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

Chapter 77 Reason Consumed by Hatred, and Awakening

The fighting in the following days was nothing short of a one-sided massacre.

The "spectacle" you created did indeed delay your army. It took your main force more than ten days to build a temporary bridge and cross the ravine.

However, when your main force crosses this trench, which is several kilometers wide...

The Ursus army on the opposite bank had long been annihilated by the C and D armies that launched a surprise attack from the south.

Of course, the fact that the two army groups could achieve such victories is all thanks to your "divine strike."

[The moment you unleash that world-destroying blow, reducing the steel trenches that Ursus had spent years building to nothingness.]

The morale of the Ursus Empire's army had long since collapsed from the bottom up.

The Ursus soldiers who were not in the steel trenches at the time, and who had miraculously survived, fled the front lines like frightened birds after witnessing this devastating blow.

From soldiers to officers, even nobles and generals, none could resist the grip of fear on their minds.

The remaining army group was almost entirely composed of deserters.

[Some were even driven to mental illness by your attack, going berserk on the battlefield and attacking their comrades.]

[When the C and D armies on the southern front were delayed by two hours in launching their surprise attack due to your strike.]

They were facing a group of Ursus deserters who crumbled at the first sign of trouble and had absolutely no organization or discipline.

Terrified Ursus soldiers surrendered to your army in large numbers.

However, because of your strict orders before the campaign, your army group did not accept the surrender of these Ursus people.

Ultimately, in just two days, the Second and Third Armies of Ursus, numbering nearly 100,000 men, were almost completely annihilated by you and your army groups.

[Thus, a quarter of Ursus's defense capabilities were completely wiped out in just two days.]

Ursus is in shock.

As for your devastating attack, it has already come to the attention of the Emperor of Ursus, thanks to the account of Grand Duke Baikal, who, after narrowly escaping back to the Ursus capital, Saint-Strong Castle, was already somewhat driven mad with fear.

[And Kal'tsit and Hellagur, who had also returned to St. Martin's Castle, testified to the words of this mad Grand Duke.]

The bottomless ravine, stretching for dozens of miles and completely separating the two continents, served as the strongest evidence of their words and deeds.

[The current Emperor of Ursus, Fyodor Vladimirovich, is utterly devastated.]

This young man, whose mild temperament seemed somewhat unlike that of the Ursus emperor, was almost terrified and swiftly ordered the heads of the nobles who had proposed the assassination plot to be beheaded.

The next day, Ursus's messenger delivered these heads to your tent.

[This Ursus emperor wants to use these heads as sacrifices to clear up the misunderstanding and shift all the blame onto a few nobles.]

[The Ursus emperor even offered to submit to the Holy Empire of Letania if you would agree to a truce.]

Even if it meant sacrificing his life as the Emperor of Ursus to ensure the safety of Ursus, he would be willing to accept it.

And you, in return, sent the messenger, now a frozen sculpture, back to the Ursus emperor.

You have already told all the Ursus people what your stance is.

You do not accept their surrender, nor do you accept any pleas.

You've come to Ursus for only one purpose.

[Erase Ursus from this land completely.]

[Turn Ursus into a series of memorial graveyards, transform mobile cities into hell on earth—until your vengeance is utterly complete.]

Perhaps only on that day will you feel true satisfaction.

Faced with your overwhelming determination to slaughter Ursus, the Ursus Emperor is on the verge of collapse.

Under these circumstances, within Ursus, neither the new nor the old nobles dare to lead troops to challenge you.

The only person left who dares to stand up and stop you is Kal'tsit.

In this desperate situation, the Ursus emperor, grasping at straws, had no choice but to place all of Ursus's bets on Kal'tsit.

And so, Kal'tsit, leading the last two army groups (excluding those defending the northern border), encountered your final line of defense in Ursus.

It was here that you first encountered Kal'tsit, a creation from a previous civilization.

"...Emperor of the Holy Empire of Letania, ruler of half of Terra."

"My advice may be unappealing to you, but I will still say it."

"Let's stop here. It's not too late."

