Ark Chess Player.

Lin Lu clenched his fist, and blood seeped from between his fingers.

He kept his emotions in check, waiting for Amiya to give instructions.

"PhD."

Amiya's gaze was fixed on the evil spirits of Babel. She could sense something ominous stirring within the Doctor. She saw a possibility: if Lin Lu were allowed to fight freely, it would inevitably result in a humiliating defeat where both sides would perish.

Mephistopheles doesn't deserve to send Lin Lu back to the abyss; it doesn't deserve it.

The possibility of changing the world lies in Amiya's hands.

"I am not the same person I was back then."

Amiya grasped Lin Lu's hand, feeling the warmth of his hand and the hot blood clinging to her palm.

“Although you have lost your memory, Doctor, and can’t remember—” Amiya gritted her teeth, fragments of memory flashed through her mind, and she gripped Lin Lu’s hand tightly, “Back then, I was timid and fragile, easily frightened, and relied on you, entrusting everything to you… I have always relied on you to move forward, and even now, I may not look any different from three years ago.”

"Amiya..."

Lin Lu was slightly moved, and his rationality, which had almost slipped to the other side, returned slightly.

“Doctor, I’ve seen far too many tragedies. Of course, I don’t want to see them happen again, but I know…” Amiya turned to face Mephisto, raising her hand as black threads of magic altered the shape of the air. “Some things can’t be solved by ignoring them. I must move forward, I cannot retreat, I must continue fighting!”

"Doctor, please lend me your power! The power to defeat Mephistopheles!"

Lin Lu gazed at Amiya, then raised his left hand, which was white from clenching his fist, and gently placed it on Amiya's hand.

"Ouch!"

Chapter 373 The Ominous Star of Silver Wings (3K)

"Everyone on alert!"

The central area of ​​Chernobog 14.

Superintendent Chen and Inspector Hoshiguma of the Guard Bureau stood at the front of the squad. Superintendent Chen raised his hand and made a tactical gesture, indicating that they should stop.

Along the way, they encountered strange enemies. Some barely clothed Oripathy infected individuals rushed at them like madmen. Judging from their appearance, most of them were Ursus people, presumably local residents. These crazed infected individuals numbered at least nearly a hundred, and soon they surrounded the Guardian team's retreat route, forcing them to move towards the city center square.

If the Guard Bureau and Rhodes Island are cooperating, then they would know that Rhodes Island's mobile squads have encountered the same situation. At this point, the best option is definitely not to comply with their wishes, but to fight their way out.

Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs".

"Hoshiguma, can you hear me?"

"Hmm..." Hoshiguma slowly opened her eyes. The Oni race has a very keen sense of perception. When fully focused, they can see things a kilometer away and hear the sound of Originium worms crawling in the artificial earth layer beneath their feet.

"Intense battle sounds are coming from the city center, and the rustling footsteps of Originium Bugs can be heard around the perimeter of the ruined city. From our rear, we can hear... the panting of the enemy." Hoshiguma hesitated for a moment, but still did not refer to those beast-like enemies who devoured people as Infected.

"Is the Reunion Movement conducting human experiments here?"

Hoshiguma felt a chill run down her spine, and not only her, but the other team members also turned pale.

The Guard Bureau has never been afraid of thugs, no matter how vicious they are, they are still human. But the enemy they are facing now seems to be beyond their comprehension, like a monster that has stepped out of a horror novel.

Monsters in human skin are often more frightening than deformed wild beasts.

"I don't know... but we'll find out soon enough."

Superintendent Chen picked up his standard-issue longsword and placed his other hand on the hilt of Chi Xiao's sword.

Chixiao's Dragon-Slaying Sword is a technique meant to kill, and she wouldn't hesitate to draw it to slay the culprit who caused all of this.

"All personnel, listen up! Immediately replace the Originium filter. Everyone must return to Lungmen safely."

Chen Huijie shouted, as she could sense that the area ahead was a disaster zone caused by Originium.

"Rhodes Island...is it just ahead?"

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.

"Jessica, Meteorite, crush the enemies that stand in our way."

"Frostleaf, don't rush forward! Stay within cover!"

"Doctor, I'll break through with you!"

Amiya gave precise instructions, weaving black threads to block the attacking herds.

Lin Lu did not immediately use the Ark Driver to transform. Instead, he used tactical CQC to defeat the attacking enemies time and time again. He did not extract the Originium from these herds, as there were too many impurities, which would easily cause mental strain.

Froststar and the Yeti squad continued to cast spells, and the temperature in the desolate square had dropped by thirty degrees, with snow falling everywhere.

"Haha, so you're actually approaching me on your own initiative? Instead of running away, you're walking right towards me, Mephisto!"

Lin Lu snapped the enemy's neck with a backhand swift motion, threw the corpse to the ground, and said indifferently, "If I don't get close to you, how am I supposed to beat you up?"

