# 853
Chapter 853: Gilgamesh's Illness
"So that's how it is..."
After hearing this story, Lin Qiye sighed deeply.
He turned to look at the courtyard, where Gilgamesh stood alone in the shade of a tree, the dappled light falling on his gray robe. He looked up at the distant sky, lost in thought.
"Thank you." Lin Qiye turned back and smiled slightly at Merlin.
Merlin waved his hand. "I only told a story. As for what comes next, that depends on you, Director."
Lin Qiye glanced down at the shard in his hand, hesitated for a moment, then strode directly toward Gilgamesh under the tree.
Having learned Gilgamesh's past and combined it with his symptoms, Lin Qiye could basically infer that his psychological ailment was related to the destruction of the Kingdom of Uruk. The next step was to probe Gilgamesh and see from which angle would be best to begin treatment.
Under the shade of the tree, Gilgamesh sensed Lin Qiye approaching. His eyes narrowed, and he spoke once more in that domineering manner:
"If you've come to confess your sins to me, it's too late. You'll be nailed to the pillar of shame eventually, displayed for all to see for nine days."
"..." Lin Qiye was speechless for a moment before saying, "I've come to show you something."
"Hm?" Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow. "Present it. Let me see."
Lin Qiye stretched out his hand and offered the shard in his palm to Gilgamesh. The moment the latter lowered his gaze and saw the fragment, his pupils constricted sharply.
He stood there like a stone statue.
As Lin Qiye was about to speak, Gilgamesh abruptly lifted his head, staring fixedly into Lin Qiye's eyes, and said word by word:
"You... shattered the foundation stone?"
Lin Qiye was stunned.
In an instant, terrifying divine power erupted from Gilgamesh's center, sweeping through the entire psychiatric hospital. A raging gust of wind blew the gray robe wildly, and an unprecedented killing intent burst forth.
Sun Wukong, who had just walked back to the ward, suddenly stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowing tightly.
He turned to look toward the courtyard, his eyes once again rising with a hint of fury.
"Seeking death?"
His figure blurred, turning into an afterimage as he flew rapidly toward Gilgamesh in the courtyard. He reached for his ear, and violent divine power surged once more.
At that moment, a hand landed on his shoulder.
The high-speed moving Sun Wukong startled, slamming to a halt. He looked back.
Merlin had somehow appeared calmly behind him, smiling and saying, "Don't be impatient. He'll be fine."
...
The courtyard.
Gilgamesh's aura rose steadily. He gripped the fragment in one hand, trembling slightly, while the other hand reached into虚空 and summoned the golden Sword of Kings, which landed in his grip. The sword's tip pointed directly at Lin Qiye, murder radiating from it!
"The foundation stone is Uruk's symbol. Anyone who destroys the foundation stone... dies without mercy!"
Through the churning divine power, Lin Qiye stood calmly. "It wasn't I who broke it. It was ancient wars and endless years."
Gilgamesh spoke grimly, "Uruk shall never perish to such ridiculous wars and years. It is the mightiest kingdom in the world. It is the nation I created!"
Hearing these words, Lin Qiye helplessly closed his eyes.
He had more or less figured out Gilgamesh's ailment...
This tyrant who had single-handedly created Uruk's splendor, yet foresaw its destruction and was powerless to prevent it, had buried his memories in the depths of his heart out of unwillingness and fury, thereby creating another segment of memory, rooted within his consciousness.
This was very similar to Lin Qiye's situation years ago.
After the Cangnan catastrophe, Lin Qiye's soul was severely depleted. Add to that the crushing blows of losing family and friends, he subconsciously fled reality, immersing himself in the false illusion created by the Mortal Divine Realm, wallowing for a long time.
If not for the thread of power left by Yuanshi Tianzun, if not for the treatment at Sunshine Psychiatric Hospital's Purification Chamber, he didn't know how much longer it would have taken him to emerge.
Gilgamesh had also created a segment of memory—a false memory where Uruk had not perished but continued to flourish and exist in this world, and where he himself had not aged to death but obtained immortality and continued to rule this magnificent, powerful nation.
But in a sense, his illness was far more severe than Lin Qiye's had been.
In Gilgamesh's eyes, even though it was obvious this psychiatric hospital did not exist in Uruk, even though the staff walking within it did not resemble his subjects, he continued to subconsciously modify his own cognition, forcing everything back onto the tracks of that false memory, forcibly maintaining the status quo.
In his consciousness, this was still his Uruk, and the people living here were rightfully his subjects.
He had failed to obtain immortality, failed to save his city and people. The sense of powerlessness and guilt had shredded his proud dignity to pieces. He could only, within this false memory, compensate for the voids that had existed in his heart.
Lin Qiye opened his eyes, gazing into Gilgamesh's furious eyes. A trace of sympathy appeared in his gaze.
"I'm truly sorry." Lin Qiye spoke slowly. "Your kingdom... perished long ago..."
"Rambling nonsense!!" Gilgamesh roared. His gray robe flashed, and the golden sword in his hand slashed toward Lin Qiye's neck—only to strike as if against metal or stone, unable to advance even half an inch. "Uruk... shall not fall!"
A flicker of light crossed Lin Qiye's eyes. He abruptly raised his hand, gripping the golden Sword of Kings bare-handed, pulling it away from his own neck. At the same time, his other hand grabbed Gilgamesh's collar, yanking him forward until they were face to face.
With a thought, all of Gilgamesh's divine power fluctuations vanished, and the terrifying aura wreaking havoc in the hospital was extinguished without a trace.
"Gilgamesh, what is your relationship with Uruk?" Lin Qiye clutched his collar, asking word by word.
Gilgamesh glared at Lin Qiye, responding without hesitation: "I am the King of Uruk!"
"You are the King of Uruk." Lin Qiye repeated. "During your life, you had the courage to lead Uruk in conquering the four directions. You had the courage to face two gods as a demigod. You had the courage to pursue immortality for mortals...
Now, look at yourself!"
Lin Qiye tightened his grip on Gilgamesh's collar, violently shoving him back half a step. "You are the oldest, most illustrious king in history! But now, do you lack the courage to face history?
Your nation has turned to dust, your people have returned to the earth, your glory shattered by divine kingdoms!
Aren't you a tyrant? Aren't you the Hero King?
Now you have a new opportunity. You've returned. But what are you doing?
Hiding in your delusions in a daze, only daring to boss others around... such a coward deserves to call himself king?"