Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

"Mount War God still has those tactless old nobles who are slandering you behind your back. You need me! I have extensive connections and can help you stabilize the situation! I guarantee I'll shut them up!"

Furthermore, as compensation for offending our two distinguished Spartan guests, I apologize! I can also donate three, no! Five magic crystal mines!

I……"

Samael glanced at the middle-aged man, who was sweating profusely with anxiety, interrupted his self-justification, and smiled.

"It's okay, I forgive you this time..."

"Thank you, Your Majesty..."

"So, be more careful in your next life..."

The middle-aged man was overjoyed upon hearing this, but before he could finish expressing his gratitude, the lingering words made his pupils contract sharply, and his expression twist in astonishment.

"Pong!"

In an instant, the pale fingers that were locked around the man's neck suddenly burst into flames of red and black, and the rising fire instantly reduced him to ashes.

Gogo and Helen both shivered, somewhat dumbfounded.

"It seems I was too lenient with them..."

Gogo, immediately report to Mount Ares that these noble bloodlines have rebelled and intend to assassinate you and Helen, the two acting Athenian governors. Have Scáthach and Anna declare martial law throughout the city and send Valkyries and Berserkers to hunt down all their accomplices!

Power originates from the nobility, and so should sacrifice!

Since war always involves bloodshed, let them begin. The Great Sacrifice is short of offerings; tomorrow morning, let them sacrifice themselves, use them as a flag offering!

"..."

"Geguo!"

"I...I will obey your command!"

As the voice rose again, the Spartan queen, who had been staring blankly at the grayish-white, fluffy substance on the ground, snapped back to reality. She hurriedly bowed and took the scale imprinted with the conspirator's identity information with both hands. She turned and rushed towards the top of Mount Ares, her heart filled with dread.

Tonight, another bloody storm will break out.

His Majesty is truly angry. Could it be because of that?

As she hurried along, Geguo couldn't help but glance at the Gemini side hall, a thought silently rising in her mind.

Chapter 134 Familiar Recipe, Familiar Taste

Gemini Side Hall.

Samael leaned back at the table, his fingertips gliding along the rim of his teacup, his dark eyes gleaming softly in the fluorescent light.

"Your Majesty, what are you thinking about?"

As the last wisp of steam from the tea dissipated in the wind, Helen, who was tidying up the mess in the room, bent down to wash Samael's cups and pour in fresh hot tea, and couldn't help but ask.

"It seems our opponent has changed..."

The ancient serpent narrowed its vertical pupils, frowned slightly, and murmured thoughtfully.

"Forgive my ignorance, but you mean..."

"Nine days remain until the time Athena and the others predicted. The gates to the Starry Sea will then fully open, and the bound gods will return to the earth. However, with the loosening of the restrictions, more Persian gods have personally intervened, and there are probably more than one..."

As he pondered, Samael recalled the fluttering six-winged phantom enveloped in flames, and his brow furrowed.

"The worst-case scenario is that the very culprit who instigated the war of the giants will personally descend upon us!"

"Star Trek Vanguard!"

Helen suddenly became alert, her hand trembled, and she almost dropped the teapot in her palm. Involuntarily, images of the Oceanus Sea, the overwhelming giants, the aberrant creatures, and the white giants that burned everything, flashed through her mind.

This is an indelible nightmare for every Greek who experienced that apocalyptic catastrophe.

"No, Lord of Armies!"

However, Samael uttered a completely different name, and the fear and disgust in his eyes were even deeper than before.

As far as he knew, Cyrus was more famous for his magnanimous and benevolent attitude and for laying the foundation for the Persian Empire; his strategic acumen was not particularly outstanding.

But from the time Greece became the target of everyone because of the Inner Sea, to the secret alliance with Egypt and the Huns that sparked the two Greco-Persian Wars, to the assassination of Romulus the patriarch of the gods at the Seven Hills and the disintegration of Rome, and now to the Third Greco-Persian War, the schemes behind this are all interconnected, each step like a noose around the neck of Greece, constantly tightening towards the throat of Mount Ares.

Such an ingenious plan and such meticulous calculations put unprecedented pressure on Samael, while also giving him a strong sense of familiarity.

However, this kind of perfectionist player, because he pays too much attention to details and demands perfection, is prone to all sorts of unexpected events, which in turn lead to a series of variables that are increasingly beyond his original control, and the entire game becomes unrecognizable.

