Ark Chess Player.

Amiya looked worried. She recalled what the Doctor had said earlier and had a different idea.

—If Ursus wants to put on a show, let them put on a show to their heart's content.

"What's wrong?" Lin Lu noticed Amiya's gaze and turned to ask.

"No, it's nothing, Doctor."

Amiya didn't dare confirm her guess.

If things really went as the Doctor predicted, then the Doctor already knew the intentions of this conspiracy when he left the sarcophagus.

Doctor... has he really lost his memory?

Or is it that the instinct to explore the essence of things has become a doctor's nature?

“It’s strange. In my experience, once a riot breaks out, fully armed military and police will quickly clear out the rioters at the first opportunity,” said Dubin, who used to be a member of the Bolivarian National Guard. “Given the brutal methods the Ursus Empire uses against the infected, the military and police have a legitimate reason to unleash their suppressed bestiality and use lethal weapons.”

"unless……"

Unless, of course, the Ursus Empire orchestrated all of this itself.

For a moment, Dobermann's face showed surprise; she seemed to have also considered the worst possible outcome.

But why do this? What benefit does it bring to the Ursus Empire? And why mutilate one's own limbs?!

"Don't be nervous, Dobermann." Ace took two steps, shifted his position, and used his muscular body to block the view of the operators behind him, so that they wouldn't see the worried look on Dobermann's face. "No matter who the enemy is, we will complete the mission."

"Someone once gave me and my teammates some pointers—"

Ace turned to look at Lin Lu and said emphatically, "If it's a pawn, then eat it; if it's a fortress, then conquer it; if it's a monarchy, then overthrow it."

"Are you right, Doctor?"

"...Even natural disasters cannot stop our progress."

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, even Lin Lu couldn't say anything outrageous.

Everyone instantly felt relieved. If Guard had said those words, they would probably have laughed at him for being a fool. But coming from the Doctor, it just felt real, as if the Doctor could raise his hand to block a real catastrophe.

"All personnel halt."

Lin Lu raised his hand and gave the order. He took the electronic map from Dubin and marked twenty-four red dots on it.

“We have reached the southern border of the central city. We are no longer facing ordinary soldiers. Right in front of us are enemy light armored units. Their strength is on a completely different level from the previous ones. Be on your guard.”

Dobermann frowned slightly, studying the map, and asked, "Is it possible to avoid combat?"

“Not really.” Lin Lu shook his head. “This is the shortest route provided by Ace. If we choose to take a detour, not to mention the time we’ll lose, whether we can leave stealthily is another question. But don’t worry, we’ve already joined up with the E3 team. In terms of strength, we’re no less capable than any other unit.”

“Then there’s nothing more to say! Whether the other side is a thug or someone’s pawn, just drive them off the battlefield!” Dubin said coldly, tightening his grip on the leather whip. “If conflict can be avoided, then we should remain silent. If fighting is necessary, then we should fight to the end.”

"Doctor, even though I don't completely trust you yet, I at least trust your abilities."

"Please give us command!"

"..."

Lin Lu seemed to be intimidated by Dubin's imposing manner.

Sure enough, I really want to touch her ears and tease her chin.

The more submissive a person appears to be on the surface, the more potential they have for being submissive, and the more valuable they are to nurture. I really want to see her stick out her tongue.

Lin Lu calmly pondered the situation, simultaneously considering tactics and planning the battlefield with a tranquil mind—in a sense, this was also a skill…

"As the caster operators, you will be in charge of suppressing fire, Amiya, and maximizing the penetration of your spells."

"Listen up, sniper operators! Casters will melt enemy armor and destroy bulky protective gear for you. You are the reapers of the battlefield."

"When the heavy-armored operators and caster operators' concentrated fire reaches its limit, they need a short break. At that time, we must fill in and prevent them from taking the opportunity to counterattack."

"The Guardian Operators are responsible for eliminating enemy snipers and covering any gaps, leaving no one alive. It's not just us whose communications are disrupted; the enemy is in the same boat."

Lin Lu circulated the electronic map, marked with the approximate location of the enemy, to the team leaders, even outlining the steps for each operator's actions. Every detail was meticulously planned; even in a last-minute operation, each operator's abilities were maximized.

