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Asterius, that is the true na of the Minotaur of Crete Island, aning "Thunderbolt," and very few people know this appellation.
Usually, Luo En rarely ntions this obscure na, more accustod to calling him "Minotaur" or "Little Bull."
However...
Luo En looked back, his gaze landing on that extrely cheap face.
Feeling the stare, Sisyphus felt a chill run down his spine and involuntarily swallowed, crossing his arms and revealing a dry smile on his face.
"Old, old buddy, why are you looking at like that? You look like a pervert..."
As he spoke, the habitual swindler quietly backed towards the dark corner of the wall.
"Bang!"
However, before he could take a few steps, a muffled sound ca from behind him.
Sisyphus's vision went dark, and he fell straight back, slipping into a sleep like that of a baby.
"Nicely done!"
Luo En gave a thumbs-up to Tethys, who was standing in the shadows, showing his approval.
Tethys slightly pursed her lips and withdrew her arms, which she had extended out of urgency. A trace of embarrassnt appeared on her pretty face.
Such a rude action didn't seem very befitting of a lady.
But even so, the ocean nymph didn't hesitate with her hands, casting seven or eight curses like suppression, confusion, binding and sleep on the Sisyphus lying on the ground before she finally let out a cautious sigh of relief.
Reliable!
Luo En nodded in approval at Tethys's performance, which could be called professional, looking at her with even more satisfaction.
Having such a teammate to cover your weaknesses certainly saved him a lot of worry.
After dealing with the extra pair of ears beside him, Luo En looked back at the young man with bull horns in front of him, using a na he was more familiar with.
"Minotaur, what are you doing here?"
"Father... Father sent ... to... to help you..."
Minotaur struggled with his words, stuttering out a response.
King Minos?
Hearing the person ntioned by Minotaur, Luo En subconsciously touched his cheek, feeling sowhat astonished.
"How did you know it was who ca?"
He and Tethys were both cautious types. Ever since they had descended to the Netherworld, they hardly ever went without at least ten layers of disguise magic and defensive spells.
With the convenience of mory and divine distortion of cognition, almost no one, whether it was the old swindler Sisyphus, Ferryman Charon of the Underworld River, God of Sleep Hypnos, or the three thousand Tribe of Dream Spirits, had discovered their true identities.
Minotaur was actually able to see through his disguise at a glance, which made Luo En very curious.
"Scent..." The bull-horned youth spoke in a thick voice, then raised his hand to point at the faint shadow behind Luo En, "And... that..."
The Cretan Bull?
Was it because of divine resonance? I see...
Luo En nodded thoughtfully and then dispersed the incarnation of the [Bull] to prevent any further complications.
After handling so minor issues with himself, Luo En was about to speak when Minotaur seriously made a shushing gesture.
"Shh! People... people... are above..."
Luo En instantly got the hint and quickly, imitating Minotaur, moved away from the walls of the underground passage, sealing his own presence, and crouched down with his head lowered.
Shortly after, Minotaur pressed his hand to the ground, and dark red patterns spread to the tiles and walls, as if reconstructing an intricate underground palace deep within the dim dungeon.
Minosians have always had the talent to construct labyrinths – their Mother Goddess Athena is known as the "Lady of the Labyrinth."
As the heir to the divinity of Crete, Minotaur also possessed the ability to build and manipulate [Labyrinths] based on the earth.
Ever since he and his father, King Minos, had fallen in battle and sunk into the Netherworld acting as the foundation of the World, Minotaur's authority to lay out [Labyrinths] seed to have beco further strengthened.
——Especially, above this [Elysian Fields].
A quarter of an hour later, the clamorous footsteps from above gradually disappeared. Minotaur withdrew his arm and rose to his feet, gently exhaling.
"... They're gone... but.... not far away..."
Luo En nodded and asked.
"What's next? How do we escape?"
"Follow... follow ..."
Minotaur motioned with his hand and took the lead, with the soil around him automatically opening and solidifying into a stable passage. Luo En picked up Sisyphus from the ground, called to the vigilant Tethys beside him, and decisively followed.
Half an hour later, a patch of turf shifted slightly; the soil settled, revealing a pitch-black passage leading straight underground and four figures erged from it in succession.
Luo En brushed off the soil and grass clippings on his body and looked back at the vast purple cocoon of dreams that enveloped most of the Elysian Fields, feeling secretly relieved.
Thank goodness Minotaur had arrived in ti and, using his familiarity with the terrain, had dug a passage leading directly outside the barrier.
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Otherwise, if they really ca to blows with Hypnos and the three thousand mbers of the Tribe of Dream Spirits under his command, the three of them would most likely be overturned.
"Father... is... waiting for you..."
Minotaur pointed ahead to the fork in the road and then took the initiative to carry the unconscious Sisyphus, leading the way.
At the end of the Elysian Fields lies the workplace of the three Judges of the Underworld: Minos, Aeacus, and Radamanthys.
Among them, King Minos, as the ruler of Crete Island, was renowned for his fair and strict rule during his lifeti, and his governed Crete developed into a prosperous and advanced nation. Dying the earliest, he held the highest position and was the founder of the court, responsible for judging thoughts.
