I, with my frail and sickly body, simultaneously traverse hundreds of worlds.

Page 67

Zeus couldn't even tolerate Bai Zhi, a seed of the god-king, let alone Hades, whose hard power was almost invincible.

Bai Zhi wasn't good with words, but she knew how to present facts and reason things out. She tried to persuade him from the perspective of advantages and disadvantages, but unfortunately, the result was completely different from what she had expected.

"Threatening me? I'm not afraid of threats at all. The throne of the king of the gods was something I humbly gave to Zeus because I didn't want to see my brothers turn against each other. If it really comes down to a fight, I won't lose to any god. Kid, faith is sacred and solemn. Your courage to believe in all twelve chief gods at the same time is something I should try to teach you."

After all, not everyone dares to announce something to the world before it's even accomplished.

Bai Zhi's bewildered expression, coupled with Hades's ambiguous smile, sent a chill down her spine.

Without a doubt, Athena must have pulled some crazy trick in the real world.

While increasing the difficulty, it completely placed a burden on him, telling him bluntly that he couldn't escape and that he had no way out.

There is no choice but to succeed.

The Record of the Sons of the Greek Gods: Chapter 140 Did She Laugh?

The underworld, the final destination and shackles of life.

By locking away the spirits of mortals, it also locked away Hades's will to move forward.

When Hades first succeeded to the throne of Hades, he had just escaped from the belly (control) of his father, Cronus.

I have never truly seen the beautiful and magical land of Greece.

What I see and hear are the same scenes and images that have been repeated for thousands of years.

Rock climbing, rocks, wails, silence.

The underworld is like a curse, cursing any desires or impure thoughts of Hades.

Human dreams will never be ended, and God's desires are even more turbulent than those of humans; He will certainly not sit idly by and wait for death.

One day, Hades grew tired of the unchanging world of the underworld and took the initiative to think about going to see the mortal world. As long as he didn't actively break the balance established with the gods, it wouldn't be a big deal.

The result is well known.

When Hades first glimpsed the mortal world, he saw the goddess Persephone carefully tending to a flower.

Her gentle caress of the flower stamens reflected her careful treatment of each seed.

The purest and simplest kindness, the gentle, heartfelt smiles and blessings, were precisely the last straw that broke Hades's back over countless years.

Hades, the god of death, fell in love with the goddess of new life.

Then, the earth cracked open, and poisonous flames scorched the budding land. Amid the weeping and wailing of the goddess of harvest, Hades retrieved his 'love' from the mortal world.

“The birth of life is a miracle. A miracle is a miracle because it is a coincidence that cannot be manipulated or reproduced. Persephone is different. When I met her, it was as if I was witnessing a completely opposite version of myself.”

I've seen too much: corruption, misery, resentment, sorrow. The underworld is a gathering place for negative energy from this world. Too much resentment and unwillingness from people converge in this climbing ground, every inch of space, every piece of land, is filled and occupied by negative energy.

Imagine how Hades, whose consciousness is connected to the underworld, perceives such a terrible living environment.

He was like an ascetic, living in the filthiest cesspool, envying the beauty of the world.

On a bright, sunny afternoon, an eagle soars high in the sky, vegetation sways in the wind, and a refreshing fragrance fills the air...

Then, Hades met Persephone.

"I defied the consensus of the gods, corroding the space between the mortal world and the underworld with poisonous fire. I rode the Thestrals, the wildebeest of death, pulling a chariot made of bone and woven from hide, to welcome my beloved, the mistress of the underworld, the Queen of the Underworld, Persephone."

“Every time I open my eyes, all I hear and see is suffering. The desolate and barren underworld is vast and boundless, yet it cannot accommodate a single new flower. Venomous curses corrode all living beings, and the source of bitterness hinders the cycle of souls, excluding the soil from which existence takes root. This is the underworld, an underworld that cannot accommodate anyone.”

"I have given up so much: the position of King of the Gods, the authority over the sea, the glorious divine offices of my brothers and sisters, the beauty and happiness of this world, and the expectation of bonds and encounters with others. But in the underworld, all of these are unattainable luxuries."

"And what was the result? The gods murmur my goodness and praise my virtues, but they have never come to see me in person, even though they know all the entrances to the underworld."

"And I can only watch helplessly as they enjoy a happiness I can never truly understand, guarding the underworld alone, suppressing the hell of Teltaros by myself, becoming a gravedigger."

"For so many years, I have sat alone on the throne, savoring this inescapable loneliness. I am tired, I am really tired."

