Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

"Speaking of which, big sister, you've come at just the right time. I've just run into a tricky situation and urgently need your help."

Meanwhile, Samael picked up a twig and sketched out the situation in Greece with a few strokes.

"Wenquan Pass?"

When the conversation turned to serious matters, Kukulkan immediately lowered his fingers and sat up straight. His clear and sharp eyes quickly peeled back the layers and he realized the crux of the problem.

"That's right. Without this natural barrier, the Persian army can advance unimpeded, breaking through the fortresses along the way one by one, penetrating deep into the heart of Athens, and thus dismantling the entire Panhellenic Union. The advantage gained in naval warfare will then vanish!"

Samael nodded solemnly, his brow furrowed.

In reality, the battle at Thermopylae was far more important and the situation far more dire than Queen Gogo of Sparta and Helen had imagined.

Once this vital passage is lost, it would be tantamount to most of Greece falling under the iron heel of the Persians, making land battles extremely difficult.

Therefore, after Thermopylae fell in history, the various city-states surrendered without resistance, and the Persian army quickly occupied two-thirds of Greece. No one could withstand their advance, and even Athens was burned to the ground.

During this period, Themistocles, the commander of the Athenian army, took advantage of this precious time to abandon his defense and move the people to Salamis Island and the surrounding waters for refuge. Based on this, he made a desperate gamble and launched the Battle of Salamis, which barely turned the tide of the war.

Indeed, in the actual course of the Greco-Persian Wars, the land battles ended in defeat, followed by a desperate naval battle in which a narrow victory was won.

However, due to his own actions, the Egyptians betrayed Cyrus, causing the Battle of Salamis to break out prematurely. Because the forces were dispersed, the intensity and victory were far less than recorded in history, and the main Persian force was not damaged.

The delayed land battle then commenced.

However, the Persians, having been defeated by the Greek fleet once, would have learned their lesson, even if they were foolish. Coupled with various other factors, the victory at the Battle of Salamis was absolutely impossible to replicate.

Therefore, Thermopylae has replaced Salamis Bay as the core of the decisive battle. Once it falls, there may be no chance of turning the tide!

With its foresight and strategic vision cultivated over many years, the ancient serpent revealed its speculations and concerns to Quetzalcoatl.

"So the problem now is that Rome is preoccupied with its own problems, Athens is internally corrupt and can't be relied on either, and you can't get away from your own affairs and don't have any usable military forces, so it's difficult to lift the siege of Thermopylae."

Quetzalcoatl stroked his chin, deep in thought and analysis.

"Well, I originally planned to first clear out Athens, then contact the Egyptians, gather military forces from all over the country, and launch a waterborne attack on the Persians' rear to support Thermopylae."

Samael nodded seriously, then stopped halfway along the marching route with his fingertips, his brow furrowed in gloom.

“But the Persian army is different from the past. There seem to be some unexpected new faces among them. I am worried that before I can set off, Thermopylae will have already fallen, and then everything will be over.”

"You're planning to...deploy troops?"

Kukulkan looked up thoughtfully and asked.

"No! I'm afraid it's too late! Besides, having too few people won't help, and having too many people will make preparations complicated. I'm not in a position of authority right now, and I don't have the authority to transfer people."

"What should I do?"

"I intend to—dispatch troops!"

Samael glanced at the Feathered Serpent Goddess opposite him, a smile playing on his lips.

"Friendly reminder: The current commander of Thermopylae is named Leonidas!"

That's it!

Kukulkan suddenly understood Samael's intention and looked at the decision-maker with admiration and praise.

"There's no time to lose. From now on, we'll split into two groups. I'll be in charge of pacifying Athens, while you head to Thermopylae and meet up with Leonidas!"

As Samael pondered, he raised his hand and placed a black scale shimmering with runes into Kukulkan's palm.

"Bringing this along will help him recall those memories of Uruk..."

For those who cannot break free from the shackles of fate, the experience of being summoned to Uruk is like a hazy dream.

However, the ancient serpent, due to its power of destiny and the rule of the "first cause," naturally has the means to interfere with the revival of such memories.

At that time, Leonidas, with all the experience of the Battle of Uruk and the Battle of Thermopylae, will surely be awakened.

Just as Quetzalcoatl was gathering his thoughts and preparing to summon the leopard and set off immediately, Samael, still somewhat uneasy, offered a cunning suggestion with a glint in his eye.

"By the way, let me remind our old friend to be careful of the Persians using the nearby abandoned mountain paths to outflank us. But even if we do find them, there's no need to make a fuss. We can just play along!"

