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

Chapter 138 Kal'tsit: What do you mean, Letania and Great Flame are coming to attack?
Meanwhile, Agor was in Shelag, talking with Chen Qi, the "Emperor of the Earth".

At the same time, their drones extended similar invitations to the leaders and people of every nation they considered to be "helping" them across Terra.

However, when Agor spoke with them, he did not show the same sincerity and respect that Clementa showed to Chen Qi.

"The Holy Empire of Letania".

"Great Yan".

"The Ursus Empire".

"Iberia".

"Victoria."

"Agor made a declaration to all civilizations on land."

"--what happened?"

In Victoria's new capital, Speaker Vina, surrounded by a group of nobles, witnessed a scene in the sky that was completely beyond her comprehension.

The swarm of drones, as orderly as an army formation, which covered the gloomy sky of Victoria, somehow managed to bypass Victoria's air defense weapons and detectors and appeared out of nowhere.

"Speaker, what should we do?"

A flustered count asked Vina beside him for instructions:
"Should we activate the city's defensive artillery and fire at the swarm of drones in the air?"

"We also have new steam knights at our disposal; all we need to do is inform Queen Viviana—"

"No need."

However, Vina, who has been in actual control of Victoria for more than ten years, has indeed become much more mature than her impulsive self in the past.

She quickly regained her composure and calmly said to those around her:
"The fact that they can easily bypass our security system shows that this mysterious force's technology is probably superior to ours."

"Such a terrifying force, if it wanted to destroy us, wouldn't need to communicate with us at all; its air force alone would be enough to make us suffer greatly."

"Let's listen to what they have to say."

Vina halted all her men's actions, wisely choosing not to become the first nation on this land to fire upon Agor's provocation.

Meanwhile, Agor's declaration to terrestrial civilizations is still ongoing.

"Your act of breaking through the barrier has proven that you are qualified to fight alongside Agor to resist this crisis."

"Here, Agor brings valuable advice to civilizations on land."

Far away in Kazdel, Theresis stood with a host of royal court lords at the highest point of Londinium.

Listening to the arrogant invitation from the sea, the regent simply frowned and remained silent.

"We invite all of humanity to put aside prejudice and hatred and join Agor in building a defense line."

"The challenges we face far outweigh those of each other and natural disasters."

"And we have gained the support of one of your wisest representatives, who is willing to stand with Agor on behalf of the land and on the self."

Inside the palace of the Great Yan Hundred Stove, Zhenlong listened to Agor's invitation, but his expression remained unmoved.

However, upon closer observation, one would find that the slight tremor in Zhenlong's fingers as he flipped through the memorials proved that his inner self was not as calm as it appeared on the surface.

Especially when he heard that Agor had received the support of "the wisest representative", the dragon finally raised his head.

"My third brother is in trouble."

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the true dragon, unable to suppress its dragon aura, coldly and anxiously issued commands to its attendants:
"Wei Gong, who relayed my orders to Longmen."

"Summon Duke Wei to the capital immediately; I have important matters to discuss with him!"

Just as nervous as the true dragon was Queen Viviana of Triinttelme, far away in Letania.

When the empress heard Agor's declaration, she quickly realized that the "wise representative" who had reached a cooperation agreement with Agor was none other than her own father!
Upon learning of her father's decision, the ever-merciful Viviana, without hesitation, immediately gave an order to Gertrude beside her:

“Mother Gertrude, relay my orders.”

"Leytania has entered a state of high alert, with the army and military factories in operation, ready to deal with any possible war or military aid."

"The throne of the Queen will be temporarily assumed by Marshal Hildegard."

"Viviana, and what about you?"

Upon learning of Viviana's decree, Gertrude's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly inquired about it.

Under Gertrude's gaze, the crowned empress had already raised the Blade of Kings, staring at her reflection in the blade, and calmly and resolutely replied:
"As the Empress, I will become my father's support and let Agor know the attitude of the most powerful empire on land towards saving the world from crisis."

"Moreover, with the support of my and Letania's armies, I believe these arrogant Agors will listen more to Father's advice."

"...This is dangerous."

Knowing Viviana's plans, and even just hearing Agor's declaration, Gertrude realized that this journey would be more dangerous than ever before, and her eyes were filled with worry and unease.

“Viviana, your father will not agree to you doing this.”

"—Mother Gertrude."

Viviana calmly interrupted:

“Now, I am the Queen of Letania, and my father’s thoughts cannot sway my will.”

Knowing the extreme danger of this journey, Viviana, who was even more determined to accompany her father, replied with a resolute yet gentle smile:
"If I were to die in this disaster that could destroy the world."

"Mother Gertrude, could you please tell Mother Hildegard?"

"From this day forward, she will be the new Queen of Letania."

"Let her do it with confidence. Let my father and I make all the plans and protect this vast empire for us."

"We must form a community."

"Under Agor's leadership."

"We will overcome this difficulty together."