"I just want a flower that belongs to me, what's wrong with that!"

Hades slammed his fist heavily on the armrest of the throne, and Hades' excited roar echoed throughout the Hades Palace.

No one can truly understand Hades's feelings or how happy he must have been when he waited and finally cultivated the flower that was uniquely his in the underworld.

So joyful that if anyone dares to disturb this happiness, the outcome will be absolutely tragic and regrettable.

“It makes sense, it makes perfect sense. You did nothing wrong. The gods have received your blessings, so they have no reason or right to target you.”

Bai Zhi felt a pain in her gums.

Athena simply told him to bring Persephone back to her.

But when he truly witnessed Hades' possessiveness and affection for Persephone, he realized what a terrible task this was.

He steals his lover from a yandere driven mad by despair.

He's probably courting death. Oh no, he's definitely courting death. Look, 'death' is already right in front of him.

No wonder Lady Hera was so enraged upon hearing this that she wanted to tear Athena to pieces.

If I weren't the person in question, I would probably stay as far away as possible.

Now that I'm involved, there's no way to back out or avoid it; I have no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

Taking a deep breath, Bai Zhi regained her composure. Hades's attitude of "if the gods are not convinced, then let's fight" already showed that reasoning with him was useless.

Hades was willing to break the boundary between life and death and wage war against the gods; Bai Zhi could not bear such a huge karmic burden.

Therefore, the only breakthrough lies in Persephone's approach.

"Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you, Lord Hades. From beginning to end, all I have heard is that you are forcing the goddess Persephone."

Straightening his back, Bai Zhi abandoned his pretense of politeness. Beneath his jet-black hair, his resolute, dark eyes reflected the embodiment of 'death.' He said:

"The underworld is the end of life, and all living things that exist there will eventually be completely annihilated in your domain. Your love for Persephone is too domineering and unique. You love a flower bud that does not exist in the underworld."

Even if you forcibly pluck a flower, and wait for its stamen (Persephone) to wither, would you resentfully discard it and pluck a brand new stamen in the present world?

"Shut up. Don't treat me like Zeus and Poseidon, the same kind of god. Their indiscriminate love is an uncontrollable indulgence of divine desires. But I am different. Restraint is the steadfastness that occupies most of my divine life. Hades never leaves the underworld. The only thing I want is that one flower."

Hades stopped Bai Zhi with a twisted expression. In terms of divine qualities, aside from forcing Persephone, he diligently maintained the order between the living and the dead, almost to the point of being a mistake. That's why he didn't want to be associated with these two Greek stallions.

"As you say, who in the Underworld can refute the will of the Lord of the Underworld?" Bai Zhi said indifferently, "But, Lord Hades, is Persephone happy?"

Hades remained silent.

"Or, let me put it another way."

Bai Zhi said, word by word.

"Has your flower stamen ever smiled?"

The Book of the Greek Gods and Their Sons: Chapter 141 Respect is Mutual

My flower stamen, have you ever laughed?

Hades asked himself, when he first captured Persephone.

Persephone did smile after promising to let the other party leave.

She smiled as she toured every corner of the underworld, led by Hades.

He toured the River Styx, Hell, the Ferryman, Cerberus, and even the outskirts of Tartarus.

Until that day, Persephone missed her mother and wanted to go home to see Demeter, so she bid farewell to Hades.

"Lord Hades, thank you for taking care of me these past few days. I've been away from home for too long and I've been missing my mother. Entering the Underworld was too hasty, and I was afraid my mother would worry, so I came to say goodbye."

Persephone's figure and posture are those of a sixteen-year-old girl, full of youthful vitality, with a hint of budding innocence in her eyes, symbolizing her approaching maturity.

She bid farewell to Uncle Hades with a smile, but what awaited her was food handed to her by Hades.

A fruit that resembles a pomegranate, a special food for the dead, cultivated with souls as fertilizer.

Persephone, unsuspecting, accepted the food with a puzzled look, plucked a piece of fruit, put it in her mouth, and chewed. The peculiar taste was neither good nor bad. In short, not wanting to embarrass Hades, Persephone ate it whole.

Throughout the process, Hades simply watched quietly, offering neither reminders nor advice, until Persephone finished eating the pomegranate fruit, at which point he spoke:

"The living are forbidden to eat food from the underworld. This is a covenant made by the gods. You have eaten the fruit of the underworld. From now on, you will never be able to return to the mortal world. But there is no need to worry. You will become my bride, the Queen of the Underworld, and be second only to me in the underworld."

