Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

In addition, Aphrodite's influence had permeated all the major and minor events in the Greek epics, including Atalanta's participation in the Calydon hunt.

Athena straightened her posture, listened attentively, gently bit her thumb which was placed between her pearly teeth and cherry lips, frowned in thought, and slowly nodded.

Indeed, the women who brought prosperity to Olympus and stirred up numerous conflicts, allowing Zeus to marry six powerful goddesses, were unlikely to be mere ornaments.

Since Mount Ares is to be replaced, we need to take into account the unstable factor of Aphrodite.

Samael stroked his chin, gazing at the distant outline of Olympus with a mocking smile.

"I messed up that Cupid's plans, so it's no wonder she holds a grudge. She might cause some trouble during this Golden Fleece expedition. It's always good to be more cautious."

By the way, the tragic love story of Medea, the princess of Colchis in the Golden Fleece expedition, also seems to be the work of this goddess of love.

It's true that you can run into her wherever you go.

Athena raised her eyebrows, a smile playing on her lips.

"What are you up to now?"

"I heard Hera has always disliked her. What would happen if Aphrodite got too carried away and threw the golden apple between them?"

"Dad, you're so mean!"

"Ahem, this..."

"However, it's not bad enough. If it were me, I would summon Medusa and Themis and stuff them with things like the power of the Earth Mother and her laws and decrees."

The goddess of wisdom paused, her thoughts opened, and a sinister smile appeared on her face.

"Yes, let's add some more rumors, like whoever obtains this will gain the approval of Mother Goddess Gaia and be able to go to the Earth Mother Temple to awaken the origin of the earth..."

How should I put it? The student surpasses the teacher, but this blue is too pure, almost black.

Hearing Athena, holding her new toy, enthusiastically devising ways to incite conflict among the Olympian goddesses, Samael was momentarily at a loss for whether to laugh or cry.

Conspiracy is synonymous with wisdom; coming from your mouth, that's certainly true.

"Alright, as long as you're satisfied with the gift, take your time having fun."

"I'm very satisfied. It's rare to get something so interesting. I even want to sneak in and play with them."

"Suit yourself, but we need Olympus to be stable for now, so let's not do anything rash."

"Alright, Ares Mountain will be responsible for drawing Zeus's attention. You hurry up and take care of yourself."

Athena placed the golden apple back into the magic circle, then her expression turned solemn, and her purple eyes flashed with an eerie light.

"After all, Zeus wasn't so kind; the divine runes he inscribed had turned this ship into a hidden altar!"

Chapter 189 Walking with Support Against the Wall (2/2)

"My man, I've never seen a work of art like this before. The Argo must be the best ship in the world!"

Jason, having shed his flamboyant gold-threaded silk robe and donned a loose-fitting sailor's suit, affectionately embraced Samael's neck, gazing excitedly at the Argo anchored on the sea.

"Yes, the Argo is the best ship, and Jason will become the best captain."

Samael snapped out of his daze, patted his half-friend on the shoulder, and smiled encouragingly.

"Well, it's not that good. It's all thanks to the blessings of the gods and the help of everyone."

Even so, the blond-haired youth couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth, revealing a hint of pride. This was a rare moment of prestige in his more than twenty years of life, and he had become the focus of the entire city.

Therefore, he couldn't help but feel a little smug, and continued to waddle around in the crowd, his face flushed and spittle flying as he boasted about the divine favor he had received from his stroke of good fortune.

Samael glanced at Jason, who was leading the heroes on a tour of the Argo, shook his head quietly, and sighed inwardly.

God's gifts often come with a high price.

It has to be paid back.

And the price is your souls, your destiny, your lives!

The ancient serpent walked onto the deck, leaned against the ship's railing, and recalled Athena's warning from a few days ago, its gaze obscure and somber.

The world only knows the epic and fantastical adventures of the Argonauts' expedition, but what happened after their return?

The twin swordsman brother died in a conflict, and his sister perished with him, transforming into the constellation Gemini…

The god of medicine created an elixir of immortality, disrupting the order of the underworld. He was struck dead by Zeus's lightning and became the constellation Ophiuchus…

The genius singer Orpheus, for allegedly disrespecting Dionysus, was murdered by his madwoman servants, who tore his body to pieces and threw it into the wilderness, where it became the constellation Lyra…

Atalanta transformed into a lion to pull the chariot of the Old Gods…

Katniss was buried alive by the centaurs and suffocated to death...

