Ark Chess Player

"I'm sorry, I'm not blaming you. I'm just... a little irritable."

Lin Lu let out a breath. He understood Hoshiguma's predicament, but his operators needed treatment and rest.

The current predicament between Rhodes Island and the Lungmen Guard is that they are on the defensive, with Lungmen right behind them, leaving them with nowhere to retreat. But if things continue like this, everyone's stamina will eventually run out, and even the Kingslayer can only choose to dodge in the face of sheer numbers.

Once trapped in enemy territory, they will eventually be exhausted, defeated, and die.

"..."

Lin Lu pondered the intentions of the Reunion Movement in this operation, his thoughts racing.

The war is now urgent, and the situation is constantly changing, making every minute and every second crucial.

Clearly, the Reunion Movement's night raid tonight wasn't a full-scale offensive. While the number of personnel present appeared large, it was actually less than a tenth of the total number used in the Chernobog siege. Otherwise, Lin Lu would never have risked sending Operations Group A4 and Operations Reserve Group A1 to build a defensive line; instead, he would have used Rhodes Island ships as a base and relied on Rhodes Island's military forces for a powerful breakout. As for Lungmen? More than whether Lungmen would fall to the Reunion Movement, Lin Lu was more concerned about the safety of his operators.

Could the Reunion Movement's idea be the same as I anticipated? To wipe out the Lungmen Guard's defenses through a night raid, bleeding the city dry until it loses the power to resist.

Lin Lu thought it over and it seemed increasingly likely. According to the information provided by Hoshiguma, the Reunion Movement had deployed some of its forces to the wealthy districts, successfully drawing the attention of most of the Lungmen Guard Bureau personnel and preventing them from supporting other areas. As a result, the region near the Fourth District, Rokuhei, was subjected to a fierce attack. If this area were to fall, the Reunion Movement would gain even greater benefits.

Once the foreign arrival zone is captured, the reunification movement can sever Lungmen's credibility with the outside world, reducing the number of foreign tourists and visitors from other countries.

In short, the Reunion Movement's intention is to sever Lungmen's connection with the outside world, casting a shadow of chaos over this trading city-state.

Lungmen's financial industry will suffer a devastating blow, and not only that, it will also allow them to project the power of the Reunion Movement to the outside world.

"No, that's not right..."

It's not just that; there's something else he didn't expect, something else he inadvertently overlooked.

Lin Lu sensed something was off, as if there was a thorn hidden inside, but he couldn't see it.

Think about it more carefully, and consider it thoroughly.

"careful!"

Hoshiguma turned around and stood in front of Rin, blocking the blade of the avenger who attacked from the shadows.

If Lin Lu can get the Kingkiller and Yato to carry out decapitation strikes, then the Reunion Movement can certainly do the same.

Hoshiguma narrowed her eyes, then kicked the seeker in the chest, using her physical skills and shield bash to relentlessly push him back. Her fighting style was less conservative and more aggressive, a stark contrast to her usual laid-back demeanor.

Lin Lu misstepped, using his agile footwork to avoid Hoshiguma, who was confronting the seeker of revenge. He could tell that Hoshiguma wasn't using her full strength because she was wary of him.

As expected, once Lin Lu, that troublesome fellow, dodged, Hoshiguma unleashed a fierce offensive! The heavy Hannya sword seemed weightless in her hands; though she was advancing with a shield, it gave the impression of wielding a sword. And it wasn't just empty posturing; Hoshiguma was like someone who had once wielded a long sword on a fierce battlefield, each strike carrying the resolve to slay her enemy. A faint aura of blood seeped from Hoshiguma's body, and one could vaguely sense the ferocious Rasetsu appearing behind her.

The retreating seekers were increasingly wounded, their blood spurting from their wounds and staining the blades, turning into boiling flames!

According to Lin Lu's data-driven spiritual domain notification, the opponent's attack power and attack speed suddenly increased dramatically.

Using blood as fuel and life as a sacrifice.

The seeker of revenge turned the tide, unleashing a torrent of flames with every swing of his longsword!

As Lin Lu observed the fierce battle between Hoshiguma and the Avengers, his hand, which was setting up his assault rifle, suddenly trembled.

This fighting style involuntarily reminded him of a very despicable tactic, a method he would never use.

"...That makes all the sense."

If the goal was merely to wear down the Lungmen Guard Bureau's defenses, or to breach the outer naval docking area of ​​Rokuta Province, the Reunion Movement soldiers, already suffering heavy casualties in the relentless fighting, should have known better than to retreat. The reason for this relentless fighting, this unwavering resolve, is actually due to—a fatal lack of supplies and logistics.

