Ark Chess Player

Heavy breathing sounds came from all directions.

Amiya felt a chill run down her spine and decisively released a ring. Dark lightning crackled across her fingertips, and a quadrilateral totem took shape in the void.

Amiya's high-precision mental perception allows her to not only sense each person's unique mental fluctuations, but also detect Originium materials within a 500-meter radius, whether they are minerals, processed products, or infected individuals—she can detect them all.

"Nothing... at all?"

A hint of confusion flickered in Amiya's eyes. Her senses told her nothing was wrong, but her instincts trembled, warning her of nearby danger. This constant conflict between her consciousness and body made her head spin, and a thin layer of cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

Suddenly, a pair of long, slender hands reached out from her blind spot, precisely covering Amiya's mouth and pulling her into the shadows.

"Shhh."

Amiya's rabbit ears twitched as she heard the other party's warning voice, a hoarse sound that was hard to believe came from a throat.

Amiya tensed up, feeling as if a giant was standing behind her, creating a sense of superiority and psychological pressure. The hand covering her lips was icy cold, even stinging against her skin, and her back, where the other person was touching, was numb with cold.

"Who are you? Why... can't I bring myself to hurt you?"

The other person seemed to be struggling to speak, coughing softly and incessantly, and the hand covering Amiya's half-face trembled slightly.

"..."

Amiya's mental perception has been restored.

At that moment, Amiya's tense body slowly relaxed, and she gently leaned her back against his chest, using her body heat to dispel the cold. How many times had she nestled in his arms like this, letting him teach her to write, telling her stories, gazing at the starry night sky together, and talking about a future without Oripathy?

"My name is Amiya."

She gently rubbed her cheek against the other person's palm, and once again clearly felt how cold it was, completely opposite to the warm, large hands she remembered.

Amiya slowly raised her head, and in her reflected eyes, she saw a handsome man with white hair, closed eyes, and a tired expression.

Even if her voice changes, even if her body temperature changes, even if her hair color changes... Amiya will never forget this person's existence.

She hugged his arms tightly, nestled in his embrace, and exhaled a faint mist.

"Welcome back, Doctor."

Chapter Four: The Little Rabbit

"..."

Lin Lu sat calmly on the flat coffin lid, his eyes closed, his expression serene.

At Amiya's insistence, he reluctantly agreed to undergo a physical examination while trying to organize his thoughts.

Lin Lu has no memories of the past; apart from his own name, he knows nothing about his past.

When he awoke, he was lying in this stone coffin. Looking bewildered, he lifted the lid and sat up, leaning against the coffin lid, questioning his very existence. His body was stiff, as if the blood within him had frozen solid; every movement was torture. He opened his eyes and scanned his surroundings. A flood of information rushed into his mind, almost causing Lin Lu to faint again. He involuntarily closed his eyes again.

Surprisingly, even with his eyes closed, he could "see" himself.

Like a supercomputer rebooting, after a brief period of adaptation, a data-driven world appeared in Lin Lu's mind.

He sees his location from a third-person perspective; he can see the surrounding environment, the structure of the floors, the materials of the buildings, and so on. Like a god, he can know any information and grasp all intelligence. He can also change the priority of information according to his own will, preventing his brain from overthinking and losing its rationality.

Then he realized something was wrong.

This abandoned facility was the site of a silent battle. The dried bloodstains and traces of Originium Arts clearly prove that a massacre took place here, a one-sided crushing defeat. However, Lin Lu was unable to find any corpses through the data perspective.

The ultimate assassin.

Based on the available intelligence, Lin Lu envisioned a scene in his mind: an assassin with special Originium Arts, capable of dissolving corpses into a pool of blood. This assassin had slaughtered all the researchers in the facility, leaving none alive, and remained undetected until the very end.

This aroused Lin Lu's immense curiosity, and even though he was still somewhat weak after waking up, he began to enthusiastically try to unravel the mystery.

Although the memory has disappeared, some things, even if forgotten forever, will still leave traces somewhere in the body.

Lin Lu used the bloodstains left throughout the facility to simulate the trajectory of blood splatter, reconstructing the manner of the victim's death, and then extrapolating the assassin's physique. Sparks flew as his thoughts collided, and Lin Lu grew increasingly excited, immersing himself in the decryption process, ultimately drafting a report.

The other person was slender and agile, possessing unparalleled movement skills. Proficient in using blades, their Originium Arts were of the external projection type. Light in weight, they could easily attach themselves to pipes—before Lin Lu could even complete his intelligence on this mysterious assassin, he warily sensed a group of people quietly infiltrating the facility.

Lin Lu deduced the other party's route and determined that their target was his location, but he couldn't determine whether they were friend or foe.

Unable to ascertain the other party's friendliness, Lin Lu instinctively regarded them all as enemies, and his body reacted naturally. Adrenaline surged, blood vessels on his skin constricted, reducing blood supply, while blood flow to his skeletal muscles, heart, and brain increased, pushing the pain aside. He swayed his body, shook his hands, and his presence vanished into the darkness.

This is what happened from the moment he awoke until now. Using his tactical planning and terrain-controlling abilities, Lin Lu quickly disarmed the vanguard team. Just as he was about to subdue the seemingly youngest but actually strongest girl… his hands wouldn't obey him, and he couldn't do anything to harm her.

