Looking at the familiar Mount Olympus, Lin Xiang turned to Lin Su, who was looking troubled, and said, "Stop your mumbling. I'm serious. The Greek world is my home turf, and I guarantee you'll make a fortune."
Lin Su quickly swiped through the mission panel on his watch, feeling dejected. "Who would have thought I'd become Zeus's uncle? Life is truly unpredictable."
"My sons have very normal values. They're nothing like the philanderer you might imagine."
Lin Xiang smiled and flew towards the nearby forest, where a familiar aura seemed to emanate from the lush woodland.
The tree nymph Syrinx was trying to evade Pan's advances. After becoming a goddess of the breeze, Syrinx, driven by curiosity, left the unchanging Isle of Aeolus to live on Earth.
Although she only possessed the power of a minor deity, Syrinx lived a relatively comfortable life thanks to her service to Tyche and her care for the Kanner brothers.
However, Chimera, one of the offspring of the serpent Echidna and Typhon, with the head of a lion and the body of a goat, showed no deference to deities. The foolish goddess of the breeze narrowly escaped death from the poisonous fire spat by Chimera.
Pan, wandering in nature, sensed Syrinx's peril. He played his pipes, lulling Chimera into a slumber, allowing Syrinx to escape.
Syrinx paid no mind to Pan's appearance. With goat hooves and horns, Pan was unlike the heroic and handsome male gods. His goat beard caused him to be met with disdain wherever he went.
Even his mother, the nymph Penelope, abandoned this ugly child and fled into the forest because of it. His father, Hermes, provided him with protection, brought him to Mount Olympus, and bestowed upon him the divine duty of shepherding.
The arrogant gods always cast scornful glances at the shepherd god, which Pan found unbearable. After leaving Mount Olympus, he roamed the earth. Wherever Pan went, animals would multiply exponentially, and even trees would grow lushly.
Driven by faith, Pan quickly became a minor deity. His personality inherited from his father Hermes, he was clever, intelligent, and a bit mischievous. His beautiful pipe music earned him the friendship and affection of the Graces.
Syrinx, however, was different. The goddess of the breeze genuinely didn't care about Pan's unusual appearance. Looking into Syrinx's sincere eyes, a subtle affection welled up in Pan's heart.
To win Syrinx's love, Pan specially offered rich livestock to his friends' chief deity – Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty – hoping for her assistance.
Aphrodite, aware of Syrinx's background, naturally did not wish to offend Zeus and the Kanner brothers for Pan. She mercilessly rejected Pan's offering.
The shepherd god did not give up. His persistence moved Aphrodite. At the pleading of the Graces, Aphrodite secretly revealed Syrinx's whereabouts to Pan, allowing him to always know where she was.
Syrinx felt only gratitude towards the shepherd god, not the same love as Pan, and soon grew weary of his endless pursuit.
But no matter if Syrinx transformed into a bird or a tree, Pan always found her, whispering endless sweet words and declarations of love in her ear.
Seeing his former attendant desperately hiding in the reeds by the water, Lin Xiang conjured a thick fog to obscure Pan's vision.
Aphrodite, ever the opportunist, felt a tremor of fear from the faintly appearing divine power of fate. She immediately withdrew her power guiding Syrinx.
After driving away Aphrodite, Lin Xiang chuckled as she watched Pan wandering in the fog. Just as she was contemplating how to get rid of the shepherd god, Syrinx, hidden in the reeds, flew deeper into the forest on a gentle breeze.
Pan, disoriented in the fog, was struck with inspiration by the sudden gust of wind and immediately followed.
Syrinx left her hiding place because she had discovered someone who could save her.
The river god's sons were driving prey on horseback. The resonance in the wind domain made Syrinx realize their lord was not far away!
"Prince Kanner, please help me!"
Syrinx's loud cry alerted the attendants. They immediately drew their arrows and nocked them, their cold, gleaming arrowheads pointed directly at Syrinx, who appeared from the wind.
The wolves pacing by the horses, which had been baring their teeth, retracted their hostility upon smelling the familiar scent carried by the breeze, sniffing more eagerly.
The wolves let out low whines and trotted over to Syrinx, lowering their heads to nuzzle her robes.
"Syrinx?"
Kanner's voice caused Lin Xiang, hiding in the shadows, to momentarily falter. She couldn't help but emerge from the fog, wanting to say a few words of concern to her son.
The god of disaster frowned. "My mother's loyal attendant, why do you appear in the deep forest with such a distressed expression? The nymphs told me that monsters often appear nearby. Did you encounter them?"
As he spoke, he waved his hand, signaling his attendants to lower their drawn bows.
"Your Highness, Hermes' son – the god of livestock, Pan, is pursuing me. Please stop him and save me from his annoying harassment!"
