Ark Chess Player

“A ‘professional’ person has taken care of this. You may leave.”

Wei Yanwu's voice sounded somewhat tired; the repeated unexpected events had left him feeling slightly... bewildered.

This is definitely not a good thing for the rulers. The person at the top can make mistakes, but he must never admit that he has made a mistake.

This sounds contradictory, but there's more to the story than meets the eye.

A ruler with clear goals and a firm will can gain the support of the majority of people no matter what policies he issues.

Conversely, when indecisive and hesitant senior management makes ambiguous judgments, the execution capability will be greatly reduced, and they may even be overwhelmed by opposition.

Therefore, no matter how unreasonable the behavior or how absurd the decrees, once the leader firmly believes in and implements them, the masses will also believe them and obey. Once the mediums for disseminating information—the tools, channels, carriers, intermediaries, or technologies used to transmit and acquire information—are firmly controlled, the information constantly being fed into the public consciousness will solidify the thinking of most recipients, guiding their development accordingly.

Like a shepherd, they control the sheep with whips, shears, tender grass, and canine teeth.

Wei Yanwu narrowed his eyes. He knew his position; he was a ruler, and he was also a businessman.

The nature of a businessman lies in maximizing profits, minimizing burdens and losses, and...

Wei Yanwu seemed to have figured something out and gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Wait and see what happens, and await further instructions."

"...Yes, Elder Wei."

The guards in black raincoats had no choice but to agree. To them, Elder Wei was more than just an employer-employee. They were retainers, and they had to obey their master's orders. Even if their brothers were killed by this monster, they had no choice but to obey Elder Wei's command.

Even if the resentment and anger in one's heart are almost driving one mad.

Just as the Shadow Guards were preparing to retreat, they sensed a surge of heat rising up. Cautiously, they looked over and saw a girl effortlessly ascend the rooftop from the curtain wall. Intense flames erupted from her left hand, while her right hand held a sword; she landed with the lightness of a Valkyrie.

She was an absolutely stunning girl, with long silver hair, dazzling golden eyes, and an exquisitely beautiful face that seemed almost unreal. Words like "beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky" and "a celestial being" couldn't adequately describe her beauty. She stood there quietly, as if everything would become peaceful.

Lin Lu calmly surveyed his surroundings, his gaze fixed on the monster in the center of the rooftop, completely ignoring the other three shadow servants; he didn't care.

Thanks to these shadow guards, the poor researcher was reborn amidst the flames and poison, seemingly evolving from infancy to full maturity. He skipped both the growth and maturity stages. "Very well, very well," Lin Lu thought, wanting to curse and conveniently finish him off with a single sword strike.

At this moment, the monster's ferocious limbs resembled meter-long blades, its entire body made of a substance resembling a mixture of carbon fiber and alloy. This combination provided unexpected toughness, sharpness, and lightweight construction while retaining its biologically characteristic glands. These glands, densely packed across its limbs, secreted chilling toxins; literally, its entire body was covered in thorns.

Under the relentless onslaught of the Shadow Guards, the forcibly grown monster finally sustained injuries, its body covered in pitted wounds, looking incredibly gruesome. However, these were all external injuries, not truly serious wounds.

But it doesn't matter, Lin Lu never expected anything from these people in the first place.

If he were to take command, even if Operation Reserve Group A4 were to defeat this monster, it would still provide Rhodes Island's operators with a significant amount of experience.

"This hatred is not something that can be quelled so easily."

Lin Lu sighed softly, and standing on high ground, he could directly feel the resentment emanating from everyone in the entire Lungmen Administrative Hall.

Those injured in the sudden incident, those forced to participate in the rescue operation, and those living in fear because of the war taking place on the outer ring of Lungmen. Even the Lungmen citizens who were just watching the show were filled with negative energy, hurling baseless insults and irresponsible condemnations.

All the resentment of Longmen condensed and surged into his body, transforming into burning magic power.

Lin Lu raised his left hand, turning the burning malice into flames that covered the entire rooftop. The rapidly increasing heat transformed the space into his domain, raising the air temperature by sixty degrees Celsius almost in the blink of an eye. His golden eyes, radiating intense will, remained bright even amidst the flames.

“……撤退！！”

The leader in the black raincoat shouted an order, and the other party's every move made him realize the difference between them.

Even seasoned martial artists like them couldn't withstand such high temperatures. If they continued to stay there, they might even become a burden.

