Ark Chess Player

When Lin Lu stepped through the door, he was already trapped in an illusion and guided onto the machine.

Judging from the BOSS's mental state, he should be waking up by now, right?

As expected, Lin Lu slowly raised his head, his deep cobalt blue eyes almost overflowing from their sockets.

He woke up, walked to the end of the corridor of consciousness, and broke the illusion with his own power.

Lin Lu exhaled a puff of white mist. The feeling of his entire body being almost steamed by the high temperature was not an illusion; he could vaguely feel the traces of electric current coursing through his body, and his whole body ached. He smelled the aroma of alcohol, a very strong and intense fragrance, coming from afar, making him feel drowsy and involuntarily immersed in it. The strong, pungent liquor had a spicy flavor, so rich that it almost filled his nostrils, revealing a strong possessiveness.

"Welcome back, Boss."

"……Who are you?"

Lin Lu looked in the direction of the sound, and a magnificent red color came into view, making him momentarily lost in thought.

Her long, crimson hair, as red as fine wine, was tied high in a ponytail, and her bright rose-gold eyes stared straight at Lin Lu, filled with joy and longing.

The black vest beneath the floor-length white robe failed to conceal her figure; not a single inch of skin was exposed from her neck to her black leather shoes, yet it exuded an even more lethal allure. It was hard to say whether she intended to cover herself completely or to use the uniform to showcase her perfect figure. Her slender, shapely legs, full and firm hips, and the red tie stretched taut by her heavy breasts made her waist appear incredibly slender, almost too delicate to be grasped in one hand.

"Bai Huang, leader of the Borderless Army R&D team."

The beauty seemed to remember something, revealing a slightly lonely look in her eyes, and said softly, "Of course, you can also call me by the name you used to like... Meruru."

She recalled that when the Army Without Borders was first established, the research and development team was penniless and had nothing.

At that time, she kept pestering Lin Lu for money, after all, researching and developing technology was a money-burning endeavor, and there was no guarantee of recouping the investment. But a qualified organization couldn't function without logistics; technology was the primary productive force. Without technology, there was no progress; without technology, one would fall behind; and falling behind meant being vulnerable to attack. Lin Lu deeply understood this principle, so he poured all the initial funding for the startup and the rewards from bounty missions into Bai Huang.

As the Army Without Borders grew larger and larger, Lin Lu, having accumulated considerable experience, began to take on the challenge of crisis contracts.

The more dangerous the mission, the richer the reward. Lin Lu was able to win every time, and gradually the Army Without Borders began to have money. What to do with money? Of course, continue to develop technology! First, level up the technology tree. I want all kinds of big bombs. Bigger is better, bigger is more powerful, the bigger the more powerful.

Lin Lu changed his tactics, turning the situation from Bai Huang chasing him for money to Lin Lu carrying box after box of money and chasing Bai Huang for new toys.

"Pah! You're talking nonsense about Meruru when you don't even have a blueprint."

This was one of Lin Lu's catchphrases back then. He started calling Bai Huang "Mei Lulu" at some point. Only he could use this nickname. If anyone else dared to call her that, at best they would find all their equipment turned into suicide bombs during a mission, and at worst they would be unable to even leave the house and would be immediately transferred to the medical team.

"Meruru?"

Lin Lu seemed to be deep in thought. He had heard this name before, but where had he heard it from...?

"The Ark Knight System was jointly developed by the 42-star operator, the Rhodes Island ship reliability engineer, the Rhodes Island SUPERVISOR great systems engineer, the top 100 youth of Kazdel, the advocate of open source software, the eternally seventeen-year-old girl Kroos, and Meruru, the leader of the Army Without Borders research team."

—The silly voice of the anemone echoed in Lin Lu's mind.

Chapter 212 The Demon Scientist

"Boss, are you aware of your physical condition?"

Bai Huang freed Lin Lu from the constraints of the metal frame and easily lifted him up in a princess carry, looking quite skilled.

She had carried the exhausted Lin Lu back to his room like this countless nights in the past.

Lin Lu was not only a commander, a soldier, and a legendary mercenary, but also a researcher. His ideas always opened up new worlds for other members of the research team; his theories were absurd yet feasible, making people eager to try them out.

Lin Lu's original plan was to create a giant humanoid alloy machine, approximately eighteen meters tall. Although this vision was not realized, they did solve the biggest challenge for upright bipedal walking weapons—balance. To this end, the Borderless Army's research team began manufacturing armor. Unlike Victoria's steam armor, their vision was much broader. They didn't want toys; they wanted to create mythology, they wanted to recreate history.

