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

Page 49

"..."

Well, it seems her choice might not be so bad; at least her "husband" is clearly very attentive and caring towards her.

"You'd better find a way to slip away."

“Why? I don’t mind. After all, we’re husband and wife, aren’t we?” Kane pressed his advantage, observing her reaction with a smile.

Texas was used to it. Last night she noticed that Kane particularly enjoyed observing the changes in her expressions, even going so far as to use varying speeds of his knife to tease her.

“If we hadn’t denied it like that yesterday, I might not have minded—but the words have already been spoken. So, for the sake of your wife’s already dwindling dignity, go along with it.”

After saying that, Texas got out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom without waiting for Kane's response.

"Let me brush your tail fur."

The Lupo's tails are among the more difficult to groom of the Terran tribes. Kane's tail is always fluffy and smooth—thanks to his several lovers who are happy to groom it for him. Those with tails will help him with grooming, while those without tails have specially learned Lupo hair care techniques.

Lappland was particularly adept at this – being a fellow Rupert, she knew exactly how to take care of her tail and would give Kane a full treatment after every intimate encounter.

At this moment, his initiative to comb Texas's hair was undoubtedly an acknowledgment of her victory. After all, Lappland never enjoyed this honor, did she?

Just like that black wolf head mark—Texas doesn't intend to brand it. There should always be a distinction between mistress and pet.

She was already looking forward to how she would make Lappland taste utter defeat when she came to provoke her!

After tidying up, Kane nimbly climbed out the window and left, his figure disappearing outside.

"Hmm, I've heard that the morning tea in Longmen is exceptional. I'll go and try it."

Kane felt full of energy and quickly opened Mostima's Lungmen Travelogue to see which dim sum restaurant she highly recommended.

According to the records in the book, he set off.

"It seems Mostima's recommendation was right; this is probably the most popular dim sum restaurant in Lungmen."

Upon arrival, Kane's envisioned "hidden gem" model didn't materialize—that's ultimately just an artistic conception. The reality is that, in pursuit of better development and a higher standard of living, the small business owners of Longmen won't let any opportunity to expand and strengthen their businesses pass them by.

The humble eatery gradually developed into a grand restaurant.

This restaurant clearly has its own "brand story." Perhaps due to its immense reputation, the restaurant was packed. Even when a seat became available, it was quickly taken by new customers.

Kane had no choice but to go inside and try his luck. And his luck was always good; as soon as he entered, he caught sight of a familiar figure—Inspector Chen from the Lungmen Guard Bureau.

She sat at a four-person table, but there were two empty seats. Opposite her was a tall, long-haired oni woman. Judging from their familiar interaction, they were clearly colleagues and friends.

This oni woman, named Hoshiguma, came to Lungmen from the Eastern Kingdom in her youth and made a name for herself in the underworld. Now, all the gangs in Lungmen, big and small, respectfully address her as "Sister Oni." The Royal Guard, seeking to expand its influence, needed some prominent figures, and Hoshiguma, known for her discipline, righteousness, and lack of major scandals, became one of the candidates. Thus, the former gang leader transformed into a high-ranking police officer.

Hoshiguma did not disappoint Wei Yanwu's favor. With her seasoned experience, she handled matters smoothly and appropriately, with precise judgment. Initially, she was Chen's guide—Wei Yanwu's original intention was for her to mentor Chen, to help Chen shed some of her sharp edges and become more worldly. But perhaps seeing her own long-cooled passion reflected in Chen, Hoshiguma was instead inspired and has now become Chen's most steadfast supporter.

Perhaps out of respect for the authority of the Imperial Guard and the cold demeanor of Officer Chen, the hungry diners preferred to stand and wait rather than approach and ask to share a table.

The residents of Lungmen held them in awe, but Kane paid no heed and walked straight over to sit down. This action naturally caught the attention of the two people at the table.

As a seasoned veteran with an easygoing personality, Hoshiguma didn't speak directly. She simply smiled and continued talking to Chen, but her gaze was carefully scrutinizing Kane. It has to be admitted that, given their status, those who dare to approach her in Lungmen are usually not simple characters.

Chen immediately recognized Kane—the impression he left that day was too deep and unforgettable.

"Is that you, Mr. Kane? What can I do for you?"

"!?"

Hearing Chen's restrained yet respectful tone, Hoshiguma's eyes widened in shock: Sister, who turned you into this? Where is my upright and incorruptible Officer Chen?

