Laughing Abs, Laughing Strength

Laws aren't meant to embody "tolerance and mercy," but rather to pursue "relative fairness."

Both the Code of Hammurabi and the Code of Ur-Nammu supported a brutal concept – "lex talionis."

That is, reciprocal retribution in the style of "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

The Immortal Herb meant as much to Gilgamesh as regaining a second life; it was the miracle he'd searched for through countless hardships for Uruk.

However, with just a moment's carelessness, this snake swallowed his newfound hope!

Even though this Heroic King had entered middle age, transforming from a willful and cruel tyrant into a wise ruler.

Gilgamesh wasn't yet magnanimous enough to forgive this sinful snake with some pointless, saintly heart.

Based on the concept of "lex talionis," it wouldn't be an exaggeration even if the Heroic King stewed the thief who stole the Immortal Herb.

What's more, since this fellow chose the law to seek a way to live, he needed to consider the owner's pursuit of accountability.

This is what's called fairness.

Of course, a certain wise king would absolutely never admit.

That he did this because he was intrigued and wanted to further observe how this long worm struggled in desperation.

Joy, oh joy, once you taste this flavor, you can't stop.

As the edges of swords and spears closed in, inch by inch, Gilgamesh, divided by light and shadow, curled the corners of his mouth into a playful arc.

"Enkidu!"

Seeing his scales being shaved and worn down by the stray sharpness, the grass rope holding his life at the end of its tether, in danger of snapping at any moment.

Lin Xian, unable to organize his thoughts, his serpentine eyes contracting rapidly, opened his mouth and spat out the crucial, life-saving word.

However, as soon as these words were uttered, the Heroic King, who had been casually sitting on his throne, propping his chin with his right arm, his expression hinting at pleasure, suddenly changed his demeanor.

With a piercing sound of air being torn, the might of thunderous axes and cleavers swept across.

Two divine weapons, one a greatsword shaped like demonic wings, and the other a double-edged cavalry sword covered in cuneiform runes, narrowly grazed Lin Xian's sides.

The terrifying wind pressure's slicing ravaged him, shattering Lin Xian's scales piece by piece. His body, merely brushed by the power, exploded into a mist of blood.

The pain, like flesh being peeled away, made Lin Xian's eyeballs bulge, his slender body trembling and twitching.

Boom! Boom!

Two deep gullies were plowed into the wilderness, the violent air currents uprooting fir trees within a hundred meters, causing soil and rocks to fall.

"Who allowed you to speak his name so casually? Mongrel!"

Gilgamesh was no longer relaxed as before. His expression was gloomy, his scarlet eyes surged with bloodlust, and his cold whisper was laced with pure, overbearing killing intent.

As a proud and willful Heroic King, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Enkidu was the only friend he acknowledged in this life.

After his dear friend died due to the curse of the gods, that name had become Gilgamesh's greatest sensitive spot.

If this snake didn't offer a reasonable explanation next, he wouldn't mind showing the side of himself he possessed as a tyrant in the past.

Just as Lin Xian, who was caught in the crossfire, was half-dead, a phantom image of a reddish-green plant resembling a camel thorn emerged from the ancient serpent's abdomen, unfurling its leaves.

Then, ripples spread, and layers of light patterns washed over, rapidly healing the scales turned outward and the torn wounds on the snake's surface.

Fortunately, the Immortal Herb that entered its body had taken effect.

Otherwise, he would have suffered for some time longer.

As soon as Lin Xian regained his strength, he hissed urgently, quickly finishing his explanation.

"King Gilgamesh, I had no intention of offending your dear friend!"

"On the contrary, by consuming the Immortal Herb, I had a very long dream and vaguely glimpsed some blurry images."

"In the near future, you will have the honor of reuniting with your dear friend Enkidu."

"This is the gift I bring you!"

After a brief moment of dead silence, the heavy pressure that had been looming over Lin Xian slowly receded.

The extremely tense criminal collapsed limply, as if his spine had been removed.

