Directing on the Ark, Success is Not Being Banned

However, Logos wasn't even in front of Vina, Victoria's Crown Prince. Discussing Victoria's potential fragmentation caused Vina to pause slightly before joining the conversation:

"Theresis wouldn't fail to understand this. And they surely know by now that we're waiting to rendezvous with Director Chen Qi and the others."

"This means that if our rescue plan tomorrow proceeds as scheduled, the difficulty will only increase. We need to be prepared to face a Sarkaz legion in Londinium... fully armed and ready."

"—And that includes two Royal Court Kings," Logos added grimly. While he possessed strength comparable to the Royal Court Kings, it was only enough for self-preservation.

He might have some confidence in resisting or delaying one of them, the Bloodborne Archon or the King of Scavengers, but defeating them was another matter. At the very least, he would be severely wounded.

But what if two Royal Court Kings attacked him together? Logos wasn't sure how long he could hold out, or if he could last until everyone rescued Chen Qi. Moreover, others would have to face Manfred and Theresis, and whatever high-level combatants their intelligence hadn't accounted for...

"...Doctor Kal'tsit's previous communication indicated she would dispatch another elite squad from Rhodes Island to meet us tomorrow."

ACE looked at everyone before stating his opinion: "If things go quickly, they'll arrive tomorrow evening. If Director Chen Qi hasn't been released by then, we'll proceed with the original plan after the reception team arrives."

"There are quite a few people from other factions around us... Clearly, their objectives align with ours," Scout, a sniper operator, stated calmly, having surveyed the surroundings while everyone else watched the show.

"There are several rather influential figures... I think if a fight breaks out, we can make our move last, using their power to rescue Director Chen Qi amidst the chaos."

"—Then let's settle on that for now. Does anyone have any objections?"

ACE nodded, and the Landship quickly finalized their course of action. However, they were unaware that a similar scene was unfolding in two other locations around Londinium.

"Everyone, remember, tomorrow we first wait for movement within the city. As soon as there's a disturbance, we'll infiltrate Londinium amidst the chaos," Ablana ordered the members of the Deep Pool.

"I will use my Originium Arts to eliminate the Sarkaz soldiers on Londinium's walls, then use their corpses to bombard all enemies with the city's defenses. This way, we can seize the initiative amidst the chaos."

"So, until the city is in turmoil due to other factions, we cannot act. We cannot afford heavy casualties, so we must wait for the opportune moment, understand?"

"Yes, Leader!"

Meanwhile, the five Emperor's Blades discussed their strategy after watching the show, arriving at a nearly identical conclusion.

"With our strength, facing Kazdel's two Royal Court Kings is still somewhat of a stretch, unless the five of us spread the demon energy throughout Londinium and turn it into a dead city."

"While this would achieve the objective, we would cease to exist. We are prepared to sacrifice ourselves for Ursus, but we should complete the mission with minimal losses. This is a last resort plan."

"We previously detected forces from Rhodes Island and Deep Pool lingering nearby. They'll surely make the first move. Let's infiltrate amidst the chaos once they begin their assault."

After deliberating, the five Imperial Guards felt that even if they were to sacrifice themselves for the country, it shouldn't be in vain. They still had potential use in the Northern Territory, and losing them all in Londinium would be too great a loss for the Ursus Empire.

Thus, the three factions, after internal consultation, all reached the same conclusion: "Wait." They would wait for someone to lose their patience and attack first, and then they would rescue or kill Chen Qi with minimal losses.

A peculiar balance was thus established, with no one intending to be the first to initiate the rescue. Perhaps only when Rhodes Island's second support team arrived could this stalemate be broken...

"Director Chen Qi, does the ending of 'Yes, Prime Minister' leave any suspense? Do you plan to film a second season?"

Meanwhile, within Londinium, Theresis posed this question. He could clearly see that 'Yes, Prime Minister' had much more potential, and Chen Qi's abrupt ending undoubtedly held something back.

However, Chen Qi, who had spent the past week learning from Theresia how to interact with Theresis, immediately replied without concealment:

"If I were to film it... there certainly is more to it, Your Highness the Regent. It's just that I have an idea now, though it's not yet fully formed."

"I will need some time to conceptualize it. Perhaps in the future, I will ask you to film the second season of 'Yes, Prime Minister,' but I haven't figured it out yet."

