Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

"The nearby city-states have mobilized 80% of their fighting force, and they are currently encamped outside the city. However, our personnel have suffered heavy losses, and nearly half of them need rest and treatment."

"Teacher Ma, you, Asclepius (the god of medicine), and Orpheus should gather magicians and healers from the Athenian Academy, and also borrow priests and priests from Delphi to form a medical team to treat the wounded immediately."

The security of the inner city can be relaxed slightly, allowing those who still have the energy to work in three shifts to take turns defending it.

As for the missing potion ingredients, go to Daphne and the three Night Goddesses, and have them lead the nymphs from the Arima Caves to collect and transport them. We just happened to have plundered some from the Sacred Garden, which should solve our immediate problem.

"Okay, I'll do it right now!"

Upon hearing this, the wise Chiron nodded earnestly and immediately led a group of students to treat the wounded.

Upon hearing the assignment, Daphne hurriedly flapped her wings and led her group of sisters to follow in a flurry.

Samael then began to look through the emergency statistics and the parchment scrolls reporting the situation, while talking to his old acquaintances in the tent, assigning tasks and proposing solutions.

"The reinforcements from Thebes encountered sporadic enemy resistance."

Hercules, Castor, and Pollux, lead the rested Spartan soldiers to meet up with your allies. Remember, your primary objective is to cover their retreat; do not linger in battle. Every ounce of strength is extremely precious now.

Hercules solemnly pounded his chest and nodded, took the parchment scroll, glanced at it, paused slightly, looked at his friend who was buried in his head, and his facial features softened considerably.

The Theban contingent appeared to be a mix of civilians and soldiers, and surprisingly, one of its members was a wife with whom he had a broken relationship.

Hercules raised his hand to his three sons, whom he had lost and then found again, and went out to carry out his orders.

Meanwhile, the Spartan twins gathered a number of divine blood guards to surround Hercules, wanting to support their own.

"Iorkos has fallen? A large influx of refugees? So quickly?"

"Kainese, I'm giving you three Pegasus squads to meet these refugees. Athens is too far; settle them in the valley beyond the third line of defense. There's nowhere absolutely safe anymore."

"Ha, Theseus, you finally remembered me! If I stay with these coastal creatures any longer, I'll go moldy!"

The dark-skinned female warrior stretched her arms and waist, eagerly leaving the Thessalian camp, carrying orders and excitedly gathering her troops.

The sea demigods glared angrily after being unjustly belittled. If it weren't for Peleus and Telamon stopping them, that bratty little sister who always offends people with her words would probably have been ganged up on and beaten up on the spot.

Sooner or later, I'll die because of my own mouth!

Samael rolled his eyes at Katniss, who was swaggering away, and looked up at Thessalonians.

"There's a gap on the Iorkos side. To prevent those things from flanking us, the task of intercepting them in the coastal waters is assigned to you."

"Yes, Your Highness..."

Peleus rose and nodded, using a rather fitting title for the figure surrounded by the three goddesses Athena, Medusa, and Themis.

Now, all the nations of mankind obey the commands of Athens and Mount Ares.

Theseus, being both the new king of Athens and the master of Mount Ares, naturally deserved to sit on the throne as the leader of the Greek city-states and the human alliance.

"Xiao Jiu, go with the Snake Mother to the dense forest behind the mountain and restrain the magical beasts in the Alima Cave. If they disobey, consider it an extra meal for you!"

"hiss!"

"Boss, take some acquaintances and sneak into the nearby harbors and hills to set up sentries and closely monitor the movements in the stormy sea area. Report to me every ten minutes!"

"understand!"

"Stheno, Euryale, I heard you've brought a craftsman from Daedalus? Have him repair the walls. Report the materials and manpower he needs to Themis!"

"Alright, alright, all you ever do is boss people around..."

"Athena, go and gather the troops. I need to know exactly how many men are available in two hours."

"Don't worry, leave it to me!"

"..."

Things were proceeding in an orderly manner. In just half an hour, the problems that had accumulated at both the front and back were resolved one by one, and fewer and fewer people were coming and going from the tent.

Medusa, who was also severely depleted and had been deliberately left in the tent to recover, stared blankly at the table, sometimes frowning in thought, sometimes giving orders, and sometimes flipping through the parchment scrolls to analyze the situation.

