Death Knocks on Hell’s Door Chapter 46

Chapter 46 Imprisonment

The flood of information from Poseidon left the gods speechless.

Had Venus and the King of the Sea already been promised to each other?

Venus, with his unique focus, pouted in grievance. “I didn’t sleep with him. He just barged in on his own.”

How could they question his taste? Was he the kind of god who didn’t choose his food?

Compared to the vague betrothal, Venus was more concerned about his reputation being tarnished.

Poseidon severed the golden net, and Ares, too, tore it open and crawled out, glaring furiously at Hephaestus and Eos. “You plotted against me?”

He had only told Eos that he was going to find Venus tonight, and Hephaestus had already set up the golden net on the bed in advance, making it hard for him not to suspect that these two had conspired together to humiliate him.

Eos immediately defended herself. “This has nothing to do with me!”

It was the God of Sun who had said there was a spectacle to watch, and that was why she had followed him! Apollo was the God of Prophecy, so of course she believed him!

Wait…… Ares had mentioned he was going to find Venus tonight, and she had told Apollo about it earlier in the day……

Eos looked at Apollo’s handsome, radiant face and suddenly felt a shiver run down her spine. Had this spectacle truly been foreseen by Apollo, or had he orchestrated it all on purpose?

Ares’ loud voice had become unbearable to Poseidon. He raised his hand and cast a celibacy spell with a cold, detached gaze that was as merciless as the deep sea. “Three hundred years of celibacy still isn’t enough? I’ll make this one permanent.”

Ares froze, his face turning red with rage. “So, my incapability over the past three hundred years have been because of you!”

In his fury, he didn’t even consider his dignity until the words had already left his mouth. Only then did he notice the varied expressions of the gods around him.

The gods of Olympus all looked as though they had just heard a sensational piece of gossip.

What? The God of War had been impotent for these three hundred years? So this was the real reason he hadn’t sought out lovers all these years?

That also debunked the rumor that Cupid was Ares’ biological son. Considering how long Cupid had been alive, he hadn’t even reached three hundred years old.

And it conveniently confirmed that Venus had never been involved with Ares during that time. Venus had claimed that Ares had come to his room on his own.

So, tonight…… was Ares trying to sneak into his bedroom with ill intentions?

Hephaestus was also stunned.

Ares’ furious reaction confirmed Poseidon’s words. Ares had indeed been incapable for the past three hundred years.

But then, Venus had openly admitted to him that he’d had relations with Ares once within those three hundred years.

It was a glaring contradiction.

Then there was Apollo, who had said that Venus admitted Cupid was Ares’ son……

What Apollo said needed no corroboration. As the God of Truth, he never spoke a lie. His words were the strongest evidence of all.

So Hephaestus, who usually turned a deaf ear to all the rumors and gossip, was completely broken by a single statement from Apollo.

He could tolerate Venus seeking lovers outside their marriage, but he could not accept the scent of another man in their home. Home was the warmth Hephaestus longed for most. It was his sanctuary, and his greatest weakness. Venus and Cupid were his breaking point.

His original family had been a failure. His father, Zeus, was unfaithful and promiscuous. His mother, Hera, was twisted by jealousy. His half-brother, Ares, was both foolish and vile. The home he came from was a mess, and the more he hated it and felt disappointed by it, the more he poured all his hopes into his new family.

Yet today, he learned that Cupid was really Ares’ child. The so-called new family he had hoped for didn’t exist. He could never escape the shadow of his original family.

It was a devastating blow, shattering all his hopes.

Hephaestus turned to Apollo, silently pleading for a reasonable explanation.

Apollo was just as confused. He turned to Eos. “Didn’t you say Venus admitted that Cupid was Ares’ son?”

Apollo could easily tell when someone was lying, and he was absolutely certain that Eos had not deceived him. She couldn’t have passed on a falsehood.

