Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

Besides, your curiosity is just too strong.

Samael gazed longingly toward the bedside, at the little girl whose face seemed to be flushed and obscuring her view, yet whose curious eyes peeked through the gaps between her fingers. His lips twitched slightly.

I said, "During the time the patient was in a coma, you didn't do anything strange that caused me to have that erotic dream, did you?"

Cough cough, a nightmare! Absolutely a nightmare!

The ancient snake coughed dryly, lowered its head, its old face flushed, and muttered to itself.

Chapter Sixty-Three: Where's the Face? Forget it! (Fourth Update)

By noon, after undergoing two rounds of examinations by priests and witches, Samael was confirmed to be fully recovered and allowed to get out of bed and go out.

Although, as a human capable of transforming into a magical beast, he is indeed somewhat peculiar.

But Anna, Merlin, Leonidas, and other "outsiders" have repeatedly refreshed our understanding of the mysterious forces in Uruk.

Compared to those truly perverted individuals, this Sumerian, who was known as the "heroic soldier of the ruined Babylon" and the "butcher of the sacrificial grounds," seems less unacceptable.

Of course, all the priestesses and priests knew were Samael's "monsterization" and "rapid recovery from exhaustion."

Because the ancient serpent and Anna had secretly coordinated their statements, the horrifying scene of him being torn in two by the goddess of monsters yet still alive and kicking had been quietly concealed.

After the routine check-up was completed, Samael received a large basket of follow-up healing supplies such as potions and runestones.

He had just exchanged a few pleasantries with the new head priestess when the soldier who came to his door brought the expected summons.

It came from the priestess Siduri and King Gilgamesh.

Phew! The most crucial moment has arrived!

By the God Tiamat, may your glory protect me and help me pass this test.

Samael breathed a sigh of relief, prayed silently for a moment to calm himself, then pulled Anna up and followed the messenger soldier onto the road leading to the royal palace tower.

Along the way, many houses on both sides were damaged to varying degrees. Uruk's neighbors, who were busy repairing their homes, stopped what they were doing when they saw two familiar figures on the street and greeted them in a friendly manner.

"Haha, good morning, Samael! I knew this fine young man who escaped from Babylon wouldn't die so easily!"

"Hey, little Anna, you've come out too. Haven't eaten yet? Come and try my baked pie, it's fresh out of the oven."

"Hey, old Parker, you woke up in three days! Odd number! You owe me a beer!"

"Hey, you up north, why didn't you leave a day earlier? I'm missing out big time, you know that!"

"No way! After meeting the Queen, you're paying for tonight's drinks!"

Samael nodded repeatedly, responding with a mix of laughter and playful criticism.

Anna, who was well-liked by the older women, had her arms piled high with wheat cakes, small cakes, and dried fruit given to her by her neighbors in Uruk after walking down the long street.

Samael was also fortunate enough to receive snacks and fruits for two meals.

The ancient serpent lowered its eyes, looking at the gift in its hand that carried a delicate fragrance and sweet taste. A slight smile appeared on its lips, and a warm feeling flowed through its heart.

As intelligent as he is, he naturally understands that this is a signal, meaning that he has been recognized by the city.

Even though he transformed into a terrifying monster, he was still admired and trusted.

Even though his city-state was destroyed and he drifted here, he was still accepted by this place.

What he was before is not important.

Many people remember what he did for this place.

Therefore, these people are willing to believe that King Gilgamesh's summons should not be seen as an accountability, but rather as a reward for saving Uruk.

Those who hold salaries for everyone must not freeze them to death in the wind and snow.

Those who pave the way for freedom should not be made to be trapped in thorns.

Those who work for the benefit of the people should not be left to fight alone.

Those who are willing to sacrifice their lives for their country should not be left without a responsibilities to fulfill.

Here, it doesn't matter if you come from Eridu, Cusa, Nippur, Babylon, or even faraway Greece, Avalon, or Sparta.

Once you enter this land and accept the king's leadership, you will have only one common title—Urukian!

Perhaps that's why Anna likes this place.

The ancient snake took a bite of the sweet fruit, a faint smile spreading across its face. It looked up at the clear sky, its lips moving as it murmured to itself.

Those who treat the world with kindness will be treated kindly in return.

Mother Goddess, this is also an honor you should enjoy.

But don't rush, wait a little longer.

The clear, low hum of the thread in my mind seemed to respond.

Samael threw the gnawed fruit pit into the grass and followed the messenger who had been waiting for a moment.

Of course, the journey from the embassy to the Royal Palace Tower is not all about tender feelings.

Even though the stone bricks have been replaced and the floor has been cleaned, the bloodstains in the cracks, the mountain of monster corpses in the sacrificial ground, the large crater being filled in the east gate barracks, and the soldiers and magicians climbing up and down the north wall to repair the damage...

All of this indicates that the aftershocks of that brutal battle are still lingering.

Uruk is licking his wounds, hoping to regain his ability to defend himself as soon as possible.

In addition, Samael witnessed strange scenes as he passed by the witch's shrine and temple.

A group of clergymen were deftly scraping gold dust off the walls, prying gemstones off the pillars, and casually knocking coins of different materials out of the donation box.

"You lot, hurry up! Hurry up! Hand over anything else of value!"

Amidst the urgent urging, a dark-haired figure wearing a dazzling crown and a Sumerian kilt squatted in front of the box.

The outstretched fingers of that lotus-like arm inserted themselves into the pile of coins and gems, excitedly repeating the motion of tossing and scattering them.

As the gems and coins slipped through her fingers and fell into the box with a pleasant clinking sound, the beautiful black-haired girl listened intently, completely captivated.