Without looking up, Samael finished approving the last parchment scroll on the table concerning the replenishment of damaged weapons, armor, and supplies, and tossed it to Sisyphus.

Huh? You want me to take the token from Mount Ares and go to Hephaestus, the god of fire, to ask for supplies?

You haven't mentioned the quantity yet? How much you can produce depends on my abilities.

Sisyphus twitched his lips and walked out of the tent with a sigh.

"Is there a problem with you looking at me like that, Anna?"

The gentle inquiry, though spoken to Medusa, struck her like a thunderclap.

The goddess looked flustered and at a loss, and stammered out a sentence.

"No...nothing...it just feels like I've returned to the Uruk Royal Palace Tower."

"It does evoke some nostalgia; I learned a lot there."

After a few brief reflections, Samael tidied up the table, got up, and went to the sand table set up inside the tent to analyze the situation.

"Well, fortunately, Samael, you were once the shepherd king of Uruk, and you have accumulated valuable experience in handling emergencies. The people of the various city-states are also willing to trust you. Otherwise, things would really be a bit tricky."

Medusa calmed herself, a nostalgic smile on her face, her crimson eyes sparkling.

Clearly, even after thousands of years, those warm memories never fade, and this girl still prefers the atmosphere of Uruk to Greece.

Samael made subtle adjustments to the deployment of military forces on the sand table and tossed a hand order to the fat owl preening its feathers on the shelf.

This little guy, who had once delivered golden apples and was clearly lured by snacks and fed until he was chubby, blinked his still intelligent eyes, picked up the bamboo tube, and conveyed a message to his mistress, Athena.

"Alright, I've arranged most of the things at hand. For the remaining troubles, we'll need to look around on the spot. Come on, let's go for a walk."

Samael then let out a long sigh of relief, waved behind him, and Medusa nodded with pursed lips and followed in small steps.

The moment I stepped out of the tent, I felt a warm, jade-like touch in the palm of the ancient snake's hand.

Samael looked down at the slender, boneless hand, a half-smile playing on his lips.

Medusa, standing nearby, blushed deeply and tried to pull her fingers back as if electrocuted, but they were held tightly...

Then, the curtain was rolled up, and two figures standing side by side, their fingers interlocked, walked further and further away.

Along the way, the city was ravaged, and both people and gods were in a hurry. An anxious and gloomy atmosphere permeated the air, and there was a sense of impending doom everywhere.

Samael, who inspected the area along the way, helped allocate resources and solve problems, but in reality, he didn't have much free time.

When the defensive line had been halfway through, a series of noises came from the gate of a camp that received heroes of divine blood and provided them with supplies and lodging.

"Only those with merit are qualified to enter here. Do you think you can get through by cheating?"

The impatient gatekeeper shoved aside a disheveled, travel-worn fellow.

"I am truly a hero!"

The young man, looking pale and sickly, argued angrily.

The gatekeeper glanced at his empty hands, his disdain growing even stronger.

"You don't even have a decent weapon, and you say you are? Who can prove it? I've seen plenty of people like you who try to take shortcuts."

"I……"

The young man looked embarrassed, but in the end he gritted his teeth, lowered his head, remained silent, and turned to leave.

“I can testify for him; he deserves to go in…”

Just then, a sudden and familiar voice startled the frustrated young man at the door. He turned to look at the source of the sound, his face filled with astonishment, and he stammered.

"Old... Lord Theseus..."

"It's been a long time, Jason..."

Samael smiled slightly and nodded faintly.

Chapter 265 The Tragic Fate of a Greek Courtesan (1/2)

Inside a tent in the camp for meritorious individuals.

Once settled, Jason, clutching his allotted food, wolfed it down, even choking on it in his haste.

"Eat slowly. If it's not enough, I'll send someone to bring you some more."

Samael got up, handed him a glass of warm water, and began to comfort him.

"Th-thank you...thank you for your trouble, Theseus..."

After swallowing warm water and calming his breathing, Jason looked somewhat embarrassed.

"It's nothing, just a small favor. I also received your care in Calydon and Iolcos. Besides, I heard from Rhodes and Caenis that you took good care of them on your return journey."

Samael smiled faintly, his tone gentle. This response, however, made Jason lower his head awkwardly and avoid eye contact.

