Arknights, I'm going to beat Kal'tsit, really?

"Ursus will be reborn in iron and fire—that's what He told me. We've fought in Chernobog."

Kane finally revealed information that Wei Yanwu was unaware of. The enraged Lungmen commander, Yi Sanwu Qiqiu, only then realized that Kane's timing was so precise, as if he had already seen through the opponent's entire plan.

"what do you want?"

“I want a lot—Rhine Labs’ right to establish itself in Lungmen, Lungmen’s relocation permits… Of course, these are secondary. What I want most is someone in that city. What do you say, Governor Wei? This is a very worthwhile deal. What you need to give up will not shake the foundation of Lungmen; and in return, I will help you through this crisis.”

Kane's thinking coincided with that of "Black Serpent"—Talulah was indeed a uniquely gifted piece, with multiple bloodlines intertwined within her, enough to allow her to play a key role on multiple stages of Terra.

And coincidentally, Rhodes Island's future battlefield will unfold in Victoria, which is also a crucial step in the "Originium Project".

Kane hasn't drawn a suitable card yet in this game. Talulah is an excellent choice.

Rhodes Island supports Crown Prince Athrun; and the Victoria Crown has always been a coveted prize between Athrun and Draco. Therefore, wouldn't it be perfectly reasonable for Rhine Lab, as both a competitor and rival, to support Crown Prince Draco?

Chapter 111 Black Meteor

Wei Yanwu ultimately agreed to Kane's request, but before that, the two moved to an open square outside the Governor's Mansion. This was Wei Yanwu's condition—he had to personally assess Kane's capabilities. If this man was merely bluffing, wouldn't that drag everyone into a desperate situation? Lungmen couldn't afford to gamble with that, so Kane had to demonstrate sufficient strength.

"Governor Wei, you are getting on in years, please be careful not to strain your back later."

"Don't worry. Dragons have very long lifespans. Kid—but you, don't get too cocky."

Kane glanced around at the black-clad figures forming a formidable defense, his tone relaxed. Thanks to the recent turmoil in Lungmen, the once bustling city center was now much quieter. Many outsiders were rushing to the passenger terminal to board transport ships and escape this dangerous place—the images of Chernobog turning into a living hell in the news were still vivid in their minds, and who could guarantee that Lungmen wouldn't suffer the same fate? The locals of Lungmen were also all hiding in their homes, not daring to leave. Although they would have nowhere to retreat once the war broke out, where could they escape to in the face of such a major event? Once they left Lungmen, they would lose everything.

The deserted Longmen provided an excellent venue for their duel.

The two stood facing each other. Wei Yanwu held a dark black longsword in his hand. Judging from its appearance and texture, it should be the standard equipment of the Black Raincoat. Although it was not as good as his previous sword "Chixiao", it was still a top-grade weapon of the Yan Kingdom.

"Boy—I don't care who's behind you. But I can tell you, even those so-called gods wouldn't dare to take this sword head-on. You can still back out now."

“I return those words to you exactly as they were.”

"Hmph—watch closely!"

Wei Yanwu raised his sword to the sky, and a crimson aura erupted from him, swirling around his body and finally converging at the sword's tip—the blazing flames shot straight into the heavens, like a raging fire burning across the earth. (I) Wife's Art / (III) Your Grace

Crimson Sky Sword Technique - Cloud-Splitting Sword: Stand when you should!

The Crimson Sky Sword Technique was Wei Yanwu's true trump card throughout his life; he had only used a few moves of it when he fought Duke Kosiché back then. At this moment, all his sword intent was locked onto Kane, onto this "young master" from Colombia.

As the longsword cleaved down, the crimson aura and Originium energy that swept across the heavens and earth poured down on Kane, covering an area so vast that it could almost split the entire plaza in two, leaving no way to avoid it!

"He's still got it... But I've seen similar guys before!"

Kane's response was simple and direct. He didn't employ any fancy sword intent or mental techniques; he simply raised his hand and made a grasping motion—a cluster of Originium crystals burst forth from his fingertips into pure Originium, condensing into a halberd constructed entirely of Originium. Under the activation of the spell, a violent, black-red energy rapidly condensed, tearing apart the ground and destroying buildings, as if destruction itself had descended upon the world.

