Chapter 216: Algol

"Well done, Little Algol is very satisfied!"

Just after Athena had left, a petite purple figure appeared behind Su Nian, though no one knew when.

It was Algol, who had wrapped her arms around Su Nian from behind.

"That's how you should deal with that ugly woman, Athena."

Su Nian turned his head slightly, looking at the somewhat malicious Algol, and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"Beauty treatments are off the table; it hasn't even been a week yet."

Although Algol was able to come out and support him, and had even stuffed her Simulated Star Creation Map onto him at some point,

that did not mean he had to reward Algol.

Helping Algol with a beauty treatment consumed quite a lot of his energy, you know.

"You dead block of wood, is that all Little Algol looks for you for—just beauty treatments?"

Algol's brows furrowed slightly, baring her little fangs in a super fierce expression, pressing tightly against Su Nian's face as if contemplating where to bite to give Su Nian a real taste of pain.

"Although, I do have a little bit of that in mind..."

Algol whispered while fiddling with her fingers; after all, the effect of Su Nian using Creation Power for beauty treatments was simply too good.

It made her feel like the cosmetics she manufactured, the Beauty Pill she had eaten before, and the Divine Object she had used were nothing at all. They weren't even one-tenth as good as Su Nian.

If something happened to Su Nian in the future, or if he got tangled up with that ugly woman Athena, how would she continue her beauty treatments?

"But Little Algol came out to warn you that that ugly bitch Athena definitely has no good intentions."

Algol said righteously, as if she had found the reason for her popping out—she definitely wasn't here to ask Su Nian for a beauty treatment.

She was specifically out to warn Su Nian to watch out for that ugly woman, Athena.

Of course, if she could get a beauty treatment reward from Su Nian because of this, that would be even better.

"Don't be seduced by Athena's superficial politeness."

"Little Algol tells you, besides being ugly on the outside, that woman Athena has a heart just as filthy; she is definitely not as beautiful and kind-hearted as Little Algol."

"I don't know what kind of madness that guy Athena is suffering from; her paranoia and persecution complex have become so severe day by day..."

That was exactly how Algol had been tricked; back then, Athena had used this as an excuse to apologize to her and offered some fine Divine Wine.

She hadn't really wanted to have a complete falling out with Athena, but who could have guessed that Athena would play tricks in the Divine Wine she offered?

And then Algol fell right into Athena's hands.

Algol had thought Athena offering the Divine Wine was a plea for peace, but who knew Athena was actually preparing for an all-out war with Algol?

However, Algol did understand Athena.

After all, wasn't the previous Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Metis, the best lesson?

As the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, she had once helped Zeus construct and condense the Greek God Group's Simulated Star Chart: Theogony, establishing the status of the Greek God Group and Zeus in one fell swoop.

The Simulated Star Chart: Theogony was an extremely rare deductive and observational type of Simulated Star Creation Map, and its function was to perfectly plan the Spirit Status path from Seven-digit to One-digit.

If the Theogony were fully unfolded, it could even summon great gods who had not yet been born in Little Garden but were recorded in Greek Mythology.

Yet, Metis, who was crowned with the name of wisdom and developed a Simulated Star Creation Map of that level, was ultimately devoured by Zeus, and two-thirds of her wisdom was plundered by him.

And it would be abnormal if Athena, who inherited one-third of that wisdom and served as the current Goddess of Wisdom, didn't have paranoia and a persecution complex.

Even in Algol's view, what Zeus did was truly dishonorable, and as Zeus's spawn, Athena wasn't much better.

"There's such a secret as this?"

Su Nian was a bit surprised; he hadn't expected that Zeus devouring Metis was actually just as written in the mythology.

He had thought the past of the Greek God Group in Little Garden was different from the mythology.

"But Athena seems to have been designated as the Fourth Generation Greek God King..."

Su Nian was silent for a moment and said softly; if viewed from Algol's perspective, Zeus could never possibly let Athena become the Fourth Generation God King.

How many years behind is Algol's intelligence?

But thinking about it, it was already quite a feat for Algol to be able to maintain the guise of Cain.

But even as Cain, she was actually just a peripheral character within the Shizishou.

Her intelligence flow wasn't even as good as Canary's.

Although Su Nian's intelligence also came from Canary.

But the fact that it could be known by Canary meant that this was no longer information that required absolute secrecy.

