78. What's Your Purpose?
Uruk City
Inside the ziggurat.
Light streamed through the carefully designed skylights, forming slanting beams that illuminated the dust particles floating in the air.
Upon the throne, Gilgamesh, the last heroic king of the Age of Gods, sat.
Sunlight streamed in through the massive windows behind him, but was blocked by the massive throne. From its shadow, Gilgamesh fixed his crimson eyes on the kneeling soldier below.
The soldier's voice echoed through the silent hall, clearly and concisely reporting the latest intelligence—about the Chaldea group and the unidentified, unexpected visitors accompanying them.
With the last syllable, a brief silence enveloped the hall.
The people within the hall awaited the king's decree, while the king, in the shadows, slowly curled his lips.
"Interesting..."
A deep, magnetic voice broke the silence, carrying a hint of amusement and pure curiosity.
"Someone who hadn't appeared in my observations actually arrived with the Chaldea?"
Gilgamesh truly found things intriguing. Although he couldn't see much right now, the fragmented images of the future definitely didn't include the individuals brought back by this intelligence.
"Are you here seeking something, or...are you lunatics with your own ambitions?" Gilgamesh seemed to ask himself. Then, the amusement in his smile deepened.
"It doesn't matter."
"Let me see for myself what kind of changes you can bring to Uruk!"
As the words fell, laughter erupted.
"Ha..."
"Haha..."
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
The others were accustomed to watching their king's daily madness. They lowered their heads in unison, either sorting the clay tablets in their hands or silently calculating the next batch of supplies, ignoring the unbridled laughter from the throne.
...
Thanks to the guidance and guarantee of Leonidas's soldiers, the group successfully entered this last city of the Age of Gods.
Upon entering the city, several people were captivated by the scene before them.
Although it was a city dating back over 2,000 years BC, the sheer scale and orderly architecture of Uruk before them completely overturned the perception of ancient cities!
The chat group member saw this... scene unfold, and they felt a mixture of surprise and relief. They'd seen more than a few dilapidated cities along the way, and now they finally saw humans, and they weren't completely dead.
Fujimaru Ritsuka sighed, "It's completely different from what I imagined."
"Yes," Mash agreed.
In their minds, this was an ancient city, perhaps very small, and because of the war, the people's expressions would be numb, terrified of tomorrow's arrival. But... on the contrary, many people smiled, their eyes gleaming with a tenacity, a passion for life, and even a vibrant energy! The entire city, amidst the despair of monsters, shone with a heart-pounding vitality.
"Surprised? After all, this is a city dedicated to this goddess. Isn't it natural for it to achieve this level of accomplishment?" A triumphant voice interrupted everyone's thoughts. Ishtar, whose thoughts were completely unrelated, puffed out her chest at the surprise of the chattering crowd.
"Huh?" Xiling immediately curled his lips and sneered mercilessly, "What the hell is it to you?! Weren't you already kicked out because of your stupidity? Why are you trying to show off now?"
"Ah, this..." Ishtar, who had been so high-spirited just moments ago, suddenly felt like a popped balloon, her smug expression frozen. She instinctively put her hands over her head and let out a guilty laugh.
"Uh... ahaha... well..."
Just then, a fragrant aroma wafted through the air.
"Hmm?" Elaina twitched her nose, her eyes instantly fixed on a shop on the street—it looked like a bakery?
"Do you think..." Elaina's voice was tinged with uncertainty and anticipation.
"They accept gold coins?"
"Try it and you'll find out!" The incredibly excited Houraiji Kyuushou's eyes lit up. She immediately grabbed Luo Tianyi's hand, who was looking curiously nearby, and with her other hand, she grabbed Elaina without hesitation.
"Let's go, let's go!" Houraiji Kyuushou shouted excitedly, and the three girls rushed towards the source of the fragrance like a gust of wind.
Looking at their energetic backs, Xiling crossed his arms and shook his head in a pretentiously serious tone:
"Alas, that's what socially adept people are like. They're incredibly proactive. Unlike someone like me who's socially anxious, even taking one extra step requires immense courage."
Puff!
"Puff!"
"Hahaha..."
"Ahem..."
Almost simultaneously, three clearly uncontrollable laughs erupted from the side.
Kevin, the Tarnished, and Lemuen all lost their composure and broke down laughing.
Kevin pointed at Xiling and laughed, "You're a social terrorist, what the hell are you talking about?"
Lemuen covered her mouth, stifling a laugh as she walked over to Xiling and patted his arm.
She said nothing, yet it felt like she had said everything.
Xiling: "..."
"...I always feel like you guys have some misunderstanding of me."
The Tarnished raised a thumbs-up.