Eos was just as bewildered. “Indeed. When I told Venus that Cupid was Ares’ son, he asked me how I knew…… Isn’t that a tacit admission?”

Apollo couldn’t believe it. “Are you sure it wasn’t just a simple question? Maybe he was just curious where you heard such a rumor!”

Eos suddenly felt uncertain. Had she truly misunderstood Venus’ meaning?

Hephaestus: “……”

Poseidon, watching this spectacle unfold, couldn’t help but let a thin layer of mockery flicker in his eyes. “The God of Truth never lies, indeed. He speaks only what he believes to be the truth, but does that mean his perception is always right?”

Hephaestus blinked, a tremor running through his lashes.

……He hadn’t thought of that.

There were actually many doubts still lingering. Venus had said he’d been with Ares, and he had heard that with his own ears. Venus wouldn’t lie to him about such a thing. If Ares truly had been under a celibacy spell, perhaps another god had taken his form to deceive Venus. However, there was still a chance that Cupid might not be Hephaestus’ son.

But now, Hephaestus couldn’t afford to think about that. He had intended to use the golden net to verify Apollo’s words, but he hadn’t expected so many gods to gather and watch. So, he simply went all the way and used Ares to threaten Zeus to allow him and Venus to divorce.

The warmth of this new family had always been a lie, and there was no longer any reason to maintain it. It was just another reminder of how absurd his tragic fate had become.

But in doing so, he had wronged Venus.

“……I’m sorry, Venus.”

Hephaestus took a step forward, intending to pull Venus out of Poseidon’s arms.

But Poseidon didn’t step back. Instead, he used an invisible force that kept Hephaestus from advancing any further.

The gods watched helplessly as the spot where Poseidon stood was enveloped in blue light, and then, along with Venus, they disappeared from sight.

Deep Sea Palace.

Venus was sitting on a soft, pristine white bed, his golden, curly hair cascading loosely around his shoulders. His wrists and ankles were adorned with pearls, a teardrop-shaped jewel hanging between his brows. Pearl earrings dangled from his long, pale earlobes, and a sapphire necklace graced his slender neck. The entire god exuded a breathtaking, androgynous beauty that was both captivating and otherworldly.

Since being abducted by Poseidon to the depths of the sea, the jewelry crafted by the God of Fire had been removed from him, replaced with treasures from the sea. Venus got obsessed with changing into beautiful clothes and adornments, spending his days dressing up, always striving to embody the pinnacle of beauty. At first, he had been reluctant to part with the pieces Hephaestus had made for him, but after Poseidon had shown him the jewelry piled up in the entire palace, Venus happily accepted the new cloakroom.

Poseidon treated him like a doll, dressing him up every day. Every day Venus only needed to think about two things — which jewelry to wear, or which position to use with Poseidon.

His mind wasn’t meant for complex thoughts. He didn’t know why Poseidon had put a celibacy spell on Ares, nor did he care to know which god had taken Ares’ form to sleep with him. He only recognized the taste, not the god. Whether it was really Ares didn’t matter. What mattered was that he enjoyed it. Why bother questioning its origin?

The day he was brought to the seabed, Venus had been placed in this magnificent ice-blue palace, where he saw no one but Poseidon. When the handsome blue-haired god stood in front of him, Venus gazed at him for a long moment before asking, “Have I seen you before…… when I was first born?”

Poseidon lowered his gaze, gently placing an ice-blue crown on Venus’ golden hair, his fingers brushing his cheek as he spoke softly, “I’m glad you remember. Dear Venus, it was me who took you from the shell and kept you safe from the raging sea. It was me who gave you your first breath of sea breeze, bringing you to Cyprus. It was me who crowned you, promising that you would be my future companion. Welcome home, my queen.”

Poseidon cupped Venus’ chin and leaned down to kiss his lips.

Venus tasted the gentle seawater. He had an instinctive affinity for the sea, and the God of Sea’s aura made him feel at peace.

