Arknights: Soul Knights of Terra — Chapter 100

Chapter 100: The Corpse is Speaking

“Whoo-hoo! Boss, fly higher!”

High above the desolate wasteland, Ifrit rode triumphantly on Gregor’s broad shoulders, throwing her arms wide to embrace the rushing wind.

Gregor steadied the energetic Sarkaz girl with one hand, his gaze sweeping over the barren expanse below. Within his field of vision, there were no traces of any Mobile City shipping lanes. He couldn’t even spot a decent dirt road carved into the cracked earth.

‘Was that guy really lying?’Just as Gregor debated whether to backtrack and ask for directions again using a much more direct, physical method, a tiny moving dot at the very edge of the horizon caught his attention.’Is that… a car?’Gregor’s spirits lifted. It seemed he wouldn’t need to turn back after all.’Let’s hitch a ride. At worst, I’ll just pay a bit more red gold for the fare.’With his mind made up, Gregor immediately issued a silent command.’Ifrit, hold on tight. We’re landing.’

“Don’t move around,” the electronic voice from his 10% Off television head warned.

Reaching the absolute peak of their parabolic arc, the kinetic energy of their ascent finally exhausted itself. The two of them plummeted toward the earth like a dropped anvil.

[Energy Shield]

A crimson, spherical force field erupted outward, enveloping them entirely. They transformed into a burning meteorite, streaking violently across the wasteland sky.

And directly below…

“By the frozen peaks!” Gnosis cursed, his motion sickness thoroughly shocked out of his system as he stared at the rapidly descending fireball. “Is this what you called a ‘safe route’?!”

“Things are unpredictable…” Enciodas frowned, his sharp eyes tracking the trajectory. He immediately barked an order. “Courier, avoid the impact point!”

“I’m already turning! But—” Courier wrenched the heavy steering wheel to the side, cold sweat beading on his forehead as he stared fixedly at the growing inferno in the rearview mirror. “That thing… is it adjusting its direction to follow us?!”

The tail of the blazing meteorite, which by all laws of physics should have crashed straight down, suddenly burst with a concussive wave of displaced air. It deflected at an unnatural, razor-sharp angle, intercepting the exact path of their vehicle.

Reflected in the shocked eyes of the Kjerag trio, the crimson meteor slammed heavily into the earth less than fifty meters directly in front of their hood.

Boom—!!!

A deafening roar swept over the plains, accompanied by a blinding tidal wave of dust and shattered rock. Courier slammed on the brakes with both feet and jerked the steering wheel hard. The heavy transport vehicle drifted violently sideways, entirely out of control.

‘We can’t dodge it!’

Enciodas made a split-second judgment. He grabbed Gnosis by the shoulder, pulling the man close and shielding him with his own body against the impending crash. In the front seat, Courier had already curled into a tight defensive posture, bracing for the metal-crumpling impact.

However—

A massive hand, clad in pitch-black, heavy arm armor, slammed flat against the side of the drifting vehicle.

The terrifying inertia of the multi-ton truck was neutralized in an instant. The vehicle shuddered and ground to a dead halt, remaining perfectly motionless.

No one was injured.

Inside the stifling carriage, the three men gasped for breath, staring at the reinforced car door with deep suspicion and lingering adrenaline. Outside the reinforced windows, the thick dust and smoke had yet to settle, obscuring everything except a towering, blurry black silhouette.

“Boss… I’ll step out and check,” Courier muttered, his hand already dropping to the sidearm holstered at his waist.

“No need.” Enciodas stopped him with a deep, authoritative voice, rapidly regaining his aristocratic composure. “The other party came specifically for us. Their goal is clear. Escaping is meaningless.”

Gnosis broke free from SilverAsh’s protective grip and calmly pushed his slipping glasses back up the bridge of his nose. “Obviously. It seems your grand plan hasn’t even begun, and you already have to deal with a disaster falling from the sky.”

“Not necessarily a disaster.” Enciodas stood up, elegantly straightening his slightly rumpled collar. “Compared to the raw goods and cash in the back, I believe… the ‘value’ I can personally provide might be more likely to pique this entity’s interest.”

“At a time like this, you still want to show off your negotiation skills?” Gnosis sneered dryly.

“Watch closely, Gnosis.” Enciodas grasped the door handle, a confident, calculating light flashing in his gray eyes. “I will let you witness firsthand that bargaining chips have never been limited to mere currency. Grasping human nature is equally critical.”

He pushed the heavy door open and strode out into the wasteland air.

