Chapter 10: The Sea Cucumber
Splash—
White waves crashed against the shore, creating ripples. Near a reef, Tiamat, in her swimsuit, was intently staring into the sparkling water, as if searching for something.
"Got you!" she suddenly exclaimed, plunging her hand into the water. She pulled out a long, somewhat slimy object.
Beside her, a curious Ereshkigal came closer. She looked at the dark creature held firmly in Tiamat's hand and asked, "Mother, what is that? Why does it feel... a little evil?"
"Evil? Does it?" Tiamat blinked her starry eyes. "I remember this thing is supposed to be quite valuable in human society, right? I hear it's very nutritious."
She held the long, dark object out to Ereshkigal. "Here, hold it. This little guy isn't scary."
"Eh, um, I think I'll pass." Ereshkigal looked at the dark object, which seemed like it would need to be censored to be shown on video, and recoiled with disgust.
"Aww." Seeing Eresh's clear refusal, Tiamat's expression fell. She looked like a pitiful, abandoned kitten.
Ereshkigal's lip twitched. She wanted to complain about how childish her own mother was being. However, not wanting to upset her, she finally extended her hand and took the slippery, sticky, dark thing.
The next moment, the sensation of gripping a long, soft-bodied creature filled her palm. It was soft yet firm and emitted a peculiar fishy odor. Ereshkigal frowned and squeezed a little harder.
In the next instant, very quickly, a jet of white fluid shot out from the tip of the dark, oblong object.
Caught completely off guard, Ereshkigal was sprayed right in the face. A thick, sticky fluid with a strong, fishy smell immediately filled the air.
"Ngh, what is this?" Ereshkigal moaned softly, her face flushing. Her golden hair was now stained with the vile white liquid. Several streaks of it were slowly dripping down her pretty face and her delicate collarbones. The sight was so suggestive it made her blush.
Fortunately, the only male present was fast asleep on the beach far away. It's a good thing he didn't see me in this embarrassing state.
"Honestly, Mother, please don't hand me such wicked things in the future," Ereshkigal complained as she washed herself with seawater.
"Okay, okay, I understand," Tiamat nodded obediently. "But my child looks so cute even when embarrassed. Mommy loves it."
"Ngh..."
"Never mind." Ereshkigal opened her mouth to say something, but seeing Tiamat's happy expression, she swallowed her words. Fine, it's all to make Mother happy. It's okay if I have to suffer a little. With that thought, she continued to clean herself with the seawater.
Time trickled by. For most people, happy times are always fleeting. As a veteran slacker, even when out and about, Li Lin preferred to be alone, slowly passing the time. In contrast, the other two were full of energy, either collecting shells or poking sea cucumbers, getting themselves dirty as if they had never seen the ocean before.
Well, it really is Eresh's first time at the beach, so that's fair.
...
The sun gradually set in the west. The once-sparkling ocean was now veiled in darkness. Li Lin looked at the distant sea, knowing the time had come.
"It's here."
The next moment, as if in response to his words, a crack appeared in the sky.
CRACK—
The sound of shattering glass echoed through the world. The cracks grew larger and more numerous until everything around them dissolved into nothingness, leaving only a dark sea undulating in the distance.
Li Lin looked down at his hands and found that he still seemed to be in his dream-state form. Ereshkigal, however, had already been kicked out as the dream ended.
"I see. Is it because my essence doesn't truly belong to Sumer that I'm able to remain?"
Li Lin looked up and saw many points of light appearing on the other side of the sea. They faced the dark ocean like opposing forces, each gathering their power. He knew they were the former gods of Sumer, the very gods who had participated in the subjugation of their Mother.
At this moment, as an "outsider," Li Lin had two choices. One was to join the army of gods and fight against the Primordial Mother. The other was to stand on this side of the sea and, with his insignificant mortal body, slightly hinder the gods' advance. That was all.
"Should I raise my hands and shout, 'The Imperial Army, this way please'?" Li Lin chuckled self-deprecatingly at the distant lights. As a human, seeking light and avoiding darkness was an instinct carved into his genes. Logically, he should have moved toward the light.
But he didn't.
He understood that from the perspective of the world's history, the retreat of Tiamat, the Sea of Chaos, was a foregone conclusion. Otherwise, the world would not be reborn, and the oceans would not become as clear and beautiful as they are in the present day.
But...
What Li Lin wanted to say was that he didn't give a damn about the world. Even if destiny was set in stone, he had no desire to change it. He simply wanted to stand here as a son. Stripping away the titles of 'ocean' and 'sky,' his current identity was just that of a mortal who wanted to be with his mother. That was all.
"If my simulation had started earlier, I probably would have been nothing but cannon fodder in the battle between the gods," he mused. "But for me, what happens to the world is meaningless. I guess I'm just a very zen, laid-back person. Or maybe this is a form of the sin of Sloth?"
Li Lin watched as the distant lights gradually engulfed the sea around him, sighing with resignation.
My patreon.com/BOB_Davinchi
Honkai: Star Rail: I the Major Villain 65
Type-Moon Demon King, Wrecked Ereshkigal for Loot Right from the Start 67