more info, though?”
“不过，你不能挖掘出更多的信息吗?”
“That means I’ll have to make another deal with him. If I do, then I’ll have to bear a heavier cost than the last time,” said Yu Jung-Hyeok, and he shifted his gaze to the sky.
“那就意味着我不得不和他再做一笔交易。如果我这么做了，那么我将不得不承担比上次更沉重的代价，”于重赫说，然后他把目光转向了天空。
She also looked up as well and activated [Midday Tryst].
她也抬起头，激活了[午间幽会]。
– Is he looking at us?
他在看我们吗？
– I can’t sense his gaze.
我感觉不到他的凝视。
That was a slightly disappointing result; they were chatting away openly like this so that the subject in question would hear them, but it seemed that he wasn’t even watching them right now. Should she say it wasn’t like ‘Secretive Plotter’?
这是一个有点令人失望的结果;他们像这样开诚布公地聊天，以便有问题的对象能够听到他们，但似乎他现在根本没有在看他们。她应该说这不是‘秘密策划者’吗？
Han Su-Yeong spoke.
韩素英说。
– Well, this is problematic. If a godly being on that level decides to butt into the middle of something important, then no matter how good our plan is, it’ll be useless.
这就有问题了如果一个处于那个层次的神决定插手一些重要的事情，那么不管我们的计划有多好，它都是无用的
Especially so when on a stage as important as the current ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’; if a small variable could flip the table on its head, then there was no way she’d not be concerned by it.
尤其是在一个像现在的圣恶大战这样重要的舞台上;如果一个小变量可以翻转桌子的头，那么她就不可能不关心它。
However, Yu Jung-Hyeok’s thoughts were different from hers. “He probably won’t step forward personally.”
然而，俞正赫的想法与她的不同。“他可能不会亲自上前。”
“What makes you think that?”
“你怎么会这么想?”
“The evidence is with him using Kim Dok-Ja or me to carry out his schemes. If he was able to make a move, then he’d have done so already. An existence of his level would need to exhaust a great deal of Probability if he intends to make a move.”
“证据是他利用金道子或我来实施他的阴谋。如果他能够采取行动，那么他早就这么做了。如果他打算采取行动，他的水平需要用尽很大的可能性。”
“….That makes sense. Who knew that the moment I’d thank the shitty Probability would actually come?”
“......这就说得通了。谁知道我感谢这个该死的可能性的时刻真的会到来呢?”
“I have something to ask you now.”
“我现在有事要问你。”
“Ng?”
“ Ng? ”
“I still haven’t heard the basis for your unpleasant hypothesis. Why did you say the ‘Secretive Plotter’ is ‘that person’….?”
“我还没有听到你那令人不快的假设的依据。你为什么说‘秘密策划者’是‘那个人’?”
Yu Jung-Hyeok’s question elicited a smirk from Han Su-Yeong. “What’s this? I thought you weren’t interested, but I guess it does bug you.”
于重赫的问题引起了韩素英的冷笑。“这是什么？我以为你不感兴趣，但我想这确实让你烦恼。”
“You never fail to add unnecessary comments, don’t you.”
“你总是添加不必要的评论，不是吗?”
Just before he could grasp the cold hilt of his sword, a rather sly voice came towards them from nearby. “You two seem to be enjoying each other’s company.”
就在他还没来得及抓住冰冷的剑柄时，附近传来一个相当狡猾的声音。“你们两个似乎很享受彼此的陪伴。”
Two people’s cold, murderous glares squarely landed on Kim Dok-Ja.
两个人冷酷而凶残的目光直直地落在金道子身上。
He formed a bitter smile and was about to wave his hands around while backing away, but then, a new scenario message rose up in the empty air.
他苦笑了一下，正准备在退开的时候挥动他的手，但是这时，一个新的剧本的信息在空气中升起。
[New coordinates for the 113th regional conflict have been set.]
[第113次区域冲突的新坐标已经确定]
The gazes of the group were now fixed on Kim Dok-Ja. Finally, time to make another move had arrived.
大家的目光都集中在金道子身上，终于到了采取下一步行动的时候了。
“Well, let’s go and cause another scene, then.”
“好吧，那我们去制造另一个场面吧。”
As if they were all waiting for it, Fables of <Kim Dok-Ja Company> began clamouring loudly.
仿佛他们都在等待，金道子公司的寓言开始大声喧哗。
[New Fable is sprouting in the Demon King, ‘Demon King of Salvation’!] [List of candidates for ‘Demon King of Salvation’s’ second Modifier have been generated.]
