Ark Chess Player

"...Long time no see, Lin Lu."

Faust lowered his head slightly, his long, dark green hair falling down to cover his eyes and block out the glaring light.

His back was drenched in cold sweat, soaking his dirty gray shirt, and his skin, ripped and torn by the rattan whip, throbbed with pain. But even when subjected to the brutal torture of the interrogation officers, Faust had never felt such terror.

"Don't be nervous, don't be nervous."

Lin Lu calmed Faust down, not wanting the boy to bite his tongue in his nervousness and accidentally kill himself.

"I still have a lot to talk to you about. Don't worry, we won't discuss the Reunion Movement's squad information, leadership style, origins, tactical distribution, etc. You might not believe it, but I don't need to know this information from you. It's not that I don't believe you, but I don't need it. Even if I knew, your identity in the Reunion Movement is definitely not as simple as a lackey."

Lin Lu turned off the light shining on Faust's face and gently pushed it to the corner of the table.

This desk lamp was meant to illuminate things, but in the hands of those in the interrogation department, it became a cheap and readily available instrument of torture. People who have been in darkness for extended periods develop highly sensitive vision; a sudden burst of bright light can cause discomfort, dizziness, and even blindness. Furthermore, the shadows cast by the light beam can shroud the interrogator's face, highlighting a deep-seated fear.

The initial idea behind a prop may be good, but regardless of its essential function, it will develop in different directions in the hands of those with ulterior motives. This inevitably brings to mind the difference between the Reunion Movement and this lamp.

Lin Lu sighed leisurely, "Those idiots in the Guard Bureau never intended to obtain any useful information; they were just blindly indulging their lust. Torture is all about the interrogation, not the torture itself. They don't take you seriously at all, subconsciously believing that the Reunion soldiers captured in the night raid are the most useless lackeys, not worth wasting time interrogating, since they won't get any good news anyway."

Lin Lu took a deep breath.

The air was filled with a sour smell, the smell of blood and vomit fermenting together.

"These curly-haired baboons from the Lungmen Guard Bureau, whose brains can't even fit a basic family hygiene emergency manual, can't they use their brains for a second to think about why a nobody who knows nothing can endure so much torture without uttering a sound? If every soldier in the Reunion Movement were as strong and stubborn as you, not only Lungmen, but even Ursus wouldn't be able to stop you."

Faust was slightly moved by what he heard. He slowly raised his head, but couldn't help closing his eyes, not daring to look the other person in the eye.

Lin Lu had let down his hood at some point, revealing his shoulder-length white hair tied high behind his head with a pale red ribbon, exposing his slender white neck. This hairstyle, far from adding a touch of effeminacy, actually enhanced his scholarly air and made him appear more handsome and refined.

He was like a man from five hundred years ago in the Great Yan Dynasty, his spirit concentrated and his energy focused, standing firm and unmoving.

With his deep, cobalt blue eyes, as dark as stars, Lin Lu calmly gazed ahead. His eyelids were lowered, and his cold glint was concealed, but the pressure he exuded enveloped every corner of the interrogation department. His mental pressure surged like a tsunami as it struck Faust.

"Om-"

Faust suddenly lost all hearing, his mind blank, as if an invisible hand was flipping through his thoughts, and he couldn't keep up with its pace. At that moment, he would rather be blinded by the beam of the lamplight than meet Lin Lu's eyes.

“...You are stronger than I imagined, Faust.”

Lin Lu was both lamenting and mocking.

He marveled at how Faust, despite having a series of hidden tricks up his sleeve, patiently endured them without unleashing them, never giving up even under torture, his will as firm as a rock.

He mocked the Royal Guard Bureau for being all show and no substance. The number of people in the entire Royal Guard Bureau who Lin Lu could even pick up his eye could be counted on one hand. Hoshiguma and Swire certainly counted, as did Superintendent Chen… and others who were obvious to all.

Faust's face was grim. He forced himself to look back at Lin Lu, his heart hesitating whether to take a gamble.

"Don't be nervous, as I said..." Lin Lu smiled and said, "I'm just here to chat with you today, that's all."

"..."

Faust's lips twitched slightly.

The underlying meaning of Lin Lu's words is—if you don't chat with me, then you're not being fair to me. Since you're not being fair, then I have to be fair to you so you understand what I mean. If you understand what I mean, you'd better show me some appreciation now, otherwise don't blame me for being impolite.

The culture of the Great Yan Dynasty is profound and extensive.

—Jingyan was overjoyed.

"Is there anything you want to ask?"

Faust asked weakly, his voice lacking confidence.