This move was the same spear attack that Patriot Bojocasti had used against Kane—the silent soldier had never given it a grand name. To him, it was simply a means of killing and winning, requiring no fancy embellishment.

Kane hurled the halberd, now imbued with boundless, violent energy. The black and red vortex rapidly contracted into a single, cold glint, its tip pointing directly at the crimson sword energy descending from the sky.

The anticipated fierce confrontation did not occur. As easily as a pebble shattering glass, the crimson sword energy was pierced and shattered by the black and red halberd the moment they made contact.

The halberd finally tore through the clouds and disappeared into the horizon.

Wei Yanwu, who had been so imposing just moments before, was now coughing up blood, his breath weak, and the black sword in his hand shattering into pieces. His eyes were filled with disbelief—how could this be?!

"Duke Wei!"

"Escort!"

Upon seeing their master injured, the black-clad guards surrounding them swarmed forward, protecting Wei Yanwu in the center, their weapons drawn and aimed directly at Kane. If he were to pursue them, these former imperial guards of the Great Yan would fight to the death; even if Kane were powerful, he would still be wounded in their presence.

But Kane had no such intention. If Wei Yanwu were just an ordinary governor, killing him might still leave room for maneuver. But Wei Yanwu's status was special, and if Kane were to die at his hands, he would probably never be able to set foot on Yan Kingdom's territory again in his lifetime.

"Well, Governor Wei? Do my mediocre skills meet your standards?" Kane asked casually, showing no sign of the exhaustion from his previous attack.

This terrifying strength made Wei Yanwu and his Black Cloaked Guards no longer dare to underestimate Kane. They belatedly realized—this monstrous beast had been allowed to roam freely in Lungmen for so long? If Kane so desired, he could strike at Lungmen's vitals…

Thinking of this, Wei Yanwu breathed a sigh of relief.

Kane possesses such strength, yet he still acts according to the rules, which is perhaps a blessing in disguise for Lungmen. Perhaps this is what is meant by "having a benefactor."

"Lord Kane, Talulah... I'm entrusting this to you. I will repay you handsomely once it's done."

"Easy to say."

Wei Yanwu looked dejected, not only because of his injuries, but also because of a mix of emotions—resentment at his own lack of strength, admiration for the formidable younger generation, but more than anything... a sense of relief. Relief that he no longer had to make the cruel choice between Talulah and Chen. They wouldn't follow in his footsteps, ending up in the tragic situation of fratricide.

"what happened!?

Such a commotion could not be concealed. The Royal Guard Task Force, the Rhodes Island Operations Group, and the inspectors dispatched by the Great Yan Army quickly gathered around the plaza.

Chen arrived with a burning rage—she had discovered Black Cloak's activities in the slums, and her keen intuition led her to the "crime scene." The corpses piled up in the drainage ditch deeply wounded the officer's sense of justice.

She initially thought the men in black cloaks were subordinates of the underground tyrant "Rat King" Lin Gerui, but after a brief exchange, she immediately concluded that this was a force far beyond the control of any gang. In the entire Dragon Gate, only one person was qualified and capable of supporting this force—her uncle, Wei Yanwu.

Thus, both the sharp sword and the burning rage found their target. Chen rushed straight to the Governor's Mansion, demanding an explanation from Wei Yanwu.

However, upon arriving at the governor's mansion, she witnessed the horrifying sight of the Crimson Sky Sword Qi colliding with the black vortex.

Chen was awestruck by the power of both. Towards the black side, she felt only a primal fear; but towards the Crimson Sky Sword Qi, as a fellow cultivator, she more clearly recognized the gap between herself and Wei Yanwu.

"Chen, you no longer need to be involved in the Reunion Movement. The Guard Bureau's next task is to guard Lungmen. Talulah... she'll be fine. That's all."

"What!? You're going to give up on Talulah!? She's—!"

"Chen Huijie! I told you, Talulah will be fine."

