Chapter v14c23

**Drawing Lots**

**- Will and Belief**

Despite the constant conflicts and incidents in both the men’s and women’s lodgings, they miraculously managed to reach the morning of the team selection without any casualties. It seemed that their rationality, however fragile, had prevailed.

A week had passed, and the fateful day had arrived.

Who would they be paired with? It was the question on everyone’s mind. Some were nervous about the prospect of being teamed up with someone from the opposite path, someone they barely knew.

They had spent their entire lives on opposite sides. The gap between them couldn’t be bridged overnight. The past week, despite the organizers’ encouragement to get to know each other, had been anything but peaceful. It had been a series of conflicts and confrontations, like putting cats and dogs in the same cage.

The thought of being forced to cooperate with their enemies filled them with dread. A palpable tension hung in the air.

There were two boxes, one white and one black. The white box contained slips of paper with the names of the white path participants, and the black box contained the names of the black path participants. The color-coding made it impossible to mix them up.

Their fates would soon be decided by a random draw. It was a meticulously planned scheme. The Law Enforcers had clearly put a lot of thought and effort into this. And they were ruthless enough to see it through. Whether their intentions were pure or not, the participants felt like they were being manipulated.

In this situation, it was natural for everyone to want to be paired with someone they liked. And to avoid being paired with someone they disliked. It was a basic human desire. And sometimes, unfulfilled desires led to jealousy and resentment.

Bi Ryu-yeon and Hyo-ryong stood among the crowd, watching the Law Enforcers prepare for the team selection.

“Ryong-ryong, do you know what’s the most important thing when it comes to drawing lots?”

Bi Ryu-yeon asked. Hyo-ryong shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

Bi Ryu-yeon nodded, as if he had expected that answer.

“It’s an unwavering will and an absolute belief, a driving force that cannot be shaken!”

His voice was filled with conviction.

“Hmm… Do you really think belief is enough?”

It was a natural question. But Bi Ryu-yeon didn’t seem to think so. He clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Tsk, tsk, that’s why you’re not getting anywhere. To even question it means you lack absolute belief. In that state, you’re just leaving it up to chance. You need an unwavering will to draw that luck to yourself. The will and belief that you can have anything you desire, and the actions to back it up.”

“Is that so?”

Hyo-ryong didn’t understand.

“With that kind of mindset, you’ll never be paired with her.”

Bi Ryu-yeon said confidently.

“R-Really?”

“We’ll see. I’m going to be paired with her!”

Hyo-ryong knew who he was talking about. She was the object of every man’s desire, the most beautiful woman in the Cheonmu Academy. To be paired with her would be incredibly lucky.

But he had said “I’m going to be paired with her,” not “I might be paired with her.” He was absolutely certain. They said that the human will had incredible power. But even so…

“No way…”

Hyo-ryong was still skeptical. The world wasn’t that simple.

Bi Ryu-yeon sensed his doubt and chided him.

“Tsk, tsk, you have so little faith in me!”

‘Of course I do!’ Hyo-ryong almost shouted.

“But you’re not the only one who wants to be paired with her. She’s the most beautiful woman in the Cheonmu Academy! Of course, she’s as cold as an ice phoenix, but still…”

“Sigh, that’s why you still have so much to learn. That’s why you need an unwavering will. The more people who desire something, the stronger your will needs to be to overcome their collective desire.”

It made sense, in a way.

“Hey, if you’re thinking ‘it makes sense, in a way,’ then you’re already doubting me!”

“Gasp! Can you read my mind?”

Hyo-ryong asked, startled.

“I don’t need to. It’s written all over your face.”

That was worse than saying he could read his mind.

“That’s why you’re called ‘weak-willed,’ Ryong-ryong. You need to have conviction in everything you do! Even with conviction, you can still fail. But to act without conviction and then whine about failing is pathetic!”

His words were surprisingly wise, and they struck a chord with Hyo-ryong.

“Alright, I’ll do you a favor. Don’t worry. You’ll be paired with Miss Yi as well. You can thank me later.”

It was a foregone conclusion. Bi Ryu-yeon’s expression said it all.

“Whoa… Isn’t that a bit too bold?”

He knew Bi Ryu-yeon was reckless, but this was ridiculous. There were things you could be confident about, and things you shouldn’t. This was more than confidence. It was recklessness.

But Bi Ryu-yeon’s expression remained calm and composed.

“We’ll see!”

‘If he can actually do that, it’s cheating!’

Hyo-ryong thought to himself, but he couldn’t help but be swayed by his unwavering confidence.

“O-Okay.”

“Oh, it’s starting!”

The team selection began, as the participants held their breath.