Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

As Samael spoke, he lowered his defenses, took the olive branch in hand, spread his arms, and walked toward Poseidon with a smile.

At this moment, Poseidon's hostility gradually subsided. After hesitating for a moment, he finally reached out and accepted the branch of peace.

After all, since forceful measures cannot subdue the other party and cannot brutally eliminate this hidden danger, then mutually beneficial cooperation is very tempting.

As for how much of what the monster said was true or false, he could slowly verify it with the God of War Mountain after getting through this hurdle.

Moreover, based solely on his strength, which is no less than his own, he is qualified to sit down and have an equal conversation with this guy.

However, just as Aquaman was about to take the olive branch, Samael gripped the end of his tail, smiled, and pointed to the smoke-filled sea, his voice low and somber.

"Your Majesty, before we discuss terms, shouldn't we first call a truce? After all, continuing the fight is only depleting our strength against Olympus..."

Poseidon gave his opponent a deep look and slowly nodded.

Immediately afterwards, two figures emerged one after the other from the half-collapsed Temple of Poseidon, raising together an olive branch symbolizing peace, thus announcing the end of the war.

The ship was billowing black smoke and teetering on the brink of collapse. The wounded Argonauts, seeing this, collapsed weakly on the deck, laughing heartily and cheering for their survival.

Chapter 227 We Have a Traitor Among Us (1/4)

The interstellar city mountain range, the Great Altar.

Samael stood at the breach, looking down at the deep-sea fleet salvaging wreckage and waving their combat units at the surface of the sea, as well as the Argo being towed into Hecate Island for repairs. His brow relaxed slightly.

Some of the crew members were receiving medical treatment, while others were re-establishing contact with Prince Triton, who was deliberately putting on a sour face in public.

Meanwhile, to show reconciliation, the rescue team, led by the God of Healing, Circe, and Medea, also took the time to treat some of the Atlanteans, demonstrating goodwill and easing the tense atmosphere between the two sides.

After all, in this age of heroes, it's common for people to break out into brawls at the slightest disagreement, and then sit down and drink heartily afterward.

Death and injury are commonplace; every choice comes with a price.

The price to pay is the elimination of those weaker players who are not suited to the rules of this era.

Previously, with the end of the war, he, several representatives from the Argonauts, and Poseidon ascended the high altar to begin negotiations, with Mount Ares acting as guarantor and observer.

Finally, after several rounds of negotiations, both sides came up with a compromise that was acceptable to both parties.

First, Atlantis would not pursue the crimes committed by these outsiders, but the entire Argo would need to repair the Temple of Poseidon and offer sacrifices to Poseidon as a sign of submission.

This is fine. The other side suffered heavy losses, but all the crew of the Argo survived. They lost their substance, so they should at least save face.

Sacrifices were just a formality; in the era of polytheism, there were basically no taboos or psychological burdens in praying to different gods.

Moreover, Poseidon is the ruler of the ocean. Even if the Argo left the Colossus of Atlantis, the Oceanus outside was still his territory.

If you give them some face, the journey will be smooth sailing, so why not?

Secondly, the heroes must swear an oath to Styx, the goddess of oaths, to keep the secrets they have encountered along the way in the Colossus Sea, with the goddess of vengeance overseeing this.

Moreover, in return, the expeditionary force will gain the friendship of Atlantis, receive hospitality, have their names engraved in the Temple of Poseidon, be allowed to dock for rest, and have their previous access codes remain indefinitely valid.

In fact, the latter part of the generous offer was added by Poseidon himself, seemingly harmless, but actually harboring malicious intent.

What is Atlantis? It was Poseidon's trump card in overthrowing Zeus and replacing Mount Olympus.

If the Argonauts get involved, and the truth comes out, they will inevitably face two charges: one for failing to report the crime, and the other for being complicit.

However, Samael did not stop this; instead, he secretly fueled it.

Poseidon wasn't the only one who wanted to drag the Argonauts onto his pirate ship; he also harbored wicked intentions.

The third point, however, was a private agreement between Samael and Poseidon.

Mount Ares can take his daughter Rhodes away, but he must abandon his continued excavation of the secrets of the interstellar city mountain range.

However, the premise for Poseidon's generous concession was naturally based on cooperation.

"Three days! In three days, I will contact Athena and Hera, and together we will ascend Olympus and dethrone Zeus!"

Before the silent and serene altar, Poseidon, gazing at the northern sky, turned around, his sharp gaze fixed on Samael, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The monster was right about one thing: compared to achieving great things, what are the losses of Atlantis?

Tsk, they're really in a hurry. Are they going to make a move so soon?

Samael frowned slightly, just about to follow the usual negotiation tactics and try to maneuver.

But when his gaze fell upon the suppressed madness and impatience deep within Poseidon's eyes, his eyelids twitched, and he immediately recalled the tragic fate of this sea king who intended to achieve hegemony.

