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

Chapter 33 What does sacrificing you have to do with me?
One month later, in Triinttelme, the capital of Letania.

Today is a day everyone has been waiting for. Thanks to media coverage, all of Letania knows that you, as Regent, will formally announce a new policy in this council meeting to revitalize Letania!

Along the way, traveling by small land boat along the designated pilgrimage route, you encounter countless Letanian citizens cheering for you.

They were not divided by class or wealth; everyone was overjoyed at the prospect of your impending rule.

Workers, I trust you will provide you with stable jobs and better benefits, so they no longer have to worry about unemployment.

To those infected, we firmly believe that you will improve their treatment, ensuring they are not discriminated against because of their infection status and providing them with an equal life.

Even the nobles are hoping you can expand Letania's territory and help them reclaim the reward they deserved in the Four Emperors' War.

It seems you're just one step away from victory.

But only you know that you are about to step into the hall of victory.

It was a death trap that had been prepared for you long ago.

But you are fearless; you are fully prepared for the twin queens' final counterattack.

Your victory, your revenge—today, you will bring it all to a complete end!

Finally, as the land ship slowly docked, Chen Qi arrived at the red carpet of the Noble Council.

On both sides of the red carpet, rows of Golden Law Guards, wielding halberds and whose armor gleamed like gold in the sunlight, had been waiting for a long time.

"His Highness the Regent has arrived!"

The master of ceremonies announced in a loud, clear voice:

"Royal orchestra, play!"

"Everyone, salute His Highness the Regent!"

"—Victory!" XN
With a clanging of armor, the Golden Law Guards raised their halberds high in unison, proclaiming their loyalty and martial prowess!

On both sides of the red carpet, the long halberds held high by the Golden Law Guards resembled intersecting arches, respectfully welcoming the arrival of their monarch.

Even though each of them was wearing airtight armor and helmets.

But anyone could sense the terror, intimidation, and solemnity emanating from these battle-hardened elites.

This long stairway to the gods, reserved exclusively for monarchs, is enough to terrify anyone unworthy of this glory, or lacking the spirit and courage of a king.

But Chen Qi, who stepped off the land-based ship, remained calm and composed despite all of this.

He simply responded to them with a raised hand, as always, and walked past these battle-hardened elites with the long halberds they held high, like a cold-blooded, iron-fisted king.

Chen Qi did not walk fast; he deliberately slowed his pace to ensure that every Jin law guard could see his face clearly.

And whenever he walked past a few rows, he would occasionally turn his head slightly and quickly glance at one of the Golden Law Guards.

But just one emotionless glance from him was enough to make these elites subconsciously tense up, and their posture became even more upright.

Even though Chen Qi didn't say a word during the whole process.

But all the royal guards present were already captivated by the Regent's awe-inspiring presence!

The last king to have undergone such a ceremony had such a profound impact on the Golden Law Guards.

Only the Witch King can compare!
Without a doubt, this will be a leader no less than the Witch King, a monarch capable of making Letania rise again!
All the Jin law enforcement officers present had already reached this conclusion in their hearts.

At the end of the red carpet stood Gertrude, dressed in a dashing military uniform.

As she gazed at the approaching king, the excitement in her heart grew increasingly uncontrollable.

Gertrude found it difficult to describe her feelings at that moment.

Excitement?

Feeling sentimental?

There was even a hint of... affection that she herself couldn't quite explain?
Although she had long been accustomed to Chen Qi's aura, and could even have close contact with this monarch at any time.

But never before had she been so captivated by the powerful and awe-inspiring king before her.

My heart was racing, my cheeks were flushed, and I could even feel a slight dampness between my legs.

This is the first man she invested in!

This is the king she single-handedly supported!

"Duke Gertrude".

"--exist!"

However, simply because of a casual greeting from Chen Qi, who was so close by, Gertrude almost reflexively knelt down on one knee.

Her demeanor was so respectful that even the most fervent admirers could not find a single fault with it.

"My lord, what are your orders?"

"Arrange a place for each nobleman who comes here."

Everything was proceeding as expected, but even when facing Gertrude, his most trusted confidante, Chen Qi's expression remained completely flawless.

With the demeanor of a monarch, he did not let any personal emotions affect his official duties.

Cold as an absolutely rational machine, an absolute political animal, it does not allow itself to make any mistakes.

"Every nobleman who enters must announce his arrival to me, understand?"

Having said that, Chen Qi no longer glanced at Gertrude, who was kneeling on the ground.

Only when his figure stepped into the council chamber, and she felt the pressure around her lessen, did Gertrude, suppressing a trembling voice, reply in a low voice:
"Yes, Your Highness."

At the same time, Gertrude made her true response in her heart.

"Yes, my... Your Majesty."

……

"It seems that Qi hasn't noticed anything unusual."

Inside the Twin Towers, the Twin Queens used magic to remotely observe all the changes outside the council.

Seeing Chen Qi step into the council chamber gave them even more confidence in the success of the assassination plan.

