Ark Chess Player

"A monster like me could eat Originium without any problems. In a sense, I'm no longer human, and even time can't take me away. If I really die one day, it must be because some existence far beyond natural disasters has appeared, or... the moment when no one remembers me."

Lin Lu held the cigar to his ear, gently rubbing the tobacco stick between his index finger and thumb without making a sound. He smiled contentedly, cut off the cigar tip, and lit it with the iDroid-VER1.02 electronic eye on the back of his mobile terminal. A focused laser slowly dyed the cigarette tip orange-red, and the natural tobacco aroma of cedar filled the air.

Lin Lu picked up a cigar, took a light puff, and seemed to feel his rationality returning.

"General, do you know? We actually teetered on the brink of life and death."

Lin Lu gradually relaxed and slowly exhaled a wisp of white smoke, the wisps of cigar smoke rising upwards.

A subtle bitterness blends with a rich, full-bodied aroma, followed by the fragrance of tobacco and wood, layer upon layer of aroma filling the nostrils. Bitterness and sweetness merge together, transforming into a long-lasting and comfortable aftertaste that spreads in the mouth, like coffee or tea, giving one a feeling of finding joy in hardship.

"An Ursus Empire delegation, what a fine Ursus Empire delegation. If I hadn't received the relevant information from your Azazel intelligence network beforehand, even I would have made a mistake when formulating the plan."

Lin Lu slowly puffed on his cigar, inhaling the aroma of the tobacco before exhaling it gently.

"Natasha is just a shield to distract us. She doesn't even realize she's being used and just followed along without thinking. When will this silly country girl learn her lesson? Maybe she'll even help negotiate a good price if she's ever really sold out."

Lin Lu sighed softly; this was one of the reasons why he was so persistent about Natasha.

A good person like her shouldn't die one day from the backstabbing of the Ursus Empire.

"General, do you remember that young man I asked you to keep a special eye on?"

Herag nodded; he knew who Lin Lu was referring to—a man with short gray hair.

“Ogulo Nikolaevich, I investigated his identity last night. He is a pawn specially planted in the Third Army by the Fifth Bureau, and he is also the real enemy of this Ursus delegation. Calm, composed, and patient, he has received professional spy training and is skilled at seeing things from a third-person perspective.”

Herag said in a deep voice, he had initially thought the mission the doctor had assigned him was a kind of perverse pleasure, but he hadn't expected it to be so complicated.

“Luckily, Doctor, you had the foresight. I kept watch over them all night, preventing him from infiltrating. When you took the little girl to the infirmary, Auguro, who was supposed to be waiting outside the meeting room, secretly left alone and took the forged documents we had prepared beforehand from the central control room.” Herag held his teacup, somewhat puzzled. “I just don’t understand why he’s so familiar with the Rhodes Island ship’s environment? I’ve been on the ship for so many days and I still haven’t fully grasped the terrain. Could it be…”

Hrag's eyes gradually sharpened, like those of a hawk, revealing a solemn killing intent.

"Yes, there's a mole."

Lin Lu said it casually, as if he were describing a trivial matter.

Rhodes Island was severely weakened by an incident three years ago, resulting in a sharp reduction in its personnel. The departure of Lin Lu's private armed force, the Army Without Borders, only exacerbated the situation. Just when Rhodes Island was on the verge of being unable to even maintain its daily operations, Kal'tsit had no choice but to recruit from outside, thus sowing the seeds for various factions.

Even if Kal'tsit goes through screening time and time again, there will eventually be oversights.

"Doctor, judging from your expression, you already guessed it?" Herag asked.

Lin Lu smiled gently and said calmly, "I know a little about judging people."

After all, with the existence of the Data-Driven Spirit Realm, a bug-level phenomenon, Lin Lu could see Herag's personal information simply by sitting in front of him. If Herag didn't mind, Lin Lu could also obtain further data through physical contact. The more private the information, the more thoroughly it needed to be understood…

Lin Lu's body jerked violently, jolting the rosy image out of his mind.

It is unacceptable for filial piety to become corrupted, especially when the other party is an old man.

Herag said thoughtfully, "Doctor, the reason you kept those people alive was to turn the tables on us?"

