Ark Chess Player.

"No, we need it very much, we really need it."

The regicide stretched out his hands and said in a serious tone, "I'm very cute, please give me money."

Chen Huijie turned and walked away, running as fast as she could, pulling Xingxiong along with her.

There's no way to negotiate this.

What's the point of discussing this?

—Talk about hell!

"Old Chen, are you angry?" Hoshiguma asked curiously.

"No," Chen said coldly.

"Hehe! Are you angry?"

Hoshiguma gently poked Chen's waist and looked at her profile as she asked.

Chen Huijie let out a harsh sigh: "No!"

"Hehe! I'm angry—"

"I am angry!"

Chen Huijie stomped her feet in anger, offering a series of Dragon Gate greetings to the regicide.

If the other party had acted intentionally, she wouldn't be so angry. The key point is that she couldn't sense any malice from the Kingslayer. In other words, the Kingslayer considered it a matter of course, something that the Lungmen Guard had an obligation to do.

What does this kid think the Guard Bureau is?

"Hoshiguma, what are you laughing at?"

"It's nothing, it's just that your expression is much more relaxed than before, which makes me feel good."

Hoshiguma unconsciously revealed a maternal smile, looking at Chen as if she were looking at a child. A sweet smile hung on her lips: "You used to carry everything on your shoulders. I can't say that it was wrong, but... you'll be overwhelmed by it."

"You've got it wrong, Hoshiguma. I have no such intention."

“Maybe, but I suggest you don’t take it too seriously. That girl from Rhodes Island, she knew we abandoned Amiya and the others, but she wasn’t angry. Instead, she genuinely trusted that the Rhodes Island team would be safe. This kind of unreasonable trust is perhaps what our Guard Department lacks most…” Hoshiguma looked at Chen and said seriously, “I know time is of the essence, but I really don’t understand—why you so readily left Amiya and the Doctor in the ruins.”

Chen Shengsheng pursed her lips: "Are you doubting me?"

"Don't dare."

"...Because there are too many uncertainties." Chen sighed deeply. "I don't know how many Reunion members are still hiding in the ruined city, and it's pointless for us to stay there. Because of the infected's mass self-destruction, the ruined city is in a high-Originium radiation disaster zone. Even if we have support from the Guard Bureau and can be equipped with full sets of radiation protection gear, the terrain of the ruined city is not suitable for combat. Are you satisfied with this explanation?"

"That doesn't convince me."

Hoshiguma wasn't buying it. She looked him straight in the eye and said seriously, "It's because of that classified file, isn't it?"

Longmen Type 99 Defense Plan.

It's a classified file, but it feels like everyone already knows about it.

Superintendent Chen said calmly, "Until the current situation becomes a reality, the specific details of the order are confidential."

"As expected, this was an order personally given by Mr. Wei."

Hoshiguma sighed; she probably already knew what it was.

Given Wei Yanwu's methods, Hoshiguma, a former gang leader who had been personally recruited by him, could only be thankful that he was not Wei Yanwu's enemy.

"As a detective, as an inspector, you have the freedom and right to question everything."

"Then I'll take that as it is. I don't know what you're planning to do, and I don't want to know. I admire Mr. Wei; his schemes always hit people where it hurts the most, leaving a lifelong shadow. But I don't respect him, and what happened today is just one of the reasons."

"...All of this is for Lungmen."

Superintendent Chen murmured something to herself that she didn't quite believe.

“You sound so insecure. You’re always like this, unable to get past your own conscience.” Hoshiguma could easily sense her friend’s feelings. She frowned slightly. “Whenever you speak without confidence, it’s either because you’re overthinking things or because you’re doing something wrong against your conscience.”

"It's a real shame you're not promoted to superintendent, Hoshiguma."

"Ah, that's a very confident statement."

“You… never mind, this was indeed my intention.”

The two arrived at the deck of Rhodes Island while chatting and laughing, and immediately saw Swire preparing the Guard Bureau team.

Most of the wounded soldiers in the previous battles of the Guard Bureau squad have recovered. Rhodes Island has far more medical operators than the Guard Bureau had imagined. It's not just a matter of one or two more, but an absurd number.

Even the Guard Bureau doesn't have half...a third...a fifth of Rhodes Island's medical personnel.

This is the source of Rhodes Island's confidence, and also the reason why Rhodes Island maintains a neutral stance.

Imagine if Lungmen and Chernobog clashed, and Rhodes Island chose to support one side; the other would inevitably be utterly defeated. Countless people are eyeing Rhodes Island's resources and medical achievements, which is why Rhodes Island has to maintain a low profile.

