Ark Chess Player.

If Lin Lu had truly abandoned the Yeti Squad and simply left with Amiya and the others, then he would never have seen Frostnova again.

As for whether I've become stronger, or as Mephistopheles said, become weaker because I have too many things to consider... only time will tell.

"If only it had been me... or the Kingslayer who found you first back then."

Froststar gazed intently at Lin Lu and said earnestly, "If we find you, we will never let you go."

—It is a very happy thing to receive support when you need affirmation the most.

Lin Lu recalled those words, not knowing who had said them to him, but he truly felt a warmth in his heart.

"Then come with me to Rhodes Island. It just so happens that the Kingslayer and Xiaoya are here as well, and the Yetis can come along too. You're all welcome!"

"To be honest, I'm a little tempted."

"A heartbeat is worse than action."

"Let me think about it some more."

Froststar wasn't so easily led astray by Lin Lu; she wasn't a girl who could be fooled.

Lin Lu's tone unconsciously became much more relaxed. He looked at Shuangxing's pretty face and considered the possibility she mentioned.

"If you had found me back then, I probably would be in charge of Reunion now. Mephisto, that bastard, must die. Within three days, the entire Guard Bureau in Lungmen would be wiped out. Then, all the infected in Terra would be organized to resist! Let the red ocean spread to every corner of the world, and the corrupt Ursus Tsarist system would be completely reformed, achieving an industrial revolution."

"If only it were as easy as you say."

Froststar let out its heaviest sigh yet.

Lin Lu then asked, "So, what is the Integration Movement doing now?"

"...The Reunion Movement is far more fragmented than you imagine. Even without interference from any national powers, it wouldn't last until spring. Logistics are a complete mess; the soldiers are starving and freezing. Under these circumstances, I simply cannot understand why Talulah would so urgently call for infected to join through city broadcasts. We cannot keep our promises; we can only watch helplessly as new recruits are screened and assigned. The capable get a hot meal, while the incapable are left to die in indifference. How are our actions any different from those 'Reapers' of Lungmen and Chernobog?"

Frostnova became increasingly agitated as she spoke, lamenting, "My biggest disagreement with Patriot is that he goes to great lengths to protect the Reunion Movement. It is his indulgence that has allowed Talulah to act so recklessly. Bodrakastie said that the Reunion Movement is the first organization name that the Infected can hear and believe. No matter where the Reunion Movement goes, we cannot directly destroy it."

"The collapse of the Reunion Movement will cause the Infected to lose confidence and the will to fight. Once the Reunion Movement is destroyed, all the previous efforts will be in vain, and the Infected around the world will be in despair. Because someone tried to resist, such a massive resistance that captured an entire city, the city of the war empire Ursus. The Reunion Movement achieved such a feat, yet it still could not escape the fate of destruction. Doesn't this mean that the Infected's resistance is destined to fail, and the Infected... are destined to have no future?"

Froststar had long, drooping eyelashes. She had tried to talk to Bodochasti, but the old stubborn man refused to listen to her.

She understood Bozokasti's meaning; he intended to transform the Reunion Movement into a symbol. Even if he fell here, the spark of the Reunion Movement could ignite a prairie fire, the banner of the Infected's resistance would burn forever, and the flame would never be extinguished.

However… whether they are infected who joined after hearing about the Reunion Movement's exploits, or infected who feel that all their actions can be tolerated, they are causing division within the Reunion Movement, while Talulah does nothing, even tacitly approving these actions.

Frostnova's gaze didn't reach that far, so she saw more details.

"This is a betrayal."

Chapter 381 Hi, Father-in-law! (4K)

"Three years ago, my comrades and I traversed the ice fields, launching a rebellion against this unjust land."

Froststar's body trembled slightly. She had regained some strength while nestled against Lin Lu's chest, but she still couldn't control her body, which was suffering from the backlash of the spell. She tried to sit up, but gave up in the end and remained lying on Lin Lu.