Although Leonidas, having rekindled his memories of the Battle of Thermopylae, likely remembered most of the reasons that led to the fall of the fortress, it's better to say a few more words just in case.

"Yes, Your Majesty..."

Kukulkan winked mockingly, then whistled to summon the wind god pterosaur. He selected a direction, grabbed the leopard-man reeking of alcohol, and, under the dim light of night, soared through the dense forest at breakneck speed.

Chapter 106 I am the natural disaster, I am misfortune, I curse you!

With Kukulkan and Leopard stepping in, the urgent crisis at Thermopylae can be resolved.

Samael leaned against the tree trunk, watching his two old friends disappear from sight in the blink of an eye after only two hours together. Amidst his melancholy, his tense mood from the journey eased somewhat.

Now, I can finally take a breather and make arrangements at my own pace.

Judging from the battle on the mountain road, the Persian army probably had more than just the two freaks from India; there might have been all sorts of weirdos and monsters from Israel, Zoroastrianism, and Babylon.

To be on the safe side, the more generals you send, the better. Let me see who else is suitable.

The ancient serpent stretched its limbs, sat up straight, and looked down at the messy lines and characters on the ground. It twirled a pebble between its fingers, frowned in thought, and searched for a hand to supplement its plan.

The three sisters, Scáthach, Fenrir, and Hildor, are in Athens and have no idea what the situation is like inside. They need manpower to clean up Mount Ares, but they can't mobilize any.

Moreover, according to the agreement, it won't be long before Ramses II and Attila visit Athens, in addition to this fox with unclear stance by his side.

After transferring Scáthach and Fenrir away, his half-dead state couldn't keep the current horde of troublemakers in check.

Things are different now. Sigurd and the Nordic fleet also need to remain in the coastal waters to help him gather Greek forces, so they cannot move here either.

As for the Assassins in the Middle East, there's even less to rely on; the old man has his own plans, and who knows when he'll be there.

Besides, both sides had agreed beforehand that the religious order's resources could not be devoted to the war against the Persians; it wouldn't be right to force them to do something they didn't want to do.

After much deliberation, Samael realized that he could only draw manpower from Rome and the Celts.

However, after a series of communications, the ancient snake's face turned black and its mouth twitched.

In Rome, Nero abducted Brunhilde, and Penthesilea is in pursuit. The Amazons, who are stabilizing the situation in the Seven Hills, cannot be mobilized at all.

As for Britain, Boudica has gone to the vicinity of the island to investigate clues about the six fairy clans, but she can't make any contact with them. Skadi has also disappeared. In the entire Celtic tribe, only Boudica's youngest daughter is guarding the house.

What kind of teammates are these?! Quetzalcoatl, come back, I miss you...

The ancient serpent, its eyes brimming with tears, gazed northward, its voice filled with grief and indignation as it lodged a protest.

After a series of calculations and records, Samael calmed himself and looked at the map of Greece, but his gaze became depressed again.

India: Karna, who possessed the gifts of Brahma; Rama, who was the reincarnation of Vishnu; and Ginako, who was possessed by a stone statue god.

China and Japan: Tamamo-no-Mae, a vile fox spirit who wreaked havoc on the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, and is also said to be an incarnation of Amaterasu Omikami.

South America: Kukulkan, the feathered serpent god; the smoky leopard man;

Persia: Two emperors and a large number of Persian heroes, and possibly Zoroastrian and Israelite deities, are also involved;

Egypt: Pharaoh Ramses II, Pharaoh Nitocris, Cleopatra;

Rome: Nero, the Rose Emperor who obtained the true mechanical god, and Julius Caesar hiding at Thermopylae;

Macedonia: Alexander the Conqueror;

Celtic and Irish: Scáthach, Queen of the Shadowlands;

The Hunnic Empire: Attila the Great;

Middle East: The Islamic Assassins, Hassan the Grand Assassin King;

Norse mythology: Skadi, the goddess of winter; Jormungandr, the world serpent; Fenrir, the giant wolf; the four Valkyries; the Warrior King; the Raven King; the Blood Axe King; the Dragon Slayer...

Good heavens, it seems that every major region in the entire Age of Gods has sent representatives to Greece to join in the fun?

Holy crap, look at this bunch of gods! With this lineup, you could easily crush Greece eight times over!

I was so stupid, really. Knowing full well that I'm prone to causing natural disasters, I still went to Greece.

I painstakingly quelled the three-pronged coalition in Rome, thinking I had secured my rear and could then wage a comfortable, easy victory. Was it really necessary to create such a massive commotion? This is what you call easy mode?!

"Fuck your grandpa!"

