Ark Chess Player

The Ark Chess Player, author: Silent Bitterness and Joy

"Henshin!"

"Ark Ride Doctor!"

"I'm just a passing Ark Knight, remember that."

—The destroyer of the world, Doctor.

What did he see during his travels through the nine worlds?

Chapter One: Choice

"I don't want to go to Moonlit Lake."

In the gray-white hall of memories, a man dressed in heavy protective clothing spoke in a deep voice.

This was the deepest part of the Rhodes Island ship. The man gently placed his hand on a two-meter-high transparent, sealed device. Bubbles occasionally rose from the blue solution inside, revealing the small face of a brown-haired girl and her slightly drooping rabbit ears. She wore an oxygen mask, her eyes lifeless, as delicate as a doll, and as blank as a doll.

The white dress, soaked with the solution, clung to the girl's slightly immature body, outlining an imperfect silhouette.

The man quietly pressed his forehead against the glass cover, his expression calm, but his eyes held a hint of melancholy.

“Lin Lu, there’s no time for you to be capricious now. If the intelligence is accurate, this will be a turning point for us to change the situation.”

The white-haired, green-eyed woman spoke in an almost reprimanding tone, while simultaneously insisting on her point of view without backing down.

"I do not want to go."

"You!" She couldn't help but step forward, grab the man's collar, pull him in front of her, and force him to look her in the eye. "What are you afraid of? A cold-blooded, ruthless war machine like you, a monster who treats people as resources to be consumed and takes pleasure in the battlefield—what is there to be afraid of now!"

"Kal'tsit, so this is how you see me?"

Lin Lu calmly gazed into the other person's eyes, his voice devoid of any intonation.

"So what if it is?" Kal'tsit said defiantly.

"I'm so heartbroken," Lin Lu said expressionlessly.

"Then show me even the slightest bit of dissatisfaction." Kal'tsit tightened her grip on Lin Lu's neck, pressing his cheeks, her long-suppressed emotions reaching their limit, bursting forth uncontrollably, her hands bulging with veins. "Let me see your true expression, not like this! The old you could laugh, you could cry, you could—"

"..."

Lin Lu remained silent, as still as a deep pool.

"Can you two both calm down?"

The woman, her face showing worry, spoke softly. Her voice was incredibly gentle, like a mother protecting her child, yet it also carried an unyielding authority that commanded respect.

“Kal’tsit, I know you’re anxious because of the unfavorable situation, but please give him some time, okay?” She came to Kal’tsit’s side, put her hand on Kal’tsit’s shoulder, and comforted the other’s emotions that were on the verge of collapse.

"Theresia, you always arrive just in time."

Kal'tsit then let go of her hand, gently shook her head to indicate that she was alright, and patted Theresa's hand.

Theresa noticed a rare deep weariness on her face, like a child who had been lost for a long time but was unwilling to give up on going home.

"Can I speak with Lu alone?"

"……certainly."

Kal'tsit glanced at the Katars girl in the container, clenched her fists tightly, and turned to leave.

Lin Lu watched Kal'tsit's figure disappear through the automatically opening mechanical door and let out a slow sigh.

"...She's angry."

"Lü, do you know what she's angry about?"

"She hates me."

No, quite the opposite.

Theresa smiled, and even in the current unfavorable situation, she still made people feel at ease.

She shines like the sun, and it feels as if being by her side purifies the mind and body, warming the heart.

“Then she’s probably blind,” Lin Lu said calmly.

“I didn’t expect you to be so humorous, but I can’t agree with your point of view this time. It would be disrespectful to both Kal’tsit and you.” Theresa looked up at the girl floating in the solution and added, “Amiya wouldn’t agree either, after all, we all know how charming you are.”

"I don't want to go to Moonlit Lake."

Can I hear your reasons?

Instead of immediately refuting him, Theresa wanted to hear his thoughts.

"According to intelligence from Kal'tsit's elite direct command, there are suspected ancient ruins at Moonlit Lake, and the symbols extracted from the stone walls confirm this. If we can excavate ancient technological artifacts from them, they would indeed be an absolute weapon for us to change the situation. Even if we don't obtain the artifacts, we can acquire the corresponding knowledge, laying the foundation for subsequent plans. You also said before that every ancient ruin holds the key to the stars."

Lu calmly explained, his expression showing no trace of anticipation or joy.