Wei Yanwu knew her niece's character all too well—loyal, righteous, and upright. Because of this, she would never stand idly by while Talulah was being treated; she would personally confront her and confront her directly.

Perhaps, for the sisters, this is the right solution.

But that's how she would act when facing her own sister—Talulah is no longer Talulah at this moment; she is a devil who will devour anyone she chooses. What's the point of arguing with a devil?

But as a survivor of fratricide, Wei Yanwu could not bear to witness such a tragedy again. He did not want to see Talulah and Chen Huijie fighting each other, so he tried his best to avoid the two of them meeting, fearing that Koschche might take the opportunity to do something irreversible.

Kane's appearance came just in time to solve his immediate problem. Now it seems that Talulah is destined to cause no trouble, but Chen must be stopped and not allowed to go to her death.

“On this point, I agree with Inspector Chen,” Kane suddenly said.

"I mentioned this to Governor Wei before—Talulah is currently being manipulated, and force alone may not be enough to resolve this situation. Perhaps... my long-lost sister might be able to awaken her."

“Rhodes Island can also assist in this regard,” Amiya stepped forward. Her magic could reach the depths of the soul and perhaps awaken the fallen Talulah.

Hearing Amiya's words, Kane looked at the group from Rhodes Island. He noticed that the Doctor's eyes had changed, from the confusion of amnesia to determination; his gaze moved down, and in the Doctor's black-gloved hand, he tightly gripped a piece of white cloth.

If I'm not mistaken, that's the uniform of a special unit of the Reunion Movement. They're all white, which makes it easy for them to hide in the Ursus snowfields, appearing and disappearing like ghosts, leaving traces of ice and snow wherever they go—that's how the name "Yeti Squad" came about.

It seems that, similar to the bond between Amiya and Misha, the Doctor has now made new friends in Terra, only to lose them amidst hardship.

Having undergone a painful transformation, the two now share the same belief: this twisted Integration Movement must be completely destroyed! And the culprit—the evil god hiding within Talulah—must also receive the judgment he deserves!

For this reason, the Doctor and Amiya even dared to propose cooperation to Kane.

Of course, even if Kane refuses, Rhodes Island and Chen will proceed according to their own plans.

"Alright, then let's wish us... all of us come back alive," Kane said casually.

In the past, people didn't react much to his sarcastic remarks; but this time, someone stood up to refute them.

"We will definitely come back alive. We definitely will!" It was the Doctor. At this moment, he was filled with righteous indignation, furious at Talulah's cruelty and trampling of humanity. Whether for the greater good of the infected or for personal grudges, he would never let her go. But this was not a reckless act of desperation; rather, it was about uniting all forces that could be united, proceeding step by step, to destroy this mutated organization.

Wei Yanwu had intended to use his seniority to restrain Chen and prevent her from taking risks, but Chen forced him into silence. Although she didn't say it explicitly, her attitude was clear—how was the explanation given for the corpses in the slums?

Just then, a figure emerged from behind the black raincoat. The newcomer wore a deep purple dress and possessed a scholarly air, clearly a lady from a prominent family. Upon seeing her, Chen's expression grew even more unpleasant—it was obvious that she had a close relationship with the black raincoat. Even if they were once classmates and playmates, Chen would not consider past ties at this moment.

"Don't glare at me like that—the people in the slums are all fine. Those who died were either spies from the Reunion Movement or thugs who defected to their faction. These are the guys who have been disrupting the stability of the outer ring; they should have been taken care of long ago."

"What about the rest of the slum dwellers? Were they all thugs?! *Lungmen swear words* Everyone's vanished! Nine out of ten houses are empty, is this your solution?!" If the slum still held some life, Chen might not be so furious. But as Kane had seen before—it was almost deserted. Did all the residents deserve to die?!

"Damn you, you foul-mouthed dragon! They're all unarmed civilians! Are you going to let them gamble their lives on the edge of the battlefield? We've already relocated and resettled them! Now we're just waiting for this to end before letting them return home. If you really care about them, then hurry up and clean up this mess!"

