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

Chapter 142 Heratia: Your Majesty, We Want Your DNA (A Long Chapter of 7,000 Words!)
"Dear friends who have come from afar, I am Carmen y Iberia, a saint of the Iberian Tribunal."

After several days of arduous travel, Rhodes Island, Great Flame, and Letania finally arrived at Iberia, a land nation with the only sea route to Agor.

This nation, which once became a powerful land power by relying on knowledge shared by Agor who traveled to the land, has now been ravaged beyond recognition.

"I'm sorry I couldn't prepare a welcome ceremony for everyone who has come from afar."

"But on behalf of Iberia, I sincerely thank you all for extending a helping hand to us when Iberia was isolated and helpless."

Having used a secret technique to prolong his life, Carmen, though her hair and beard were completely white, was still incredibly robust. She greeted Chen Qi and his group with neither servility nor arrogance.
"Thank you for coming, Queen Viviana of Letania, Mr. Wei Yanwu of Great Yan, and Lady Kal'tsit of Rhodes Island."

"And... the Emperor representing the land, Your Majesty."

Although it was Carmen's first time meeting Chen Qi, she had already heard of this emperor who had conquered half of the Western continent.

In fact, Carmen and the Iberian leadership had been discussing how to respond if Letania were to extend the war to Iberia.

Ironically, apart from Carmen, the Iberian leadership is remarkably consistent in its stance on this matter.

—You want land in Iberia? Then you're warmly welcome.

In fact, after experiencing the "Great Tranquility" which brought about seawater intrusion, soil salinization, and the devastation of large swathes of land by seawater and marine life, Iberia was already on the verge of collapse from top to bottom.

The shipping industry, into which the entire nation had invested, was severely damaged, and the once-proud agriculture and fishing industries were also completely destroyed.

Almost overnight, the entire country regressed to an era of barter.

Against this backdrop, if the Iberian government hadn't retained a last shred of conscience, preventing them from abandoning their remaining suffering citizens, Iberia would have long since become a desolate wasteland unwanted by anyone.

Therefore, they were eager to be invincible and would indeed invest heavily in developing the colony of Letania, thus bringing the already hopeless Iberia under their control.

At least this way, the people of Iberia can live a better life.

At the very least, the powerful Letania might be better positioned to confront the threat of the Sea Siege in their place.

Although Carmen did not approve of the decisions made by the Iberian leadership, he had to admit that it might be the best outcome for the Iberian people.

"To be honest, I can hardly believe that I would see you under these circumstances, Your Majesty."

"I thought we would be at war with each other, and I was even prepared to die on the battlefield. I only beg you to show more mercy to the people of Iberia."

"I never imagined that you would now be leading a large army, fighting alongside Iberia."

"—It seems that in the eyes of most people, I am nothing more than a cruel king no different from the Witch King."

Listening to Carmen's words, Chen Qi, who was gazing intently at the distant, gray ocean, calmly replied:
"But this is fine."

“If my ruthless reputation can unite the nations of the land and make Agor put down his arrogant attitude, then it will have been worthwhile.”

"At least for now, as the leader of this allied force that is about to face Haisi head-on, my 'subordinates' still obey my commands."

As he spoke, Chen Qi turned his calm gaze to Kal'tsit behind him and asked in a completely unfazed tone:
"Dr. Kal'tsit, have you finalized the list of names for this trip to Agor?"

“...Of course, Your Majesty.”

Kal'tsit had no objection to temporarily following the command of the strongest Chen Qi.

As far as Kal'tsit was concerned, as long as she could use Chen Qi's powerful strength to slow down Hai Si's offensive or even eliminate Hai Si, she would not care.

After all, compared to Hai Si, the destructive power this tyrant brought to this land ultimately did not reach the point of world destruction.

"Since this trip to Agor is just an initial meeting for negotiations, there is no need for us to station our entire army in Agor."

"This will only cause unnecessary panic."

"Therefore, we only need an elite delegation of about a hundred people."