Just as there is light and shadow, there is advantage and disadvantage.

Every free gift actually originates from the devil's bounty.

Under Theresa's gaze, Lin Lu slowly spoke, explaining his reasons for refusing.

"I saw failure."

"No matter how you calculate it, there is no end to the road ahead, only darkness."

“Every battle I commanded ended in victory, but we were blinded by the joy of victory and failed to see that the enemy was secretly bleeding us dry. Each cut was painless, but they added up to be fatal. I promised everyone who was willing to entrust their lives to me that I would bring them victory, but that was all I got, nothing at all. Only now do I realize that the person sitting across from me is not Theresis, but another monster.”

Lin Lu's emotionless voice finally revealed a flaw, becoming hoarse and indifferent.

"law……"

Theresa looked at him with concern and tried to take his hand, but he dodged her.

"I just cast a spell on Amiya, so for now... for now you can't touch my hand."

"Sorry, I didn't notice."

Theresa tilted her head, looking somewhat dejected.

Lin Lu took a step back, leaned against the glass cover, and said softly, "The ancient ruins of Moon Lake are like a lake in the distance in the desert. They may be real, or they may be a mirage. But whether they are real or not, they will give us a glimmer of hope. And this hope is like poison, which will eventually kill us."

"If I leave you now, I'm afraid something irreversible will happen."

Lin Lu revealed his true thoughts, stating that he had already seen the outcome beyond the chessboard, but there were two choices on the path ahead.

"Enjoy the exquisite cake, struggle happily, and suffer a crushing defeat in self-satisfaction."

"Hold onto the tiny flame, wait for the fire to die out, and usher in a world without light."

"Theresia, which one do you want to choose?"

Lin Lu handed the decision over to Theresa.

But he himself knew which option Theresa would choose.

"Lv, you can go to Moonlit Lake without worry."

As expected, Theresa gave the answer Lin Lu had anticipated.

This gentle yet strong princess is actually more proactive and optimistic than anyone else.

“I will protect this place. I promise you, I will keep your home safe,” Theresa said earnestly, looking into Lin Lu’s eyes. “That was our initial agreement, wasn’t it?”

"You have a good memory." Lin Lu's lips twitched slightly involuntarily. "There's just one thing you got wrong."

"what?"

"It's not just me; this is a place where all of us can live."

Theresa was momentarily stunned; for a fleeting instant, she seemed to have seen Lin Lu smile.

Theresa.

Lin Lu stretched out his hand, and the Originium Arts that remained on his palm had been completely eliminated, leaving only a cold and damp touch.

Theresa instinctively took Lin Lu's hand in her hands and used the warmth of her palms to dispel the chill.

"Promise me you won't die."

"Ah."

Theresa smiled slightly.

I promise you.

Chapter Two: Integration Movement

"Report: We have lost contact with the intelligence team. Signals are blocked, and all electronic devices are malfunctioning."

"Report, combat team reports: Encountered a giant infected creature at the front lines of the ancient ruins. During the battle, spells are ineffective!"

"Report! The exit of the ruins has collapsed. The support team has been attacked by unidentified creatures and is unable to contact the defense team or obtain intelligence."

"Report--"

"Doctor, please give us your command."

"...Have the combat teams retreat and regroup for defense, prioritizing the rescue of the support teams. Notify the R&D team to investigate the cause of the signal jamming, guarding against human error, and repair it as soon as possible. This is my seal; dispatch a messenger team to ensure uninterrupted communication. Listen carefully, the equipment is currently malfunctioning, and we cannot use the electronic map, but don't forget that we went through the same process step by step. Don't panic over this small matter. This is the replanned route; give it to Jing, and she will command the combat teams."

"Doctor, what do we do about the giant infected creature? The combat team can't leave the scene at all!"

"I'll repeat myself one last time: have the combat teams retreat and return to their positions."

"PhD--"

“I will handle the giant infected creature.”

……

"This is a trap."

"Moonlit Lake contains no ancient technology, no gifts, only awakened monsters. After I defeated the unspeakable monster, I discovered... this is its original form. It is not an infected Originium creature, but a projection similar to a curtain descending from a high dimension."

"The group that went to Moonlit Lake with me has been wiped out, leaving only me."

"I won, I won again, so tired from winning, so desperate from winning."