The dust had not completely cleared, but it was obvious that an unusually tall, heavily armored figure stood blocking the road. Enciodas straightened his back, adopting a posture of perfect, sincere diplomacy.

“I do not know why you have blocked our path, nor what you seek. I am Enciodas SilverAsh… perhaps I can resolve your troubles.”

His sharp eyes locked onto the other party’s face. During his time in Victoria, he had painstakingly studied and mastered the art of micro-expression analysis. Now, it was time to put those psychological tools to the test. He would read this giant’s intentions from the slightest twitch of a muscle.

A timely breeze swept across the plains, blowing away the last of the obstructive dust.

10% Off: “ᗜ ˰ ᗜ”

Enciodas: “…”

This… this wasn’t right.

Just as Enciodas’s brilliant tactical mind suffered a brief, catastrophic crash, a small head poked out from behind that bizarre, glowing television screen.

“Hey! Who are you?”

A crisp, energetic child’s voice rang out. Enciodas snapped back to reality, his aristocratic training kicking in as he immediately deployed an impeccable, gentle smile.

“Hello, young miss. I am Enciodas SilverAsh, a simple merchant passing through these parts…”

“Wow! It’s a lolicon!”

The charming words Enciodas was about to speak froze solidly in his throat. A deeply uncomfortable sensation washed over him.

This wasn’t right at all! Why was absolutely no one playing by the rules of engagement?

Raising a heavy armored hand to gently tap Ifrit’s head, signaling her to be quiet, Gregor opened the mental chat group to ask for a lifeline.

[Gregor: @Gusi, I found the caravan. Get ready to drop the red gold.]

[Gusi: Okay.]

[Vera: Have you reached an agreement?]

[Gregor: Not yet. I blocked their car, and I’m currently trying to figure out how to open the conversation.]

[Vane: Seems like you need a wingman. Why not ask Lord Vane for assistance?]

Gregor hesitated. Looking at the message, he recalled that Vera had actually accepted Vane’s help with negotiations before, and the results had supposedly been quite effective.

[Gregor: Fine. I’m counting on you.]

[Vane: Don’t worry! Just repeat exactly what I say.]

Gregor turned on his perspective-sharing function. Through the feed, Vane saw the Feline youth standing by the truck—silver hair, gray eyes, and an exceptionally handsome, aristocratic bearing.

[Vane: Damn! Ex-hubby!]

Almost simultaneously, Gregor, trusting the “guidance” from his Vampire roommate, passed the exact words through the 10% Off television head’s speakers.

By the time Gregor processed the actual meaning of the syllables he had just authorized, the flat, electronic voice had already broadcasted the phrase loud and clear across the silent wasteland.

“Damn, ex-hubby.”

[Vera:…]

[Gusi:…]

[Vane:…Boss, would you believe me if I said that wasn’t intentional?]

[Vera: The corpse is speaking.]

[Gusi: Rest in peace.]

[Gregor: You dead Blood Demon ■ ■!]

Back in reality, Enciodas SilverAsh, the future Lord of Kjerag, stood frozen. The flawless, diplomatic smile on his face had completely shattered into a million pieces.

“Ex-hubby? It seems your private life in Victoria was quite colorful,” Gnosis’s dry, playful voice drifted over from behind him.

Courier poked his head out next. “When did the boss get married? I didn’t even know!”

Enciodas’s eyes sharpened into icy daggers, sweeping back toward Courier, who was desperately trying to hold back his laughter. The loyal bodyguard felt a sudden chill race down his spine and immediately stood at rigid attention.

Suppressing the absolute chaos swirling in his heart, SilverAsh took a breath, preparing to completely reorganize his diplomatic approach.

However, before he could utter a single word, the armored giant spoke first.

Mentally adding the brutal dismemberment of a certain Vampire to his weekly itinerary, Gregor abandoned all pretense and spoke bluntly.

“Hitch a ride.”

Enciodas blinked, taken aback. He clearly hadn’t expected the terrifying powerhouse’s demand to be so… unpretentious.

“May I ask, where exactly do you wish to go?” he asked cautiously. If their destinations aligned, having a walking catastrophe on their side might not be a bad thing.

“Where are you going?” Gregor asked in return.

The three Kjerag men quickly exchanged silent glances.

Gnosis raised an eyebrow, mouthing silently: Are you sure this isn’t one of your romantic debts coming to collect?

Enciodas shot him a freezing glare: Do I look like that kind of person?

Courier swallowed hard, glancing at Gregor’s towering frame: Boss, should we temporarily change our destination?

