# 2018
Chapter 2018: Response
Great Xia.
In a certain black abyss.
A beautiful woman dressed in a star纱罗裙 (star-patterned silk dress), was frowning as she stood in this abyss world, countless stars glittering in the darkness like a star-studded dome.
Her brow was tightly furrowed, her face deathly pale, and her aura flickered like a candle flame... At this moment, the scattered starlight above was slowly drawing into her body, slowly restoring her injuries.
In the recent battle against the 【Key to the Gate】, Nyx had taken a direct hit from the Gate of Truth's attack, falling gravely wounded.
The injuries inflicted by the Gate of Truth were not so easily recovered from. Even with Nyx giving her all to heal herself, she could only barely keep herself alive—as for rejoining the battle, that was nearly impossible.
Just as the scattered starlight flowed above, a magical radiance suddenly opened from the void. Nyx seemed to sense something and opened her eyes in surprise, looking toward the direction of the magic array.
"...Merlin?"
"Long time no see, Lady Nyx." Merlin, draped in his magical robe and holding his staff, stepped out slowly from the radiance and spoke with a smile.
"I thought you had been lost in the cosmos."
"No... I was just looking for something there."
Nyx spoke with a pale face, "Since you've returned, go help those outside quickly... The situation outside isn't looking good."
"With just me alone, I can't defeat the 【Key to the Gate】." Merlin shrugged. "I need helpers."
He raised his staff again, and three magic arrays rapidly formed beneath Nyx—one pale green, one golden yellow, one azure blue... As these three arrays appeared, rich vitality surged forth from them!
"This is..." Nyx looked at the arrays beneath her in confusion.
"A trio of healing forbidden spells." Merlin's magical robe rippled without wind. He pressed down on his wide-brimmed hat and spoke seriously, "Your injuries are severe... If you tried to heal yourself, it would probably take decades..."
"Can you heal me?"
"Yes."
"How long?" Nyx's eyes lit up slightly.
Merlin paused for a moment, "About a few hundred strands of hair, give or take..."
In Nyx's astonished gaze, the surging vitality from within the array poured directly into Nyx's body. Her injuries healed rapidly under the magic, and her wavering, ethereal aura began stabilizing at a startling rate!
These three healing forbidden spells ran at full capacity for a full dozen seconds before gradually fading... A long, fair hand tore through the magical fibers that had formed like a giant cocoon, and she stepped out.
Nyx stood tall above the night sky, examining herself in surprise,
"Your magic is indeed miraculous, Merlin."
"Thank you for the compliment."
Merlin pressed down on his hat brim with one hand and bowed elegantly.
Just as the two were speaking, two threads of karma pierced through the void and quietly connected to their bodies. At the same time, two illusory ward doors rapidly formed beneath the void... as if waiting for their arrival.
"What's going on here?" Nyx glanced at the karma thread that had solidified on her body and the door connected to it, speaking in confusion.
"The Director is calling us." Merlin smiled as he spoke, "It seems we'll get to see some long-missed faces this time..."
"Has he returned to Great Xia?" Nyx immediately strode toward that illusory ward door, speaking firmly,
"I'm going to help him."
Nyx and Merlin both stepped through the brilliant starlight, arriving before the two doors connected to them by karma.
They grasped that familiar door handle, exchanged a glance, and pushed hard!
...
【Eternal Secret Garden】.
In a small wooden house built entirely of pure wood, Bragi, who had been resting leisurely on the bed, made a soft sound of surprise and suddenly opened his eyes.
He looked down at his own body. Within the pristine robe that emanated a faint floral fragrance, a thin thread was extending from within him, stretching all the way into the void outside the house...
He scratched his head in confusion, put on his shoes, and got out of bed, pushing open the door.
A gentle breeze swept across the tranquil garden. Countless blooming edelweiss swayed in the wind like waves of golden flowers, rolling endlessly.
A few petals drifted past Bragi's handsome face. He slightly raised his head, gazing at the overcast sky above, his brow unconsciously furrowing.
"Bragi!"
A voice called out from within the garden.
Deep in the flower bushes, Idun, who had been carefully weaving flower baskets, slowly stood up. From within her body, another thread also extended, reaching toward the distant horizon...
"Look at that!" She pointed toward the center of the rolling golden sea of flowers, saying.
Bragi turned to look. An illusory door stood erect in the center of the flower sea—it was exactly like the ward doors from the Asylum of the Gods in years past.
Bragi walked to that door. As if thinking of something, a glimmer of light shone in his eyes.
"It's Director Lin." Bragi gazed at his own thread of karma and said softly, "Idun... Director Lin needs our help."
"Then what are we waiting for?"
Idun took Bragi's hand. The two of them stood before the door in the sea of flowers, their white robes fluttering in the wind.
"Let's go quickly... or the Director will be waiting impatiently!"
"Mm."
Bragi smiled faintly. With one hand holding Idun and the other grasping the door handle, he turned it gently...
"Director Lin... we're coming."
...
Space.
In the void not far from Earth, a stone statue floated silently...
This statue was entirely jet black. From its appearance, it resembled an ancient ape sitting cross-legged. There was not the slightest trace of life force emanating from its body, as if it were merely a sleeping corpse.
Rustle, rustle—
Suddenly, this statue trembled slightly. Fragments of stone peeled away from its body, and those dormant eyes slowly opened...
A mighty and domineering Supreme God aura descended upon the starry sky!
"Lin Qiye?"
Sun Wukong's body gradually rose. He gazed at the thread of karma extending from his body and the hospital door standing in the void far away. In his eyes, two scorching suns seemed to blaze furiously!
As if having guessed something, he took a step forward, his form instantly flickering to before the door.
"Lin Qiye... Sun Wukong has arrived!"
Click—
The door handle was immediately turned!
...
Earth.
Underground Ruins.
Among the stone debris buried deep underground, a figure draped in a purple royal robe stood up from a lonely throne.
Gilgamesh swept his gaze across the hospital door that had suddenly appeared. His eyes narrowed slightly.
With a flick of his finger, the entire underground ruins transformed into part of his treasury, shrinking into his palm and vanishing without a trace.
"Lin Qiye, are you the one summoning this king..."
The purple royal robe rippled without wind. An aura of the same Supreme God level was released. The king's intent condensed within those purple pupils. Boundless majesty and tyranny filled the entire underground world.
His form stepped forward, arriving before that illusory door.
"This king... answers your summons."