Only Those Who Make No Wishes Can Receive One

The Bell-Listening Angel! A Five-Winged demigod serving beneath a god! A mythical creature in the truest sense, an inhuman existence capable of effortlessly altering the fates of all living beings! Although on the surface she seemed separated from Yaxiu by merely two pairs of void wings, he at least knew that a sorcerer's void wings were Silver, Gold, Prismatic, and Colorless, whereas he did not even know the names of an angel's void wings! An existence of this caliber was far beyond any target they could aim for—they had never even imagined they would ever meet one face-to-face! Even a Legendary Sorcerer would never dream of catching a glimpse of an angel's silhouette! Yet compared to the shock brought by the angel, the two of them cared far more about what she had just said. "This is heaven?" Yaxiu looked down at his hands. "Am I dead?" "Not yet," Bell said calmly. "The dead are not the only ones who can enter heaven. You were pulled in willingly by Gospel." "This is the final stage of inheriting Gospel. Every First Gospel across the generations makes a journey here." She glanced at the two of them, the bells ringing. "Curious. This generation's First Gospel actually consists of two people. Even more curious is that you actually possess the Secret Incarnation." Facing the Bell-Listening Angel, neither Yaxiu nor Diya dared to act rashly. Just as Diya opened her mouth to speak, Yaxiu pulled her into an embrace. Carefully weighing his words, Yaxiu asked tentatively, "Then how does she inherit Gospel? And what happens if she doesn't?" "Refusing to inherit is itself a form of inheritance." Bell walked toward them. This time, the bells tied to her headphones did not ring. Yet when the distance between them narrowed to within five paces, Yaxiu and Diya felt as though an invisible sound pierced their bodies—her gaze seemed laden with vibrations, poised to shred them into the finest dust at any moment with the ring of a bell. This was not direct intimidation through a Sanctuary, sorcery power, or sorcery spirits, nor was it the veiled threat of some miracle. It was more as though the sheer depth of knowledge contained within her gaze was profound enough to effortlessly crush them to pieces. When the mastery of a sorcery faction surpassed the Legendary tier, could knowledge alone shake reality itself? "The web beneath your feet is the legacy left to you by the previous First Gospel," Bell paused, adding, "It is also the divine wish you have long awaited." The divine wish?! Only now did Diya remember. In her excitement, she moved to lean down and touch it, but Yaxiu held her by the shoulder to stop her. Calming herself slightly, she gingerly touched one of the silk strands. Fate. Arrangement. A plan. In a trance, she saw the life of a goblin skilled worker. Born in Mengfeila, he had spent his youth borrowing and squandering loans from the Burdette family as a matter of course. At twenty, he married and began working, his craft steadily improving on the job. At thirty-three, he became a Silver Sorcerer through the alchemy faction. At fifty, he retired to travel Gospel with his wife and explore the Abyss... She saw Gospel's influence on this goblin worker: guiding him from childhood to meet friends of similar temperament, kindling his interest in the alchemical machinery he was gifted in, presenting him with opportunities as an adult to meet his future wife, arranging well-structured lessons after work to elevate his sorcery attainments... Throughout his entire life, he lived within Gospel's arrangements. Though he never knew immense wealth or glory, his life was easy and comfortable. He had friends, family, work, and hobbies. Furthermore, living in a city that worshipped consumerism like Mengfeila, he spent his lifetime creating value, enjoying value, and realizing value. Aside from the occasional domestic squabble, he almost never experienced a single harsh beating from society, heading to work with a cheerful heart every single day. This was neither past nor future. Right now, this goblin had only just married and begun his job. Gospel had already finished writing Volume Two of his life and was preparing to draft Volume Three according to the outline. "This is the fate of Gospel's people." Diya touched the silk thread, looking around at the colossal web that stretched endlessly into infinity. "This is the fate of the entire Gospel Country." "Only close to fate," Bell corrected. "Inside it lies neither the 'fortune' that governs variables, nor the immutable 'destiny' set in stone. It is merely a calculated plan that factors in everything conceivable, striving to ensure that everyone, across the grand scheme of things, lives a relatively happy life." "And this is the final legacy you must inherit." Bell pointed toward the center of the web not far away. "Do you see that unconnected thread of silk over there? Taking that thread between your fingers signifies that you are willing to inherit this legacy, and you can choose to continue weaving Gospel's future." Yaxiu asked, "What if she doesn't inherit it?" "If she does not inherit, weaving naturally will not continue," Bell said as though stating the obvious. "Once this web is exhausted, the Gospel system will automatically disintegrate, turning