# 244
**Chapter 244: Fatal Tribulation**
Asylum of the Gods.
“One bamboo.”
“Four circles.”
“Six sticks.”
“Hu!”
Li Yifei slammed down his tiles with a grin.
Across the table, A Zhu’s face was long as he pushed a crumpled scrap of paper toward Li Yifei. On it, in big characters:
—A Zhu Floor-Sweeping Voucher.
Nyx and Merlin also smiled and handed over their own slips: “A Zhu Cooking Voucher” and “A Zhu Bed-Warming Voucher.”
Li Yifei pinched the three tickets between his fingers and waved them at A Zhu. “Tomorrow the sweeping and cooking are yours, and tonight you come warm my bed.”
A Zhu pressed his lips together, aggrieved. “Four of us are playing mahjong—why are the other three all betting my work coupons?”
“Seniors must give juniors chances to shine; it’s our corporate culture.” Li Yifei flashed a shameless grin, pointing at a few other slips in front of him. “And I’ve got my own vouchers right here. Win them if you can.”
A Zhu puffed his cheeks. “You’re bullying me! Hongyan arrived even later than I did—why doesn’t she have to do any of this?”
“Hongyan can still only handle simple tasks. Right now the asylum depends on you, A Zhu!” Li Yifei lounged back, snapped his fingers at Hongyan behind him.
“Hongyan, bring Granny a cappuccino, and Grandpa Merlin a nice cup of Biluochun.”
Hongyan tilted her head, apparently lost.
Li Yifei sighed. “Just bring us three glasses of water.”
This time Hongyan understood. She trotted to the kitchen and returned with three glasses, setting them down.
Merlin lifted his, shook his head. “Young Li, where are the goji berries? This isn’t healthy.”
Li Yifei’s mouth twitched. “Grandpa Merlin, our asylum… doesn’t produce goji berries!”
Merlin sighed, looking deflated, drew a tile and discarded it.
“Two sticks.”
“Chow!” Li Yifei’s eyes lit up.
So did Hongyan’s, behind him.
Awoo—!!
Hongyan chomped the round table, silver teeth crunching half the top clean off. Mahjong tiles slid into her mouth, crackling like popcorn.
A Zhu: …
Li Yifei: …
Merlin: …
Nyx watched Hongyan with fond amusement. “My dear granddaughter has such strong teeth!”
Li Yifei was about to speak when a white-clad figure appeared in the doorway. He shot to his feet, ramrod straight, bowed to Lin Qiye in perfect unison with A Zhu:
“Good morning, Director—!”
He shot Hongyan a look.
Still chewing tiles, Hongyan garbled, “*…@#！#*”
Lin Qiye gave them a strange glance; he had no time for Li Yifei’s carefully-cultivated culture. He walked straight to Merlin.
“Lord Merlin, a word in private.”
Merlin raised an eyebrow, nodded, and followed him into the study.
“Lord Merlin, something has happened…” Lin Qiye sat, choosing his words.
“You want me to divine it?” Merlin caught on at once.
“Exactly.”
Merlin studied Lin Qiye. Moments later his brows drew together. “Even without prophecy, I can see it—your fate-line is dim.”
“What does dim mean?”
Merlin hesitated, then said two words: “Death omen.”
Lin Qiye frowned.
“In Great Xia terms, your tribulation has arrived,” Merlin continued. “‘Tribulation’ is apt—it isn’t absolutely fatal.”
“Is there a way to break it?”
Merlin shook his head. ���For anyone else I could offer prophetic counsel, but I’ve told you: your future is hidden. Only because I’ve regained some strength can I even glimpse this much.”
Lin Qiye sighed—he’d expected as much.
Suddenly Merlin’s expression turned odd. He looked down at himself, puzzled.
“Strange…”
“What?”
“Though I can’t see your fate, my own is about to intersect with yours far more closely.” Merlin pondered. “Perhaps… the key to breaking your tribulation lies with me?”
Lin Qiye blinked, eyes brightening.
As the asylum’s second patient, Merlin could not affect the outside world unless he left. Which meant—
Merlin would soon walk out?
Unlike orderlies, patients could leave only when treatment reached 50 %.
Lin Qiye glanced at Merlin’s progress bar: 41 %. It hadn’t budged in two months.
Pushing it 9 % overnight seemed impossible.
He frowned, thinking.
Drugs no longer worked; without a breakthrough, progress was stalled. He had to strike at the root of the illness.
While he brooded, Merlin slipped quietly out.
Lin Qiye sat alone the entire morning—his longest stay yet. Outside, he’d look catatonic; here, at least, he could search for a way out.
Beyond the door, Li Yifei, A Zhu, Rubik, and Hongyan peeked in—just as it flew open.
Lin Qiye strode past them to the dozing Merlin in the yard.
He planted one foot on the chair arm and barked:
“Merlin, have you uncovered reality’s secret yet? How can you still sleep?!”