"How is it, my king? Isn't this outcome quite unexpected?"
In the familiar and spacious Sun Temple, Roy gazed at the clay tablets Quetzalcoatl had just collected, his eyes tinged with emotion.
The information inscribed on the tablets recorded the final choices made by the more than ten thousand residents of Ur.
Upon returning to Ur, Roy had tasked Quetzalcoatl and Li Shuwen with gathering the city's people in the plaza. He openly explained the upcoming migration and the three routes available, holding nothing back.
He promised that no matter which choice they made, neither the king nor the goddess would blame them and would do their utmost to ensure their safe arrival in Uruk.
Initially, he had prepared himself for the chaos that might arise from the allocation of people, even readying appropriate responses. But the final result was surprising.
When faced with the truth and the need to choose, almost all of Ur's residents inscribed their names for the most dangerous route, crossing the Mesopotamian plain, wishing to leave greater chances of survival to others.
Of the more than ten thousand people, nearly all chose to traverse the perilous Mesopotamian plain.
As for the remaining thousand or so, they were either elderly or injured and were forcibly placed on the air transport list by their companions.
The only disturbance in Ur during this time came from those who were dragged onto the air transport list, arguing loudly with the other warriors in the plaza.
They shouted things like, "Don't underestimate us!"
"We can cross Mesopotamia too!"
They even believed that in their current state, even if they reached Uruk, they would only be a burden, wasting food and resources without contributing anything. Rather than giving such a precious opportunity to them, it would be better to leave them in Ur and give the chance to those who could still shine.
Just as at the beginning, these humans had transcended life and death, ready to sacrifice themselves at any moment.
Faced with the question posed by their king, they gave an answer that seemed foolish but was, in truth, the most beautiful.
This scene brought heartfelt smiles to Roy and Quetzalcoatl.
It also left Li Shuwen and Karna with a touch of astonishment.
Indeed, these humans were remarkable warriors, the purest of humanity, worthy of their protection.
Such beautiful humans, how could one not love them?
However, the current situation presented a headache for Roy.
While their mutual deference was admirable, if everyone chose the most dangerous route, it would certainly cause him trouble.
Lives were not currency, nor were they expendable items in his hands.
Every life was precious, and as king, he had to be responsible for them all.
Such unnecessary sacrifices were something he would not allow.
"Really, they sure know how to give me a challenge…"
Placing the clay tablet on the table, Roy slowly stood up and walked toward the temple's exit.
"What are you going to do, my king?"
Seeing Roy rise, Quetzalcoatl asked with a smile.
"Do I even need to think about it? Of course, I'm going out to properly guide my lovable yet troublesome subjects. Who told them to give me such a problem?"
Roy shrugged, his expression somewhat helpless, though the smile on his face betrayed his true feelings.
"Hahaha, indeed, giving the king such a problem does require some proper guidance. So, King of Ur, go lead your subjects well and ensure that the shining light of humanity is passed down."
"How about it? Need me to come with you to persuade them? After all, with a beautiful and prestigious goddess like me by your side, they might be more willing to listen."
Smiling as she spoke, Quetzalcoatl leaped to Roy's side, her answer already clear.
"Of course, I couldn't ask for more."
Roy returned her smile.
"Oh, by the way, Quetzalcoatl, where's Taiga? I haven't seen her since I returned. Where did she go?"
After being preoccupied with the migration of Ur's people, Roy finally realized that Taiga seemed to be missing.
"That disobedient kitten? Right now, she's leading some soldiers to prepare food supplies for the migration."
Preparing food for the journey?
"I see."
Roy nodded. "That's quite a heavy task for her."
Knowing Taiga's whereabouts, they didn't linger any longer. They walked out of the Sun Temple and arrived at Ur's bustling plaza.
After earnest guidance and persuasion from Roy and Quetzalcoatl, they finally completed the official division of the three routes.
During the process, the residents of Ur kept deferring to one another, causing some brotherly warriors to nearly argue, but in the end, the division was successfully completed, keeping the number of people on each route within a reasonable range and assigning suitable Servants to escort them.
The residents then began packing their belongings, preparing to head to humanity's last stronghold, Uruk, under the guidance of the Servants.
The city, once like a corpse, now burst with vibrant life. On this perilous migration path, no one felt fear, nor did any trace of trepidation linger in their hearts. Compared to the initial panic, meaningless self-doubt, and despairing wait for destruction in Ur, now, before the catastrophe arrived, doing something grand and impactful with all their strength was the best choice.
And it would begin with crossing the Mesopotamian plain.
Under the king's command, the residents of Ur quickly packed their belongings, collected enough rations from Taiga, and, led by several Servants, set out quietly via air, sea, and land routes.
Even though this path was fraught with danger, they would have no regrets.
Facing the unknown road ahead, their faces showed no fear, only excitement and a longing for the future.
They firmly believed that what lay ahead was not death and ruin, but a rising new hope.
…
In the unearthed Epic of Gilgamesh from ancient Babylonian ruins, there is such a record:
In the middle years of Gilgamesh's life, a unprecedented disaster struck the Mesopotamian plain in the Two Rivers region.
It could have been a flood, a famine, or some other natural calamity.
This disaster destroyed most of the civilized cities on the Mesopotamian plain, killing countless people and nearly driving the Sumerian civilization of the Two Rivers to extinction.
At the brink of annihilation, inspired by the sun god Shamash, the last king of Ur crossed mountains and rivers, traversing the Mesopotamian plain alone to personally visit the city-state of Uruk, ruled by the King of Heroes Gilgamesh.
He spoke with Gilgamesh through the night, using wisdom and strength to move the King of Heroes, forging a certain alliance and securing his aid.
Upon returning to his city-state of Ur, he began leading his subjects in the first mass migration of ten thousand people in human history across the Mesopotamian plain.
In that era, holding such a large-scale migration during such turbulent times was shocking and awe-inspiring for its sheer audacity.
It was precisely this action that greatly preserved the spark of Ur's civilization, earning the king high praise for his wisdom and courage.
However, later excavations revealed little about this king.
Some say he was a demigod; others claim he was an incarnation of Enki, but none of these claims are definitively proven in the epic.
Likewise, no one knows the name of this king.
He appeared as if from nowhere and vanished just as suddenly.
No one knows his origins.
What is undeniable is that this nameless King of Ur made an indelible contribution to the preservation of the Two Rivers' civilization.
The Spark of Sumerian Civilization in the Two Rivers
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