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

Chapter 168 The Farewell of the Adoptive Father and Daughter, Skadi, the "Killer Whale" with the Power of 250,000 Horsepower!

Ultimately, Goredia did not formally agree to support Skadi's coup.

But she was willing to act as a guarantor to bring Skadi back to Agor, providing some support for her first step in the coup.

"Every soldier wants to become a general, but not every soldier can become a good general."

“As the governor, I am responsible for the safety of the civilians. Therefore, I can only propose that you be allowed to become a military officer.”

"As for how to prove to the other governors that you have the ability to become an officer... well, that depends on your own performance, Skadi."

Whether Skadi can truly take control of Agor's army step by step, as she claims, depends on her own abilities.

Goredia needs to observe for a while longer.

She wanted to see just how deeply cunning Skadi, who usually disguised herself as a harmless little animal, truly was.

Or perhaps it was the wise man Agor, who appeared foolish but possessed profound wisdom.

I may have been blinded by Skadi's appearance before, but this time, I have plenty of time to properly consider Skadi.

After all, in Goredia's mind, even if Skadi's proposal to become an officer could be approved.

Skadi, who had no prior military experience, was bound to start with a low-ranking position.

In order to achieve her goal of a military coup, Skadi had to rise through the ranks until she reached the top of the Agor officer ranks, where she would be able to access other senior officers.

Although seniority is not absolute in Argol society.

Outstanding individuals and geniuses like Goredia can also be promoted quickly.

However, Goredia estimates that it will take Skadi at least ten years to build a sufficiently reliable network of contacts.

During this period, as long as he noticed any actions or policies by Skadi that were detrimental to Agor society, he could keep an eye on them.

Therefore, Goredia could contact the higher-ups and the military at any time to nip Skadi's coup in the bud.

But if Skadi truly cares about Agor...

Thinking of this, a resolute glint flashed in Goredia's eyes.

Then, I'll help Skadi take the crucial step of completely removing the corrupt Agor leadership from their high-ranking positions as senators!

Goredia did not aspire to become a high-ranking official or a wealthy and powerful ruler, nor did she want to rely on or depend on anyone.

She was simply someone who wanted to save Agor from imminent death and make what she believed to be the right choice.

"Let's go, orca."

Having made her decision, Gladys looked at Skadi with a slightly gentler gaze than usual and said:
"My investigation period is about to expire. If I am also added to the missing persons list, I will not be able to prove your innocence."

"...Wait a moment, Swordfish."

After a year, she was finally able to return to her hometown, although Skadi's attitude towards Agor was now very different from before.

However, upon returning to her familiar hometown, a hint of emotion still appeared on Skadi's usually cool face.

However, Skadi did not forget that before going home, there was something she had promised to do long ago that she had to complete.

Under Gladys's puzzled gaze, Skadi jogged straight towards Chen Qi, her face beaming with joy, and called out cheerfully:

"Godfather? Can you hear me? I'm going home soon."

"And I'll soon become an officer in Agor, where I'll get a higher salary and better benefits."

On Skadi's usually indifferent face, a joy, smugness, and a hint of anticipation appeared that Goredia couldn't understand.

It was the expectation of a daughter who hoped to receive praise from her father.

But such a scenario is extremely rare in Agor's society.

When each Agor child first opens their eyes, they often see not their parents, but the doctor outside the training ward.

In Agorian society, children and parents often lack affection beyond blood ties.

But this time, Goredia saw Skadi, who had grown up in the society of Agor, display a smile that only appeared in terrestrial civilizations—a smile typical of daughters.

This made Goredia feel somewhat uncomfortable, but at the same time, a strange sense of envy also arose in her heart...

Because she could sense Skadi's heartfelt respect and closeness to her adoptive father.

This was an emotion that Goredia had never experienced, yet which she had always longed for.

This made Goredia even more curious about the mysterious war god who had lived more than 10,000 years ago.

...Could it be that in a highly advanced pre-civilization, people still needed emotions to connect with each other?

"--Congratulations, little orca."

However, Chen Qi, with his back to Skadi, did not answer her question.

Unaware of her adoptive father's unusual behavior, Skadi continued to chatter on about her plan to settle him in.

"Once I become an officer, I should be able to be assigned a bigger house."

"By then, my house will be big enough for me and my godfather to live in together."

"Godfather, you've been in this laboratory for over ten thousand years, haven't you? Now you can finally go out and take a look."

