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

Chapter 4 My Name is "Jian"

When I opened my eyes again, it was already the second day in the slum.

"This is truly... unforgettable."

As he opened his eyes, all the pre-simulation memories flooded into Chen Qi's mind.

Even with the experience of the first simulation, it still took Chen Qi quite some time to digest this memory and prevent it from completely overwriting his original personality.

However, it would be unlikely that these memories would have no impact on Chen Qi at all.

Whether it was the bloody battles fought for Letania, or the care and entrustment from her parents in this life.

All the memories are as real and unforgettable as a life story.

Chen Qi didn't dwell on this point; he was someone who trusted his feelings and acted on his impulses.

Once I've decided to do it, I won't hesitate.

"To overthrow Letania? Especially now that I'm living in a slum, it's even more difficult to threaten the Twin Queens."

"This is even more difficult than when I tricked my second brother into believing that I would become emperor after Wei Lao Er ran away, and that he would pass the throne to me when I became truly capable."

After all, his second brother would cherish his third brother's life in order to escape from the golden toilet.

However, the Gemini Queens are different; they may be more lenient towards the remnants of the Witch King's faction in the future.

But in present-day Letania, they and the Electors, in order to consolidate their position, will strike without mercy against any remnants of the Witch King's faction.

Therefore, if he truly sees overthrowing Letania as his goal, he needs to take it one step at a time and bridge the huge gap between himself and the Twin Queens.

"The fundamental difference between me and the Gemini Queens who want to overthrow their rule lies in strength and influence."

"The Twin Queens possess the power to defeat the Witch King. Although the Witch King later became a drug addict, his spell that could tear apart the Gallic vanguard was no joke."

To be able to challenge the Gemini Queens in terms of individual strength... Chen Qi felt that it was unlikely that he could achieve this in his lifetime.

"Then it comes down to power."

"The Twin Queens are already above all others in Letania. Apart from the Electors, they still have a large number of guards, executives and troops. It is estimated that they will also cultivate their own private army in the future."

"Is the only way I can shake their rule to unite a force strong enough to oppose them?"

But where can we find such a force?

I am from the slums, the place where the most miserable people in all of Letania live, and where infected people from the bottom of society gather.

……etc?
Ghetto?
A gathering place for the lowest strata of society?

Suddenly, a glint of light flashed in Chen Qi's mind as he thought of these two keywords. He immediately realized that the group he could win over, which numbered in great numbers and was enough to shake Letania, was right beside him!
What is truly remarkable is that I, like them, have experienced similar tragic circumstances!
This means that he can blend in with them, and if he can gain their trust, they might follow him.

But if Chen Qi wants these disheartened people to follow him, he needs to demonstrate the abilities that a leader should have, abilities that can convince them.

Some of the skills they lack, but desperately need.

"Shut up!"

[While you were thinking, a sharp whistle caught your attention.]

Looking around, you only see a guard with a weapon chasing a girl with long horns who is carrying a paper bag full of food.

Judging from the guard's angry expression, the food in the girl's arms did not belong to her.

[If the guard hadn't been stopped, the girl's fate would have been predictable, but now that you've attracted the government's attention, the slums might not be safe either.]

What do you want to do?

A. Chase after them

[B. Pretend you didn't notice; your personal safety is the most important thing.]

"Sorry, I don't want to hide in the slums for the rest of my life."

Faced with the option that appeared again, Chen Qi's lips curled up slightly, and he already had a plan in mind.

Try to make that girl your first follower.

Chen Qi chose to respond to the option with action.

You chased after him and found the guard in a blind spot.

The guards had completely blocked the girl, raising their blunt weapons, which appeared to be maces, high in the air.

If the guard's blow had struck the Caprini girl on the head, she would have died instantly.

This time, before the system even had a chance to offer any options, Chen Qi acted first.

"what!"

The girl, who was curled up in a ball and stuffing bread into her mouth, did not receive the blow she expected. Instead, she heard a pitiful scream.

When she subconsciously looked up in confusion, she found that the guard was groaning in pain, his body seemingly going limp as if out of control.

In the dim sunlight, she could see clearly a slender silver needle stuck in the soldier's neck.

She also saw the mace that had fallen from the guard's hand and now lay in hers.

"boom!"

The next second, before she could react, the guard's tall body was tackled to the ground.