To lighten the somewhat somber atmosphere inside the tent, the ancient serpent casually inquired about the conditions along the route from Jason's hometown of Iorkos, as well as his experiences after his expedition from the Argonauts.

Speaking of these things, the once high-spirited socialite prince, who was full of vigor after obtaining the Golden Fleece, now appears dejected and bitter.

Upon his return, his uncle Pelias was quite warm and friendly. However, as the heroes of the various Greek city-states gradually left, the king who had usurped the throne changed his attitude and began to reveal his true intentions.

The cunning usurper not only plotted to poison his father, Aeson, but also framed him, stripped him of all his honors, drove him out of Iorkos, and sent troops to hunt him down.

During that period, Jason lived in constant fear, hiding and running away, lest he be caught and killed.

The Golden Fleece, a legendary gift from the gods that brings wealth and glory, ironically led Prince Iorchus, who went to great lengths to obtain it, to a life of even greater poverty.

As for why he didn't ask his friends on the Argo for help, Samael could guess the answer from his embarrassed expression.

The heroes who boarded the Argo were the cream of the crop of Greece; none of them were truly fools.

The prevailing attitude in this era was to value promises over life and death. After parting ways in Atlantis, even if the crew members didn't say it, they were more or less disgusted by Jason's desertion.

Therefore, after losing the crew's trust, it would be difficult to get their help again, and Jason, who was somewhat ashamed, was too embarrassed to ask them for help.

However, whether fortunately or unfortunately, a series of major events, such as the Olympian catastrophe and the start of the war of the Titans, have affected Iorchus. Now, the entire country has been destroyed by the attack of the Titans because it is located by the sea.

Even without pursuers, Jason, who had no fixed abode, had no choice but to follow the refugees of Iorcos and flock to the third line of defense in the Peloponnese in order to survive.

Unfortunately, Jason arrived at the wrong time. Due to the urgency of the situation, most of the Argonauts had been sent out by Samael on missions.

Even if he wanted to swallow his pride and ask for the meritorious treatment enjoyed by the heroes of divine blood, there were no acquaintances nearby who could verify his identity, and his own situation inevitably made people look down on him and suspect him.

Samael remained noncommittal regarding Jason's situation.

He was just an ordinary man, a pathetic puppet who spent his days racking his brains for his own desires, only to be toyed with by fate.

Atlantis's desertion at the last minute was certainly not honorable, but Samael, who had never had much hope for Jason in the first place, had no interest in criticizing him further.

After all, he was simply following his heart and making a choice that aligned with his own humanity, and he has already paid the price for it.

Out of consideration for their past acquaintance, Samael wouldn't mind offering some help within his capacity.

But, that's all.

With Samael, the de facto ruler of the human side, present, the gatekeeper naturally dared not neglect Jason, who was personally received by him.

Soon, a second meal was brought into the tent for a down-on-his-luck prince to enjoy.

Seeing that Jason had been settled, Samael stood up to say goodbye, patted him on the shoulder, raised his hand and placed a bronze plaque in Jason's palm, and spoke softly.

"War is about to break out here. Take this with you and head to Athens; it'll be safer there..."

Jason was slightly taken aback, then his face flushed red with shame.

But by the time he realized what was happening, the two figures walking side by side had already left the tent and disappeared at the end of the road.

The down-on-his-luck prince remained silent for a long time, then pursed his lips and groped for his bundle. He stuffed the dry rations inside and placed them back on the table, side by side with the bronze plaque.

Inside the dimly lit tent, Jason gazed at the objects on his left and right, his expression complex.

Outside the camp, Medusa glanced back, somewhat puzzled.

"Entering the camp of meritorious individuals and enjoying such treatment comes with corresponding obligations, namely, participating in the most brutal battles on the front lines as a hero of divine blood. Why leave behind the pass for departure?"

"That's because he's not suited to be a hero..."

Samael spoke up helplessly, and seeing that Medusa was still somewhat confused, the ancient serpent sighed and explained.

"Laziness, cowardice, indulgence in pleasure... Human beings have inherent weaknesses that bind them. Only those who can break through these boundaries when necessary are called warriors. But not everyone has this qualification and awareness. One more or one less makes no difference here. Let him be."

Medusa looked at Samael quietly, and after hearing his reasoning, she couldn't help but feel curious.

"I don't know why, but I always feel that you are too lenient with him."

"Probably because I used to be one of those ordinary people..."