Next, Aeacus was the son of Zeus and the river nymph Aegina, as well as the father of the great heroes Peleus and Telamon. Known for his fairness and piety in life, it was Aeacus who, when Greece suffered a long drought due to Zeus's wrath, heeded the people's requests and successfully prayed for rain. Upon his death, he beca one of the three Judges of the Underworld, responsible for judging actions.
As for Radamanthys, he was another son of Zeus with Europa, and the elder brother of Minos, first king of Crete Island. When King Minos reached an agreent with the Sea God Poseidon and successfully seized power, the forr king Radamanthys was forced to flee to Pithoigia Island, where he would later marry Hercules's mother Alcne and, after death, beco one of the three Judges of the Underworld. He eventually reconciled with his brother Minos and was responsible for judging speech.
Together, they guarded the palace at the end of the Elysian Fields, judging souls based on their words and deeds while alive. When there were disagreents in judgnts, Radamanthys and Aeacus would each decide first, and then Minos would cast the decisive vote for the final judgnt.
Of course, Hercules had not yet been born, so the last of them, Radamanthys, was naturally still hopping and enjoying life on Pithoigia Island.
And to establish the Underworld Tribunal as soon as possible to restrain the authority of the gods, Luo En secretly gave Hecate a rather unscrupulous idea.
——That is, during the day, Radamanthys continues to lead a carefree life on Pithoigia Island, settling mortal disputes, and co nightti, his soul would be pulled into the Elysian Fields to handle the judgnt of the departed souls in the Underworld, through the power of the God of Sleep, Hypnos.
——Judging the living by day and the dead by night, working 365 days a year, no days off!
For such an exploitative action, Hecate agreed without any psychological burden.
According to Hecate, since that man would eventually work in the Underworld anyway, it's as if he's just getting familiar with the workflow in advance.
Moreover, the Goddess of the Dark Moon provided even more unscrupulous preventive asures.
——To prevent Radamanthys from revealing secrets related to the Underworld, he could be made to drink a bit of the waters from the River Lethe after a day's work, ensuring he woke up disoriented, rembering nothing of what transpired in his dreams.
——Automatically formatting and reusing an employee without pay, Hecate's thod was indeed typical of a ruthless capitalist worthy of being strung up by the streetlights.
Luo En was not clear on the subsequent results, only hearing what two Cretan princesses who had fled to Athens said.
——On the days King Minos visited them in their dreams, he seed extraordinarily happy.
"Here, we're here..."
As Minotaur's breathy voice ca over, Luo En's thoughts snapped back, and he reined in the slightly unscrupulous smile at the corner of his mouth, approaching the end of the central fork, crossing over a hundred steps, and entering into the imposing Court of Judgnt.
Along the way, one after another, the guards of the Underworld wearing blue and gold armor and holding swords, shields, spears, and bows, ignored the passing Minotaur and the three figures behind him.
Luo En's gaze swept over each guard's face, a subtle smile appearing in his eyes.
What a coincidence, they are all familiar faces from Crete...
Monts later, Minotaur reached the top of the stairs, his muscles bulging as he pushed open the heavy stone doors with effort.
"Accused, enter..."
The deep and aged voice echoed in the vast and deep hall, and the three filed in.
The massive stone doors with light patterns pulsating closed of their own accord, sealing off all sound and breath.
The surroundings returned to dead silence as if nothing happened.
At that mont, Luo En, now inside the great hall, felt a sense of comfort like coming ho upon seeing the familiar architectural style and furnishings, and he instinctively greeted.
"Your..."
"Cough cough!"
The elder in the white robe seated in the hall, wearing a golden crown, tapped his golden staff, and coughed lightly.
Luo En imdiately understood that during work, one should address by official title.
He quickly corrected himself, adopting a respectful deanor and bowing.
"Judge, your well-being is honored."
King Minos nodded with satisfaction, opened the case file on the table, and began the formal judicial process.
"Prisoner Sisyphus, charged with blasphemy, fraud, and prison escape. The evidence is sufficient and consistent with the facts. Since he has fled here, let the court temporarily detain him, pending further transfer and processing."
At the look from that Judge of the Underworld, Minotaur below understood and lifted the unconscious Sisyphus from the ground, carrying him towards the backyard.
Luo En also expressed his agreent with this outco.
It was just a detention, after all, and no one had ntioned that mishaps couldn't happen.
Since it was originally Hypnos's duty to guard the punished Sisyphus, and even the esteed God of Sleep had neglected his duties, it would be quite normal for the Underworld Tribunal, whose only responsibility was to hear cases, to be negligent, right?
"As for you two..." After handling one case, King Minos looked solemnly at the two individuals below, delivering a "professional" and "fair" judgnt, "The Underworld only judges the departed souls; living humans are not within my jurisdiction."
Having said this, King Minos removed the white judge's robe that represented flawless justice, draped it over the back of the chair, supported himself with the golden staff, and stood up. His aged face revealed a gentle smile.
"Long ti no see, my secretary..."
Official duties now over, it was personal ti.
"Indeed, it's been a long ti, Your Majesty."
Luo En likewise nodded with a smile and led Tethys forward.
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