In Ark Simulator, why do I always get a tough start?

Chapter 115 A brief moment of warmth, the arrival of Letania!
The combined forces of Victoria and Colombia suffered a crushing defeat, and their commander, Viscount Harold, was captured by the King of Caran!

[This news, thanks to your deliberate and extensive publicity, has already become a household name in Kjerag.]

As a territory contested by two major powers, the news of Shelag's significance naturally reached the ears of high-ranking officials in various countries very quickly.

When the new emperor of Letania learned that his ally, Colombia, had chosen this moment to betray their alliance, he was furious.

Whether it was to express an attitude towards the traitors, or simply to finally have an excuse to conquer Colombia, a country they had long feared.

The new emperor of Letania has amassed his army with astonishing speed, preparing to annihilate Victoria and Columbia, this "conjoined father and son."

The news of the vanguard's defeat came as a huge surprise to both Victoria and Colombia.

Victoria's official response to the spread of this news was immediate.

[This is fake news fabricated and directed by the people of Shelag!]

[As for the photos of Harold and Victoria's soldiers being captured that have already been published in the news...]

[That's obviously fake! It's a fake photo created using advanced technology! A common tactic used by tabloids in Victoria!]

[Our Victorian army is invincible, how could it possibly suffer a crushing defeat in a small country? Of course, this is fake news fabricated by Sherag to mislead the public!]

[It is hoped that Letania will not be misled by such fake news and will exercise restraint; otherwise, Victoria will have no choice but to take necessary measures.]

However, while Victoria's declaration might temporarily stabilize the domestic situation, it had no effect on the nobility, and it certainly couldn't be kept secret from Letania.

Although Harold was only a viscount, his appointment as commander of the vanguard proved that he was no ordinary man.

[Moreover, Victoria appointed him as the vanguard commander this time precisely so that they could quickly take down Sherag with small forces before Letania could fully assemble its troops.]

Although the vanguard force only numbered ten thousand, with its steam-powered tanks, kinetic mechs, and the battle-hardened Victoria elite troops, taking down Sherag should have been a sure thing.

But Harold lost, and lost so quickly!

But how could that be? How could a weak nation like Shelag possibly have the strength to resist the coalition?

Was it an accident? Or was it a surprising tactic employed by the King of Kalan?

[Or perhaps it's because the Sherag people firmly believe in the existence of Jeragand?]

[I can't figure out the reason, but the fact that we lost the first battle cannot be changed.]

Harold's capture enraged the Victorian high command and caused Harold's direct superior, the Duke of Caesar, to lose face.

The Colombian side clearly understands that they made the wrong choice.

[The hope was to help Victoria quickly capture Sherag, thus allowing them to weaken Letania and create more opportunities for Colombia's rise.]

[Unexpectedly, the commander assigned by Victoria was so utterly incompetent.]

Now, Colombia has no chance of clearing itself of suspicion.

Colombia has no choice but to grit its teeth and stick with Vitória, going down a path that will lead nowhere.

Victoria immediately took control of Harold's wife and daughters, forbidding them from disseminating any information to the outside world.

Meanwhile, in an effort to save face for Kjerag, Victoria began rapidly assembling the remaining allied forces and advancing towards Kjerag.

This time, facing the formidable attack from Letania, Colombia is determined to fight to the bitter end.

They not only cut off trade with Letania, but also deployed more kinetic mechs.

Of course, Colombia cannot fully support Vitória, given that Bolívar, now under Letania's control, is watching closely behind the scenes.

Colombia must retain sufficient strength to defend its homeland.

Faced with the menacing armies of both nations, you, having returned to Shelag, no longer choose to launch a preemptive strike as you did when dealing with the vanguard.

Although you defeated Harold's vanguard, luck played a significant role in your success this time.

First, Harold was too eager for quick results due to orders, and his army was exhausted after the forced march, resulting in a decline in combat effectiveness.

Secondly, the climate of Shelag was a great help to you, along with that heavy snow... Without a doubt, it was Yera who helped you.

[Furthermore, the fearless and united warriors of Shelag were able to narrowly win this ambush against overwhelming odds.]

[If Harold had refused to surrender, facing an army besieging them without its supreme commander, you would likely have been annihilated.]

[Now, the disparity in strength between Shelag and the two countries is too great. Even if they employ a snow-based surprise attack, they have no chance of winning against the overwhelming armored onslaught.]

Instead, we should focus all our efforts on strengthening the defenses of Shelag, leveraging the terrain and environment, and preparing for a protracted defensive war.

You ordered the demolition of the railway tracks and cable cars that had been painstakingly constructed, stretching from the foot of the mountain all the way into the interior of Shelag.

