Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

"However, could you explain why I still encountered that blue dragon, Bashum, whom you should be hunting, in Uruk?"

“I remember that I made a great sacrifice, paid a deposit, and you promised me with your hand on your heart.”

Samael frowned and snorted coldly, his sharp gaze fixed on the great goddess.

"Ah, um... this..."

"Yes! Warcraft has been causing a ruckus lately, and Mount Ebif isn't peaceful either. I haven't had a chance to make a move yet..."

Although Ishtar has a bad habit of being greedy, she still has some sense of shame, and naturally shows a rare sense of shame when it comes to blatant breaches of contract.

If you have any sense of shame, things will be fine; the real problem is losing all your integrity.

Samael's mind was made up, and his expression grew even more gloomy and cold.

"Didn't have time?! Do you know that the first to break through the Babylonian defenses was the Blue Dragon Bashium!"

"Do you know how many people have died under the claws of the wyverns and triceratops it led!"

"Do you know that the chain reaction caused by that beast led to the collapse of the front lines and almost caused Uruk to fall!"

"So many of us have died, and my second homeland has almost suffered the same fate as Babylon. You're telling me we didn't have enough time?!"

Ishtar opened her mouth, but was too stunned to speak. The intense anger in the victim's words made her afraid to even look at the ashen face in front of her.

At this moment, the people at the shrine who vaguely heard someone giving a partial account of the battle and shifting the blame to Ishtar all changed their expressions.

Many strange looks were cast at Ishtar, who had previously claimed the credit for looting treasures from Uruk.

Sacrificial sites, astrological altars, and temples were not subordinate to each other.

The reason why everyone has turned a blind eye to Ishtar's misdeeds in recent days is mainly because she really did protect Uruk during that crisis.

Therefore, both emotionally and logically, they owe this great goddess a debt of gratitude.

Of course, this gratitude can be expressed in the form of material gifts.

But now it seems that long before the outbreak of the monster tide, this war goddess who accepted the great sacrifice promised to kill the blue dragon Bashium.

Without the blue dragon Bashium, the dragon-type forces that broke through the Babylonian defenses might never have been created.

Dragon units will not be created, and the garrison and defensive barriers can operate stably.

With the garrison and defensive barrier functioning stably, General Leonidas would not be seriously injured, and the king would not be forced to leave the divine tower.

Since the king did not leave the divine tower, Jingu and the Beast Goddess had no opportunity to take advantage of him.

Perhaps, none of the tragedy would have happened.

Similarly, Ishtar, who was dizzy from being turned around, also fell into reflection after feeling like she was being pricked by thorns.

Blue Dragon Bashium? Could it be that the devastating battle in Babylonia is really related to that monster?

In the past few days, I seem to have seen the sacrificial site and guards dragging away many dragon-type flying monsters from the streets.

This was indeed a species that had never appeared before, and it truly struck at the heart of Babylonia's defense system.

Could it be that all of this is because of me?

"Snapped!"

The heavy object fell to the ground, and the several clay tablets, whose front and back were engraved with cuneiform script, were thrown in front of the goddess whose thoughts were in turmoil.

"Looking at the names here, ask yourself honestly, do you still dare to repeat the same reason you just gave?"

These were the names of those who died in that battle. Overwhelmed with grief, Ishtar buried her head even deeper, like a quail cowering in a storm.

"Was it simply a matter of not having enough time, or not doing it at all!"

Finally, this question, which struck Ishtar like a hammer blow to her heart, left the goddess of the heavens, who actually loved humanity, filled with remorse and speechless.

Hmm, it's almost done. If we keep playing with it, she might really break.

If, in the end, this woman gives up and retreats to Mount Ebif to live a reclusive life, then it would be a loss for her.

Samael noticed that Ishtar was completely overwhelmed by his combination of punches and was almost to the point of doubting God's existence, so he immediately decided to stop while he was ahead.

In fact, once you calm down, you'll realize that Blue Dragon Bashium was just one of the triggers that led to the collapse of the fortress.

To put all the blame on Ishtar is to take advantage of her for taking money and not doing anything, and there is a natural sense of shame and guilt involved.

The reasoning is similar to the nonsense that "when Pan Jinlian opened the window, the decline of China was destined."

If Pan Jinlian hadn't opened the window, she wouldn't have met Ximen Qing; without meeting Ximen, she wouldn't have had an affair; without the affair, Wu Song wouldn't have been forced to join the Liangshan bandits; without Wu Song joining the Liangshan bandits, Fang La wouldn't have been captured and could have seized the Song Dynasty; there would have been no Jingkang Incident, no Jin army entering the pass, no Qing Dynasty; there would have been no closed-door policy, no anti-Japanese war, no Eight-Nation Alliance invasion.

Then China will be the world's only superpower, and all other powers will have to kowtow to it. Little Pan, why are you opening the window when you have nothing better to do!

See? This victim mentality, born out of anger and venting, cannot withstand rigorous scrutiny.

Therefore, Samael needed to take advantage of Ishtar's conscience and help her get on board as soon as possible, making it a fait accompli.

"My Goddess, as the protector of warriors, I once trusted you so much..."

"To avenge my comrades, I offer you all the wealth they brought from Babylon."

"But you betrayed that trust, or at least, you didn't respond seriously..."

The ancient snake shook its head slightly, its face cold, revealing disappointment.

Ishtar, who already felt guilty and was completely swayed by her emotions, instinctively felt ashamed and even began to struggle with whether or not to spit out the tribute she had eaten.