Same recipe, same taste.

The only one who would enjoy playing like this is probably the Lord of Ten Thousand Armies.

Unexpectedly, the prediction used to persuade Grandpa Jusudera came true and was quickly validated in the coup d'état on Mount Ares.

Angels, with bodies like jewels and wings on their backs, flutter down from heaven, spirits who serve the light...

The luminous feathers that appeared in the hands of these night raiders must have contained the power of angels.

The final sword strike summoned a fragment of this thing's spirit.

If I'm not mistaken, the mysterious Persian who incited these nobles of divine blood is very likely an angel.

Moreover, with six wings, his rank is probably not low!

The reason Samael was so concerned about these things was that these so-called angels were actually the henchmen of Jehovah, the Lord of Hosts.

Their appearance means that their old rival is about to make his appearance.

Perhaps, he has already infiltrated the Persian army.

That old bastard is like a persistent ghost!

Samael cursed under his breath, and there were some things that he just couldn't understand.

In the battle against the Abandoned Divine Kingdom, he risked his life, truly burning the divine body and divine essence of this Lord of Ten Thousand Armies. It was only by chance that he survived.

Jehovah not only didn't die, but he seemed to recover even faster than he had, which was simply unbelievable.

That can't be right, how did this guy do that?

A deep sense of dread flickered in the ancient snake's eyes, its expression shifting between light and shadow.

Meanwhile, Helen, upon learning that this Lord of Armies was the mastermind behind the Colossus War, who sought to assimilate Greece and nearly brought Zeus to his knees, felt her heart clench and anxiously inquired.

"Your Majesty, will this expedition......"

"We're bound to run into them!"

Samael nodded with a cold laugh, quite certain, but then a hint of mockery flashed in his eyes.

"However, judging from this old rival's past behavior, he would never risk showing himself without being fully prepared and having accumulated enough buffs. So, to have a head-on confrontation with him, we'll probably have to wait."

This lord of all armies relied too much on his so-called "perfect plan," but repeatedly ran into obstacles.

The more setbacks God suffers, the more meticulous He becomes in his calculations and the more cunning He is in his actions.

Despite the three storms in Mesopotamia, he still dared to appear at the Temple of Ea, confronting them head-on and mocking them to incite hatred.

During the Greek Colossus Wars, this guy waited until Olympus and Mount Ares were all severely weakened before daring to show his face, hoping to reap the benefits.

The Greco-Persian Wars, which brought together various pantheons, were probably no less significant.

As long-time rivals who know each other inside and out, both sides are well aware that a war between humans alone cannot shake the top powers of the major civilization zones.

So, despite how fierce the current Greco-Persian Wars are, this is just the appetizer.

The key question is what methods this Lord of All Armies intends to use to deal with Mount Ares and the Pantheon.

However, before the Starry Sea is fully opened, he still needs the Greek allied forces to hold back the Persian advance and buy time for Athena and the others to return.

"Then tomorrow..."

Helen realized the true strength behind the Persians, and her eyes filled with worry.

"The arrow is on the bowstring, but everything remains the same!"

Samael picked up his teacup, took a small sip, gave Helen a reassuring look, then raised his eyebrows and smiled.

"It's alright to tell you, the Assassins have already defected and, as agreed, they will join me in three days at the latest."

Carthage has already ceased hostilities, and the Egyptian fleet is currently anchored in the Chaos Sea. Ramses II probably wouldn't be so noble as to let them fight a losing battle in the Greco-Persian Wars, but if Persia shows signs of weakness, the Pharaoh wouldn't mind incorporating the remnants of the Persian army and expanding Egypt's territory.

Rome has sent its most elite Amazonian female warriors to fight, with Penthesilea in charge of leading the team. Two or three thousand of them are enough to fight against an army of one hundred thousand.

In addition, the second wave of reinforcements from the Norse are gathering. This time, it is the main force of the Valkyrie Legion. If nothing unexpected happens, the restless god-king Odin will personally come to see the so-called "Ragnarok"!

"He's not the only one who can manipulate people and call on helpers. That old rival has certainly improved over the years, but I'm no less capable!"

The ancient serpent wore a sinister smile, its expression mocking.

"Besides, you don't really think that Athena's so-called trump card is just Odysseus and Achilles, do you?"

It wasn't just two people, could it be...?