"—You can stay in Londinium until you figure it out," Theresis said, revealing his intention and making his first genuine offer of retention. "Londinium is vast, and Kazdel can provide refuge for you and your crew, even until we return to Kazdel."

"—Your Highness the Regent, a screenwriter cannot write good scripts by only looking at the scenery of one place."

Chen Qi chuckled, then unreservedly refused Theresis, explaining:

"Besides, repeatedly writing about the same theme can easily become boring, and the works produced will be as uninspired as reheating old leftovers. I need to seize this spark of inspiration and film a few other works before I might be interested in returning to my confident field."

"I believe that if I have the opportunity to film the second season of 'Yes, Prime Minister' in the future, I will definitely seek out Your Highness again."

"Why?" Theresis asked, finding it somewhat strange. "You could have entrusted this theme to others to perform."

"—Naturally, because what audiences always love is the original cast."

Chen Qi explained with a smile. Theresis hadn't considered this at all. He heard Chen Qi continue:

"Audiences prefer familiar faces. I am also a director, and I need to cater to the audience's senses. Sometimes, if the same drama has a different cast, it will never have the original flavor."

"Therefore, for the 'Yes, Prime Minister' series, I will definitely ask you all to film again. After all, a cast like yours, Your Highness the Regent, is probably the most perfect ensemble in this world."

At this point, Chen Qi's underlying message was clear: I can't get inspired if I'm stuck in Londinium, so let us go quickly, and we can cooperate well in the future.

Of course, Chen Qi also offered Theresis a future benefit. If Theresis needed the power of the 'Yes, Prime Minister' series in the future, he would have to rely on Chen Qi to film it, thus compelling Theresis to protect Chen Qi and his crew for the sake of future cooperation.

As for the rest... they would have to wait and see what tomorrow brings. Chen Qi glanced at his substantial reputation points. 'Yes, Prime Minister' had earned him nearly seven hundred thousand reputation points, especially during those few days when he was the focus of attention across Victoria and even Terra. His reputation points poured in like a waterfall.

However, 'Yes, Prime Minister' was now banned across the board, only viewable by residents of Londinium. While he had accumulated many reputation points from high-ranking officials in other regions, filmmaking relied on a large viewership for significant profit.

Therefore, Chen Qi was slightly dissatisfied with his nearly seven hundred thousand reputation points. But... if it came to a critical moment, he wouldn't hesitate to use all these reputation points to boost his strength—at least it would be better than the casualties suffered by the Art Troupe.

But it wasn't necessary yet... Although Chen Qi was a hoarder, he knew when to make the best use of resources. It wasn't time yet, but when it was, Chen Qi would make up his mind.

Meanwhile, on the other side, after Theresis saw Chen Qi off and watched him leave, the Confessor reappeared beside Theresis and asked:

"General, have you decided? To keep, to release, or to kill?"

"...He is useful," Theresis said after a moment of thought, sticking to his decision. "Not only must he not be killed, but he must also be utilized by us in the future."

"However, if he lives, he will inevitably be feared and coveted by other factions. We need a way—to tie his fate to the fate of our Sarkaz."

"Furthermore, we need to establish sufficient deterrence to prevent other nations from making a move... This deterrence cannot be military might; Sarkaz is not yet prepared for all-out war."

"—What's the situation around us?"

"There are five Imperial Guards from Ursus, Deep Pool, and people from Rhodes Island," the Confessor replied immediately. "The entire city is on high alert, and they haven't made any moves yet."

"They certainly think highly of us. If they attacked together, we might find ourselves in a stalemate," Theresis said with a faint smile. However, with his confidence brimming, he already knew what he needed to do.

A way to bind Chen Qi's fate with Sarkaz's... he had already devised a plan.

Chapter 63: An Escort Detail of Half a Sarkaz Legion?

"Everyone, are you ready? Theresis has informed us that he'll be taking us out of Londinium soon. Everyone, load your equipment onto the Landship, put on your gear, and be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances."

It was evening on the second day when Chen Qi received the news from Theresis about their imminent departure from Londinium. Chen Qi hurried back to the troupe, observing the group who were already prepared for the transfer, and immediately spoke up:

"Theresis said he'll send people to escort us out of the city until we're clear of the Londinium area. If he doesn't go back on his word, we'll likely encounter various factions once we leave Londinium."