Enciodas fell silent, his mind racing as he weighed the pros and cons. The stranger’s strength was terrifying, and his true purpose remained unknown. Agreeing meant bringing a massive, unstable variable into their tightly controlled operation.

He looked past the giant at the smoking crater in the earth, and then back at the pristine black armor that bore absolutely no marks from the impact.

Risk and opportunity always coexisted.

Enciodas raised his head, his decision made.

“We are heading to the Grand Knight Territory in Kazimierz. If you do not mind the accommodations… we would be honored to travel with you.”

Enciodas nodded respectfully, stepping aside to clear the path to the heavy carriage. Seeing their leader’s choice, Gnosis and Courier silently stepped back, raising no objections.

Why would they object? Gnosis pushed up his glasses, the glare on the lenses obscuring his calculating eyes. Courier stared straight ahead, pretending he was merely a statue.

Absolute strength was the only “reason” that required no words.

Just like that, Gregor, carrying an Ifrit who was still looking around with wide-eyed curiosity, boarded the cramped transport truck.

The space inside the cargo hold suddenly felt suffocatingly tight, but Enciodas and Gnosis maintained perfect, expressionless composure. Courier climbed back into the driver’s seat, his eyes darting nervously to the rearview mirror.

The vehicle started slowly, rumbling back onto the uneven terrain. Gregor’s vision shifted, finally resting on a large pile of thick fur goods stacked in the corner of the carriage.

Enciodas noticed the gaze immediately. Though suspicious of the giant’s interest, he adopted the enthusiastic tone of a seasoned merchant.

“These are high-quality furs from Kjerag. Thanks to the harsh, freezing climate of my homeland, they possess excellent insulation properties. They will be highly sought after during the coming winter in Kazimierz.”

“I want them all.”

The three men froze. Enciodas expertly suppressed his surprise, confirming cautiously, “All of them?”

“All of them.”

Courier’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel. Gnosis lowered his head, hiding a frown. The formulaic smile on Enciodas’s face remained perfectly fixed.

It looked like this was going to be a wasted trip. To be robbed blind before even reaching the border…

“Since you are so interested in these furs, then consider them a gift to—”

“How much?”

The flat, electronic voice cut right through his diplomatic concession.

Gregor turned his television head toward the silver-haired feline, clearly conveying his terms. “I only pay with red gold.”

The carriage fell into a brief, stunned silence. Gregor’s blunt straightforwardness actually made Enciodas feel a fraction more at ease. He didn’t care how much of this “red gold” the giant could actually produce; these furs held value for their funding plan, but they were not irreplaceable.

More, this simple transaction could serve as the perfect bridge for further dialogue.

Enciodas quoted a number, deliberately setting it far lower than the actual market price.

“Transaction during the next rest stop,” the electronic voice finalized.

After speaking, Gregor crossed his heavy, armored arms and fell silent. The others wisely chose not to question him further.

Ifrit reached up and patted Gregor’s “head.” Understanding the cue, Gregor reached up, detached the 10% Off television monitor from his neck, and laid it flat on his lap.

The iconic opening theme music from Journey to the West began blaring from the screen. The Kjerag trio subtly shifted their gazes, staring at the detached monitor.

So that wasn’t actually his head…

Calming his lingering embarrassment, Gregor replied in the group chat.

[Gregor: It’s settled. But what do you even want these furs for?]

[Vera: Payment for your armor materials.]

Far away in the war-torn lands of Kazdel, a golden torrent of energy surged across the blighted earth. The summoned herd of Frenzied Boars had just finished trampling their designated target into paste and were already turning toward the next mercenary camp.

Vera glanced slightly to the side, her deadpan gaze resting on the heavily armed Sarkaz mercenaries trailing behind her, all of whom were currently sneezing violently in the biting wind.

[Gregor:…I thought you bought the materials with red gold.]

[Vera: I tried to give it to them, but they didn’t want it. They wanted warmth.]

[Vane: Pear blossoms fall outside your window~]

[Gregor: Are you coming home for dinner tonight, Vane?]

[Vane has gone offline.]

Closing the chat interface, Gregor leaned back against the metal wall and closed his eyes to rest.

In the front seat, Courier glanced at the rearview mirror one last time before silently easing off the accelerator, ensuring the ride was as smooth as possible.

“Dare to ask where the road lies~”

The theme song’s music swelled to its triumphant end as the heavy transport truck drove steadily toward a new horizon.

“The road~ is right under our feet—”

Next stop, Kazimierz.