# 895
Chapter 895: The Source of the Catastrophe
At the bottom of the deep sea, the massive beast carcass, volcanic in size, trembled slightly.
In the center of the ferocious face hidden within the dark seawater, a single eye, as large as a Ferris wheel, slowly opened a crimson slit. Rolling seawater gushed from its mouth, clearing out all the liquid from its stomach.
It drifted slowly upward from the ocean floor, like a submarine magnified countless times over, drifting silently along the current toward some unknown destination.
"If we stop this catalyst, does that mean we can prevent that catastrophe?"
Inside the beast's stomach, Lin Qiye asked once more.
If this beast's revival would serve as the catalyst for some catastrophe, did that mean that as long as they stopped the beast's movements, they could prevent the catastrophe from occurring?
Merlin turned his gaze away from the beast, his eyes deep and profound. He shook his head slightly. "Whether we stop this beast or not is now meaningless. The source of the catastrophe isn't here. If we can't solve the problem at its root, it will all be for nothing in the end."
Merlin's words left Lin Qiye completely baffled. He found he couldn't keep up with Merlin's train of thought.
"Lord Merlin, did you foresee something?" Lin Qiye looked into Merlin's star-marked eyes and couldn't help but ask.
As the progenitor of prophecy, Merlin could peer into the threads of destiny. The past, present, and future all lay bare before his eyes.
"I've seen about seventy to eighty percent of the threads of destiny. I more or less understand the full sequence of events." Merlin extended his hand and pointed toward the 【Mandarin Arrow】 stuck in the stomach wall in the distance. "However, the owner of this blade altered the timeline, causing destiny to ripple and shift. There are still some key aspects that I cannot see clearly now...
Therefore, I intend to personally go to the origin point of all this and investigate."
"The source of the catastrophe?" Lin Qiye asked, confused. "Where is it?"
"This beast's destination is precisely where the catastrophe originates." Merlin paused, then turned to look at Lin Qiye and smiled. "Lord Seven Nights, you shall accompany me."
"Me?"
"When Lady Nyx was discharged from the hospital, she left you a gift of Darkness Origin. Unfortunately, origin represents the source of laws, and a person can only possess one origin at most. I cannot give you a second one... so I've prepared a different gift for you."
"What gift?" Lin Qiye's eyes brightened.
This wasn't like receiving a red envelope during New Year—Lin Qiye certainly wouldn't refuse. After all, these gods casually bestowed gifts that represented massive improvements to his strength. Nyx's gift had directly granted him qualification for godhood, so the gift Merlin prepared for him surely wouldn't be inferior.
"When we arrive at the source, you'll know." Merlin smiled mysteriously.
Lin Qiye nodded, then seemed to remember something. He looked down at the unconscious Jialan in his arms. "What about her?"
"She..."
Merlin's gaze fell upon Jialan, and suddenly he froze. Those deep eyes narrowed slightly as streaks of starlight crossed his pupils, as if he were peering into something... His brow furrowed tighter and tighter, as if something puzzled him.
"What's wrong, Lord Merlin?" Lin Qiye noticed Merlin's unusual reaction and asked疑惑ly.
"It's nothing..." Merlin contemplated for a moment before answering. "She... shall come with us as well."
"Alright."
Merlin glanced at the stomach wall above them and calmly sat down where he stood.
"The journey to the origin point will still take quite some time. Before that, let's take care of another matter."
Lin Qiye was stunned. "What matter?"
Merlin smiled and extended his hand, pointing at himself.
"My last ability—you haven't drawn it yet."
...
Asylum of the Gods.
Lin Qiye, still wearing his white coat, stood alone in the center of the courtyard, staring at the spinning panel floating in the void before him. He took a deep breath.
"Lord Merlin, how do I draw?"
"Because you've already drawn an origin from Lady Nyx, the final 1% region on my panel has become unavailable for drawing." Merlin's voice drifted悠悠 in his ears. "However, all the other abilities can be drawn. Whichever one you want, just tell me."
Like with Nyx, after Merlin's treatment progress reached 95%, he could see all the panels within this hospital, including his own ability spinning wheel.
As he said this, Merlin appeared calm and composed on the surface, but internally, he was already bleeding dry.
He could already foresee that once Lin Qiye selected an ability, he would once again have to use time reversal magic to repeatedly cycle through the drawing process, just like when Lin Qiye had drawn the Darkness Origin. What little hair he had left would fall out in clumps once more.
But who told him this was Lin Qiye's final draw from his abilities?
When Nyx was discharged from the hospital earlier, he had stepped in to help. Now it was his turn to be discharged—he couldn't just stand by and do nothing, could he? That would be slapping his own face!
Fortunately, barring any accidents, this should be the last time he helped Lin Qiye cheat.
Lin Qiye focused his gaze on the spinning wheel. As Merlin had said, the mysterious black region had vanished from the wheel.
"Fire Magic Mastery, Lightning Magic Mastery, Space Magic Mastery, Eye of Wisdom, Abyss Magic Mastery, Divination, Astrology..." Lin Qiye's eyes scanned across the wheel as he fell into deep thought.
In the past, whenever he drew abilities, he would close his eyes and spin the wheel, leaving whatever he got to fate. This was the first time he had the qualification to choose an ability freely.
Praise the God of Magic!
Being able to choose one's own ability was indeed satisfying, but at the same time, Lin Qiye began to agonize... Which one should he pick?
After contemplating alone for a long while, Lin Qiye finally looked up and asked, "Lord Merlin, which one do you think I should choose?"
Outside the hospital, Merlin, sitting across from Lin Qiye, smiled faintly.
This kid... he was quite clever, wasn't he?
Since he didn't know what to choose, he might as well ask Merlin directly. After all, these abilities all belonged to Merlin—who knew better than him which ones were best and most useful? Moreover, Merlin could divine future命运的轨迹. His recommendation for Lin Qiye would naturally be the most suitable one.
Merlin opened his mouth and slowly pronounced the name of an ability.
Lin Qiye's gaze fell upon a certain spot on the spinning wheel, and his eyes immediately lit up.
"Then this one." Lin Qiye made his choice.
He began to spin the wheel. As the pointer whirled rapidly, Merlin sighed, and his heart clenched...
After this round, how much hair he would have left could only be left to fate.