Syrinx's tearful plea deepened Kanner's frown. He dismounted and helped the fallen goddess of the breeze. Turning, he whistled, and the wolves immediately darted in the direction Syrinx had come from. Before long, a disheveled Pan was driven by the wolves to Kanner.
"Shepherd god! The goddess of the breeze has accused you of your transgressions. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"
Pan still wanted to continue pouring out his love to Syrinx, but Kanner's gaze sharpened. The surging frost divine power calmed Pan's love-addled mind.
"Your Highness, I did not force Syrinx. I only wish for her to become my wife."
White frost clung to Pan's beard as he earnestly explained the reasons for his affections to his beloved.
"I swear upon the goddesses of fate in the Underworld that I will never harm Syrinx!"
Syrinx also calmed down from her fear of being forcibly taken. "God Pan, I only have gratitude and respect for you. I am honored by your admiration, but your actions have caused me great distress. Continuing this will only make me lose my good feelings for you. Please leave."
Pan left, looking utterly dejected, turning back repeatedly.
After sending attendants to escort Syrinx back to the woodland where she lived, Kanner turned to look at Lin Xiang, who had emerged from the mist.
After a brief moment of confusion, Kanner grinned. He walked up to his mother and said with a look of filial affection, "Mother."
Lin Xiang gently embraced her eldest son and kissed his forehead, softly saying, "I'm here."
The warm embrace was interrupted by an untimely cough. Lin Xiang rolled her eyes and released him, introducing him to her curious son, "This is my brother. You should call him Uncle."
Blinking his pale eyes, Kanner looked at Lin Su, who sat upright, speechless. After a moment, he smiled and spontaneously hugged his uncle, whom he had never met, patting his back. Lin Su's stiff expression softened, and he returned the hug, patting his great-nephew's back.
Sitting by the forest lake, Kanner's excitement was palpable. "You've returned at the perfect time. My wedding is not long from now, and I was worried you wouldn't be able to attend."
Lin Xiang blinked. "Who is your wife? Hecate or Eris?"
The atmosphere became a bit stiff. Lin Su glanced at his sister, then at his great-nephew, and wisely stepped back to observe.
Lin Xiang sighed inwardly. Why did such melodramatic plots always happen around her? Before she left the Greek world, only these two goddesses had been rumored to be involved with Kanner. Kanner, however, had a greater fondness for the daughter of his friend Astraea. But the goddess of strife, Eris, was bolder than the reserved Hecate and had repeatedly expressed her affection for Kanner, which had even reached Hecate, who lived in semi-seclusion on the Isle of Aeolus.
Both Astraea and Nyx were pleased with this marriage. Although from a strategic perspective, choosing Eris would be more suitable, as Nyx's lineage of darkness would be more powerful, and Kanner and Eris becoming husband and wife would prevent any further disturbance to the overall peace. However, Lin Xiang hoped her son would follow his heart in his choice, as that was more important than anything.
"I hope it's Hecate." When speaking of his wife, a bitter expression almost dripped from Kanner's face.
The god of disaster closed his eyes, enjoying his mother's caress on his head.
"But Hecate doesn't love me." Kanner showed his most vulnerable side to his mother. "Zeus said it's better to choose someone who loves you than someone you love; at least you'll be happy."
"My child, your feelings are more important than anything else to your brother," Lin Xiang said gently, removing a leaf from Kanner's hair. "Don't blame your brother. He loves you and doesn't want you to suffer from unrequited love."
"I understand."
The god of disaster closed his eyes. "He's marrying Leto not out of love, but merely suitability. Zeus's mind is firm. Even if his affection for Leto fades, he will still give his wife sufficient respect and will never betray her."
"You love Hecate, but you don't want her to be troubled by your love, so you always express your feelings very carefully."
His mother's gentle words made Kanner feel a bit dazed. In a semi-conscious state, he heard his mother's admonition.
"Go, my child. Boldly ask your questions and don't leave any regrets. Otherwise, you will be letting down Eris's feelings. If you let go of Hecate, Eris will be a good wife. She shouldn't suffer because of your indecision."
Overcome by fatigue and sleepiness, Kanner drifted into a deep slumber.
"Great-nephew is troubled by love. Aren't you afraid he'll be heartbroken?"
After finishing his "snack," Lin Su couldn't help but approach and express concern for his great-nephew.
Lin Xiang looked at Kanner's pure sleeping face and said softly, "I protected him too well. After I left, Zeus took over, but this time, neither of us can decide for him. Let him choose for himself."
The hazy dream could no longer be recalled upon waking. Kanner opened his eyes; his mother had disappeared, leaving only a pile of glittering golden gifts.
In the Underworld, the master of the River of Obsession let out a soft laugh, drawing curious glances from Hecate on the bank.
A white Pegasus flapped its wings and descended from a crack in the earth. The white-eyed deity, carrying a bow and arrows, with a determined expression, passed through vibrant red flowers and approached the goddess performing the duty of prayer.