"On Rhodes Island's side, only the Doctor and I will go together."

"The Great Yan army will be led by His Excellency Wei Yanwu, who will be accompanied by a portion of the Imperial Guards and Shadow Guards."

"Leytania will be accompanied by His Majesty, Miss Mace, Empress Viviana, and twenty Golden Law Guards."

"The coalition forces will be stationed along the Iberian coast, on alert for any potential counterattack by the sea forces on land."

"—Please wait a moment, Dr. Kal'tsit."

However, just as Kal'tsit was announcing the list of those accompanying her, Jian, upon hearing that the army was to be stationed on the coast, asked Kal'tsit a question filled with confusion:

"Why are you so sure that Haisi will retaliate against the land?"

“Viviana and Wei Yanwu brought the armies of both countries to ensure that Agor would give the emperor of the land the respect he deserved.”

"If our troops are unable to enter the city of Agor in the deep sea, we will be completely cut off from the army should an accident occur."

"By then, wouldn't an army that can't provide us with aid be rendered useless?"

"You can rest assured about that, Miss Jian."

Kal'tsit calmly explained to everyone while glancing at the three deep-sea hunters, led by Gladys, and said softly:

"Agor's city defenses are sufficient to withstand the Haisi's offensive."

"Furthermore, I believe that with Agor's technology, they should have known His Majesty's attitude from the moment our army arrived in Iberia."

"—Dr. Kal'tsit is right."

At this moment, Gretia, representing the Deep Sea Hunters and also Agor, spoke to Chen Qi in a cool and aloof tone:

"Although Agor's arrogance is to be expected, so am I."

"But sometimes, I do feel helpless and have a headache because of our compatriots' inappropriate pride."

"However, this time, I believe they will be more restrained."

As she spoke, sensing the surging magical fluctuations within Chen Qi's body that surprised even her, a cold smile involuntarily crept onto Goredia's ashen face.

Although it was cold, Chen Qi could tell that Greta didn't mean any sarcasm.

This is one of the few times she, who is used to maintaining absolute coldness, has shown any emotion.

“They would never have asked for help from the mainland if they hadn’t been completely helpless.”

"At least, you are indispensable to Agor."

"Therefore, you can rest assured about your own safety."

“Agor wouldn’t be so arrogant as to abandon the lifeline he had finally found.”

"Agor, I and my teammates will do everything we can to ensure your safety."

"Even if it means sacrificing ourselves."

With absolute rationality, even regarding her own life as a bargaining chip, Goredia has made her stance clear.

When Chen Qi turned his calm gaze to Ghost Shark and Skadi, these two deep-sea hunters, who had never interacted with him before, expressed the same determination as Grandia in their own ways.

"In that case, I have no further questions."

Gazing into Greta's eyes, Chen Qi gave a faint smile and accepted her promise.

Even Goredia seemed to have been surprised that this emperor, known for his cruelty on land, would believe her so easily.

This surprised even Gretia, who had prepared a lot of speeches to persuade Chen Qi to lower his guard.

Fortunately, Goredia quickly adjusted her mindset and said in a calm tone:
"Skadi, Laurentina (Specter), and I have cleared a channel to Agor."

"Once the fleet from Agor arrives, they will take us to the city of Agor."

"There's no need for that."

However, before Gretia could finish speaking, Chen Qi's calm voice interrupted her.

Facing the gray sea, Chen Qi slowly closed his eyes, meeting everyone's puzzled gazes, and murmured softly:

"I have been using magical links to explore the seabed, searching for the city of Agor."

"I just found it."

"Once the location is determined, it will not be too difficult to break through Agor's city defenses."

"All you need is... this."

"clatter."

Suddenly, with a snap of Chen Qi's fingers, everyone felt a sudden darkness before their eyes.

Their bodies felt as if they had fallen into a high-speed tunnel, and the intense feeling of weightlessness made them unable to even control their own bodies.