into a machine capable only of answering inquiries." "However, even if you are unwilling to weave, there is no need to forfeit the inheritance. You can claim this legacy, gather up the web, set it ablaze, and make a wish before these flames that border on fate." Yaxiu and Diya froze. "Make a wish?" "Yes," Bell said. "Curious. Did you truly believe the so-called divine wish was the Weaver listening to your heart's desires and performing a divine miracle to grant your wish?" Neither of them spoke. That was indeed what they had thought. "The Weaving Ceremony occurs once every fifty years, and the First Gospel changes every fifty years. If the Weaver truly had to grant your wishes, that would mean carving out her own time every fifty years specifically for you." Bell raised an eyebrow, the pair of bells chiming softly. "Curious. In your eyes, is the Weaver such an idle and loving existence?" "Past First Gospels would take up the thread of their own accord upon arriving here, swiftly completing the final ritual. It is only because the two of you are exceptional that I came out specifically to receive you and explain." Yaxiu was stunned. "In other words, even though the divine wish exists, no one has ever used it?" The Bell-Listening Angel burst into laughter. Her chuckle set the two bells chiming with crisp clarity. Yet this gentle ringing made Yaxiu and Diya feel as though sound was piercing through them tens of thousands of times, as if their bodies would shatter into pieces in the very next second! "This is a divine miracle specifically tailored by the Weaver for Gospel," she said with a chuckle. "And Gospel only selects heirs whose temperament aligns with its own; even if one doesn't fit, Gospel twists them until they do. Although burning this web produces the near-miraculous Flames of Fate—the so-called divine wish—anyone who would dare burn this web would never have been chosen by Gospel in the first place." Only those who make no wishes can receive a wish. It carried the same absurdity as accompanying a friend to an interview only for you to be hired instead. Yaxiu's mind even conjured an exchange like this: "I want to make a wish." "If you want to make a wish, you can't have the divine wish." "Then why would I want a divine wish if I don't want to make one?" "I'll only give you the divine wish if you don't want to make a wish." "But I only need the divine wish because I want to make a wish!" "To get the divine wish, you still can't make a wish!" In other words, Annan's plan could never have succeeded from the start. The web was the final stage of succession for the First Gospel; as long as one did not become the First Gospel, there was no chance to touch the divine wish... Wait, hold on. Hadn't Annan almost succeeded this time? Yaxiu's thoughts stirred, but Diya was already asking, "If I burn the web, what will happen?" "The Gospel system will collapse and disappear entirely, incapable of even answering questions," Bell said. "The web here allows Gospel's power to reach everyone across the land. If you do not continue weaving, Gospel merely loses its power to regulate the destinies of all living beings, yet the web will still function. But if you burn the web, Gospel will never reach anyone else again, and only you will be able to wield its power." Yaxiu and Diya exchanged a glance. They had already deduced what had happened in Yayin's timeline: Annan would undoubtedly have commanded Yayin to burn the web entirely, then wished for Yayin and Yaxiu to coexist at the same time. That was why this Weaving Ceremony had played out as it did. Even though the causes and consequences were all clear now, Yaxiu still dared not let down his guard. "Then how does the Weaver hope the First Gospel will choose?" Having been yanked straight into a god's heaven, Yaxiu never imagined they had any leverage to resist. The so-called freedom of choice felt just like a corporate boss saying, "Feel free to speak up if anyone has suggestions! We're a young team, we value everyone's voice, so speak your mind!"—and if you actually raised your hand, you'd be the idiot. "The Weaver has no demands of you," Bell said. "You needn't worry. If the Weaver truly wished to maintain total control over her blessed country through Gospel, do you really think the Secret Incarnation alone could protect her sense of self?" Yaxiu couldn't help asking, "You really don't care?" "Curious. Why should we care? The Weaver and I do not care about a span of mere decades, nor the fates of a few generations," Bell replied. "To you, her ability to coexist with Gospel is a monumental event that upends history; to us, it is merely a minor interlude, a ripple upon the Flowing Gold River that will soon settle back to normal." "We do not mind what you do—run away, accept it, make use of it... No matter how large a ripple you cause, the wash of time will quickly smooth it over into tranquility. And if you bring about a few amusing changes, so much the better." "I am only here to guide you toward making a choice. Whatever you choose, I won't even bother to watch. So... do as you please." Yaxiu and Diya looked at each other. Diya asked, "Can I wish for someone else to inherit Gospel?" "No," Bell shook her head. "It is very particular, choosing only the highest-quality heir within its