Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

"You're planning to...go to Athens?"

"Well, if... if Lord Theseus doesn't want me to come along, Athens is your homeland, right? In any case, I will wait for you to return there!"

As if she could already see herself being forced onto the ship all alone, little Medea looked sorrowful, and a resolute determination to take root in Athens and wait patiently appeared in her eyes.

"No! Absolutely not!"

"what?"

"You absolutely cannot go to Athens alone without me!"

"That……"

"Just stay close to me and don't wander off. It's just the underworld."

Samael forced a smile and held Medea's soft hand tightly, trying to persuade her in an almost domineering tone.

Seeing happiness come so suddenly, little Medea, completely unaware of anything amiss, smiled radiantly, her heart overflowing with sweetness, and shyly nodded in agreement.

At this moment, a look of horror filled Samael's eyes, which gradually faded.

Just now, he suddenly remembered that, according to the epic poem Medea, this witch, who had suffered an unhappy marriage, fled to Athens to avoid trouble after betraying her ex-husband Jason, and became the new queen of King Aegeus of Athens.

And coincidentally, Aegeus was the father of this very king, Theseus.

In other words, if some twist of fate were to happen while Medea was being raised in Athens, he might have another "stepmother" in name only when he returned.

Well, with so many people and so many helpers involved, it's not so easy to avoid getting dragged in.

Moreover, he vaguely remembered that in some Greek legends, Medea reached the pinnacle of magical research in the Age of Gods, possessed an immortal body, and eventually became the queen of the paradise of King's Landing.

Perhaps, bringing this girl along might provide a hidden buff! Let's do it!

Samael made up his mind that, in order to avoid having a stepmother, once the vortex leading to the depths of the underworld opened, he picked up little Medea without saying a word and jumped down.

The six figures—the Healer, Orpheus, Atalanta, Hercules, Circe, and Artemis—exchanged glances and nodded, then followed closely behind.

Moments later, the deep whirlpool closed, and the sea returned to calm.

At this moment, having ascended to the top of the interstellar city mountain range, looking down at his ally Poseidon who had departed, he slowly withdrew his gaze, holding his trident, and walked step by step to the center of the great altar, silently reciting divine words.

In an instant, countless stars fell, and a vast corridor formed by this silvery light rose from the great altar, stretching out into the scattered starry sky.

Poseidon ascended the silver, luminous spiral staircase, strolling through the galaxy. Along the way, in the light-patterned niches, ten uniquely shaped true-body mechanical gods stood silently on either side.

Until the end of the Milky Way, a silver vortex keeps turning. This is the core of the space that opened up the curved realm, extended hundreds of spiral arms, and formed the giant ocean starry sky.

At the very center of the starlight vortex, a giant silver-white metal cocoon, about a hundred meters tall, shaped like a teardrop, with its outer shell engraved with intricate, unnamed incantations and principles of technological creation, beats rhythmically like a heart.

The threat comes from the stars?

Hmph! Zeus, you are clearly afraid of those who challenge your power!

And I conquered it!

Poseidon gazed with fascination at the source of the miracle that had brought him the prosperous kingdom of Atlantis and emboldened him to challenge the authority of the Olympian gods, his expression one of madness.

Chapter 231 The Ship of Theseus (1/2)

The Colossus Sea, Hecate Island.

On the deck of the Argo, Katniss, who was once fearless, limped out of her room, leaning on her spear. However, she hadn't run more than a few steps when Rhodes, the little mermaid who rushed up behind her, kindly dragged her back into the room.

"Oh dear, you're so badly injured, why are you running? Get some rest! Aren't we trying to find a way through? Let's use this time to get to know each other better. By the way, what are some good places to eat and fun things to do in Athens? Tell me more..."

What nonsense! Ever since you boarded the ship, your mouth hasn't stopped. You're either eating, drinking, or talking. Can't you do anything else?

Now I can't get any peace and quiet around my ears. It's like there's a huge swarm of bees and flies buzzing around.

I'm a patient, can't you be more understanding?

Katniss froze, her gaze turning back with grief and indignation. However, when her eyes met that innocent and endearing little face, the urge to curse was swallowed back, and all her words turned into a muffled groan of frustration.

"I'm sleepy…"

"Okay, I'll lull you to sleep. I'll secretly tell you something, I'm the best at bedtime stories. Let me tell you about my experiences in the sea. There are so many interesting things that I could talk about them for three days and three nights."