[For parts that cannot be demolished, you order them to be destroyed with bombs, and you also prevent anyone from using this infrastructure.]

You also allowed all the people of the newly built town at the foot of the mountain to take their supplies back to the interior of Shelag.

[As for the town at the foot of the mountain, instead of ordering its demolition, you set up numerous booby traps and obstacles within it to hinder the enemy's invasion.]

As for the other entrances that were painstakingly carved through mountains and cliffs, you also completely sealed them off by blasting the mountains.

Ultimately, you're left with only one path; you must hold on to it.

That only passage is the ski slope that once carried countless travelers from Kjerag, and it is also the gateway to Kjerag that you must guard.

You've also turned this unique snow track into a challenging tower defense game.

[Your expertise with landmines goes without saying; you ordered the construction of defensive towers around the ski slopes early on, equipped with heavy crossbows to deal with aerial enemies.]

[You've also prepared a large amount of oil, in case you can't hold the ski slope at the last moment. You can pour the oil on fire and burn all the enemy troops who are attacking the mountain.]

You also planted bombs in many snow-capped mountains to trigger avalanches at crucial moments and hinder the enemy's offensive.

You also positioned many small siege crossbows manufactured in the armory at the end of the snow track, allowing you to attack the enemy from a high vantage point.

These small siege crossbows might be ineffective against thick city walls.

However, if it's specifically designed to deal with people and hold narrow ski runs, then it's more than enough.

At this point, all your preparations are complete.

The rest... is up to fate.

"Qi? Are you alright?"

[A few days later, late at night, as you gaze alone into the distance, observing whether any troops are approaching Shelag, you hear a soft whisper beside you.]

Turning your head, you realize that Fiona has already appeared beside you with a smile.

In her hands, she held a basket of potatoes that were still steaming hot.

“I heard from Yela and Enya that you weren’t in the palace, and I had to ask around to find you here.”

Fiona waved the potato in her hand at Chen Qi and said with concern:

"I brought some freshly steamed potatoes. Let's eat them while they're hot, or they'll freeze solid soon."

"……OK."

You don't really have an appetite, but you know that Fiona came to see you specifically because she has something to tell you.

[Coincidentally, you also have some things on your mind that you want to ask Fiona about.]

"I'm sorry, Fiona."

"Ok?"

Faced with Chen Qi's sudden apology, Fiona, with a mouthful of soft, steamed potatoes, tilted her head, looking blankly puzzled.

“This time, we’re going to fight your homeland, the army of Victoria,” Chen Qi explained casually while peeling a potato.

"If you find it hard to accept, you can just tell me. There's no need to force yourself to kill your own people." "—Fool, you're asking too late..."

However, upon hearing your words, Fiona paused slightly before letting out a silvery, girlish laugh.

Without realizing it, she reached out her finger and gently tapped your forehead.

At that moment, it was as if you two had both shed the burdens of being kings and generals, returning to the purest form of friendship you shared when you first met at the Royal Guard Academy.

“If I couldn’t accept it, I wouldn’t have gone to battle with you, let alone dragged Viscount Harold back with my own hands.”

Beside the campfire, Fiona, her eyes moist, gazed silently at the embers of the burning firewood, and softly said to Chen Qi:

"However, I really didn't expect... that I would be away from home for so long this time."

“I thought I would miss my hometown, but in Shelag, I actually found a similar feeling to that I had back home.”

"Qi, I didn't tell you, did I? My hometown is very close to Tara District."

Fiona turned her gaze to Chen Qi beside her and smiled to herself:

“In my hometown, people have always said that the Victorians stole our land and that we shouldn’t work for them.”

Even after I was admitted to the Royal Guard Academy, some classmates still thought I came from a poor and remote area and were unwilling to be friends with me after they learned about my hometown.

“They said… I’m not a true Victorian, even though I served in the Victorian army and performed military service, even though I got into the Royal Guard Academy, I’m destined not to go very far.”

“I don’t feel at home in Victoria. I can’t feel at home there. I’m always forcing a smile.”

"At that time, besides Chenchen, only you reached out to me."

As she spoke, Fiona's face blossomed into a beautiful, genuine smile. Her straight, reddish hair cascaded down like a waterfall, the firelight further obscuring the faint blush on her face.

“When you told me that you wanted to return to your hometown and build it up after you finished your studies, I knew one thing for sure.”

"...What is it?" Chen Qi couldn't help but ask, looking into Fiona's bright, starry eyes.

However, what Chen Qi received in return was Fiona's beautiful smile and her soft whispers that warmed his heart like a gentle current.

"It's settled, I'm willing to be your best friend for life."

"Because in you, I see an ideal version of myself."

"I really, really want to become a strong person like Qi, someone with courage, who dares to think and act, and who is not afraid of any rumors or gossip."

