The women of Lemnos Island,
Actually, describing them with another term would make it even clearer.
Daughter Country.
Yes, just like the Daughter Country encountered by the four pilgrims in Journey to the West, the nation on Lemnos Island was similarly composed entirely of women.
However, unlike in Journey to the West, Lemnos Island had arrived at this state through a series of upheavals.
The women of Lemnos Island, due to their neglect of the Goddess of Love and Beauty Aphrodite, suffered her punishment: they became foul-smelling and unbearable, causing their husbands to abandon them and seek women on the opposite mainland of Thrace.
Thus, a year ago, in rage, the women launched a coup together, slaying nearly all the men on the island.
Only the island's king escaped death, but he was confined in a wooden barrel and set adrift on the sea, his fate unknown.
Several days later, under another stormy night, the Argo arrived near this island.
And what greeted the Argo was a group of fully armed female warriors standing on the shore, staring at them intently like soldiers from the Amazon women's nation.
The island's women, having killed all the men, had naturally also slain the women their husbands brought back from the Thracian mainland across the way. Thus, they constantly feared an invasion from the mainland once the truth came out.
"Look, they're all women. How strange."
"Yes, shall we go ashore and take a look!"
"This must be the gods' guidance. We've been drifting at sea for days; let's resupply on the island!"
In truth, the Argo lacked nothing in supplies, and the food they consumed was the freshest.
After all, Jason was now a demigod, and he held the wheat ears granted by Persephone and Demeter.
But Jason knew that boredom from the aimless drifting had worn down their patience; they wanted to go ashore and frolic.
Thus, after a brief consideration, Jason did not refuse.
Though in this time, Jason had accumulated considerable prestige, and most importantly, about seventy percent of those aboard were his senior fellow disciples.
Thus, his decisions would generally pass without issue, but sowing seeds of resentment was something Jason, who disliked trouble, naturally wished to avoid.
At the same time, this matter made Jason realize his preparations were insufficient.
"Indeed, the onboard entertainment options are a bit too few... after all, my teachers wouldn't understand such things."
Jason murmured softly, then summoned the great hero Theseus, asking him to disguise himself henceforth and represent to the heroes that he, Theseus, was now the Argo's captain.
Theseus was naturally terrified at this, claiming he could not shoulder such glory, but under Jason's persistent requests, he could only accept helplessly.
Then, after a while, female soldiers came aboard, inviting the heroes to a banquet at the island's palace.
The heroes departed one by one, leaving only three on the ship.
The uninterested Heracles, Atalanta, and Jason, who could not hide even if he tried...
...
"He... why isn't he going ashore!"
From the shadows, Hera widened her eyes, puzzled as she asked Amphitrite beside her: "And he handed the captain's honor to Theseus... what is he thinking!"
"Yes, what on earth is he doing!"
Amphitrite echoed with a bewildered expression: "This is troublesome now. If he doesn't go ashore and fall into the gentle traps of those island women, what reason do we have to punish him?"
"But speaking of which, this child shows no greed for beauty at all... if he marries someday, he will surely be a devoted, one-hearted good husband to his wife."
As Amphitrite spoke, she stealthily glanced at Hera's face.
And evidently, Hera's expression stiffened once more.
On this note, a brief aside about Jason's original fate.
In truth, even without this transmigrated Jason, the previous Jason had betrayed Hera.
Hera had exerted efforts to match Jason with Medea.
But later, Jason betrayed Medea, and thus betrayed Hera, who held authority over marriage, leading the disheartened Hera to cease paying him attention.
Thus, to curry favor with Hera and earn her affection was actually quite simple.
One merely needed to show oneself utterly unlike Zeus, becoming a positive example in Hera's eyes.
And the white-clothed Heracles had evidently achieved this, for the white-clothed Heracles was Jason himself.
Hera fell silent, her mind replaying the Jason she had observed during this time.
At the same time, she recalled the Jason she had seen in the time-light granted by Hecate.
Truth be told, the two were stark contrasts.
Could it be... that I truly cannot compare to Hecate, and Jason following her is the better choice?
Such doubts instinctively arose in Hera's mind.
But instantly, she denied them.
After all, she was Hera, the Queen of the Gods among all divinities.
Even if wrong, it was right!
"Hmph!" Hera snorted lightly and turned away, offering no reply.
Seeing this, Amphitrite could not help but ask: "Hera, where are you going?"
"I'm going to find Athena... she must have a way to torment that fellow harshly!" Hera said viciously.
Hearing this, Amphitrite—who had been about to劝 her—froze.
She even made a "after you, after you" gesture.
After all, of all people to seek help from, she chose Athena...
...
"The queen of the island is named Hypsipyle. It is indeed an island without men, but you were still deceived."
Listening to all things' voices...
Jason gently stroked the little bird perched on his hand, speaking to Hylas, Heracles's nephew, who had returned from scouting the island and reported what he had heard and seen.
"Deceived?" Hylas looked at Jason in confusion.
"Yes." Jason nodded lightly. "They claim the island's men abandoned them for the opposite shore, but in truth, it was they who acted, slaying all the men who betrayed them."
With that, Jason gently raised his hand, sending the little bird that had told him all this away from his palm.
Intelligence... was forever the most crucial resource.
As a transmigrator, Jason naturally understood how vital information was, so he also knew how bountiful the gift from Godmother Demeter truly was.
Now, possessing the ability to listen to all things' voices, and having received Demeter's blood to become a child of the divine.
It was no exaggeration to say that all things in the world were his informants!
He could effortlessly obtain desired information from all living beings!
"What?!" Heracles's face changed drastically upon hearing this. "Then are they not in grave danger now? Jason, let us hurry to save them..."
"No need... and rest assured, those traveling with us are all heroes, moreover my senior fellow disciples. The women on this island can hardly harm them."
Jason chuckled lightly at Heracles. "Moreover, the little bird just told me that a divine oracle from the gods descended recently, instructing them to treat us well... so I believe they will not only refrain from harming us but will try every means to keep us here."
"Keep us, why?" Hylas asked in puzzlement.
"Because of men... they need men to till fields and farm." Atalanta provided a flat answer.
With that, Atalanta looked at Jason. "You won't stop it?"
"Why stop it?" Jason countered Atalanta. "If companions truly wish to stay, in a consensual situation, why should I intervene?"
Atalanta rolled her eyes at Jason and said nothing.
Others might not know Jason, but did she not?
If not for the lofty gods above, Jason would never have let these people board.
In Jason's view, they were all burdens... he had said as much to Atalanta back then!
Thus, now, with a reasonable chance for attrition, Jason's mere non-obstruction was already generous.
Moreover, this was not truly pitting them.
After all, these heroes, including his senior fellow disciples, had mostly come at invitation to aid Jason while gaining fame.
And thereby obtain beautiful women, wealth, power.
This island of only women could perfectly fulfill their desires.
Heracles roughly grasped Jason's intent, furrowing his brows for a time before falling silent.
Jason paid it no mind. With the situation clarified and his mind at ease, he rose, and incidentally said to Atalanta: "Atalanta, I plan to head into the forest to chop a few trees shortly. Care to join me?"
"What for?" Atalanta looked at Jason in doubt.
At the same time, she took up the Bow of the Heavens and slung it on her back, following beside Jason.
"To get rich, first fell trees!... Actually, just to make some small things, like mahjong, chess, cards, and such entertainments. With them, I suspect our journey onward will be smooth sailing straight to the destination."
Atalanta tilted her head; she naturally could not understand Jason's words.
But seeing his mischievous smile, she knew he harbored no good intentions.