reach." Once you're used to living in a quiet, comfortable mansion, you never want to move back into a cramped, dilapidated apartment where the neighbors are always doing noisy renovations. I get it... Yaxiu snarked internally. He glanced at Diya and took a step back. "Hmm?" "I won't interfere," Yaxiu said. "Lisi, this is something you have to decide for yourself." Diya glanced toward the center of the web. "If I make different choices, how will it change things for me?" Bell thought for a moment. "If you do not inherit, yet the web remains, your true body can never leave the Gospel Country, because Gospel itself refuses to leave. If you inherit and burn the web, you may move freely and even depart Gospel. If you choose to continue weaving, you must reside within the central region of the Gospel Country, for it must stay within this range to continue weaving the future." Diya started. "There are so many advantages to burning the web! You get an extra wish, and fewer constraints." Bell smiled. "You have this choice here and only here. Once you leave the All-Knowing Heaven, you cannot change it—unless you come here a second time." Diya nodded. Walking to the center of the web, she crouched down and took the loose silk thread between her fingers. Yaxiu held his breath, and the Bell-Listening Angel remained silent. They both knew that Diya's next single thought would decide the fate of countless millions. Suddenly, Diya asked, "Yaxiu, do you have any wishes?" Yaxiu was taken aback, then immediately replied, "Abolish the List of the Unconnected." "Right, the unconnected." Diya snapped back to alertness; she had almost forgotten about this. "I haven't saved Big Sister Nina yet—" "Save?" The sound of bells rang out again as Bell asked curiously, "You want to save an unconnected?" "Yes." Catching Bell's subtext, Diya hastily asked, "Could it be that the unconnected aren't actually dead?" "Not only are they not dead, they're living very well," Bell chuckled. "Every unconnected lives out a happy, joyful life in heaven." "Huh?" Yaxiu and Diya both froze in astonishment. "Curious, but it's only natural you wouldn't know," Bell said. "For certain reasons, heaven needs to take in mortals to dwell here, and always ensures they live a life of joy and bliss. Different heavens have different conditions for admission: some gods accept people based on piety, others by destined affinity, and some specifically gather the dying... As for the Omniscient Weaver, her criterion for admission is the List of the Unconnected." "The so-called unconnected are those who have no ties to society, who do not fit into it, and who are cast out by the votes and actions of its members. Not being on the List of the Unconnected means you have the ability to find happiness within society. But for those on the List of the Unconnected, the Omniscient Weaver grants them happiness personally." "Fair, isn't it?" Bell smiled, her bells chiming. "Since someone must receive the Weaver's blessing, why not let them choose for themselves who deserves happiness the most?" Because of the precedent set by "only those who make no wishes can receive one," Yaxiu heard this premise of "only the most unfortunate can obtain happiness" and felt past the point of wanting to critique the Omniscient Weaver's philosophically twisted sense of humor. Diya felt this even more deeply—"only those who yearn to speak their secrets must keep them." Everything tied to the Omniscient Weaver was riddled with contradictions, as though she took pleasure in using such sardonic trials to test human nature. "Therefore, you have no reason to save an unconnected," Bell looked at Diya. "Of course, if you want to pull her back to reality, that's fine too. As for the List of the Unconnected... do as you like." Hearing this revelation, Diya felt somewhat lost. She stared at the loose silk thread for a long moment, her fingers loosening and tightening, tightening and loosening. She could not resist looking back at Yaxiu with pleading eyes. Yaxiu shrugged, walked over to squat beside her, and gently patted her head without saying a word. Yet that alone seemed to grant Diya enough courage. She gripped the silk thread tightly until its loose end fused into her palm. "Do you need a spark?" Bell asked kindly. "No." Diya shook her head. With one hand joined to the silk thread and the other clutching Yaxiu's sleeve, she stood up and said, "Let us go back." "Curious." Bell did not smile, but the bells rang nonetheless. "Truly someone chosen by Gospel; in the end, you still chose to weave." "Are you sure you don't want to think about it a little more? That is a near-omnipotent wish-granting machine. While becoming an angel might be difficult, becoming an immortal Legendary Sorcerer would be no trouble at all. Even if you don't care for yourself, this fellow beside you—" "All right, all right," Yaxiu cut her off. "When you're free in the future, let's grab some Lalafell together. For now, just send us back. People are waiting for us." "—You dare interrupt an angel?" A chilling voice rang out, sharp enough to pierce the soul. Yaxiu and Diya clung to each other, trembling. "Curious." But a second later, Bell calmed down again. "You truly are curious people." "Since you don't want the divine wish, I'll gift you an angel's wish."