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

Chapter 152 Mother and Daughter's Breakup (Please Subscribe to All Chapters!!!!)

"Communication is being received, please wait..."

"Communication has been granted, and communication projection is being initiated."

Led by Gladys and Kal'tsit, the group arrived at Rhodes Island's command center and began using the PRTS function left behind by the previous civilization to initiate communication with the home territory of the Kingdom of Agor, which is located deep underwater.

Under the silent and subdued gaze of everyone, Heratia's dignified and elegant blonde figure reappeared on the big screen.

"Governor Clementsa and Dr. Kal'tsit, it's a pleasure to see you still alive."

"Ah, and my dear little Gretia."

Heratia on the screen seemed to have no intention of hiding anything. The moment she opened her mouth, she told everyone that she already knew everything that had happened in Miliarum.

However, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Heratia's expression remained completely unchanged.

She remained as serene, dignified, and aloof as ever, only revealing a motherly tenderness when she saw her daughter.

It was as if she didn't care at all about the fall of Milyarum and the enormous price Agor would have to pay.

They didn't care how many people actually died in this tragic event riddled with unanswered questions.

"—Governor Heratia, you must provide a reasonable explanation for this matter!"

Before Kal'tsit and the city's chief administrator Clementsa could even speak, surprisingly, the first one to rush forward was Graceia.

With almost instantaneous speed, Goredia stepped forward, staring coldly at her birth mother on the screen, and asked in a hoarse voice:
"Why did you leave Miliarum without any prior notice?"

"Why was Miliarum attacked by the Sea Legion so soon after you left in secret?"

"Why is there such a large number of Deep Sea Cultists gathered in Miliarum?"

The questions that left everyone utterly perplexed were all coldly posed by Goredia.

She stared at her unmoved birth mother on the screen, and said coldly, word by word, in an almost clenched-teeth tone:
“Every Agor who can enter Milyalium needs to be approved by the Agor leadership.”

"And in the end, there was such a large number of Deep Sea Cultists in Miliaruum!"

"If this was an accident, then it is enough to prove that the intelligence and judgment of our Governor Agor have degenerated to the level of a primitive man!"

"If this is a conspiracy..."

Goredia's eyes grew even colder. Still clinging to a sliver of hope, she forced herself to suppress her emotions and whispered to her birth mother:
"Then, Archdeacon Heratia, based on your behavior, I have no choice but to reasonably suspect that you are directly involved in this disaster!"

"This is a premeditated murder! A murder targeting the emperor of the land!"

"—Greteia, you've gone too far!"

Finally, Greta's words forced Clementa, the governor, to step in and stop her.

After all, the accusations made by Gretia were far too serious.

One of the highest-ranking officials in Agor was accused of colluding with the Church of the Deep Sea to deliberately damage the fortified city of Agor and even to murder the emperor on land.

Such a crime, placed within Agorian society, would be enough for the Agorians to regard him as "the greatest traitor."

This is by no means a crime that someone like Heratia, one of the highest rulers of Agor, should be charged with.

Clementa stepped forward not only to uphold Heratia's authority, but also to calm Gretia down and prevent her from being expelled from Agor because of her words.

"...I am puzzled, my little Gretia."

Why are you so indignant that you've lost your rationality?

For the first time, a slight look of surprise appeared on Heratia's face when faced with her own daughter's accusations.

But the next second, just when everyone thought the mother was upset about her daughter's questioning.

Hera's aloof reply stunned everyone present.

"Annihilate the emperor of the land, seize his essence, and resolve the crisis of the sea lineage."

"This was originally our second option."

“My little Goredia, I thought that with your intelligence, you had already realized from my coercion and orders that this was the bottom line that Agor could never compromise.”

"what?!"

In an instant, cries of astonishment, disbelief, and rage echoed clearly within the command center.

Before Gretia could speak again, Wei Yanwu, who was already extremely dissatisfied with Agor's neglect because of his brother's death, could no longer contain his emotions after hearing Heradia's confession of "murder".

The Lungmen ruler immediately rushed forward, shoving Gladys aside. His eyes bloodshot, he glared at the composed Heratia on the screen and roared:

"You mean—you deliberately killed my younger brother?!"

"You used his magic to severely injure Hai Si! You planned to use his genes to modify your weapons of war, and now you want to use him up and then discard him like a rag?!"

"Answer me! Agorians! Is that what you mean?!"

"Your wording may be a bit sharp, but your understanding is correct, Lungmen ruler."

However, Heratia remained completely calm in the face of Wei Yanwu's indignation.

Her expression showed not a trace of shame; she spoke frankly and openly to the Lungmen ruler who had lost his brother, without any concealment:
"For Agor, this emperor may be a powerful ally, but more often than not, he is an adversary that Agor needs to be wary of."

