Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

But things made by humans can only be roughly estimated, so if Samael wanted to hide them, it would be easy.

Besides, the owl on its shoulder is a little spy sent by Athena. Even if the ancient serpent itself doesn't care, a certain goddess of wisdom will help cover it up.

Tsk tsk, I didn't expect we also have a gold card pool. When it's a gold card, it's a five-star limited character, right?

After the test was completed, the ancient snake leaned against the corner pillar, looking at the two four-star gold cards next to it, revealing a smile that only it understood.

Three chosen ones!

They worship Athena, the goddess of wisdom; Hecate, the goddess of mystery; and... Artemis, the goddess of the hunt!

The white-robed priestess was quite shocked by the high quality of the ten pulls in the pool, and her cautious gaze finally fell on Atalanta.

"Please wait a moment, the three of you. I will go and inform His Highness the Prince to come and receive you."

The priestess managed to compose herself, bowed respectfully, pushed open the door, and hurriedly left.

Atalanta, who was left to sit in the side hall, frowned slightly. Her hunter's keen intuition made her suspicious and wary of the strange behavior of the white-robed priestess from earlier.

"Big Sister, don't worry, the people of Caludon will probably treat you like a god."

After all, you are Artemis's messenger. They have suffered enough from that wild boar and are eagerly awaiting your decree to hunt the goddess.

This hunt might just be for you.

Samael raised his hand and gently patted Atalanta's shoulder, blinked, and smiled thoughtfully.

Upon hearing this, Atalanta seemed to be deep in thought, and her tense muscles gradually relaxed.

In fact, Samael's speculation was not unfounded.

He had crossed paths with Artemis before. Although the goddess of the hunt was not immune to grudges and pettiness, she still had some integrity.

So, after wreaking havoc on the Kingdom of Calydon and venting their anger, they arranged for envoys to clean up the mess.

During the historical Calydon hunt, Atalanta was the first to break through the boar's defenses and wound it.

Samael guessed that it was perhaps that arrow that broke Artemis's blessing on the boar, allowing the hunt to proceed smoothly.

After the three waited for a moment, heavy, powerful footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Immediately afterwards, a dashing young man in bronze armor with brown curly hair entered the side hall with a hearty smile, appearing very enthusiastic.

"I am Meleageros, the organizer of this hunt. Thank you for coming from afar."

I hope we can work together to eradicate this beast! Afterwards, Kaludon will offer an equivalent reward to the three of you for your hard work.

In addition, a large number of experienced hunters are already tracking the Demon Boar and searching for its lair. We will set off immediately tomorrow morning after the area is demarcated!

Before that, please feel free to let me know if you need anything, and I will do my best to make things convenient for you.

Samael could tell that Prince Calydon was a man of action; without any unnecessary pleasantries, he swiftly and efficiently explained the follow-up.

Furthermore, while speaking, the prince did not use his leader's airs to intimidate others; he adopted a humble attitude and showed utmost sincerity.

The three were quite satisfied with this, and their expressions even relaxed a bit.

After spending some time with him, Prince Caludon tentatively mentioned Artemis, the goddess of the hunt.

Upon hearing that Atalanta was participating in the Calydon hunt in accordance with a divine oracle, Meleagerus raised an eyebrow noticeably, his eyes revealing a hint of barely suppressed joy and relief.

The female hunter, who was observing from the sidelines, couldn't help but find that this confirmed Samael's guess, and she felt admiration for the Orpheus cult follower.

With such keen insight, he truly is a follower of Athena.

"By the way, there are already quite a few Greek heroes in the main hall. Why don't I take the three of you to meet them? After all, they are our teammates who will be working together tomorrow."

After saying this, Prince Caludon stood up and eagerly led the way.

The three exchanged a glance, nodded slightly, and then followed.

Chapter 140 A Brilliant Move (3/3)

Prince Calydon led the three into the bustling hall. From the moment they entered, they greeted the heroes of the various Greek city-states with fist bumps and shoulder pats, and he also introduced Atalanta and her party to them.

Of course, after entering the city, Samael adopted the name "Theseus" to make it easier to hide himself.

Circe and Atalanta, who personally witnessed the sacrifice, naturally had no objections to this.

The heroes in the hall secretly observed the three newly joined hunting members. After hearing some information about their tests and Prince Caludon's repeated praise, the contempt in their eyes faded, and their attitude became more friendly.

Meanwhile, through Prince Caludon's introduction, Samael got to know the dozens of Greek heroes present.

