Ark Chess Player

"This is not the worst thing."

"The monster I defeated turned out to be a tomb guardian."

"I probably released something incredible into Terra. No, I misused the word; it's a derogatory term."

"I will take care of Him."

"Kal'tsit, if you receive this communication, tell Theresa to—"

……

Three years later.

1096 12 Month 23 Day.

Chernobog, a mobile city on the border of Ursus.

Today was also a peaceful day for the citizens of Chernobog.

Students were attending school, and adults were running shops to support their families. People came and went, creating a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.

A group of unemployed people walked through the streets and alleys holding up signs that read "Expel the infected!" and shouting slogans.

The citizens of Chernobog are used to the several legal protests that take place every week, which the Colombian federal government calls a beautiful sight.

Some of those participating in the march were inspired to join voluntarily. Others were pawns of elected politicians, easily making money by getting a few people to shout slogans and walk the streets—why not? Still others were simply there for the excitement, running up to shout a few words.

The wealthy, dressed in splendid clothes, ate exquisite food in a high-end restaurant, watching the parade below with the eyes of a spectator.

Deep in the alley, a raggedly dressed infected child hid behind a trash can, covering his ears with his hands, not wanting to hear or see anything.

The upper class remains in the upper class, while the lowest class remains in the lowest class, as if this will never change.

But... today is slightly different.

The marchers were incredibly well-organized; their chants and every step they took were perfectly synchronized. They didn't seem like a random group of people who had nothing better to do than gather and demonstrate on a weekday.

Their slogans grew increasingly impassioned, their tone increasingly volatile, like a volcano poised to erupt at any moment.

Their eyes grew sharper and their gazes more piercing, like blades ready to be drawn at any moment.

The vendors and passersby instinctively shrank back, a sense of fear rising within them; they sensed danger coming from all directions.

"Where are the military and police?"

The fruit vendor muttered to himself.

The military and police who should have intervened to stop the march when it got out of control are nowhere to be seen.

Not only that, even the petty thugs who always walked the streets looking gloomy disappeared. Every time there was a protest or demonstration, it was the happiest time for the thugs, because only at that time did everyone else seem as rotten as they were.

This is supposed to be a good thing, but anything too unusual is never a good thing.

Without their shackles, who would believe that these wild beasts wouldn't come out and bite someone?

The stall owners and passersby felt increasingly uneasy, not only because the marchers were becoming more and more agitated, but also because a group of outsiders wrapped in heavy white robes were wandering the streets. They carried heavy packages and kept a distance from each other, looking out for one another.

In the past, military and police officers would stop people who excessively concealed their skin, check their residence permits, verify if they were infected with Oripathy, and determine if they were suspicious individuals. Even if there was nothing wrong, they would still find a few things to say and take them to a detention center for a thorough discussion.

But as mentioned earlier, the military and police have disappeared without a trace.

At this moment, an ominous atmosphere permeated the streets of the central town area of ​​Chernohlberg.

Some experienced mercenaries keenly sensed the change in atmosphere, spoke with their employers, offered suggestions, and quietly led them away from the upscale restaurant. But most ordinary people continued to enjoy themselves, some even drinking vodka in broad daylight, chatting about their own affairs, their neighbors' affairs, entertainment, and even national affairs.

These people probably never dreamed that their presumptuous talk about national affairs would happen so suddenly.

With a loud bang in the distance, thick smoke billowed from Chernobog's core area, which is separated from the city center by only a wall.

Vendors and passersby were startled. They frantically shielded their eyes from the dust swirling in the wind, squinting at the distance, their mouths agape in astonishment. The city they had lived in for decades looked as if its clothes had been torn apart. The raging fireworks and the thick smoke that blotted out the sun destroyed the peace of the past. One could almost feel a sore throat, as if the end of the world had arrived.

The chants of slogans to drive out infected people in the march came to an abrupt halt, and everyone stopped in their tracks, like puppets wound up to their limit.

The wind whipped their clothes, revealing the blades tucked into their belts, and... the black crystals seeping from their skin.

They silently took a mask from the package and put it on their faces.

"kill."

The leading man gave the order.

The citizens looked around blankly, seemingly never imagining that these infected people, whom they trampled upon like ants and despised as filth, would one day fight back. In their eyes, these infected people were no longer worthy of being called human; they should only eke out a living in cold, damp places. They should be grateful for any scraps of food they could obtain, and fend for themselves in the darkness.

It wasn't until the infected's blades slashed at them that they realized how foolish and ignorant they had been.

The signs expelling infected people were thrown on the ground and trampled on countless times.

The burning flag was raised high.

Deep in the alley.

The infected little girl trembled, hiding beside a trash can. Terrified by the distant explosion, she curled up, tears streaming down her face. Hearing footsteps, she quickly raised her ears and rummaged through the heavy black garbage bag, trying to hide inside.

She was surrounded and beaten by thugs several times, and had nowhere to hide except in the garbage dump.

