Arknights: I'm Pretty Strong With Minecraft — Chapter 96

Chapter 96: The Final Decision Before the Battle

In a secret hideout belonging to Lungmen’s underground forces, Lin Kojui—the undisputed ruler of the shadows known as the “Rat King”—listened quietly to his subordinate’s report. The dim, flickering overhead light cast deep, heavy shadows across his deeply wrinkled face.

“Order us to secretly arrest Officer Ch’en and Ivan?”

Lin Kojui’s voice was low and hoarse. His thumb unconsciously caressed the smooth surface of the jade ring on his finger, a habit he fell into when deep in thought.

The subordinate standing before him kept his head bowed respectfully. “Such an order was indeed received, sir. It was a direct instruction passed down from Chief Executive Wei’s office.”

Lin Kojui remained silent for a long time, the quiet ticking of a nearby clock the only sound in the room. Finally, he waved a weathered hand. “I understand. Go back to your assigned area. As for this matter… I have my own plans.”

After the subordinate slipped out the door, only the Rat King and his daughter, Lin Yuhsia, remained in the dimly lit room.

Lin Kojui slowly rose from his armchair. He walked over to the reinforced glass window, gazing out at the sprawling, neon-lit night view of Lungmen. He let out a long, heavy sigh.

“Is this truly an inescapable fate?” His voice carried a rare, deep weariness that he usually kept hidden from his enemies. “It has come to this, after all. Hui-chieh, Hui-chieh… please don’t die.”

Lin Yuhsia, standing quietly behind him, gently pursed her lips. “With Ivan around, it should be the Reunion Movement that’s worried.”

Lin Kojui turned around, his sharp instincts immediately catching the unusual, almost trusting tone in his daughter’s voice. He narrowed his eyes, a thoughtful and slightly amused expression appearing on his weathered face.

“Ivan, huh…” He deliberately drew out his words, a cunning glint flashing in his eyes. “I know him. He’s a very interesting young man. So, you think highly of him?”

He slowly walked toward his daughter, a teasing lilt bleeding into his gravelly voice. “Not many people earn such high praise from you. What, are you interested in him?”

Lin Yuhsia looked at her father expressionlessly. Not a single ripple disturbed the calm surface of her eyes, which had perfectly inherited her father’s shrewdness. She spoke quietly, her voice perfectly flat but carrying a full measure of threat.

“If you keep this up, I’ll tell Mom about the secret stash of money you hide inside the hollowed-out third volume of ‘Lungmen Financial History’ in your study.”

Lin Kojui’s expression instantly froze. The teasing smile on his face solidified into a mask of pure panic. He opened his mouth as if to defend himself, but in the end, it only turned into a helpless, defeated sigh.

He turned away disgruntled, muttering under his breath, “My daughter has grown up… now she’s helping outsiders threaten her old man…”

“Don’t worry, Father,” Yuhsia said smoothly, ignoring his grumbling. “With Ivan there, Ch’en will be fine. Instead, we should think about how to deal with the situation that’s coming for the rest of the city.”

Lin Kojui nodded, the brief moment of levity vanishing as his gaze turned sharp once more.

Meanwhile, inside the Chief Executive’s office, chaos reigned.

The Shadow Guards were painstakingly attempting to contain a continuously spreading flood of water using special waterproof barriers. Despite their elite training, they barely managed to curb the unnatural, seemingly infinite spread of the liquid. The once-immaculate office was a total mess; expensive imported carpets and antique mahogany furniture were completely submerged, and the air was thick with a heavy, suffocating dampness.

A Shadow Guard leader splashed through the ankle-deep water, walking up to Wei Yenwu and kneeling on one knee.

“Duke Wei, the water has been temporarily controlled. We are ready to depart immediately, bring Miss Ch’en back, and return with Talulah’s head. Please give the order.”

Wei Yenwu rubbed his brow wearily, the stress of the day carving deep lines into his face. “Don’t call me that.”

He looked up at the kneeling elite operative, his tone tinged with bitter sarcasm. “Also, do you honestly think you can defeat Ivan? Get out.”

The Shadow Guard leader hesitated, opening his mouth to speak, but a single glare from Wei sent him retreating in silence.

Fumizuki walked over to Wei Yenwu, her sandals splashing softly in the shallow water, and gently placed her hand on his tense shoulder.

“Yenwu, I know what Lungmen means to you. It’s your everything, your heart, and your dream.” Her voice was gentle yet possessed an unbreakable firmness. “But constantly withholding the truth from her is only cutting away at her heart. This is too cruel to Hui-chieh.”

Wei Yenwu closed his eyes, refusing to look at his wife. “I just don’t want her to follow in my footsteps.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about, Yenwu.” Fumizuki sighed, her patience wearing thin. “You always make excuses like this. My ears are getting calloused from hearing them.”

