The Evil Scientist is Too Competent

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I failed at the investment.

To be precise, I was made to fail.

And naturally, investing with prior knowledge of the outcome could have been a source of profit in itself. Thanks to this, the actual loss from this incident was next to nothing.

‘I knew it, but… what an absurd ability.’

The divine spirit’s power was probability manipulation. It felt like Laplace’s devil could even manipulate probabilities themselves. A level of omnipotence that modern earthly science had only reached recently…

Even though I adjusted things for the investment to fail, at the very moment I realized it, the failing investment showed signs of turning into unexpected success. If an unsuspecting regular ant had stumbled into our fight, they would surely have had their soul wrung out while witnessing the price fluctuations.

‘But there’s a limit to that too.’

The divine spirit’s probability manipulation ability was, without a doubt, an overwhelming power that couldn’t be compared to any superpower. Why do you think the entity known as Laplace’s devil was named so, merely for ‘knowing’ the probabilities ahead of time? The divine spirit was inherently an irrational entity.

However, I could also faintly interfere with probability manipulation from my side. If two opponents possessing the same ability clashed, my side would likely have the upper hand. It was the universal truth that the probability needed for success was less than that for failure.

“I heard you making a call… Looks like you did some sneaky investing?”

[Yes. There has been a significant fluctuation in the funds at the Spiritual Center and in the account of Boss Liu Spirit.]

“Why are you so stupid… Why would you believe what the enemy says so readily?”

[Well, that was directed by you, Master, wasn’t it…?]

I kept my mouth shut at the AI’s words and took a sip of coffee. Sure, I had attacked the Spiritual Center, shaken Boss Liu Spirit’s mental state by stirring up all sorts of incidents, and applied knowledge I had from reading things like [Human Psychology] back in school…

But even so, I never expected it would be this easy. After all, she was a titan who was running a major corporation, wasn’t she?

“Honestly, she had a stronger vibe of thriving by leeching off a transcendent entity.”

Boss Liu’s original fate would have been nothing more than a prosperous shaman or a small café owner, at best. However, due to her own superpower and the existence of the divine spirit resonating with it, she had achieved feats beyond what she could handle on her own.

Thinking about it that way, she could be seen as a pitiful being. To have such a superpower and then to meet the existence of a divine spirit…

─Kraaaaaang-!

And just then, I felt an indescribable wave sweeping over my entire body. I quickly instructed the AI to create a counter wave opposing that surge, and thus, the wave that threatened to dismantle my body melted away like snow.

I realized that it was the divine spirit’s last-ditch effort to lash out, and that it had figured out my true identity.

“Bwahaha!”

Most likely, Boss Liu had revealed my identity. If she was the Boss Liu who invested under my influence and ended up crashing and burning, she would have been likely to divulge my identity to the divine spirit out of urgency when realizing she had been tricked by me.

But now that it was clear that her last-ditch effort had fallen flat, who knows how long she would keep up her attacks.

‘Well, until then, I guess I’ll just remain a shut-in in my room.’

Slurp-.

I took another sip of coffee and fiddled with the AI. Regardless of whether it was me or not, there were plenty of people who wanted to see the Spiritual Center crumble. If I borrowed their power, it wouldn’t be long…

* * *

“Taxi!”

The woman who hurriedly jumped into the taxi held what looked like a small shrine, informing the driver of her destination. The cabbie felt a slight unease upon seeing her but stepped on the gas nonetheless.

As the vehicle sluggishly made its way to the destination, a voice emanated from the altar clutched tightly in her arms.

─It’s cramped. I’m hungry.

“…I’m sorry, Divine Spirit. Please bear with me a little longer.”

─Why must I suffer such indignities? Huh?

“It’s all my fault. I truly apologize…”

The taxi driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror, while Boss Liu Spirit, with her head buried in the shrine, desperately endeavored to stifle her sighs and tears.

The turmoil caused by her squandering the company funds had somehow spread to various corporations and administrations, leading her to be pursued for numerous charges, including embezzlement.

Instead of trying to revive her company buried under debt, Boss Liu chose to gather only the divine spirit and flee to safety. After all, with just the divine spirit, she could easily rebuild the company.

