Ark Chess Player.

As this trend has continued, nowadays various countries, as well as well-known companies such as Rhine Lab and Raytheon Industries, all have corresponding anomalous entity containment facilities.

As for whether Rhodes Island has it... well, that remains to be seen.

"Check that the protective devices are activated. Keep the Originium Arts of the Mental Barrier active. And be quick!"

Kevin's voice cracked slightly. As the captain, he shouldn't have sounded so pathetic; it was a fatal mistake for a commander. Not only would it damage morale, but it would also diminish his prestige and cause his subordinates to question his orders. But he couldn't control his emotions at all. His heart was pounding as if it would burst, his gas mask was fogged up with a damp white mist, and his breathing was out of control.

The Army Without Borders has provided special training on dealing with the various Originium-mutated creatures, which is one of their strengths.

However, no matter how well the tactical drills are conducted, fatal mistakes will always occur when facing actual situations.

"Oh my god..."

Edward, a member of the combat team D-07 and a master of folding sticks, involuntarily let out a murmur that sounded like a wail.

The shadows cast by the bright lights on the wall were gradually obscured by the objects, and bloodless arms clung to the wall—hundreds and thousands of hands clung to the wall! These limbs, mixed together, outlined a scene of horrific hell on earth.

It was an anomaly beyond the comprehension of the D-07 squad, a monster that had never appeared in combat drills.

Countless pale arms stretched outwards, and the black silt that almost filled the four-meter-high passage was moving.

Its surface has a texture like flowing Originium, and inside are countless remains of infected. Fragments of light armor from Reunion soldiers can also be clearly seen inside, and the insignia on the armbands symbolizing an indomitable burning faith are stained with a rotten color, making it look extremely creepy.

Tonight, the Oripathy infected individuals who launched the attack on the outer ring of Lungmen are divided into two factions.

The vast majority were Mephisto's troops, while the other part consisted of forces he couldn't control, such as the Sarkaz Avengers under W.

Mephistopheles' power gained from the sarcophagus ruins was not omnipotent; he could only convert the weaker individuals or those who swore allegiance to him into herds. He could not break down the mental barriers of those with strong willpower.

What use is it if the seed of evil cannot take root and sprout in the heart?

In order to weaken the power of other factions, Mephisto, under the guise of Talulah's authorization, successfully summoned the second-level executives of W and the Patriots during this night raid.

If this mission succeeds and we manage to capture the outer ring of Lungmen in one fell swoop, that would be even better.

The true army of Reunion will have rested tonight and arrive at sunrise in high spirits, launching their invasion while Lungmen is at its most exhausted and weakened. By conserving their strength and waiting for the opportune moment, Mephisto is confident he can annihilate Lungmen in the wrath of the Infected.

Even if the operation fails, it won't matter. Aside from eliminating a few troublesome individuals, it will also weaken the strength of other officers. Moreover, these discarded ordinary infected can serve even more purpose; being used as experimental subjects for the Seed of Evil is an honor for them, so why not?

What Mephistopheles truly felt was the only flaw...

He would have been even happier if he hadn't been able to bring Frostnova's Yeti squad along.

In the Reunion Movement, apart from Talulah and Faust, whom he doesn't persecute, everyone else is an eyesore.

Especially Froststar, that impetuous woman is always finding fault with him. It's just a matter of discarding some pieces, isn't it?

What's the big deal...

It seems we need to find a way to deal with her.

Chapter 216 Integration Movement, It's Over

The integration movement is now in complete chaos.

The infected, having nowhere else to turn, decided to join after hearing the message from the Reunion Movement broadcast worldwide.

With Reunion's leader, Talulah, sidelined for several days after suffering a severe blow, the movement descended into chaos. Even Patriot's efforts to disperse his elite Sarkaz personal guards to manage the newly arrived Infected and to train these angry but incompetent recruits as best they could, couldn't keep up with the overwhelming number of Infected.