He obediently closed his eyes.

What happened next was only natural.

In this palace, which was theirs alone, no one knew how many days and nights they had tangled together.

Venus’ entire being was soaked in the gentle sea, feeling as if he might soon be pickled by it.

To keep him from becoming bored, Poseidon told him stories every day. Although the voice was different, the same tender tone always made Venus think of Adonis.

He grew addicted to the feeling.

But, unfortunately, no matter how much he indulged, over time it became tiresome. Experiencing excessive passion with the same god quickly left him feeling bored.

His lust could never be fully satiated. He could only keep trying new dishes.

“Would you like to hear a bedtime story?”

On an ordinary night, Poseidon asked the usual question.

In truth, there was no day or night under the sea. Everything was always bathed in a deep blue. Venus didn’t know whether it was day or night. Since it was a bedtime story, he decided to assume it was night.

“I want to go back,” Venus said. “I haven’t been home in so long, and Hephaestus will be worried.”

For a brief moment, Poseidon’s blue eyes grew cold, but his tone remained gentle. “He no longer has any claim on you. This is your home now.”

“But I still want to see Cupid. He’s still on the mountain.”

“He’s an adult now. He doesn’t need anyone to watch over him.”

Poseidon didn’t care whose son Cupid was. He had never even asked about Venus having a son. After all, Greek gods were known for severing ties with their kin. Poseidon’s possessiveness over Venus was strong, and he didn’t want Venus’ mind or heart divided, even if Cupid were their son.

Venus frowned. “You don’t have the right to keep me here.”

He was about to get out of bed when, suddenly, a magnificent silver cage descended from the sky, enclosing the entire bed.

The silver cage was adorned with white roses, and Venus, trapped inside, resembled a caged canary.

Venus froze, then immediately turned his gaze to Poseidon.

Poseidon simply looked at him and smiled, with no hint of remorse.

The atmosphere shifted in an instant, turning cold and icy, filled with dominance and aggression.

The gentle God of Sea had finally shown his true face.

Poseidon had given Venus the title of Queen of the Sea, but he had never tried to teach him the responsibilities of marriage. What was the point of speaking of such intangible things? It was far more effective to be direct.

Venus sensed the shift in energy and felt a twinge of unease. He paused for a moment, then delicately said, “I don’t like this cage. Can you remove it?”

To his surprise, Poseidon was unexpectedly accommodating. The silver cage, entwined with white roses, was quickly replaced with a golden cage adorned with red roses.

Venus: “……” Great, now it was upgraded.

Poseidon, still smiling, asked once more, “Would you like to hear a bedtime story?”

Venus: “……Do I have the right to refuse?”

“Of course. You can go straight to sleep instead.”

“Then I’ll listen to the story.” Venus gave in, wanting a moment’s respite.

Poseidon’s expression softened, and he began the story, “In the depths of the sea, there was a palace where the King of the Sea lived with his six daughters, the youngest of whom……”

Venus quickly said, “I’ve heard this story before. Don’t tell it. I don’t like it.”

Poseidon paused. “Oh? Then tell me, what’s the ending of the story?”

Venus pressed his lips together.

It was the story that Adonis had started telling him but never finished.

After learning Chinese, Venus had understood the ending of the story. But since it was a tragedy, and his love story with Adonis was a tragedy as well, he didn’t care much for it.

The story was originally a Danish fairy tale, but Adonis had given him a Chinese translated version, titled Daughter of the Sea.

The little mermaid, born from the sea, went ashore at all costs for her sweetheart, and if she didn’t win his true love, she would turn into sea foam.

Venus sighed. “She didn’t get true love on land, so in the end, she turned into sea foam and returned to the embrace of the sea. That ending is bad, I don’t like it.”

Poseidon hugged him from behind, his fingers lightly grazing Venus’ golden hair. “I think it’s a good ending. You were born in my embrace. In the end, the god who should embrace you is me.”

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