In the center of the battlefield where the two armies clashed, Kal'tsit calmly gazed at the king before her and said softly:

"You already possess the highest power, the strongest empire, and even the strongest magic on this land."

"All the nations of this land are already living in fear under your shadow, so why do you still blindly pursue this achievement?"

"Ursus poses no threat to you whatsoever; they are even willing to submit to you. You have achieved your goal."

"Why continue this meaningless slaughter? It's worthless to you."

"...Are you done talking?"

You scoffed at Kal'tsit's questions.

[Because of Kal'tsit's words, not only was the wrong person being questioned, but it was also too late.]

“You’re right, Kal’tsit. Now, Letania has become the strongest nation on this land.”

“I already have everything I want, I didn’t need to start this war.”

"I had already wanted to quit a long time ago."

“But, Kal'tsit, you’ve got one thing wrong. It wasn’t me who started this war, it was Ursus.”

Chen Qi's eyes gradually turned from arrogant to icy, and he stared directly at Kal'tsit, coldly saying:
“When Ursus plotted to assassinate me, you did not stop him.”

“When Ursus threw the demonic fragments into my land, you did not come out to stop him.”

“When Ursus assassinated my lover, turning the most important day of my life into a disgrace, you did not step in to stop him.”

"Now, I have raised a massive army, and with unstoppable momentum, it is time to make Ursus pay a bloody price for this!"

"And now you're trying to persuade me to give up?!"

The vengeful obsession you unleashed in your rage made Kal'tsit's heart tremble.

[And you, staring directly at Kal'tsit's refined, aloof face, revealed a sinister smile, gritting your teeth as you delivered your reply.]

"—It's too late."

"..."

In Kal'tsit's eyes, your sinister grin, seemingly straight out of hell, proves that your heart has been completely consumed by hatred.

She understands that she can no longer persuade you.

Even if Ursus is completely wiped out, your conquests will never cease.

This land will soon bear the indelible scars of this assassination.

The breakdown of negotiations means that a major war is imminent.

However, even if you don't need to intervene this time, the outcome of this battle was already predetermined.

The Ursus Army Group possesses considerable combat capabilities.

[But compared to your army, which has undergone military reforms, shares a common hatred for the enemy, and possesses a strong fanaticism towards you, it was already at a disadvantage.]

Furthermore, the constant harassment from the Marna Rangers and the Reunion Movement to the east of Ursus has created a significant crisis for Ursus's resource reserves.

More importantly, after unleashing that world-destroying blow, you are now seen as a god by the people of this land.

The moment you appeared on the opposing side, the morale of the Ursus Legion plummeted to rock bottom.

The final result was almost immediate collapse.

No matter how much experience Kal'tsit had in commanding, she couldn't control her innate human fear.

This is a gap that no military strategist or commander can bridge; it's an absolute crushing defeat in terms of situation and morale.

However, as this one-sided battle neared its end, an unexpected incident occurred.

A large army has suddenly emerged from the north and begun attacking your forces.

Those were the last two army groups of Ursus guarding the northern border.

[And this time, you're not just facing the Ursus army group.]

[Even more, there were those brought back from the North, "the Emperor's Blade," whose bodies had already undergone rituals of assimilation with demons!]

Their withdrawal from the northern border proves only one thing.

In their eyes, you are more worthy of fear than any demon.

"What if Ursus no longer has a place on this land?"

"Then, this land will no longer have any reason to exist!"

"This land will be sacrificed for the great Ursus Empire!"

[A "sharp blade of the emperor" spoke the words of his colleagues.]

They continuously unleash the power of their "kingdom," allowing the aura of evil to corrupt your army, attempting to instill fear in their minds.

But all of this was to no avail.

Your legion already possesses a fanatical devotion to you.

Having witnessed your world-destroying attack, they have forgotten what fear is, and they no longer fear Ursus!

Because they knew their emperor was a "god"!

Their emperor will never be defeated!

With the Ursus legions led by Kal'tsit already in complete disarray, your high-spirited legions swiftly inflicted heavy losses on the last two Ursus units.

Your well-prepared howitzers, armored vehicles, air force, and warships have finally engaged the Ursus Legion in a true battle.