"Not a single misunderstanding, we just have an understanding of the Hero."
"What do you mean by understanding! You're just a mouthful, aren't you? You're asking for a fight!"
"Hey, I'll dodge!"
"Fuck you, a worthless magician. How could you possibly dodge my attack?"
"Fuck you, Kevin, you bastard! You have no moral ethics. And why are you two always fighting me? It's unfair!"
"Heroes are meant to be beaten up."
Dan Heng rested his hand on his forehead, helplessly watching the three men fighting like children with the people from Chaldea watching.
Dan Heng turned his gaze to the soldier leading them, who stood there bewildered, his face a complex expression.
Dan Heng sighed softly and stepped forward.
"My comrades... are quite lively by nature. I'm afraid you'll have to wait here for a moment."
"It's only natural," the soldier said. After witnessing that devastating scene, he felt immense admiration for the three men playing like children. The stronger the other party is, the better for their side. Forget about asking him to wait here, even asking him to eat... that wasn't the point.
When they returned from buying bread, no one was hurt except the Tarnished, who clutched his waist and cried out in pain.
The group reunited and, under the slightly awed gaze of the leading soldier, continued their march toward the towering divine tower in the city center.
Xiling walked at the front of the group, chewing on soft bread with big mouthfuls, mumbling to his companions, "Hey, cheer up. The divine tower is up ahead. We're about to meet the king. Show some respect."
"How respectful?" Luo Tianyi asked curiously. Generally speaking, in her world, she was the one who was respected.
Xiling choked at the question, paused chewing, and then shrugged.
"Good question. I don't know. We'll see how it goes."
Soon, the tower, symbolizing Uruk's supreme power and divinity, came into view.
Just as the guide was about to step forward to report, the Uruk soldiers guarding the tower's entrance, as if drawn by a magnet, focused their gazes on a certain goddess in their ranks.
When they saw her face clearly, the guards' expressions suddenly changed!
"That...that...?" One soldier whispered.
"Quick! Report to the king!"
Another guard reacted with remarkable speed, practically tumoring and scrambling as he turned and dashed into the tower's deep doorway. His speed was comparable to that of someone encountering the highest level of alert.
Seeing this, Xiling unceremoniously nudged Ishtar, whose face had darkened beside him, with his elbow.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk! Look at that reaction! Even our own gatekeepers act like they've seen a ghost."
Ishtar gritted her teeth but dared not object. She could only snort and turn away.
Finally, under the complex gazes of the remaining guards, the group entered the tower.
Climbing the winding stone steps, they finally reached the throne room at the summit.
Upon the throne, Gilgamesh wasn't reviewing the mountain of clay tablets.
He reclined in a remarkably relaxed position, his chin resting casually on one hand. His crimson eyes surveyed the group who had just entered the hall with interest. When his gaze finally fell on the struggling... goddess as she tried to retreat into the shadows, who exuded an air of non-existence, the Hero King's lips twitched uncontrollably, nearly bursting out in laughter.
When everyone reached the center of the hall and stood before the throne, forming a silent standoff with the towering king, the invisible pressure suddenly descended upon him.
Gilgamesh's smile faded, his eyes sharpening. He spoke slowly, his deep, commanding voice echoing through the empty hall:
"Foreigners..."
His gaze, like a hawk, locked on Xiling and the others in the lead.
"What is your purpose?"
Without unnecessary pleasantries, without false courtesy, the king of the Age of Gods spoke directly to the point.
Xiling stepped forward, raised his head, and met the scrutinizing gaze without hesitation. His voice was clear and calm, with a sense of matter-of-factness:
"For the time being... I'm here to help you through this difficult time."
As soon as these words were spoken, the air in the entire hall seemed to stagnate for a moment.
Gilgamesh's crimson eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous glint flickering within them.
"Oh?" The tone rose slightly, filled with doubt and disdain.
"Do you think... this king needs your help?"
Faced with disdain and doubt, Xiling simply tilted his head slightly and asked in a matter-of-fact tone:
"Do you think... we need your consent?"
Dead silence.
Absolutely dead silence!
Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash held their breath, while Ishtar's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the figure before them.
The soldiers' faces paled with fear.
How dare they speak to the king!!!
One second...two seconds...
Just as the suffocating silence was about to reach its climax—
"Ha...haha..." A deep, suppressed laugh echoed from the throne.
Then, like a torrent bursting through a dam, it instantly rose in pitch and fury, filled with pure, intense amusement!
"Interesting!" Gilgamesh covered his face with his hands, his laughter echoing like thunder throughout the tower!
"This is truly Interesting!!! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
——
A/N [Author Note]:
XiLing: I'm here to give you face, not you, who's demanding it. Understand?