Roar

That night, after Bai Mo finished training, Hylas thoughtfully brought him some water. Bai Mo did not accept it and left without looking back. Once, Hylas's young, endearing face had kept even Heracles from killing him, and the people aboard the Argo had always been fond of the young blond boy.

Hylas stood on the beach that night, unable to help feeling a little dejected.

Meanwhile, Bai Mo found Heracles in the cabin. The two raised cups of fruit wine and drained them.

"How is this stuff any different from water?" Heracles was clearly dissatisfied with it, but Bai Mo seemed determined to drink only this almost nonalcoholic fruit wine.

"I don't like the taste of alcohol. If I weren't taking your situation into consideration, I'd just drink water," Bai Mo replied. Then he said mildly, "My way of fighting doesn't suit that boy. I won't teach him."

How could Bai Mo fail to see what Hylas wanted? It was just that his strength was the product of enhancement through electric current push, and the only thing in his head was the Great Blade Martial God's "Avici Hell Blade." That was even less suitable for an ordinary person like Hylas.

"I see. Understood," Heracles said mildly, as though he did not care about anything concerning Hylas.

"You're certainly cold," Bai Mo teased, but Heracles said, "Setbacks and suffering are inevitable parts of life. If this little difficulty defeats him, then I'll choose to leave him here. The women here are sure to like him."

Bai Mo laughed aloud at that, and Atalanta was drawn over by the two of them. The three chatted freely aboard the spacious Argo.

"By the way, why didn't you go with the captain?"

Atalanta asked with some curiosity. Surely no man would refuse something like this. Heracles bore a heavy curse, Hylas was an attendant with work to do, and Atalanta was a woman with few worldly desires, but what about Bai Mo?

Bai Mo said with utter calm, "Nothing in particular. There's simply no need to form a bond. It would only add to the loneliness. We have to leave eventually. If we throw ourselves into their arms now, the sorrow of parting will only hurt more when the time comes. In that case, it's better never to meet in the first place."

Atalanta could not help thinking a little more highly of him. Bai Mo continued, "Responsibility is always painful. This is actually a lesson, too."

It was late at night. Bai Mo sat alone atop the mast, the unfinished blade on his back, feeling unsettled. He was still stuck at electric current push, and under his influence, Heracles seemed about to have them leave early. He had no idea what effect that would have.

In the original story, by the time the heroes of the Argo left, the women on the island all had swollen bellies. Now, only half a month had passed. But Bai Mo did not intend to wait too long. He was beginning to suspect that the environment of ancient Greece was why he had been unable to break through to magnetic field power for so long. He had to find a way out of here. He could not delay any longer.

The next day, Hylas came into the kingdom as usual. Jason stopped him and asked, "Attendant, do you know why Bai Mo and Heracles won't come? There are plenty of beauties on the island who admire Heracles. And leaving Bai Mo on the ship while I enjoy myself here alone makes it hard for me to sleep at night."

Hylas said, "Yesterday, my master said to gather all the heroes. He seems to have something to say. Lord Jason, I came here to notify you."

Jason scratched his head. He had apparently only meant to replenish their supplies here at first, and they really had lingered a little too long. But when he recalled the queen's nightly tenderness, he felt reluctant to part.

"There's no rush. It's only been a few days. Everything here is so wonderful. Why should we be in such a hurry? There are plenty of challenges ahead. It's perfectly reasonable to relax a little now."

Hylas felt that this was beyond his ability to handle, so he returned and reported everything truthfully. When Atalanta learned of it, she even fetched her bow and arrows and slung them over her back, ready to have a proper argument with Jason.

"Don't let impulse cloud your mind, Atalanta," Bai Mo said to stop her, then came out holding an arrow wrapped in cloth.

Atalanta was deeply displeased and cursed, "How can I not be angry? Are these men going to wait until those women's bellies swell, then just marry and have children here? What a joke! He's the captain, yet he's being this stupid. I can't stand it."

"But this won't change anything. Here, you're both excellent archers. Who wants to shoot this?"

Bai Mo held a lead-colored arrowhead out before Heracles and Atalanta. Atalanta gave him an odd look and asked, "You're even more ruthless than I am. He might be unreliable, but surely you don't need to kill him."

Bai Mo smiled calmly and said, "Even back at Athena's temple, he was prone to losing himself in women. This was bestowed on me by the goddess Athena-Cupid's arrow. You both know the story of the laurel tree, don't you? As long as this arrow hits Jason, he won't have any worldly desires for the rest of his life."

Once Bai Mo explained, even Heracles's expression turned strange. For a moment, he did not know whether he should pity Jason.

"You're ruthless." Atalanta finally forced out those words, then took the arrow.

Bai Mo, meanwhile, went to find Hylas and said, "Attendant, do you desire power?"

Hylas was completely bewildered and did not know how to reply for a moment. But being clever, he soon understood and said, "Lord Bai Mo, I won't tell anyone about the arrow. Rest assured."

Bai Mo shook his head. "No, I want you to tell Jason about this. And while you're at it, I'd like you to take a close look at places like the city's gutters. Can you do that?"

For a moment, Hylas felt that this world had far too many schemes. His own master, Heracles, was much easier to understand. Still, he nodded.

"What? Atalanta's coming after me with Cupid's lead-colored arrow?" Jason immediately cried out in alarm, howling in anguish inside. That woman is vicious! Haven't I just spent a few days with their queen? Does she really have to use something like that on me? No, I'm still young! I don't want to shut my heart away from love forever!

