If You Can't Beat Them, Join Them

Traversing the undulating terrain of Mount Epiph, one could see another famous Sumerian city in the distance – Kussa.

During the Age of Gods in the B.C. era, human structures rising from the plains were quite eye-catching.

But this place was actually long abandoned, its glory gone. Even the occasional magical beasts that skirted Babylonia's defenses dared not approach.

Half a year ago, with the appearance of the [Triple Goddess Alliance], Kussa was suddenly struck by a rampant plague, cutting off its communication with other fortress cities.

When Uruk's reinforcements arrived, they found the city silent. Residents lay "asleep" in the streets and houses.

There was no blood around, nor any signs of struggle, yet the entire city reeked of death, as if a malevolent plague had wiped out the whole metropolis overnight.

Since then, Kussa had been regarded as a cursed land, completely abandoned by survivors who had gradually evacuated the surrounding areas.

As someone familiar with the relevant history, Samael naturally understood the whole story. Seeing the city's silhouette in the darkness made his liver ache faintly.

That period coincided with the time when his master, Ereshkigal, was working overtime to create the Spear Cage. A large number of souls had inexplicably poured into the Underworld, and almost all of them were from Kussa.

Similarly, he himself, having just learned to forge the Spear Cage, was pressed into service, working overtime frantically every day. He was truly working himself to death!

Thinking back now, he couldn't help but feel a strong psychological shadow, or rather, he felt like throwing up whenever he saw ore.

Of course, Ereshkigal hadn't been so insane as to directly slaughter the city, let alone a city she guarded.

It was just that compared to his own poor management skills regarding the physical body, she had utilized the Underworld's authority to preserve the souls of the Kussa people.

This way, even if their bodies were destroyed, those Kussa people could continue to survive in the Underworld in their soul form.

If they were lucky enough, after the disaster passed and a new era began, perhaps these souls would have a chance to return to the surface.

Furthermore, Samael estimated that his master's plan at the time also served as a gesture of loyalty to the [Triple Goddess Alliance].

Joining forces after defeat wasn't exclusively a human endeavor.

However, compared to humans, divine intentions were unfathomable.

In the eyes of onlookers who didn't know the details, Ereshkigal's actions naturally appeared extreme and malicious.

The Ancient Snake, whose past memories were stirred, chose to make a fire and rest in the wilderness to avoid unnecessary trouble, rather than entering the cursed land filled with deathly energy.

Orange flames rose, and the dry branches crackled as they burned. Samael, sitting by the fire and deep in thought, became the focal point dividing light and shadow.

Half illuminated by the flames, half hidden in darkness.

"Little Samael, I still think... you got ripped off!"

The small spirit cage was untied from his waist, and Shamhat, still dwelling on that transaction, couldn't help but manifest and grumble.

Based on her years of experience working in the priesthood in Uruk, she could tell how perfunctory that Goddess was when making her promises.

Expecting her to do work with that bag of jewels, and handing over the full payment before any contract was even established, was like a dog getting a meat bun.

Ishtar had a track record of arbitrarily breaking contracts, so it would be a miracle if she honored something so non-binding.

"That's because you're on the first level..."

Samael snapped back to reality, picked up a dry branch, and stirred the flames. Half of his face, hidden in the shadows, bore an enigmatic smile.

"First of all, this bag of jewels was intended as a toll, to bribe the Goddess Ishtar."

"Besides, it was getting dark right then. If I wanted to leave the scene of the crime quickly, I had to be willing to spend."

As far as he knew, Ishtar and Ereshkigal were twin sisters with opposing natures, possessing an inexplicable connection, and currently sharing a single vessel for spiritual manifestation.

Once night fell, his former master could potentially surface and take control of that body at any moment.

And although he had changed his appearance and escaped the Underworld, his arrival was too coincidental, and he still had Shamhat, a conspicuous ghost, hanging from his waist.

As a precaution, Samael wanted to leave the scene of the crime as quickly as possible to avoid running into Ereshkigal at that time.

If he was exposed and recaptured, he might very well end up as snake stew, or be skinned, stuffed with cotton, and turned into a snake-shaped decorative pillow.

Therefore, this bag of jewels to appease Ishtar was both protection money and hush money.

Hearing the Ancient Snake's veiled explanation, Shamhat was shocked.

The current state of Ereshkigal and Ishtar sharing one body and two souls was beyond her expectation. Samael's performance of a tragic play with Ishtar on Mount Epiph to stall for time was incredibly audacious.

"Then why didn't you run away after paying? We almost waited until nightfall!"

Fortunately, this Saint did not yet know about the exploit where someone discussed legal loopholes with Gilgamesh to find a way to escape punishment.

Otherwise, she would probably have been stunned on the spot.

At this moment, Samael paused, his serpentine pupils, faintly illuminated by the firelight, filled with depth.

"Therefore, this was the second purpose of that bag of jewels: I needed a legitimate identity to appear in this world..."

"An identity that could withstand multiple verifications..."

Shamhat carefully recalled the guy's brazen act with Ishtar on Mount Epiph, her eyes showing intense surprise.

Who was Samael?

He was the brave soldier who broke through the tide of magical beasts from the ruins of Babylon and carried important information to report to Uruk!

And the physical evidence?

The clay tablet left by the centurion ghost, Tarel!

Where are the witnesses?

Great Goddess Ishtar!

As for other comrades?

Heh, either they died under the claws of the Blue Dragon Bashum, or they've gone missing. If you don't believe me, then go dig up the other witnesses yourselves…

What's more, this man risked his life to storm Mount Epiph, offering a sacrifice to the War Goddess Ishtar, begging her to slay the Blue Dragon Bashum and avenge his fallen companions!

Who would doubt the integrity and loyalty of a brave soldier?

In fact, with the situation having progressed to this point, Samael's identity, his presence on Mount Epiph, and his motives all have perfect and reasonable explanations.

After Ishtar accepted the gems, whether she would actually kill the Blue Dragon Bashum no longer mattered.

These identity details, imprinted in her mind, were what mattered for every step moving forward.

Now that the chain of evidence was complete, even the King of Kings, Marduk, would find it almost impossible to uncover Samael's true identity from these scant clues.

What's more, this was a false name.

Even if, as a last resort, the King of Kings, who held the Fate Tablet, could perceive the anomaly and harbor suspicions.

Could his judgment be trusted?

This brave soldier named Samael, in his rage, had snatched the gems back from the temple and then offered them as a sacrifice to the War Goddess Ishtar – such an upright man.

Any suspicion Marduk might have would undoubtedly appear to be personal revenge.

If he were to retaliate against the survivors who escaped from the ruined capital of Babylon because of this, it would make him, the King of Kings, appear rather petty.

Similarly, even if Ishtar, who took those gems, didn't act, she would be dragged down with him.

After much deliberation, Saint Joan of Arc, who had finally figured out all the connections, looked at the Ancient Snake, who was dividing the light and shadow by the campfire, her expression dry.

"You thought of every step?"

"You even tricked the gods in advance! You truly are a wicked thing!"

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