"We saw a fire in an old bunker that had become a battlefield. The people who light fires in such places are either scavengers or the repulsive Ursus overseers. We surrounded the ruins, but there was only one woman inside, an infected woman dressed in an Ursus officer's uniform. She was all alone and smiled as she asked us if we needed warmth."

Froststar smiled, a smile that was both helpless and amused; it seemed to be a pleasant memory.

"She immediately recognized that the Originium crystals my Yetis carried were the source of frost magic. She made a bet with us: if she could melt our ice, we would all sit down and talk amicably."

Lin Lu bluntly said, "It seems she won."

Froststar glanced at Lin Lu with dissatisfaction and muttered, "No, I didn't."

"really?"

“I said no, and that’s final.” Froststar was a little annoyed. She explained vaguely, “I was really strong back then, much stronger than I am now! I fought her to a draw, and I had a slight advantage over her. I didn’t want to listen to her nonsense. It wasn’t until she took out the roster and number book that I became interested and listened to what she had to say.”

"A roster?" Lin Lu asked curiously.

“Yes, it’s a yellowed roster, I don’t know how many times it’s been flipped through, it’s all wrinkled to the touch.” Froststar pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, but still told Lin Lu honestly, “The first name on the roster is your name.”

This is why Frostnova stopped fighting at that time.

She learned from Talulah about Lin Lu, whom she hadn't seen for two years, so she immediately pressed Talulah for information about Lin Lu's whereabouts.

Talulah stated that this was a roster she received from a very important person and that it was a legacy of the Reunion Movement.

After learning that Frostnova was quite interested in the original owner of the roster, Talulah used this as a starting point for conversation and was finally able to have a good chat with Frostnova.

Frostnova's initial attention was focused on Lin Lu, and she didn't believe in the vision of the Reunion Movement described by Talulah. Based on Frostnova's understanding of Lin Lu, there was only one possible reason why Lin Lu chose to leave the Reunion Movement.

Frostnova found this integration movement, along with what Talulah said, to be ridiculously unrealistic.

"But... she really looked like you back then, I almost thought you were a man dressed as a woman to get close to me." Frostnova smiled gently.

Lin Lu recalled Talulah's stunning beauty, contrasting it with the white hair that Chinese people were obsessed with, her long, beautiful legs, and her white panties.

He asserted, "I'm much prettier than her."

"Vanity."

Froststar shook her head helplessly: "I mean in terms of temperament, she has the same unwavering self-confidence as you. Even when she's in dire straits, she can still smile at those around her. It's as if as long as she's there, there's nothing in this world to be afraid of."

Froststar's gaze softened, and she looked at Lin Lu with a hint of nostalgia. She said softly, "Back then, even when natural disasters struck, and blizzards mixed with Originium fragments fell from the sky, you never panicked in the slightest. Looking at your back, I felt no fear. Even natural disasters didn't seem so terrible."

Froststar paused for a moment, then suddenly remembered Lin Lu's feat of severing the calamity cloud with a single sword strike in Chernobog.

“You haven’t changed much.” Froststar murmured softly.

"What? I didn't hear clearly."

"nothing."

Frostnova shook her head and returned to the main point: "Three years ago, Talulah proved with her words and actions that she wasn't acting on impulse, but genuinely wanted to invite me and the Yetis to join her team. She was there when we healed wounded warriors. She was there when we explained strategies to the Infected. She was still there when we fought the Ursus extermination squad. She fought alongside us, bringing with her thoughts and strength, and became my friend."

Froststar's gaze lingered on Lin Lu's lips as she smiled and said, "Even the candy you ate was something she quietly made for me. She knew that my body couldn't get warmth because of Oripathy, so she thought of using homemade food to help me experience warmth. Even if it's just a fleeting illusion, this feeling of warmth can bring me a sense of comfort."

"Her cooking skills are terrible, and the food looks awful... but I'm still happy to be able to feel her sincerity. When she ate it herself, she almost choked on her food and forced herself to eat it, just like you."

