Ark Chess Player.

A roaring battle cry soared into the sky, and a fierce will was revealed on everyone's face.

At this moment, the Guard Bureau was no longer a disorganized mess, but a united force!

"Each squad takes the top floor and uses their superior visibility to support me. I'm going to the rooftop; we'll regroup once the situation stabilizes."

"Yes, sir!"

The squad doesn't need to question, it only needs to obey.

This is the highest level of trust placed in the commander, and it also reflects the commander's confidence that the soldiers can complete the mission.

"Clear the entire Guard Bureau building, don't give the enemy a chance to self-destruct. Lungmen depends on us!"

"Yes!"

The task force guarded the firebreak, which led directly to the rooftop of the Guard Bureau and also provided Officer Chen with an escape route.

Chen took a breath, climbed the stairs to the rooftop, and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"We've been waiting for you for a long time, Commander of the Royal Guard."

Mephistopheles greeted him respectfully, watching Chen leap out of the passage with aristocratic manners.

Now he no longer wears a white robe and gold-rimmed glasses, but a white shirt and shorts, just like when he first appeared in Chernobog.

This is Mephistopheles' true form.

It is no longer a clone created through magic and fragments of the abyss.

To personally destroy Lungmen and ignite the flames of the Reunion Movement in this sinful city—this great undertaking naturally requires my personal participation!

This is Mephistopheles' arrogance, but his arrogance is backed by strength and confidence.

"To return from the dead city, not bad, you're quite lucky." Mephisto said in a condescending tone. He looked at Chen and saw that no one else had appeared behind him yet, and couldn't help but sneer, "You dared to rush into the trap I set up all by yourself. Are you reckless or brave?"

"Without further ado."

Chen silently observed her surroundings. She was surrounded, and the enemy was not just one or two people.

At a glance, there were nearly twenty infected individuals crawling on all fours like wild beasts, their bodies completely altered by Originium. Each person's racial characteristics were amplified; the beast-like infected had no reason whatsoever, merely puppets obeying Mephisto's commands.

Chen quickly adjusted his mindset; the more dangerous the situation, the more he needed to remain calm.

“You have nowhere to run, Mephisto,” Chen Huijie said coldly. Her aura was not that of a trapped fish, but rather that she had surrounded the entire Integration Movement all by herself.

"Is that so?" Mephisto leaned on his Originium staff, a skull-shaped black crystal in his palm, and smiled mockingly. "Isn't it you who has nowhere to retreat? I know you, you are the commander of the Guard Bureau. Have you never considered how vulnerable the Guard Bureau would be without command? Your rudeness will bring destruction to the Guard Bureau, and it's all because of your arrogance."

"I'll return those words to you verbatim!"

Chen drew his sword.

As expected, when Chen unleashed his swordsmanship at Mephisto, a group of beast-like infected came out to block the attack.

A sharp glint of light cleaved the corpse of an Ursus infected, slicing the two-meter-tall bear-man in two. However, the remaining blade only severely wounded yet another infected, unable to overcome the obstacles and take the head of the enemy leader.

"No wonder you were confident coming here alone, but unfortunately... you're not qualified."

Mephistopheles raised his hand with interest and slowly lowered it.

"Tear her apart."

Black ripples spread, and the beast-like infected paused for a few seconds before undergoing a dramatic change.

Clusters of Originium burst forth from their bodies once more, and their sharp claws extended outwards, causing their already enormous size to grow two sizes larger.

"Awooo, awooo!!!" Painful cries flowed from the gaping maw of a beast, the screams unable to form any language. They had even been deprived of the right to think, their minds filled only with Mephisto's commands.

—Tear her apart!

The beasts moved, racing wildly across the spacious rooftop, their claws leaving deep gashes in the ground. Their souls were utterly devoured; the last vestiges of humanity were overwhelmed by Mephistopheles' malice, leaving them solely focused on fulfilling their orders.

"I will now set you free."