—Or rather, to make the most of it.

Ace listened quietly to the tactical plan devised by Lin Lu, and suddenly thought of lighting a cigarette.

Although his way of speaking has changed, becoming much gentler and appearing harmless... he is still the same person.

Observe each person carefully and pay close attention to each person.

In order to find a sliver of survival on the battlefield, they racked their brains and fought desperately.

Who wouldn't love a commander like that?

Chapter Sixteen Mephistopheles

The lightning-fast raid lasted only fifteen minutes.

"All 41 enemy personnel are incapacitated, while our side suffered zero casualties. Well done, operators."

Lin Lu's voice was transmitted to the ears of every operator through the communication headset. Although those who were a little further away did not hear clearly due to poor signal, they were still infected by the smiles of their comrades around them, revealing the joy of victory and the relief of surviving a disaster.

Only one person looked frightened and squatted on the ground, panting.

unusual.

It's so abnormal.

The first time, the second time, the third time.

The more battles Guard fought under the Doctor's command, the deeper his trust in the Doctor became, and the more easily his body obeyed his orders. He even became unlike himself, performing impossible actions. This was the first time Guard had ever managed to cut someone in half at the waist; the tactile sensation of the blade slicing through flesh and bone almost made him drop his grip on the knife afterward.

"Guard, are you alright?"

"Huh? Boss... I, I'm fine."

Guard looked up and saw that it was Ace who had reached out his hand to him.

He originally wanted to rest a little longer, but when he realized that he was the only one resting, he quickly grabbed Ace's hand and stood up.

I have a feeling that if I squat down any longer, the person who comes to see him won't be Ace, but the Doctor.

"Thank you, boss."

"Yes, you did very well just now, you've improved a lot."

"Ah this..."

Guard's lips twitched slightly; he had no idea whether to be happy or cry, and only felt waves of stomach pain.

"All personnel... prepare for battle."

The doctor's voice came through the communication headset again, but this time it wasn't good news.

Even Ace showed a moment of surprise. As an old acquaintance of the Doctor, he was among the top five in judging the Doctor's emotions from his tone.

"What's wrong, Doctor?" Ace rushed up to Lin Lu and asked.

"……for you."

Lin Lu handed the electronic map to Ace.

Ace took a look, and even someone as composed as him couldn't help but frown.

"Doctor, are you serious?"

They were surrounded by a dense array of red dots, with two black dots marked with special markings among them.

"Judging from the battles I've commanded, have you ever seen me joke? And stop counting, there are seventy-seven people in total, and the number is still increasing. The enemy came prepared." Lin Lu drew a semicircle on the electronic map, which was the location of the enemy. The most troublesome thing was that the gathering point was exactly in the direction of the first rendezvous point.

Hidden beneath the hood, Lin Lu's eyes gleamed with a cold cobalt blue light as he pondered the possibilities of his choices, mentally simulating the consequences of different options.

The enemy commander was very cautious, gathering his forces outside my perception range. By the time I realized they were moving in unison, it was too late. This indicates they have special communication channels, allowing them to issue commands simultaneously even when signals are blocked. Damn it, I'm so envious.

"Doctor, what do these two black dots mean?" Ace asked, pointing to the markings on the electronic map.

"It means the enemy's strongest fighting force."

"Isn't this black dot a bit too close?"

"Yeah, they're just across the street from us. Look, that little white-haired guy who thinks he's hiding well. It's hilarious. Dressed all in white in a bunch of ruined buildings and trying to hide. Does he think he's an Assassin? Is this kid still breastfeeding? Pfft, pfft, pfft—sorry for being rude, I got a little carried away with my brain."

Lin Lu coughed lightly, pretending to cover it up, but he was indeed a little tired.

"..."

"..."

Ace was somewhat shocked; he recalled Lin Lu when they first met.

Amiya was somewhat bewildered, wondering if she had pushed the Doctor too hard, to the point that he had lost his mind.

"Doctor, should we strike first?"

"Wait a little longer. The other side has already noticed us and hasn't taken the initiative to attack. Perhaps they want to talk to us."