[新寓言在魔王“救世魔王”中萌芽!][生成了‘救恩恶魔之王’第二个修正值的候选人名单]
*
The Demon World’s second-in-command was called by a variety of Modifiers; ‘Ruler of East Hell’, ‘Demon World’s Proxy’, ‘Destroyer of Sanctity’.
恶魔世界的二把手被各种各样的修饰语称为“东地狱的统治者”，“恶魔世界的代理人”，“圣洁的破坏者”。
Even though he carried many varied names, there could ever be only one true name for him.
尽管他有许多不同的名字，但他的真名只能有一个。
The Master of the 2nd Demon World, Agares.
第二恶魔世界的主人，阿加雷斯。
Ever since the Master of the 1st Demon World suddenly disappeared, Agares had been protecting the Demon World for the past thousands of years or so. He cut off the heads of Archangels salivating over his territory, and protected those Fables that allowed ‘Evil’ to exist as evil.
自从第一个恶魔世界的主人突然消失后，阿加勒斯就一直在保护着恶魔世界，已经有几千年的历史了。他砍下垂涎在他的领地上的大天使的头颅，并保护那些允许邪恶作为邪恶存在的寓言。
While he tested the qualification of ‘Evil’, restricted, and even ruled over it, he focused all of his being on only one question.
当他测试邪恶的资格，限制，甚至统治它的时候，他把他所有的存在都集中在一个问题上。
What did ‘Evil’ exist for?
邪恶的存在是为了什么？
Every time he ripped apart yet another living being, he immersed himself in that question. It was not important whether this question had an answer or not; no, that question simply enabled him to carry on.
每当他把另一个生物撕成碎片时，他就沉浸在这个问题中。这个问题是否有答案并不重要;不，这个问题只是使他能够继续下去。
[113th regional conflict has been forcibly concluded.]
[第113次区域冲突已被强行结束]
[114th regional conflict has been forcibly concluded.]
[第114次区域冲突已被强行结束]
However, this was his first time seeing such a spectacle in the thousands of years he’d lived so far.
然而，这是他几千年来第一次看到如此壮观的场面。
– Everyone, be strong for a little bit longer!
大家再坚强一会儿！
– We’ve almost suppressed them all!
我们几乎把他们都压制住了！
There were people rescuing the Reincarnators from the chaotic battlefield. The expendables being sacrificed regardless of the outcome of the great battle between ‘Good’ and ‘Evil’ were being saved by someone.
有人从混乱的战场上拯救了转世。无论善恶大战的结果如何，牺牲掉的消耗品都是被某人拯救了。
Now normally, such actions would correspond to the side of ‘Good’. However, the problem here was that a Demon King was responsible for performing that very action.
通常情况下，这样的行为会对应于“善”的一面。然而，这里的问题是一个魔王负责执行这个行动。
[Chaos Points have increased by 4.]
[混乱点数增加了4.]
[Chaos Points are currently 60.]
[混沌点数现在是60.]
[Warning! Chaos Points have exceeded 60!]
[警告!混乱点数已超过60!]
Chaos. Neither ‘Good’ nor ‘Evil’, it was ‘something’ that existed outside of the world’s Probability and its natural order.
混乱。既不是“善”也不是“恶”，它是存在于世界的可能性和自然秩序之外的“某种东西”。
[You want to increase the Chaos Points and stop the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’, is that it?]
[你想增加混沌点数，停止“圣恶大战”，是吗?]
Reddish horns sprouted up below the fedora pushed down deeply on Agares’s head, which was his unique quirk whenever he was intrigued by something.
软呢帽深深地压在阿加雷斯的头上，下面长出了红色的角，这是他每次被什么东西吸引时特有的怪癖。
[Stop smaller-scale destruction with the threat of even bigger destruction. It truly is an idea only the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ can cook up.]
以更大的破坏为威胁，停止小规模的破坏。这确实是一个只有“救世魔王”才能想出来的主意。]
The one to offer his opinion was the ‘Devil of Lust and Wrath’, Asmodeus.
提出他的视角的是“欲望与愤怒的魔鬼”，阿斯莫德斯。
Agares spoke, his fingers gripping the throne wagging to and fro. [Why does he not side with ‘Evil’? Surely, he’d not lose out by joining this side.] [Once this ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ concludes, his ‘Climax’ will be completed. It also means that the ■■ he pursues is not on the path of ‘Evil’.] [Even then, he doesn’t seem to be pursuing the ■■ of ‘Good’, either.]