Unfortunately, Talulah's situation will largely depend on Kane. Whether it's Wei Yanwu's deliberate attempt to befriend them or Chen's restrained demeanor, it's all for their shared family—a regret and vulnerability they can't let go of.

"It's nothing, don't worry about me. I've just heard so much about Longmen's famous morning tea, and a friend strongly recommended this place. But as you can see—" Kane glanced around the packed lobby.

"A seat is hard to come by. And I'm new here and don't know anyone. Officer Chen, would you mind sharing a table?"

"No problem at all."

Chen's attitude immediately made Hoshiguma realize that the other party was very likely a distinguished guest whom even Governor Wei would have to treat with courtesy. She knew her place very well—at this moment, the best option was to help Old Chen stabilize the situation.

So, Hoshiguma used her influence to summon the waiter from her busy schedule.

"Sister Ghost, what are your orders?"

"How many times have I told you, call him Xing Sir. This is our friend, a newcomer to Longling Qiba Wulu Gate, who wants to experience authentic morning tea. May I introduce him to some things?"

"Of course you have to try our signature dish..."

Following the waiter's recommendation, Kane ordered all the signature tea and snacks, the portions of which were quite generous. The two officers were about to offer some advice, but Kane preemptively explained, "I also need to get some for my companions."

He hadn't forgotten that there was a Mon3tr at home waiting to be fed.

Chapter 110 Black Capsule

The Reunion Movement's infiltration of Lungmen was swift and efficient. Even before the Chernobog incident, numerous Reunion members had infiltrated Lungmen. After a long period of infiltration and development, they were even more formidable once the main force arrived.

The first joint operation between Rhodes Island and the Lungmen Guard Bureau has failed. The ragged Ursus girl Kane saw in the group that day was the key to the confrontation. Although Rhodes Island successfully located her and persuaded her to cooperate, she was intercepted by a Reunion raiding party during the Guard Bureau's transport. The main force of the Lungmen Guard Bureau was even easily defeated by Talulah alone.

Kane shouldn't have known this information, but he had his own channels—Texas told him everything. Because a key figure had been kidnapped, Rhodes Island wanted to retrieve him, but lacking familiarity with Lungmen, they had to once again entrust the assistance of the local Penguin Logistics.

According to the spirit of the contract, Texas shouldn't have revealed the mission details to Kane. But she knew what was more important—she valued Kane more than the contract.

"That Ursus girl...like many of the infected, was pitiful and helpless."

Texas was unusually sentimental, and she didn't seem to care so much about the distinction between infected and non-infected people; however, she was still aware of the dangers of Oripathy at work.

But Texas vaguely felt that the infected and the uninfected were like the gangsters and ordinary people in Syracuse. Their entanglement and infighting were meaningless, and shouldn't be like this at all.

"That girl is indeed very important. Her father was a scientist in Chernobog, which is why Reunion captured her. You've seen the movie, right? The deceased scientist left behind a powerful secret weapon, but the key to activate it was taken away by his children who didn't understand him. So, the story begins with the main characters and the villains surrounding this unfortunate girl."

"This is Columbia's Super Weapon series. Exia showed it to me. But I found it boring. Who would have thought that the key I got in the first movie was a fake?"

"Actually, the second one is also a fake. As long as this series is profitable—it will always be a fake. But reality is not a movie—that Ursus girl might really have an impact on the entire Lungmen."

Kane recalled the story of "Misha," the Ursus girl, and in the end, he could only say it was a pity—as a friend of Amiya, she taught Amiya a tragic but necessary lesson.

"What are you going to do?"

"Me? I'm just watching the show. As you know, Lungmen hasn't granted me the authority to conduct military operations. So, I have no right to interfere."

Texas deliberately invited Kane out, maintaining a friendly distance between them, ostensibly to show him around Lungmen.

“I thought you would be interested in these things, after all, you have some history with Rhodes Island.”

Texas, seeing Kane's previous confrontation with Amiya, assumed he intended to intervene.

"No, I just wanted to see you. As for Rhodes Island... we share the same goal, but our ideologies differ. Just like—you and Lappland."

"I understand."

This vivid and accurate metaphor left Texas speechless.

But does Kane really have no intention of doing anything? Of course not. It's just that Wei Yanwu still believes the situation is under control and wants to use the impact of the Reunion Movement to purge the hidden dangers within Lungmen.