Lin Yuxia's words calmed Chen's angry mind slightly. She quickly recalled what she had seen and heard, and then quickly noticed something amiss—the signs of battle and the number of corpses did not match. If the slum had truly been massacred, Lungmen's sewage system would not be able to hold so many bodies.

Wei Yanwu reacted even faster—he looked at his black raincoat in disbelief as several captains knelt on the ground, explaining what had happened.

Neither Wei Yanwu's wife, Lady Wen Yue, nor his close friend, Lin Gerui, wanted to see him commit such a heinous crime for the future "prosperity" of Longmen. After all, even if the infected were indeed a hot potato, the overall situation of Yan Kingdom still prioritized people—even as infected, they were still citizens of Yan Kingdom and people of Longmen. If the lord of a city ordered the slaughter of his own people, those inspectors in the distance were certainly not blind. If Wei Yanwu really did this, even if he regained his former status, he would still be headless.

"Heh... It seems I'm getting senile. Oh well... Hui Jie, go with her. Mr. Kane, if things really can't be salvaged... please take good care of her."

"Rest assured. I will give you a satisfactory result. Governor Wei, don't forget our agreement."

I really don't know if this is a blessing or a curse...

In the Reunion Movement, who else is worthy of such protection? Only Talulah—after escaping Kosich's control, she will fall into the hands of new players.

But this was the best possible outcome. At least, the sisters' lives were spared. As for the future… Wei Yanwu could only hope that he hadn't misjudged them.

Just as Lungmen was preparing to go.

In the heart of Chernobog, the atmosphere of the Reunification Movement was very oppressive, for no other reason than this.

Just a short while ago, an attack landed on the core city of Chernobog.

The city has already suffered too much damage in the past few days, so an attack is nothing.

However, the opponent's power was simply too terrifying.

A black beam of light descended from the sky and struck the vicinity of the command tower in the core city.

The troops stationed there were Talulah's loyal forces, and that fierce attack wiped out the troops in five or six tents almost instantly.

"Captain... if I'm not mistaken, that was your attack method."

"Where...did it come from...?"

Patriot seemed much older than he had been recently—he was indignant at witnessing the atrocities committed by the Reunion Movement, but what struck him most was the melting block of ice in his hand.

That was a product of his daughter Yelena's Originium Arts, and its melting speaks volumes... Indeed, the Yeti squad that stormed Lungmen has not returned with any news.

The Reunion members who escaped reported that the Yeti Squad's final opponent was Rhodes Island.

Chapter 112 Kane sitting in the Rhodes Island team

Whether by coincidence or intentional, the Originium halberd he hurled into the sky during his fight with Wei Yanwu unexpectedly fell into the core area of ​​Chernobog. The landing point was only a step away from the core area's command tower—if it had been just a fraction off, it would have struck Talulah's palace directly.

This devastating attack was initially misinterpreted by the unsuspecting Reunion members, who thought it signaled a break between Patriot Bodrakastie and Talulah—after all, such power seemed to belong only to the Wendigo warrior. But witnessed by the Shield Guards and seasoned guerrillas, Bodrakastie was consumed by grief over the loss of his daughter and had no time for anything else. The black meteor had clearly come from the direction of Lungmen.

Talulah—or rather, the black serpent possessing her body—was not deceived by appearances. She could clearly sense the source of this terrifying power.

What terrifying power... This place is still fifty kilometers away from Lungmen. Even at his peak, Bozokasti couldn't have achieved this, could he?

As a witness to the history of Ursus, the immortal Black Serpent has seen the rise of countless generals and the birth of new weapons. But such terrifying power can only be traced back to the distant past—a time when Ursus had not yet been established as a nation, and the gods and nightmares were still tearing the continent of Terra apart.

The Black Serpent knew perfectly well that even if Talulah's potential was pushed to its limit, she would still be no match for Kane. But it didn't abandon its plan; instead, a new scheme conceived—if it could manage to bring Kane into the Ursus camp and make him a member of Ursus… with his help, Ursus might usher in a new emperor who would reign supreme!

……

With the full support of Lungmen, the troops that landed in Chernobog quickly assembled.