Even if the body loses its memory, it still recognizes the other person.

"Dr., the basic physical examination is complete. Please allow me to report."

This girl, who looked to be only a teenager, had already completed the initial registration of Lin Lu's physical records. Despite her young age, her skills and experience were quite remarkable. She could quickly complete what she could do without the aid of instruments. However, an accident occurred along the way. When she pried open Lin Lu's eyelids to examine his pupils, the little medical operative suddenly went black and collapsed to the ground, trembling like a newborn kitten, unable to even stand up.

When Lin Lu looked in the mirror and saw his own eyes, he fell silent.

He put down the mirror and closed his eyes again.

"Please speak."

The medic twitched her fluffy cat ears, took a deep breath, and calmly said, "Doctor's vital signs are stable, but his blood pressure is high and his body temperature is low. His vocal cords have been affected due to prolonged silence. There are no external injuries, and he is not in immediate danger. However, due to prolonged exposure to cryogenic sleep, he should undergo a month of muscle rehabilitation training after waking up to gradually regain his physical strength..."

The medic turned around and glanced at the Vanguard team members who had been woken up by Amiya, their small heads filled with big questions.

If a person remains unconscious for an extended period without proper medical care, they are highly likely to develop muscle atrophy. When they finally awaken, they may find that simply raising an arm, let alone standing up, is beyond their physical capabilities.

However, the first thing the Doctor did after waking up was to take down all of Rhodes Island's battle-hardened Guard Operators.

Is this the neurology expert and educator recorded in the Rhode Island archives?

The medical operator gently shook her head, banishing the inappropriate thought from her mind. She said earnestly, "I suggest that the Doctor return to Rhodes Island as soon as possible for a second medical examination using professional medical equipment, to avoid failing to detect any risks due to my limited capabilities."

"..."

Lin Lu gazed in her direction, keeping his eyes closed to avoid frightening her into fainting again, his face earnest.

“You are an excellent medical professional, there’s no need to say such discouraging things, it’s not worth it. I will keep your advice in mind.”

"Doctor..."

The little medical operative of the Felin tribe wagged its tail happily without its own urge.

Meanwhile, Amiya, who was walking towards Lin Lu, looked shocked and leaned back slightly, as if she had heard some shocking news.

A cycad blooming?

Vibranium cracking?

Are straight men now able to sweet-talk people?

The doctor who annoyed Dr. Kal'tsit twenty-four times in one day?

The medical operator noticed Amiya's arrival and made room for the two to talk.

"Who are you people?" Lin Lu asked.

“…Doctor, we are your…comrades, we all come from the ‘Rhodes Island’ organization.”

Amiya's expression gradually turned dejected. She clenched her hands tightly and came to Lin Lu's side.

"Doctor, do you really not remember us?"

"..."

Lin Lu did not answer. He slowly reached out and gently pressed Amiya's head.

Amiya neither resisted nor retreated; she could sense the Doctor's confusion and pain at that moment.

A person waking up from a long sleep cannot immediately let down their guard in the face of this unfamiliar world. Because this world is never gentle; the gentle ones are always those who are willing to treat you sincerely.

Can I trust you?

Lin Lu rubbed the girl's head. Her hair was smooth and soft, and felt very comfortable to the touch. It seemed that he had been stroked like this before.

"To me, the doctor will always be the most important person, and that will never change no matter what happens."

Amiya raised her hands and placed them on Lin Lu's hands, using this warmth to dispel the coldness in Lin Lu's heart.

"Even if the doctor loses his memory, I will not give up."

Chapter 5 Command, Rhodes Island!

What kind of person was I?

Is he a kind, honest, and good-natured person?

Or perhaps, he is an utterly wicked and wicked person.

I don't know, I have no memory of it.

My values ​​tell me that I may have once been a very idealistic and ambitious educator.

My knowledge tells me that I may have once been a diligent and persistent researcher.

My abilities tell me that I may have once shed blood on the battlefield, a cold and ruthless executioner, repeatedly reaping the bloody fruits of victory with my own hands. I am fascinated by thinking, excited by deciphering, eager to encounter formidable enemies, and I relish the overflowing sense of accomplishment when I destroy high walls.

who am I?

I am Lin Lu, a pitiful person who only remembers his own name.

Even so, there are people who are expecting me, waiting for me, and searching for me.

—Isn't this enough?

"Rhodes Island...that sounds familiar, not bad."

Lin Lu slowly lowered his hand from stroking Amiya's head. He smiled faintly, a smile as warm as the early summer sun.

Amiya stared blankly at Lin Lu. In her memory, apart from a slight smile on the Doctor's face when they first met, he had stopped smiling at some point, and later became completely expressionless. He couldn't laugh, couldn't cry, couldn't get angry; he was like a war machine devoid of emotion, only showing a fleeting emotion in his eyes when he achieved a great victory.

"Seeing your smiling face like that, how could I possibly hope you'll regain your memory..."

Amiya muttered to herself, shaking her head. She no longer knew whether amnesia was a good thing or a bad thing for the Doctor.

For Rhodes Island, the Doctor's existence is necessary and absolute. We need the Doctor's wisdom and strength to make changes.

But what about PhDs?

Is Rhodes Island necessary for the Doctor?

One thing is certain: if the doctor hadn't lost his memory, he certainly wouldn't be laughing.

After all, three years ago...