Kane, "the one who knows everything," was well aware of the predicament Lungmen was about to face. He planned to let things develop for a while longer, until Wei Yanwu realized the situation was out of control, before proposing a deal—he understood the principle that adding flowers to brocade is never as good as providing charcoal in the snow.

Time passed quietly, and Rhodes Island's joint operations with the Guard Bureau suffered setbacks one after another—Misha, who should have been protected, chose to join the Reunion Movement and fought them to the last moment in that capacity, ultimately dying at their hands.

Meanwhile, the Reunion Movement's deployment proceeded methodically. A mobile landmass detached from Chernobog carried the Reunion advance team towards Lungmen. To intercept it, Rhodes Island and the Guard Bureau jointly landed and cleared it.

But this played right into their trap. Just after the main force left Lungmen, a surprise attack force stormed into the city and captured Lungmen's most prestigious location—the headquarters of the Royal Guard.

This attack was highly effective. Lungmen, which had been relatively stable, finally descended into chaos after witnessing the flames engulfing the Guard Bureau building. The Governor's office phones rang incessantly, with countless voices questioning Wei Yanwu's response. Wei Yanwu responded with a firm stance—the Guard Bureau swiftly returned to defend, regaining control within twelve hours and killing one Reunion Movement cadre and most of its members.

However, this massive counterattack was not the most important event of the day.

"Boss, what exactly are we looking for?"

"They're likely moving at high speed and are quite powerful. I'm worried they might be able to deliberately evade my senses, which is why I need your assistance. Try to find out where they are."

Kane and Mon3tr walked slowly through the slums of Lungmen. Unlike the riots that had broken out a few days earlier, the slums were eerily quiet now, as if all the residents had vanished overnight. Had they really joined Reunion? No… more likely they had been relocated or “cleaned out.”

whoosh-

With a barely audible thud, Kane and Mon3tr simultaneously turned their heads sharply. There stood a figure shrouded in a black raincoat and hat, atop the high wall behind them.

"Wow, it seems the urban legends of Lungmen aren't entirely unfounded. At least—those men in black moving among the city's buildings are real."

"Your Excellency, Longmen is going through a turbulent period. Please prioritize your own safety."

The man in the black cloak did not avoid Kane's gaze. After giving his warning in a calm voice, he suddenly left.

This person is not some urban legend, but Wei Yanwu's true trump card—a retired Imperial Guard of the Great Yan Dynasty. Due to the limitations of Columbia, Kane has been unable to find Terra's top combat forces for research reference. Of the several officers he encountered in Chernobog, only Talulah and Patriot could be considered to be at this level.

At this moment, he finally saw the top military unit recognized by all the countries of Terra.

This former Imperial Guard clearly knew Kane's identity and importance, so he didn't conceal his whereabouts but instead advised Kane to return to a safe area. However, due to the information gap—they could only deduce from the battle at Penguin Logistics that Kane was exceptionally skilled and proficient in magic, but they didn't know the extent of his "proficiency in magic."

"Did you see everything clearly?"

"Of course, boss—we can try it now if you're willing."

Kane nudged Mon3tr's shoulder, who excitedly announced that he had completely deciphered the various spells cast by the former Imperial Guard of Yan.

As the most elite armed force in the Great Yan Dynasty, the selection of Imperial Guards is one in a million. Exceptional talent and innate ability are the foundation, followed by honing their skills through various martial arts, secret techniques, and elixirs of the Yan Kingdom, and finally, equipped with top-tier gear crafted by the Heavenly Crafts Bureau. Those who can reach this level are few and far between even in the vast Yan Kingdom.

Kane could not replicate talent, physical constitution, or secret medicine. But he had already seen through the unique spell that the former Imperial Guard had just used in a short period of time.

It turns out that Yan Kingdom's "lightness skill" and "strength" are indeed a way of applying Originium Arts.

Kane ignored the warnings and continued deeper, even stumbling upon Black Cloak's "cleanup" operation: numerous infected from the slums were being annihilated, their vibrant lives reduced to corpses under the blades, falling into the sewage system beneath the slums. Simply activating Lungmen's landfill sewage system would send these remains tumbling into the Terra Wasteland below, becoming food for Originium Bugs.

"Sir, please leave immediately. You have crossed the line—even with Governor Wei's guarantee, we cannot allow you to go any further."