Chen Huijie calmly watched the puppets, swinging her sword against the surging onslaught, her feet firmly planted on the ground.

The unrestrained Crimson Sky Sword Technique was wide and sweeping, and no matter how fast these beast-like infected were, it was useless; even their sturdy Originium bodies were still cut in two. Chen didn't even use Crimson Sky; instead, he swung his standard longsword into the air, the sword light lingering in mid-air.

Offense is the best defense.

Dust settled in the air, the residue splattered from the bodies of the beast-like infected she had slain. Their blood seemed to have vanished; aside from their pale faces concealed by masks, perhaps all their organs had been assimilated into ore.

The mutated infected lacked intelligence, blindly charging forward and swinging their claws at Chen. But Chen remained vigilant, maintaining a high level of alertness, because she knew her greatest enemy was not these monsters, but Mephisto.

"A bunch of trash!"

Sure enough, when Mephisto realized that his overwhelming numbers were having no effect on the Royal Guard officer, he started to panic.

Mephisto personally commanded the horde to launch the attack. The combined combat power of the beast-transformed infected with Mephisto's tactics had an effect that was far more than just the sum of its parts.

While Chen was concentrating on dealing with the attack of five beast-like infected, a Felin infected, under Mephisto's control, clung to the back of an Ursus infected, silently hiding like a shadow, waiting for an opportunity to attack.

Just as Chen swung his longsword to kill the Ursus infected, the lurking Felin infected leaped high into the air and launched an attack! The distance between them was so close that it was as if they were about to embrace. At this moment, the old power had not yet dissipated and the new power had not yet been generated, and they were in a state of vacancy when Chen was swinging his sword.

Chen remained completely calm; she had been prepared all along and had been patiently waiting for this moment!

"Chixiao——"

The left hand hovering over the Crimson Sky Sword moved. From the moment Chen Huijie ascended the rooftop until now, she had been using only one hand! She held the sword with one hand and blocked the wave of beast-mutated infected for nearly ten minutes, while also charging up her strength for a full ten minutes.

Chen never uses Originium Arts in front of others. Even Hoshiguma rarely sees Chen use magic, let alone Chen ever going to the gun training room provided by the Guard Bureau. Because of this, most people in the Guard Bureau believe that Commander Chen cannot use magic.

In fact… Chen's mastery of Originium Arts was truly outrageous. She once detonated three Originium staffs in succession in the Guard Bureau's training room, directly collapsing the blast wall of the training room, nearly destroying the building's pillars, and even blowing away the records. These weren't the main points, though. The caster responsible for testing and training Chen was almost injured in the explosion, leaving him with psychological trauma.

However, this doesn't mean Chen lacks talent in Originium Arts; she simply lacks a medium, a trigger device that can adapt to her unique spells. Analysis of the test results shows that the thinner and sharper the staff's shape, the better it matches her magical fluctuations. Rather than creating a new form, Chen is more adept at manipulating the Originium itself contained within the staff; the more powerful the catalyst, the more she can unleash its power.

In conclusion, it's impossible for Chen Huijie to ever stand on a high platform like a proper sorcerer, wielding her staff to obliterate enemies. However, she can be like Gandalf the Sword Saint, drawing her sword and charging in to fight whenever in doubt!

Throwing fireballs at each other is a thing of the past! What should mages allocate skill points to now? Put all points into health and stamina, equip a one-handed or two-handed sword, and for skills, allocate points to block, critical strike, charge, whirlwind, and armor penetration, and then max out Illumination.

A mage who can't fight in melee combat, how can he be called a mage?

Crimson Sky is the most suitable Originium Arts trigger device for Chen Huijie, as it can both draw her sword to kill and awaken the power of the Emperor's Sword.

"cut!"

The sword formation begins.

Ten thousand sword energies crisscrossed, creating a realm of death.

The infected person who nearly slit Chen's throat was instantly reduced to dust, and the crimson sword light enveloped all the enemies surrounding her.