─Humans want to eat. I will eat the one in front of me.

“Oh, no. Divine Spirit, he’s not a sacrifice…”

─Then how long must I endure my hunger? Bring me offerings quickly! I still haven’t received the promised hundred in days!

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

─I’ll kill that punk…! I’ll kill you and make another one my sacrifice!

While the divine spirit shouted in fury, Boss Liu Spirit just kept repeating her apologies. Even though the divine spirit spoke those words, it had no intention to kill her and choose someone else instead. Such a thing was impossible from the start.

The reason a divine spirit could exist in this world, being something other than a mere human existence, was solely because of the superpower Boss Liu possessed, which allowed her to make the divine spirit visible and audible to others. Her superpower acted as a kind of relay.

Since the divine spirit had barely seen anyone since its birth, it was hard to believe there would be more beings like her in this world, so it couldn’t just kill her in a fit of rage.

─Hmph! I’m disappointed. I will no longer grant your requests!

The divine spirit could only whine like that; Boss Liu silently listened to its words, waiting to arrive at her destination.

Not long after, they reached the airport, and Boss Liu Spirit pulled out a forged passport she had prepared earlier to purchase a plane ticket. If she could escape to a faraway place unknown to others and take a few years to recuperate, she could start everything anew from the beginning.

There truly wasn’t much time left… Thinking that way, Boss Liu Spirit boarded the plane and her heart nearly stopped as she noticed the two men taking the seats beside her.

“─Boss Liu. Is company matters a joke to you?”

“To sit on a mountain of debt and casually go on a trip like this… You’re truly heartless.”

The two men seemed to know her quite well. It was shocking enough they knew her real name, even having used a forged passport.

Could she escape from this? Probably impossible. Unless the divine spirit had made it so easy to help her…

Sneaking a glance toward the altar embedded with the divine spirit, Boss Liu Spirit delicately asked, noticing the divine spirit looking at her with sympathy.

“P-please, spare me…”

“What? This lady thinks we’re assassins or something.”

“You can just disembark the plane and come along. Making unnecessary noise won’t help anything.”

“P-please, please—”

As the men misunderstood her words, the divine spirit realized she was asking for its help and merely shook its head serpentinely in refusal.

─It seems unfortunate for you.

“Then… please kill someone for me…”

─That’s possible. However, as I said— It takes one life to take one life. Who do you wish to sacrifice? It’s impossible to use these two as sacrifices. They’ve made no contract with you.

A single thought crossed Boss Liu Spirit’s mind after hearing the divine spirit’s words. If the plane landed as it was, and she got dragged away by those two, her fate would likely be a prison sentence at best, or death at worst.

The possibility of enduring torture and pain was also high. Even though she was the CEO of a company, Boss Liu Spirit wasn’t someone that strong; just imagining that made her freeze in fear.

She could never bear it all. Just to forget everything and go to prison…

So, it was only decided that in this moment, she would determine whom to sacrifice and whom to kill…

“… Thank you for everything, Divine Spirit.”

─Are you truly choosing that?

“This is the best option for me.”

With a bright smile, Boss Liu faced the divine spirit. Understanding her feelings, the divine spirit gave its final farewell before employing its power.

Hours later, as the plane landed, the two men flanking Boss Liu shook her awake.

“Boss Liu? Please wake up. We’ve now arrived…”

“Wait a minute. This person isn’t breathing!”

“What? Since when?”

“I don’t know! More than that— Stewardess! Stewardess! Someone’s collapsed here! Get a doctor quickly…”

As the passengers jumped in surprise at the suddenly emerged casualty, the divine spirit quietly rolled itself back from the altar, sneaking away unnoticed by anyone—.

Thud-.

“Hm-?”

As he walked out of the airport, a man picked up the altar that had been dropped at his feet. He began to gaze deeply into its interior. As the man’s pupils elongated vertically, he locked eyes with the divine spirit inside.

─You… can you see me?

“What an interesting item.”

─What? An item?

“I think the kid would love it.”

─Wait a minute, who the hell are you…?

It was a dragon, having stopped by the airport during its travels.

And thus, it picked up the altar containing the divine spirit.