"He may seem cruel and heartless, but he is actually very shrewd."

"He remained unmoved even when faced with the temptation of my finest daughter, Grétia, and harbored absolute resistance and vigilance towards our first plan for Agor."

"Clearly, he anticipated our plan."

"He knew that if we really used his genes to improve the deep-sea hunters, then in the future, after the sea creatures have faded, these hunters would become a formidable enemy of land-based civilizations."

“A land-based civilization with such a powerful and intelligent emperor is a threat to Agor.”

"So if we can't make him a trustworthy and loyal ally."

"For Agor's future, we must also get rid of him."

“Agor, we cannot face the threat from the land after we have solved the problem of the sea creatures.”

Heratia's words were so frank they were repulsive.

Her calm and unwavering tone, which ignored the indignation of Wei Yanwu and everyone else as if they wanted to skin her alive, was the epitome of arrogance.

Because everyone knows that Hera's honesty stems from the fact that she no longer needs to hide her thoughts.

Now, the emperor whom Agor feared most has perished in this "murder".

Agor no longer needs to take the will of land civilizations seriously.

For Agor now, with the Sea Clan severely damaged and the Emperor dead, land civilization is once again within easy reach.

"...Consul Heratia, how could I have known nothing of this!"

However, even Clementa, an Agorian, couldn't help but ask when she heard her direct superior admit to such a despicable scheme:

"Could it be that even the Deep Sea Cultists in Miliarum were part of a plan orchestrated by the higher-ups long ago?!"

"—You guessed right, little devil ray."

Heratia readily admitted to Clementa's questioning.

“These Deep Sea believers are all Milialium who have been rigorously selected by us.”

"These Deep Sea Cultists think they've kept it well hidden, but in reality, we're only keeping them around to choose the right time to eradicate them completely."

"And today, this emperor's magical banquet on land is their best funeral."

"...Therefore, I and everyone in the army have been doing our best to protect the military fortress that we have saved from the waves of the sea countless times."

"So... it's just a city that was abandoned long ago?"

After receiving the Supreme Governor's approval, this governor, who was considered young and promising in Agor, was in a daze for a long time.

In that instant, he recalled himself and everyone in the fleet, how they had risked their lives countless times, how so many soldiers had defended a city that had long been abandoned.

Thinking about this, Clementa almost laughed.

But she didn't know whether her laughter was mocking her own foolishness or feeling mad because all her persistence was in vain.

“You don’t have to feel empty about this, Clementa.”

However, seemingly sensing Clementa's wavering, Heratia belatedly offered a calm consolation:

"We're not telling you this intelligence so that you can be loyal and dutiful and play your part."

"As it turns out, you did a great job. Not only did you not let any of the Deep Sea Cultists discover our plan, but you also became a natural participant in deceiving that Emperor."

"This made our second plan execute perfectly."

"Nearly all the Deep Sea Cultists are dead, 70% of the Sea Heirs have been wiped out, and the Emperor of the Land has also fallen here."

"More importantly, you survived when the supercomputer predicted a survival rate of less than 0.1%."

Looking at Clementine, who stood before her unharmed, Heratia's voice held a long-absent hint of surprise as she said:
"This means that you will be able to enjoy the benefits that this achievement brings you while you are still alive."

“Congratulations, Clementa.” “If nothing unexpected happens, we may witness the youngest councilor in Argor’s history.”

"...It is my honor, Archdeacon Heratia."

Clementa accepted Heratia's blessing, which was practically a guarantee of her future, but the next second, as she slowly opened her eyes, she gave a completely unexpected answer to Heratia.

"But please forgive me for refusing."

Under Hera's cold gaze, Clementa unconsciously clenched her fists, suppressing the grief and indignation surging in her chest, and whispered:

"The emperor of the land sacrificed his life to save us, creating a miracle."

"And we... betrayed his trust and even rejoiced at his death."

"This is not a glorious victory."

"This is not an honor for me... but an insult."

"An insult that has rendered all the efforts of the victims futile!"

"—This is the most rational choice."

However, Heratia remained unmoved by Clementa's gradually erupting emotions.

At this moment, her aloof and arrogant indifference made her seem more like a true tyrant than Chen Qi, who had always been cruel and ruthless.

"A bargaining chip that everyone can be sacrificed for."

“If necessary, even we can be part of the sacrifice.”

"This is Agor's social code."

"...If betrayal requires no guilt, and sacrifice can be priced."

Clementine, almost gritting her teeth, still burning with passion, made a life-altering decision at that moment.

"Then today, please forgive me for not being able to continue to abide by Agor's principles!"

"I hereby resign from my position as governor and join the land civilization!"