"--die!!"

Chapter 403 Treasure Life Eternal Dream (4K)

Mephistopheles' expression changed.

A dazzling sword aura swept across the Royal Guard rooftop, the violent sword energy grazing Mephisto's neck, just centimeters away from severing his blood vessels.

Mephisto retreated desperately, constantly directing the beast-like infected to rush forward, using their physical bodies to block Chen's Originium Arts.

The Crimson Sky Sword is an imperial sword, crafted by Thunder God Industries with the assistance of the Minister of Works of the Great Yan Dynasty. Its sword imprint contains the essence of the Crimson Emperor's sword. Only those of the true bloodline of the Great Yan royal family can wield this sword; the deeper the bloodline, the greater the power it can unleash. If this sword were in Wei Yanwu's hands, covering the entire rooftop of the Guard Bureau, or even enveloping the entire Guard Bureau building in a sword array, would be no problem.

Chen is still too young. She has only been in control of the Crimson Sky for a few years, and she needs more time to mature.

In the blink of an eye, the beast-like infected were all pulverized and turned into dust.

Mephistopheles frowned, his pale face showing anger.

"Faust!!" Mephistopheles roared.

"clear."

A ripple appeared in the air, and the next moment, terrifying power pierced through the air!

Chen Huijie suddenly felt a chill run down her spine and straight to her head. She decisively raised her Chixiao sword and used it to block the distorted air.

It was a stunning purple, brimming with murderous intent, as chilling as a snake's tongue, as if one's soul were being devoured.

"clang!!"

The etched crossbow bullets struck the Crimson Sky Sword, instantly unleashing a powerful corrosive toxic mist. The condensed liquid spilled onto the ground, instantly melting the floor and leaving it riddled with holes.

Fortunately, the Emperor's Sword is immune to all poisons and can destroy all evil.

Faust's Originium Arts, which he had condensed into the etched crossbow bullets, was cleaved open by Crimson Sky, sparking a burst of sparks as he successfully parried the attack.

"Tsk——"

Chen couldn't help but gasp. The powerful impact made her feel a sharp pain in her hand, but she never took a step back.

"The Reunion Movement's sniper..."

Chen stared at the short-haired, dark green-haired boy standing next to Mephisto, recalling the information Rhodes Island had provided. Back in Chernobog, a sniper had single-handedly caused the Rhodes Island rescue team considerable trouble… Why does this guy look so familiar?

"Are you the infected person who was captured by the Guard Bureau before?" Chen asked subconsciously.

"..."

Faust's gaze gradually grew solemn. He had not forgotten the suffering inflicted on him by the Imperial Guard's interrogation department these past few days. The inhuman torture, the laughter that toyed with life, the eyes that looked at him like he was an insect—all of it was etched into his very being.

Mephistopheles noticed Faust's change in mood and, remembering Faust's injuries, couldn't help but snort coldly. He clutched the blood flowing from his neck, activated his Originium Arts, and a thin layer of black crystals formed at the wound, instantly healing it.

“I will repay Lungmen a thousandfold for the marks the Guard Bureau left on him.”

"Ha, where do you think you are right now? This is Lungmen. Don't you realize your predicament?" Chen steadied herself, holding her sword with both hands, the blade pointing directly at Mephisto. "You won't be so lucky next time. I will personally cut off your head."

"Ah, my situation is terrible. The sentries I set up around me are being pulled out one by one by the Royal Guard. My guards are being cut into pieces. My compatriots are incapacitated—it's horrible." Mephistopheles said in a hoarse, sarcastic tone, raising his arms in a standard French military salute like an actor.

"Sorewadokana!!"

Mephisto raised his arms and unleashed an Originium Arts attack, sending white dust spreading outwards from him! This dust, mixed with the remains of the Beast Infected, poured out of the Guard Bureau Building, the tallest building in Lungmen City, raining down from the sky and covering everything inside and out!

