Ark Chess Player.

These landmines can be manually triggered, but only within 20 to 30 meters, while the blast radius is a full 50 meters!

W knew the Doctor's power; she knew he could detect the landmines buried among the rubble beforehand, so she was gambling with her life. Was it her own Sarkaz heritage that made her so resilient, or the Doctor's thick-skinned body, scarred and battered from countless battles?

Even if a landmine spreads in a fan-shaped area with a 60-degree angle, fragments of the mine casing will still fly backward and cause damage upon detonation.

Moreover, the flames ignited by the active Originium explosives are merely the most basic form of damage; the truly lethal aspect lies in the countless Originium fragments contained within. These highly radioactive fragments not only lacerate human skin, sever blood vessels, and shred flesh, but also implant Oripathy—a disease with a 100% fatality rate—into the enemy's body, ensuring that even if the enemy survives the explosion, they will be on the verge of death.

But W didn't expect that he had underestimated the doctor's abilities.

Just as Lin Lu sensed the fluctuations generated by the source stone energy, Ling Yu also absorbed all the information from the surprise box into his mind.

Lin Lu inhaled and exhaled, the sharp edge of his thrusting blade ending prematurely, the swirling hurricane protecting him. In the digitized world, under intense mental concentration, the flow of time slowed once more, almost to the point of stopping. This wasn't the power of the Guardian Operator Melantha, but Lin Lu's own ability.

The information provided by Anemone is still vivid in my mind.

Mei Mingliu's motto: To seek the meaning behind drawing one's sword.

Meiming Wuxinliu emphasizes continuously absorbing the strengths of various schools of thought, its precept lies in the four words "adaptability", its essence lies in the four words "practicality is all that matters", and its ultimate goal is to win by any means necessary.

Master, I understand.

Meiming Wuxinliu - Secret Technique: Dragon Flash!

Just before the impending explosion, Lin Lu removed the scabbard from the Ark Driver belt and quickly sheathed the sword.

Draw the knife!

The surging sword intent, mixed with Originium Arts, unleashed a fierce, pure white sword aura, seemingly capable of severing even space itself. The dazzling, blazing white sword light split the raging flames in two. Even the scattered Originium fragments were suppressed by the extreme sword intent, and the buzzing hurricane forcefully extinguished the exploding flames.

Although it was not enough to dispel the clouds of disaster, it was enough to make the earth clear and clean.

W, who had assumed a crouching position to minimize the area of ​​damage, prepared for the explosion, but all that came was a gust of wind.

She blinked, peering through the gaps between her fingers to see what was going on.

"Damn, could you be any more perverted?!"

W scrambled over to avoid Lin Lu's relentless attack, cursing loudly!

"Basic procedure, please have a seat."

"Sit down and let me chop your pieces obediently! Do you think I'm stupid?!"

The raging sword intent swept past W's head, startling W so much that he clutched his sensitive horns with both hands and ran around wildly without any regard for his image.

Lin Lu frowned slightly, accelerated to catch up again, and swung his sword to cleave the incoming bullets.

It always seems to be just one step away from catching up, but the opponent just manages to evade it, making it impossible to successfully subdue them.

It seems it wasn't a misperception; the other party was clearly stalling for time.

"How much do you... know about my past?"

Lin Lu stopped and did not blindly chase after them.

The anemone holding up a "Danger" sign stopped him from moving forward. In the data-driven view, the four landmines placed in the area where W was located were specially marked and flashed a dazzling red light.

"Huh? What do you mean by that? It's like you've lost your memory."

W, panting heavily, clutched his tactical rifle and stared wide-eyed at Lin Lu, carefully observing her expression.

"Damn, are you serious? You're just faking it! You remember me... Damn, I almost forgot your skills. Spying on personal information is a piece of cake for you." W's fake smile vanished, leaving all the sarcasm to the Doctor. "But it doesn't matter. Whether you really have amnesia or you're faking it, it's meaningless to me. I want to know the truth, and I'll pry it out of your mouth no matter what it takes!"

"No matter what method you use?"

Lin Lu stared at her, while glancing at the unconscious King Killer.

If she were to truly resort to any means necessary as W suggested, she could simply throw the explosive Originium active material at the Kingkiller. Given Lin Lu's personality, she would definitely fight back desperately to protect the Kingkiller.

But Lin Lu would also retaliate like a madman, just like Garsen did before.