"Don't rush me. Unlike Inspector Chen of the Guard Bureau, I'm very reasonable. The existence of infected people is an indelible stain on Lungmen. I'm sure Governor Wei has been waiting for this opportune moment to clean up the mess for a long time, hasn't he?"

"I was wondering at first—even though the outer ring of Longmen is a mixed bag, so many people from the Integration Movement shouldn't have slipped in. Turns out it was intentional. It's like deliberately splashing ink on a canvas you don't like, so you can justifiably discard it. (VII) You Lin 9 Qi Chan Tsk tsk... Governor Wei really has some good methods."

Another er (one) Shan 0 Er "..."

The men in black remained silent. The "work" in this area was over; all targets had been eliminated. Although they wore masks and hats, Kane could clearly feel all eyes focused on him.

The uneasy Mon3tr had already positioned himself in front of him, adopting a defensive stance. Kane, however, continued his "provocative" tactics.

The Black-Cloaked Men must have already reported to Wei Yanwu. Kane knows Lungmen's dirtiest secret, and his next move will affect the entire Lungmen.

"Your Excellency, Lord Wei requests your presence."

"Lead the way."

Kane had gotten what he wanted. The one-sided "cleansing" hadn't forced the enemy to use their full strength, but the various methods they displayed had significantly enriched Kane's spell repertoire. He could even try adapting some spells to Rhine Lab's mechs—mechs that knew kung fu were terrifying to even think about.

Led by the man in the black cloak, Kane arrived unimpeded at the top floor of the Governor's Mansion, at Wei Yanwu's office.

"After a few days apart, Governor Wei looks even more radiant."

"Hehe, I can't compare to you. Should I say that Rhine Lab's research spirit is admirable—a director personally went deep into the slums where infected people gathered to investigate. This dedication is something all scholars should learn from, isn't it?"

This meeting was noticeably more tense than the last one.

Wei Yanwu couldn't understand: compared to Rhodes Island, whose position was awkward, Rhine Labs should have been a "safer" partner. Wouldn't these pampered Columbians have stayed obediently in the safe inner circle? Why did they have to go to the slums? And why did they have to stumble upon Lungmen's most unspeakable secret... To be honest, Wei Yanwu's first reaction was to tell Black Cloak to tell Kane to "shut up."

But recalling the clash between Kane and Kal'tsit that day, and the wariness and apprehension that woman displayed… Wei Yanwu was neither a fool nor an ordinary person. Given his former status, how could he not know about Kal'tsit's exploits? In his eyes, Kal'tsit and "Kosichrie" were troublesome on the same level.

And that Kal'tsit, when facing Kane, actually showed fear—how troublesome must this guy be?

Therefore, Wei Yanwu chose to trust the experience he had accumulated through his years of experience in the underworld. Instead of immediately breaking off relations, he invited Kane to meet and see what his true intentions were.

"Speak, Director Kane, what are your thoughts?"

“Insightful opinion? I have no objection to your decision. After all, this is Lungmen, not Columbia. We should follow the host’s lead. However, I am very curious about how you plan to deal with the Reunion Movement’s next move.”

"The Reunion Movement? Hmph... They're just a bunch of rabble after all. The Guard Bureau did fall into their trap due to a momentary lapse in attention. But as the news says—their offensive has been crushed by us."

"Is that so? But the city in the distance doesn't seem to think so."

"What!?"

Kane walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Governor's Mansion and looked north—on the horizon, a blurry silhouette was gradually taking shape. The undulating outline and orderly arrangement clearly formed the silhouette of a city.

It's Chernobog! It's heading towards the Dragon Gate.

"How could this be... Damn it!"

Wei Yanwu slammed his fist on the desk. As astute as he was, he instantly grasped the bigger picture.

The abandoned mobile city of Chernobog, now under the control of the Reunion Movement, is hurtling headlong into the unprepared Lungmen. There is no way to avoid it now; there is not enough time for the mobile city blocks to split and evade. If they do not avoid it, the collision of the two mobile cities will surely kill everyone.

To protect Lungmen, they must activate the city's defensive cannons to completely destroy the threat. But... even though it has fallen, even though it has been occupied by the Reunion Movement, it is still a city of Ursus, Ursus territory.

Chernobog's approach and Lungmen's initial firing will inevitably become political leverage—and the mad Ursus will never let this opportunity slip by.

War between Ursus and Yan is imminent!

"Damn Koschei! Doesn't he fear the destruction and extinction of Ursus?!"