“Then come a little closer!” Mephistopheles spread his arms wide, teasingly adding, “Perfect timing, I have a gift for you. Last night, I caught some annoying mosquitoes. These mosquitoes are quite clever… they know how to conceal their identities. But the better they conceal themselves, the more it proves their identity, doesn’t it?”

Amiya's expression changed, and she gritted her teeth, saying, "Get out of my way!!"

The herd was swept away by the black torrent of magic, and Amiya continuously increased the power of the spell, her cyan ring glowing with a dangerous red light.

Frost Leaf used the chilling energy gathered by the Yeti Squad to increase the damage of Originium Arts and break through all obstacles in its path.

"Mephisto! I want you to weep and kneel for a long time, I want—your life!" Frostleaf said coldly.

"Can you do it, little fox?" Mephistopheles' eyes were smiling, maintaining his superior attitude throughout, a fake smile on his face. "These guys are just appetizers, the real main course hasn't even started yet. Don't rush, don't rush. How about we enjoy dessert first? Guards, release the cage!"

"Screw your Ursus curse."

Vulgar language came from behind Mephistopheles.

Mephistopheles' fake smile finally froze. He slowly suppressed his smile, and his monocle gleamed coldly.

"W, you lowly woman, what are you doing?"

"Oh dear, I don't belong to your inferior race."

The Sarkaz mercenary girl's smile blossomed, and the brighter her smile, the worse it meant—she kept smiling.

Behind W, the Rhodes Island operators, Slinka, Putr, Longscorpion, and Rafa, who had regained their freedom, regrouped. Their weapons had been confiscated by Mephisto, but as a reconnaissance team, being unarmed did not mean they were incapable of fighting.

While Mephisto's attention was focused on Rhodes Island and the Yeti squad, W used her stealth experience learned in the Tower of Babel to conceal her presence to the point of being invisible, and circled around to the weakly guarded cage to rescue her four old friends.

“W, I’ll personally sew that filthy mouth of yours shut,” Mephistopheles said viciously.

"I feel so bad that a little kid who lost all his limbs in the bombing used his mouth to hold a makeup brush and do my makeup."

W picked up the remote control, pressed the explosion button with a dashing air, and struck a pose reminiscent of Yoshikage Kira giving a thumbs-up.

Before rescuing his former comrades, W secretly attached Originium bombs to the bodies of many irrational Infected in the herd. Anyone with a brain would have noticed something was wrong, but where would Mephisto find normal people? And normal people wouldn't follow Mephisto.

"--boom!!"

The Originium exploded, and dazzling fireworks shot into the sky!

When W goes berserk, she doesn't care how close the bomb is; even being within the blast radius is no problem for her. She gets hurt again and again, tearing open the scabs of her wounds time and time again, remembering the feeling of pain.

Like Kal'tsit, she was someone who witnessed the collapse of faith.

Like Kal'tsit, she was insane; only a madwoman could turn a deep, unforgettable pain into motivation to move forward.

The infected, struck by the bomb, were instantly blasted to pieces, their flesh, ore fragments, and bone fragments of Originium scattering in all directions, churning amidst the brilliant flames and shockwaves. Like a sickle reaping wheat, countless herds fell in an instant.

"Jessica! Watch out!"

Seeing the gray mist rising around her, Meteorite quickly took out a filter mask from her pocket and put it on Jessica's face. Jessica was the only non-infected member of the mobile squad, and if she ingested too many Originium particles, there was a high probability that she would contract the disease as a result of this battle.

Frost leaves froze the floating Originium particles, accelerating wildly along the wide road of the W-blast clearing herd, their spears and axes condensing into ice blades.

"You can't escape! Mephistopheles! A person who doesn't respect life doesn't deserve to live!"

“The guests haven’t all arrived yet. How can I, as the host of the banquet, leave without permission? You’re too close to me, little fox,” Mephistopheles said calmly. He was quite annoyed by W’s disruption.

"Frostleaf, don't go over there, wait for us—cough cough!"

Amiya raised her arms to shield her eyes from the aftershocks of the Originium bomb.

"Doctor, are you alright?"

Lin Lu licked his lips and commented, "It's alright, a little sweet."

Amiya: “?”

Even W's Originium Bomb smelled better than the infected infected by Mephisto through the Filthy Blood. Lin Lu felt that his rationality had finally risen a little, and the oppressive feeling he had been experiencing since stepping onto the ruins had eased a bit.

Lin Lu reveled in the fresh Originium particles in the air, an act that would undoubtedly be suicidal to others. But for Lin, it was as if he had emerged from a stale basement into the light of day, his brain, which had been impaired by anger, starting to function again.

something wrong.

There's something wrong with this abandoned urban area.