Under Persephone's blank and dazed gaze, Hades made a domineering declaration, as if to say, "Woman, I've taken a liking to you."

If it were any other being, Hades's move would be very effective, especially since in Greek mythology, a domineering approach to courtship is the orthodox method.

Unfortunately, Hades fell in love with Persephone.

The seed goddess, who depended on her mother Demeter for survival, had never left her mother's side since birth, but was told that she would have to leave her mother forever and go to another male god.

Persephone's smile vanished, and tears streamed down her youthful face.

She cried, and never smiled again.

......

......

Hades shut his mouth at Bai Zhi's piercing question; the underworld was entirely under his control.

Hades could clearly see that in the chambers prepared for Persephone, the goddess's tears were still flowing, never ceasing for a moment.

The tears of a loved one are enough to move Hades' heart, but they cannot stop the tyranny of the King of the Underworld.

The news of Hades and Hades' wedding had already spread throughout the underworld and among the gods of Mount Olympus.

There is absolutely no possibility of it stopping.

This is an overwhelming trend that even Angelica dahurica cannot stop.

With a sigh, realizing that the mission had completely failed, Bai Zhi was already considering how to safely escape from the underworld back to the mortal world.

Divine blessing is out of the question. Athena knows that once they return, Hades will use this to his advantage, to appease Hades' anger and force Bai Zhi to complete an even more difficult and arduous task, thus making her the 'hero' Athena longs to see.

And then there's Hermes's request, and the fate of Io, the White Bull Princess—it's alright, isn't it?

Bai Zhi couldn't help but wonder if the princess, after surviving in the best position in the arena for so long, would develop a bloodthirsty habit.

As his thoughts raced, Hades, the god of the underworld, delivered his final verdict on Bai Zhi.

To Bai Zhi's surprise, Hades did not attack him; instead, he looked at him with a very kind gaze.

“My child (believer), you are actually very outstanding. There are very few sects that believe in the god of death in Greece, so few that I will pay close attention to each of my children (believers), witness their birth, aging, sickness and death, and then personally guide them into the underworld to become apostles in the underworld. This is my special treatment of my children (believers).

“You are different. Your faith in the gods is very pure. You do not ask for their blessings or rewards, nor do you seek their descent or assistance. It feels like your faith in the gods is not that of a fanatical believer who offers everything, but rather that of a seeker who reveres powerful beings.”

Bai Zhi, who was about to raise her hand to argue, stopped at Hades's glance.

Bai Zhi broke out in a cold sweat, not because she was frightened by Hades' terror.

Rather, it was because faith was so genuinely perceived by the gods that they fell silent.

Deception is meaningless to the gods.

Faith is by no means an abstract concept between believers and the gods.

It's more like a connection initiated by a subordinate to a superior.

Fortunately, her previous faith in the gods was a heartfelt worship of the powerful, not just a superficial act; otherwise, Bai Zhi would not have been able to hold out until the arrival of the Bai Zhi Space.

Hades continued speaking, but Bai Zhi felt that something was off about his words.

"I am the eldest among my many brothers and sisters. I witnessed Greek mythology reach its peak under the leadership of Zeus, with gods standing tall and heroes rising up. No one in the world dared to defy him... until you appeared."

His eyes held admiration and regret, and there was something else about them that was hard to explain.

“I understand your immense ambition and I am aware of your hidden domineering will. In your eyes, the gods are not supreme beings who control everything, but rather beacons on your path. You are confident that you can become a powerful being who can rival or even surpass the gods.”

"However, I have been watching you all along the way, from your escape from the kingdom, your time with the huntress in the forest, your divine artifact body forged by the goddess herself, your invisible island where the three goddesses who fell from the Titans are together, and... your futile attempt to forcibly take the Queen of the Underworld away from me."

"I can't see the source of your confidence. You're not a believer, so would you be interested in telling me what you rely on?"

"..." Bai Zhi did not speak. The shared space was the core secret of 'Bai Zhi and the others'. Even if he was destroyed in body and soul, he would never betray the other 'me'.

"Alright, my child (believer), I respect your choice, but..."

Hades has left the throne, and Death has stepped from the throne toward Bai Zhi; Death is gradually approaching the living.

Her heart pounded. In the underworld, she couldn't use divine blessings to create a fixed barrier. Bai Zhi faced Hades directly, her life hanging in the balance.

It's up to the other party.

Bai Zhi will die soon.