"The walls of the council are equipped with numerous devices to reduce external attacks and to block the impact and spying of Originium Arts from the outside world."

"But... all of this is only aimed at external attacks; these devices are of no use in the face of crises within the parliament."

"On the contrary, the structure of the parliament ensures that if an explosion or fire occurs inside, it will not spread to the outside world, but will only continue to escalate within the parliament."

Having investigated the entire structure of the council, the Black Queen now spoke with complete confidence.

Staring at the spell screen, at the unsuspecting Qi stepping into the council, and the blood-red horns that were so conspicuous to the Black Queen, the Black Queen's smile became even more cruel.

"This time... Witch King, I will sweep your remaining will and your representatives into the grave!"

"—The Earl of Hyacinth has arrived."

However, the moment the Twin Queens finished speaking, a young nobleman appeared on the magical screen.

The nobleman who followed Chen Qi into the council was the "hero" whom the Twin Queens had high hopes for in assassinating Chen Qi!
……

"Your Highness the Regent."

"Ok?"

Chen Qi, who was sitting in the front row with his eyes closed and resting, subconsciously raised his head after hearing this gentle call.

Before him stood a handsome young nobleman who introduced himself before Chen Qi could speak:

“I am Earl Hyacinth, Your Highness the Regent. You may not have met me, but I have heard of you before.”

"The Earl of Hyacinth..."

However, after hearing the other party's self-introduction, Chen Qi couldn't help but reveal a contemptuous smile.

The next second, before Earl Hyacinth could speak again, Chen Qi's unthinking words interrupted all the words he had prepared all night.

"The Twin Queens really look down on me, choosing a mere earl like you to assassinate me?"

"..."

For a moment, the empty council chamber, occupied by only the two of them, was eerily quiet. Even the Earl of Hyacinth's momentary rapid breathing could be clearly detected.

"Your Excellency, you are surprisingly frank."

"But I'm curious, since you clearly sensed the assassination attempt a long time ago, why did you still choose to enter the council and seek your own death?"

However, the Earl of Hyacinth quickly regained his composure, and the deliberate smile on his face was no longer visible.

His eyes, fixed intently on Chen Qi, flashed with a deep-seated hatred.

"And what about you, Earl of Hyacinth?"

But Chen Qi remained calm and composed in the face of all this:
"Since I can see through all this, it means I was prepared long ago. You should know that."

“But now you not only haven’t surrendered to me, you even have the leisure to talk to me instead of taking action immediately… What do you want to know?” “—I want to know how you, this Sarkaz-like demon king, have arranged our fates.”

Having already exposed his actions, Count Hyacinth, who had completely abandoned his pretense, stared at Chen Qi with suppressed anger and uttered the question he had been holding back for so long.

"Why did you do this...why did you resort to any means to win over the nobles?"

"They're even willing to use the lives of our parents, wives, and children to blackmail us!"

"It's very simple."

Chen Qi did not deny these methods used by Gertrude.

After all, he was Gertrude's superior, and it was he who ordered Gertrude to use any means necessary to win over more nobles. He should bear all the sins and hatred for her.

Faced with Hyacinth's burning hatred, Chen Qi's response remained calm.

"Because I need your strength, but I don't want to win you over by sacrificing the interests of ordinary people."

"Therefore, I must use every means possible, even if it means being hated by some of you."

"Then why us?!"

Finally, the Earl of Hyacinth, unable to suppress his emotions any longer, had flames of anger burning in his eyes.

Why did you sacrifice us! Our loved ones, our loved ones?! Why didn't you sacrifice yourself?!

"Why can't it be you?"

But in response to Count Hyacinth's roar, Chen Qi, with an indifferent expression, simply replied with a cold question.

"Where were you when countless Letanians fought bloody battles against the Gauls on the front lines during the Four Emperors' War?"

"The Twin Queens granted you territorial autonomy, but where were you when countless Letanians were crushed by taxes and impoverished?"

"Where were you when the people of Letania were fighting against tyranny, when they had no choice but to struggle for freedom, survival, and dignity?"

Chen Qi's tone grew increasingly louder as he stood up and stared at the speechless Earl of Hyacinth before him.

Chen Qi's tall stature and the overwhelming aura of a king he exuded made the speechless Earl of Hyacinth retreat step by step as he approached.

"At that time, you sat high and mighty in your own mansions, in your own towers."

“You cannot see the suffering of the millions of Leitanians, and you turn a deaf ear to their misery.”

"And I, from Earl to Elector, and now to Regent, every step I have taken forward has been inseparable from the support of millions of Leitanian citizens like myself!"

"Now, you're asking me why you're the ones being sacrificed?"

"What you want to ask, what you want to know the answer to, is this worthless question, so I'll tell you."

Chen Qi couldn't help but laugh, a wicked and contemptuous laugh that showed he regarded the things he had mentioned as worthless.

Hyacinth was witnessing this smile for the first time.

But in his eyes, Chen Qi, with his blood-red horns, revealed a contemptuous smile...