阿加雷斯说话了，他的手指抓着摇摆着的宝座。他为什么不站在“邪恶”一边？当然，他不会因为加入这边而失败一旦《圣魔大战》结束，他的《高潮》就会完成。这也意味着他所追求的“■”不在“邪恶”的道路上。](即便如此，他似乎也没有追求“好”的■。)
This was a far more awkward situation than if he had chosen to side with either the ‘Good’ or ‘Evil’.
如果他选择站在正义或邪恶的一边，这种情况要尴尬得多。
Agares asked again. [What are your thoughts?]
阿加雷斯又问道。[你有什么想法?]
[Metatron will make a move first before we do. There is simply no way that the aged Angel who had been thirsting after this war more than anyone else would let his careful plans get thrown into disarray.]
梅塔特隆会在我们之前采取行动。[参考译文]老天使在这场战争之后比任何人都渴望得到更多的东西，他绝不会让他精心制定的计划陷入混乱
Almost at the same time as those words came to an end, a single line message arrived through the Demon King’s line of transmission.
几乎就在这些话语结束的同时，一条单线信息通过恶魔王的传输线到达。
– Agares, I’ve contacted you with a matter I need to discuss.
阿格雷斯，我联系了你，有件事我想和你谈谈。
The torn corners of Agares’s lips curled up in a smile.
阿加雷斯撕裂的嘴角微笑着卷起来。
– Metatron, I’m sure we don’t enjoy a relationship where we can relaxedly chat away our spare time like this.
-梅塔特隆，我敢肯定我们不喜欢像这样轻松地聊天消磨业余时间的关系
The highest authorities in the Demon World and <Eden> currently were speaking face to face through a screen. Just from the exchange of their gazes, a powerful burst of Probability’s sparks exploded out.
恶魔世界和伊甸园的最高权威目前正通过屏幕面对面地交谈。仅仅从他们的目光交换，一个强大的概率的火花爆炸出来。
– I don’t mind shooting the breeze with you, but for now, it seems that I need to borrow your power for a little while.
我不介意和你闲聊，但是现在，看来我需要借用一下你的能力
– Have you ever heard of a story where ‘Good’ and ‘Evil’ joins hands?
-你听说过‘善’和‘恶’手牵手的故事吗？
– Well, the stories of ‘Evil’ trying to achieve its goal by any means necessary are quite common, aren’t they?
“邪恶”想方设法达到目的的故事是很常见的，不是吗
Even after hearing Agares’s sarcastic tone of voice, Metatron remained composed.
即使在听到阿加雷斯讽刺的语气之后，梅塔特隆依然镇定自若。
– There is a certain immature Nebula; young juniors, that believe they are the centre of the universe.
有一个未成熟的星云，年轻的，相信他们是宇宙的中心。
It was pretty clear who those juniors were in this little story. Agares chuckled and replied.
在这个小故事里，很明显那些年轻人是谁。阿加雷斯咯咯地笑着回答。
– To think, you’d use the hotline just so that you can trample on a small Nebula. How amusing.
-想想看，你可以利用热线，这样你就可以践踏一个小小的星云有多好笑
– If things go wrong, then even the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ could collapse because of that small Nebula.
-如果事情出了差错，那么即使是“圣魔大战”也会因为那个小星云而崩溃
– Do you wish to instil discipline in them as a senior of the <Star Stream>, then? Your ‘Kkondae’ disposition still remains, I see.
-那么你是否愿意作为星流学院的一名高年级学生向他们灌输纪律我明白了，你的‘Kkondae’性格仍然存在
– Let’s just say that I merely wish to teach them the true ways of the world.
这么说吧，我只是想告诉他们这个世界的真谛。
– I decline. I don’t need to join hands with someone like you, because crushing a Nebula like that is nothing to me.
我拒绝我不需要和你们这样的人手拉手，因为粉碎那样的星云对我来说什么都不是
– I’m not proposing that we join hands.
我不是建议我们手拉手。
– Then, what?
然后呢？
Rather than a verbal reply, Metatron floated a small crucifix above his hand. It rose up in the air and continued to spin around.
梅塔特隆没有口头回答，而是在手上举起了一个小十字架。它升到空中，继续旋转。
– <Kim Dok-Ja Company> was able to ruin the battlefields due to the fact that they have been exploiting how the forces are balanced, each side’s power being equal.
-kimdok-ja公司之所以能够摧毁战场，是因为他们一直在利用各方力量平衡、力量平等的方式
-So what?
那又怎样？
– But, what if it’s a battle where that balance has been broken from the beginning?
但是，如果这是一场平衡从一开始就被打破的战争呢？
Metatron blew at the crucifix; when he did, its axis of rotation was slightly disturbed and it began spinning unstably. Agares asked as if he was displeased by something.