Currently, a banquet is being held in the main hall. The further out one is, the weaker one becomes, but they all have divine bloodlines and possess their own special skills. They are definitely not mass-produced weaklings.

As they continued deeper into the area, the heroes participating in the hunt for Caludon grew increasingly powerful.

In his spare time, Samael would secretly match the images of those heroes with the names he knew, playing a guessing game in his mind with great interest.

That frivolous-smiling, blond-haired, green-eyed young man, dressed in flamboyant and glittering gear, who looked utterly irritating, was none other than the famous Jason, the future captain of the Argonaut Expedition.

Although this guy was seated in a lower-middle-class seat, he was restless, wandering around with his wine glass, trying to make friends with everyone.

But his eloquence and excellent ability to warm up the crowd allowed him to integrate well into the group and make the heroes around him laugh heartily and drink to their hearts' content.

Soon, Jason energized the atmosphere and brought the celebration to a new level.

However, this blond handsome guy is much more friendly to men than to women.

He had just picked up his wine glass, his face beaming, and was about to greet the female warrior with a tanned complexion who was leaning against the corner, and get to know her better.

But before they even got close, the female warrior opposite them gave them a cold glance, her eyes full of disdain.

"What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a woman before?"

"Haha, I've never seen anyone as unique and charming as you. If I could see you in the hunting grounds tomorrow, this trip would be even more memorable."

Faced with such a fiery tone, Jason raised his glass half-seriously and half-jokingly to defuse the awkwardness, then wisely turned away and continued to seek out and befriend the muscular men.

Huh? Isn't that Katniss from Boiling Sheep?

Good heavens, she actually came too, and it seems she's still in the state before she was raped by Poseidon.

So, this hot-tempered, boastful young woman is supposedly the most beautiful woman in the Kingdom of Thessaly? I hear she has quite a few suitors in the city-state?

Wait, the one on the left, near the pillar, has light green fur, golden eyes, and a distinctive facial contour.

Tsk, no need to look anymore.

He must have been the great hero who married the sea goddess Thetis, King Peleus of Thessaly, who was also the father of Achilles in the future Trojan War.

Samael thought to himself, if he remembered correctly, the sea goddess Thetis was once Zeus's lover.

However, because Prometheus prophesied that the goddess would give birth to offspring stronger than her father, Zeus decisively dumped his old lover and summoned his grandson, the demigod Peleus, to take over.

With the help of the gods, Peleus learned of the situation and hid in the cave where Thetis often rested, capturing her when she was unaware. No matter what the sea goddess did—transform into a lioness, a water snake, or the sea—Peleus did not let go. In the end, this demigod hero successfully took over and secured the throne.

Thetis eventually realized that her suitor was quite charming, so she reluctantly agreed and lived harmoniously with her husband.

No wonder, his hair is green; this is definitely the world's malice!

The ancient snake grumbled to itself, but then its gaze, moving across the hall, discovered something new and interesting.

The dark-skinned beauty Katniss, nicknamed "Boiling Sheep," didn't even go up to greet the old king; the two kept their distance and ignored each other.

It seems she has severed ties with the Kingdom of Thessaly.

With his keen insight, Samael guessed the relationship between the two sides with a high degree of accuracy.

Samael then became engrossed in this amusing game and continued to focus his attention on Peleus, comparing him to his more famous son.

Now, Peleus is middle-aged, with long green hair cascading down his shoulders. His expression is gentle yet dignified, and his eyes possess the depth and wisdom accumulated over the years, unlike Achilles, who is impulsive and warlike.

Beside the king sat a burly man with an ancient face, a full beard, large knuckles, and a robust build. The spears and shields beside him were much larger than those of the others.

If it weren't for the occasional glint of sharpness in his eyes, to outsiders he would look more like an old farmer than a warrior.

Samael hadn't guessed this, but based on the conversation between "Old Farmer" and Peleus, and the way the nearby heroes addressed him, the ancient serpent learned the hero's name.

Telamon, Peleus's brother and Ajax the Great's father.

He was also a friend of the great hero Heracles.

Despite his unassuming appearance, this "old farmer" inherited the virtues of humanity, just like his brother Peleus.

As far as Samael knew, Telamun was a typical example of someone who appeared foolish but was actually wise.

In a future campaign against Troy, Telamon was the first to breach the gates and charge into the city, gaining the highest honor, leaving even Hercules behind.

For the first time in his life, this mighty hero was surpassed in battle by another hero. Under Hera's curse of madness, he was both angry and anxious, burning with jealousy.

Heracles then lost his mind, drew his sword, and tried to cut down Telamon, who was walking ahead of him.