What else could he do? The other party had already given him a way out; he only had two choices now. Either he would flip the table on the spot and get beaten up by Lin Lu while lying down and chatting. After a moment's consideration, Faust immediately backed down, secretly gathering his strength and waiting to see what would happen.

He wouldn't just sit and wait to die. Even if the chances of breaking through were slim, if he was desperate... he would have no choice but to take a gamble.

Lin Lu could tell that Faust was secretly gathering Originium Arts, but he didn't expose him directly. Instead, he casually said, "I'm very impressed with you. Your performance in Chernobog was particularly brilliant. You're a true sniper, calm and collected under pressure. When you strike, you're unpredictable and devastating, even ACE couldn't withstand you. If I hadn't prepared a backup plan and notified Scout's team to come and support me in advance, otherwise... I might still be stuck in Chernobog, becoming nourishment for the desolate frozen wasteland of Ursus."

Are you praising me, or praising yourself?

Faust's expression shifted slightly. He didn't quite understand why Lin Lu made it sound like... their confrontation in Chernobog was their first meeting. They had clearly met, fought, and nearly killed each other in the distant past.

Could it be...?

Faust slightly widened his eyes, his gaze, now familiar with the dim surroundings, unabashedly scrutinizing Lin Lu.

He used the faint light from the cold, dim chandelier above his head to compare it with the person's appearance in his memory.

There's no mistake. Even after five whole years, even if Lin Lu's hair and eye color have changed, he's still the same person. Rather, Faust doesn't understand why Lin Lu's appearance hasn't changed in these five years, as if he's been frozen at a specific point in time.

"interesting."

A meaningful smile appeared on Lin Lu's lips. Faust was sizing him up, but he was also observing Faust.

The "long time no see" they referred to didn't refer to the same time period. Lin Lu could feel the shadows of the past reappearing, but this time, since waking up, he had been constantly chased by the past. This time, however, he intended to actively seek out his lost memories.

"Let's have a good chat..."

The cool-toned chandelier swayed gently, casting flickering shadows on Lin Lu's face. It was as if his past and present selves were sitting here simultaneously, interrogating his former friend, now his adversary—Faust.

"Let's start with Elmoni."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Time slips away, bit by bit.

After wandering through Faust's memories, Lin Lu sat in a chair and pondered for a long time.

"Ugh...mmm...haa! Haa...haa..."

Faust was under so much mental pressure that he was about to vomit and almost faint, but he dared not sleep yet, as he was still not out of danger. He forcefully cracked the Originium crystal on his thigh, letting the pain stimulate his numb brain, forcing himself to stay awake and not collapse.

In fact, Faust had not slept for two days and two nights, and his consciousness was already on the verge of collapse.

As an ancient nation, Yan Kingdom possesses a cultural heritage far surpassing that of any other nation in Terra, and naturally has its own unique approach to punishment.

The interrogation department had a keen understanding of the torture techniques employed by the Great Yan Ministry of Justice. They knew that pure corporal punishment was merely physical pain, and its effects varied depending on the race. If the victim was a Sarkaz, even the most severe torture would be like a tickle. Sometimes, simple punishments could have unexpected results, such as… sleep deprivation.

Faust spent two days in this dark basement, without seeing day or night, and without knowing how much time had passed. He only knew that he had never had a chance to rest, even when the interrogation officers were tired, they would still make him stand.

Before Lin Lu arrived at the interrogation room, Faust's neck was still bound by a noose, the other end of which was tied high to the ceiling along the wall, taut in a straight line. Faust's hands were tied behind his back, and he had to stand on tiptoe the entire time to reduce the pressure on his neck. If he relaxed even slightly, he would be suffocated and lose consciousness, dying silently.

Like domesticated beasts, they see no hope of survival.

This is why Lin Lu was impressed by Faust's unwavering will; he clearly had the ability to resist, yet he refrained from taking action.

"I won't completely believe what you say. You added too many personal subjective ideas in the process of recounting your memories, and left a lot of loose ends for me to think about, which distracted me. It's amazing that you can still maintain a clear mind and communicate even though your consciousness is almost giving out. In order to avoid being discovered by me for lying, every word you said is true, it's just that you didn't finish saying it."

The timing is right, and the events are right, but the combination of timing and events is not necessarily right.

Lin Lu compiled Faust's testimony into a document in his mind and stored it in his memory.

"Elmoni..."

Lin Lu silently repeated the name.

An indescribable, peculiar emotion welled up within him, as if an electric current had coursed through his body, even numbing his fingertips. Even with the loss of his memory, this body remembered the other person's presence quite clearly.

