Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

The mother bear nodded happily and took Atalanta and Samael's hands and put them together.

After a tender embrace, the mother bear growled repeatedly to bid farewell to her adopted daughter before reluctantly entering the dense forest and disappearing into the night.

After saying goodbye to her foster mother, Atalanta's last bit of confusion gradually dissipated. Her steps on the way back were light and carefree, with a warm and satisfied smile on her lips. It wasn't until she arrived at the camp that she managed to hide her emotions.

However, some things, once they originate in the heart and are manifested in actions, cannot be completely hidden.

In the flickering firelight, Samael lowered his gaze and looked mockingly at the two hands clasped together.

These hands, without my noticing, have been holding each other all the way.

Chapter 184 You Deal with Women, I'll Seduce Men (1/2)

A few days later, in the capital of Iorkos, two magnificent carriages, adorned with exquisite carvings of olive branches, laurel trees, and other beautiful patterns, stopped on the side of a cobblestone road, greeted by the enthusiastic waving of a golden-haired youth.

"Hercules, and Theseus, my dear friend, my dear brother, thank you for coming!"

As soon as the carriage came to a stop, Jason, all smiles, fawned over the group and greeted each familiar face who came down with a hug, a handshake, and even took it upon himself to lead the horses, guide the way, and call for servants to attend to him. In short, he was as attentive as could be.

This heat is somewhat tolerable for men.

But when presented to the heroines, Caenis, Atalanta, Artemis, and the others couldn't help but get goosebumps and warily distance themselves from Jason.

Jason recognized that this "Theseus" prince seemed to be the leader of the Athenian group, and became even more enthusiastic. He put his arm around Samael's shoulder and led him into the mansion, while secretly glancing at the women behind him and winking and complaining.

"See? I knew it! Dude, I really envy you for getting along so well with these heroines."

Faced with this overly friendly guy who had clung to him so readily, and considering that the guy had repeatedly expressed goodwill towards him, Samael could only let him be. At the same time, he glanced at Artemis, who was following at the back of the group, turned around and patted Jason on the shoulder, whispering with a playful tone.

"Who knows, on this journey, you might meet a heroine who's head over heels in love with you, the kind who'd die for you..."

Is this some kind of good fortune with women?

Jason was lost in reverie, his face filled with frivolous and lewd fantasies.

Just then, a furry creature darted past him, chasing after a group of young girls who had come to serve him, leaping and howling lewdly.

"Wow, brownish skin, hot body, definitely trained in singing and dancing, Thracian! I like her!"

"And this one, smells of the sea breeze, has wheat-colored skin, must be a girl from a coastal city!"

"This one! This one! This one! Milky white skin, no calluses on her hands, tall and slender figure, and a strong floral fragrance—she must be the daughter of some noble family!"

Ahead, a toy brown bear, seemingly brought to life, floated with blue light flowing beneath its feet, drifting lightly as if ice skating. Though it appeared harmless and honest, its words revealed a lecherous and cunning nature.

You're an expert!

Upon hearing such an accurate assessment, Jason slapped his thigh, his expression excited. He felt an immediate urge to connect with the other person, as if they were long-lost friends.

However, as soon as Jason took a step, he felt a sense of crisis coming from behind, as if he were being pricked by thorns. Sharp and dense sounds of air being torn apart rose and fell, making him feel extremely frightened.

At the critical moment, the blond youth was pulled back by a hand beside him, and several sharp arrows almost grazed his cheek, narrowly missing him.

"Puff puff!"

The toy brown bear that had been circling around the pretty maids was suddenly impaled on the floor, its spines pointing towards it.

Artemis, with a sinister smile on her face as she gently inquired about the quiver, her entire body seemingly shrouded in black mist, her hand resting on the bowstring.

"Honey, what are you doing? Are you already falling for someone else so quickly?"

"Snapped!"

A teddy bear head, riddled with holes, rolled pitifully into the dust.

"Well, be good, or I'll get angry."

The silver-haired female hunter stepped forward with a smile, bent down and lovingly picked up the decapitated teddy bear, held it to her chest with a gentle expression, skillfully stuffed cotton and long fibers into the teddy bear's case, and then took out a needle and thread to patiently sew it up.

Even more horrifying was that the toy brown bear's coat seemed to be covered with fine stitches, clearly indicating that it had been dismembered more than once.

Cluck cluck...cluck cluck...

Jason, who had survived the ordeal, was pale, covered in cold sweat, and his teeth were chattering. He took several deep breaths before he could finally calm himself down and turn back to give Samael a difficult but touching smile.