Her stunningly beautiful face, partially revealed, curved into a sly smile like a lucky cat, clearly indicating she was thoroughly enjoying herself, as if the sound was the most beautiful music in the world.

"We're rich! We're rich! After working so hard for so long, we're finally able to recoup some of our costs and cover our expenses."

Amidst excited murmurs, the black-haired figure held a sparkling gemstone, rubbing it up and down against one cheek, her smiling lips widening even further.

"Lady Ishtar...that's all..."

A slender priestess struggled to drag the treasure chests full of goods behind the goddess. She looked back at the empty temple, which looked as if it had been ransacked by bandits, and felt a strange pang of sorrow in her heart.

Inside the half-open box, apart from a few coins and gems, the main items were bowls, plates, candlesticks, and statues of gods made of gold and silver.

It can be said that these objects are basically the faces that were stripped off from the temple.

Once Uruk's most luxurious and elegant landmark, besides the Royal Palace Tower, it has now become a dilapidated, leaky building slated for demolition.

"Well, not bad, looks like you guys work really hard."

The black-haired goddess raised her hand and patted the witch on the shoulder, smiling with satisfied narrowed eyes in praise.

Just as she was about to stuff these spoils into the space of the Sky Ship Maana, the sorrowful-looking witch mustered up her courage and grabbed the goddess's arm.

"Lady Ishtar, if you take everything with you, what will become of the temple..."

"What does this have to do with me? Anyway, no one in Uruk is offering sacrifices to me right now."

"It's such a waste to build such a beautiful temple."

Ishtar tossed the treasure chest into the Skyship Maana with an air of complete nonchalance.

The priestess's breath hitched, and she suddenly felt her faith crumble.

I'm all better.jpg

Chapter Sixty-Four: All in!

So you think this temple was built just to make money?

As the priestess retreated in disarray, a nearby priest cautiously stepped forward to offer her a reminder.

“Lord Ishtar, that is true, but these still belong to Uruk’s property, and the shrines are all registered.”

"If the king blames us..."

Ishtar glanced briefly at the Royal Palace Tower, put her hands on her hips, proudly raised her chin, and grinned smugly.

"Blame him? Am I afraid of him?"

"Hmph, that golden-haired guy just fought with the Chains of Heaven. Both of them were seriously injured and couldn't even take care of their health."

"What's wrong with me taking the property of my own temple? Let him bite me if he dares!"

The priest moved his lips, but remained silent.

"Hey, wait a minute, why are you only focused on squeezing your own land? That's so pathetic!"

Suddenly, the goddess seemed to remember something and tapped her head in annoyance.

Goddess, you finally realize you're shameful?

It wasn't easy, it really wasn't easy. Thank you, God Anu, for your guidance!

The priestesses and priests on both sides couldn't help but burst into tears, and a look of relief gradually appeared on their faces.

"Idiot! The Royal Palace Tower and the sacrificial site! How could I forget about those two places!"

Even if we can't find the Babylonian Treasury, there are still plenty of good things there!

Ishtar suddenly realized what was happening and immediately jumped onto the Sky Bow Maana, flying excitedly towards the next robbery scene.

The priestess and priestess, left standing alone, froze, looking at each other in bewilderment. Finally, they embraced and wept bitterly, their tears flowing uncontrollably.

Why did you have to choose a clergy position of all things?! And of all places, in this godforsaken place, Uruk!

As soon as the third storm arrived, their divine favor vanished.

Afterwards, the head priestess, unwilling to accept her loss of power, decided to use spirit summoning, giving away her first kill in a fit of rage and angering the King of Heroes.

Since the start of the Babylonian War, these orphans, unloved by gods and men, have put in a great deal of effort to wash away the negative impression they have of King Gilgamesh.

Potions, gems, coins, and food were hauled to the sacrificial site in truckloads, and manpower was always conscripted at full capacity.

Moreover, even in such a dangerous place as the Warcraft front, they had to grit their teeth and charge forward.

Therefore, the number of shrine maidens and priests who died or were injured was second only to that of soldiers.

As a result, just when he had finally turned around the bad impression and was about to see the light at the end of the tunnel, the goddess he served actually came and personally ransacked his temple.

What's going on!

They've lived all their lives, reciting the great deeds and sublimity of the gods from the clay tablets every day, and this is the first time they've ever seen a goddess scraping their own land!

King Gilgamesh needed supplies, the warrior camp needed manpower, and when the goddess arrived, she almost demolished and packed up the house.

When did we become such easy prey? So everyone wants to take advantage of us? We can't live like this anymore!

The witch and the priest looked at the dilapidated temple riddled with holes of all sizes, their hearts filled with grief and indignation.

What kind of clergy is this! If anyone dares to tell me that serving God is a good job, I'll smash their head in!

At this moment, Samael, who was gazing at the scene of the robbery, watched as the ruthless female bandit left behind a mess before driving off to commit crimes elsewhere. He couldn't help but mutter to himself as he looked down at the scene.

"Teacher, was she this despicable before she slew the spirit?"

"Uh…"

The ghostly prostitute Shamhat, who was brought into the ghostly cage this time, had smoke shifting across her face. She was choked for a while before finally covering her face and speaking.

"No, it can't be that bad..."

"you sure?"

"Perhaps...maybe...possibly?"

Samael was speechless and raised his hand to his forehead.

In orthodox Sumerian mythology, the great goddess Ishtar is truly despicable, having done virtually nothing commendable to the Uruk people, but rather causing a great deal of trouble.

The most famous incident was undoubtedly her personal grudge that led to the descent of the Bull of Heaven to ravage Mesopotamia for seven years.

Even now, thanks to the spirit possession, the foreign girl who served as the host has given Ishtar humanity.