"The opponent's pieces can become our pieces when necessary, depending on how the player strategizes." Lin Lu swirled his cigar. "This time, our victory was half luck and half skill. We made them lose both their prize and their resources, while gaining a highly capable major for free. But... we won this time, but what about next time?"

Lin Lu took a deep drag on his cigar, filling his nostrils with the strong smell of tobacco, and then exhaled sharply.

“Once we show weakness in diplomacy, the Ursus Empire will cling to us like a bloodsucking worm. With such relentless pursuit, we will eventually run out of steam. At that point, we might really have to choose between two options... no, we won’t even have the option to choose between two options.”

Lin Lu said in a deep voice, "If we choose to give up resistance, not only will we not receive their pity, but we will also be subjected to unbridled invasion. Our people, our ships, our medical resources, and our armed forces will be completely plundered by Ursus, not even a bone fragment will be spat out. Not only that, we will also be branded on the pillar of historical shame, and countless private enterprises similar to ours will suffer suppression from various countries. Once we set the precedent, we will be sinners, not even worthy of being called human beings."

A fire ignited in Lin Lu's eyes as he stared intently at Herag, his unwavering will rising within him.

"As a company where most of our employees are infected, we are inherently on the opposite side of Ursus. General, I remember you saying that no political entity should confront Ursus head-on. Even if its corruption and rage will destroy it, it remains the most terrifying thing on this land."

"Yes, I did say that."

Herag held the teacup in both hands, and before he knew it, the cup had become ice-cold.

“If I told you I had a way…” Lin Lu puffed on his cigar, exhaling thick smoke, his face almost half-hidden in the white mist, a cobalt blue glow flickering slightly. His voice was as cold as a machine, and he said indifferently, “If I could change the current emperor of the Ursus Empire, would you support me in doing so?”

Chapter 159 Kal'tsit praised someone!

"Let the current Ursus Empire have a new emperor."

Lin Lu's tone was as calm and natural as if he were simply stating what to eat for dinner.

Even a veteran like Hrag, who had fought for over forty-four years, couldn't help but look up in awe.

As a veteran of the Ursus battlefield for decades, Herag had naturally heard of the legends in the mercenary world...

The leader of an army without borders.

The battlefield commander of Babel.

The lonely chess player has no one to play against.

During a rare moment of rest, the soldiers of Ursus drank colorless and tasteless pure white liquor and chatted about the legendary commander, the man who single-handedly overturned the rivalry between the two kings of Kazdel.

Some people say he's a fraud.

Some say he changed the landscape.

Some say he never existed.

The truth is no longer available to anyone.

Perhaps nine out of ten rumors are lies... but...

As the cigar smoke dissipated into the air, Herag saw Lin Lu's face.

Without arrogance, without sneer, without hatred, Lin Lu sat directly opposite him, the corners of his mouth slightly pursed, his gaze gentle yet firm, fixed straight ahead. He looked at Herag, yet it was as if they were separated by a distant time and space, gazing at the new king sitting on the high throne.

To be precise, Lin Lu's gaze was like that of someone preparing to grab a Lord of Cinder and drag him away to link the fire, eager to try, which inspired an indescribable sense of awe.

"Over the decades, Ursus has executed at least a hundred generals. Every one who attempted to become the master of the empire's destiny ultimately failed miserably. Successive emperors have also been unable to escape the clutches of fate. The empire has oscillated between turmoil and the restoration of its glory. Even wizards can depict the future of the nation, courtiers can predict the course of battles, and lobbyists understand the changes in natural disasters... In the end, all those who thought they could win lost, and all those who thought they could live died."

"Hrag," he murmured, his words tinged with deep sorrow, one of the reasons he had so dejectedly left the army. He saw no hope, no future in the Ursus Empire, and if he continued to try to fish gold out of the mire, he might sink deeper into it himself.

"The new emperor is irresponsible towards the people, deceiving and concealing their true intentions, fabricating layer upon layer of lies, and treating them like livestock to be kept in captivity. He executes or exiles the soldiers who defended the country during the previous emperor's reign, leaving his own power base in the capital. The army is equivalent to the city walls of the country, and the new emperor is destroying those walls to protect his position!"