"Thanks, buddy, you saved my life again! And this gentleman is…"

"Diana comes from Mount Ares. That doll is her lover, but she is cursed. Her body has decayed, and her consciousness can only reside in the object."

They wanted their colleagues to travel overseas to see if they could find a solution.

Samael gave Artemis a plausible identity through a mix of truth and falsehood. After thousands of years of refinement, he could lie without batting an eye, and he almost believed it himself.

Jason struggled to his feet, his legs trembling, and asked in a hoarse voice.

"Is this what you mean by loving someone to the point of life and death?"

"Pretty much, want to give it a try?"

"Have mercy on me! This feeling of constant anxiety is absolutely awful! I guess I'm just not cut out for being a heroine!"

The golden-haired youth's eyelids twitched, and he hurriedly waved his hand.

Sama stroked his chin, asking quietly with a hint of something deeper in his voice.

"You really don't want to consider it?"

A sudden sense of crisis surged from his heart. Jason shook his head desperately, whether to convince himself or others, he hurriedly grabbed a few maids and confessed with fear in his eyes.

"What's so great about female heroes! Those who can stand out among men are all more troublesome than the last! Even I can't do this kind of thing, so how can I control them?"

There are plenty of beautiful women in Greece, and they're easy to please and satisfy—ordinary women who are more to my liking.

I just want to live a more relaxed life. How can I live with constant anxiety?

Immediately, this blond-haired handsome man, who made no attempt to admit defeat, became more and more agitated as he spoke. When his eyes caught sight of the figure beside him, he suddenly remembered something, and immediately grabbed Samael's arm, crying and sobbing uncontrollably.

"Dude, if a really scary woman like that comes after me, you'd better help me! I can't let a tigress set her sights on me and ruin my wonderful life! Wait, could it really be true?"

"Cough cough, it can't be that bad..."

Samael, who had inadvertently aroused Jason's vigilance, coughed nervously.

"How could it not be! I've heard all about it! The trip to the Kingdom of Colchis to get the Golden Fleece involves crossing the Sea of ​​Oceanus, filled with all sorts of strange islands. There are all sorts of things there, like sirens who can bewitch people with their songs, giantesses waiting to mate, sea serpents with long mating seasons, and witches of all shapes and sizes. If I get caught by them, I'm dead. Dude, you're so compatible with women, you have to help me out..."

"Uh, I'll try my best."

"Okay, it's settled!"

After receiving a vague reply, Jason immediately seized the opportunity and decided that once they set sail, he would leave all the work of dealing with dangerous women to this fellow.

For some reason, the moment he made this decision, the tension and fear that had been inexplicably stirred in his heart suddenly dissipated, and he felt much more relaxed and happy.

Sure enough! That feeling was right!

Theseus will handle the women, and I'll seduce the men. This trip will definitely be fine!

Unconsciously, Jason, as if he had untied some knot or shackle, beamed with joy and warmly pulled Samael and the others into the hall to formally begin the banquet.

Chapter 185 The Tower Cat's Counterattack (2/2)

As the music began, dozens of beautiful maids took turns serving rare dishes and fine wines. Even the tableware was made of gold and silver with intricate patterns, clearly high-end goods. This banquet must have cost at least several hundred "Zeus's gold," enough to cover the expenses of a middle-class family of three for half a year, making it seem extravagant and lavish.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became lively. Slightly tipsy, Jason dismissed the maids and personally stepped down from his seat to greet and toast each person.

When it was Samael's turn to sit at the table, the ancient serpent picked up his wine glass, looked around, glanced at Jason, and asked in a low voice.

"It seems your uncle treats you very well."

"That's because I come from the Academy of Athens and have connections with more than half of the heroes of Greece. Otherwise, the moment I stepped out of the palace, he might have sent someone to stuff me into a sack and bury me!"

Jason, holding his wine glass, paused slightly, rolled his eyes, and made a sarcastic remark.

"Is it that exaggerated?"

"Do you think I don't know my own worth? I'm just using your names to scare my uncle."

"So, he was scared?"

"It's half and half. He was unwilling to relinquish the throne, but he was also afraid that if I gathered enough men to storm the palace, he wouldn't even be able to save his own life. So, my uncle simply gave me an almost impossible task, which was to obtain the Golden Fleece from the Kingdom of Colchis."

If it succeeds, given his cowardice, he'll probably accept stepping down. If it fails, he'll have an excuse to brush me off. In short, it's a good way out for both sides.

"However, your uncle is quite good at handling people."

Samael glanced at the delicious food on the table and the exquisite furnishings of the palace, and couldn't help but sigh.