"...Thank you for your kindness, little orca."

Finally, Skadi's words could no longer be ignored.

Having anticipated the inevitable separation ever since adopting Skadi as her goddaughter, Chen Qi composed himself and spoke calmly to Skadi behind him:

"But I can't leave."

"The laboratory of the pre-civilization holds too many secrets. In order to prevent these secrets from being exploited by villains, I need to guard this place for a long time."

"You'll have to walk the rest of the way on your own, little orca."

"……well?"

However, upon hearing Chen Qi's words, Skadi, who had been beaming with joy, froze instantly.

Soon, a look of fear, unease, and disbelief appeared on Skadi's cool face.

"Father...you...you don't want to come to Agor with me?"

"No, Godfather, you're not joking, are you?"

Skadi, who had been quite composed, felt a sudden, unexpected panic when she learned that she was about to lose her adoptive father's support.

Skadi herself was unaware of how strong her dependence on her adoptive father had become during that year, a relationship marked by both love and resentment.

In Skadi's mind, her adoptive father seemed to be omnipotent.

He possesses unfathomable strength that transcends this era.

He can also manipulate machines and texts that he doesn't understand at all, tell her stories, and teach her how to emulate them.

It can even remind you, or even teach you step by step, how to deal with things and what the best choice is during critical periods.

Before she knew it, Skadi had grown accustomed to having a father by her side whom she could completely trust and rely on.

Now, realizing that she is about to lose her most powerful support, Skadi, who had always appeared to be in complete control in the face of the grand coup plot, finally panicked.

"No, Godfather, I couldn't have done it without you."

Skadi, her pupils slightly dilated, reached out and tugged at Chen Qi's clothes, saying pitifully:

"If you hadn't taught me, I wouldn't have been able to carry out the coup at all. I simply wouldn't have known how."

"And without you, Godfather, even if I succeeded in the coup, I wouldn't be a good leader. I can't live without you—"

However, before Skadi could finish speaking, her words abruptly stopped.

After struggling a few more times, Skadi realized that her throat was sealed by a strange magnetic force, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not make a sound.

Only then did her adoptive father's cold words reach her ears.

"Remember this, little orca."

"To become a great leader, never say you can't do it."

"This will only make you appear weak and incompetent in the eyes of others, and you will never be able to firmly grasp the results."

However, after the stern reprimand, Chen Qi, who hadn't turned to look at Skadi even once, softened his tone.

It was as if he had transformed from a strict teacher into a patient father again, saying:
“Little orca, your godfather has nothing more to teach you.” “Whether you listened attentively in class or practiced martial arts diligently before, you have reached the point where you are ready to graduate.”

"You need to learn to walk the rest of the road alone."

Through the power of the magnetic field, Chen Qi could clearly sense Skadi behind him, who was unable to make a sound, with two lines of tears seeping from her crimson eyes, and her head shaking in constant resistance.

Seeing this scene, Chen Qi felt a mix of emotions.

As a godfather, he was naturally gratified that his goddaughter, after only a year of living with him, respected and loved him as a real father.

But neither his mentor nor his students would allow their students to be completely dependent on him and utterly useless.

Looking at Skadi, who still couldn't bear to part with him and refused to leave, Chen Qi's heart hardened, and he roared in a raised voice:

"enough!"

"Do you really want to be a fish that never grows up?! I've run out of things to teach you!"

"You said you were going to do something big, so get on with it now, you little killer whale!"

"If you can't accomplish anything great, don't come back to see me! Especially not as my adopted daughter!"

This time, Chen Qi's voice was deafening, and the entire laboratory trembled slightly under his roar.

At this moment, even someone as oblivious as Skadi realized that her adoptive father was serious...

Unable to speak, she could only suppress her reluctance and wipe away the tears from her eyes.

Then, under Gladys's gaze, Skadi suddenly knelt down and bowed deeply to her adoptive father's back...

"boom!"

Skadi's head slammed mercilessly against the cold, hard steel floor, causing the ground to tremble.

Without using magnetic force to protect herself, Skadi's forehead also bled from the impact.

Seeing that this was by no means an Agor ceremony, Goredia did not stop her, but simply let Skadi continue to express her gratitude to her adoptive father in her own way.

But that's not all.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

After three clear kowtows, and until Skadi's forehead was bleeding profusely, she slowly got up from the ground.

