Zhao Kongcheng was stunned.
He truly hadn't expected that the ordinary high school student before him would say such words, would have such mature thoughts...
It was only then that he realized how foolish he had been in trying to appeal to the typical rebellious and passionate mindset that most young people have.
Lin Qiye was no ordinary high school student.
Lin Qiye stood up, walked directly to the door, hesitated for a moment, then stopped.
"Thanks for telling me all this. I'll sign the non-disclosure agreement."
With that, he pushed open the door and left.
This time, Zhao Kongcheng silently sat on the edge of the bed, his body slightly rising as though he wanted to stop him. But after a short pause, he sank back into a helpless sitting position.
He knew what this young man represented. He also knew that his mission was to bring this young man back, but…
He couldn't do it.
…
"Xiao Qi, finally back? Why aren't you wearing your school uniform today?"
"Auntie, I was in a rush this morning, and I forgot to put it on."
"This child... You didn't wear your uniform? Won't the teachers scold you?"
"They said just a few words, it's fine."
"Sigh, Xiao Qi, you just transferred to a new school. You can't leave a bad impression on the teachers. You have to be more careful in what you do."
"I know, Auntie."
"How's it going at school? Are you getting along with the other students? They haven't excluded you, have they?"
"No, we get along just fine. They even gave me a ride home, and I did the same for them."
"That's good, that's good."
"I'm going to my room, Auntie."
"Okay, go to bed early."
Lin Qiye slammed the door shut and lay back on his bed, staring at the night sky outside the window. He let out a long sigh.
This world was far more complicated than he had imagined…
But, that wasn't really his concern.
After resting for a while, Lin Qiye sat up and started to undress. Suddenly, a hard object fell out of his pocket.
Clang!
Lin Qiye looked down and picked it up, a puzzled expression forming on his face.
It was a metal ornament, resembling a crest. It was just slightly larger than a one-yuan coin, made from an unknown material that gave off a faint chill when held.
On the front of the crest, two straight swords crossed each other, emitting a faint blue glow. Behind the blades was a starry night sky, exquisitely crafted.
At the bottom of the design, the words "Zhao Kongcheng" were engraved.
"This is…?" Lin Qiye narrowed his eyes.
He remembered that during the time when Zhao Kongcheng had grabbed him and dragged him to the hotel, he had felt something brush against his pocket.
Did he accidentally drop this?
Lin Qiye fiddled with the crest, flipping it over. On the back were several lines of small text.
*"If the dark night ever falls,
I shall stand before all,
A sword raised toward the abyss,
Blood staining the sky!"*
"Such bold words… Did Zhao Kongcheng write this himself? Or is this some motto from their Night Watchmen?" Lin Qiye muttered to himself. "He doesn't seem like the type to write something like this…"
After playing with the crest for a bit longer, Lin Qiye placed it on the table, changed his clothes, and climbed into bed.
Tonight, he had something very important to do.
He closed his eyes, sinking his consciousness into the gods' mental hospital within his mind.
At that moment, in the small courtyard of the mental hospital, Nyx was sitting in a rocking chair, cradling a pile of bottles and jars. She seemed to be muttering something, a faint smile occasionally forming on her lips.
If one ignored the muddled look in her eyes and the strange items she was holding, she exuded an aristocratic grace in her movements, making her appear like a beautiful painting.
Soon after, Lin Qiye, wearing a white lab coat, slowly walked over.
To better immerse himself in the role of a psychiatrist, Lin Qiye had specifically found a white coat in the director's office, even adding a pair of non-prescription glasses to the collar.
At a quick glance, he did indeed look the part.
Lin Qiye stood next to Nyx, silently watching the dull, vacant look in her eyes, and sighed lightly.
From the mythological texts he had studied, it was clear that Nyx was one of the oldest and most powerful gods in Greek mythology, her status and power among the highest.
But, compared to other gods, she had one major trait…
She loved having children!
Lin Qiye had counted at least twenty children of hers, including the famous god of death Thanatos, the god of sleep Hypnos, as well as the gods of space, fate, and misfortune, among others…
Except for a few, most of Nyx's children were malevolent gods, bringing disaster to the world after they were born. Many of them met tragic ends.
From the scattered pieces of mythological stories, Lin Qiye couldn't uncover more detailed information about this Night Goddess. But he speculated that Nyx's current condition might have something to do with her children.
A doctor at the Sunshine Mental Hospital had once said that a male patient, overwhelmed by his longing for his wife, had imagined her presence by his side. Could Nyx's illness be the result of a similar obsession?
Perhaps, due to missing her children so much, she began to treat those bottles and jars as her children?
But what had happened to her offspring to cause such a strong reaction in Nyx?
Moreover, as an ancient god with divine powers, could she really experience such intense emotions? Or perhaps… had she lost her divine form and power before falling ill?
Lin Qiye couldn't know for sure.
"Hypnos, don't be impatient. Your brother will be back soon. He just got caught up in playing for a while…"
"Thanatos, this child, has always loved to cause trouble. When he returns, I'll make sure to teach him a lesson!"
Nyx muttered to herself, stroking a vase in her hands, her eyes distant but full of hope, which quickly turned cloudy again.
She paused for a moment, her raspy voice trembling as she spoke:
"But… why hasn't he come back after three thousand years…"
Lin Qiye watched the scene, and for some reason, a feeling of sadness rose in his heart.
Who would have thought that the once powerful Night Goddess was now so helpless and vulnerable?
She was the Goddess of Night, but also a mother waiting for her child to return.
"To cure her, we must address the root cause…" Lin Qiye's thoughts echoed back to the doctor's words. He lowered his head, lost in thought.
The root cause… Nyx's illness stemmed from the loss of her children.
To heal her, he would have to address her children, but they were all powerful Greek gods. It was impossible for him to find each of them and bring them to Nyx.
And did they even come to this world through the fog? How could he find so many gods?
Even if he found them, would those malevolent gods come quietly?
Lin Qiye frowned as he pondered, and just then, a sudden flash of inspiration crossed his mind!
Perhaps… this could work?
Lin Qiye stood up, staring at Nyx for a long time, and finally made up his mind. He took a step forward.
In the vacant gaze of Nyx, Lin Qiye slowly walked up to her…
He gently crouched down,
Extended his hands to embrace Nyx,
And whispered softly in her ear:
"Mother, I'm back."
In that instant, a brilliance unlike anything before sparked in Nyx's eyes!
She trembled as she reached out, pulling Lin Qiye into a tight embrace. After a long while, she shakily spoke the first full sentence she had in ages:
"Welcome back, Thanatos… my child…"