However, Rhodes Island can't keep a low profile now, because Lin Lu is someone who never suffers a loss. Even if he does suffer a loss, it's only against his own people. For example, if Amiya asks him to do his job, he would never dare to slack off. Besides, even Wei Yanwu won't give him a good look. The fact that he hasn't physically slapped Wei Yanwu is already a testament to his extreme restraint.

"Oh my, isn't this Superintendent Chen?"

Swire noticed Chen Huijie next to Hoshiguma and said sarcastically, "What? You've come up with a new plan? Are you going to completely reject me? Come on, give me a straight answer, so that things don't get complicated."

"...Our relationship is bad, but not to the point of life and death. I haven't thought of a better way. If you believe that you and the Rhodes Island team can hold the main road of the docking area which is blocked by the Reunion Movement, then I support you."

"Hoshiguma, did you feed her some Rhodes Island experimental drugs? Where did that arrogant and rude girl go? Whose little wife is this? Yours? No way, if you marry someone like that, she probably won't be able to do anything. If she married me, at least I can earn money to support the family."

"Swire! You bastard! I wish you *dragon gate profanity* and wealth!"

“I give that swear word a perfect score, out of 100.” Swire felt better now. “You’re finally acting like a Superintendent of the Royal Guard. Look at you before, so cowardly it made me want to vomit. Alright, alright, let’s proceed with the assigned mission. Do you have anything else to do?”

"Let's get back to work, but I need to pick someone up first."

Swire asked instinctively, "The Doctor from Rhodes Island?"

"...Do you know him?" Superintendent Chen asked in return.

Swire immediately recalled the scene of encountering Lin Lu at the Silverwing Security Contractors Building. It was definitely not a scene from a shoujo manga. If you had to make an analogy, it would be like Fujimoto Itsuki, that inhuman guy, starting to write a Chainsaw Man spin-off.

"I don't know him, I don't know him, um, I don't know him."

Swire denied it three times in a row; she wouldn't be foolish enough to offend a big shot capable of single-handedly taking down a mercenary base. Although she was a superintendent in the Guard Bureau, Lungmen also valued law and evidence. All the security contractor's surveillance footage from that day had been formatted, and no trace of blood or fingerprints related to Lin Lu could be found at the scene. This man was clearly very strong, yet overly cautious, and possessed an identity unknown to anyone outside of Rhodes Island.

"Suspicious. But never mind, he's not the one I'm looking for."

"Whatever you like, just remember to keep track of the time."

Shi Huaiya breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"Hoshiguma, let's go."

Superintendent Chen glanced at the elite Guardians mobilized by the Special Inspectorate, and then at the Rhodes Island operators whose gazes were fixed on them. It was probably because Swire had blurted out "Doctor from Rhodes Island" that they attracted attention.

"Yes."

Hoshiguma didn't ask any more questions, but silently followed the other person's back.

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.

16:11 AM Weather/Light rain

Longmen City, Sanchuangzi, outside Muhe Warehouse.

"Report: The designated location has been scouted; there is no one around."

The officers from the Royal Guard squad reported the situation, and Hoshiguma nodded, telling him to go down and await further instructions.

“It’s a trap,” Hoshiguma said with certainty.

“The piles of building materials, the abandoned construction site, and the traces of dragging and placing, although washed away by the rain, the mud is still very fresh. Someone must have stepped on it before, probably within half an hour. It is certain that the Reunion Movement has laid an ambush.”

Superintendent Chen rubbed the damp dirt between her fingers, saying helplessly, "The Reunion Movement isn't strong in direct confrontation; most of them are just infected people equipped with makeshift weapons. However, the Reunion Movement's greatest advantage lies in their stealth. Infiltration, surprise attacks, and using special forces to breach fortifications are all common tactics they employ. Moreover, their ability to command disaster-level monsters perfectly compensates for their lack of siege equipment. We must understand why."

"This operation is not just about rescuing the informant. He has gathered secrets about how Reunion controls monsters, and this will be our breakthrough. We must save him no matter what."

"For Lungmen."

This time, Chen Huijie spoke with particular confidence.

Chapter 386 The Hunting Vanguard (4K)

"Old Chen, your informant is Afa, right?"

When the plan to rescue the informant was being formulated, Hoshiguma abruptly interjected.

Superintendent Chen's expression changed slightly. She hesitated for a moment before admitting, "Yes, so you still heard it."