Management is always limited, but the grassroots people are limitless.

There may be talented people who can serve as cadres, but the current integration movement is not capable of selecting them.

As more and more infected people joined, the hard-won balance was broken, and the already limited food supplies were quickly depleted as they were consumed exponentially.

Patriot, who once served as a captain in Ursus, knows all too well how important logistics are to an army!

No matter how well-trained an army is, it will be worn down under high-pressure conditions without food, warm clothing, and preventative medicine. Moreover, the current Reunion Movement is mostly a ragtag bunch; Chernobog was only captured by chance, and most of the infected genuinely believe they are invincible. Have they never actually won?

That's true. Ever since Originium appeared on Terra, historical records worldwide document the oppressive treatment suffered by the Infected. History books may record incidents of Infected riots, but they will never record an Infected uprising. No matter what efforts these Infected made to reclaim their human rights, they left no record. History is written by the victors; how much of what existed in the past is true, and how much is recorded in legends?

Patriot understands this, but he also knows that while the Reunion Movement may be rotten to the core, it cannot cease to exist.

Because Reunion symbolizes a banner, conveying a message—the Infected should not be treated this way, and they should stand up for themselves. Even if Reunion eventually declines and perishes, the flames it ignited will spread across Terra. As long as the Infected are oppressed, Reunion will not disappear.

What patriots need to do is persevere, persevere until the next integration movement is born, persevere until someone who can truly change the lives of those infected appears.

Before that, no matter how heavy the burden on their shoulders, the Patriots transformed into shields for the Infected, fighting for them.

Although Froststar wasn't very knowledgeable about military command, she was still one of the tallest people in the group.

Her plan was to screen and assign newly infected individuals, the simplest way being to distinguish between combat personnel and support personnel.

Froststar always insisted on putting lazy recruits into military training. Even if she didn't expect them to become particularly brave warriors, she at least wanted them to thoroughly implement the principle of "obeying orders."

Suppose the Ursus Empire sends troops to attack, or prepares for a defensive siege. If orders are given at a crucial moment but no one follows them, the Reunion Movement will collapse completely, and everyone will die—a meaningless death.

The integration movement must change; continuing to expand its population without the ability to fight will likely become a graveyard for idealists.

Infected individuals who can be classified as combatants should stand on the left, while those unsuitable for combat and only destined to die should be placed on the right. Every effort should be made to secure resources. Chernobog is an industrial city, so everything of value should be emptied out, and then trusted officers should be entrusted with bartering on the black market. Food, clothing, equipment—logistics personnel can do a great deal, and everyone must be aware of this.

The Reunion Movement does not support idlers, nor is it a charity canteen. What we need are compatriots who can dedicate themselves to our ideals, not parasites!

Frostnova's idealism is good, but reality is cruel.

The Reunion Movement lost a crucial link due to the betrayal of the Kingkiller who was originally supposed to be a recruit instructor.

Mephisto seized the opportunity to take over the infected who were originally under the control of the Kingkiller, and also brought all the new infected that the Patriots couldn't take care of into his ranks. He wanted them all regardless of their physical condition, which led to the rapid expansion of Mephisto's faction. He even dared to directly challenge Frostnova and refute her questions.

"Military training? I have plenty of ways to handle any need for it."

Mephisto said that, but he had no intention of training these people. So what if these infected weren't trained? He was there for them! He had ways to turn these mobs into elites! The elite of the elite!

The price to pay is only a small one, nothing compared to the power it can bring to the Reunion Movement!

Frostnova had no authority to directly command officers of her rank, so she went to Talulah. But she was surprised to find that Talulah seemed to have changed after waking up. Her gaze towards people had become much colder, like that of a venomous snake, sending chills down one's spine.

Talulah merely nodded slightly at Frostnova's advice, responded with some incomprehensible official jargon, and then let the matter drop.

