Leaving Ereshkigal's temple, Li Lin walked boredly down a dark path.
Although he had been ordered to serve Ereshkigal as her subordinate, effectively trapping him in the Underworld, Li Lin didn't feel sad at all. In fact, he was a little pleased.
The reason was simple.
The identity he was simulating was a god of light, originally destined to marry Utu's sister—the goddess of Venus, Ishtar. But Ishtar's personality was… difficult, to put it mildly, which led his simulated self to run away from the marriage. That was why he had disguised himself as a mortal and hidden in an inconspicuous corner of the world.
And now, due to an accident, his soul had arrived in the Underworld. From another perspective, wasn't this the perfect hiding place?
Not only that, but as time went on and he served under Eresh, Li Lin's own divinity of light would gradually be masked by the dense aura of death. This was an Authority unique to the Underworld, a grace that Ereshkigal bestowed upon every god of death under her command. With this, not even Ishtar, the goddess of Venus, could ever hope to recognize him unless he chose to reveal himself.
"Hehehe, a blessing in disguise," Li Lin mused, crossing his arms and nodding in satisfaction as he strolled. "Staying in the Underworld might be a bit boring, but it's far better than being caught by that woman up there."
He walked past the short path and arrived at a more spacious, flat area. Just as he turned to leave and take another route, an abrupt black spot caught his attention.
"What's that?"
Following his gaze, he saw a dark, indistinct shape lying on the flat ground ahead. It resembled a large dog, its sturdy limbs sprawled out as if it were asleep. Li Lin studied it carefully, and soon, memories from his identity as a god of light revealed the creature's nature.
It was a Guardian of the Underworld: a Gallu Spirit.
In mythology, the Gallu were unique creatures of the Underworld. No, calling them 'creatures' was perhaps too simplistic. The Gallu were actually manifestations of the Underworld's defense mechanism. They were both divine beasts and a form of Authority. They possessed the ability to transform into all kinds of monsters—dragons, serpents, you name it. They were weapons belonging exclusively to Ereshkigal, the Queen of the Underworld.
Just like during the final battle of the Seventh Singularity, the Gallu had heeded Ereshkigal's call, transforming into the crimson lightning of the Underworld to briefly halt Tiamat's advance. This showed just how powerful the Gallu were as the personification of the Underworld's Authority.
Looking at the sleeping dog-like creature, a bold idea formed in Li Lin's mind. He was now one of Eresh's subordinates. Technically, that made him and the Gallu colleagues. If that was the case, could he perhaps build a relationship with it and gain its favor and assistance?
Li Lin rubbed his chin, feeling the probability was quite high. To test his theory, he hesitated no longer and slowly walked over.
"...Grrr..."
Sensing an unfamiliar presence approaching, the dozing Gallu spirit's eyes snapped open. But when it saw the visitor, a rare hint of surprise flickered in its crimson eyes. It had never seen Li Lin before, and his scent was foreign. However, a familiar trace mixed within that scent allowed it to understand immediately.
Ah, a new colleague who got conscripted. Nothing to worry about.
The Gallu spirit lay back down, its eyes narrowing slightly as it returned to its lazy state.
Li Lin approached, breathing a sigh of relief when the Gallu didn't attack. He looked at the big dog lying on the ground, its eyes half-closed as it watched him. After a moment's thought, he reached into his own essence.
The next moment, he pulled out a spherical object glowing with white light.
"Um, it's nice to meet you. I don't really have a proper gift," Li Lin said with a smile, placing the orb of light next to the Gallu. "This is a fragment of my divinity as a god of light. Please accept it as a gift. I know it might not be much here in the Underworld, but perhaps it can serve as a light or a memento."
The gentle white light pulsed like a firefly, illuminating only the small area around them.
The Gallu spirit didn't reply, but its half-lidded eyes were now wide open.
The divinity of light! What a rare gift! To a creature of the Underworld, light was as distant and unattainable as the stars in the sky. While this fragment of divinity was but a drop in the ocean compared to the Authority of the Underworld, the important thing wasn't the divinity itself, but the person willing to give it.
Light always existed—flames flicker and lightning flashes. But for the Underworld, no one had ever willingly burned a light for it.
Li Lin was the first in all of history.
The Gallu spirit's thoughts were simple: it liked what its queen liked. Thus, it showed a rare expression of joy at Li Lin's gift. It scooped up the orb of light with its paw, planning to present it to Queen Ereshkigal the next time they met.
Of course, a gift could not be a one-way street. As a well-mannered and civilized Gallu, it conveyed to Li Lin that he could call upon it anytime he was in trouble. It would manifest as the Underworld's defense mechanism, bringing down crimson lightning to annihilate any and all enemies.
And just like that, Li Lin had obtained his first EX-rank cheat.
[Gift from the Underworld — EX]
...
Meanwhile, back in the temple, just as Li Lin and the Gallu spirit formed their friendly pact, Ereshkigal, who had been watching everything, felt her heart lurch as if it had been struck.
Her little nose twitched, and she felt the urge to cry.
To Li Lin, the gift might have been something he could produce casually. But to Eresh, it was a rare form of acknowledgment. Ever since she had been sacrificed to the Underworld, no one had ever willingly approached her, let alone given her a gift.
In that moment, Ereshkigal had already forgiven Li Lin for forcefully kissing her.
She touched her lips, and a faint blush crept onto her pale cheeks.
P.S. This "acknowledgment" should not be confused with what King Hassan said about "recognition" in the Seventh Singularity. When King Hassan said, "You must not give her recognition," it was because our stances were different. No matter how much we acknowledged Ereshkigal's kindness, our mission at the time was to save humanity. To recognize her actions would have been to betray our own stance, and it would no longer be the path of salvation.
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