“You know about the Oni race’s racial talents and my sensory abilities; I’ve tried my best not to listen.” Hoshiguma brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing it. “I’ve known him for a long time. I took him in when he fled to Lungmen wounded, and ten years have passed since then. Although I’ve become an inspector in the Royal Guard, it doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten my former underlings. When did you recruit him as an informant? I remember he contracted Oripathy a year ago, and his bar in Lungmen City went out of business because of it. I haven’t seen him since.”

Hoshiguma looked slightly forlorn and sighed, "After he left, the new person who took over the bar couldn't mix drinks at all. Not only did the drinks taste terrible, but the glasses he used to clean every day are now just gathering dust. Things have changed, and everything is over."

"...The day he became infected, the gates of Lungmen were closed to him." Chen silently gripped her arm and said in a deep voice, "This is the path he chose, and of course, I also bear responsibility for agreeing to his decision."

“At least you should have told me about this.” Hoshiguma gazed into her friend’s eyes and said calmly, “I always thought he had died somewhere. I’ve been searching for him for the past year. It’s not uncommon for people to disappear without a trace in Lungmen.”

"The key to the informant protection program is that there is only one contact superior, and only one superior. His identity is not in the Guard Bureau's files, so he is safe unless I die. If I die, then his identity will be permanently fixed, and he can make the second choice."

Superintendent Chen said calmly, "This is the tragedy of Infernal Affairs."

Hoshiguma fell silent. She could understand, but she couldn't accept it emotionally.

"Hoshiguma, it's going to rain."

"Ok?"

“We don’t have time to make plans. Start the search immediately. If there are enemies, drive them out of the ambush.” Superintendent Chen said coldly. “There’s no need to hold back or take prisoners. Lungmen’s laws clearly state that we have the right to take military action in the event of foreign invasion.”

Hoshiguma nodded and suggested, "How about this, I'll go and destroy all the Reunion Movement's ambush sites and force them all out. Then you guys come to support us and wipe them out in one fell swoop."

"How long do you need?"

Hoshiguma held up one finger.

Chen tilted her head, then raised her index finger, asking doubtfully, "Ten minutes? That's too long. XR02 would have been bleeding profusely by now—"

"One minute."

Before Chen could finish speaking, Hoshiguma interrupted her.

"You... you're just messing around! Destroy all the unknown ambush points in one minute by yourself? I know you're anxious for Afa, but don't let anger cloud your judgment!" Chen said irritably.

"Give me a minute, that's enough."

Hoshiguma gazed at Old Chen silently, her eyes filled with unwavering determination.

Believe me.

Hoshiguma's bright eyes seemed to speak.

Chen Huijie gripped the hem of her clothes. She hesitated for a few seconds, then said in a deep voice, "If you make even the slightest mistake, I will immediately order a general offensive. This is my bottom line. I cannot and will not allow you to be in danger."

"Got it, Old Chen, can I borrow your knife?"

Hoshiguma planted the Hannya in the ground and reached out his hand to Chen Huijie.

"Chixiao?"

"That's too powerful, I can't control it. Just lend me the standard longsword." Hoshiguma quickly shook his head. After the Crimson Sword went out of control, it was like a runaway straw harvester. The scene of Swire being accidentally injured while trying to save Old Chen was still vivid in his mind.

"You haven't used a sword in so many years, can you handle it?"

Old Chen drew her standard-issue longsword from the Guard Bureau. Her weapon was issued by the Guard Bureau, but she had personally reinforced and maintained it. Compared to other people's weapons, it was much sturdier; otherwise, with her unrestrained and bold swordsmanship, ordinary weapons wouldn't have lasted more than a couple of hits before shattering into pieces.

"Some things can't be completely forgotten just by letting go of them."

Hoshiguma took the weapon; compared to the Hannya, the standard longsword was as light as a feather. She held it in her hand, familiarizing herself with its feel. Perhaps because of her high compatibility with Old Chen, it didn't take her long to regain her mastery of the swordsmanship she had abandoned.

In the Eastern Kingdom, swordsmanship and knife skills are originally one.

"Then I'll be back soon."

Hoshiguma smiled and turned to walk towards the warehouse.

Old Chen shook his head helplessly, looked at the police officers behind him, and scolded, "Each squad, follow Inspector Hoshiguma's instructions and act quickly."

"Yes!"

Hoshiguma heard the voice behind her and couldn't help but smile again.

Let her act capriciously, while subtly preparing to welcome her, even if it's a mistake, it doesn't matter.

Because she didn't want to be remembered for favors, she had to pretend that it was for the greater good and not a special treatment for each individual... This awkward way of expressing emotions makes one wonder how Chen Huijie spent her childhood.

"One minute."