Helen seemed to realize something, and her eyes suddenly lit up.

Chapter 135 The Plague!

As her mind gradually calmed down, Helen noticed that Samael showed little sign of sleepiness and, taking his duty into account, frowned slightly and pondered.

"Your Highness, if we are to execute these noble bloodlines who participated in the rebellion tomorrow, we estimate that at least a hundred people will have to be slaughtered..."

“What, you can’t bear it? They are all unstable factors. At first, I was worried that you and Geguo wouldn’t be able to control them and that they would cause trouble. Now they’re offering me a knife. Before handing over the scepter, I need to remove all the thorns from it so that you can hold it firmly…”

Samael's eyes flickered, and he spoke softly.

“No, Athens rarely executes so many people at the same time. Based on what I saw and heard during the Trojan War, if divine blood carries malice and resentment and seeps into the land, it may have some adverse effects. Therefore, I suggest that their bodies be collected, purified by the priests, and burned in a unified manner to prevent the spread of plague.”

Helen waved her hands repeatedly, hurriedly explaining.

Some of the ancient serpents, with their preconceived notions, then remembered that the most beautiful woman in Greece before them was the High Priestess of the Temple of the Moon, responsible for purifying and blessing Spartan warriors, and had experience fighting alongside the army. She was definitely not some weak woman who couldn't move at the sight of blood.

The curse of divine blood and the contamination of corpses?

Consider the border between Persia and Rome, that "Land of Nothingness" teeming with "heartless sinners" born of the blood and malice of the Angolan god Manuel—this certainly seems to be a problem.

I hadn't paid much attention before, because the battlefield, which had been damaged, remained barren for years under the bombardment of divine power. There would be dedicated spellcasters accompanying the army to clean it up.

When Helen talks about this, it's usually just a casual mention, to avoid omitting anything.

The recent purges in Athens over the past two days have indeed killed many unfortunate children who happened to be caught in the crossfire. With the executions scheduled for tomorrow, we need to be careful, which is to be expected.

After all, once a corpse decomposes, all sorts of filth and bacteria will breed, which is common sense. Therefore, after a battle, the two armies often leave time to allow each other to deal with the remains of the dead in order to prevent the spread of disease.

and many more!

Samael, who was lost in thought, suddenly seemed to realize something. His pupils contracted sharply, and he raised his hand to hold Helen's shoulder tightly, his gaze urgent.

"What did you say at the end?!"

"Plague... plague?"

Helen stared at the face so close to hers, momentarily stunned. Then, feeling the pressure on her shoulder, she frowned slightly, startled awake. After a moment's thought, she began to repeat herself somewhat uncertainly.

hiss!

Yes, the plague! The Great Plague of Athens!

Samael gasped, his expression shifting between light and dark as long-buried memories of his past life began to surface.

In fact, after winning three complete victories in the Greco-Persian Wars, Athens did not press its advantage and expand its gains against Persia.

On the one hand, the internal strife between Athens and Sparta led to the Peloponnesian War, which continuously depleted their national strength, leaving them no time to attend to Persia.

On the other hand, according to existing historical records, Athens experienced an unprecedented plague during this period. Not only was Athens nearly deserted, but the archon Pericles also died from the disease. The plague also spread to many other city-states, resulting in the deaths of nearly half of the Greek population.

Ultimately, Persia was able to recuperate until the rise of Macedon and the military genius Alexander the Great defeated Darius III, finally conquering the vast empire.

Now, due to the chaotic transitions of time, it is hard to guarantee that this great plague will not break out again during the Greco-Persian Wars.

Moreover, considering the current global landscape, upon closer examination, the sudden and severe plague that struck Athens seems highly unusual.

There is a Western proverb that says, "To catch a criminal, first find the beneficiary." This forms the common logical deduction of the cause of crime in detective novels: who is the ultimate beneficiary and who is the most suspicious.

After the Great Plague of Athens, both Sparta and Athens were severely damaged, and the biggest beneficiary was undoubtedly Persia.

The three Greco-Persian Wars failed to destroy Greece, but this single wave of disease, without costing a single soldier, nearly brought Greece to its knees, giving the Persian Empire ample time to recover and allowing them to extend their lifespan. The Persians were already exhausted from winning.

Add to that the fact that a certain angel acting on God's orders just took a stroll around Mount Ares and spread the doomsday theory of Athens, and it all seems highly suspicious.