The moment Garsen conceived the idea of ​​taking the Kingslayer hostage, he was punched into the air by the berserk Lin Lu, who was willing to extract the remaining Originium energy from the Ark Driver in order to unleash a powerful attack that would turn him into Garsen.

“...Even I wouldn’t provoke a monster like you.” W seemed to notice Lin Lu’s gaze and clicked his tongue involuntarily. “I’ve experienced firsthand that anyone who dares to touch your people will get their head smashed.”

W recalled being... Ugh! She couldn't help but shudder.

"It seems you really know me."

Lin Lu smiled slightly, sheathed his straight-bladed longsword, lowered his body, and calmed his mind.

"You know me so well, you must also know... there's always a thin line separating the hunter and the prey."

Lin Lu's fingers moved back and forth on the hilt of the sword, and all the surrounding sounds disappeared. The only sound that echoed in his ears was the beating of his own heart.

A blazing white sword light rose section by section from the scabbard, and Lin Lu's figure, like an arrow released from a bow, instantly traversed twenty or thirty meters and arrived in front of W.

The sword storm, traversing the world, flew everywhere, slicing the landmines deployed in various places into thin pieces, and even shattering the signal triggering device in W's hand.

Mei Mingliu – Ultimate Skill: Mei Ming Cross Slash.

A straight-bladed longsword, clear as a mirror, rested against W's neck. Lin Lu lowered his body and stared into those defiant, scarlet eyes.

"Now, I ask and you answer."

Chapter 43 The Holy Grail of Iz

"This style is so familiar it's frightening. Are you really suffering from amnesia?"

W raised his hands and performed a very proper and standard French military salute.

"first question."

Lin Lu ignored W's words, instead silently frowning and enduring his discomfort, asking, "How long has it been since you last took a shower?"

"Huh? You actually care about this?" W's expression changed. She lowered her head and sniffed. It was a mixture of the smell of explosives, blood, and earth, a reassuring smell. "I don't think it's dirty. Do you think everyone is like you, wearing perfume on the battlefield? Hey, it's Victoria's perfume."

Without fear, W held the straight-bladed longsword to her neck. She tiptoed closer to Lin Lu and sniffed, a look of realization flashing across her face for a moment. Surrounded by the gentle fragrance, she unconsciously relaxed her body, feeling a sense of healing, but quickly realized her relaxation, her face instantly tightening into a stiff expression.

"..."

Lin Lu frowned deeply, but didn't say anything more.

Perhaps it was the unique sense of smell of the Felin race, or perhaps it was the extraordinary perception of the Guardian Operator Melantha, that made him feel extremely dangerous. W exuded a strange, familiar, and ominous... insane scent.

What truth are you looking for?

"...Hmph, still pretending to have amnesia?"

"Don't answer questions with rhetorical questions; I don't have the patience or the time."

Lin Lu applied pressure, and the straight-bladed longsword left a fine bloodstain on W's neck.

With his swordsmanship, he could easily sever the Sarkaz girl's throat in an instant, without even getting blood on himself.

W's face gradually darkened, her scarlet eyes revealing deep hostility, her pupils bulging like a cat's—this was her true expression.

"What role did you play in the final battle at Babel three years ago?"

"...Don't answer questions with rhetorical questions!"

"This is the truth I've been searching for!!"

W reached out and grabbed Lin Lu's collar. Even though the blade had already grazed her skin and was bleeding, she did not flinch.

"The battlefield commander of Babel, the leader of the Army Without Borders, the Fourth Scourge, the one who deceives the world. Your story is a legend told in every tavern in Kazdel, in every Sarkaz mercenary camp, and among every faction in the War of the Two Kings. How could someone capable of tilting the scales of war so easily not have guessed a decapitation strike—a strike aimed at strategy rather than tactics? How could you have failed to protect even one Sarkaz!"

The girl screamed and roared, asking questions with resentment.

It was a hysterical outburst, and also the hatred that lingered day and night for three years.

She gripped Lin Lu's shirt tightly, pulling him close to her. Their eyes reflected each other as she searched for an answer.

"……who is she?"

Lin Lu slowly asked, even though he was the one in control, even though he had his sword hanging over the other's life, he was being suppressed by the other's fearless aura. When the other takes off his shoes, the barefoot are not afraid of the one wearing shoes, so the threat no longer has any meaning.

"Hehe, hehe."

W saw confusion and bewilderment in Lin Lu's eyes and couldn't help but let out a mocking laugh through gritted teeth.

