STG 12
Chapter 12: The Goddess of Night
Out of the six wards, only the first one could be opened.
Was this the only one meant to be opened? Or, like the asylum’s main gate—which took five years of knocking—was his current strength only enough to unlock the first door?
Lin Qiye had spent five years knocking on that gate. Only after opening his eyes and enhancing his spiritual perception could he finally enter.
Did that mean the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth wards would also require him to grow stronger before he could access them?
He wasn’t sure. And right now, he didn’t have time to dwell on it.
Because before him, the door to the first ward—once covered in dense seals—was slowly swinging open.
The room inside was small and dimly lit. At its center sat a woman in a starry black dress, staring blankly ahead.
Aside from her and the chair, the shadowy room was completely empty.
Lin Qiye cautiously stepped closer, then put on his most professional smile and waved.
“Hello, I’m Lin Qiye.”
Whatever she is, politeness never hurts. The saying went, No one hits a smiling face. Even if this was a god, being courteous might keep him safe.
But after standing there with his face stiff from smiling, the woman remained as still as a statue.
Gritting his teeth, Lin Qiye stepped inside.
The moment he crossed the threshold, lines of text appeared on the wall behind her.
Ward No. 1
Patient: Nyx
Objective: Assist Nyx in treating her mental illness. Upon reaching designated progress milestones (1%, 50%, 100%), randomly extract a portion of Nyx’s abilities.
Current Treatment Progress: 0%
“Nyx?!” Lin Qiye sucked in a sharp breath.
Though he wasn’t an expert on mythology, he had heard of Nyx, the Goddess of Night—one of the five primordial deities of Greek mythology.
She stood at the pinnacle of the divine hierarchy!
So this dazed woman before him was the legendary Goddess of Night?
Her presence was regal yet cold, her features flawless. Smooth black hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and her starry black dress deepened the night-like aura around her, making her pale skin seem almost translucent.
Though her eyes were vacant, the sheer divine majesty she exuded just by sitting there was beyond human comprehension.
Even the greatest empresses in history paled in comparison.
Nyx was a goddess.
A sovereign of the night.
Lin Qiye studied her closely. Having seen a Seraph on the moon, he couldn’t help but feel something was… missing from Nyx.
Divine essence? Power? Authority?
Or all of the above?
He wasn’t sure. But he could guess that her current state was tied to her illness.
But this was a god.
A primordial deity!
How could she possibly fall ill?
Was her condition natural… or man-made?
If it was natural, Lin Qiye found it hard to believe. But if it was artificial… what kind of being could afflict the Goddess of Night with madness?
According to the wall’s instructions, his task was to treat Nyx. But what exactly was her illness?
As a former “mental patient,” Lin Qiye knew a thing or two about psychiatric disorders—depression, OCD, schizophrenia, delusions…
To treat her, he first needed a diagnosis.
After a moment’s thought, he crouched in front of Nyx and waved a hand before her eyes.
“Can you hear me?” he whispered near her ear.
Suddenly—
Nyx jerked, making Lin Qiye stumble back in alarm!
Her head turned stiffly toward him, her vacant eyes locking onto his face.
Lin Qiye swallowed hard, frozen in place.
One second. Two. Three…
Just as the tension became unbearable, Nyx’s expression shifted.
From blankness to confusion.
From confusion to shock.
From shock to tearful euphoria!
Her body trembled slightly as tears welled in her eyes. Her lips parted with difficulty, quivering as she choked out—
“I’ve finally found you… my child!!”
Lin Qiye felt as if lightning had struck him from head to toe, leaving his mind completely blank.
Her?
Me?
Child?!
WHAT?!
He didn’t remember his parents—they had vanished after leaving him with his aunt as a baby.
But…
His mother was probably, most likely, almost certainly human.
Not the Goddess of Night.
Unless…
Wait. Why is a Greek goddess speaking Chinese?!
Oh right, this is my dream. Maybe gods just communicate via brainwaves?
As his thoughts spiraled, Nyx stood up, arms outstretched, and staggered toward him!
Her steps quickened, her expression growing more and more ecstatic!
Lin Qiye’s mind was a whirlwind of chaos. On instinct, he opened his arms, ready to embrace her—
Only for Nyx to rush right past him—
And hug the flower vase on the windowsill instead.
She clutched it tightly, tears streaming down her face.
“My child… You’re still alive! I’ve finally found you!”
Lin Qiye: “……？？？”
Then Nyx’s gaze landed on the chair she’d been sitting on for who-knows-how-long.
After a dazed pause—
She threw herself at it, hugging both the chair and the vase while sobbing.
“Hypnos! My child, you’re here too!!”
Lin Qiye stood there like a statue, watching as Nyx proceeded to claim the walls, the floor, and even the air as her long-lost children, weeping uncontrollably.
Lin Qiye: …I think I’ve diagnosed her illness.
And it’s bad.
.
.
.
At dawn, Lin Qiye woke with a sigh, staring blankly at the ceiling.
After a whole night with Nyx, he felt mentally drained.
But as he sat up, he suddenly froze.
In his mind, the Asylum of the Gods—shrouded in mist—now floated permanently within his consciousness. He could sense its presence at all times.
Now, he no longer needed to sleep to enter it. He could project his awareness inside whenever he wanted.
Is this the perk of opening the gate?
He tentatively linked his consciousness to the asylum, immediately perceiving everything inside—except the five sealed wards, which remained inaccessible.
Right now, Nyx was in the courtyard, hugging the vase and chair while talking to thin air.
Lin Qiye massaged his temples in frustration.
“Treat her… Treat her… I’m not a doctor. How am I supposed to treat a delusional goddess?!”
Then, his eyes lit up.
A slow smirk curled his lips as an idea struck him.
Support me on :
Post Comment