His face, and the face of the Witch King he had only seen in portraits... eerily overlapped!
That's right.

For a fleeting moment, Count Hyacinth felt as if he were conversing with the most terrifying and powerful monarch in Letania, with that arrogant and disdainful gaze.

"—Because you take your riches and honors for granted, when Letania needs your sacrifice, you must be sacrificed."

"This is your responsibility as nobles, and it is the destiny you are meant to bear."

"Unfortunately, most of you do not have such awareness."

"Therefore, I have no choice but to disregard your wishes and force you to take responsibility."

Having said that, Chen Qi's contemptuous smile finally vanished. He stared at the stunned Earl of Hyacinth before him and asked again, his tone completely flat:
"This is the answer you've been looking for."

Are you satisfied?

"……I see."

However, after a long while, Count Hyacinth, who had finally come to his senses, revealed a relieved, bitter smile.

"So... we who think so highly of ourselves are nothing more than pawns that can be sacrificed at any time in front of a real emperor."

“Your choice to sacrifice us is no different from your choice to sacrifice civilians…”

"The only difference is that in your mind, sacrificing our interests is the method with the least loss..."

Having finally learned the truth he sought, Earl Hyacinth took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes, letting a tear stream down his face.

These tears contain pain, regret... but also a sense of relief at knowing the answer.

Is all this suffering simply their own fault for being nobles?
"...I understand."

“But I can never forgive you, Your Excellency.”

"So, please die here."

As soon as Hyacinth finished speaking, the next second, he suddenly snapped off the pendant around his neck!

Inside the opened pendant, a sharp silver needle, gleaming faintly in the sunlight, pierced straight toward Chen Qi's heart!

But the next second, a whooshing sound rang out!

"what--!"

With a whooshing sound, Earl Hyacinth staggered back several steps, his face contorted in agony, but he collapsed to the ground, clutching his severed arm tightly.

Before him, Chen Qi, covered in blood, had somehow drawn his noble sword.

The severed hand, which had been holding the pendant, now lay on the floor of the council chamber.

"...Although I'm not as good at magic as you are."

"But, to think you can assassinate me at close range is really underestimating me."

As a former prince of the Great Yan Dynasty, Chen Qi, who was trained to be skilled in martial arts, may not be as strong as Wei Yanwu, but there are very few who can defeat him in close combat.

Of all the players who have come and gone, perhaps only Jian, who has now become a "triple crown winner," has the strength to defeat him in close combat.

"Besides, do you think killing me will stop this change?"

"madness."

Chen Qi gazed at the struggling Earl of Hyacinth and said coldly:
"To me, my life is nothing more than the most insignificant thing."

"As long as the flame of this change can be passed on forever, it will allow the Letanians to continue to fight for their dignity and a better life."

"What does my life matter? Do you really think I'm afraid of dying?"

For Chen Qi, let's not even mention that he had made thorough preparations this time.

Even if he really intends to choose to pass on the flame at the cost of his life, he will not hesitate in the slightest if it is necessary.

After all, a simulated death does not represent the death of his physical body.

This allows him to always display extraordinary courage and boldness in simulations, because he possesses abilities that most people, even kings, do not have.

He truly had the awareness to "die for his cause".

"Indeed, you are not very good at magic, Lord Qi!"

But just when Chen Qi thought it was over, the sound of Hyacinth struggling to get up came again.

His face, contorted with pain, now revealed a triumphant grin as he roared at Chen Qi, each word distinct and menacing:
"You may not know this, but although I am 'Hyacinth,' my Originium Arts are fire!"

"You can cut off my hand, but can you cut off the fire?!"

After saying that, a ball of flame appeared out of thin air in Hyacinth's palm, and she immediately turned around and threw it toward the council's podium!
Chen Qi reacted even faster, drawing his sword once more!

Soon, with a whooshing sound, Chen Qi pierced through the palm of the Earl of Hyacinth who had gathered flames once again!
But the flames did not disappear.

"It's no use, Your Excellency, I am an infected person."

"Even if infected individuals don't have staffs, as long as they are alive, we can control Originium Arts through willpower."

"You didn't kill me directly, but instead pierced my palm. You've lost your last chance."

The hyacinth's voice came again. This time, having fulfilled his wish, he had no regrets and laughed heartily.

"Your Excellency, you may have been a great emperor, but unfortunately, you will only have me, a mere count, to accompany you in death."

"Let's... go to hell together."

"boom--!!"

Finally, the flames struck the platform, and the "Originium Arts Amplifier" that had been lying in wait there, after being detected, began to function as intended...

In an instant, fire and explosion struck together! With enough force to devour every life in the entire council, it roared furiously.

Just before Chen Qi was about to be engulfed by the flames, countless dark cube-shaped energies enveloped his body, causing it to disappear completely in the fire.

This chapter marks the beginning of the final part of the revenge arc, culminating in the overthrow of the Twin Queens!

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(End of this chapter)