# 153
Chapter 153 – The Draw
On the folding bed in the activity room, Merlin slowly opened his eyes.
The divine sedative seemed to work differently from earthly ones; its effect on Merlin was brief, yet it effectively suppressed his “mad” state.
Now, there was no trace of cloudiness or bewilderment in Merlin’s eyes.
He sat up and turned to the small table beside him. There, wearing a white coat, Lin Qiye sat holding a glass of water, smiling at Merlin.
“Good evening, Mr. Merlin.”
“Good evening, Director Lin.” Merlin got off the bed and walked to the chair opposite Lin Qiye, sitting down. He studied Lin Qiye and raised an eyebrow.
“It seems the crisis around you has passed.”
Lin Qiye asked in surprise, “You can see that again?”
Merlin merely smiled and said nothing.
“Then tell me—how will my luck be in the coming days?”
Merlin’s deep eyes flickered. He shook his head. “The future is hard to say, but for the next few days at least, your fortune looks good.”
Lin Qiye nodded. After a moment’s hesitation, he continued, “Mr. Merlin, how much do you remember of what just happened?”
“Just happened?”
“Before you woke up.”
Merlin pondered, uncertain. “I remember I was in my room thinking… then it’s blank.”
Lin Qiye nodded, thoughtful. So when Merlin lost control and turned into a pink starfish, his own consciousness was unconscious…
Wait, that doesn’t add up.
Then what was controlling his body while he was a starfish running around the yard trying to catch jellyfish? A second personality? Or the subconscious?
But… could a respected sage like Merlin really have such a ridiculous subconscious?
And after he became a starfish, the names he shouted were all very strange—SpongeBob? Squidward? Plankton? Do normal humans even know such odd names?
Or… do those people actually exist somewhere? And how did whatever controlled Merlin know them?
Lin Qiye shook his head, clearing the clutter of thoughts. He took several pills from his coat pocket and placed them on the table.
“What are these?” Merlin asked, puzzled.
“Medicine,” Lin Qiye said calmly. “They might help your condition.”
Merlin shook his head. “I told you, I’m not sick.”
“The fact is, you are.” Lin Qiye’s tone brooked no argument. He pushed the glass of water toward Merlin. “Please take these first, then we’ll continue.”
These were the same pills Doctor Li had prescribed for Instructor Gu. In the Asylum of the Gods’ pharmacy, divine versions were easy to find; Instructor Gu had proven them effective.
Merlin frowned at Lin Qiye, thinking. Finally, he sighed, swept up the pills, and swallowed them in one gulp.
“Now, may we proceed?” He spread his hands.
Lin Qiye glanced at the treatment progress bar above Merlin’s head—still 0%. Not surprising; the medicine couldn’t work instantly.
“Mr. Merlin, I came to discuss something with you.”
“Oh?” Merlin looked surprised.
“About the ‘real world’ you mentioned—I have a different view.”
At the words “real world,” Merlin’s expression brightened, eyes shining.
“What view?”
Lin Qiye drew a breath. “I believe the world we live in is real.”
Merlin asked curiously, “Why?”
“Because I feel it’s real, so it is.”
Merlin’s brows knitted. “That’s pure idealism.”
“So what if it is?” Lin Qiye smiled. “This world holds my family, my friends, countless living, breathing people. Even if the world were fake, would that make them fake too?
If the world is false, do their lives, their joys and sorrows, no longer matter?
If one day you slaughtered a city, and you saw the ruined earth, the wailing masses, your own dead family—could you comfort yourself by saying they were merely illusions, so their deaths meant nothing?”
Lin Qiye stood, stared into Merlin’s eyes, and spoke each word:
“Whether the world is real is itself an idealist question. If you believe it’s real, then it is. If you believe it’s fake… then even if it is real, what difference does it make?”
Merlin gazed at him, speechless.
“You seek the truth—that’s the instinct of a seeker. But I don’t think it should be everything…
Even if you found the real world, it wouldn’t mean you belong there. Even if you never find it… you still have us, this vast world that is ours.
You push yourself too hard, Mr. Merlin.”
When he finished, Merlin was lost in thought. Lin Qiye slipped quietly from the room, inhaled in the corridor…
“I have to admit, the doctor who treated Instructor Gu has some real skill… Those aren’t words an ordinary person could say. Next time I see Instructor Gu, I’ll ask for the doctor’s contact…”
He muttered, turned, and walked away.
He’d said what needed saying, given the pills. The rest depended on Merlin’s own insight…
Lin Qiye had just stepped into the courtyard, about to tell Li Yifei something, when a line of text appeared before his eyes.
“
Merlin treatment progress: 2%
Reward condition met. Randomly drawing from Merlin’s divine abilities…
”
Lin Qiye’s eyes lit up, heart racing.
It’s here, it’s finally here!
The familiar virtual roulette materialized, its list of divine abilities dazzling him.
“Fire Magic Mastery, Thunder Magic Mastery, Transformation Magic Mastery, Spatial Magic Mastery, Eye of Wisdom, Black Magic Mastery, Abyssal Magic Mastery, Prophecy, Astrology…”
As before, there was a black slice less than 1% in size—its purpose unknown.
Nearly everything was magic-related; the rest concerned wisdom or foresight. Lin Qiye exhaled in relief.
At least I won’t get stuck with something like “Super Fertility.”
The virtual wheel spun furiously…