What flashed before their eyes were afterimages that exceeded the limits of their visual perception; before they could even see anything clearly, the entire landscape had already changed.

But when everything freezes in that moment, the scenery before your eyes has already changed.

"vomit--!"

The moment he landed, the doctor, who was physically weak, could not withstand the intense strain on his body. He abruptly opened his protective mask, knelt down, and vomited.

Noticing the Doctor's strong reaction, Kal'tsit immediately stepped forward, gently patting her back while softly asking:

"Doctor? Are you alright?"

"...No, not good. I felt like I was hit and sent flying by some giant beast in that instant."

The doctor weakly shook her head. With her protective mask still on, she revealed a face that was somewhat sickly pale but beautiful and quiet, along with a strand of white hair.

However, after vomiting and gradually regaining his senses, the doctor realized that he was no longer on the coast.

The surrounding architecture, in terms of art and aesthetics, is enough to eclipse any mobile city in Terra.

Although the sun is gone, the neon lights here never go out, illuminating every corner of this magnificent city.

Classical, artistic, modern... if you look carefully, you can find all these elements in this city.

This is the city of Agor.

Named "Miriarium," it was built by Agor to defend against the attacks of the Sea Kings and was also the closest fortified city to the Iberian coast.

"This……"

After a moment of astonishment, the doctor, whose eyes had been drawn to everything before him, gradually came to his senses and asked in a low voice:
"Is this... a spell for time travel?"

"No one on this land can travel to unknown times and spaces," Kal'tsit explained calmly.

"If I'm not mistaken, His Majesty the Emperor must have used magic to break through Agor's defenses and created a high-speed passage to the city."

"Doctor, your discomfort is normal. With your weak constitution, you simply cannot withstand this level of impact."

"I think the reason you're still standing here unharmed is because he must have given you special protection."

"...The 'Dome,' which embodies the wisdom of countless Argonauts and was so difficult for even the Sea Tide to conquer, was broken so easily."

After a moment of realization, Goredia turned her gaze to Chen Qi, who was standing at the very front of the group.

However, despite having accomplished an almost impossible feat, Goredia still couldn't detect any joy or pride in his eyes.

In her eyes, the emperor's brows were still slightly furrowed.

He was troubled. He knew the real threat was close at hand, and he had no time to celebrate this small victory.

Chen Qi had no idea that his unintentional actions had earned him a "reliable" reputation in Goredia's eyes.

Meanwhile, Goredia didn't realize that her gaze fixed on Chen Qi's back had already been noticed by her two teammates beside her.

"Captain, even by Agor's standards, staring so intently at a married man is still a bit problematic."

Ghost Shark's timely teasing made it difficult for Goredia to react.

However, seemingly aware of the slightly displeased gaze from Jian, as well as the scrutinizing looks from Wei Yanwu and Viviana, Gretia slowly began to explain:

"No need to misunderstand, my friend on land."

"I only viewed this emperor of the land with the attitude of admiring a comrade-in-arms."

"If you could all be as reliable as this emperor, then I think Agor's cooperation with the land would be much more effective, nothing more."

Seemingly worried that her explanation wasn't enough, Goredia added, which was unusual for her:
“In Agor’s worldview, kinship and love are irrelevant.”

"Although I do not agree with such values, I am still a pure Agorian."

"So you can rest assured about me. As a deep-sea hunter, I don't have those kinds of emotions, nor do I have the time for them."

"Thank you for your explanation, Miss Graceia."

However, Chen Qi, whose gaze remained fixed ahead, interrupted everyone's conversation only when he saw a group of guards in armor resembling diving suits rapidly approaching him. He said:
"However, I may need to trouble you to explain this to these fellow Agorians."

"My reaction to breaking through the 'dome' has made them extremely nervous. Please ask them not to treat us as enemies."

Upon hearing this, Goredia replied calmly, "I will handle it."

Soon, Agor's patrol surrounded Chen Qi and his group, and the Agor woman at the head of the patrol questioned them with a stern expression:

“I am Sikunda, the commander of the coast guard of Miliarum.”