Lin Lu's thinking logic became clear, and his thoughts flowed like a spring.

This is a trap, but not just any simple one. The fact that they went to such lengths to lure them and the Guard Bureau here clearly indicates their intention to annihilate this vital force on the spot. Besides, what Lin Lu found unsettling was… where were the ordinary soldiers of the Reunion Movement? Even with Mephisto, W, and Frostnova present, Lin Lu hadn't seen a single normal Reunion Movement soldier.

Deceiving the heavens to cross the sea, waiting in comfort for the enemy to tire themselves out, feinting to the east while attacking in the west, secretly crossing the Chencang pass, luring the tiger away from the mountain, a series of interconnected schemes.

Lin Lu suddenly realized.

Mephistopheles' real goal is the Dragon Gate.

So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Mephistopheles, who appeared here...

"how come!?"

Frostleaf's spear pierced Mephistopheles, but the sensation returning to her palm didn't feel like a complex human structure; it was liquid, pure liquid. It was as if Mephistopheles before her was merely a vessel draped in human skin, filled with water.

"Frostleaf! Back down!!" Lin Lu roared, channeling his spiritual power into the hooded coat modified by the Borderless Army. The silver-white photon frame seeped out of his body and transformed into burning wings.

Lin Lu didn't have time to explain to Amiya. He sped up and ran, stirring up a gust of wind.

The air was stirred up by the heat, and Frostnova, who was casting a spell, frowned and subconsciously turned her head to look over.

Upon hearing Lin Lu's reminder, Shuangye decisively abandoned her spear and axe and retreated. Weapons can be remade, but once a person is gone, everything is gone; as a mercenary, she understood this better than anyone else.

Mephistopheles did not stop Frostleaf, because she was never his target.

"I knew it……"

Mephistopheles' figure gradually blurred. He adjusted his monocle, and the ominous star of Silverwing was reflected in the lens.

"Lin Lu, I knew you would risk your life to save people; that's your inherent weakness! That's the difference between us! Five years ago, you had the chance to kill me, but for the sake of the Kingslayer, you hesitated, you gave up. What a pity, that day was your only chance. Since you gave it up, you'll never be able to beat me!"

Mephistopheles laughed wildly, his hoarse voice low and deep, as if a stone were stuck in his throat.

He spread his arms, and crimson blood seeped from the inside out of his white robe.

"Enjoy your dinner, Rhodes Island!"

Chapter 374 Daughter of the Stars (Bonus Chapter)

Mephisto has self-destructed.

To be precise, Mephisto's clone self-destructed.

This clone, like the phantom Mephisto that appeared outside Lungmen to attack the Kingslayer, was a puppet he created by separating flesh and blood. It could sense things in sync and also cast spells.

At this moment, crimson cracks bloomed on the white robe, and the gold-rimmed monocle, which served as a mobile altar, shattered with a soft sound.

A deep red light emanated, as if the gates of hell had opened in Mephistopheles' chest, and a gaze from the abyss stared at Lin Lü through layers of media.

The herds in the ruined city responded to Mephisto's call and stopped what they were doing. The already overclocked Originium fusion rate was unleashed and broke through the limit in an instant, reaching a 100% fusion rate!

Every infected person here is a bomb prepared by Mephisto. Even the high-energy stone worm is just a means to confuse people's minds. Mephisto has considered every aspect meticulously, as cautious as a hunter.

From the commander's perspective, besides Talulah, he is the most capable person in Reunion.

If it weren't for Rhodes Island, Mephisto might have already captured Lungmen during the nighttime raid a few days ago. Even if he couldn't completely eliminate Lungmen in one fell swoop, with the power he borrowed from the Abyss Grail, destroying Lungmen's first line of heavy defense wouldn't be a problem. Once he conquered Lungmen's slums, the Reunion Movement could take root in Lungmen, multiplying like mold and gradually consuming everything.

The Reunion Movement's ability to dominate the Lungmen Guard Bureau these past few days is not without reason. Besides the constant infighting and attrition within the Guard Bureau, it's largely due to Mephisto's ruthlessness. He treats his soldiers as pawns, striking Lungmen precisely where they are most vulnerable.

It's not that we didn't try to integrate, but unfortunately, there's Lin Lu at Longmen.

Lin Lu is Mephisto's nemesis. No matter how meticulous Mephisto's plan is, Lin Lu can easily guess his intentions, block his attack, and push back.

Mephistopheles suffered defeat after defeat, and there was no hope of victory in sight.

To escape this endless cycle of despair, Mephistopheles laid this trap, trading the lives of an entire city for Lin Lu's. He fully exploited Lin Lu's extremely protective nature, and his entire plan was based on this.

Just as Mephisto predicted, Lin Lu would do everything in his power to save his operative.

This is Lin Lu's strength, but also his weakness.