Netherworld Disturbance 3/4
The atmosphere fell silent again. Just as Anna lowered her head, looking conflicted, Samael approached gracefully, bent down, and placed his hand on top of her head, gently stroking it.
The gentle warmth gradually dispelled the little girl's unease, and she slowly raised her head, her gaze fixed intently on the figure before her.
"Samael wouldn't lie, right?"
"I promise!"
The ancient snake confidently extended its bent little finger, smiling as it swayed gently along with Anna's soft hand.
"Yes, I'll wait for you. You must come!"
The little girl smiled with relief, then hugged the ancient snake's neck, and unexpectedly lowered her head to give Samael a big kiss on the cheek.
Immediately, the girl who had successfully launched the sneak attack blushed and ran away. After waving goodbye to everyone, her body gradually turned into golden specks of light, and with tears in her eyes, she waved her hand and drifted away.
Among the crowd near the city gate, the old man Ziusudra watched Anna walk away and nodded slightly.
The goddess eventually heeded his advice.
To run away means to give up choices, which leads to the most tragic extreme! (See Chapter 71 for the three prophecies about Anna)
Therefore, returning to the place of origin and bringing about a turning point is the only way to avoid tragedy.
Besides, the future is always subject to change.
There's a chance, there's a chance...
The old man gazed wistfully at the figure standing beneath the city gate, his eyes filled with profound meaning.
At noon, at the embassy.
Samael glanced back at Ishtar, who was playing with the calf of the Bull of Heaven inside the room, chuckled, shook his head, and casually took out a purple scale from his pocket, his gaze lost in thought.
This is something Anna gave him before she died, to open a certain place.
If you calculate the time, about half a month should be enough.
So...
The ancient snake stood before the railing, gazing down at the slightly more populated Xingcheng with a distant look in its eyes.
The city was thriving. Scholars discussed the astrological knowledge brought about by the Mayan calendar, and priests and Magecraft experimented together with the fusion of various Magecraft and divine pronouncements under different temple systems.
The farmers, meanwhile, toiled away on the fertile northern and southern plains, contentedly cultivating crops such as wheat.
As the saying goes, fortune may be the foundation of misfortune, and misfortune may be the foundation of fortune.
The war between Apsu, the God of Creation, and Tiamat, the Mother of Origin, was not entirely a bad thing for the surviving humans.
On the one hand, the war promoted the integration of the various city-states of Sumer, giving rise to a more brilliant civilization.
Humanity also shifted from relying on the guidance and protection of gods to seeking its own power, beginning to perfect the Magecraft system and accelerating the transformation of the mystical realm.
After dissecting the mystery, the integration of the myth with social life greatly boosted human productivity.
On the other hand, the flooding of the Mesopotamian region brought fertile silt, which greatly increased crop yields.
As for the several surges of the Black Tide, after being washed by floods and repaired by the gods, the entire Mesopotamian ecosystem was filled with a rich creative power.
The fertile land is abundant, and the fruits and plants grow exceptionally lushly. As long as one is willing to cultivate the land, filling one's stomach is a piece of cake.
Samael, who had some knowledge of history, knew that as long as a period of peace and stability was maintained, the population of the Mesopotamian world would surge and it would achieve great prosperity.
There is destruction before construction, and without death there is no life...
Is that all there is to it?
This is probably what Mr. Ziusudra meant by his last words.
"Samael, come to the Underworld quickly! Something's happened! Something terrible has happened!"
Just as the ancient serpent was deep in thought, Ereshkigal hurried call came from within the rising mirror of the underworld.
Upon receiving the message, everyone's expression changed, and they rushed to the Underworld in a great hurry.
Several dozen breaths later, in the secluded valley beneath the Seven Gates of the Underworld, Gilgamesh's face darkened, and he crossed his arms over his chest.
"You called us here just for this?"
"Of course!"
Ereshkigal nodded earnestly, picked up a handful of soil, and cherished it as if it were a precious treasure, revealing the tender green shoots inside.
"Plants are actually growing in the underworld, no wonder!"
In the Battle of Uruk, Apsu tore the earth apart, causing the Underworld to be completely submerged in the Black Tide.
In order to protect the people, Ereshkigal had no choice but to abandon her hometown and rush to the aid of Uruk.
Therefore, the flower seeds that Samael gave her were left behind in the underworld during the chaos of war and were washed into the dark valley.
Unexpectedly, once everything calmed down, those flower seeds sprouted green shoots in the area shrouded in death.
This is simply a miracle of life! For Ereshkigal, who cherishes life, it is of paramount importance.
Therefore, the tone of calling everyone to watch inevitably carried a hint of urgency.
Enkidu lowered his body slightly and pressed his palm onto the land of the secluded valley. Green light patterns rippled outwards and spread into the distance.
After a moment, the clay figurine looked up, revealing a trace of remembrance and sorrow.
"It's my cousin..."
"Her power of origin has transformed part of the underworld's environment, giving it life."
"However, the underground is, after all, the place where ghosts dwell. The power of death will eventually outweigh that of life. After a long time, probably several decades, these signs of life will gradually be extinguished."
Samael's expression shifted, his lips tightened, and he couldn't help but sigh softly.
He remembered that he had mentioned to the Goddess several times in his rants that he had promised Ereshkigal to make the Underworld bloom.
Unexpectedly, her unintentional words were taken to heart, and even on her deathbed, she did not forget to grant life to this land of death.
At that moment, Ereshkigal, standing beside Enkidu, looked somewhat disappointed upon hearing his estimate.
Several tens of cents, I see...
"Hey, what's so hard about this? Just separate the layers of the underworld, right?"
"Just like building a house, one can use the Earth Authority to create a barrier, where life and death do not erode or affect each other, forming a self-contained whole."
Ishtar looked around, scratched his head, and responded casually.
But in an instant, the atmosphere froze.
A host of strange gazes focused on this great goddess, making her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles, raising goosebumps all over her body. She couldn't help but shrink back and laugh awkwardly with her arms crossed.
"Uh, I was just saying, it's not my fault if I'm wrong, right?"
"No! You've done me a huge favor! That's a great idea!"
Samael, regaining his senses, patted Ishtar on the shoulder, his eyes showing approval.
"Real?"
Ishtar was slightly taken aback and cautiously asked the others for their opinions.
"Yes, that's a good idea!"
The honest Siduri immediately nodded, Enkidu beside her also nodded in response.
"That's right, my underworld might really have a sea of flowers!"
Ereshkigal also reached out and clasped Ishtar's hands together to express her gratitude.
As for Gilgamesh, he repeatedly circled around his old rival, scrutinizing him with a surprised look.
"I never would have guessed that a woman like you, who only causes trouble, would have such talent."
After being dealt a heavy blow, Ishtar, who was receiving collective praise for the first time, was dizzy and unsure of herself, as if she were standing on clouds, her body feeling weak and floating.
"Am I that amazing?"
"Uh, no, Gilgamesh! What do you mean I only cause trouble! Explain yourself! I am the savior of Uruk!"
Suddenly realizing the hidden barb in her old rival's compliment, Ishtar's face darkened, and she grabbed her slender waist, ready to interrogate him.
The somewhat strange and somber atmosphere from a moment ago has now become lively again.