If these thugs were to capture the outer ring of Lungmen, they could plunder supplies from Lungmen and use the war to sustain the war effort.

If they fail to capture Longmen, there's no need for these people to go back; they should all perish here, giving their last breath.

Rather than Mephistopheles's approach, it was more accurate to say that Mephistopheles was the one who did it.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that in Chernobog, she was able to unhesitatingly bring down a catastrophic meteor. Even with most of the Reunion soldiers within the reach of the catastrophic cloud, Talulah remained utterly unwavering—a ruthless leader in her style.

No wonder the Reunion Movement never considered logistical support from the very beginning.

No wonder Lin Lu was puzzled as to why the enemy was not maintaining morale under these circumstances, but instead hastily led their troops to attack Longmen.

There's a reason for all of this.

These people are all expendable pawns.

Chapter 177 Mobile Defense

"..."

Lin Lu silently raised his gun and aimed it at the seeker, firing precisely in the gap when the other man swung his knife.

Gunfire roared, each bullet precisely avoiding Hoshiguma and piercing the seeker's chest.

With Lin Lu's support, Hoshiguma quickly suppressed the Seeker, using shield bashes and physical techniques to gradually corner him.

Finally, Hoshiguma successfully pinned her opponent to the ground, raised her Hannya sword, and buried the sharp triangular shield into the opponent's neck. With a sharp twist, the sound of bones breaking was incredibly crisp.

"Aha……"

Hoshiguma let out a breath, but before she could relax, a black, viscous substance burst out of the Avenger's fallen head and hurtled towards her.

At the critical moment, accompanied by a sudden gunshot, the black substance was accurately shot by Lin Lu and shattered into fragments, scattering all over the ground.

"Thank you."

Although Hoshiguma didn't know what this thing was, she could tell at a glance that it wasn't anything good.

"It's nothing." Lin Lu shook his head. He took out two transparent, sealed bottles from the prop bag on his skirt, and used his left hand, covered by a mechanical arm guard, to collect the black substance on the ground into the bottles. After ensuring there was no leakage, he carefully handed one of the bottles to Hoshiguma. "These dark things are one of the reasons why these soldiers are so fearless. It's poison, a hallucinogen. It can greatly increase the Originium fusion rate of those infected with Oripathy, thereby gaining power. At the same time, it's also the wire that allows the mastermind to manipulate people like puppets. Lungmen should have a corresponding research institution; you can go and verify whether what I said is true."

Hoshiguma nodded, carefully putting it away, while the image of the lumberjack flashed through her mind.

The lumberjack's eyes were pierced by a crossbow bolt, and his brains spilled out, but he was still able to walk and continue attacking until his head was cut off by Lin Lü, at which point he stopped moving.

If Lin Lu hadn't reacted just now, would she have also been corrupted and degenerated by this black slime, turning into a puppet and losing herself?

Hoshiguma grew increasingly horrified as she thought about it. She imagined something even more terrifying and suddenly looked up at the Reunion Movement soldiers, whose numbers were not dwindling.

"Could these people have also been..."

"Maybe yes, maybe no, that's the scariest part." Lin Lu removed the magazine, reloaded the bullets, and then pressed it back in. "This is a plan; these people are all expendable pawns. Even if they can't capture Lungmen tonight, they can still become time bombs, ruthlessly shattering the foundation of the Lungmen Guard Bureau. When the guardians of this city become infected, what do you think will happen?"

Seeing Hoshiguma's thoughtful expression, Lin Lu had an idea. He tentatively said, "Imagine if Rhodes Island hadn't helped with the defense tonight. From the very beginning, your Fourth Squad would have been completely wiped out, not a single member left. In less than thirty minutes, Lungmen-Loft State would have fallen, and the Reunion soldiers would have carried out their specialty—infiltration warfare—just like they did in Chernobog. Not to mention, being able to mount a certain level of defense like this..."

Hoshiguma was displeased with this, and she said in a deep voice, "I suggest you don't underestimate Lungmen. Lungmen is not as simple as you think."

Lin Lu's expression changed slightly. He hadn't expected this woman to be so straightforward, revealing such important information so easily.

Wow, I love it.

Lin Lu smiled slightly: "I believe you. How could an independent, mobile city-state capable of navigating between nations rely solely on the Lungmen Guard Bureau for its defense? Even if you can hold off the wanderers in the wasteland and promptly arrest lawbreakers infiltrating the city, you can't withstand a large army. I believe Lungmen has a real trump card, but... will you reveal it for every Lungmen citizen?" Lin Lu raised his gun, eliminating the lightly armored soldiers who attacked again. "Even for the sake of the slums, is Lungmen willing to proactively reveal its hidden power and keep every infected member of the Reunion Movement out?"

