Unexpectedly, what she encountered was such a bizarre scene.
"You guys..." Little Medusa stood in the doorway, gazing at the four people in the room with a faint look.
"Discussing cooperation!" Luo En hurriedly explained, feeling fine sweat beading on the back of his neck.
Cooperation talks that end up in bed?
Little Medusa looked at the messy bedroom and bedding, her mind struggling to make sense of it.
"Don't believe me? Ask them!"
Seeing the doubt in the young girl's eyes grow stronger, Luo En immediately gave Stheno and Euryale frantic looks, signalling them desperately.
But seeing their younger sister's first action upon entering the room was to protect a certain culprit behind her, after being beaten for more than half an hour, Stheno and Euryale broke down, their faces as dark as the bottom of a pot, arms crossed over their chests, ready to watch the drama unfold.
However, as a section of a whip flashed behind someone, the indignant Stheno and Euryale shuddered, and quickly bowed their heads in humiliation, speaking in a muffled and resentful tone.
"Don't you want to defend Crete Island?"
"We were worried about you, we came to help."
"Really? You're that kind-hearted?"
Little Medusa looked at her suddenly transformed sisters with suspicion clearly outweighing trust in her tone.
Are we really that bad?
Seeing her sister's thief-like glare, Stheno and Euryale ground their teeth in frustration, veins popping on their foreheads.
"That's right, your two sisters came to find me early this morning, saying they hoped to stand with us through this tough time and defend Crete Island together!"
Seeing Stheno and Euryale on the verge of exploding, Luo En nodded repeatedly to vouch for them, dragging another conspirator to share the blame.
"Hestia can also testify!"
At that moment, the Goddess of the Hearth, who had quietly moved toward the door, stopped in her tracks, turned around, and forced a convincingly earnest smile on her face.
"Yes, yes! That's why I came back from the palace early!"
"So that was it? Sorry, I misunderstood you..."
Suddenly, Little Medusa, having learned the "truth," looked guiltily at her sisters and the two adults.
Seeing that they had finally managed to gloss over the issue, Luo En promptly put on a serious demeanor and changed the subject.
"Cough, cough. Now that everyone is here, let's discuss how to deal with the third wave of the beast tide."
When the conversation turned to their own pressing matters, everyone grew solemn, following Luo En, the current spokesman for Crete Island, to the living room to sit down and begin the formal discussion.
As the main force resisting pressure, Luo En had no choice but to take the lead, opening the meeting by announcing his strategy.
"The first problem, Keto, as a unique existence, requires a specific response. The divinity of the Gorgons can counter her. I'm planning to leave her to you."
"Okay!"
Before Stheno and Euryale could respond, Little Medusa stood up, her face serious as she accepted the challenge.
Such meticulous arrangements were sufficient to handle any variation that might arise in the third beast tide.
However, considering another possibility and still feeling insecure, Luo En turned his gaze toward Hestia.
"When the time comes, you will secure our rear along the coastal defense line, and if Poseidon makes a move..."
Hearing she would have a role to play, Hestia clenched her fists and swiped through the air excitedly,
"Don't worry, I'll definitely give him a beating!"
Luo En nodded slightly, his expression showing satisfaction and relief.
Given the formidable power of the sea deity, he had no intention of letting Hestia take the forefront and give their opponent an advantage.
But that didn't mean he wasn't prepared for the eventuality of the God of the Sea, unable to accept defeat, becoming desperate.
After outlining the basic strategy, the group immediately reviewed the plan again, clarifying and refining each person's tasks.
With nothing much to do, an idly curious Hestia suddenly had a thought,
"Wait, what if Keto doesn't show up after seven days?"
"Good question!"
Luo En smiled nonchalantly, stood up from his seat, and looked at Hestia with a gaze not of mockery, but filled with rare admiration, and replied leisurely,
"That is the third trouble to handle, and it's my task to deal with it—once everything is in place, I'll be the one to lure Keto out!"
"Lure? Like fishing?"
Hestia blinked in bewilderment, then nodded to herself.
It seemed right; the mother of monsters did indeed resemble a giant snake-fish.
But she was also an ancient god.
What could he use to lure her out?
Seeing Hestia's confusion, Luo En's lips curled into a smile as he looked meaningfully out towards the city of Knossos, and said,
"The 'bait'; didn't King Minos prepare it for us two days ago?"
In an instant, Hestia understood and an expression of schadenfreude spread across her face.
~~
"Achoo!"
Elsewhere on Crete Island, within a hidden cave deep in the forest, a youth dressed in animal skins, armed with a longbow, and with an honest face, inexplicably felt a chill and sneezed loudly.
Damn it, could it be the old man gossiping about me again?
As a cool breeze swept through the forest, Orion looked around at the shadows and felt a sudden unease.
No, this is too close to the city of Knossos, who knows if the old man will follow; I need to go further away.
Orion grumbled as he snuffed out his fire, grabbed his longbow and water bottle, and continued deeper into the dense forest.