You'll Pay for This

In the Royal Palace Divine Tower, Samael looked at the three full baskets of Clay Tablet and Siduri waiting below to read the texts aloud, his face darkening slightly.

A slight tremor ran through the Soul Cage, and Shamhat's whispers echoed in the ear of the ancient serpent, dispelling the unease in his heart.

"Go ahead and do it. If you and Siduri are unsure about something, I'll take care of it."

"If this continues, Uruk will have a hard time keeping up with the demand, and you will be away for three more days. I'm afraid the child won't be able to hold on."

"So, even if it's just for my sake, let's help relieve some of her stress first."

With the support of that holy teacher, Samael was slightly encouraged and immediately raised his hand to let Siduri read the Clay Tablet. The two began to deal with the pile of tasks in an orderly manner.

Finally, after working for most of the afternoon, the two managed to handle the backlog of difficult government affairs.

The remaining scraps were naturally taken care of by Siduri herself.

Having caught his breath, Samael's eyes flickered slightly, and then he turned to Siduri and made a request.

"High Priest, I need a record of Eridu, the more detailed the better."

"Okay, I'll arrange it right away!"

Siduri immediately nodded and summoned his trusted men from the sacrificial site to transport the clay tablets related to Eridu from the library to the Royal Palace Divine Tower in batches.

Since Samael didn't need to worry about the subsequent trivial matters, the high priest thoughtfully prepared a quiet room for the Shepherd Priest to read and contemplate.

Thus, the two guards of the Royal Palace Divine Tower became busy once again.

Previously, the so-called support from a certain dream demon had not even materialized, so the ancient serpent naturally remembered this incident and made a deep grudge against it.

In the secluded and quiet room, Samael flipped through the Clay Tablet containing information about the origins, rise, and fall of Eridu, including its customs and local legends.

Meanwhile, with a calm expression, he wrote down the information he had collected on several blank clay tablets.

Time slips away like sand through one's fingers, and by the time Samael looked up, the setting sun had already sunk more than halfway below the horizon.

The ancient serpent pulled out an old, ancient clay tablet from among many others. Its gaze lingered on a vague record for a long time, and its brow gradually furrowed.

As the last rays of the setting sun were gradually swallowed by the spreading night, the shadows of the figure standing inside the house were stretched out in the dim light until they eventually blended into the darkness.

Samael raised his right hand and stroked over several clay tablets containing his own notes.

Except for the last clay tablet, which depicted some kind of architectural structure, the rest instantly crumbled and scattered into dust.

Then, the ancient serpent tucked it into its bosom, picked up the Soul Cage on the table, pulled up its hood, and walked into the deep night.

The figure moved through the silent streets and alleys, quietly dispelling the wisps of Death Qi rising from the corners.

However, on the way, Samael's brow was furrowed, as if he was troubled by something. Even his work of dispelling the Death Qi was somewhat distracted and mechanical.

At this moment, low-hanging clouds hung over Uruk, and muffled thunder rumbled. A light drizzle fell, and as one walked through the streets and alleys, a chilling coldness could be felt penetrating one's body and bones.

Along the way, all the stalls were closed, and the residents, having nowhere to go on this rainy night, went indoors to rest early.

With the roads clear, Samael had explored most of Uruk before midnight, thus concluding his mission to dispel the Death Qi.

However, on the way back to the embassy to rest, the ancient snake subconsciously stopped outside a certain alley.

A strange sense of familiarity, along with surfacing memories, made him think that this was the place where Anna had given wheat cakes to an old man.

On a whim, Samael started walking into the dark alley, feeling somewhat uneasy.

However, upon reaching the end and seeing the sealed brick wall, the ancient snake, who had harbored strange expectations, was immediately disappointed.

It seems I was overthinking it; there's no way things could be so coincidental.

The man shook his head with a self-deprecating laugh and prepared to turn around.

In an instant, a clap of thunder flashed across the sky, and the fleeting lightning illuminated a tall figure wearing a cloak, standing in the rainy night.

"You who defy fate, why are you looking for me?"

Samael, who was unknowingly touched from behind, caught his breath, felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and felt as if his heart was being squeezed tightly by invisible fingers.