Therefore, Lin Lu was more than just a leader in the eyes of the research team members; he was a like-minded friend and a kind-hearted madman. Only a madman could come up with such brilliant ideas; the title of "Devil Scientist" was truly well-deserved. How could a good boss who was willing to put himself in his subordinates' shoes, willing to take the research products directly to mercenary missions for practical testing, and participate in development through testing experience, not respect the other researchers?

"Am I in a bad physical condition?"

Lin Lu strained to tilt his head back, even though his neck ached as a result.

This angle is absolutely amazing, truly incredible.

Seen sideways as a peak on the side of the ridge, the height varies from far to far.

I don't know the true face of Lushan, I am only in this mountain.

Wow, wow, the uniforms of the Army Without Borders are so nice, so nice. I wish Rhodes Island could have something like that... But wait, if Amiya wore those uniforms, she'd probably look pitiful and lacking in substance.

For some reason, whenever Lin Lu thought of the words "steel plate," he would always imagine a white, tender fist pounding into his nose. Was this just his imagination?

Bai Huang knew where Lin Lu was looking, but she didn't mind. Their relationship had actually been separated by a thin veil for many years, and once that veil was broken, everything would fall apart.

In the army without borders, whether in Chaoshan or Jing, there are quite a few women who have feelings for Lin Lu that exceed those of the opposite sex.

Lin Lu is happy to interact with them, but he will never do anything that crosses the line.

This wasn't because he always adhered to the rule that superiors shouldn't kiss subordinates, nor was it out of gentlemanly manners, but because... once upon a time, a woman took his heart with her the moment she left, that's all.

It's probably for the best that he has amnesia now. If he doesn't remember those things, it's a kind of redemption for the BOSS.

Bai Huang settled Lin Lu in a chair that looked unremarkable but was surprisingly comfortable to sit in.

Because his entire body was filled with electric current, Lin Lu's limbs were still a little numb, but this subtle pain was not bad for him. At least he could clearly feel the reality that he was still alive.

This is the outer area of ​​a research lab, somewhat like a meeting room, but it's actually used for meetings.

The research and development team holds regular weekly academic discussions here. Despite the boss's absence over the past few years, they haven't let their work slack off; on the contrary, it has fueled their research drive. This is because the boss left behind a wealth of incredible conceptual blueprints, enough to keep them thoroughly researching.

For example, firearms that can be used without Originium Arts, real firearms, weapons that even ordinary people can use.

And the diagrams of humanoid figures—though they didn't know why the BOSS was so insistent on anthropomorphizing these weapons, his expression at the time deeply shocked them. Guns and girls—this was a man's romance, something the big shots above wouldn't understand!

“I’ve watched the combat footage shared by the intelligence team. Those new recruits were so excited that they hugged and cheered, as if they were on drugs. To them, you are their idol, their guiding light. You are a living legend, the mercenary king who dominated the Crisis Contract, and the one who dared to say, ‘We are not helpless in the face of natural disasters.’”

The research institute's large screen projected ultra-high-definition combat footage, showing Lin Lü's best battle scenes.

For example, Lin Lu cleaved a lumberjack's arm in two with a single sword stroke, then swiftly slashed through the enemy's spine with a backhand thrust before severing his heavy head. The scene was extremely bloody, but the Army Without Borders, being a private armed force, was already used to such things.

Death is like the wind, always by my side.

The sight of the enemy being killed in three moves brought tears to the eyes of the soldiers of the Army Without Borders.

It's like seeing the cat boss pick up a gun again after many years...

"But for me, and for those of us who have lived from five years ago until now, Boss, you've regressed."

Bai Huang has always been direct in her speech. For example, she had proposed to Lin Lu more than once, but he had rejected her every time.

"You used to be able to infiltrate the spell-infused towers of Letania single-handedly, launch a fierce attack on the Knights of Casimir alone, and even wipe out the entire Colombian Marine Corps, kidnapping their lieutenant to serve as a recruit in your combat team. Compared to the BIG BOSS of yesteryear, you're now a BIG BABY, a kid who's just learned to walk. You think it's impressive to decapitate an enemy with three sword strikes? It's a far cry from your past self, not to mention the battles that followed. When I saw you being beaten to a pulp, do you know what I wanted to say? I wanted to drop a Veronica on the spot and take down the Hulkbuster armor for you. It was so frustrating, so incredibly frustrating to watch!"

Bai Huang cursed and turned off the projector, pouting angrily, and crossed her arms over her chest.

Lin Lu quietly observed her, and for some reason, he found it quite interesting.

"What are you looking at?"

Bai Huang raised her eyebrows, a gesture that made her look much more mature.

Lin Lu smiled and said, "I realize that you're not looking down on me, but rather feeling sorry for me."

"Is there even a question? I witnessed your peak, and how could someone who has seen a legend cheer for a fake?"