It was as if Elmoni had never left, and had always been by his side.

Lin Lu remembered this name because the King Killer had mentioned her more than once.

For the regicide, Lin Lu and Elmoni were her everything, her world, and her entire being.

"Elmonie must be a beautiful woman who is intelligent, kind, considerate, and exceptionally independent."

Lin Lu tried to conjure up a vague figure from Faust's words: she had shoulder-length hair like maple leaves, a face like a snow maiden, and Sarkaz horns like the silver moon. Even a black robe couldn't conceal her graceful figure, her perfect golden ratio... gentle and dignified, the tenderness in her bright eyes seemed to ripple like water, captivating all who beheld her.

"Doctor, wake up, drool...drool!"

A discordant sound interrupted Lin Lu's reverie. A small, fair hand suddenly appeared in front of Lin Lu, its slender fingers clutching a white silk handkerchief, seemingly intending to wipe Lin Lu's mouth.

Anemone peeked out, her exquisitely beautiful face less than thirty centimeters from Lin Lu. Her jewel-like eyes reflected Lin Lu's slightly dazed expression, her long, slender eyelashes fluttering like tiny fans, bright and radiant. She wore a long, black and white maid's dress that reached her feet, a white lace headband in her hair, and a bright red ribbon tied to her silver horns.

"Elmoni?"

Chapter 306 Mr. Lin, Forever a God! (4K)

"Elmoni?"

Lin Lu gazed at Yin Lianhua's face, the longing he held in his mouth unconsciously slipping out.

Anemone's outstretched hand suddenly froze. She tilted her head back slightly, her bright eyes filled with panic, and she seemed somewhat at a loss.

"Anemone, confess the truth—"

Lin Lu instinctively reached out to press down on her shoulder, but his outstretched fingers sliced ​​through the air, disrupting the outline of the anemone and creating ethereal, glassy light and shadow. He then remembered that the anemone was originally an AI maid residing within the Ark Driver. Her appearance before him was merely a manifestation of her being connected to his digitized spiritual realm; she wasn't a real person.

"Doctor, what are you trying to say..."

Yinlianhua dared not meet Lin Lu's gaze directly, turning her head slightly away. The usually lively and energetic girl was now shy and demure, just like a girl... even though she was originally a girl.

Lin Lu took a deep breath, his gaze intense. Ignoring the mentally confused Faust present, he asked Anemone:

"Anemone, confess! Was your Live3D costume modeled after Elmon?! No wonder this model is so beautiful and lifelike, comparable to the movement of celestial bodies. I'm so glad I'm still alive because I've seen something so beautiful in my life. Ahh... Twenty minutes isn't enough for my heart rate to return to normal. Anemone, show me a dance from Gokuraku Jodo."

"Doctor, it's time for you to take your medicine."

Anemone smiled slightly, clenching her fists, unsure whether she should be angry.

Although Lin Lu's praise made her blush, Yinlianhua truly hadn't expected this blockheaded professor to utter such eloquent words. However, she couldn't help feeling like she'd been misunderstood. Forget about models, that's just how she looks! It's called natural beauty, okay?!

"...Never mind, it's better if you can't remember. It's better than letting you cry like an idiot again."

Silver Lotus muttered to herself, her gaze towards Lin Lu filled with even more resentment.

"What did you say?"

"nothing!"

Anemone deliberately drew out her words, as if she had reverted to her cheerful and optimistic artificial intelligence, like a resilient and optimistic five-year-old onion. She looked down at the white silk item clutched in her hand, thought for a moment, and then put it away, deciding not to give it to Lin Lu.

Lin Lu noticed her action and asked curiously, "What's that?"

Just now, Anemone was trying to wipe his mouth.

"Ibitas's panties."

Upon hearing this, Anemone opened her white lace-trimmed children's panties with both hands, revealing her full figure to Lin Lu.

Anemone thought for a moment and added, "This is cleaned up, so even if you wanted to taste the original flavor, you wouldn't have the chance! Hehehe, I just want you to see it but not be able to eat it!"

"Really... Anemone, come here for a second, I promise I won't kill you."

Lin Lu rolled up his sleeves. He hadn't forgotten how, back on the Rhodes Island ship, he'd mysteriously retrieved Ibitas's white underwear from the depths of his dream. He was in his office at the time, with Kal'tsit and Amiya lying on the sofa, and he nearly suffered a social death on the spot. The underwear, still faintly smelling, ended up on Specter's bed, and Lin Lu still didn't have the courage to go find Specter.