Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

Chapter 167 Strange Events in the Underworld (3/4)

The atmosphere fell silent again. Just as Anna lowered her head, looking conflicted, Samael walked over, bent down, and placed his hand on her head, gently stroking it.

The gentle warmth gradually dispelled the little girl's unease, and she slowly raised her head, her gaze fixed intently on the figure before her.

"Samael wouldn't lie, right?"

"I promise!"

The ancient serpent confidently extended its bent little finger, smiling as it took the initiative to intertwine with Anna's soft hand, gently swaying it.

"Yes, I'll wait for you. You must come!"

The little girl smiled with relief, then hugged the ancient snake's neck, and unexpectedly lowered her head to plant a kiss on Samael's cheek.

Immediately, the girl who had successfully launched the sneak attack blushed and ran away. After waving goodbye to everyone, her body gradually turned into golden specks of light, and she drifted away in a tearful wave.

Among the crowd near the city gate, the old man Jusudera watched Anna walk away and nodded slightly.

The goddess eventually heeded his advice.

To run away means to give up choices, which will lead to the most tragic extreme! (See Chapter 71 for the three prophecies about Anna)

Therefore, returning to the place of origin and bringing about a turning point is the only way to avoid tragedy.

Besides, the future has already changed.

There's a chance, there's a chance...

The old man gazed wistfully at the figure standing beneath the city gate, his eyes filled with profound meaning.

Around noon, at the embassy.

Samael glanced back at Ishtar, who was playing with the calf of the Heavenly Bull inside the room, chuckled, shook his head, and casually took out a purple scale from his pocket, his gaze lost in thought.

This is something Anna gave him before she left, used to open a certain place.

If you calculate the time, about half a month should be enough.

and so……

An ancient snake stood before the railing, gazing down at the emerging city that was beginning to show signs of life, its eyes fixed on the distant landscape.

The city was thriving, scholars discussed the astrological knowledge brought about by the Mayan calendar, and priests and magicians experimented together with the fusion of various magic tricks and divine pronouncements under different temple systems.

Meanwhile, the urban residents who farmed were toiling away on the fertile wastelands of the north and south, contentedly cultivating crops such as wheat.

As the saying goes, fortune may be the foundation of misfortune, and misfortune may be the foundation of fortune.

The war between Apsu, the father of creation, and Tiamat, the mother of origin, was not entirely a bad thing for the surviving humans.

On the one hand, war promoted the integration of various city-states in Sumerian culture, giving rise to a more brilliant blossoming of civilization.

Humanity also shifted from relying on the guidance and protection of gods to seeking its own power, beginning to perfect the magic system and accelerating the transformation of the mystical realm.

The dissection of mystery, combined with social life, has greatly boosted human productivity.

On the other hand, the flooding of the Mesopotamian region brought fertile silt, which greatly increased crop yields.

As for the several surges of the Black Tide, after being washed by floods and repaired by the Mother Goddess, the entire Mesopotamian ecosystem was filled with a rich creative power.

The fertile land is abundant, and the fruits and vegetation grow exceptionally lushly. As long as one is willing to cultivate it, filling one's stomach is a piece of cake.

Samael, who had some knowledge of history, knew very well that as long as a period of peace and stability was maintained, the population of the Mesopotamian world would surge and it would achieve new prosperity.

There is destruction before construction, and without death there is no life...

Is that all there is to it?

This is probably what Mr. Jusudela meant by his last words.

"Samael, come to the Underworld quickly! Something's happened! Something terrible has happened!"

Just as the ancient serpent was deep in thought, a hurried call came from within the rising mirror of the underworld.

Upon receiving the message, everyone's expression changed, and they rushed to the Underworld in a great hurry.

Several dozen breaths later, in the secluded valley beneath the seven gates of the underworld, Gilgamesh's face darkened, and he crossed his arms.

"You called us here just for this?"

"Of course!"

Ai Lei nodded earnestly, picked up a handful of soil, and carefully examined it as if it were a precious treasure, revealing the tender green shoots inside.

"Plants are actually growing in the underworld! Isn't that a big deal?!"

In the Battle of Uruk, Apsu tore the earth apart, causing the Underworld to be completely submerged in the Black Tide.

In order to protect the people, Ereshkigal had no choice but to abandon her hometown and rush to the aid of Uruk.

Therefore, the flower seeds that Samael gave her were left behind in the underworld during the chaos of battle and were washed into the dark valley.

Unexpectedly, once everything calmed down, those flower seeds sprouted green shoots in the area shrouded in death.

This is simply a miracle of life! For Ellie, who cherishes all life, it is of paramount importance.

Therefore, the tone of calling for everyone to watch inevitably carried a sense of urgency.

Enkidu lowered his body slightly and pressed his palms on the ground of the valley. Green light patterns rippled outwards and spread into the distance.

After a moment, the clay figurine looked up, revealing a trace of remembrance and sorrow.

"It's my mother..."

"Her power of origin has already transformed parts of the underworld environment, giving life to this place."

"However, the underground is, after all, the place where ghosts dwell. The power of death will eventually outweigh that of life. Over time, probably several decades later, these vestiges of life will gradually be extinguished."

Samael's expression shifted, his lips tightened, and he couldn't help but sigh softly.

He remembered that he had mentioned to the Mother Goddess several times in his rants that he had promised Ereshkigal to make the Underworld bloom.

Unexpectedly, her unintentional words were taken to heart, and before leaving, she did not forget to grant this dead country a new life.

