Embracing the one unafraid of death...

Luo Wei didn't know what death felt like.

After all, he had never truly experienced it.

But at this moment, he felt the breath of this world and the underworld.

Cold and lonely.

Yet, it didn't seem scary. Instead, it was like a hand lightly touching the face, so soft that it made people want to rest.

Rest in Eternal sleep..

This was also what Ereshkigal, as the goddess of the underworld, has done most in the underworld.

Let the dead souls rest in peace.

The wind in the underworld brings harm like this to all life.

Even though Luo Wei has completely transformed into the "Key of Heaven," allowing him to move freely in all environments, so theoretically speaking, he will not die because of this.

But after experiencing the last incident, he has already learned a lesson— at least, he already knows how to turn his ability on and off.

So, now he turned off the ability of nature, allowing himself to be exposed to the breath of eternal sleep.

Of course, just to this extent,

he cannot completely rest in it - for him, death is always a transition, but never a transcendence.

So the moment his palm touched the deep airflow, Luo Wei calmed down and continued to move forward... towards the opposite side, in the direction of Ereshkigal.

His steps were firm, and his eyes did not waver at all.

Even though the frigid winds from the underworld stripped his skin, and withered his face..

And it was as if he had aged a hundred years in that moment, undergoing an instantaneous transformation from a young man into a frail old soul..

But...I said it, what I said was not a joke!

What he meant was already self-evident.

You can leave if you want.

Please take me with you, thank you!

Real--

I want to die!

He will never let go of this golden opportunity.

So, under this behavior and this look, Ereshkigal, who had taken over her body after Ishtar gave up control, couldn't help but waver.

Why...what is he going to do?

'Even if you face death, endure the corrosion of the aura of the underworld, and withstand the fear of death, do you still wish to see me, one abandoned by the gods?'

The goddess hid her face, her mind too complicated to be clear.

If Luo Wei knew what she was thinking in her heart at this moment, he would definitely respond: 'No, you misunderstood, I just talked sweetly; I don't have you in my heart.'

But unfortunately, he did not have the ability to read the mind of the goddess from the underworld, nor could he read her psychological activities through layers of black wind.

So, Ereshkigal obviously misunderstood.

And she had mixed emotions.

But she felt that she still couldn't meet him.

Through the memory Ishtar left for her in this body, she already knew Luo Wei's identity.

He was the youngest priest of the god in Uruk.

He was also the assistant to the King of Uruk.

Although young, he already had a prominent status in the world and has achieved extremely high achievements.

He was completely different from her.

Death has always been lonely and even more ominous.

Therefore, she can't see him, let alone want the other party to lose everything because of her.

But what the goddess of the underworld didn't know was that Luo Wei actually... enjoyed it quite a bit.

No obviously he was not a masochist, it's just the feeling brought by the cold wind was not pain.

The further he moved forward, the more drowsy a feeling appeared in the body of the living person.

He knew that if he kept walking forward, he would definitely die without waiting until he got close to her.

Die without any pain,

Wasn't it exactly what he dreamed of?

The opportunity was rare so, his steps became more determined, and Ereshkigal's heart was shaken even more.

Stop.

Stop it quickly.

Why do it to this extent?

If Luo Wei were to stop, he would no longer be eroded by the aura of the Netherworld, and would even return to his original state— because she had been accompanied by unconscious souls year-round, surrounded by nothing but death, Ereshkigal was, in fact, the most compassionate person towards life.

Even without the influence of human nature, she treated every soul kindly.

Regardless of whether it was life or death.

So she never wanted to hurt Luo Wei.

But she never thought that he would do this for her.

Apart from being worried, she was even more moved.

No one had ever gone to such lengths for her.

No one had ever shown such disdain for death for her sake.

'He's nice, isn't he? '

Words very similar to her own rang in the ears of the goddess of the underworld.

That was Ishtar hidden in her body speaking to her: "Although he is a fool... this kind of spirit is still rare."

"Even those who have the greatest faith in gods rarely risk dying for gods."

"He probably really likes you."

"Ereshkigal."

Of course Elli knows.

Just from the behavior of the young priest, she could feel the other person's "feelings" for her.

Avoidance no longer seems to work.

'What should I do...'

"What a shame, you are still the mistress of the underworld!"

Ishtar made a disdainful voice in her ear, although the words were filled with envy and seemed a bit sour: "Bring out the strength and decisiveness you killed me with. Come on with courage—Ereshkigal!"

Ereshkigal had killed Ishtar.

Because Ishtar once broke into the underworld, originally just to accompany Elli who had just fallen into the kingdom of the dead at that time, but due to unclear explanations, they got into a dispute and she was killed by the goddess of the Underworld who was in her own divine domain.

Although she was later resurrected by the god Anu, that incident still left a shadow on Ishtar, who still felt grudges and dared not set foot in the underworld.

Ereshkigal, who took action at that time, seemed very decisive.

That time...

Yes.

'All this that time, didn't I just long for such a person to accompany me?'

'Why should I avoid it now?'

The goddess of the underworld suddenly understood,

'Thank you... Ishtar. '

'Humph, it's nothing. It can be considered a small compensation for what I said wrong to you. This is just a piece of cake for this goddess!"

As her heart echoed, Eresh raised her head.

Her red eyes pierced through the black earth, focusing on the man who was walking on foot. His body was growing heavier and older, but his steps remained steady.

Luo Wei also spotted the red glow in the darkness.

He saw the eyes of the goddess.

His entire body withered, and he was too old to look like anything...

He was even more ecstatic.

Finally dying!

But the next second, the darkness in front of him suddenly dissipated, revealing the goddess who had been hidden until now.

Her golden hair flowed, her red cloak swayed, her white and plump legs supported her soft and delicate body, her curvaceous hips were tightly bound by black fabric outlining a gentle arc, her waist was slender, and her chest had soft, winding curves.

Due to sharing the same physical body, the appearance of the goddess was naturally the same as that of Ishtar, but her outstanding temperament was completely different.

Deep and gentle.

A girl who looked so reassuring and peaceful.

But Luo Wei didn't feel at peace at the moment; he just felt inexplicable.

'What do you want to do?'

'How did my body recover?'

'Quickly change my underworld aura...'

'No..what are you doing?'

'Why are you holding me?'

Luo Wei looked at the goddess, who suddenly hugged him.

The softness was rippled and paved, enveloping him as the girl opened her hands.

Nestling himself in his embrace... as if she were embracing her beloved.

In that moment,

The girl who symbolized death finally found the courage to embrace someone unafraid of death.