Ultimately, the "Emperor's Blades," their armor shattered by artillery fire, left behind only polluted lands where no living thing could survive.

[The Ursus army group was divided and encircled by your pincer movement, with only a few units escaping the encirclement.]

[Through this battle, you have once again captured over 100,000 Ursus soldiers.]

These can be considered Ursus's last line of defense. If they are completely wiped out, Ursus's defense will collapse entirely, and the continent of Terra will cease to exist as a nation of Ursus.

And in this situation, finally, someone began to dissuade you from your violence.

"Boy, I don't care how you beat me before, but this time, I absolutely cannot let you have your way!"

Inside the headquarters, Fremont stood before Chen Qi, whose face was cold and indifferent, slamming his fist on the table, and said angrily:
"These hundreds of thousands of Ursus people must not be killed!"

"The demons of the North still need these people to guard it! It's enough that you subdue them today. If you really kill them all, who will guard the North?"

"I heard you even ordered the army to continue deeper into Ursus territory? What about the demons in the north?!"

"These 'Emperor's Blades' have splashed so much demonic energy here, which will surely attract demons to march south in force."

"Now is not the time to kill these people, do you understand? Kid!"

"Your Majesty, this time, I must agree with Fremont's suggestion."

Even Hildegard nodded, and despite Chen Qi's unwavering expression, she did her best to persuade him:
“These Ursus people have been stationed in the northern border for many years and are very familiar with the local environment and terrain.”

"More importantly, they can lead us to Sami, where the most experienced races in fighting evil spirits reside."

"With the help of the Sami natives, it will be much easier to go deeper into the north."

"So Your Majesty, spare these Ursus people for now; they are useful to you."

"...Have you finished talking?"

However, Fremont and Hildegard's heartfelt advice was met with Chen Qi's utterly calm yet irresistible reply:
"Now, my decree has been issued."

"Bury and kill all 100,000-plus Ursus people—go and carry it out."

"fart!"

This time, Fremont was truly enraged, and the Lich King roared in fury:
"I can't carry out such a brainless order!"

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for not being able to accept your order this time."

Hildegard shook her head with a serious expression, resisting Chen Qi's order this time.

During this period of time, the two of them had done their best to dissuade Chen Qi from giving increasingly extreme and brutal orders.

However, their attempts to dissuade him had almost no effect, and Chen Qi continued to do as he pleased.

From the very beginning, he never intended for a single Ursus person to leave alive.

Faced with Chen Qi's increasingly worsening situation, his two right-hand men finally reached their breaking point and frequently suppressed his edicts in an attempt to prevent his mistakes from spreading further.

But this time, they seemed powerless to stop it.

"Fremont, Hildegard."

"Are you going to defy the imperial decree?"

"!" X2
Chen Qi's short, emotionless words sent a chill down the spines of Fremont and Hildegard, who were about to leave the command post.

They could all hear the hint of murderous intent in the tone of the king who was staring at them from behind.

He means it.

They had no doubt that the moment they stepped out of the command post, the now unrecognizable emperor would end their lives there.

After exchanging glances, Fremont and Hildegard both understood each other's meaning from their eyes.

This emperor has become completely obsessed with revenge.

The intense inner conflict prevented the two from fighting Chen Qi.

However, reason compelled them to place their hands on their respective weapons.

But at that moment, an unexpected voice broke the solemn atmosphere in the command center.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness the Queen? Why have you come?"

"Wait! Your Highness! His Majesty is at headquarters, please don't—"

"boom!"

The command post door was suddenly kicked open, and the next second, Vina, dressed in luxurious attire, appeared before everyone without warning.

"Vina?"

Even Chen Qi was slightly surprised by Vina's arrival.

But soon, seeing Vina storming towards him angrily, Chen Qi's expression remained unmoved, and he simply said calmly:

Why did you come? Is there chaos back home?

"Yes, chaos, utter chaos, my dear Emperor!"

However, Vina, who was staring directly at Chen Qi, was completely different from her usual languid demeanor. She sneered repeatedly as she stared at Chen Qi, suppressing her anger as she questioned him word by word:
"The reports of victories are increasing day by day, and the number of Ursus people you have annihilated is also increasing day by day."