“Listen carefully. Remember this name. Everyone can forget her, even me, but you absolutely cannot. You may not remember, but in every photo I've taken, she only shows a peaceful smile when she's with you.”

"Theresa."

"Yes, Theresa."

When she called out that name, W's expression became incredibly gentle, as if she were basking in the sunlight and witnessing a glimmer of hope.

"Theresia—"

Lin Lu murmured, his pink pupils instantly becoming unfocused.

The data-driven world vanished in an instant, and even the virtual AI anemone disappeared with it.

Consciousness converged into an ocean, and Lin Lü found himself on a tranquil lake, gazing at the beautiful figure in the center of the lake.

Lin Lu stepped forward slowly, his steps light and gentle as he waded through the rippling lake water.

Longing transforms into misty clouds, enveloping the dreamlike lake in a haze. It is so gentle, yet so profound, drawing one in completely, immersing one in the nostalgia for one's hometown, unable to extricate oneself for a long time.

"You are……"

Lin Lu reached out towards the figure of the woman in the white dress and touched the hazy white silk veil on her face.

The next moment, a blood-red full moon suddenly rose over the ocean of consciousness, and endless crimson dyed the lake surface into a pool of blood.

The lake was boiling, the ever-bubbling water turning it into a prison. Lin Lu lost his footing and sank into the scalding water. Countless chains surged from the depths of the lake, pulling him further in. His only outstretched hand still pointed towards the center of the lake, but all he felt was a sticky, cold, wet sensation in his palm.

"Ugh...uh...ahhh!!"

Lin Lu struggled to come back to his senses from the hallucination, and the last trace of cobalt blue in his black pupils quietly dissipated.

He struggled to lift his arm, grabbed W's wrist tightly, and stared at the strangely shaped jade cup in her hand.

"Doctor, do you remember this? This is the burial item from three years ago when you were placed in your coffin, the Iz Grail. It took me a lot of effort to steal it out secretly. I sneaked into the sarcophagus alone and took care of all the researchers who coveted your body. You should thank me."

While Lin Lu was distracted by Theresa, W secretly smeared the deep red blood, which exuded a mysterious aura and was contained in the Holy Grail, onto Lin Lu's Ark Driver. As Lin Lu's mind was connected to the Ark Driver, his consciousness was directly affected by the synchronization, his spirit was deeply eroded, and his spiritual domain closed again.

"What...did you do!?"

Lin Lu clearly felt his body was losing control, his blood was rushing wildly, and his skin was turning bright red. The purple Felin Clan 3D projection dissipated from his body, along with the straight-bladed longsword he was holding, and his knight riding form automatically dissipated.

Is this power that is 1000% stronger than Guard?

As expected, those who claimed to have a thousand riders all failed!

“I’ve already said it.” W narrowed his eyes and smiled slightly, his smile full of coldness, his lazy voice rising slightly, “I will stop at nothing to pry your mouth open, even if it means letting the monster that destroys the world reappear, I don’t care, I just want the truth.”

"You're crazy..."

"I wasn't the only one who went crazy; everyone present that day went crazy. Tsk, it really comes true as soon as you say it."

W frowned and reached out to grab Lin Lu, but the dark green shadow was faster than she was, sweeping Lin Lu away right in front of her.

Lin Lu subconsciously wanted to resist, but the Originium arms that were holding him high in the air were so cool and comfortable that the high temperature emanating from his body quickly transferred and dispersed the heat, making him involuntarily give up struggling and settle down to be a lazy bum.

"Roar."

The dark green Originium creature floating in mid-air let out a low growl and threw Lin Lu, who was wrapped around its body, off.

The white-haired, green-eyed woman caught the dazed Lin Lu, her expressionless face ultimately revealing a complex emotion.

"Ugh……"

She let out a soft sigh.

Chapter Forty-Four: The Law, Drink It

“What an unexpected reunion, Kal'tsit.”

W withdrew his empty hand, his attitude arrogant, putting on an indifferent air.

At the same time, she quietly put the Iz Grail back into her pouch behind her, just in case it got stolen later.

"...What is your name now, W?"

“Sarkaz mercenary, W, it’s been a long time. Although this ‘long time’ might have a different meaning, I haven’t had a chance to change my name yet.” W crossed her arms, showing no fear even when facing Kal’tsit. “So, could you explain?”

"Is there anything I need to explain?"

"What do you think? Why are you also putting on this act of feigning madness?!"

W's gaze was fixed on the person who was limp in Kal'tsit's arms, her beautiful eyes almost burning with anger.