"Ziusudra?"

Under the dry questioning, the person opposite slowly nodded, took a few steps forward, and revealed a rough and ancient face with wildly growing beard and hair under the hood.

"If it's possible, I'd like to ask you for a favor..."

Samael slowly exhaled, calmly meeting the gaze of this legendary West Asian hero, his tone full of meaning.

"Don't worry, this is what you do best."

"You guessed it?"

The old man slightly raised his eyelids, revealing a deep and sharp glint in his eyes.

"The waters divide into upper and lower parts, each occupying its own space for birth and death... So that's how it works..."

The ancient snake, its face full of mockery, gazed at the pattering rain in the night sky, a hint of disgust flashing in its eyes.

After briefly venting his pent-up negative emotions, Samael took the clay tablet from his pocket and handed it to the old man.

After taking it, Ziusudra glanced at the structural diagram on it, his expression remaining calm and composed.

"Sure, but I need people."

"No problem! As long as this thing is built, whatever you need, I'll give it to you!"

Samael nodded emphatically, the heavy weight on his chest lifted slightly, and a hint of relaxation appeared on his face.

It must be said that every effort has its reward; this identity of Shepherd Priest comes with a lot of trouble.

However, the corresponding authority was also very high, and with multiple merits as a guarantee, Siduri had promised that Samael could freely allocate resources and manpower.

Of course, the defense of the North Wall was of paramount importance, and he had no intention of taking action.

The best choice for the manpower Ziusudra needed was the group of newcomers he Eridu.

Under the rainy night, the two figures tacitly refrained from venturing deeper into the puddles, parting ways and disappearing into the darkness.

The next day, everyone gathered at the South Gate to prepare for departure.

Upon arriving at the designated location, Samael saw the Feathered Serpent God Kukulkan chatting and laughing with a coughing city guard.

After saying that, this warm and gentle Mayan lady also gave her a large, brownish-yellow mango that grew in the dense forest as a bonus.

After repeatedly reminding the soldier to taste it, Feathered Serpent God, dressed in Sumer civilian clothes, came to greet Samael with an embrace.

The ancient serpent gazed at the two undulating peaks, recalling the suffocating hell it had once experienced. It immediately stepped aside and hurriedly pointed at the city guard, changing the subject.

"It seems you've fallen for the humans of Sumer."

"Yes, a child who has persevered through Third Storm for so long has worked very hard and deserves God's favor."

The Feathered Serpent God's head revealed admiration, and he smiled slightly, a hint of mockery appearing on his face.

"It's a pity you're too late. That was the last one; there wasn't any for you."

"I wish I would never be able to eat it."

Samael shrugged slightly and exchanged a smile with the South American woman, a knowing understanding that seemed to exist between them.

Mangoes certainly don't have any medicinal properties, but the divine power she infused into them can help this soldier expel the corrosive Death Qi and restore his health.

As they spoke, Merlin, who rarely showed signs of fatigue, rushed over from the Astrology Platform, his body reeking of the lingering effects of Magecraft and the scent of herbs.

Ishtar, who returned overnight, surprisingly stayed at the North Wall defense line for most of the day.

The bloodstains on her clothes and the few strands of brownish-yellow fur suggested that this War Goddess had probably spent the entire night hunting magical beasts.

Anna, who arrived last, was late, arriving around noon.

However, the child was wearing a beautiful jeweled headdress, and the pouch that was half her height jingled.

The corner that was lifted revealed a room filled with snacks and desserts given by neighbors, as well as Magic Potion, crystals, and other such items.

Samael gazed at Uruk in the rain, filled with many emotions.

These tiny creatures called humans, through their own enthusiasm and perseverance, have inspired and united with the gods high above.

With everything ready and all personnel assembled, and seeing off the two insiders, the Feathered Serpent God and the Jaguar Man, the group rode on the Pteranodon and headed for Kusa.

Meanwhile, High Priestess Siduri of the Faraway Royal Palace Divine Tower, gently tapped her chest with both hands and silently prayed towards the city gate.

On the table behind her, the Soul Cage flickering with blue flames had been left in the main hall by its former owner.