Ark Chess Player

The damage to the fifth district of Lungmen Outer Ring was more severe than she had imagined, to the point that the ground was rugged and full of obstacles. The other members of the special inspection team hadn't arrived yet; only Hoshiguma was speeding at near-madness across the collapsing road, showcasing her superb driving skills with the reflexes of a demon, leaving the others several blocks behind.

"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey..."

Amiya brushed the dust off her face, thankfully it didn't get into her mouth, otherwise the Originium fusion rate would have increased even more.

Everywhere in the fifth district of Lungmen Outer Ring is permeated with the smell of Originium. Whether it's the effects of W detonating the Originium explosives or the mist produced by the Skeleton Army, the Originium particle index in this area has skyrocketed. At least for the time being, this place will have to remain a ruin.

"Commander Hoshiguma?"

Amiya had a strong impression of this tall, imposing woman, Hoshiguma, who stood at 1.84 meters. Hoshiguma's performance during the Reunion Movement's attack the night before last was nothing short of miraculous. Even when the Doctor and the Kingkiller left the front lines to flank the enemy and carry out a decapitation strike, Inspector Hoshiguma single-handedly held off the largest gap. Wielding her uniquely designed triangular shield, she single-handedly held off hundreds of enemies until the Reunion Movement soldiers retreated.

Although Hoshiguma exudes a strong sense of intimidation, she is actually a very gentle person. When speaking to someone, she respects them, slightly bowing and maintaining eye contact. These subtle gestures demonstrate her good manners. What bothers Amiya is that Hoshiguma's gaze tends to wander when she talks to the Doctor; this scrutinizing look makes Amiya instinctively wary.

"I'm glad you're all alright. Um, did you... uh, encounter any huge... monsters?"

Hoshiguma saw three people unconscious on the ground, and traces of a fierce battle remained on the ground, as if a battle had taken place between inhuman monsters.

Judging from this, Amiya and the others must have had an extremely difficult battle here, and this place... happens to be the direction that monster left in!

Hoshiguma hurriedly asked Amiya, "It's a monster that's about two or three stories tall, with arms that are two-thirds the length of its body, no flesh or skin, half of its body covered in amber liquid, and with a bulging skeleton."

"What did you say?"

Amiya was a little confused by the question.

What's with this monster that sounds like it escaped from the film set next door?

Please, this is Toei's booth, Tsuburaya Productions is right next door!

Don't go too far, Terrans!

"monster……"

The Kingslayer murmured softly, holding Iriet tightly in her arms. Mephistopheles' wicked deeds flashed through her mind, and she quickly warned Amiya, "Amiya, this might be Mephistopheles' doing! We've been stuck here for too long, Misha is in danger!"

Upon hearing this, Amiya suddenly understood. She realized that Ariel and the others were merely pawns left behind by Mephisto, and his true purpose remained unchanged! Mephisto had his eye on Misha, and although she didn't know what he wanted to do, if his goal was to turn Misha into someone like Ariel—

Amiya grew increasingly panicked. She cried out anxiously, "Commander Hoshiguma, can we ride in your car?!"

Hoshiguma, unaware of the situation, tilted her head, but she wasn't annoyed that her question hadn't been answered. Instead, she patted the front of the car with a flourish.

"Get in the car!"

Chapter 319 Kiryu Battle Rabbit (4K)

"I'm sorry, Amiya... Misha has been captured."

The heavily armored operator Rock, covered in dust and dirt, lowered his head with a heavy heart. His shoulder was still padded with gauze, and blood was slowly seeping out.

When Amiya arrived in Inspector Hoshiguma's SUV, she was met with the Rhodes Island team's utterly miserable defeat.

The scene was a mess, with broken pieces and charred marks everywhere. The operators sat dejectedly in the barely clean spot receiving treatment.

The reconnaissance team was attacked, and the entire Guard squad was wounded. The heavy-armored operators held out until the very last moment. They fought until their shields shattered, using their own bodies to block attacks. If it weren't for the timely arrival of Rhodes Island's medical team, the casualties would likely have caused everyone to break down.

Initially, Rhodes Squad's defensive line was well-organized. Under Amiya's command system, even while maintaining constant movement, they were able to withstand attacks from Reunion soldiers and take care of the wounded.

Until… a nearly nine-meter-tall skeletal giant silently emerged from the thick fog. Its gigantic hand, capable of obscuring the sun, swept across the area, shattering the Rhodes Island team's tight formation. The liaison officer received the reconnaissance team's warning belatedly, but it was too late. Caught between the bizarre, unpredictable attacks of the giant and the combined assault of Reunion soldiers, Rhodes Island suffered a crushing defeat and fell into crisis.

With the Rhodes Island squad on the verge of annihilation, Misha stepped forward, moving from the heavily guarded wounded area to the front lines. Having just received an emergency injection to alleviate Oripathy, Misha was still unsteady on her feet, but she faced the terrifying monster without hesitation.