The Little Mermaid, Rhodes, was in high spirits, her eyes sparkling, and without saying a word, she closed the doors and windows and made the bed.

Ugh! Damn it! I'm such an idiot! If I'd known, I wouldn't have accepted this escort mission. I should have just gone to the Underworld and had a good time killing people!

Katniss, feeling her brain swelling and trembling, looked utterly hopeless and cursed inwardly.

Damn it, I hate everything related to the sea!

Just as these two adversaries, about to embark on their journey together, were getting to know each other, the cabin door slowly closed, the sails billowed, and magical light patterns floated and shimmered.

"The wind direction is perfect! The wind speed is perfect! Argonauts, return to port!"

Inside the captain's cabin, Jason, brimming with excitement and high spirits, drew his sword and swung it down, transmitting his voice through a magic circle to the ears of every Argonaut hero.

"Phew, finally I can go back! The Golden Fleece, plus all these jewels and spices, I've made a killing! Thanks for getting me out of that mess today, how about I treat you to drinks when we get back, buddy..."

The triumphant voice abruptly stopped. The blond youth looked around at the empty surroundings, his face stiffened, his eyes lowered, and his lips moved silently, the word forming into two simple words in the deathly quiet captain's cabin.

Feel sorry……

The ship propelled itself forward through the waves, the heroes took their positions, and a group of dolphins leaped and frolicked on the azure water, joyfully guiding the Argo. These were guides from Atlantis.

At this moment, in the interstellar city mountain range, in the Machine God Corridor.

Dressed in scales, Triton stood quietly before the clear floor-to-ceiling window, gazing into the distance as Argo gradually disappeared into the eye of the tide, vanishing from sight.

Change is coming, and you shouldn't get involved.

Let's go, as far as possible!

The mermaid prince murmured softly as his lips moved. As time passed, the trident in his hand, which shimmered with a ghostly blue light, gradually dimmed. His figure was swallowed up inch by inch in the afterglow of the setting sun, and finally fell into silence.

Meanwhile, above the underworld, three colossal walls cast in bronze shimmered with light, their bricks retracting and converging as if alive, opening a narrow passage.

Immediately, the azure vortex spread down the crack, and six figures caught in it leaped out at the opulent, dark entrance to the road.

The surroundings were dark, with only the eerie blue phosphorescent flames drifting around providing a little light.

Moreover, the moment they landed, the deathly aura, like a thick black fog, seemed to sense the presence of life and transformed into countless black snakes, rapidly coiling around and eroding the group of vibrant intruders.

hum!

However, the clear and solemn tremor suddenly reverberated, and circles of red and black light patterns spread outwards. Like a gust of wind, the snakes and pythons formed from the aggregation of death energy instantly vanished and dissipated.

At the crossroads, Samael, who was in the lead, looked down at the back of his hand and saw a black crown-shaped brand with seven edges emerging from his flesh, shining brightly in the darkness.

The underworld...blessing?

The ancient snake paused for a moment, then smiled, a gentle light appearing in its eyes. It raised its hand and gently placed its fingers on its chest, a warm feeling welling up inside it, its gaze filled with reminiscence.

Ereshkigal... thank you...

Meanwhile, Medea and Circe, having regained their senses, hurriedly waved their staffs, casting the blessing spell of Hecate, the goddess of the moon, upon their companions.

Of course, in terms of effectiveness, it can only ensure that teammates can move normally, and it is certainly not as good as the high-level divine protection that Samael can dispel a large area of ​​death energy with a single arm strike.

Could it be that Mount War God has colluded with the gods of the underworld?

Artemis blinked, completely bewildered, and muttered to herself.

Fine, as long as my dear Orion can be saved, let them do whatever they want.

The moon goddess carelessly forgot about the crisis facing her father Zeus, embraced her lover tightly, and followed the procession with light steps.

Tartarus, which originated from the chaotic void of the Greek world, is the "Abyss" and the essence of the underworld.

Therefore, it is the abode of the souls of gods and humans, and also a prison for those who commit the most heinous crimes, connected to the sea and the earth through the River Styx.

Fortunately, by a twist of fate, Poseidon, the ally temporarily recruited, was both the gatekeeper of the Tartarus caves and the chief god who controlled the ocean currents, making entry into the underworld a piece of cake.

However, this place is, after all, a crucial location where the Titans and other enemies of Zeus are imprisoned. If we delay too long, things might get complicated. We should hurry.