According to Greek mythology, Poseidon had a weak connection with human heroes, his beliefs were widespread, but few city-states became his staunch followers.

In his struggles with various deities for territory and faith, he almost always appeared as a loser and was ridiculed.

On the island of Aegina, he was expelled by Zeus; on the island of Naxos, he was expelled by Dionysus, the god of wine…

In the Delphi region, he was ousted by Apollo; in the struggle for Athens, he was defeated by Athena and Themis, and was then ousted from Trozen by Athena...

The Argive giant in his possession was also taken by Hera; his son Orion died at the hands of the moon goddess for getting involved in the divine power struggle; another son was killed for attempting to rape the daughter of Ares, the god of war...

They were even driven to the ocean, where they painstakingly built the kingdom of Atlantis. But in the future, Zeus would sink Atlantis into the sea for its disrespect towards the gods...

Having suffered so many blows and humiliations, Poseidon's obsession with Olympian power had probably reached a near-madness, which is why he seemed so impatient and eager to join forces with Hera and Athena to fight back.

If we continue to be ambiguous on this point, it might irritate his overly sensitive nerves, and Poseidon might immediately turn on us.

"Have you ever heard of Paradise Island?"

After a moment's consideration, Samael decided to stop hiding his true intentions and openly discuss the real purpose of the Argonaut Expedition.

The three goddesses of Mount Ares had long harbored rebellious intentions against Zeus and, under the guise of the Golden Fleece journey, had already begun to secretly plot their scheme.

This news was indeed a pleasant surprise for Poseidon. He had more confidence in cooperating with Mount Ares, and his gloomy expression softened slightly.

Unfortunately, when Samael asked him a question, Neptune pondered deeply, but ultimately frowned and shook his head.

Even Poseidon, who ruled the Oceanus Sea, was unaware of the news about Paradise Island. Samael began to doubt whether Zeus's so-called trump card truly existed.

Are we going to take action against Zeus before eliminating this potential threat?

Historically, this rebellion ended in failure, and of the three participants, Poseidon was exiled, Athena was forced to swear allegiance to Zeus, and Hera was sidelined.

The uproar it caused didn't even have much impact on Olympus.

The ancient serpent pondered repeatedly, finding it difficult to make a decision in the face of Poseidon's three-day deadline.

However, as his gaze fell upon the hundred-armed giant whose ferocious power surged amidst the raging waves on the sea, a sinister smile appeared on his lips, and he turned to bow slightly to the Sea King, his expression full of meaning.

“Your Majesty, your son-in-law Briarius is truly valiant and his strength is no less than yours. If the two of you joined forces, I am afraid I would have already been defeated.”

However, as a friendly reminder, it seems that the Hundred-Handed Giants all had a pact with Zeus, swearing to protect his throne…

The whispered words in his ear made Poseidon's face freeze. A sudden sense of alarm flashed through his mind. As he looked at the many sea gods surrounding his good son-in-law, the deeper he thought, the more uneasy he felt, and a sense of impending crisis lingered in his heart.

Briareus is indeed a potential threat!

Indeed, according to the Greek epic poem The Iliad, when Poseidon, Hera, and Athena rebelled and successfully suppressed Zeus, it was Briareus who, at the request of the sea goddess Thetis, ascended Olympus to protect Zeus, breaking the balance and ultimately causing his father-in-law Poseidon's actions to fail.

Samael muttered to himself as he observed Poseidon's unpredictable expression.

I am doing this out of goodwill to inform our allies and to reveal the Mandate of Heaven; I have absolutely no selfish motives.

Having successfully diverted the trouble and temporarily averted the crisis, the ancient serpent glanced at Poseidon, who was hastily leaving for Thetis Island, exuding a gloomy aura and clearly preparing to leak some information to test his son-in-law. A mocking smile involuntarily appeared in its eyes.

Well, alright, a little bit, well, it's because quite a few people on the Argo were injured by this big guy...

Chapter 228 The Pure Land of Bliss! (2/4)

While Poseidon, harboring doubts, was drinking and conversing with his son-in-law Briarius on the island of Thetis, Samael was also meeting up with his companions from the Argo in the hall.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the ancient serpent went to a corner and told the moon goddess and Orion the bad news about the whereabouts of Paradise Island.

Although his attempt to shift the blame temporarily diverted the attention of the aquaman and bought some time for his side, the crisis was not yet over.

Ideally, the best solution for the hidden danger of Paradise Island would be to make a breakthrough that could persuade Poseidon to postpone his rebellion, even if the exact location could not be found within three days.

But now it seems that even Poseidon, who rules the seas, knows nothing about this, so the hope is probably slim.

Upon hearing this, the moon goddess, who was leaning against a pillar, lost all her smile, pursed her cherry lips, gently stroked Orion's head, and murmured a question in despair.

"Honey, what do you think we should do?"

"Darling...who is it?"

The toy brown bear looked up, its eyes blank and confused, as sluggish as a rusty machine, completely devoid of its former joy and agility.