Lin Lu closed his eyes, attempting to expand the digitized world and increase the area covered by the spiritual domain.

It's still not enough, not enough, not good enough. At least we need to keep the meeting point in mind.

I want to see the possibility of a more perfect, more effective, and absolute victory.

"Found it—uh!?"

The spiritual realm, elevated to its limit, was captured within the dark clouds shrouding Chernobog—

A huge vertical pupil with no eyelashes, exuding a chilling aura, and filled with lines.

Lin Lu slowly opened his eyes, tears soaking his mask. He swayed, seemingly unable to stand steadily.

"Doctor!?" Amiya, who had been observing the Doctor, put her arm around his waist to steady him and prevent him from falling to the ground.

"I'm fine, I just need a little rest... but it seems they don't intend to give me a chance to rest."

Lin Lu kept taking deep breaths to give his oxygen-deprived brain a breather. He had overdone it a little... and felt like he had seen something incredible. He was fiercely countered, and the visible range of his spiritual domain was forcibly shrank back. His remaining rationality could hardly suppress the pain in his body.

Just when Lin Lu needed a much-needed respite, the enemy commander made a personal appearance.

"Good afternoon, everyone from Rhodes Island."

Lin Lu jokingly called him an Assassin cosplay enthusiast who hadn't been weaned yet, but he still looked like an immature teenager, dressed in white with flashy shorts. His right hand rested on an intricate skull staff, from which stood short spears, serving as both Originium Arts triggers and melee weapons.

“You may call me Mephistopheles.”

His voice was somewhat hoarse, like a magnetized videotape, with a slightly shrill tone.

His manners were overly flamboyant and affected, as if he were completely absorbed in his own world.

Du Bin glanced at the weakened Lin Lu, stepped forward first, and said in a deep voice, "Speak plainly, stop with the pretense."

"Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals, a pharmaceutical company that has only been registered for a short time but possesses a complete armed force and pharmaceutical and scientific research technology... Your company focuses on the treatment of Oripathy patients, and most of your employees are also Oripathy infected. I originally thought of you as a heartless company that makes money off its fellow citizens. Now it seems that your strength is not just about playing with test tubes and conducting human experiments in the laboratory."

Mephistopheles smiled, but there was no trace of genuine amusement in his smile.

"Although I don't know how you managed to break into the core energy zone unscathed, I was fortunate enough to witness your fighting style."

Mephistopheles narrowed his eyes slightly and recalled, "Your personnel configuration and combat operations were quite interesting. Although each person was simply unleashing their own power, seemingly crude and reckless, and each move was extremely easy to separate, they were perfectly coordinated when combined. It was truly a sight to behold, reminding me of a certain bastard."

"That guy is dead. I'm lonely without any rivals."

Mephistopheles picked up his cane and tapped it heavily on the floor, revealing an incredibly sunny and youthful smile.

"Gentlemen of Rhodes Island, I sincerely invite you to a sacrificial contest with me! If you win, you can leave my hunting grounds safely. Although you have harmed many of my kin, I originally placed this place here to lure people in, so it was an expected loss... Therefore, you don't need to worry about me hunting you down. How about it, shall we play?"

"You... mentally twisted brat!"

Dobermann gripped the whip tightly; she despised commanders who treated soldiers like numbers.

"Don't be so angry, my distinguished guests. I hope you can understand a simple truth."

Mephistopheles raised his index finger and gestured in the air as if conducting a musical performance, with streaks of white feathers falling to the ground.

As Mephisto's fingertips twitched, Reunion soldiers, as gloomy and silent as puppets, strolled out from the shadows, emitting incoherent howls.

"It is your honor to be able to invite you to participate in the game."

Chapter Seventeen: This Road Is Blocked

"The rules of the game are that my friends will keep trying to kill you, and you win if you survive. How about that? The rules are simple, right? It's interesting, isn't it? This brain-training game that tests your mentality, wisdom, skills, potential, and instincts was taught to me by an old friend."

Mephistopheles raised his arms, scattering white feathers and showering down starlight-like dust, like a false angel.