Anyone with eyes could see that Athena had already begun to take over the Greek God Group.

How many years had it been since Zeus last appeared? Ahem, we mean in that formal capacity, appearing as the Greek God King.

Not on the front page of some Spring Water Agency newspaper.

"... Eh~~!"

Algol opened her little mouth in a daze; she really didn't know this piece of intelligence.

When she last woke up from her seal, the Dystopia War hadn't even started yet.

She had expected her intelligence to be behind, but not to this extent, right?

"What kind of madness are Zeus and Athena up to?"

Algol couldn't help but mutter.

"Clearly, Athena had contacted me before, wanting to join forces with me to deal with Zeus?"

Algol scratched her face.

"Forget it, whatever. The Gods and Buddhas of this Little Garden are all the same; one by one, their filth will only stain Little Algol's eyes."

After pondering for a long time, Algol finally chose to give up thinking and started to slack off.

Her intelligence was too outdated; even if she wanted to do something, there was no way.

Just like how she never imagined that a monster like Shakyamuni would pop out of Buddhism, and that he was walking the path of Causality, which was nearly impossible to traverse in Little Garden.

Wasn't he originally just a mortal who struggled his way up to the Three-digit level? What could be such a big deal about that? He isn't one of those Dragon Species from Dongfang wearing human skin.

Then Algol was smashed to pieces by the Vajra Pestle.

Afterwards, Algol just gave up; after all, there are simply too many monsters and old schemers on the stage of Little Garden.

Playing with them is just too rotten; it's better to just be beautiful all by herself.

She isn't like the Halloween Queen or Shiroyasha, who are blessed by heaven with such thick capital to squander, especially Shiroyasha.

In any case, after that battle, she lost everything she could possibly lose.

The bet she has placed on Su Nian now is all she has left.

A shell that once remained at the Three-digit level, and half an unfinished Simulated Star Creation Map.

Oh right, almost forgot, there's also her, this half-dead Star Spirit.

"Anyway, just don't fall into the trap of that ugly woman Athena."

Algol whispered into Su Nian's ear, her orchid-like breath hitting Su Nian's face.

"That is definitely impossible."

Su Nian rolled his eyes. What help could Athena possibly bring him? Aside from looking good, but in terms of being good-looking and pleasing to the eye...

Su Nian still felt that Algol was more pleasing to the eye.

"Besides, rather than falling into Athena's trap, I'd much rather fall into Algol's trap."

"Hey, you're full of yourself. Do you really think you won't fall into that woman's trap? Who knows, she might already be plotting how to deal with you."

Algol scoffed, then said with a smile.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll be heading back. It's time for my beauty routine again."

"Mm, bye."

Su Nian said without even lifting his head. Seeing Su Nian show no reaction, a hint of annoyance appeared on Algol's face.

"Hm? Aren't you going back? Why has there been no movement for so long?"

Su Nian turned his head to the side and looked at Algol, who was still hugging his neck and pressing down on his shoulders.

Algol revealed a smile of successful mischief, and taking advantage of Su Nian turning his face, she pecked him directly on the mouth.

Su Nian was stunned by this maneuver.

By the time he came to his senses, Algol had already returned to the Demon Star at some point, with only that sweet fragrance lingering on his lips.

Su Nian licked his lips, seemingly savoring the taste from just a moment ago.

"Algol is really quite troublesome."

Seemingly thinking of something, Su Nian rubbed his temples in pain, feeling that tomorrow's banquet would be another headache.

"I just hope it doesn't get too out of hand."

——

Mount Olympus.

At the entrance of the War God Temple.

A burly man with messy flaxen hair and a bare upper body looked coldly at the burly middle-aged man standing before him, who held a Trident and had thick, curly whiskers.

"Heracles, why are you blocking me?"

Heracles did not speak, only looking coldly at Poseidon.

"Tsk!"

Poseidon clicked his tongue, his expression ugly, and took another step forward.

"I'm just going to find Ares to discuss some matters; it's not worth you doing this, is it? Step aside, Heracles."

"As long as you leave Ares's temple, I can pretend this never happened."

Poseidon stared at Heracles with suppressed anger, his hand gripping the Trident tightening even further.

If this weren't Mount Olympus, if Zeus weren't on Mount Olympus, and if Heracles weren't Zeus's son, he would have long since taught this reckless nephew a lesson.

"I am just going to find Ares, and I will not take action against Arcadia."