The shadow guards quietly withdrew, flipped themselves outwards towards the sky, and stuck to the wall as they headed to the 47th floor of the administration building to meet their brothers who had been poisoned earlier.

From beginning to end, Lin Lu never paid attention to these people; there was no one outside his consideration.

From the moment Lin Lu woke up in Chernobog, he had his own set of principles for looking at people and things.

They are either my people or my enemies.

Treat the former with sincerity and honesty, and treat the latter with caution and skepticism.

"Flame, burn!"

Lin Lu suddenly sprang up, his long demonic sword wreathed in flames, tearing a ribbon spanning dozens of meters across the night sky.

"—Clang!!"

The metallic clang echoed as the monster's sharp forelimbs blocked the attacking demonic sword, its terrifying body illuminated by the bright firelight.

Through constant explosions and flames, its fire resistance has been maxed out, giving it a fighting chance against the fire-wielding Jeanne d'Arc Alter Heroic Spirit, attempting to gain the upper hand.

If this monster were to face a mage like Flame Lava who is skilled in fire-based Originium Arts, it would most likely be able to withstand all the spells with its own resistance, and then strangle or poison the enemy with its terrifying blades, limbs, and poison.

It's hard to imagine the bloody scene that would occur if this giant facehugger, covered in cuts, were to cling tightly to a person and refuse to let go.

Facing the hellish flames, the monster did not retreat but attacked instead, making the most of its advantages.

Sharp limbs, deadly toxins, a fire-resistant body, and agile movement thanks to its lightweight frame—these are its strengths.

Lin Lu's eyes twitched slightly. He raised his sword to deflect the bladed forelimb that was parrying, tilted his head back to avoid the two claws that followed, and at the same time raised his left hand to pour flames onto the monster.

Temperature rises.

The temperature continues to rise.

Burn, flame!

Burn it all to ashes, turn everything before your eyes into dust!

That's it for Chapter 200?

Lin Lu continuously poured flames onto the monster while dodging poisonous stabs, his right hand gripping the magic sword as he unleashed incredibly precise attacks.

One sharp slash after another appeared at the tight joints of the monster's limbs, where the head and eyes once stood. Lin Lu's attacks were all based on the precise calculations of his spiritual domain, hitting the monster accurately through its heavily fortified defensive formation.

Unable to obtain specific data about his opponent in the Spirit Realm, Lin Lu could only rely on his experience to determine the opponent's weaknesses and calculate the rules for victory.

If you were to be on a helicopter right now, looking down at the Lungmen Administrative Building from above, you would see that the building resembles a giant chimney. The temperature at the very top has reached 200 degrees Celsius, with flashes of light constantly appearing and thick smoke billowing out, continuously emitting black mist.

Under Lin Lu's subtle control over magic, the flames remained confined to the top of the rooftop, their spread restricted by the power of the heroic spirits.

This was largely thanks to the excellent structural design of the Lungmen Administrative Building's rooftop, which was built to withstand the landing of aircraft, with exceptional insulation and load-bearing capacity. Even so, Amiya and Kal'tsit, on the forty-sixth floor, still felt the temperature steadily rising.

"Emergency evacuation! All onlookers, get out of the way!"

Outside the Lungmen Administrative Office, officers from the Imperial Guard Bureau were repelling crowds who were trying to break in.

There are always some people who are willing to risk their lives just to watch a play, unaware that those who are stopping them are doing it for their own good.

It wasn't until hot, scorching rocks fell from the sky and landed among the crowd that they suddenly realized what was happening and frantically tried to flee the scene.

This commotion nearly triggered mass panic. Those unaware of the situation mistook it for a riot and fled in panic. Rumors spread rapidly. Some, in their frantic running, told others that the Lungmen Administrative Office had been seized by rioters and that something terrible was about to happen in Lungmen! Others dug up every urban legend about demons and monsters, eager to stir up trouble. Some even claimed that the infected incident that occurred on the outer ring road that night had infiltrated the city, and that they were there at the time.

The officers of the Lungmen Guard Bureau were exhausted, not only because they had to work under high pressure, but also because they had to use loudspeakers to maintain order at the scene.

That night, drones equipped with loudspeakers patrolled the Lungmen Administrative Building, especially in areas where people gathered. The voice of Senior Superintendent Beatrice Swire of the Lungmen Guard Bureau echoed throughout the city, letting the citizens of Lungmen know what true *Lungmen profanity* really meant.