Gilgamesh's expression was indifferent, his brows knitting and dispersing, hiding all his emotions beneath his pride, making it impossible to guess his true thoughts.

Your Majesty, you possess Clairvoyance to predict the future; lies cannot deceive your senses.

Lin Xian murmured cautiously, lending credence to his own words.

Heroes of ancient times with divine blood often possessed some degree of precognitive ability, and Gilgamesh was a prime example.

Although the precognitive ability called "Clairvoyance" could not accurately and clearly see the details of future events.

It was sufficient for vaguely perceiving the possibility of certain things happening.

"Your so-called 30 times compensation is this unprovable message?"

After a moment, as if lost in thought, Gilgamesh slowly opened his eyes, pursed his lips, and sneered.

Phew! The hardest hurdle had been cleared.

If I want to live, I need to stay calm!

Lin Xian took a deep breath, calmed his emotions, cleared his mind, and looked up with a pure and serious tone, murmuring.

"The Immortal Herb, indeed invaluable."

"And your bond with Lord Enkidu is beyond the measure of any worldly wealth."

"Offering gold, silver, and jewels would only tarnish the friendship between the King and Lord Enkidu. All I can do is exchange the priceless for the priceless!"

"Besides, I believe that in your heart, the value of this friendship far exceeds that of the mere Immortal Herb, by more than thirty times!"

Gilgamesh's lips gradually curved into a pleased arc, finally erupting into hearty laughter. His abs ached, and he even felt the urge to record this joyous occasion on the clay tablet beside him.

"Hahahaha! Interesting! Truly, truly interesting!"

"This King even feels an impulse to bring you into the court and appoint you as the Grand Judge of Uruk."

Following that, the Heroic King placed his hands on the throne, stood up, and stretched his limbs.

"Since you have brought this King two moments of joy, I shall pardon your crime of theft."

"Be fortunate, mongrel!"

The Sword of Damocles, hanging overhead, was finally removed. Lin Xian recovered his senses, feeling a surge of joy at having survived.

However, before Lin Xian could even catch his breath, a storm of magic gathered around him.

Under Lin Xian's stunned gaze, Gilgamesh drew a sword-like, strangely designed weapon covered in red and black markings from a vortex linked to the Treasury of Babylon.

This object lacked the usual concept of a blade. Its head was not a sharp point, and its cylindrical main body was divided into three sections, rotating in opposite directions with the hilt as the axis.

"King Gilgamesh, you've already pardoned me, haven't you?"

Lin Xian's body stiffened, his voice dry.

"That's right, your offense of theft has been forgiven..."

A peculiar smile played on Gilgamesh's lips as the divine weapon known as the Gouging Sword slowly pressed down.

"But offending your monarch, using honeyed words to distort the law and beguile the people..."

"These debts, you have yet to repay..."

"Therefore, this King hereby declares: you shall be banished to where you belong, and your status as a freeman shall be revoked from this day forward!"

The Heroic King mused playfully, his words laced with a penetrating mockery.

Freeman? Not anymore.

At the same time, the space around Lin Xian was torn apart by immense divine power. The massive, dark vortex swallowed the sinful serpent into its depths.

When the storm subsided, Gilgamesh casually sheathed the Gouging Sword, which had torn through the world's fabric, back into the Treasury of Babylon.

The Heroic King, standing in the wilderness, then bent down and picked up the shed skin of a snake left by the small creature that had snuck bites of the Immortal Herb by the hot spring, twirling it in his hand.

Finally, his scarlet eyes cast a meaningful glance towards the sky overhead.

You can't hold back any longer, can you?

Concurrently, in a dark and silent space, a black, turbid current swirled. The shores on either side were lined with tower-like gun cages flickering with faint blue flames.

Like diligent little bees constructing these special containers, a golden silhouette seemed to sense something and slightly raised its head. It then bent down, spread its arms, and scooped up a handful of river water from the turbid current.

And also... a comatose snake.