Samael then took out the colored scales that Poseidon had drawn the route on, and after confirming the direction with the faint light of the phosphorescent fire, he led his teammates to quickly pass through.

Tartarus's defensive perimeter is divided into two parts: an outer fortress consisting of three copper walls and an inner, invisible barrier formed by three layers of dark curtains that confuse perception, suppress power, and are filled with death energy.

To avoid being too conspicuous and alerting Zeus and Hades, the master of the underworld, the ancient serpent had no choice but to obediently follow the rules and pass through the dark curtains one by one.

In the darkness, the team made their way forward in a winding path. Although the road led in all directions, it was uneven and difficult to walk on. Every now and then, they would step on dry bones, which would produce a chilling, crisp echo in the deathly silence.

On both sides, there are either slippery and cold cliffs or deep valleys leading straight to the abyss, making it a place fraught with danger.

But with the help of the scale map that recorded the key points, and the group's strong physical strength and senses, after about a day and a night of exploration, they finally emerged from the desolate area shrouded in three layers of darkness.

The mournful roar of the River Styx echoed from the riverbed not far away, and the wails of the souls in the water sounded quite beautiful at this moment.

The six of them breathed a sigh of relief, their tense nerves relaxing slightly. They then found a relatively flat open space to rest for a while.

Immediately, the group sketched out the incantation to dispel the evil spirits, set up camp, and settled down briefly.

Squatting on the bluish-gray stone, Circe, on guard duty, looked around at the lifeless, gloomy world and the desolate scene that was no longer as lively as before, and couldn't help but feel a little melancholy.

Seeing the somber atmosphere spreading among his companions, Samael stretched his limbs, clapped his hands, beckoned everyone over, and sat down with a light laugh.

"Come on, it's time to use your brain. I have a rather interesting thought-provoking question. Whoever has the most original answer will get a small favor from me."

With nothing else to do, everyone became interested and sat down together to listen attentively.

"Tell me! Tell me! I can't wait!"

Circe, who had been the most dejected before, was now the most cheerful, even drooling and urging on.

Meanwhile, little Medea beside her blinked her bright, sparkling eyes, looking expectant.

Samael cleared his throat, organized his thoughts, and then asked with a hint of amusement.

"If the Argo were my ship, and I needed to constantly replace the planks due to damage and rot, after a period of time, when all the planks had been replaced, would the ship still be the same ship? If not, when did it cease to be the same ship? Was it from when the first plank was replaced, or after the last plank was replaced?"

After a moment of contemplation, the contradictory answers left them frowning, utterly perplexed.

Chapter 232 Let's get to know our Heavenly Father, our Savior (2/2)

"The planks have all been replaced, so it's definitely not the same ship!"

Circe's colorful eyes flickered, and she was the first to chatter in response, casually wiping the corner of her mouth as she spoke.

Samael had one request: he hadn't had a proper meal in ages...

"Snapped!"

Just as Circe was chuckling to himself, lost in his wonderful daydreams, he was suddenly struck hard on the head.

"The next question is, from when does it cease to be considered part of the Argonauts?"

Samael gave a snort of annoyance, his scrutinizing gaze revealing a cold smile that saw right through Circe's little scheme.

"Replace the last plank?"

"Oh, so the key to whether the Argo exists or not lies in that plank. If that's the case, if I saw that plank in half and keep half, does that mean the Argo can only be considered as half of the ship being preserved?"

"I think so..."

"You big dummy! You think you can just throw out a random answer and expect to get something for nothing? Are you stupid or am I stupid?!"

Another sharp rap landed on Circe's forehead, and the silly bird, clutching its swollen spot, squatted on the ground, muttering to itself.

"So, it's still the same ship?"

At this moment, Medea thought for a moment, raised her delicate hand, and tentatively asked.

"What's the reason?"

Sama stroked his chin, casting an encouraging glance, and asked softly.

"Because Lord Theseus is here! As long as the people on board remain the same, no matter how the Argo is repaired or replaced, it will still be the Argo!"

Little Medea mustered her courage, gazed at Samael, and smiled sweetly like a flower.

"What if everyone on the ship leaves?"

Atalanta felt a sudden tightness in her chest and instinctively retorted, her tone somewhat confrontational.

"It doesn't matter if the others leave. Anyway, the question says that this is Lord Theseus's ship, and Lord Theseus will always be here!"

Medea answered without hesitation, with an expression of self-evident certainty and a sweet smile.

The ancient serpent's heart was touched unintentionally, and it was momentarily lost in thought.