Froststar carefully examined Lin Lu's face, and recalling how he had eaten the candy earlier, she couldn't help but reveal a mischievous smile.

“The Talulah you’re talking about… sounds completely different from the person I saw.”

Lin Lu's strongest memory of Talulah was from her time in Chernobog.

A black tuxedo, sword-like horns, and a cold, ruthless gaze.

Powerful, ruthless, violent, and—unparalleled in strength.

Although Talulah was ultimately defeated by Lin Lu, Lin Lu's memories of transforming into a knight after using the black card were somewhat hazy. How did he personally defeat her? He couldn't quite remember now.

This is not a good thing. Lin Lu values ​​his memories highly, and sometimes he feels fear. If he loses his memory again, will all traces of his existence during this time completely disappear? If he suddenly recalls the past, then which version of himself is he now?

Froststar, unaware of Lin Lu's thoughts, said in a deep voice, "Talulah is no longer the person she used to be."

"What do you mean?" Lin Lu asked with interest, caught in a wave of self-doubt.

"...Talulah used to act for the future of the Infected, but now, I can't feel any conviction from her. The plan to capture Chernobog was her idea, and Mephisto was also advising her, but... as a Reunion cadre, I didn't get a single piece of information about how it was done. When I asked Talulah where she got all that Ursus-standard equipment, she said she scavenged it from other districts. Hah, even Alex wouldn't believe that lie!"

— Alex, who was in a private ward on the main ship of Rhodes Island, suddenly sneezed.

"Chernobyl was destroyed by a natural disaster. The city's residents are either dead or have become infected. I see no desire to live in their eyes. If Talulah's intention from the beginning was to turn everyone in the world into infected in order to eliminate the conflict between ordinary people and the infected, then we will absolutely not follow her!"

Froststar clenched her teeth in utter disgust, her eyes filled with loathing.

"When Mephistopheles separated the Upper City to preserve supplies and left the residents to fend for themselves, I believed his lies. Until I saw it, I saw it... I saw that destroyed city, that dried-up blood, that ghost town burying countless corpses!!"

“I questioned Talulah about why she allowed Mephisto to do such a thing, and Talulah told me where Mephisto was. Yes, right here, in the trap that Mephisto had already laid. I don’t know what Talulah’s intentions are. If she intends to bury me and my brothers and sisters in the ruins, or if she hopes to eliminate us through Rhodes Island, then she… is my enemy.”

Froststar stared intently at Lin Lu, her clear gray eyes flashing with resolute fighting spirit. Her hand twitched slightly. Driven by her strong willpower, her body, exhausted by magic, responded, and the slender fingers of the Katarina girl trembled as she slowly clenched into a fist.

"If we break apart, if I discover she has deceived us, if she is indeed harming our fellow Infected with Mephisto, I will kill her with my own hands, no matter the cost. I know I am no match for her; she continues to grow stronger, while my body is steadily decaying due to Oripathy. But I am confident that death will take her and me away from the earth together, I—"

"I disagree."

Lin Lu cupped Shuangxing's cheeks in his hands, interrupting her slightly self-destructive thoughts.

"Even if your father agrees, I still disagree. To exchange your life for it? Talulah doesn't deserve it!" Lin Lu's voice was filled with anger. He pinched Frostnova's cool face and said in a deep voice with an absolutely unquestionable tone, "You will be alright. Perhaps you think your time is running out, but I will not give up on you! Rhodes Island is the best in the world when it comes to Oripathy research. Your journey will not end here."

"...You really dare to say that."

Froststar muttered under her breath, her fist, which she had finally managed to clench, and her resolve to perish together with Lin Lu, were all crumbled by him.

"No matter how many times I say it, I will keep saying it. I will be waiting for you at Rhodes Island. I welcome any member of the Yeti Squad. I will provide everyone with the same medical treatment and living conditions as other operators. Rhodes Island needs you. Rhodes Island can provide you with a platform different from the Reunion Movement. You can fight for yourselves and for the Infected."