"Report! We have cleared the emergency exits. Please leave this area as soon as possible!"

The Lungmen Imperial Guard officers, their bodies soaked in sweat, saluted, showing just how hard they were working.

Wei Yanwu nodded slightly to indicate that he understood, then turned to the Rhodes Island people and raised his hand to ask, "What do you two think? Staying here would increase the risk of encountering danger, not to mention the temperature here... isn't it too much for you to handle?"

Both Amiya and Kal'tsit, being furry races, are naturally not adapted to high-temperature environments.

Fortunately, the Mon3tr, a must-have for home and travel, was there! The Mon3tr opened its arms to shelter the two of them, its Originium-like body constantly transferring heat, creating a cool place in the sweltering room.

After careful consideration, Kal'tsit slowly said, "...Amiya, let's leave first."

Amiya panicked: "But, the Doctor—"

“There’s nothing we can do here, and we’ll only get in his way.”

Kal'tsit reluctantly revealed the truth, and among everyone present, she was the only one who truly understood the Doctor's combat abilities.

Whether in tactics and strategy or logistics and operations, whether in command or combat, the Doctor's abilities are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. According to a joke the Doctor once made, if he hadn't concealed his deeds, perhaps centuries later, he might be summoned as a relic by future generations using his artifacts. Given the Doctor's achievements in the Kazdel War, this is indeed a possibility.

“Amiya, only when the Doctor has no worries can he unleash his full potential,” Kal'tsit said solemnly. As the person who knows the Doctor best, she has the right to say this. “Trust the Doctor; this is his own will.”

"Yes……"

The little rabbit lowered its head in disappointment, even its ears drooped down.

"Don't worry, Doctor will definitely come back safely." Kal'tsit gently placed her hand on Amiya's shoulder, making her feel at ease.

Kal'tsit understood that Amiya was blaming herself for leaving the Doctor to fight alone. But she wouldn't comfort Amiya; she knew that this guilt would become Amiya's motivation, making her stronger. Smooth, effortless growth didn't exist in the cruel world of Terra, and only by growing stronger could she prevent the same thing from happening again.

Grow up quickly, Amiya.

While I still have time...

------

The rooftop of the Lungmen Administrative Hall.

The 300-degree Celsius heat has turned this place into a fire, with building materials melting and large amounts of black gas gushing out, consuming oxygen.

Amidst the swaying flames, figures darted back and forth, battling against the grotesque, charred monsters, their movements growing increasingly exaggerated. Brilliant sparks erupted one after another, accompanied by a constant barrage of explosions, and the air was thick with a pungent, acrid odor.

Lin Lu showed no signs of defeat, gradually maintaining the upper hand in the battle, his control over the flames becoming increasingly refined. His combat talent was exceptional, and most frighteningly, he hadn't yet reached his limit; he hadn't encountered a bottleneck, and he could still grow stronger.

Under Lin Lu's fierce attack, the monster also became timid and hesitant.

Like a clumsy child constantly retreating, crouching and covering his head in defense.

Just as Lin Lu took the opportunity to step forward, the monster suddenly reversed its attack, acting out of character. Its blade-like body contracted, and a faint sound of something entering its barrel was heard before it suddenly burst forth! The Originium within its body transformed into gunpowder, and the impact of the combustion became acceleration, blasting its forelimbs out like cannonballs using the principles of firearms.

It once used this move to pierce the Shadow Servant's chest, break through the skeleton, rip out the heart, and kill him in one blow.

Lin Lu's lips curled up, and an arrogant smile couldn't be contained on his face.

He mocked and sneered, his smile even more arrogant as he taunted Mephistopheles, the chess player behind the scenes.

The incredibly fast, sharp blade arrived in an instant, almost touching Lin Lu's chest, but his left hand managed to grab the monster's sharp forelimb! A jet-black gauntlet appeared on Lin Lu's left hand, with feather-like patterns extending all the way to his arm.

The mark on Lin Lu's left hand glowed with a blood-red light, as if the gauntlets had seeped from it. His slender fingers were covered with a bluish-gray metallic outline, revealing a ferocious side like the claws of a demon.

"That's it?"

Lin Lu gripped the monster's limb tightly in his hand and crushed it into pieces.

Carbonized fragments slipped through the gaps between his fingers, turning into a puddle of mud on the flame-eroded floor.

Chapter 201 Shi Huai-ya (4K)