In the sky, the different executives of Agor, all speaking with the same seemingly polite but actually arrogant words, finally announced the end.

On land, among the listening monarchs, some were resolute, some were anxious, and some remained unmoved.

Some even want to take advantage of this crisis to break the country's predicament and start a new war on land.

However, all of this maneuvering and thinking has nothing to do with Chen Qi now.

……

"—So, Mr. Chen Qi."

"No, perhaps we should get straight to the point and address you as 'Emperor'?"

A few days later, in Kal'tsit's office, Chen Qi and Jian, who had returned to Rhodes Island, were discussing the Agor incident with Theresa and other important members of Rhodes Island.

"No need, Dr. Kal'tsit, you can still call me Chen Qi."

Faced with Kal'tsit's response, which was unclear whether it was a test or a warning, Chen Qi's attitude remained unchanged.

"I am neither an emperor nor a king now, but simply someone who wants to protect Terra and is here to speak with you."

"As for criticizing my brutality, let's leave that for after this crisis is over, and then you can discuss it as you please."

"—Mr. Chen Qi is right."

The first person to echo Chen Qi's words was someone sitting next to Kal'tsit, someone Chen Qi had never met on Rhodes Island before, but was still very familiar with.

A mysterious figure whose entire body is hidden under a black robe, and whose face is even covered by a hood and a protective shield.

Few people know His true identity, and even His name is rarely mentioned.

But on Rhodes Island, he has a code name that everyone knows.

Doctor.

As one of the three founders of the Tower of Babel, He not only achieved success in multiple fields but also possessed exceptional command and judgment. He was undoubtedly one of the three leaders of Rhodes Island.

Although He himself is now suffering from amnesia, Theresa, who knows His identity as a "pre-civilized person," still regards Him as an indispensable key figure in the Agor incident.

"Mr. Chen Qi has now abandoned his past identity and become a member of Rhodes Island."

"But faced with the threat from Haisi, he still chose to stand up and become a representative of the link between land and sea."

The doctor's voice was weak and slightly hoarse, androgynous, yet still possessed a touch of feminine gentleness.

However, the doctor, whose personality is usually unpredictable and who is only close to a few people, showed a completely different... friendly side when he first met Chen Qi?
The doctor stared intently at Chen Qi, and though his voice was soft, he emphasized it as he spoke:
"This is a very noble act." "...For some reason, it seems that the Doctor...Miss? is surprisingly lenient towards me."

Although she couldn't see the doctor's expression clearly, Chen Qi could tell that she was smiling, which she found quite strange.

After all, while others might not be aware of it, Chen Qi, as a time traveler, understood the "Doctor's" persona very well.

As someone who bears the weight of the survival of the pre-civilization and even the fate of countless lives on Terra, the Doctor can be described as someone who loves life and abhors slaughter.

During his time in Letania, he was almost inhuman, leaving the land stained with blood.

And how could someone with this kind of personality defend him?
Moreover, Chen Qi was certain that the doctor's friendly attitude towards him was not entirely due to his high regard for him.

This is more like a special treatment.

"...I don't know why either."

However, Chen Qi's doubts caused the doctor to fall silent for a moment. After a long while, he finally expressed his feelings based solely on intuition.

"But Mr. Chen Qi exudes a scent that feels very familiar to me."

"It's as if we've met somewhere before."

"Oh?"

Soon, the Doctor's words also alerted Kal'tsit and Theresa, who were standing nearby. The two women, who knew the Doctor's past very well, turned their curious or wary gazes toward Chen Qi.

However, until even Jian, who was standing next to Chen Qi, found it glaring and had to step forward to block their view, they still couldn't discern anything about Chen Qi.

Whether it's the dragon horns and tail native to Terra, or his face, there's no way to tell that Mr. Chen Qi is a member of the previous civilization.

Even in Kal'tsit's memory, she had never seen Chen Qi.

So, what exactly is the reason behind the doctor's sense of familiarity with Chen Qi?

"Could you be more specific, Doctor?" Kal'tsit probed indirectly, trying to get the amnesiac Doctor to continue recalling the past.

"Hmm... I'm not entirely sure either."

After pondering for a moment, the doctor was unable to extract any useful information from his fragmented memories, and said calmly:

“I’ve felt a similar feeling with Kal’tsit and Skadi.”

"But, Mr. Chen Qi gives me a feeling that is a little different."

"I'd say it's more like a feeling of being 'one of the same kind'?"

"Whenever I browse through information about Mr. Chen Qi's grand achievements, I always feel a sense of déjà vu."

In the end, even he himself felt he was rambling incoherently, so the doctor shook his head with a wry smile and apologized to Chen Qi:

"I apologize, Mr. Chen Qi, for saying some nonsensical things. Please don't take it to heart."

"...It's nothing, Doctor. If this helps you remember things from the past, I'd be happy to."

However, Chen Qi, who knew everything about the doctor, had already grasped the meaning from the doctor's few words.