As Poseidon said this, he prepared to bypass Heracles and walk directly into Ares's War God Temple.

After all, Heracles and he were both Four-Digit Exceptional; in the lower levels where output is restricted, if they really fought, he wouldn't dare say he would win for sure.

And even if he did, it wouldn't be pleasant when Zeus came to settle accounts afterward.

Saying this, Poseidon couldn't help but glance at the Zeus Temple on the summit.

There, thunder was rolling and rumbling.

Heracles said nothing, only blindly blocking Poseidon's path, using every means to prevent Poseidon from visiting Ares.

This was one of the few things he could do for Su Nian.

After all, Su Nian had saved his life and, in the process, gifted him a Noble Phantasm that was perfectly suited to him and, for him, no less valuable than a Simulated Star Creation Map.

A few minutes ago, he had received a message from Apollo, on which was written a prophecy made by Apollo.

Ares was in trouble; if he didn't want Arcadia to be targeted by Poseidon using Ares as an excuse, he must not let anyone enter the War God Temple.

After receiving the message, Heracles rushed to the War God Temple as fast as he could, finally managing to intercept Poseidon before he could enter.

What kind of sickness did Ares have again? How could he let himself be blocked at his own front door like this?

Poseidon also mused inwardly; ever since Ares's Avatar went to Arcadia to cause trouble, he felt like everything on Olympus was strange.

Especially that guy Ares!

If it were according to Ares's usual temperament, the moment anyone blocked the door to his temple, he would have already kicked up a fuss.

Unless it was Zeus, Athena, or others whom Ares couldn't afford to provoke, Ares would have hacked everyone else to pieces.

But Heracles was definitely not someone who could make Ares suppress his temper.

Poseidon waited, waiting for Ares to open his temple and invite him in.

It was just that after a long while, Ares did not wait for him; instead, Zeus appeared at the entrance of Ares's temple, though no one knew when he had arrived.

The golden-haired youth dressed in white robes sighed as he looked at Heracles and Poseidon.

"What kind of skill is it for a bunch of people to block the entrance of the War God Temple?"

Heracles did not speak, silently stepping aside, while Poseidon let out a cold snort and retreated with an unsightly expression.

After watching Poseidon leave, Zeus looked at the War God Temple in silence for a long time and sighed.

"Are you interested in replacing Ares to become the new War God among the Twelve Olympians?"

Heracles pointed at himself in disbelief and asked.

"Father, why?"

Although he and Ares were both children of Zeus, Ares was the child of Zeus and the Queen of Heaven, Hera.

Compared to Ares, he was merely an illegitimate son, completely unqualified to inherit the position of one of the Twelve Olympians.

As for Athena's fourth generation of the Twelve Olympians, given Athena's personality, she would certainly only feel at ease if she personally selected and cultivated them.

"Perhaps it is to spare Ares's life."

Zeus sighed helplessly, his originally young and upright figure appearing much more aged at this moment.

Although Su Nian's actions were very covert, everything on Mount Olympus could not escape his eyes.

He was well aware that Ares had been forcibly subjected to Displacement.

Moreover, the move Su Nian made was truly too ruthless; Ares was already beyond saving, and leaving him with his life was already a decent outcome.

However, given Su Nian's personality, cutting weeds and eliminating roots like Athena would be the normal way of thinking; he was only wary of the power of the Greek God Group for now.

If Su Nian were to grow stronger in the future, Ares would undoubtedly die, and in a way that would leave no possibility of survival.

It would be better to let Heracles become the next War God to suppress this matter for the time being.

After all, Heracles was originally the foundation he intended to leave for Athena.

Although Ares's actions had brought no small amount of loss to Greece, he was, after all, Ares's father.

"With your foundation, plus the Noble Phantasm given by the boy from Arcadia, you are qualified to serve as one of the Twelve Olympians."

As he spoke, Zeus walked into the War God Temple, collected Ares's Spirit Status, and looked at Ares's corpse—now a dried husk with a shattered skull—and lamented.

"The monsters of today are truly becoming more and more terrifying."

Even he had not reacted in time to that single move where Su Nian subjected Ares to Displacement; Ares's Avatar and true body had been swapped over.

Simultaneously, the states of the Avatar and the true body were also swapped.

If he hadn't verified Su Nian's age, he would have thought he was some Great God who wielded the Boundary of space.

(End of chapter)