The person pressing down on the guard was a boy she had never seen before, but whose clothes and appearance were completely unlike those of someone from the slums.

But unlike his attire, the boy was extremely ruthless. The instant he tackled the guard, he skillfully used a textbook-level grappling technique to lock the guard's hands in a backhand lock.

"Asshole! Let me go!"

"Help! Help me! Quickly, help me! *Letanian slang*!"

The suppressed guard roared and screamed wildly, but no matter how angry he was or how hard he tried, he couldn't break free from Chen Qi's restraints.

Chen Qi was, after all, a doctor and a veteran of the battlefield, with rich experience in both theory and practice. How could a guard who had been out of training for a long time possibly match him?
However, the guard's shouting quickly alerted Chen Qi and the girl.

No, this guy has to shut up!
At that moment, the same thought flashed through the minds of the two complete strangers.

No sooner said than done, just as Chen Qi was about to take out his second silver needle and give the guard a needle,

The girl had already grabbed the mace that the guard had dropped and raised it high.

"boom!"

The next second, with a dull thud, the blood seeping from the guard's head soaked Chen Qi and the girl's cheeks.

Upon closer inspection, it was clear that the guard's head had been punched open by the girl, leaving a huge, bloody hole, and even his brain was clearly visible.

He has been silenced forever in a physiological sense.

"He's dead...it's for the best."

Chen Qi originally did not want to kill him, but since things had come to this point, Chen Qi accepted it with remarkable calm.

After all, he had seen countless dead people on the battlefield.

Furthermore, given his current status as a "remnant of the Witch King," only the dead would not arrest him.

Since they were already on opposing sides, Chen Qi didn't want to say anything hypocritical like "the enemy's life is also a life."

If he doesn't kill him, he will kill him; neither of them will show any pity for the other.

They were nothing more than wild beasts, fighting each other just to survive.

"Ha ha……"

The blonde Caprini girl who had delivered the fatal blow to the guard was now panting heavily, her face turning slightly pale.

This was her first murder.

But she dared not vomit, much less reveal herself to you.

[Because she feared that the person who saved her might try to kill her the next second because of the food in her bag.]

[Especially after seeing how you rendered the guard helpless with just one silver needle, she became even more wary of you.]

Chen Qi nodded; he understood, of course.

After all, life is very difficult in Terra's slums, no matter where you are, so it's necessary to be vigilant.

But amidst her wariness, the girl felt a surge of excitement and curiosity towards you, given your use of methods she didn't understand.

excited?

Chen Qi raised an eyebrow.

He can understand curiosity, but excitement...

Could it be that this girl awakened some strange attribute after killing someone with her own hands?
As someone rare in Letania, lacking any talent for Originium Arts, she naturally possessed extraordinary abilities to survive alone in the slums for so long.

That is power. With her strength far exceeding that of ordinary people, she was practically invincible in the slums. As long as she was well-fed, she wouldn't be afraid of ten more guards, let alone that one.

But today, after witnessing your bizarre methods, she, who had always relied on brute force to survive in the slums, suddenly found herself in a new situation.

She realized that "strength" alone was not enough.

What I also need to learn is "skills".

Unfortunately, given the circumstances, she wasn't sure if she'd have the chance to hone her skills.

No, if she can survive this time, she must master combat skills—as long as it allows her to survive better.

—That's really excellent.

As Chen Qi listened to the system's words, his gaze towards the blonde girl in front of him changed. He hadn't expected that he would encounter such an outstanding talent just by doing a "side quest".

After all, this girl was the first "follower" he wanted to win over, so Chen Qi naturally hoped that she would have as much potential as possible to cultivate.

At least for now, this girl seems bold, meticulous, and extremely ambitious, and her fighting ability appears to be quite impressive.

Chen Qi believed that, given time, she would definitely become a good assistant.

He's determined to have this person!
"Curious? How did I do it?"

Chen Qi did not immediately step forward to show goodwill. Instead, under the wary gaze of the blonde girl, he pulled the silver needle out of the guard's neck and asked the girl with a slight smile.

"..." The girl didn't answer, but Chen Qi noticed her curious gaze.

"The carotid artery in the neck is a fatal weakness for any race. If the needle is placed correctly, a single needle can render a person weak and even cause them to fall into a coma."

"The human body has many more fatal weaknesses. If you know these weaknesses, you can kill a person effortlessly, and even leave very little trace."