After the incident in Upper Chernobog, Mephisto harbored resentment towards Lin Lulu and, with ulterior motives, offered a plan to Talulah.

The best solution to the problem of insufficient logistical supplies is to sustain the war effort through war.

If they continue to stay in Chernobog, a city that has been almost completely looted, the only outcome for the Reunion Movement will be annihilation.

Before the Ursus Empire can even renege on its promise and send troops to annihilate them, the excessive population growth and scarce resources will likely lead to everyone starving to death. In that case, it's better to capitalize on this initial victory and launch a raid on Lungmen, the mobile city closest to Chernobog!

Once Dragon Gate is captured, compared to Chernobog, a resource-poor and aging border town, this city known as the Pearl of Terra will obviously have much richer resources.

Froststar frowned furiously upon hearing this, finding it increasingly absurd.

With these freaks and monsters, how could they possibly conquer Lungmen? A mobile city that can travel the world and remain safe in any country—if it were that easy to conquer, it would have been overrun by vagrants and criminals long ago!

Froststar snorted coldly, confident that Talulah's foresight would lead her to the right judgment.

Unless Talulah has lost her mind, there's no way she would agree to Mephisto's plan.

However, to Frostnova's incredulous gaze... Talulah agreed to the plan and even appointed Mephisto as the commander-in-chief of the operation.

At that moment, Froststar understood something.

The Reunion Movement is over.

Chapter 217 Terra Online

ST-0133 area.

"Team, captain..."

Edward would have vomited if the research team hadn't maxed out their gas mask development.

Even after multiple filters, he could still smell a strong, pungent stench that sent chills down his spine.

Anyone with a modicum of common sense knows that this monster cannot be stopped with a military knife, a folding stick, or a shovel.

Judging by sight alone, the overall area is about fifteen meters... because the passage is only fifteen meters long until the corner! Who knows if there are any tails outside the line of sight! This level of anomaly is simply impossible to contain. Any heavy firepower you have should be used to blow it right in the face. This thing shouldn't exist in this world!

Even the borderless army, these desperate criminals, know what is controllable and what is uncontrollable.

"Stop complaining, this is work. You're all adults working in society now, be a little more mature."

Kevin stood at the front as always, his military spirit still burning brightly in his heart.

As an officer charging into battle, it is absolutely impossible for him to sit in the back row and let his subordinates die.

“Our mission is to buy time. The other squads are on their way. Until then, all we need to do is survive…” Kevin took a deep breath, memorizing the stench of the monster's corpse, and exhaled heavily, shouting, “There are three orders! Hold it off! Protect the Originium Engine! Don’t die!”

"Yes, Captain!"

Edward and Ricky, who was skilled with shovels, responded loudly, and the three adjusted their positions to form a defensive line.

Black sludge, laden with the resentment of the infected, wafted about, countless arms reaching out to them, thirsting for flesh and blood...

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.

An army without borders.

Longmen Base R&D Platform.

"Was this all part of your plan?"

Lin Lu spoke slowly, his gaze sharp as he looked at Bai Huang sitting directly opposite him.

On the big screen, the trio desperately holding their ground in the Originium Engine area were locked in a fierce battle. It was clear to anyone with eyes that they were in dire straits. If they didn't make any changes, their defensive line might collapse in just ten more minutes... no, not even ten minutes.

If they could use the firearms and explosive devices independently developed by the Army Without Borders, the D-07 squad could set up a firing point that could hold out for two hours without any problem.

There are no useless soldiers in the Army Without Borders. Even members of Team D can easily complete highly difficult bounty missions. Talent, strength, unique abilities, relentless effort, comprehensive tactical training, and unparalleled logistical support make everyone here an elite.

For example, if the people holding the line here were members of the Lungmen Guard Bureau, they would probably be crushed and wiped out in less than a minute.

Even so, it would be asking too much of a man to face such a monster with cold weapons.

"I don't understand what you mean."