"what!"

Upon hearing this, the blond-haired youth slumped to the ground, looking dejected, and began to pour out his grievances to Samael.

"You have no idea what kind of life I lived when I first arrived in Iorkos! I was constantly on edge, and I didn't know where my next meal would come from."

Thankfully, everyone respected me and came after receiving the message. Otherwise, I was really worried that if things dragged on any longer, my uncle would eventually stuff me into a sack and throw me into the sea to feed the fish!

Then, Jason tugged at his silk robe adorned with gold thread and sighed with emotion.

"However, it's fortunate that you came. Life is too comfortable. I can eat whatever I want, and the accommodations and supplies are the best in the city. The palace has even sent more than a dozen beauties from various city-states to serve me. I can change them every day and not get tired of it even after a few months. At sea, there's wind and sun, monsters, and storms. I might even lose my life."

Look, it's only been half a month, and I've already gained weight around my stomach. If I keep putting it off, I doubt I'll be able to bring myself to leave this comfortable place, or even have the guts to risk everything for the golden fleece.

Samael stroked his chin and asked quietly.

"If you don't want to take any risks, why don't you just confront your uncle and get the treatment you deserve? Wouldn't that be better?"

"Brother, don't kid me. Without you guys supporting me, I'm nothing. If I keep acting like this and sever our friendship, I won't even be able to save my life in Iorkos, let alone get any benefits! Some things are just like that. Even if you don't want to risk your life, you have to grit your teeth and do it for the sake of a better future."

Jason frankly admitted it without hesitation, his face full of helplessness and distress.

Having said that, Jason waved his hand listlessly, then, with his signature crab-like gait, slipped into the group of male heroes present, where he heartily toasted and exchanged drinks.

At this moment, Hercules, who was strolling here carrying a wine jug, leaned against a pillar, glanced at Jason, and then casually asked Samael a question.

What do you think of this guy?

"Being greedy for life and afraid of death, fond of laziness and extravagance, lacking perseverance and willpower—they're terrible at being heroes..."

Samael looked at the fine wine in his glass and spoke without mercy, almost tearing Jason to shreds.

But in an instant, the ancient snake drank the contents of its cup in one gulp, a smile spreading across its face, and its tone of voice abruptly changed.

"But, undeniably, he is a very real, ordinary person, so real that the more you get to know him, the more you start to like him."

"Haha, not bad, that guy is indeed a frivolous, impetuous, and overconfident fool... But even so, just for his honesty in facing his own desires, he still deserves to be one of my few friends!"

Hercules laughed heartily at Samael, raising a glass to celebrate their shared views on Jason.

At this moment, Jason, completely unaware of the situation, got carried away with his drinking, jumped onto the table, loosened his collar, and, with glazed eyes, patted his chest, making grand promises.

"Everyone, eat and drink well. We are currently preparing ships and supplies for the voyage. I, Jason, will cover all expenses during this period! All accounts will be sent to the palace!"

Samael chuckled, almost spitting out his wine.

Good grief, you booked the whole place, used your reputation as collateral, and made your unlucky uncle pay the bill? Is that some kind of shady operation?

As night fell and the banquet drew to a close, the guests and hosts were all in high spirits, and the participants, led by their maids, gradually made their way to their rooms to rest.

As a distinguished guest warmly received by Jason, Samael was naturally among the last group of guests to leave.

As it was time to say goodbye, the blond-haired youth composed himself, sneakily approached Samael, patted him on the shoulder, and gave him a mysterious smile.

"Hey buddy, drink less, don't waste the evening."

What's that guy up to? He's so secretive.

In the courtyard shrouded in night, Samael shook his head. The moment he pushed open the door, his expression stiffened slightly, and his smile became awkward.

"Boss, what a coincidence!"

Inside the room, Atalanta, having washed away the smell of alcohol and wearing a bath towel, was squatting on the floor making the bed.

Upon hearing the sound of someone entering, the huntress turned her head. Her cheeks, flushed with moisture and carrying the scent of wine and flower petals, were alluringly rosy.

“Well, Jason said there are a lot of people coming and not enough rooms, so we’ll make do.”

Samael was stunned for a long time before he came to his senses from Atalanta's cold voice.

As they passed the kiosks, the ancient serpent's gaze, which had been glancing at Atalanta, inadvertently slipped from the towel into the ravine formed by the undulating peaks, and he asked, almost as if possessed.

"The ground is quite cold..."

The female hunter touched the floor and replied with a slightly nasal tone.

"Hmm, it seems so..."