“If Lungmen were willing to do this, the Reunion Movement’s infected wouldn’t have targeted Lungmen in the first place. I believe you can understand that, Inspector Hoshiguma,” Lin Lu said calmly, his superb marksmanship holding back the Reunion Movement soldiers from the defensive line.

Hoshiguma fell silent again, feeling somewhat frustrated that the other person always managed to boldly expose what she dared not admit in her heart.

What he said was reasonable and well-founded; one had to admit it.

Lungmen, like Rhodes Island, would not easily expose its hidden military forces. As a city-state and enterprise operating in a gray area, ensuring its interests are not infringed upon by others while navigating between various countries is no easy task.

Without powerful backers, every country would want a piece of the pie.

So-called international city-states, or international corporations, are destined to be bullied. The most tragic are those private enterprises that cut off their own path, refuse to acknowledge their roots, and are ultimately wantonly invaded by other countries. Even if someone wanted to help, they couldn't lift them up.

In Terra, there is an unwritten international rule that goes like this: when the Colombian federal government accuses you of having weapons of mass destruction, you better have them.

Hoshiguma had also struggled and worked her way up from the very bottom of Lungmen, so she knew what life was like there and what Lin Lu was implying.

If only Old Chen were here, he would definitely be able to refute this annoying Rhodes Island doctor.

Hoshiguma unconsciously pouted; she hadn't made such a girlish expression in a long time.

"Has the reinforcement from the Lungmen Guard Bureau still not arrived?"

Lin Lu pointed to Hoshiguma's walkie-talkie and asked helplessly.

"……not yet."

Hoshiguma's expression changed, and she whispered, looking aggrieved.

“If the support from the Lungmen Guard Bureau is unreliable, then we’ll have to rely on ourselves.” Lin Lu’s gaze was focused as he steadied the straps hanging on his shoulders and back, the black weapon case pressed tightly against his back. “The current delay defense is almost at its limit. The only thing that can change the course of the battle is… mobile defense.”

"Mobile defense?" Hoshiguma asked curiously.

"Prioritize mobile strikes while providing support and defense; the goal is not to repel the Reunification Movement, but to annihilate it."

With the calmest expression, Lin Lu uttered the most terrifying words.

"Stop trying to repel these thugs. From the moment the seed of evil was planted in their bodies, there was no way out. The commanders of the Reunion Movement treat them as tools. The declaration to liberate those infected with Oripathy is just a smokescreen. What Talulah, the leader of the Reunion Movement, really wants is still unknown."

"Talulah?"

Hoshiguma blinked. She seemed to have heard the name somewhere before, but it had been so long that she couldn't quite remember it.

Lin Lu noticed the girl's change in expression, but he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he raised his hand and pressed the communication headset, instructing, "Yan Rong, Du Lin, we need you to continue supporting the front lines. Hold on a little longer. Black Horn, continue the mission after your injuries are treated. Kingslayer, follow me for mobile defense."

"I'll leave this to you, Inspector Hoshiguma."

Hoshiguma slowly shook her head, watching Lin Lu's retreating figure, and whispered:

"Just call me Hoshiguma."

Chapter 178 Wolf Fang III

"Ritsu, I'm here. What's the mission?"

The kingslayer, wielding a carbon fiber folding knife that was at least twenty centimeters long, literally hopped and skipped over to Lin Lu's side.

The girl's pristine white combat uniform was stained with blood, the outline of her lace lingerie faintly visible. Rhodes Island's standard-issue coat was stained black, with blood dripping down the zipper. She must have been through many fierce battles, yet, when the Kingslayer learned that Lin Lu needed her, she still rushed over full of energy.

"Thank you for your hard work, Mira."

Lin Lu couldn't help but smile; all the bitterness in his heart vanished the moment he saw the girl. He barely managed to resist the urge to stroke the Kingslayer's head; his hands, through the mechanical arm guards, felt a little itchy.

"It's nothing, it's nothing~"

The Kingslayer stared intently at Lin Lu, its reddish-brown tail wagging involuntarily.

Strictly speaking, this was the first time the Kingslayer had truly witnessed Lin Lu using the Ark Driver and the Mirror Originium Art device to transform into another person. After all, on that day in Chernobog, her consciousness was already fading, and upon seeing Lin Lu transformed into Special Agent Red, she was directly terrified by the wolf hunter's aura and fainted...

However, no matter what Lin Lu looks like, she will not mistake him for someone else.

The Kingslayer had memorized Lin Lu's scent so deeply that even if Lin Lu transformed into a two-meter-tall, muscular man with black horns on his head, an eyepatch over his right eye, and a full beard, she would never mistake him.