Is this why the commander of the Reunion Movement chose the Guard Bureau rooftop as his command post?

Chen's heart rang with alarm, and he decisively put on his Originium mask. He picked up the walkie-talkie and warned, "Attention all squads! The enemy commander has cast an unknown spell. Everyone put on your dust masks! Watch out for white dust! Be careful, this dust is spreading over a very large area!"

"Ah, Commander Chen, don't worry..." Mephisto lowered his head, which had been held high, and sneered, "You are not our compatriots, you are not qualified to feel this great glory, you are not worthy."

Faust's gaze first fell on Mephistopheles, but he sensed something was wrong; he heard the agonizing screams of his comrades. At that moment, the Guard Bureau building resembled a living hell, with Reunion Infected individuals exposed to the dust howling in terror.

"Commander Chen, something's strange..."

The voice of the reconnaissance team leader came through Chen's walkie-talkie, "Those Reunion Movement infected people covered in dust have all collapsed on the ground, their bodies undergoing huge changes. First, a lot of Originium appeared, then their skin ulcerated, and even more dust appeared... Commander Chen? Are you injured? I heard a strange sound—Commander Chen!"

The walkie-talkie that had fallen to the ground carried the worried inquiries of his subordinates, but Chen had no energy left to respond at that moment.

White dust clung to Chen's shoulders, searing her flesh like a branding iron, her eyes turning bloodshot with agony. Half of her standard-issue longsword was buried in the ground, Chen's entire weight resting on it as she stubbornly refused to kneel.

"What's this?!"

All of Chen's strength seemed to have been drained away. His fingers touched his shoulder, the fingertips feeling cold through his clothes. He had difficulty breathing, and strange sounds seemed to echo in his ears, incomprehensible sounds—his brain refused to understand them as a form of self-protection.

"Ah, this is... interesting, extremely interesting."

Mephistopheles looked at the dust clinging to Chen Huijie and couldn't help but reveal a grotesque smile.

“So that’s how it is… The commander of the Royal Guard Bureau, I see.” Mephisto’s gaze toward Chen changed. He looked at Chen as if he were a new Bandai toy, his eyes full of anticipation. “Don’t fall so quickly. Prepare for the countdown to the destruction of Lungmen! After Lungmen is destroyed, we’ll have plenty of time to talk. Commander Chen, I must admit, I’m interested in you.”

"Shameless talk!"

Despite the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion, Chen Huijie gritted her teeth, stood up, drew her standard longsword, and ran towards Mephisto.

"Wow, that's impressive. To be able to run in this condition is so moving I want to applaud you." Mephistopheles clapped his hands insincerely, pointed to Chen's right leg, and calmly commanded, "Faust."

"receive."

Faust raised his black bow, aimed, and fired in one swift motion.

Instead of retreating, Chen Huijie launched a counterattack, wielding his longsword and forcefully deflecting the crossbow bolt with the blade, producing a crisp clanging sound.

"Faust, continue."

Mephistopheles' fingers kept pointing back and forth, as if he could predict Chen's movements and always be able to direct Faust to fire crossbow bolts at designated locations in advance, vaguely forming a blockade.

"Clang clang clang!!"

The sound of hammering followed one after another, never ceasing.

Chen's reflexes were able to keep up with Faust's crossbow bolts, but her current physical strength couldn't support such precise swordsmanship.

Mephisto, watching this unfold, couldn't help but burst into laughter: "How long can you hold out? Rapid-fire crossbow shells, explosive crossbow shells, heavy crossbow shells, which do you prefer? Even if you can persevere, so what? Nothing will change! Unless you can kill me, all the Reunion Movement comrades here will collapse. Kill me, and Lungmen will return to its former peace. Kill me—if you can do it, it's not too late now."

Mephistopheles clapped his hands, mocking the arrogant head of the Royal Guard.

"Don't say I didn't give you a chance, Faust, don't make a move this time."