"Everyone from Rhodes Island will probably be there to meet us. Remember, once we're out of Londinium, no matter what, stick with the Rhodes Island people and run immediately. Don't give them a chance to catch up."

Although Theresis had told Chen Qi how many people were waiting for them outside, Chen Qi, using his mini-map, had already known what kind of monsters and oddities were waiting for them yesterday.

It wasn't surprising that Chen Qi was a little nervous, a rare occurrence. While he had confidence in the combat capabilities of everyone in the troupe, if Deep Pool and Ursus attacked simultaneously, even with Rhodes Island's help, Chen Qi couldn't guarantee that the troupe would escape unscathed.

After all, Theresis had indeed said he would let them go, but once they left Londinium, the "Blood Pact" would end. Chen Qi's expectation was that it would be considered a success if Theresis could ensure their safe passage out of Londinium and refrain from pursuing them.

As for the road ahead... it would have to be taken one step at a time. At the very least, Chen Qi was taking the troupe to Rhodes Island for a while, ensuring their safe arrival at the next stop.

He could also take the "Oripathy Cure" he had obtained to Rhodes Island for research, to see if there was a way to make it available to everyone in the troupe. This was Chen Qi's ultimate goal for going to Rhodes Island.

"In short, this time we'll be traveling with the Sarkaz escort. I'll be at the very front of the group. If they're coming for me... I'll stand at the front myself. Their attention will be focused on me, not on anyone else."

"At that point, my safety will depend on all of you, Captain, Sister Ta."

When it came to conflicts on the scale of Imperial Guard-level combat power, no one in the troupe, except for Patriot and Talulah, was qualified to join the fight. Not even FrostNova.

To minimize the chances of the conflict affecting others, Chen Qi chose to expose himself, letting them target him, who had the system, rather than letting the others in the troupe suffer.

"I, and my Shield Guards, will protect everyone." Patriot, having changed into more refined gear and suppressed his Oripathy, replied, albeit hesitantly, but with a firm tone.

"I will protect you, I promise," Talulah nodded. Dressed in her military uniform again, she looked heroic and resolute.

"You'd better protect your beloved well, my daughter. The number of people targeting him this time is far greater than you imagine."

At that moment, within Talulah's mind, Koschei's voice resurfaced. Koschei spoke with a hint of teasing:

"As far as I know, after the last two episodes of 'Yes, Prime Minister' aired, Ursus has changed their tactics. They are no longer solely aiming to kill him; their primary objective is now capture. Killing is only a secondary option if capture fails."

"How do you know that?!" Talulah's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively asked in her mind. Koschei merely smiled and replied:

"I have my ways, foolish daughter. Although your beloved has rendered me powerless to resist, the fragments of myself scattered across this land can still relay messages to me."

"And it's not just the five Imperial Guards outside Londinium... an organization called 'Deep Pool' has gathered their elites and is waiting outside. As soon as you leave Londinium, they will swarm you."

"Deep Pool? What is that?" Talulah felt her head spinning. She hadn't heard any of this from Chen Qi, so why was Koschei so well-informed?

"An organization similar to the former Reunion Movement, but their leader is clearly more ambitious," Koschei briefly summarized Deep Pool with a faint smile. "They were not a threat originally; that leader's skill level is even inferior to yours, my daughter."

"However, what worries me is that the leader might also be here to 'lure' Chen Qi."

"'Lure'?" Talulah blinked slightly. Koschei immediately replied:

"Precisely. With just you, Bodega, and Rhodes Island's assistance, the Emperor's Blades might not be able to defeat you, but they will certainly inflict heavy damage. And when you are all exhausted, if Deep Pool attacks again, will you still have the strength to fight? At that point, what if the 'leader' who desires that boy uses the benefits she offers to tempt him into submission?"

"—Chen Qi isn't that kind of person!" Talulah was shocked and immediately retorted, "He wouldn't do that!"

"He would, because he cares about you, my foolish daughter," Koschei shattered Talulah's illusion, calmly stating, "He will do anything for you. And if he really goes with Deep Pool, and you all go with Rhodes Island... then things will become unpredictable."

"That leader's ambition and methods, while I may not approve, when it comes to women... she's leagues ahead of you, my foolish daughter."

"And in the worst-case scenario, my daughter, have you considered that once the Sarkaz escort you out of Londinium, and the 'Blood Pact' is declared over—they could turn around and capture you all again. Theresis's greed for your beloved is as strong as anyone's."