That small, thin figure was deeply imprinted in the eyes of the Rhodes Island operators, but they were powerless to do anything about it.

Misha guessed that the other party's target was her, and she also knew... that this was the only thing she could do for Rhodes Island at the moment.

As expected, the Bone Giant disappeared after abducting Misha, and the thick fog dissipated as a result. Even the Reunion soldiers withdrew, leaving only the defeated Rhodes Island squad members standing there, roaring in frustration.

"hateful!!!"

Gavial clenched his fist and threw a punch into the air, creating shockwaves as he released his pent-up anger.

Gavial didn't know if staying there would have changed the outcome. But if she hadn't rescued Natalie in time, not only Natalie, but perhaps the two from Blacksteel International, and even Amiya and the Kingslayer, would have been in danger.

There are rarely perfect solutions in this world; choosing one means inevitably losing the other.

"Amiya, what should we do now...Amiya?"

Gavial's gaze instinctively turned to Amiya, only to find that the other woman's face was pale and her expression was so solemn it was frightening.

Amiya, who had been lost in thought, was brought back to consciousness by Gavial's repeated calls and slowly nodded.

"Each squad should prioritize the care of the wounded, and provide emergency treatment for their injuries. Seriously wounded personnel should be immediately escorted back to Rhodes Island ships for treatment. Operators who are still capable of combat, please stay..." Amiya opened her mouth, but couldn't finish her sentence, and didn't even dare to look at the others.

She failed.

As commander, she failed to perform at her best, and her misjudgments led to the disastrous failure of the mission.

Amiya half-closed her eyes, something within her crumbling and dissipating. She began to doubt herself, afraid to read the operators' minds. She feared receiving resentment or even hatred; she feared being overwhelmed by fear. She... felt utterly useless.

If a PhD were in charge, this situation certainly wouldn't have occurred, right?

Even on the first day the Doctor awoke in Chernobog, in such terrible condition that even walking was a struggle, he still arrogantly demanded full command of the Rhodes Island rescue team, even insisting on sole command and forbidding anyone from interfering. His actions, true to his style, demonstrated that even in dire circumstances where they were outnumbered by several times, even ten times, the enemy, he still led the rescue team to a successful evacuation.

This Chernobog rescue operation made it clear to Rhodes Island's new operators from the past three years, as well as those unfamiliar with the Doctor, why Lin Lu was chosen as the Doctor. Unmatched by anyone, this rescue mission became the talk of the town among the operators, creating a sensation on Rhodes Island.

Furthermore, even during the Reunion Movement's nighttime raid a few days prior... while Amiya was involved in command, the focus was largely on the Doctor's initial command plan. Both the Rhodes Island team members and the Guard Bureau officers involved in the operation unanimously praised the Doctor's tactical command. This made Amiya, who subsequently took over command, seem particularly insignificant, especially since her misjudgment allowed Ethan, the leader of the Reunion Movement's Ghost Group, to successfully break through and infiltrate the Rhodes Island ship. If Rhodes Island's food hadn't been so delicious, and Reunion Movement's food so terrible, Ethan probably wouldn't have defected and surrendered politely, but instead directly destroyed the power and communication equipment.

The entire night raid almost ended in defeat due to Amiya's mistake.

No one condemned Amiya for this, but she kept it in mind. Before falling asleep, Amiya would constantly reflect on it, reconstructing the tactical map in her mind and conducting command drills, all in order to avoid making the same mistake again.

But now... she made another mistake, and paid a far heavier price than the Reunion Movement's night raid.

"If only the doctor were here."

Amiya couldn't help but have this thought; she began to doubt her competence as the leader of Rhodes Island, when there were clearly more reliable people who were more suitable for the position than she was. Whether it was Dr. Kal'tsit or the Doctor, they were both better than her.

Princess Theresa...

Why did you choose me back then?

What is it about me that makes me worthy of your attention?

Amiya jerked her head back, her body swaying violently, almost crushed by the weight of responsibility. She couldn't even hear Gavial's voice clearly. The sky and the earth seemed to be painted the same color, her vision blurring, and Amiya fell backward—

"Amiya."

The Kingslayer hugged Amiya from behind, burying her little head in his chest.

Given the Queen Killer's height, she could easily hold the 1.4-meter-tall Amiya in her arms.

"Breathe, Amiya, breathe deeply."

The Kingslayer covered Amiya's eyes with one hand and raised the other to block Gavial's eyes, signaling her to be quiet.

“Yes, just like that… Keep breathing. Come on, do it with me, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale… Take it slow.” The Kingslayer embraced Amiya, whispering gently in her ear like a mother, his voice steady yet powerful, ensuring it reached Amiya clearly.

Amiya's head was buried deep in the Kingslayer's full breasts. Her nearly numb brain was like a drowning person trying to grab onto the last straw, desperately trying to stick her head out of the water. She had never felt that breathing was such a happy thing.