After doing all this, Skadi realized that she seemed to be able to speak again.

"...Swordfish, let's go."

"……it is good."

Looking at Skadi, who still had a wound on her forehead, Greta didn't ask any further questions, but simply nodded calmly.

And so, the two deep-sea hunters, relying on their own strength, finally left the dark and gloomy laboratory.

Only Chen Qi's lonely figure remained, standing still.

Skadi, who followed closely behind Goredia, remained silent throughout the journey.

It wasn't until she had been dozens of nautical miles away from the laboratory that a belated magnetic field echo reached Skadi's mind.

"Little killer whale."

"Adoptive father?"

However, upon hearing her adoptive father's voice again, Skadi, who had been able to remain calm, immediately snapped back to her senses and stopped in her tracks.

She even forgot about Gretia ahead, her joyful expression returning as she murmured to herself:
"Godfather? Is that you?"

“I knew you wouldn’t send me away, you wouldn’t leave me alone to go back to Agor!”

"—You're wrong, little orca."

However, Chen Qi, far away in the laboratory, shook his head and calmly replied:

"Godfather will not help you fight for power and profit. You have to do everything yourself to get what you want."

"But, little orca, remember, your godfather will always be your godfather."

"When you are truly at your wit's end and have no other choice, your godfather will come to save you one last time."

"So, go ahead and do great things with confidence, little orca."

“You have your godfather behind you. No matter how big the problem is, your godfather will help you shoulder it.”

Chen Qi hesitated for a long time, but in the end, he chose to tell his adopted daughter these heartfelt words before Skadi left.

For Chen Qi, his children's independence does not mean that they can never confide in their parents when they encounter difficulties.

When children encounter obstacles they cannot overcome, their parents become their last resort.

Even if Chen Qi taught Skadi with the same high standards as Bodhi Patriarch,...

But he never forgot that Skadi was also his adopted daughter.

It is only natural for parents to protect their children.

"--Um!"

On the other side, although she didn't hear the answer she wanted, Skadi finally understood that her adoptive father had never abandoned her, and her tears turned into laughter.

"Then, Godfather... take care."

"Little orca, I'm sure I'll do something big to show you!"

"...Skadi, what's wrong?"

Once she realized what was happening, Gladys returned to Skadi's side, who was still standing there, and asked in confusion.

Skadi did not reply, but subtly used the magnetic field to erase her tears.

With love now in her heart, Skadi's future is bright, and all her shackles have finally been removed.

An even stronger force surged forth from Skadi's heart!

"Crack!"

"boom!"

The next second, before Goredia could react, an extremely strong magnetic field force suddenly pushed her away!

The intense magnetic field rotated, transforming into a towering pillar of energy that burst forth from the sea surface!

Not only that, this terrifying magnetic force broke through the sky and the isolation layer that had been painstakingly repaired after more than 10,000 years, and rushed into the starry sky!

Only when that power shattered a planet into dust did all of this come to a complete end!
This earth-shattering power shocked the entire Terra!
"This is... the Star Breaking Realm?!"

Upon sensing this terrifying fluctuation, Ulbian, far away in the "Blue Country," immediately turned his gaze toward the source of the pillar of light!

Who was it? Who broke through the problem that had plagued Agor for a thousand years and became the first magnetic field expert to break through the Star Realm!
Soon, as he gazed in the direction of the beam of light, Ulpian had a vague answer in his mind.

"That direction... is that the area where Greta was on her mission?"

"Could it be Goredia? Has she broken through?"

Ulpian was not surprised by this result.

He and Gretia had been stuck at 240,000 power for many years. Although they had never mentioned it to each other, they had been secretly competing with each other, hoping to be the first to break through the bottleneck.

Now that Goredia has beaten him to it, Ulpian, after a moment of dejection, quickly rekindled his fighting spirit.

I can't afford to fall behind!
……

Meanwhile, unaware that Ulpian had presumptuously assumed that she had broken through the bottleneck first, Gladys was staring in disbelief at Skadi in front of her.

“Skadi? You…”

However, with just a soft call, the moment Skadi turned around, Goredia sensed the tremendous transformation in Skadi!
Skadi, whose face was marked with battle markings resembling those of an orca skull, no longer showed any confusion or fear in her eyes.

On the contrary, she displayed a powerful and surging aura that made even Goredia feel terrified, like the ocean!

At this moment.

The real "killer whale" has finally awakened.

(End of this chapter)