The footsteps grew closer, and she squeezed her eyes shut in fear, praying silently that she wouldn't be discovered. But the gods didn't hear her pleas. The heavy pile of garbage pressing down on her was lifted, and blinding light shone down. She quickly covered her head and curled into a ball, hoping to minimize the damage, even though there were hardly any unscathed parts of her body left.

"No, don't hit me...please, don't hit me."

"do not be afraid."

A pair of slender yet strong hands picked up the little girl and carried her away from the garbage heap.

The girl opened her eyes tremblingly, and her pupils reflected another pair of red eyes.

"Don't be afraid, I am the Kingslayer, and I am your... comrade."

The wolf-like woman gently stroked the little girl's short hair, which had been wantonly cut off by thugs with a knife, and sighed softly.

"We are the Reunion Movement. We are not monsters, we are not insects. We will no longer tolerate anyone's bullying. We will take our place with our own hands. When this land is red again, and everything returns to the source, we will no longer be different from each other, and we will no longer be alone."

Chapter Three: Welcome Back, Doctor

Chernobog, a mobile city on the border of Ursus.

The Integration Movement, an organization advocating for the rights of the infected, no, it should now be called a radical organization for the infected.

They are waging war across this land, spreading flames to every corner of Chernobog, venting their anger at the humiliation suffered by the infected.

The citizens of Chernobog never imagined this day would come. This insignificant organization, which resembled stray cats huddling together for warmth, dared to declare war on the great war empire of Ursus! This was undoubtedly courting death, merely pushing the infected one step closer to a miserable end.

However, what's truly astonishing is that... the Reunion Movement actually gained the upper hand?

Chernobog's vital military strongholds were captured by the Reunion Movement, its central headquarters fell, and the military and police resisting on the front lines received no logistical support. Signal towers were destroyed, cutting off communication between the local government and the outside world, preventing combat personnel from sharing intelligence, and throwing the command system into chaos. Even the Originium-powered system that powered the entire mobile city was destroyed; this great city, like a paralyzed machine, was abandoned in the desert.

This is completely unlike what a small group of infected people could do, both in terms of the infiltration plan and the level of action.

Some astute individuals sensed a conspiracy; this was a premeditated attack, and what followed was far more than that!

Something terrible is happening...

Meanwhile, a third-party force, not affiliated with Ursus or the Reunion Movement, is quietly infiltrating the ruined core area of ​​Chernobog.

Roads collapsed, houses crumbled, high-rises burned, and a desolate square was stained red.

A fierce wind arose, and the scorching heat clung to the fleeing people, leaving black marks.

Concerned about the fleeing citizens and busy fighting the infected, the military and police had no time to notice the fleeting shadow at the entrance of the abandoned facility.

The little leader walked ahead, his brown rabbit ears twitching, his youthful face still showing a hint of nervousness, and his palms feeling damp.

She stroked the ring on her left index finger, quietly activating Origin Stone Arts. The thick black smoke surrounding her seemed to come alive, automatically adapting to the surrounding environment, transforming into a curtain to obscure the figures of the marching group, and blending its aura into the shadows cast by the flames on the walls.

"Amiya, we have entered the facility. Please provide further instructions."

"Hold on……"

Amiya's long rabbit ears twitched, and she closed her eyes to enhance her mental awareness.

"I can sense the doctor's presence."

Amiya's shoulders trembled involuntarily, her rabbit ears stood erect, and joy overflowed from her bright eyes. She looked down at the floor, her thoughts traveling far through the heavy building materials, sensing a faint yet real, familiar yet long-lost spiritual fluctuation.

"Proceed as planned. Team E1 will be responsible for security, the vanguard team will eliminate any interference, and the medical personnel will follow me."

Amiya's voice rose involuntarily, unconsciously revealing her barely contained excitement.

"Yes!"

The group quickly dispersed, and Amiya raised her left hand to gather the scattered black smoke back into her ring.

The next step is simple: quickly find the Doctor, escort him away from Chernobog, and back to Rhodes Island.

But is it really that easy?

The vanguard team jumped into the basement through the collapsed gap and arrived at the designated area to find the location of the target.

When the squad leader gestured for armed readiness, and a melee operator carefully pushed open the sarcophagus, the result was beyond their expectations.

"The sarcophagus is empty! The doctor isn't here!"

"Don't panic, check the surroundings for any traces, and then check the stone coffin again!"

"Something's wrong. It's so quiet. There's not a sound at all. Where are our people?"

"Three o'clock! What was that just now?!"

"Wait--"

The sound from the communication headset abruptly stopped, and Amiya's face darkened; she knew something was wrong.

"Wait for me here."

She turned to the medical officer and spoke.

Before the medical staff could offer any advice, Amiya jumped into the hole first, landing nimbly and rolling once.

Dead silence.

The light was dim, and the black stone coffin was opened, exuding a faint chill and scattering a thick white fog.

The surroundings were a mess, and you could barely tell from the damaged equipment that this used to be a laboratory. The air smelled of medicine.

Amiya caught a glimpse of figures on the ground out of the corner of her eye. The Vanguard team members lay quietly on the ground, thankfully still breathing.

"what……"