However, just as the great goddess was hesitating, the creaking sound of wheels turning came from beside her ears.

Immediately, the soft tug of the cloth and the rustling sound below made Ishtar, who had been hanging his head, instantly perk up and look up.

At the same time, the colorful light from the car was reflected in those blood-red eyes.

Gems! So many gems!

Chapter Seventy: The right of interpretation rests with this king (First update of the fifth chapter)

"The Crown of Seven Stones! The Storm Scepter!"

Ishtar's eyes sparkled, her throat bobbed involuntarily, and her deep-seated, fervent love for gems was fully awakened.

Moreover, compared to what's in the car, what she reaped from the temple and sacrificial site by scavenging and stealing tableware was utterly worthless!

No, it's not even worth the trash!

The goddess of heaven finally managed to restrain her restless arms and looked up to ask in a dry voice.

"These are..."

"Of course, it's a jewel to be presented to you!"

Merlin, who was in charge of pushing the cart and helping out, smiled and nodded.

"All of it is for...for me? Did I hear that right?"

Ishtar held her head in her hands, stammering as she asked, her expression one of disbelief.

"Of course! In any case, you have done a good job for Uruk, so it is only right that you receive some compensation."

"Furthermore, the wealth previously looted from the temple can also belong to you."

Merlin bowed slightly, lowering his posture and appearing very humble.

Am I dreaming? Is this for real?

Ishtar was breathing rapidly, her head was spinning with happiness, and her thoughts were becoming chaotic.

Calm down! Calm down! Ishtar! That golden-haired guy, would he really be so kind?

Ishtar wasn't stupid after all. She rubbed her stiff cheeks, forcing herself not to look at the shiny little cutie in the car, her expression somewhat suspicious.

"why?"

"The king has already recognized your achievements, and given his generosity, he will naturally not be stingy in rewarding those who have made contributions."

"As long as you continue to stand on Uruk's side, this is just a deposit!"

Merlin spoke eloquently, then paused before offering an even more enticing offer.

"Deposit?!"

"The reward for accompanying us in dealing with the Three Goddess Alliance is twenty percent of the entire Babylonian Treasury's mineral reserves!"

"The Babylonian Treasury? That special storage facility that Gilgamesh built for the future, once completed, would be equivalent to the total assets of humanity!"

Ishtar stammered in response, nearly fainting with excitement.

“That’s right! We’ve even brought the contract. As long as you agree, these treasures will be transferred to your name!”

"At that time, you will probably become the richest goddess in all of Mesopotamia!"

Merlin's flattery and his vision of the future nearly suffocated Ishtar.

"Wait, this sounds too suspicious, I..."

However, the exceptionally generous terms made this great goddess somewhat incredulous.

Previously, after being criticized by others, she thought she was going to be kicked out of Uruk in disgrace.

As a result, the other side not only did not hold her accountable, but also sent her a large number of gems.

This is like going from hell to heaven.

"Merlin! Let's go!"

However, as soon as Ishtar opened his mouth, Samael, who was standing next to the carriage, immediately covered the curtain, pulled the reins, and prepared to turn back.

"No...don't go!"

Ishtar opened her mouth instinctively, her expression one of utter grief.

At this moment, Samael, who had stopped walking, turned around indifferently and whispered softly.

"To be honest, personal grievances are personal grievances, and merits are merits."

"In these times of peace and quiet, your timely arrival in Uruk to offer assistance is more valuable than anything else."

"So even if I'm deceived once, I'm still willing to believe that you are a goddess worthy of respect."

"All the people of Uruk who witnessed you defeat the monsters believe that the kind goddess Ishtar will always stand on the side of humanity and protect this city that once belonged to her!"

"Therefore, I am willing to set aside my personal prejudices and take the initiative to request King Gilgamesh to send me to discuss cooperation with you."

"Since you suspect our intentions, then let it go."

"Anyway, the payment for assisting in the defense of Uruk has already been made."

"Now, please take your spoils and leave our land!"

"You are not welcome here!"

Samael's eyes were filled with disappointment, which deeply pierced Ishtar's still-lingering conscience.

"I've given up hope anyway, it's just a pity for all the Uruk people who still have hope for you."

“Clearly, Blue Dragon Bashum…”

"Stop talking, I'll sign!"

Ishtar, caught in a rollercoaster of emotions, finally succumbed and hastily accepted the clay tablet, signing his divine name at the end.

Only when the last stroke was made and the contract, inscribed with binding incantations, took effect did Ishtar breathe a sigh of relief, as if a huge boulder had been lifted from her heart.

Samael's expression softened slightly. He raised his hand and placed it on the goddess's shoulder, whispering softly with deep feeling.

"Ishtar, remember your promise."

"I hope your Uruk doesn't really become the next ruined Babylon."

Ishtar, who had initially been focusing on the jewels, felt ashamed and then nodded earnestly.

Afterwards, this goddess, whose mood had been fluctuating like a rollercoaster, inexplicably felt a bit tired and wanted to rest for a while to process what had happened that day.

So, under Siduri's guidance, she was arranged to stay temporarily at the embassy.

The jewels that the goddess had amassed, as well as the deposit paid by Gilgamesh, were all transferred to her residence for temporary storage.

After all that commotion, Ishtar had clearly forgotten some things.

For example, if someone has clearly helped others and saved Uruk, it is only right to ask for compensation.

In fact, if she were even bolder, it wouldn't be impossible for her to take over Uruk while Gilgamesh is injured.