Perhaps it was his own actions as a transmigrator on this land that made the Doctor, a former elite of a civilization, feel familiar.

Or perhaps it was the lingering human aura on his body, a scent that made the doctor instinctively feel familiar, stemming from his past as a human.

However, regardless of the circumstances, the fact that the PhD student has a positive attitude towards himself is undoubtedly good news.

He had no desire to travel to Agor with someone who was prejudiced against him or even hostile towards him, to discuss how to deal with the Haisi crisis.

"Now, let's get back to the Agor incident."

Seeing that the Doctor's memories stopped there, Kal'tsit brought the topic back, speaking calmly:

"Mr. Chen Qi's willingness to represent the land and send a friendly signal to Agor is undoubtedly the right decision."

"Moreover, Agor's attitude toward the land has changed dramatically because of your strength and great achievements, and for this, we should all thank you."

"Because of you, the relationship between land and sea has maintained a balance."

However, at this point, Kal'tsit suddenly changed her tone and once again issued a serious warning:

"Even so, I hope Mr. Chen Qi can be more vigilant."

"Hai Si is not the same as a demon."

"The evil devours reason, attempting to assimilate everything into nothingness, but they lack thought and are driven only by instinct, resulting in emotionless and irrational destruction."

"But the sea creatures, they understand evolution, and share emotions and knowledge."

"As long as we cannot eliminate them all at once, the surviving individuals will evolve targeted abilities against the weapons that destroy their kind."

"Even when faced with your terrifying magic, they will evolve ways to deal with it."

Knowing the terror of the Sea Siege, Kal'tsit's expression was more solemn than ever before as she instructed Chen Qi, word by word:
"Therefore, Mr. Chen Qi, I hope that after we arrive in Agor together, you will not casually reveal any powerful magic."

"Unless it's absolutely necessary, or it's to save the lives of the people of Terra... please."

In the end, Kal'tsit's tone became more pleading.

Clearly, she was well aware that she herself had no right to command Chen Qi—in fact, the entire Rhodes Island combined might not be enough to destroy Chen Qi alone.

Therefore, she could only use the excuse of the Terran creatures to try to get this tyrant, whom she perceived as cruel and irrational, to restrain his temper as much as possible.

After all, the burden of saving Terra now largely rests on the shoulders of this tyrant.

All Kal'tsit could do was plead with this humanoid nuclear bomb not to destroy Terra's last glimmer of hope.

“…Mr. Chen Qi, this is the first time I’ve ever seen Kal’tsit adopt such a humble attitude.”

However, seeing Kal'tsit's rare request, the Doctor couldn't bear it and jokingly said to Chen Qi in a lighthearted tone:
"This is an honor I've never even experienced, so could you please agree to her request?"

"Of course, if you need me to ask you for a favor, I wouldn't mind."

"--Then let's leave it at that."

Faced with Kal'tsit and the Doctor's charade, Chen Qi, who wasn't quite sure what kind of demon king he was in their minds, waved his hand in agreement.

Seeing that Chen Qi agreed so readily, Kal'tsit's expression relaxed considerably.

"So, regarding the list of those going to Agor."

"Besides Mr. Chen Qi and Ms. Jian, the Rhodes Island team will consist of myself, the Doctor, and operators Skadi, Grace, and Specter, who will travel to Agor together."

"As for representatives from other countries, we need to take the initiative to contact them before we can make plans."

"However, I think there probably won't be many countries that would readily accept Agor's invitation..."

However, just as Kal'tsit finished speaking, an emergency bell rang, interrupting their conversation.

Soon, under Kal'tsit's skillful operation, and with the appearance of a virtual screen, Amiya's cute yet anxious face appeared before everyone.

"Amiya? What happened?"

"—Dr. Kal'tsit." In her haste, Amiya said, her voice slightly flustered.

Rhodes Island has just detected a large number of foreign signals!

"According to our drones, we have detected the flags of both Letania and Great Yan, as well as large-scale military forces from both countries, approaching us!"

"what?!"

Amiya's news undoubtedly surprised everyone present.

The armies of Letania and Great Yan are simultaneously approaching Rhodes Island.
Why is that?
Rhodes Island never provoked Letania or Great Yan.

However, the moment such a question arose in everyone's mind, all eyes turned to Chen Qi, the only one connected to both Letania and Da Yan.

But this time, even Chen Qi was somewhat surprised.

He never sent any aid signals to Letania or Da Yan.
"Amiya, who are the representatives of the two countries?"

However, Kal'tsit, not blinded by the news, immediately grasped the crux of the matter and asked seriously.

Soon, Amiya's panicked voice reached everyone's ears again.

"The leader of Letania—is, Her Majesty Empress Viviana?!"

"And the commander of the Great Yan army is Wei Yanwu, the ruler of Longmen!"

"Both countries are sending us docking requests, demanding to be stationed on Rhode Island!"

(End of this chapter)