Telamon happened to turn around and guessed Hercules's intention. He quickly bent down, gathered the nearby bricks and stones, piled them up, and called his companions.

When others asked him what he was doing there, he replied, "I am building an altar for the victorious Hercules!"

These words brought the great hero back to his senses, and he felt deeply ashamed. He immediately bowed his head and apologized to Telamon, then rejoined the party and fought alongside them.

Afterwards, the mighty god drew his bow and shot Laomedon, the king of Troy, and several of his sons. Only one prince survived, and the Trojans completely lost their will to fight.

In gratitude to Terramon, Hercules gave the Trojan princess to the great hero, allowing him to win her heart.

Even from this glimpse, one can clearly see how remarkable the wisdom of this "old farmer" was in responding to changing circumstances.

Otherwise, he wouldn't even be able to keep his head, let alone the beauty.

After all, countless heroes have died directly or indirectly at the hands of that cursed child.

The brothers Peleus and Telamon, while not exceptionally powerful compared to their contemporaries, used their wisdom to protect themselves for a considerable period.

However, their more outstanding and valiant sons, the mighty Achilles, was pierced by an arrow and died in the Trojan War, while the hot-tempered Ajax the Great, out of jealousy of Odysseus's attainment of the highest honor, attempted to murder him but failed and committed suicide in anger.

This is, undeniably, a great irony.

Samael shook his head and turned his gaze to the imposing figure sitting in the innermost corner, a figure whom the other heroes kept at a distance, allowing him to occupy a large area all to himself.

It seems that wherever he went, Hercules was the focus of attention for Greek heroes.

Chapter 141 Even Men Can Do It! (1/2)

In the center of the venue, a burly man, over two meters tall, with black hair and golden eyes, sat alone.

Beneath every inch of his dark brown skin, rock-like muscles bulged, and dark red divine patterns lay dormant like dragons. His entire body was as if cast in steel, reflecting a faint, cold light in the few rays of sunlight streaming through the skylight.

The man sat cross-legged on the ground, carrying a wine jar in one hand and a wine bowl in the other, drinking alone. His brows were furrowed, as if he harbored an unyielding sorrow and loneliness.

A three-meter radius around the figure formed a vacuum zone, while the burly man in the center resembled a lurking beast, a towering peak, an impregnable fortress, or a surging, deep sea. Boiling ether flowed and surged around him, emanating the acrid smell of burning air.

Sensing that Hercules was not in a good state, no one dared to step into the penalty area at this time and approach this great hero who was famous throughout Greece.

After all, he had just killed his own son because of his madness, and no one could guarantee that if they approached him rashly, it wouldn't trigger a new wave of madness.

"Hey buddy, drinking alone is no fun. Come on, let's drink together."

Just as Samael was considering whether to make contact with Hercules first, Jason, holding a wine glass, swaggered through the crowd with a crab-like gait, approached Hercules, sat down familiarly, and raised his glass in a toast with a grin.

"Aren't you afraid of me?"

Hercules was slightly taken aback, then looked up at the blond man sitting in front of him, a man he could crush with one hand, and asked indifferently.

"Afraid? Are you kidding me!"

"You're all always traveling the world, and today, thanks to Meleager's connections and the venue, I've managed to gather such a large group of renowned Greek heroes together. If I don't drink with all of you, wouldn't my trip have been in vain?"

Jason smiled broadly, patted Hercules' shoulder forcefully, and slid his right hand down to marvel at the divine runes on it.

"Aren't you afraid that I will kill you?"

Hercules looked at the claws pressed against his chest, his brow furrowed, his face clouded with gloom.

Jason sensed the murderous aura, his face stiffened, and he involuntarily shrank back, like a rooster being choked and waiting to be bled, while swallowing hard.

"Before we take action, could you please make a request?"

"explain…"

"Could you finish this drink with me? If you don't mind, it would be best to get me drunk, so it won't hurt as much. When I get back to hell, I can brag that I was your drinking buddy."

Hercules looked at the blond youth who seemed inexplicably serious and eager, shook his head, and calmly raised his wine bowl.

Jason's eyes gleamed with an unusual light. He immediately and cheerfully clinked his wine glass against Hercules's large bowl, then tilted his head back and drank the nectar in one gulp, his face flushed with excitement like an addict.

After only a few drinks, Jason unknowingly moved closer again, his burning gaze sweeping over Hercules from head to toe, like a fan meeting their idol. At the same time, he started talking non-stop, bombarding Hercules with questions.