Prince Calydon's life-threatening wooden carving was burned by his mother and grew cold...

Hercules later became poisoned by the Hydra and took his own life…

Even Jason, who claimed to be "lucky," fared no better. Because he betrayed his wife Medea, his two sons and his new wife died tragically, and he lost the protection of the goddess Hera. In the end, he fell asleep at the stern of the Argo, and when the ship capsized, it crushed him flat...

In fact, most of the fifty Argonauts died violent deaths.

Athena was right. The ship had become a great altar, and the Argonauts were placed on it as offerings to please and sacrifice to Olympus.

However, I'm afraid you don't have the appetite to finish this sacrifice, Zeus.

Samael looked up at Mount Olympus, which stretched between heaven and earth, his eyes flashing with cold light.

But then again, the God-King actually intends to sacrifice all 50 heroes of Argonautica this time. It seems that he has accelerated his recruitment efforts for Paradise Island recently, as if he is somewhat wary of them.

Could it be that our plan has been leaked? That shouldn't be the case.

Thinking of this, Samael frowned and decided to pay more attention to this voyage and speed up the search for Paradise Island.

Just then, as the ancient serpent was deep in thought, the bustling noise of the port interrupted his thoughts.

Local soldiers carried flour, smoked meat, salt, fresh water, and other supplies for the voyage to the vicinity. Argos, the giant under the command of Hera, casually tossed the items onto the deck of the Argo for the heroes to receive.

Ever since witnessing the multiple miracles, the old king was terrified and stayed in the palace, refusing to come out. In order to get rid of his nephew, who was considered a plague, as soon as possible, he even assigned his palace guards to help with the preparation of supplies, as a gesture of goodwill.

Thanks to the city-wide mobilization and the fact that Iorkos is a coastal port, Jason's paper-based needs for maritime supplies were fully met within just half a day, with even some items left over.

As evening approached, Samael requested additional oranges, grapes, lemons, and other fruits, which were moved into the warehouse. The Argo, fully loaded, sank deep into the waterline, gleaming in the setting sun.

"The wind is blowing just right!"

"The wind speed is just right!"

"Everyone is on board! The Argo is ready!"

With their natural talents and well-positioned in their respective roles, the heroes sent signals from all directions as the hatches closed.

"Alright! Weigh anchor and set sail!"

Jason, standing at the bow of the ship, took several deep breaths to barely suppress his excitement. Then, he solemnly drew the bronze sword from his waist and swung it forward with a trembling voice, as a burst of encouragement came from his chest.

"By the gods above, glory shall surely belong to the Argonauts!"

"All, move out!"

At the same time, as if the gods had heard this mortal voice, the white clouds dispersed, and the gale blowing from the side stirred up the waves, billowed the giant sails, and pushed the huge and majestic Argo out of the harbor, making it sail into the vast waves of the sea.

The people on the shore, seeing the majestic ship rushing into the deep sea that mankind had never conquered, cheered and threw flowers at it, feeling extremely proud.

In this era, heroes and adventures are revered. If Jason can truly bring glory to Iorchus, then he, with the right to inherit the throne, is the rightful new king!

After all, only heroes like these can better protect the city and its people.

As the coastline gradually disappeared from view, Jason, who had been maintaining a tense posture, immediately revealed his true colors, his shoulders drooping and his whole body collapsing loosely.

After pretending to wipe away his sweat, the captain leaned over to Samael and complained.

"It's too late, we'll probably have to travel at night, which doesn't feel like a good omen."

Moreover, if I hadn't been prepared and had hidden some Asclepius-made stamina potion in my sleeve, I'd be exhausted before we even set off. I truly envy you divine bloodlines that are even more beastly than animals."

Samael tossed away the paw that was resting on his shoulder with disdain and chuckled sarcastically.

"What's wrong, Captain? We've only just set off, and you're already having second thoughts?"

"Yeah, I regret it. If I had known my uncle would kick me out so quickly, I should have taken the opportunity to enjoy myself last night and made those beauties who came to my door weak in the knees!"

Jason smacked his lips, making no attempt to hide his lament. His face betrayed no feigned regret, revealing his scumbag nature of being driven by lust rather than love.

"I don't know if their legs are weak, but I think it's true that your legs are weak. You might not even be able to get out if you have to hold onto the wall."