She turned away from her husband and faced Kal’tsit and Amiya, bowing solemnly to the two Rhodes Island leaders. “Ladies of Rhodes Island, may I ask for your help for Lungmen and Miss Ch’en? I will pay any amount of commission you require.”

Wei Yenwu suddenly snapped, his pride flaring. “I don’t need Infected to help! You are always Infected. Who can guarantee that you won’t just become another Reunion Movement? In my opinion, there’s no difference between you and them, except whether you’re currently hostile to us or not.”

Fumizuki suddenly spun around, her elegant composure shattering as she exploded in a rare fit of genuine anger. “What nonsense are you talking about? Shut up right now!”

She took a deep, trembling breath, forcing her anger back down, and turned to apologize to Kal’tsit and Amiya. “I apologize for letting you witness that. I am very sorry.”

Amiya quickly waved her hands, her expression sympathetic. “No… it’s nothing.” She hesitated for a moment, her long ears twitching slightly, but finally asked the question that had been weighing on her mind. “May I ask what the relationship is between Talulah and Officer Ch’en?”

Fumizuki and Wei Yenwu exchanged heavy glances. Finally, Fumizuki broke the silence, revealing the dark secret buried for many years.

“They are half-sisters. They share the same mother, who is Yenwu’s younger sister. We adopted them at the time.” Her voice lowered, carrying the weight of old ghosts. “Years ago, Duke Kashchey of Ursus planned to seize Lungmen, the very city where we stand now. Although Yenwu successfully repelled him, Talulah was eventually abducted and taken hostage. Kashchey forced Lungmen to choose between the safety of the entire city and Talulah.”

Fumizuki looked down at the flooded floor. “And the result… you should already know.”

Wei Yenwu interjected, his voice heavy with guilt and suppressed rage. “But Talulah has become a puppet of Ursus. So I must…”

“Ivan told us earlier that Talulah is controlled by Kashchey’s spirit,” Kal’tsit suddenly interrupted, her voice cutting through the tension like a scalpel.

“What?!”

Wei Yenwu and Fumizuki exclaimed in shock simultaneously, their eyes widening.

Wei Yenwu suddenly stood up, actual flames of draconic anger burning in his eyes. “I’m going to end all of this! That bastard, I’m going to personally…”

“Do you think you can end all of this by yourself?” Kal’tsit asked calmly, her cold gaze pinning him in place.

“I have made countless mistakes, and death is not enough to atone for them. But at least I can save the city of Lungmen,” Wei Yenwu declared, his voice ringing with absolute resolution.

Kal’tsit continued to press him, merciless in her logic. “Then what about Madam Fumizuki? After you die, your wife will inevitably become a key figure in this whole political incident. What methods will those people use against her? You should know better than anyone.”

Fumizuki stepped forward, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her husband. “I can die with you. It’s merely death.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.” Wei Yenwu grabbed her hand, gripping it tightly.

Fumizuki looked directly into his eyes, her gaze unwavering. “If anything happens to you, I will absolutely not live alone.”

“Fumizuki, you…” Wei Yenwu’s voice choked, his arrogant facade finally crumbling.

Kal’tsit watched the exchange for a moment before speaking up again. “That Ivan fellow likes to act recklessly, but his bizarre actions have actually given me an idea.”

She looked around at the flooded, ruined office, then at the leaders of Lungmen. “Right now, Rhodes Island has officially ended its cooperation with Lungmen, and our landship has already left the designated docking area. Since we have already departed, any actions Rhodes Island takes from this point onward will have absolutely no political or legal connection with Lungmen. Amiya, am I right?”

Amiya understood immediately. A bright, determined smile appeared on her face.

“That’s right. As for the future of Lungmen and Mr. Wei, we are not that concerned. But we hope to do our utmost to prevent this impending tragedy.”

“Why go to such lengths?” Wei Yenwu asked, genuinely puzzled by their willingness to dive back into the fire.

Amiya’s voice was firm and warm, carrying the true spirit of Rhodes Island. “Because Lungmen, Mr. Wei’s family, and Officer Ch’en are all worth Rhodes Island doing its best to carry out this mission. That is enough.”

She paused, her smile widening slightly. “Of course, there’s also Mr. Ivan. He’s a member of our Rhodes Island, and we can’t let him bear this burden alone.”

Kal’tsit delivered the final condition. “We have only one request, and we hope Mr. Wei can make a promise right here and now. That in the future, you will not use any military or political force against Rhodes Island. This is to establish a basic foundation of trust between us.”

Wei Yenwu stood in the ankle-deep water, silent for a long time. He looked at his wife, then at the two Infected leaders standing before him. Finally, he nodded solemnly.

“I agree.”

Kal’tsit adjusted her coat. “Then, let the operation begin.”