The elite of Lungmen Guard Bureau, Rhodes Island field squads and elite operators... and the Rhine Lab duo—Kane and Mon3tr.

Compared to the former two, who were fully armed and on high alert, Kane and Mon3tr were traveling light, almost like they were on a leisurely trip. Not only did they not carry any weapons, but they also did not seem to have prepared any decent protective gear.

Upon receiving the news, the members of the Defense Section initially volunteered to relieve Kane's burden, but Kane ordered them to remain in Lungmen. They already had wounded soldiers who hadn't recovered; losing another wave would severely weaken the Defense Section's capabilities. Of course, the main reason was that the Defense Section had lost most of its weaponry, significantly reducing its strength and rendering it unable to play a decisive role in the war.

During the assembly process, the three parties scrutinized each other. The Lungmen Guard Bureau adopted the most moderate stance—they had already personally experienced the strength and style of their partner. Many Guard Bureau members had received medical treatment from Rhodes Island during recent joint operations. On the real battlefield, there was no longer a distinction between infected and ordinary people; only comrades entrusted with their lives remained.

As for Rhine Lab's "forces"... the aftershocks of Kane's battle with Governor Wei had not yet dissipated, and the torn clouds in the sky had not yet healed. Such forces would be the greatest guarantee for this operation.

However, the atmosphere between Kane and the Rhodes Island group was far from harmonious. Compared to the unsuspecting field team, the elite operators who arrived as reinforcements knew much more—Cain, the Sarkaz mercenary connected to Princess Theresa's death; the ambitious figure who took advantage of the chaos in Chernobog to blackmail the Doctor and Amiya… and he was also the head of Rhine Labs' defense department. In any case, remaining vigilant was never a bad idea.

"Wow, what a luxurious lineup." Kane stood in front of the Rhodes Island team, his gaze sweeping over Ace, Scout, Blaze, Rosemary, and the four Rhodes Island squads they led.

However, compared to these four elite operators, the most eye-catching are the three commanders at the front—the Doctor, Amiya, and Kal'tsit. All three leaders of Rhodes Island are participating in the battle? Kane speculated that this was unlikely. The Doctor, as the battlefield commander, would undoubtedly be on the front lines; Amiya, as a combat unit, possessed considerable strength; and Kal'tsit… in the original timeline, she might have been able to participate in the battle or even protect Amiya and the Doctor, but now… Kane glanced back at Mon3tr—her gaze had indeed lingered on Kal'tsit, yet she remained close behind him.

Kal'tsit, without Mon3tr, is undoubtedly Rhodes Island's most vulnerable weakness. She will most likely not participate directly in the battle, but will instead serve as the medical director, overseeing operations from the rear.

Or... does she have something else to rely on?

Kane quietly extended his senses and actually discovered something—Kal'tsit was surrounded by a layer of mist so faint it was almost imperceptible. Judging from its energy reaction… it was Ascalon's doing.

This Sarkaz assassin, instead of succumbing to despair after losing Theresa's guidance, has grown even stronger. Just a few years ago, her Originium Arts only allowed her to vaporize, the purple smoke quite conspicuous; now, it has been enhanced to the point of near-invisibility. If not for Kane, probably no one would have detected her presence—even someone like Wei Yanwu would likely only realize it when a blade is at his throat.

"Hey Ace, is that the guy you guys mentioned? He looks pretty muscular, but he's not quite as strong as you... Are you guys exaggerating?"

Huang stood casually at the front of the Rhodes Island team, talking quietly with her colleagues. She naturally noticed Kane's unique demeanor, but to be honest, she was more interested in the girl behind him than Kane. After all, she had heard that she was Dr. Kal'tsit's "sister," now being "held hostage" by Kane.

"Heh, Huang, you were urgently transferred from this ship, so you don't know what happened here. Look up at the sky, don't you think those clouds look a bit unnatural?"

"Like a torn piece of clothing?" Huang looked up and saw that the thick clouds, which should have been a single, continuous layer, were now full of cracks and holes, appearing fragmented.

"That was left behind when he fought with the Governor of Lungmen not long ago."

"In the sky?"

"in the sky."