"So, whenever I see Kjerag getting better little by little in Qi's hands, I feel from the bottom of my heart that Kjerag and my hometown are the same."

"Shelag is my second home."

"Therefore, I will risk everything to protect my hometown."

"I think Chenchen feels the same way about this, right?"

"Isn't this your main purpose?"

Having finally seen through Fiona's true purpose for coming, Chen Qi, after a series of wry smiles, smiled and replied to Fiona's tongue-out expression:
“I don’t blame Chen. After all, I didn’t expect anyone to understand what I did three years ago.”

“If you all follow my policies completely and act as cruel officials, I will feel uncomfortable afterwards.”

"If it really comes to that, I think I'll start to wonder if you really want to kill me."

Fiona persisted, saying, "But Chenchen is really bothered by it."

"However, Chenchen is not as frank as I am; she always expresses her apology through actions."

"Qi, you know that Chen Chen has been extremely busy lately maintaining order and security in Shelag."

"Consider it a reward for her work during this period. You should also take the initiative to explain these things to Chenchen, okay?"

As she spoke, Fiona blinked her big, bright eyes at Chen Qi, pleading pitifully for his permission.

After all, as Chen Huijie's good friend, Fiona knew her friend's personality all too well.

She is earnest, awkward, and not good at expressing her true feelings.

Given her personality, if you asked Chen Huijie to shamelessly express her apology, she would probably rather choose to atone with her death.

Faced with Fiona's coquettishness, Chen Qi's heart trembled slightly at the charm of this country girl, and he nodded in compromise with a helpless smile:
"Okay, if I have the chance, I will definitely talk to Chen properly."

"Yay! I love Inori the most~"

However, no sooner had Chen Qi finished speaking than Fiona, who had just resolved a major problem, excitedly and enthusiastically embraced Chen Qi.

Feeling the warm embrace of the country girl beside him, devoid of any ulterior motives, Chen Qi was touched, but still, with a touch of doting affection like that for a younger sister, he gently ruffled Fiona's beautiful hair.

It was a strange feeling. Although Fiona was older than him, she gradually became more and more like his younger sister, trusting and relying on him.

However, what Chen Qi and Fiona, who were embracing each other, did not know was that...

Directly below the small hill where they were, Chen Huijie's dashing figure appeared without warning.

With her back against the snow wall, she listened quietly to their entire conversation.

When she heard with her own ears that Chen Qi didn't blame her for her initial doubts, and even betrayal, Chen Huijie finally felt relieved, but a belated sense of guilt welled up in her heart.

Three years ago, she knew nothing but justice and evil, right and wrong.

After witnessing firsthand how Chen Qi's seemingly brutal policies over the past three years had actually brought about positive results for Sherag, and how it had now become a nation capable of resisting two major powers, they realized that...

Even Chen Huijie, who had a chivalrous heart and no interest in politics, understood this to some extent.

Many things in this world are not as simple as black and white.

Especially for those in high positions, every action and every choice they make concerns the lives of tens of millions of people.

Some of them are wise, some are mediocre, some are selfish, and some are forced to do it.

It's just that I lack the ability to discern the truth behind all this confusion.

Perhaps I still need to cultivate myself, and need to open my eyes to see this vast world again before I can gain some understanding.

but now……

Chen Huijie, who shares the same, or even deeper, obsession as Fiona, has also made up her mind to protect Sherag even at the cost of her life.

Not only that, but I must do my best to protect this person, who may not be "the ideal self" to me, but is definitely "a like-minded partner" whom I have identified as such.

They may not fully agree on each other's paths, but their goals and ideals are the same.

They were all working towards creating a better future, one that they envisioned for themselves.

"boom!"

Just then, a sudden, unexpected loud noise, accompanied by slight tremors in the earth's crust, abruptly pulled Chen Huijie from her reverie.

"That is--"

Meanwhile, Chen Qi and Fiona, who had only been enjoying their brief moment of tenderness, also heard the sounds of artillery fire in the distance and quickly separated.

From his vantage point, Chen Qi quickly spotted the familiar yellowish-brown "meteors" that only a grenade launcher could fire in mid-air.

Without a doubt, the Leitanian army has arrived! And they are carrying heavy weapons!
"What was bound to happen has finally happened."

After observing the situation, Chen Qi raised the gun at his waist without hesitation and gave the order to Fiona, whose expression had become serious again:
"Fiona, sound the emergency assembly call! All troops, proceed to the ski slopes immediately and prepare to engage the Leitanian army!"

"The battle for Sherag's life or death is imminent!"

"Tell everyone! Even if we're all wiped out, we must not let the land of Kherag fall into someone else's hands!"

(End of this chapter)