Everyone present fell silent, even the injured operators, their gazes fixed on the young commander who was nearly suffocating from the pressure. It was hard to imagine that the once war-torn Lungmen Outer Ring Fifth District was now so peaceful that the girl's breathing could be clearly heard.

"Haa...haa...ha..."

Once Amiya's violently heaving chest had calmed down, the Kingslayer whispered in her ear, "It's alright, Amiya. It's nothing. Everyone makes mistakes, as long as you can make amends next time. We haven't lost yet, we still have a chance to save Misha. If you give up now, then no one will be able to bring Misha back. Amiya, as an operator, I believe in you."

"But... but I..."

Amiya's body trembled uncontrollably, and the Kingslayer could clearly feel the dampness spreading from his palm.

Amiya, this strong girl, never cried, even when facing crazed thugs, confronting self-important Lungmen freshmen, dealing with aggressive Royal Guard officers, or repelling Mephisto's madness... But now, she blames herself for her imperfect command, feels guilty for the casualties caused by her momentary carelessness, and feels heartbroken for breaking her promise to guarantee Misha's safety.

The kingslayer knew that this was just a necessary setback in Amiya's long life, and that an even more arduous road lay ahead for her.

But if it's Amiya...

The regicide believed that this minor leader would be able to persevere.

"Amiya, when you're feeling lost, take a good look at what's around you." The Kingslayer brushed away the tear stains on Amiya's face without leaving a trace. She rested her chin between Amiya's long rabbit ears and pointed forward with her finger.

“They’re all worried about you, they’re all waiting for you, they…” The Kingslayer shook his head and said softly, “No, it’s us. We are all your agents. We believe in your decisions, and we are willing to go through fire and water for you. We also hope… that you can believe in us. How could we bear to blame you? We haven’t lost yet, we can win, we must win.”

"Miss Kingslayer..."

Amiya slowly opened her eyes.

Her eyes, as clear as the sea, were red from crying, making her look somewhat childlike. But no one would laugh at Amiya for that, because she was, after all, a child. She was bearing a burden far too heavy for her age, and her courage deserved everyone's praise, not blame and abuse. Anyone else present might not have done as well as she had.

The Rhodes Island operators were all watching Amiya, waiting for her instructions.

Even without using her mental powers, Amiya could sense the will of each person; they seemed to be saying—

"Please give your command, Rhodes Island."

Amiya's eyes welled up with tears again, but this time it wasn't from self-doubt, but from affirmation.

She is trusted and recognized by the Rhodes Island operators.

She is a leader in every sense of the word.

"Go, Amiya."

The Kingslayer gently pushed Amiya's shoulder, as if time had rewound five years ago, when she gently pushed Lin Lu's shoulder.

That time, after the failed rescue operation for Elmoni, Lin Lu became withdrawn. He couldn't leave the mine, scarred by natural disasters, and remained there ever since he awoke. Until the Kingslayer, disregarding everyone's objections, resolutely entered the Originium radiation zone and brought him out.

"Thank you, Miss Kingslayer."

Amiya whispered to herself, and stepped forward to meet everyone's gaze.

Behind her, Gavial stared in disbelief as she poked the Kingslayer, nearly knocking the agile creature over with a single finger. Gavial hurriedly grabbed the Kingslayer's arm and pulled her back, the movement so forceful that the Kingslayer's body crackled and popped.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." Gavial apologized somewhat flusteredly, while asking the question that had been bothering him, "Um, may I ask how you did that?"

"Wh-what?"

The regicide, pushed and pulled, felt an instinctive fear for some reason. She shrank her small hands, her aura of imperial majesty shattered by the iron-willed Gavial.

“It’s that one, that one…” Gavial pointed at Amiya, then at the Kingslayer, and asked curiously, “Why does a hug cheer Amiya up? I know that child has always worked very hard. Sometimes she works too hard, and her tense nerves snap when stimulated. Amiya will fall into self-doubt for a long, long time when she does that, and it takes her a while to recover.”

Gavial recalled that Amiya's frequency of becoming withdrawn over the past three years was no less than Kiryu Sento's; basically, every now and then, she would be beaten down by the harsh reality to the point of questioning her existence. He had thought this symptom would subside after the Doctor returned to Rhodes Island, but he hadn't expected it to suddenly flare up today! The incident was sudden, and Gavial hadn't prepared any emergency sanity-boosting fluid. If the Kingslayer wasn't around, then the effects on Amiya would stay with her for life.

Imagine if Amiya were to give up here, she would inevitably miss the best opportunity to rescue Misha. It would also put the injured Rhodes Island operators in a dilemma, unsure whether to return to the Rhodes Island ship in a sorry state or stay here with their injuries awaiting instructions. Even if this incident passes, given Amiya's personality, she will definitely hold it in her heart; it will become a source of inner turmoil for her.

Therefore, Gavial genuinely admired the regicide, something even she, as a doctor, could not do.

The Kingslayer thought for a moment, then looked at Gavial and said seriously, "You don't actually have a boyfriend, do you?"