"You are not land people of Agor, so how did you break through the 'dome' and come to this city in the deep sea?"

"Don't be nervous, Commander, they mean no harm."

At this moment, Goredia stepped forward and, addressing her compatriots, her voice remained devoid of warmth, simply stating in a businesslike tone:

“I am Gretia, who is in charge of Agor’s negotiations with China. You can check my file at any time.”

"I have accepted the order of Governor Heratia to invite the emperor of the land to Agor to discuss cooperation."

"It's just that the way we came to Agor... was a bit unusual."

Goredia paused slightly, but quickly continued:

"Now, please lead us to the meditation room where we can meet Archon Heratia."

……

"Welcome, friends from the land."

“I am Clementsa, the consul of Agor.”

Apart from Chen Qi, only Kal'tsit and the Doctor representing Rhodes Island, Grandia representing the Deepsea Hunters, and Wei Yanwu and Viviana were allowed to enter the innermost layer of the meditation room.

Here, Chen Qi also met Clementsa, who had spoken to him via drone on the Shelag Snow Mountain.

A female governor who is younger and more capable than most people imagine.

"Enough of the small talk, Consul Clementsa."

Goredia stepped forward and said to Clementa:

"The emperor on land has come to discuss with us how to cooperate in eliminating the Sea Legion."

"Please hurry up and bring out your 'little helper' so that Governor Heratia can come out and discuss serious matters via remote projection."

"—My little Gretia, you are still so capable, which makes me very happy."

However, just as Greta finished speaking, a familiar voice, which surprised her, came clearly from a corner of her meditation room.

Under Goredia's slightly surprised gaze, they saw an Agor woman with blonde hair and golden eyes, who looked about 80% like Goredia, slowly walking towards them with a smile.

And she spoke to Gretia in a tender and loving tone.

"My little Gretia, why are you so surprised?"

"When you see your mother again, why don't you give me a hug? Let me gently stroke your hair?"

"This governor... is actually Goredia's mother?"

Beside Chen Qi, he saw Viviana for the first time, who was comparable to him in appearance and temperament. It was also the first time he had ever been so captivated by someone.

When Viviana looked back and forth between the mother and daughter, she still found the fact somewhat unbelievable.

After all, apart from their similar appearances, their temperaments are completely different.

More importantly, although Heratia's tone was loving and gentle.

But Viviana couldn't feel even the slightest bit of... affection from this mother and daughter.

Instead, it's filled with a strong sense of distance?
"...I'm just surprised that Governor Heratia, who could have stayed safely in her home territory, would come to this dangerous outpost despite the threat from Hai Si."

"Also, please don't do that. You should be well aware of the dangers involved."

Upon seeing her birth mother, Goredia showed no joy whatsoever; instead, her tone grew even colder as she said indifferently:
“Governor Heratia, I have completed the task you assigned me.”

"This is the Emperor of the Land, Mr. Qi."

“Mr. Qi, this is the governor of Heratia... Unlike the land, Agor does not pledge allegiance to any monarch, and she is one of Agor's leaders.”

After giving her official introductions, Greta stood aside without saying another word, leaving everything to the two of them to handle.

After a brief exchange of glances, Chen Qi and Heratia took the initiative, with Heratia extending her delicate hand and smiling as she gestured:
"Hello, Emperor from the land."

“We have long heard of your deeds. On behalf of the Agor people, I express our gratitude for your great achievement in driving away the evil spirits single-handedly.”

"Because of you, Agor has one less worry to face in the future and can concentrate all his energy on fighting the crisis of Haisi."

"And just now, you cracked our proud 'Dome,' allowing us to witness the power on land that has exceeded our expectations."

"At this point, even if we only consider your value as an individual, Agor will regard the land as an equal civilization."

"—That's enough, Archon Heratia."

Faced with the beauty so close to him, Chen Qi shook hands with her without any hesitation before turning the conversation to what he cared about most.