At that moment, Ereshkigal, standing nearby, looked somewhat disappointed upon hearing Enkidu's estimate.

So, decades have passed...

"Hey, what's so hard about this? Just separate the underworld into different layers, right?"

"Just like building a house, you use the power of the earth to create a barrier, where life and death do not encroach on each other and form a self-contained whole."

Ishtar looked around, scratched his head, and responded casually.

However, the atmosphere froze instantly.

A host of strange gazes were focused on this goddess, making her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles, raising goosebumps all over her body. She couldn't help but shrink back and laugh awkwardly with her arms crossed.

"Uh, I was just saying, it's not my fault if I'm wrong, right?"

"No! You've done me a huge favor! That's a great idea!"

Samael, regaining his senses, patted Ishtar on the shoulder with approval in his eyes.

"Really?"

Ishtar was slightly taken aback and cautiously asked the others for their opinions.

"Yes, that's a great idea!"

The honest Siduri immediately nodded, and Enkidu beside her also nodded in response.

"That's right, my underworld might really have a sea of ​​flowers!"

Ereshkigal also reached out and clasped Ishtar's hands together to express her gratitude.

As for Gilgamesh, he repeatedly circled around his old rival, scrutinizing him with a surprised look.

"I never would have guessed that a woman like you, who only causes trouble, would have such talent."

After being dealt a heavy blow, Ishtar, who was receiving collective praise for the first time, was dizzy and unsure of herself, feeling as if she were standing on clouds, her body weak and floating.

"Am I that amazing?"

"Uh, no, Gilgamesh! What do you mean I only cause trouble! Explain yourself! I am the savior of Uruk!"

Suddenly realizing the hidden barb in her old rival's compliment, Ishtar's face darkened, and she grabbed her slender waist, ready to interrogate him.

The somewhat strange and solemn atmosphere from a moment ago has now become lively again.

Chapter 168 Paradise Lost (4/4)

Once Samael and Enkidu separated the two adversaries, the project to rebuild the Underworld officially began.

Because Ereshkigal and Ishtar possessed almost complete powers of creation and death, heaven and earth, similar to those of the mother goddess Tiamat.

Therefore, the task of manipulating the land, raising or lowering it, and closing it off to block each other, proceeded smoothly.

Furthermore, based on Samael's additional suggestions, Hades was divided into three parts: upper, middle, and lower.

The upper level is the original site close to the surface, responsible for judging and guiding the dead. Due to the existence of the seven gates of the underworld, it is divided into seven areas.

The middle layer is formed by the abyss that originally imprisoned Apsu, surrounded by the River Styx, and used to bind sinful vengeful spirits and evil spirits. There are nine layers in total.

As for those plots of land brimming with life and about to bloom, they were hidden at the very bottom by Ellie, who used her powers to reinforce them multiple times.

"By the way, now that the new house is built, let's change the name too. Everything needs to be original!"

Ishtar, brimming with confidence after being praised so highly, couldn't help but offer more suggestions.

After experiencing three storms and the seven-day calamity, Ishtar and her sister Ereshkigal became increasingly close. The goddess of the underworld also shed her former gloom, and the two grew much closer.

"Since it was Lord Samael who came up with the design, why not listen to his thoughts?"

High Priestess Sidu noticed the ancient serpent's thoughtful expression, smiled, and everyone agreed.

"If we divide it into three parts, upper, middle, and lower, how about calling them Purgatory, Hell, and Heaven respectively?"

Samael hesitated for a moment, then raised his head slightly, a wicked smile playing on his lips.

"Testing hearts, judging souls... the abyss of the earth, a prison for evil..."

Gilgamesh stroked his chin, his brows furrowing slightly as he pondered.

"As for the last one, Heaven? That doesn't seem to fit the situation in the third area very well."

Ishtar, who always liked to contradict her old rival, nodded repeatedly, unusually agreeing with the Hero King's point of view.

"Yes, yes, let's change it!"

Seeing that his attempt to recreate Dante's Divine Comedy had failed, Samael scratched his head and muttered helplessly.

"If Heaven won't do, what about Eden? Paradise Lost?"

"Wait! This is it! Paradise Lost! I think it's great!"

Ishtar patted Samael on the shoulder with satisfaction and nodded with a grin.

"The Lost Land, Paradise on Earth! Sounds amazing!"

Shamhat nodded slightly, his eyes filled with approval and anticipation.

"Yes, just hearing that makes me want to watch the flowers and plants grow and bear fruit every day, and live there forever."

Aileen grasped Shamhat's hand, her smile gentle and full of joy.

"Of course! This place is so big, with so many flowers and plants, I can't possibly take care of it all by myself."

"I'd be overjoyed if you were willing to stay here long-term and help take care of these little creatures!"

Gilgamesh, standing nearby, also became interested and responded by stroking his chin.

"Perfect timing, my friend and I also need to reserve a spot here."

“Yes, I’ll listen to Jill, and having the opportunity to be with my mother (Shamhat) is something to look forward to.”

Enkidu gently brushed a strand of emerald green hair behind his ear, looked up, and exchanged a smile with his best friend and the holy prostitute.

Siduri, left standing to the side, had a slight change in expression and spoke in a dry tone.

"But Your Majesty, what will happen to Uruk if you leave?"

Gilgamesh responded casually, then pointed at someone opposite him.

"The king's mission has ended. The country will decay and age if it is led by a monarch for too long. It is time to inject fresh blood."