"I need to come over right away and see if you've wiped out all the Ursus people!"

"...This has nothing to do with you."

Chen Qi frowned slightly, waved for Vina to leave, and coldly replied:
"Besides, you also hate the Ursus people, so why are you now trying to persuade me to stop?"

"I hate the Ursus people."

Vina unconsciously clenched her fists, looked directly into Chen Qi's icy gaze, and raised her voice as she spoke:

"But I hate the Ursus people because their army is like a bunch of butchers, enslaving everyone in the lands they conquer and treating other people's lives as worthless."

"And now, my dear Emperor."

"You have become more terrifying, more ruthless, and more hateful than these Ursus people!"

"Right now, you're nothing but an executioner, a butcher, a bastard more monstrous than the Demon King himself!"

"presumptuous!"

Finally, Vina's words, each one hitting right to the soul, completely enraged Chen Qi.

In an instant, the entire command center was enveloped by an extremely terrifying magical fluctuation, and even the command center itself began to shake.

In the blink of an eye, the "Breath of Kings" that Chen Qi had drawn was already pressed against the throat of the unfazed Vina.

However, Chen Qi did not kill Vina in his rage.

Because he saw that Vina's stubborn eyes showed absolutely no fear of him.

He also saw the small scalpel that Vina had placed against the blade of the Kings' Breath.

That was a keepsake he would never forget.

"...After learning about your actions at the front, Viviana asked me to bring this knife to you."

"...Qi, Jian is almost gone."

Vina's voice, trembling as she tried to suppress it, made Chen Qi's hand, which was tightly gripping the "Breath of Kings," tremble involuntarily.

When he heard that name again, the only one that could make him lay down his sword.

His bloodshot eyes, once filled with hatred, finally regained some clarity.

"The lich remaining in the palace is constantly spying on Jian's spiritual world. She can no longer fight against those evil spirits."

“I haven’t known Jian for very long, but I know one thing.”

"She really loves you, and she really hopes to help you preserve your humanity."

"But now, Qi, look at yourself."

"Can your blood-stained face still recognize the face of that young man who once walked out of the slums to resist tyranny?"

Vina stared at Chen Qi, who had regained some of his composure, until Chen Qi slowly moved the "Breath of Kings" from her throat, at which point she couldn't help but let out a sigh.

She quietly placed the scalpel on the table in front of Chen Qi and calmly said:

"I think even if Jian could wake up, she wouldn't want to see... you, stained with sin."

"Don't let the mace fall; don't trust the wrong person, Qi."

"This is the only thing I wanted to tell you during this trip."

After saying that, Vina put down the scalpel and left without another word.

In the vast command center, for a moment, only the sounds of breathing and heartbeats echoed once more.

Ultimately, it was Chen Qi's weary yet calm voice that broke the silence.

"...Relay my orders."

"Imitate the Ursus tactics and build an iron trench in the direction of Ursus to defend against possible attacks from Ursus."

"Confiscate all the weapons and equipment of these Ursus people, incorporate them into the workforce, and put them in charge of building a railway track that runs from Sami all the way to Letania."

"And have the Imperial Engineering Department build a mobile city of military fortress level and send it to the front lines."

"The Ursus people are willing to disregard the safety of Terra for the sake of their nation."

“Our Holy Empire of Letania must never be like these short-sighted Ursus people.”

"We must connect this front with the Leitanian Empire."

"--yes!"

Finally, Chen Qina's order, which brought him back to his senses, delighted Fremont and Hildegard, who immediately accepted it.

Inside the command center, Chen Qi quietly picked up the scalpel, and after examining it for a long time, a bitter smile appeared on his face.

In the end, was it you who pulled me back from the edge of the cliff, preventing me from becoming a monster seeking revenge?
mace.

"...I will save you, Mako."

"I will never let you be corrupted by evil."

"Just like you, you would never let me be consumed by revenge."

Even if... this is the last thing I can do in this world.

Even if in the end, we can only meet again on the day of death.

I promise you won't fail to recognize me.

(End of this chapter)