"Let's cut to the chase, Archdeacon Heratia."

"The threat of the Sea Infestation could erupt at any moment. Since you have proposed cooperation with the land, can I interpret this as meaning that you already have a way to deal with the Sea Infestation?"

"—As efficient as Agor, I've begun to like you, Emperor of the Land."

Hera smiled slightly upon hearing this, and under everyone's gaze, she nodded gently, giving Chen Qi a satisfactory answer.

"You guessed right. While unprecedented changes are taking place on land, we have also designed several new solutions because of your presence."

"As for the outcome... it may still be difficult to completely eradicate Haisi, but at least we will greatly weaken Haisi's offensive."

"This will buy us more time for our future."

"However, for some of these plans, we need your complete cooperation in order to achieve the desired results for the corresponding small countries."

At this point, Heratia paused for a moment, then looked directly at Chen Qi with a mysterious smile and asked softly:

“If you are willing to represent the land and reach a complete strategic cooperation with Agor, then I will lay out Agor’s plan in its entirety.”

"—If it weren't for this, I wouldn't have come at all, Executive Heratia."

Upon learning that Agor actually had a plan to drive Hai Si away, Chen Qi became quite curious.

After all, in his memory, the original Agor proposed the "sea route" plan, which enabled him to use the energy generated by the sea to open up a way out of his desperate situation.

However, this method of allowing Agor and Haisi to "coexist" did not eliminate the threat posed by Haisi.

Therefore, Chen Qi was also very curious about what kind of plan Agor had tailored for himself that made them so confident that they could cause great damage to the Hai Si group.

“Executive Heratia, you may speak freely about your plans before me.”

"Alright, since Your Majesty is willing to cooperate, I can rest assured."

Hera smiled slightly, met everyone's curious gazes, and softly announced the first plan.

"In our calculations, the first option could take decades to develop."

"Although it is a long process, it is the most reliable method that we all agree on... a plan called 'training second-generation deep-sea hunters'."

"Second-generation Deepsea Hunter?"

However, upon hearing this word, Goredia couldn't help but react, and stepped forward in a deep voice to inquire:
"Wasn't the Deep Sea Hunter Project already declared a halt?"

"Subsequent modifiers, for various reasons, were never able to withstand the corrosive effects of the Sea of ​​Life... You should be well aware of this, right?"

"Yes, you are the first, and perhaps the last, deep-sea hunters, my little Goredia."

Heratia nodded, her face still bearing a calm and confident smile, and said lightly:

"But the appearance of this emperor of the land has given us hope."

Heratia turned her gaze to Chen Qi and continued:
“Your Majesty, you once faced the corruption of a demon with power no less than that of Hai Si, yet you still did not lose your rationality.”

"This is something that cannot be achieved by willpower alone. According to our speculation, your body... has more or less some of the reactions that have been 'coexisted' with your body after being corrupted by evil spirits."

"Therefore, what Agor, the emperor of the land, needs now is your genes."

"If we prove that your unimaginable resistance can be inherited through genes."

"Perhaps we can create an even more powerful second-generation Deepsea Hunter."

"...I understand your words, but what exactly do you require me to do?"

Knowing Heratia's plans, Chen Qi still didn't understand what it meant to study her genes.

Are you suggesting that he lie on the operating table and have Agor dissect himself?

"Ah, it seems that my expression just now was a bit too subtle for land dwellers."

"Then let me put it more bluntly."

However, in response to Chen Qi's question, Heratia's mysterious smile widened even further, and she met everyone's gaze with gentle sincerity, saying:
"I hope you can unite with a woman of Agor and give birth to an offspring who will inherit your powerful will and magic, as well as Agor's strong physique."

“If your offspring can inherit your physique, then we hope that you can continue to give birth to more ‘second-generation deep-sea hunters’ for Agor.”

"In this way, our chances of winning against Haisi will be greatly increased."

Chen Qi: "...Hmm?"

Little question mark, do you have many friends?

(End of this chapter)