"To keep Chen Qi, he will do many outrageous things while fulfilling the Blood Pact. Chen Qi is too valuable. For that reason, I have no doubt he would even offer his own sister to your beloved."

Of course, this is under the assumption that Theresis knows his sister has been resurrected and that his sister's strong belief in "Chen Qi being very useful for the future of the Sarkaz race" aligns with his own.

Koschei could see that the Princess was already acting according to his advice. She had made the necessary preparations. If Chen Qi were to make such a request, Theresia would readily agree for the sake of her race's continuation and integration.

"So, what you need to do is protect your beloved. If you don't want him to be snatched away and have to share him with several women in the future, you'd best protect him with all your might this time."

"...I don't need you to teach me how to do things, Koschei."

However, after hearing so much information, Talulah became much calmer. Her eyes quickly turned resolute as she replied, "I will protect the person I love, absolutely."

"Very good, maintain your resolve."

Koschei smiled slightly, considering it his duty to warn his daughter. However, before Koschei could say anything more to his daughter, he suddenly sensed... a distant sound.

This sound... Koschei frowned slightly, his alarm bells immediately ringing as he sensed something was wrong.

"...Is that an army approaching?"

"What?" Talulah clearly hadn't reacted yet. However, at that very moment, she also heard the sounds of approaching footsteps from afar.

Soon, everyone in the Integrated Cultural Troupe saw a fully armed Sarkaz army approaching them from not too far away. Leading them was none other than the Regent—Theresis.

Quickly, the Sarkaz legion used their numerical advantage to encircle the entire troupe from both sides. Instantly, everyone in the troupe's alarms went off. The Shield Guards, led by Patriot, raised their weapons, looking ready for battle.

Facing such a tense atmosphere, even Chen Qi found it surprising. However, he didn't detect any hostility from the Sarkaz surrounding them or from Theresis in front of him on the mini-map.

Their status indicators remained the usual "gray" neutral. With this thought, Chen Qi immediately said to the troupe behind him:

"Everyone, don't be nervous! If His Highness the Regent wanted to harm us, he could have done so long ago. It wouldn't be now!"

As Chen Qi finished speaking, it seemed they found his words reasonable, or perhaps they trusted him. Patriot and his Shield Guards slowly lowered their weapons. Theresis, now clad in armor again, walked up to Chen Qi with a calm expression and said lightly:

"As expected of Director Chen Qi, to be able to make such a calm judgment even in this situation. If I were surrounded by so many people, I probably wouldn't have been able to stay so composed."

Theresis walked step by step towards Chen Qi. Beside him stood two members of the Royal Court, the Bloodborne Archon and the King of Scavengers. If Theresis had assembled this force specifically to kill Chen Qi, Chen Qi could have bragged about it for a long time, even in the afterlife with his sister.

"Director Chen Qi, as per our agreement, the escort team is all here. We will now escort you and your crew out of Londinium."

"...Escort team?"

Chen Qi was momentarily stunned and instinctively gestured to their surroundings. Theresis, however, nodded slightly, his tone still calm yet resolute:

"Yes, these people, including myself, are the escort team to see you out of Londinium."

You've brought out half of Londinium's fighting force! You call this an escort team? I'd believe you if you said this was a force ready to fight the Imperial Guard, Deep Pool, and Rhodes Island!

For a moment, even Chen Qi was stunned by Theresis's actions. He began to wonder what Theresis was thinking... Did he really intend to use this force to confront Rhodes Island, Deep Pool, and the Imperial Guard outside the city?

If a fight broke out... The quintessential Yan spirit, should he tell Chen Huijie and the others to calm down and get as far away as possible? This conflict might just kick off the first Terra World War!

Meanwhile, far away at the Imperial Palace, after Theresis had taken most of the Sarkaz elites, leaving only some Confessors and Manfred to command the remaining half of the Sarkaz city defenders, Theresia, free from her watchers, gazed at the scene from high up in the palace.

A faint smile appeared on Theresia's face as she murmured to herself:

"This is what I said, Director Chen Qi. The time for you to receive the protection of your brother, and even the Sarkaz race, is not far off."

"You will become a friend to the Sarkaz. In the future... I look forward to the day when we will once again rely on your strength to help the Sarkaz change and reintegrate into this world."