"Yare yare, having a great treasure that I can't use freely... this damn system really knows how to mess with me," Li Lin muttered, running a hand through his messy hair. "But whatever. The main goal of this simulation is to absorb the power of Original Sin and maybe experience a sweet romance with a goddess. Strength is secondary."
Li Lin stood up from the stone stump. He put on his black cloak again, making himself look more like a god of death. After sensing his direction, he continued deeper into the cedar forest.
His objective this time was to deal with a wicked dragon in the northern cedar forest that had already died but refused to leave the mortal realm. As a dragon, it was at the top of the food chain. But as a god who governed dragons, snakes, and death, this dragon's refusal to go to the Underworld was a clear violation of Ereshkigal's bottom line. Therefore, as Eresh's most loyal subordinate, Li Lin had naturally become the professional problem-solver for this matter.
By sensing the aura of death, Li Lin quickly located his target hidden deep within the forest. He wasn't one for pleasantries. He stomped his foot heavily on the ground. Dark ripples spread out, and the sunlit area was instantly plunged into a thick, black darkness.
"Authority of the Underworld, deploy."
"In the name of the Goddess Ereshkigal, I summon you! Hounds of the Underworld, tear the enemy before me to shreds!"
At his command, the ground, now a black tide, began to tremble violently. The next moment, a gigantic head leaped out from it. Its massive black maw, lined with countless sharp fangs, snapped shut, instantly swallowing the wicked dragon before it could even mount a decent resistance.
"Done," Li Lin said with satisfaction, dusting off his non-existent dirt. "It might be a dragon, but it's already dead. And in Sumer, anything that belongs to the category of the undead can never defy the judgment of the Underworld. As the saying goes... class advantage is everything, and a niche bonus is king. Once you pull out the Instant-Kill trait, any trash has to kneel."
Li Lin turned, and the black tide beneath his feet receded. He then strolled away.
...
Walking along the tree-lined path, Li Lin considered whether he should stay on the surface a little longer. He was out on official business, so Eresh probably wouldn't mind if he slacked off a bit, right? Probably?
"Hm? What's that sound?"
Suddenly, Li Lin stopped and turned his head. He had distinctly heard a woman's voice calling for help. But how was that possible? This was deep within the cedar forest, a place teeming with demonic beasts and even undead creatures like the one he had just dealt with.
"Interesting. Is it the alluring call of some monster, or is someone really trapped here?"
Li Lin rubbed his chin. After some thought, he decided to check it out. A quick look wouldn't hurt. Besides, with his current strength, unless he ran into something on the level of a divine beast, no monster could really threaten him.
With that, he walked straight towards the source of the sound.
Stepping over dry branches, he soon parted the tall grass and saw the figure who had been calling for help. In a clearing ahead, a person was hanging from a large tree. No, to be precise, it was a naked, blonde goddess.
She was completely unclothed, her hands suspended high by branches hanging from above. Her long, slender legs struggled occasionally, offering flashes of the scenery between them. Her smooth, pinkish skin glowed in the sunlight.
The corner of Li Lin's mouth twitched. He immediately wanted to retreat. Damn it, why is my luck so bad today? I just came out for a simple task, and I run into this plague!
Just as he was about to silently retract his foot, the blonde goddess seemed to sense something. Her head, which had been hanging low, snapped up.
"H-help me!"
Upon seeing Li Lin, the dead look in her eyes instantly lit up. As if grasping a lifeline, she cried out for help.
Li Lin: "..."
He felt like he was going to die of exasperation. He couldn't go forward, but he couldn't retreat either. He didn't want to go forward because he wanted nothing more to do with this goddess. He couldn't retreat because, given her temper, if he really did abandon her, she would undoubtedly hunt him down and make his life hell.
"Tsk, whatever. In my current state, she probably won't recognize me," he reasoned. "My divinity is completely covered by a dense aura of death. It's unlikely she'll connect me to him."
After some careful consideration, Li Lin decided to cut the blonde goddess down.
A few minutes later, after laying down some straw at the base of the tree, Li Lin looked at the weakened goddess and asked, "I'm curious. How did our great goddess Ishtar end up hanging here? Logically, no one in the entire Sumerian pantheon would dare to do this to you."
"Mmph~." A forlorn expression crossed Ishtar's face. She sat on the pile of straw, her legs tucked under her in a seiza position. Looking utterly pitiful, she seemed not to notice the sarcasm in his words.
"It's a long story," she began. "As a god, you should know... my husband ran away the night before our wedding." Her golden hair cascaded over her chest. She lowered her head, her expression a mix of sorrow and resentment. Though it was a family shame, she began to speak with a sense of self-abandonment.
"So I searched for him all over Mesopotamia, but it's like he just vanished off the face of the earth. I couldn't find a single trace of him!" At this point, she couldn't help but let out a whimper, looking extremely pathetic.
Li Lin's lip twitched as he retorted, "So that's why you snuck into the [Treasury of the Gods], planning to steal a Noble Phantasm with tracking capabilities?"
"Eh, um... you know about that?"
"Of course I know. The key to the Treasury of the Gods—the Golden Capital—is located in the deepest part of this cedar forest. How could I not know?" Li Lin rolled his eyes, feeling even more exasperated with this useless goddess who resorted to acting cute the moment she was found out.
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