Samael, with a disdainful expression, began to mock Captain Jason with practiced ease.

"Stop cursing! Stop cursing! Who can compare to an animal like you!"

After a moment of stunned silence, the blond youth realized what was happening and his face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. After all, in the face of Samael's impressive record, even livestock would probably have to bow their heads in shame. It was better to change the subject and not humiliate himself.

"Alright, enough with the banter. Sailing at night is quite risky. Let's double-check the nautical chart route to the Kingdom of Colkis, just in case something goes wrong."

As they spoke, Jason, holding the foster son of the goddess of wisdom, beckoned Heracles and the others to the captain's cabin. There, they spread out a map, analyzed the potential troubles of the journey, and discussed the necessary preparations.

As he got into character, this flamboyant blond youth appeared calm and composed. Even the female heroes, including Atalanta, who didn't have a good impression of him, couldn't help but nod in agreement with his arrangements.

This guy has become surprisingly reliable without anyone noticing.

Argo is the best ship, Jason is the best captain!

The newly appointed captain glanced at the night gradually spreading across the sea, his mind filled with his friend's praise, and a smile unconsciously bloomed on his face.

Chapter 190 My Territory, My Protection (1/2)

In the deep waters of the Oceanus Sea, a giant cedarwood ship, gleaming in the sunlight, cuts through the waves, casting a huge shadow on the surface, and sails toward a round island.

"According to the order of the draw, who has been chosen for this island exploration mission?"

Jason drew his sword and shouted for a halt, while directing the crew to lower the anchor and secure the Argo, and then asked the others questions.

"Kines, Castor, and I will lead the team. The last four are newbies who have never been to an island before. Remember to keep up and pay attention to your surroundings."

After Prince Meleager of Calydon had prepared his gear, he rallied his teammates, and together they launched a small boat, carrying shields, spears, and other weapons, and jumped in one by one.

However, when it was Katniss's turn, she was persuaded and pleaded to be replaced by Polcus, the younger sister of the twin swordsmen.

These inseparable twins, once they met, immediately stuck together, a true model of orthopedics.

As Jason watched his teammates climb onto the shallows and enter the strange jungle that resembled a coral reef, his brow furrowed slightly.

"What's wrong, Captain? Is something the problem?"

Samael stepped forward, patted Jason on the shoulder, and casually asked a question.

“This place isn’t on any nautical charts, and the plants here look rather unsavory. I have a feeling something bad might be going to happen.”

Jason opened the parchment scroll, observing and gesturing as he expressed his underlying unease.

"Don't say that..."

Samael's expression turned serious, and he earnestly offered his advice.

"That's true, maybe I'm overthinking it."

"No, what I mean is, as long as you have this feeling, it's not 'may' something bad happen, it's 'definitely' something bad will happen!"

Jason, upon hearing this, was at a loss for words, unsure whether to take it as a compliment or a mockery. After a moment's thought, he sought the opinion of Athena's beloved adopted son.

"Then signal them to retreat?"

"We're already on the island, so let's just leave it at that and have the archers prepare for cover."

Samael thought for a moment and offered a compromise, which reassured Jason, who nodded in agreement.

"That's true. We're about to break through the Stormy Sea, where the environment is even harsher. Who knows how long it will take? It's better to replenish our fresh water supply beforehand, just in case."

Besides, we've conquered more than one deserted island like this. If we don't let these energetic guys take risks, they'll definitely cause trouble when we get back to the ship. Anyway, they're all of divine blood, and we have so many backup; they won't die.

As he spoke, Jason's face radiated confidence.

Having sailed from the port of Iorkos, the Argonauts had been adrift on the Sea of ​​Okeanos for three months.

During this time, they encountered various crises, but they always managed to turn danger into safety thanks to their increasingly tacit cooperation.

On Lemnos, they helped the old king quell the rebellion, stopped the mad women cursed by Cupid, who were covered in foul odor and had nearly killed all the men on the island, restored them to normal, and left behind the seeds of life for them.

On the island of the Duliana, they helped defend against an attack by a group of six-armed giants and were treated with courtesy and hospitality by the king.

In the kingdom of Pebrykaia, the twin female swordswoman Polux showed off her skills as a Pankrasin, hammering to death the tyrannical king who had forced him into boxing matches and killed all the losers (Polux was a famous Greek boxer, a beautiful boxer).