"Rhode Island..."

Froststar was tempted, and not just because of Lin Lu's conditions. More importantly, she needed to consider her brothers and sisters. She had promised to find a home for the Yetis, and that was her promise.

“But Rhodes Island… you can’t stand on the front lines acting for the Infected.” Frostnova urged Lin Lu to stop rubbing his face with her eyes. She said seriously, “Once you step into the limelight, you’ll become like Reunion now, seen by the public as an armed group of Infected. Rhodes Island has always kept a low profile, isn’t that precisely to avoid going down that path?”

"what?"

Lin Lu stopped kneading Shuangxing's cheeks, tilted his head, and looked puzzled.

"Whether Rhodes Island keeps a low profile or a high profile, there will always be people who come looking for trouble. They won't change their opinion of us because of what we do. As long as our employees are still suffering from Oripathy, there will always be people gossiping. Don't worry about it."

Lin Lu gently patted Frostnova's cheek and smiled, "If Rhodes Island keeps caring about other people's opinions and suppression, it will never move forward. Only by becoming stronger can we get the other side to sit down and have a peaceful chat. We at Rhodes Island have always been reasonable; might makes right. Diplomacy without force is just talking to ourselves."

"You always make it sound so simple, like it's the truth... Sigh, I just can't do anything with you."

Frostnova smiled helplessly. "I will seriously consider joining Rhodes Island."

"Great!"

"Don't laugh so happily, really... Ah, did you hear that outside?"

Froststar tried hard to look up. After a long period of recovery, she could barely move her neck, and her fair neck came into Lin Lu's view. Her collarbone was clearly visible beneath her collar, quite alluring.

Froststar's unintentional movements always managed to draw Lin Lu's attention.

Because she was lying on top of Lin Lu, Shuangxing couldn't see what was in front of her when she looked up, so she had no choice but to look down at Lin Lu.

“Rhythm, guess what…” Frostnova suddenly had a good idea and asked with great interest, “Will it be my brothers and sisters digging up the ruins above, or your Rhodes Island squad digging this place up? Want to make a bet? The loser gets three candies.”

"I hope it's the Yeti team."

"why?"

Faced with Froststar's question, Lin Lu took a deep breath.

The two are now in a rather disharmonious position, looking like they've just finished having sex.

If Amiya were to dig through the ruins... Lin Lu felt a chill run down his spine just thinking about it.

"Crack."

Pebbles fell from the sky, crashing onto the black ice crystals and rolling down.

A ray of morning light pierced through the dim ground, allowing Lin Lü, who was in a prone position, to see a blurry outline.

"Yelena, I have a question for you."

"Hmm? Go ahead."

“Your father… Bozokasti is a Sarkaz, right?”

"Didn't I just say that? He is a rare Wendigo among the Sarkaz, the pure-blooded Wendigo in the world! Even among the Sarkaz, the Wendigo is one of the strongest characteristics."

"I see."

Lin Lu took a deep breath, his expression grave, and said, "Does he have antlers like withered trees growing from his head, wear a bone bird-beak mask, and wear armor that is damaged and in disrepair?"

"When did you meet my father?" Froststar asked curiously.

"We know each other now."

Lin Lu looked up at his father-in-law, who was single-handedly clearing away the roughly three-hundred-pound pile of rubble, his deep red eyes gleaming beneath his mask. A terrifying pressure descended from the sky, and in an instant, a ray of morning light vanished, and dark clouds once again gathered above the ruined city.

Lin Lu silently raised his hand and waved it gracefully.

"Hi, father-in-law!"

—I just fucking greeted him directly.

Chapter 382 The Lonely Gourmet (4K)

14:55 AM Weather/Cloudy

Lungmen boarding area, Rohoteville, Rhodes Island main ship.

"The medical ward is full! Casualties, please assemble on the deck and follow the signs!"

"Logistical supplies are in place, and wartime rations are being distributed. Everyone gets some! Line up and collect yours!"