In the dense forest, the more Samael thought about it, the more dizzy and throbbing he felt. A surge of resentment rushed from his dantian to the top of his head, causing him to raise his middle finger and curse at the innocent night sky.

At this moment, Helen and Gego, who were sitting around the campfire by the side of the road, gazing intently northward, were startled awake by a flock of birds taking flight. Their gazes then met in the deep, dark forest.

This assassin bodyguard was far more mysterious than they had imagined.

The two strangely dressed women had just been there, and the slightest leak of ether around them made Helen feel suffocated.

As for their claim that they both belonged to the Brotherhood and met by chance while traveling across the ocean with Ezio, just take it with a grain of salt.

There's no need to take it seriously, nor is there any need to expose it. It's better to see through some things but not say them out loud.

Besides the two who came and went in a hurry, there was another figure in the group that made Helen and Gogo feel a sense of vigilance from a woman's intuition.

"Wine... gulp... muah... good wine! Keep drinking!"

Amidst the uniquely accented hiccups of wine, Xiao Yu, lying cross-legged beside the fire, her face flushed, picked up a wine jar and, in her sleep, giggled and nibbled at it haphazardly.

"Mmm, lamb chops! Delicious! Delicious!"

Amidst the teeth-grinding sound, Helen and Gogo stared strangely as they watched the "delicate" girl rescued from the bandit's den crunch off hard pottery shards, chewing and swallowing the crumbs as if they were snacks.

"Hehe... Ahaha, oh dear, it tickles! Don't touch me like that, it's too lewd, darling! This is something we can only do after marriage. Let's start dating first..."

Xiao Yu, her face growing increasingly red, rubbed against the wine jar like a pet, murmuring something unintelligible, as if she were dreaming of something. She was as shy as an innocent young girl, while Ge Guo and Helen beside her couldn't help but sigh in defeat.

"Ahei! Ahei! Ahei!"

At this moment, Samael, who was busy exploring the woods and trying to calm his mind, felt an itch on his nose and sneezed several times in a row.

The ancient snake recovered its strength, frowned, stopped, and looked up at the north with a deep, eerie gaze.

I have a bad feeling. Could something bad be going to happen at Wenquan Pass?

Meanwhile, Wenquan Pass.

Hearing the flapping of wings, Leonidas rose, leaning on his spear, grabbed the iron-feathered eagle from the battlement, removed the bamboo tube from its ankle, and skillfully tossed it to the red-haired boy beside him.

"Come, let's see what Xerxes has to say this time."

"The methods for persuading them to surrender are the same as before, only the wording is a bit harsher."

Alexander answered casually, looking down at the sprawling Persian camps from his high vantage point, the fire in his eyes burning even brighter.

"Judging from the situation, the Persians have amassed a force of nearly 20. How long have we been holding out?"

"It's been about five days since the first attempt to persuade them to surrender..."

"According to my estimate, we have at most two more good days."

"We haven't heard from Caesar yet. We need to hold out a little longer. Or should we soften the tone in our letter?"

"It's useless. This delaying tactic can only be used once. Seven days is probably the limit of their patience. It's also the time they need to regroup their troops and advance across the board. Once the Persian reinforcements arrive, the siege will begin. Verbal disputes are meaningless. Everything will eventually have to be resolved on the battlefield with real swords and spears."

Upon hearing this, Leonidas felt a headache coming on.

After repeated battles, he had little doubt about Alexander's judgment, but the time left for them was still too short.

Hopefully, it's not too late...

Just as Leonidas was gazing at the sea with deep concern, a somber and desolate bugle call suddenly sounded, causing the garrison at Thermopylae to change their expressions slightly.

The Persians have moved ahead of schedule!

Chapter 107 Pale Sacrifice, Bleeding Compassion

Meanwhile, in the Persian camp.

"So, the Spartan messenger has escaped your control and entered Athens? Cain?"

The imposing figure on the throne propped his chin up with one hand and swirled a large golden goblet filled with wine in the other. His half-closed eyes gazed at the ripples in the goblet, a brilliant golden light shining deep within his pupils.

"My lord, the troublemaker is too powerful. Please be discerning."

The young man, whose body was etched with scarlet divine markings and whose face was pale, knelt on one knee under the tent. While trying to explain himself, he would occasionally cough lightly, as if a needle-like pain was coming from his abdomen.

Cain, meaning "to receive," was the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, the first ancestors of humankind, born of God's grace; he was the "gifted one from God."

However, out of jealousy and hatred for his brother Abel's favor during the sacrifice, he killed him and was punished and cursed by God, becoming a "kinslayer".

Later, he repented and was forgiven by the Savior, who sealed his seal for protection and exiled him to the land of Nod, where he multiplied his people.