Bai Huang gave a knowing smile. She was playing dumb, knowing that Lin Lu wouldn't just stand by and do nothing. But she couldn't directly ask Lin Lu for support for the combat team. From any perspective, the Army Without Borders needed to prove itself to their former boss, now the Doctor.

To put it bluntly, Bai Huang's meaning is...

We need you, and you need us.

"Is this how an army without borders treats its own people? I've certainly learned something from that, and I'd really like to decline."

Lin Lu said coldly. Although his words were harsh, his eyes were still fixed on the big screen. Perhaps it was because of the fragmented memories, or perhaps it was because of his protective instincts, but seeing his former underlings being brutally beaten by the monster created by that bastard Mephisto... he was unhappy, really unhappy, and furious.

Lin's legs began to tremble without his noticing, and he tapped his fingers harder and harder on the table, feeling a growing sense of irritation.

"Our army, with its borderless military, boasts unparalleled technological prowess! From the moment the contract is signed, our comprehensive social security and housing fund guarantees are in place. Medical insurance and death insurance are naturally of paramount importance. If they lose an arm or leg in the course of combat, our research and development platform will unconditionally tailor-make a mechanical prosthesis for them. Do you know how expensive a mechanical arm is? Especially one with added tactical functions? Even Raytheon Industries would sell it for hundreds of thousands of Lungmen Dollars, which is countless in terms of Crimson Gold!"

"Oh ho? So what is death insurance?"

"Unconditionally dispatch S-rank squads to escort the bodies back to their hometowns. If the hometown of a fallen operator no longer exists, bury them at the headquarters of the Army Without Borders."

"No needle pricks, no needle pricks for an army without borders, no needle pricks for five social insurances and one housing fund," Lin Lu said coldly.

Bai Huang figured out what Lin Lu was implying, and she said irritably, "Back then, you insisted on establishing the 'five insurances and one fund' rule, saying it was for the mercenaries' protection. Since we're going to provide a home for all the homeless and destitute people in this world, then the most basic public welfare must be implemented, not a single penny less. If anyone dares to embezzle, you hang them on a street lamp on the spot and leave them to bake in the sun for ten or fifteen days. It's made these combat team members act like madmen when they're on missions, one or two of them don't care about their lives, and one or two of them want to be a wolf."

"...I always feel like you're saying things that I used to understand, but now that I've lost my memory, I don't understand them anymore."

"You were the one who kept painting a rosy picture and telling stories to people during the early days of your business! You were always afraid we wouldn't understand what you were saying, so you would spend a long time explaining each time. You even had this 'randomly select a lucky audience member' thing, and if they answered correctly, they would get a reward, and if they couldn't answer, they would get a Garen dunk. Even during continuous combat missions, everyone would bring their plates and chairs to you during mealtimes to listen to your stories. Some people were looking forward to the rewards, while others were just addicted to being beaten up by you. It's really weird that getting beaten up can increase combat experience."

Bai Huang stood up, cursing. She was furious. It was like someone had patiently told you stories, complete with explanations. In the end, you tried to communicate with them using the knowledge and culture they had taught you, only to find that they had amnesia and hadn't understood a single word.

This sense of powerlessness and frustration is enough to make any storyteller change careers.

Bai Huang turned around and started rummaging through things. She remembered that there were various pieces of equipment used in the research and development process in the conference room.

"If you're feeling annoyed, Boss, I can offer you some goodies."

"What great deal? Is it a new game?"

"It's even more fun than a game, come on—wait, why can you pick up on this joke so perfectly even though you have amnesia?! Don't just etch things into your DNA, Kora!"

Bai Huang angrily placed the tactical communication headset in front of Lin Lu, and then placed the device that was operating the projector on it as well.

"Terra Online, why not give it a try?"

Chapter 218 Waiting for the Fireworks to Cool Down

Lungmen Underground City, ST-0133 District.

Combat Team D-07 is stuck in the mud; this is not a figure of speech, but the literal meaning.