Bai Huang slammed her hand on the table, and the file data printed from the instrument was directly generated and transmitted through the robotic arm.

"You changed after you came back from the ancient ruins three years ago. You weren't as confident anymore, and you looked like you'd seen a ghost. Then, one thing after another became more outrageous, and in the end, you left behind a bunch of documents that you would destroy after reading and then left. You were so comfortable being a hands-off manager, without ever thinking about what the rest of us should do." Bai Huang sat back down in her chair angrily, staring at Lin Lu with a sidelong glance.

Lin Lu took the data from the robotic arm and looked at his medical examination report.

If it were an ordinary person, they would probably be a cripple by now.

Chapter 213 Abnormal Beings

"I don't know about the past, nor do I know what I was like in the past."

Lin Lu glanced at the documents in his hand, tossed them onto the table, and seemed somewhat dismissive.

“All I know is that I still have the ability to protect my people, and I still have room to grow. This is a good thing for me, not a bad thing.” Lin Lu looked directly into Bai Huang’s dazzling golden eyes. He felt it was necessary to be frank with her. “If you’re expecting the past me, you’re probably going to be disappointed. The person sitting in front of you now is the Doctor of Rhodes Island, not the BOSS of the Army Without Borders. I can cooperate with you, but I won’t take on so much responsibility anymore, and I have no desire to be the leader again. I’m not a tool, and I’m fed up with being a tool.”

"Rhodes Island? Ah, you mean them..."

Bai Huang blinked. She didn't have a good impression of Rhodes Island... After all, in the eyes of the Army Without Borders, Rhodes Island was a burden.

If Rhodes Island's intelligence hadn't been flawed, the BOSS wouldn't have been in such a crisis, and the King of the Army Without Borders wouldn't have been forced to leave his throne.

"Compared to Rhodes Island, we can offer you far more assistance. For the past three years, we haven't stood still. We've realized Project Utopia within your blueprint, establishing bases in countries around the world. We've expanded our recruitment, but we absolutely refuse to accept useless individuals, those with ulterior motives, or those who commit heinous crimes. Your deeds are known to everyone in the Army Without Borders. We will not betray you; no matter how arduous the battlefield, with you by our side, we have nothing to fear."

Bai Huang's expression was serious; her eyes did not waver in the slightest, and her will was as firm as a rock.

"In terms of research and development, we are involved in all fields. Military equipment, daily necessities, medical drugs, we can provide you with the most perfect top-notch logistics. BOSS, the gun-themed humanoid project you left behind when you left is almost complete. We have never slackened, we have always maintained combat readiness, and we have been waiting for you to return."

"..."

Lin Lu remained silent.

It's impossible not to be tempted.

Putting everything else aside, this idyllic base alone allowed him to glimpse the depth of the Army Without Borders.

If I could regain my leadership, I suppose I could accomplish anything I set my mind to, right? But...

"The day I leave, it won't be you who come to take me away, but Rhodes Island."

Lin Lu spoke his deepest thoughts, which sounded somewhat childish, or even impulsive.

Only children care whether their father or mother picks them up from kindergarten. Adults, on the other hand, go to their biological mother's house for a meal first, and then go shopping for clothes with their stepmother. They want it all.

But Lin Lu is still a child, less than a month old.

Lin Lu had no memories of the past; he only knew that in Chernobog, he felt Amiya and the Kingkiller's emotions almost overwhelm him. So much joy, so much emotion, the relief that he was alright, the peace of mind that he was alive.

Children prefer to follow people they feel they can rely on rather than candy.

Bai Huang was speechless for a moment. She shook her head helplessly and sighed, "Even if you have amnesia, you haven't changed. You would give your whole heart and soul to those who are good to you. As for those who are bad to you... probably not many of them will live long."

Lin Lu chuckled and said, "You know me quite well."

"You're the one who lured me from Yan Kingdom back then, how dare you say that?"

Bai Huang raised an eyebrow, her golden eyes holding a hint of reproach, as if she were scolding Lin Lu.

Lin Lu remained calm, rotating his wrist to check his physical condition as he casually said, "I'm not interested in being the leader of the Army Without Borders, but I am interested in you. I won't abandon you, but I need time. There's no reason for an amnesiac like me to wake up and have to work odd jobs everywhere. What kind of tool am I?"

"...I believe you will change your attitude, even if not now."

Bai Huang was not discouraged. She knew Lin Lu's original purpose in establishing the Borderless Army, and she believed that he would definitely come back.

"How could that kind of thing be—"

Before Lin Lu could finish speaking, he suddenly frowned and tensed up.

The next moment, a sharp alarm sounded throughout the entire research and development platform.