Hrag's eyes were filled with hatred; decades of honor had turned to filth, and all that he had given had turned to sewage.

"The new emperor replaced the army that defended the country and protected the people with an army that defended the throne and the imperial power."

The elderly veteran finally sighed, put the now-cold teacup to his lips, and drank it all in one gulp.

Whether it was just his imagination or not, Herag felt that the tea tasted even more bitter.

Lin Lu listened quietly and poured him another cup of hot tea.

"They played tricks, humiliated the people, held onto their own opinions, favored sycophants while alienating virtuous ministers. They made one mistake after another, plotted against meritorious officials who defended the country, and used the land and people as bargaining chips for profit. How pathetic and lamentable."

Lin Lu shook the teacup in his hand, the ripples reflecting his indifferent face.

"How can anyone trust such an emperor, such a tyrant? An emperor's power and responsibility are equivalent to his duties. If he treats territory and people as stakes, as tools and playthings for wielding power, then such a hollow emperor is better replaced by a better one!"

Lin Lu put down his cup with a resounding, powerful motion, like placing a chess piece on a chessboard!

The chess player and the general looked at each other, each seeing the fire in the other's heart.

This flame can ignite everything.

Herag sighed softly, "The Ursus Empire will not improve just because a new emperor is appointed, and the war will not truly end."

Lin Lu said firmly, "Even so, this land will surely usher in peace, even if it is a false peace, it is better than the present."

Herag was speechless. He shook his head bitterly, never expecting that even his sharp edge had dissipated.

This cup of tea allowed him to imagine a future he had never considered before.

“Perhaps, one day you can truly end our suffering, Dr. Lin Lu.” Herag slowly picked up the hot tea that Lin Lu had just poured for him, took a small sip, held it in his mouth, and felt the bitter taste dissipate, leaving a sweet tea fragrance lingering on his tongue.

"If it could end all of this, I would gladly give my life."

Herag downed his tea in one gulp, exuding a heroic air, and laughed heartily.

Lin Lu smiled, took a sip of his cigar, inhaled deeply, and slowly exhaled: "Don't worry, General, you have a long life ahead of you. Don't you want to see Naiyin's wedding day? Without your presence as her father, the child's wedding won't receive any blessings."

“I am not her biological father.”

"A blessing from a surrogate father is also a blessing."

Lin Lu smiled, his gaze softening unconsciously.

Herag was slightly surprised. He was familiar with that look; people with families and loved ones always wore that smile.

Has the PhD already settled down and started a family?

"Knock knock~ Doctor, Doctor!"

A knocking sounded on the door, the crisp sound indicating a certain impatience.

"I'm here, please come in."

Lin Lu responded, quickly snapping the burning cigar butt off with the cigar cutter that came with the cigar box. The charred butt, along with the ash, fell into the ashtray containing coffee grounds. The heat from the cigarette butt, upon contact with the coffee grounds left over from the brewing process, would bring out the aroma of the coffee and reduce the smoky smell.

“Doctor, Kal'tsit just told me—ah, Mr. Hellagur, you’re here too.”

Amiya's excited bunny ears were wagging and twitching, which was indescribably cute.

Herag nodded slightly: "If it's inconvenient for me to stay here, I can leave now."

"Please don't say that! It's okay, it's not bad news," Amiya said excitedly.

"is it?"

Herag turned his head and saw Lin Lu calmly and methodically turning on the office ventilation system, while also washing a blue cup. His expression was focused, as if he wanted to polish the cup until it shone brightly, not allowing a speck of dirt to remain on it.

"Have a cup of tea first, then we can talk slowly, Amiya."

Lin Lu smiled as he wiped the water stains out of the cup, then poured out hot tea and handed it to her.

"I want to drink! I want to drink!"

Amiya skipped over excitedly, giggling, "I haven't had tea made by the Doctor in such a long, long, long time!"

"If you like it, I'll make you tea every day from now on."

Lin Lu stroked Amiya's head, and without even realizing it, a smile appeared on his lips.

Herag watched silently, and he was quite familiar with that look in his father's eyes.

No wonder, no wonder.

Helag smiled without saying a word.