"—Clementsa."

At this moment, as Clementa turned and walked away, Heratia's tone on the screen finally became serious and dangerous.

"You... are you going to betray your country?"

Heratia's cold and merciless questioning made Clementa's delicate body tremble, and made her belatedly realize how overstepping her bounds had been.

She knew very well that once she stepped across that threshold, she would be expelled from Agor.

but……

As Clementa closed her eyes, she saw the image of the emperor who had given his life to protect her and the civilians of Agor who were caught up in this long-planned scheme.

Her emotional side took over again, and her passionate feelings made her clench her fists once more as she answered in a deep voice:

"...This is not a betrayal, Archon Heratia."

"This is my own choice."

"I believe that my indecisive, weak and incompetent nature makes me unsuitable for the position of consul."

"If Agor needs a ruthless governor, I'm afraid I can't provide one."

"Next, I will degenerate into a liaison officer between the sea and the land, and continue to serve in Agor's diplomatic mission."

“I will hone myself on land again until I am able to return to Agor.”

"That's all—farewell!"

With that, Clementine stepped out of the command center without looking back.

She needed to settle the Agor refugees who had escaped from Milyarum, and after telling them the truth, let them decide for themselves whether to return to Agor or stay on land for the time being.

After Clementa left, Gladys silently followed Skadi and Laurentina, intending to leave the command center.

"...My little Gretia."

Upon seeing her daughter's retreating figure, Heratia's tone grew even lower, and she coldly questioned:

"Even you're leaving me?"

"...I find your words quite humorous, Archon Heratia."

Upon hearing her birth mother's forceful plea to stay, Goredia scoffed and, with unwavering resolve and indifference, replied curtly:

“You have never possessed me, and I have always been trying to break free from your control.”

"It was just today's events that made me finally make up my mind."

"You, sit high and mighty in your consulship and enjoy this dirty victory, Consul Heratia."

"We deep-sea hunters have more important things to do."

"Song--"

The next second, before Heratia on the screen could speak again, with a series of cracking sounds, the spear thrown from Gretia's hand flew directly towards the big screen!
"boom!"

Amidst the sounds of screens shattering and cables being pierced, the screen of Rhodes Island's command center was completely pierced by a spear!

This attack did not actually harm Heratia.

But Goredia has already demonstrated through her actions that she has completely severed ties with Agor and her birth mother.

"...What do we do next, Swordfish?"

In the corridor of Rhodes Island, Skadi asked the silent Gladys in a low voice.

Neither she nor Laurentina felt affected by Grandia's choice; in their eyes, Grandia was simply doing what they would have done anyway.

But what will become of them now that they can no longer return to Agor?
"...He saved us, he saved Agor, and he helped us severely damage Haisi."

“I promised him that I would serve him for a while after I was expelled from Agor.”

"Perhaps now is the best time."

Without much thought, Goredia told her two teammates about her next plan.

"Haisi has been severely damaged and it will be difficult for it to cause any major upheavals in the next twenty years."

"And Agor's next step, without a doubt, is land civilization."

"We should be fully prepared."

"Be prepared to pray, to protect everything on land for our friends!"

"...We cannot win."

However, after hearing Gretia's plan, Skadi and Laurentina had no objections, but they were both very clear that the land had no chance of winning whatsoever.

The Deep Sea Hunters are powerful, but they are only weapons of war created specifically to counter the Sea Si.

Strictly speaking, the Deepsea Hunters are merely Agor's vanguard and vanguard.

They had no way to resist Agor's terrifying fleet, as well as its highly lethal technology and weapons, on their own.

"I know."

Goredia nodded decisively. However, looking at her own hand, which had once been reached out to Chen Qi but failed to save him, she answered, word by word:
"But he risked his life to save me."

"This time... it's my turn to risk my life to save him."

Perhaps only in this way can I erase the guilt in my heart, and the lingering shadow in my mind... of not being able to save him.

I have already let him down once, and this time, no matter what, I must not let him down again.

……

Meanwhile, Heratia, gazing at the now-vanished holographic projection of her "little helper," closed her eyes and remained silent for a long time before finally issuing her command in a low voice.

"...Relay my orders."

"The fleet will continue to use Tier III weapons to suppress the remaining Sea Legions and prevent them from growing any larger."

"In addition, we have assembled the fleet, equipped it with Tier VI weapons, and we have a new combat mission."

The moment Heratia spoke, her eyes opened again.

At that moment, her eyes flashed with a ruthless, icy, and dangerous expression.

“Traitors have emerged in Agor; they have betrayed the sea and their people, and have sided with the land-based civilization.”

"Agor will never let any traitor go unpunished."

"We will conquer the land and annihilate all the traitors!"

(End of this chapter)