And so the heroes assembled, after which Heracles let out a deafening roar: "If you still want to cling to women's bellies and stay here, put down your swords and never call yourselves heroes again!"

Jason had already spotted an emerald-green figure on a distant rooftop, as though an arrow might pierce him the very next second.

"That's right! We shouldn't keep making this mistake! We set out on this adventure to accomplish great things. This life of debauchery will only corrupt us!" Jason raised his sword and immediately answered Heracles's declaration. This was now his only way to keep Atalanta from shooting him.

I'll behave now. Please spare me. That was what Jason was conveying. At the sight, Atalanta relaxed the fingers drawing back her bowstring.

The heroes were momentarily speechless. Seriously? You were the one leading the call for us to stay, and now you've suddenly changed your tune?

Speechless though they were, Heracles's words did stir the heroes' mettle. Recalling their own experiences, they all felt ashamed and took up their weapons to show their resolve.

But with Bai Mo stirring things up, the women of Lemnos were rather unhappy. Almost at the same time, they too began a meeting.

"What should we do, Your Majesty? It's barely been any time at all, and those heroes are already leaving. We don't even know whether we're carrying their children yet," a graceful, charming woman asked.

Hers was not the only voice. Many spoke up with questions. Over these past days, they had tasted happiness unlike anything they had ever experienced, only to lose it after a mere half month. It was far too cruel for them.

The queen frowned as well. How could she not want these heroes to stay? But now that they had made up their minds, how could they possibly give up?

At that moment, the old woman who had suggested opening the city gates to welcome the Argonauts stepped forward again. Her voice was hoarse and unpleasant, but everyone present fell silent to listen closely.

"Your Majesty, surely the heroes of the Argo are still attached to this place. Then why don't we..."

The queen looked troubled, but in the end, she nodded.

"Is it really right for us to leave without saying goodbye?" one hero asked. They did indeed have great things to accomplish, but leaving so irresponsibly made them deeply uneasy.

"Of course! How long have we already delayed? We lost the right to take things easy long ago."

Jason retorted, but just then, Atalanta brought news.

Those women had come running out!

In an instant, everyone stopped what they were doing in unison and turned to look at the women. They came rushing over, tears streaking their faces and sand clinging to their feet, charging straight at the Argo like an army. Under this assault-

One hero vaulted over the side without hesitation and jumped off the ship. Faced with this assault, they suffered a total rout.

Bai Mo watched the scene expressionlessly. Atalanta landed beside him like a cat.

"They..."

"Don't worry. These heroes can tell what matters. If there really are any wishy-washy, indecisive fellows among them, taking them along won't do us any good. I'm worried about something else right now."

Atalanta glanced sideways at Bai Mo. His handsome profile held a composure beyond his years, and light flickered in his eyes.

"Be ready tonight. They won't let this go. Since these people insist on pushing us, they can't blame me."

Bai Mo soon guessed what these women were thinking. Right now, the only thing that could hold the Argonauts here was the Argo itself. Tonight, these women would use their last night before parting as an excuse, then secretly attempt to sabotage the Argo.

Bai Mo smiled coldly. Sure enough, quite a few women seemed to have latched onto Heracles, and even the attendant Hylas had plenty clinging to him.

For the past half month, they had been enjoying happiness, but demanding more now was greed. And greedy people would often risk danger for gain.

That evening, in the captain's cabin.

"Well, it's only one night. Everyone has already made up their minds. Tonight, once those women fall asleep, we'll all leave," Jason told Heracles. Bai Mo and Atalanta stood nearby.

Heracles nodded. Atalanta could hardly say anything more either. Only Bai Mo was playing with a dagger.

"Is that the means of self-defense you prepared for Hylas?" Atalanta asked teasingly.

"No, I found this in the city. A dagger that had fallen into a gutter."

Everyone looked at Bai Mo in confusion. It was nothing more than an utterly ordinary dagger.

Bai Mo casually tossed the dagger down, and its sharp blade plunged straight into the wooden table.

"Is this a murder weapon?" Jason immediately realized that such a sharp dagger would not have been thrown away carelessly. Unless it had been accidentally lost or stolen, the culprit must have wanted to dispose of it.

"Hylas found this in the city, in a corner no one visits. Jason, don't tell me you've never wondered why all the men in a city have vanished, or why the women refuse to speak of it."

Jason stared at the dagger, an ominous feeling rising within him.

That night, rain fell over the sea. Many of the heroes were glad they had not left. Putting out to sea in such heavy rain would have been truly unwise.

The queen, however, was hurrying anxiously about when she accidentally collided with a broad arm. Polydeuces smiled at her, but respectfully kept his distance.

"Ah, great warrior, may I ask where my beloved, the hero Jason, has gone?"

Polydeuces looked around. Indeed, Jason was nowhere to be seen. "Ah, there's no need to worry, Your Majesty. Jason must have gone to prepare a gift for you, hoping it will soothe the pain in your heart when you part."

Inside, however, Polydeuces muttered, Has Jason really changed his ways? He won't even come to see her one last time?

At that moment, Jason wished he could return to the queen's warm bed at once, but reason told him this was his best chance of reaching the truth. He wrapped his straw rain cape tighter around himself. Beneath it, he wore utterly ordinary hemp clothing.

"Damn it, why does Heracles get to stay comfortably tucked away aboard the ship?"

"Quiet. They're here." Bai Mo patted Jason, cutting off his complaints. Sure enough, several people stealthily approached the Agor under cover of darkness, carrying saws and hammers.