Artemis felt a pang of pain in her heart and pulled her lover into her arms, holding him tightly.

The intoxicating softness invigorated the toy brown bear, making it lively and seemingly enjoying itself immensely. Its previously dull eyes seemed to recall something, and a frivolous smile appeared on its lips. Its little paws also began to misbehave as usual.

"So this is the illusion of love? I'm so happy!"

However, not long after, Orion withdrew his paws listlessly, scratched his head, and muttered to himself with a puzzled expression.

"Uh, these breasts don't seem that exciting, it feels like touching my own left hand with my right, tch..."

Wow! That mermaid over there looks amazing! Open your arms wide to welcome these fluffy little cuties, let me see how well you're developing!

Then, after a hesitant glance around, Orion stared intently at the mermaid maidens in the hall, and immediately leaped from the moon goddess's arms with a wolf-like howl, rushing towards his new target.

Seeing her old flame revert to his old ways, Artemis's eyes blazed with fury, her pretty face turned pale, and she nearly drew her bow and arrows to riddle this incorrigible lecherous bear with bullets.

But those confused words that still lingered in her ears caused the Moon Goddess a pang of pain in her heart. She merely raised her hand and pulled Orion back, holding him tightly in her arms, her lowered eyes filled with sorrow.

"let me see."

At this moment, the ancient serpent raised its hand and took Orion. Threads of destiny power, like golden threads, spread invisibly throughout the hall, quietly drawing away specks of light and dust from the Argonauts and eventually converging into the plush toy.

Argo Expedition...Stormy Seas...Kolkis Kingdom...Atlantis...And...Paradise Island?

Through the connection of fate, fragmented and vague memories re-emerge in the broken soul of the teddy bear.

Orion's eyes finally cleared of confusion, regaining some clarity. Recalling his earlier teasing of his old lover, he couldn't help but feel guilty, his eyes darting around nervously, and he trembled.

Unfortunately, this approach only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause; some emotional content remains ambiguous.

"I'm sorry, Artemis, I think I see Perseus and the others waving at me again. My time seems to be running out..."

Orion remained silent for a moment, then opened his eyes and saw a glimmer of tears in the moon goddess's pupils. He sighed solemnly, raised his furry paw, and gently wiped away the tears from his lover's eyes.

Tsk, he can't stand seeing women cry, especially goddesses. He just can't bear to see them cry.

At this moment, Samael slowly withdrew his fingers and sensed the significantly weakened soul fire within the container, his brow furrowing in distress.

Forcibly binding the remnant soul and resisting the call of Paradise Island was clearly not an easy task for Orion.

Unbeknownst to them, the lecherous little bear had become increasingly quiet and slow in his reactions, completely losing the vigor he had before the Argonauts' expedition.

"Paradise Island! Paradise Island! If this godforsaken place isn't at sea, where else could it be? It can't be in the sky, can it?!"

Seeing her old lover looking listless and suffering, Artemis, who was usually all smiles, became furious, punched a pillar, and cursed in a fit of rage.

The Argonauts inside the hall looked at their companion in astonishment.

"Damn Paradise Island! If I find it, I'll definitely wreck this hellhole!"

Artemis glared angrily, gritting her teeth and cursing, completely devoid of the light and elegant demeanor of her former goddess.

All eyes, with varying expressions, converged on them, with Atalanta and the other female heroes showing particular concern.

Seeing this, Samael simply edited and omitted some details, revealing some of the curse on Paradise Island and Orion's condition.

That island could absorb and enslave the souls of heroes, and even the great hero of the Golden Generation, Perseus, could not escape its clutches!

Upon learning this secret, the Argonauts were filled with dread. They were filled with fear and dread for this mysterious and haunted place, lest they too become prisoners there. They also felt pity and sympathy for Diana and her tragic love.

Just as Samael had calmed everyone down and was about to call Atalanta to take the distraught Artemis into a side hall to rest, a small, white hand swayed and rose from the crowd.

"If... if Lord Theseus's 'Paradise Island' is that place, I think I know where it is..."

A hesitant whisper came from the crowd. The goddess of the hunt, like a beast that had caught its prey, pierced through the crowd with her sharp gaze, staring intently at the petite figure in the gap.

Under the sharp gaze that seemed to pierce their souls and flesh, the Argonauts instinctively stepped aside, revealing little Medea inside, clutching the Staff of the Moon, looking as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

"I know you want to help, but it's an adult matter, kids shouldn't meddle."

Samael noticed that Artemis's mental state was somewhat off and worried that she might take her anger out on Medea because of her anxiety. Therefore, he pretended to scold her and indirectly protected her.

"I really do know!"

However, seemingly unable to bear the questioning from Lord Theseus, little Medea mustered her courage and recited a hymn of praise in a song-like divine language.

"That is the world finally reached after traversing billions of rays of light and hundreds of billions of rays of darkness. After death, only those chosen by God are permitted to enter this paradise..."