"Mother Goddess! No! Go back!"
The ancient serpent's vertical pupils widened, the scales all over his body exploding outward in layers. His soul shook violently as his frantic roar traveled along the anchoring line connecting them, reaching the Origin Goddess within the Sea of Imaginary Numbers.
This Hole of Heaven, carved open to lead into the World Bubble, bore far too many traces of human interference.
Once she stepped into the trap, when the opening closed, Mother Goddess Tiamat would have no path of retreat left. She could only fight humanity to the bitter end.
Not to mention that in the established history, even with her incomparable power and vast army of Demonic Beasts, this Origin Goddess had still been unable to escape the fate of defeat beneath the combined assault of multiple forces.
Even taking a step back, even if Lin Xian joined her and used his foreknowledge to wipe out humanity's side—
What then?
Once the boundary between heaven and earth was broken and the gods of Ancient Babylon returned, Tiamat and he would no longer face a patchwork band of human heroes, but an army composed entirely of gods!
Even at her peak, Mother Goddess Tiamat had been slain by Marduk, King of All Kings.
Now that the Origin Goddess had been stripped of most of her Authority, how could she possibly withstand the siege of those rebellious children?
Besides, he had already vaguely found a safer way to return.
Therefore, no matter what, Lin Xian could not allow Tiamat to walk into this dead end.
Otherwise, everything would become irreversible!
Just as the ancient serpent threw back his head and hissed, calling out with all his might, the anchoring line tightly linking the two of them hummed and turned insubstantial.
In an instant, Lin Xian's consciousness was vaguely dragged into a pure white mental space.
Ahead of him, the graceful figure clad in garments formed from azure scales slowly turned around. Her beautiful head, crowned with emerald-green tendrils of earth, hung low. Her blue-green hair was tied behind her head, and a trace of sorrow filled her lovely Cross Star Pupils. With her arms folded over her chest, her cherry lips murmured softly.
"You know, I gave birth to countless lives, and I was once loved by all living things..."
"But my children used me as a springboard and left me behind..."
"I wanted to keep loving them. I wanted them to remain by my side forever..."
"Could my love... have been wrong?"
"Once children grow up, must we be separated from one another?"
The soul that had taken human form slowly stepped forward, entered the goddess's embrace, and whispered softly into her ear.
"Mother Goddess, perhaps we have grown up and no longer need you to hold our hands as we take every step."
"But true growth is never about abandoning everything. It means bearing the past and cherishing all that once was!"
"So in this world, there is no reason that can excuse them for killing and abandoning you!"
Crystal tears rolled down from her crimson eyes. The Origin Goddess, whose reason had partly been stirred awake by the Hole of Heaven, clutched her chest as boundless grief filled her.
"Don't leave me behind. Don't abandon me..."
"Don't love me anymore, either..."
"Because... it hurts too much..."
At that moment, reason gradually faded from those Cross Star Pupils. The pure white mental space shook violently, and spiderweb-like cracks spread from beneath Tiamat's feet in every direction, ready to swallow everything at any moment.
Lin Xian glanced at the dense cracks around him. He closed his eyes for a moment, calmed his emotions, and instead pressed himself even closer into Tiamat's embrace.
I've already died once. It doesn't matter. Even if I have to give my life back to you.
The fingers formed from his soul gently stroked the goddess's smooth blue-green hair. Lowering his head, he whispered tenderly.
"Mother Goddess, don't be afraid..."
"Even if this world leaves you behind, I will always stand by your side!"
"I will love what you love and think what you think. I will not let you bear loneliness alone anymore!"
The man lowered his gaze, looking through the mottled, interwoven cracks at the towering figure in the Sea of Imaginary Numbers walking toward the Hole of Heaven. He raised a hand and gently cupped Tiamat's cheek.
His emotion-filled serpentine pupils quietly met those hollow, vacant Cross Star Pupils.
"Don't be afraid of being loved..."
"I have always been by your side. Forever!"
When he had first arrived in this world, he had been lost and helpless, drowning in fear and panic until he gradually lost himself. Yet Tiamat had given him the purest love and protection.
Then, in return, I am willing to offer everything for your desire.
"It's just that this is not the right time to return."
"So endure a little longer. Don't go over there, all right?"
At this moment, as the two figures embraced with their necks entwined, the towering existence rising from the Sea of Imaginary Numbers had already come within arm's reach of the Hole of Heaven.
As her pale fingers drew closer, rings of dazzling ripples spread across the outer wall of the World Bubble.
"Please, Mother Goddess..."
"I don't want to see you die with my own eyes..."
Lin Xian pressed his lips tightly together and slowly closed his eyes. Yet the white mental space shattered inch by inch, and his rapidly falling consciousness plunged his heart into the depths.
Since you have made your decision, then I respect your answer.
Just as the ancient serpent revealed his resolve to die, his scattered senses vaguely saw that the massive hollow piercing heaven and earth was actually beginning to close slowly!
Then, the towering figure beyond the World Wall withdrew her fingers and quietly sank back into the Sea of Imaginary Numbers.
Could it be... Mother Goddess had been repairing the Hole of Heaven just now!
"I... will wait for you to return..."
The murmur that traveled through the anchoring line into Lin Xian's mind sent the ancient serpent into wild joy.
He had succeeded!
He had actually succeeded!
To persuade this Origin Goddess to suppress her instincts and choose dormancy was simply an unbelievable miracle!
However, before he could rejoice for long, an intense sense of weightlessness struck him.
The strange sensation of body and consciousness blending together left Lin Xian, whose mental strength was severely depleted, with a splitting headache. Every inch of his nerves felt as though it were being prodded and pierced by red-hot iron needles.
The ancient serpent thrashed and slapped against the rocks. After holding on for a moment, he rolled onto his back and fainted.
Ereshkigal hurriedly picked up her pet, transformed into a red streak of light, and rushed toward the temple.
Before Lin Xian's consciousness sank into chaos, a flicker of relief emerged in his mind.
Thank goodness. I finally talked Tiamat down. She didn't step into the trap, and at least she'll survive. That's more important than anything!
But immediately afterward, strange and confused emotions surged within him.
If the massive hollow closed and Tiamat no longer came ashore...
Then what would happen to the Triple Goddess Alliance hunting humanity, the Chaldean travelers repairing the distortion of human history, and the Absolute Demonic Beast Front: Babylonia that sang of humanity's resistance...
How the hell should I know?!
In the end, the ancient serpent fainted amid a tangle of complicated emotions.
But the waves he had stirred up produced an enormous impact.
Like a stone cast into a lake, distorted ripples spread outward in ring after ring until dark undercurrents churned across the entire surface!
Several days later, hearty laughter echoed through Uruk's Royal Palace Divine Tower.
"Interesting! Interesting!"
"This is truly fascinating!"
"Ha ha ha ha! Such irresistible delight!"
The Heroic King toyed with a clay tablet in one hand while rubbing his faintly aching abdominal muscles with the other. He sucked in a slight breath, curled his lips, and beckoned toward the courtyard below.
"Siduri, come. Have a drink with me!"
Before you continue