"Back then, you wouldn't have needed to... well, make the scene so bloody."

Chen Qi glanced indifferently at the guard's corpse and the blood that covered the scene.

“Now all the guards will know he’s dead, and they will definitely intensify their oppression of the slums in the future.”

Girl: "...I'm so sorry, I'm too weak."

Hearing your words, which were completely on the side of the slums, she lowered her guard, but a sense of sadness also crept into her heart.

[His actions have made life more difficult for himself, and for everyone in the slum.]

Although she had no right to care about the lives or deaths of others.

However, the girl still felt a sense of guilt, knowing that dozens, even hundreds, of people had died because of her actions.

"But next time, I will do better."

The girl clenched her fists as if to make amends, and said in a calm and firm tone.

"It's good that you've recognized your shortcomings and want to make up for your mistakes."

Chen Qi, increasingly satisfied with the girl, was also generous with his praise:

"With such ambition and drive, you could have become a lawyer or a doctor, or at the very least a teacher."

"There are no signs of infection on your skin, so how did you end up like this?"

"..."

Yes, why did I end up like this?

She had asked herself this question countless times, but she couldn't find the answer.

[Just because he was born in a country like Letania, teeming with sorcerers, yet he was born without a single ounce of Originium Arts skill? Is he a "defective product"?]

Is it because of this that all one's value is completely negated by the parents who abandoned them?

She had tried countless times to console herself—this is just how the world is.

However, she was still extremely unwilling to accept it.

I am neither weaker nor dumber than anyone else.

Why is it that I am the one who suffers and endures hardship?

"Judging from your expression, you've already answered me—you don't know."

"But perhaps I can give you an answer?"

Looking at the blonde girl's silent expression, Chen Qi simply smiled and gave his response in an extremely calm tone.

"Because this country is sick."

"This country humiliates and torments those who love her, are loyal to her, and are more capable of creating value, while placing the despicable, greedy, incompetent, and mediocre in high positions to exploit the wealth we create."

"…who are you?"

However, even the blonde girl sensed something was wrong with Chen Qi after hearing his rather dangerous words.

This person is very different from the people in the slums.

"Me? I'm just a doctor."

Chen Qi, however, was completely unfazed by the blonde girl's wary gaze, and instead responded with remarkable composure:

"A doctor who, like you, has suffered greatly from hardship and betrayal, wants to heal this country."

"...You mean you want to overthrow the rule of the Twin Queens?"

The girl finally understood Chen Qi's unspoken meaning.

Even she felt a slight urge to back down from the "peak" that Chen Qi was about to climb.

However, Chen Qi shook his head and answered in a calm and composed tone.

"It's not about overthrowing, it's about saving."

"I want to save this country from the Gemini Queens, and I'll start here."

"To save people like you and me who have suffered so much, and to give them everything they deserve."

"Thus, we will change our destiny and live with dignity as truly dignified 'human beings'."

puff.

In an instant, Chen Qi seemed to hear a heavy heartbeat.

He was quite certain that the heartbeat came from the girl in front of him, whose expression was slightly dazed.

Live with dignity.

These words seemed to possess an infinite magic for her, instantly piercing through to her deepest, most genuine desires.

At that moment, she understood.

If she truly wanted to leave this slum, this man in front of her might be her only hope.

I can no longer wait for fate to take pity on me.

It's time to take control of your own destiny.

"……name."

"Hmm?" Chen Qi tilted his head slightly.

"I'm asking you, your name."

The blonde girl, who no longer pointed her mace at Chen Qi, completely let go of her hostility.

She had made up her mind to stake her future on this only lifeline!
"I am just an insignificant doctor. You can just call me 'Qi'."

Knowing that he had succeeded, Chen Qi was overjoyed, but on the surface he still maintained composure and courtesy.

"So, miss, may I ask your name?"

【name? 】

Your question made the girl pause for a moment. Abandoned in the slums from as far back as she could remember, she didn't know who her parents were, nor who she was; she had never had a name of her own.

But after a long while, as she looked at the "mace" that had once belonged to the guard in her hand, she gradually came to an answer.

"—My name is Jian."

The blonde Caprini girl uttered the name that surprised Chen Qi immensely.

At this moment, only one thought remained in Chen Qi's mind—

Holy crap, a large size?!

New author, new book! Please, dear readers, add it to your favorites! *sobs*
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(End of this chapter)