Long-term salvation

"Remember what my father told you? That eternal city that can be used to imprison creatures from the other world, that long-ruined and deserted city, was built on this very stone vein. It's right there in the other world. But Abigail still needs to figure out how to open the [door] there. Well... what's with that expression on your face? I'm sure I'll help!"

"So, the most convenient way for me to obtain Black Stone is to go to that city and build a stronghold and develop the mining industry?"

"YES! Hehehe, Rhodes will seek my help again~~~"

Tsk... I'm going to be controlled by this female hooligan again. Rhode sighed and said:

"In the next few days, I'll go to Atlas Company and show them this stone. The system also tells me that I can perform artificial synthesis, but I really don't know how to tinker with it."

Rhode said, and looked at Yang again. Just as he was about to invite him, he saw Yang shook his head and said:

"I don't have time right now. The punishment for Umbrella isn't over yet. In fact, I'll be leaving tomorrow—but D will be back in the afternoon, so it's best if you go organize your covert operations."

"That makes sense," Rhodes nodded, then changed the subject, "Are you free tonight? I'd like to hear you explain in detail my current financial situation."

"……Have."

"Great!"

Chapter 210: Covert Action Agency (3.5K)

in the afternoon.

Rhodes drove into the military area of ​​Arkham Town. Past two rows of single-family houses was the interstate highway. There were several restaurants on both sides of the road for truck drivers and passing vehicles to rest and eat, as well as two cheap motels.

There were a lot of vehicles passing through here on a daily basis, which was perfect for concealing one's identity. That was why Rhodes bought a house here under a fake identity to conduct this interview - a conversation about the establishment and development of the secret organization of the Army Without Borders.

In fact, many agents and investigators have already started their work, but they are only under this organization with no real name, which has caused a lot of trouble. It is time to put it on the right track.

Rhode brought Noah with him, whose exceptional memory was perfect for this kind of covert operation—no need for a list of easily leaked identities; she could memorize them all! Of course, this was just an exaggeration; they would still keep various records during the official work.

The exterior of the villa doesn't look much different from the houses on both sides, except that it's less popular. There are a few trees planted behind the yard to block the view, and they are now lush and green.

As soon as he entered, Rhodes saw D standing by the stairs leading to the second floor. A hint of joy flashed in her beautiful wine-red eyes, but soon returned to a calmness as still as dead water.

"Commander, I have already..."

Rhode took D into his arms, hugged her slightly trembling body, touched her head, and said with a chuckle:

"Thank you for your hard work, Dear."

D didn't say anything. She subconsciously clenched her fists, her mind blank. Taking a few deep breaths, using all her strength to drive her rationality, Nikki took a half step back and whispered:

"They're still watching."

Rhode turned his head and saw a group of people sitting in the living room staring back at him in a daze. After a moment of silence, a young man reached out and subconsciously clapped his hands twice. The sound immediately woke everyone up, and they picked up their wine glasses and tea cups and raised them to greet Rhode.

Although I don’t know what these guys are paying tribute to, it’s obviously not something serious.

"Sorry, everyone, it's my fault." Rhodes' face was a little shy. He coughed a few times to divert his attention, walked into the living room and looked around -

There were people he knew and people he didn't, from Atlas Agent Alex Casey, Jason Bourne, and "former" Detective Sebastian and his partner Joseph Oda, all of whom Rhode had first met. Of course, there were also people from this world he didn't know, and there were more of them. Most of them were agents and senior investigators from Atlas Corporation and the Cogito Foundation.

In fact, Rhodes also planned to call General Hammer and his adjutant Captain Krausa, as well as Colonel Faulkner, but they all chose to refuse and frankly admitted that this was not an area they should be involved in.

Rhodes did not force it.

After finding a suitable seat and sitting down, Rhodes signaled Noah to start recording, then told a cold joke:

"It doesn't look like we have any CIA or FBI members among us... Maybe they're not very good at saving the world."

There were more laughs in the crowd - this was a kind of affirmation and praise. Those who could sit here were definitely not idiots with low emotional intelligence. They easily understood the meaning of these words.

"Let's not waste any more pleasantries. Everyone, I think you all know why we've gathered here—the secret operations organization of the Army Without Borders has been operating without a name for a long time, so long that it's become a drag on our normal work. Therefore, we're here today to resolve this matter."

"First, in my plan, the covert action organization should be divided into three main parts, and a small part specifically for internal affairs - namely, 'the inner world', 'the real world', 'elimination of specific targets', and 'inside the Army Without Borders'. Discussions on the latter two will not be held today."

As Rhodes spoke, he reached into his pocket and took out a cigarette case, but after glancing at the nearly twenty people present, there were several ladies, he put the cigarette case back and reached out to take the fruit wine poured by an agent next to him.

Rhode took a sip, feeling the slightly sweet wine rolling back and forth in his mouth, and continued:

"I'll call the Otherworld the Paranormal Investigation Bureau. You can tell from the name what it's for. The agents affiliated with the Bureau are carefully selected and trained. They hide among ordinary people, collecting, organizing, and reporting intelligence about the Otherworld within their assigned areas. They also conduct preliminary investigations and containment efforts. In principle, agents are not encouraged to engage in suppression or manipulation of the Otherworld."

"For the real world, that is—the Reality Veil Administration. This agency's main task is to isolate human society from the other world. When an incident in the other world occurs, they work with agents to quickly block the news and the scene, perform amnesiac operations on everyone involved, those involved, and onlookers, record and destroy intelligence at the scene, and control subsequent developments."

"As for the containment of the world's creations, I will organize a separate containment facility. You don't need to worry about that," Rhode said after a long speech. He picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and looked at the crowd. "Do you have any questions about this?"

"Um... then I have a question, Boss."

Alex Casey raised his hand and said, feeling a little embarrassed that he was behaving like a schoolboy, but the well-trained agent still mustered up the courage to express his doubts:

"According to what you and Mr. Irons said, perhaps in a few years, the other world will be exposed to human society. Do we need to proactively extend this time? And what should we do after the exposure? This is especially true for the Reality Veil Administration."

"Try to prolong it. Even events in the other world can be large or small, serious or not. This is what needs to be done after the other world is exposed."

Rhodes had thought about this question and was now able to answer the participants' questions:

"In short, it's about 'grasping the big and letting go of the small,' 'making big things small, and small things nothing,' using junk information to fill and divert people's attention. If a serious otherworldly incident occurs in Location A and might be reported in the news, you must intervene immediately before it happens, block the news, and cover it up with some unfortunate gossip. The future world will be an internet world, and we need to control the internet, especially those websites or programs related to video, text, and social networking."

"I see...it looks like this will be a big project, very difficult and troublesome."

“Nothing is easy.”

Rhodes shook his head. He watched the people in front of him quickly record the content - they should have some ideas about which department they should go to - which is a good thing. You know, not everyone is suitable to be an agent investigating supernatural phenomena, otherwise it is easy to make things worse.

Thinking of this, Rhode considered his words and coughed lightly to attract everyone's attention. After making sure they had recorded their content, Rhode continued:

"The selection process for the Reality Veil Administration's executive officers won't be as rigorous as it is for the Bureau of Paranormal Investigation agents, but you must clearly understand your role and avoid foolish assumptions like 'the truth must be revealed to all of humanity.' Furthermore, in the enforcement of information control, coercion, kidnapping, and other tactics will obviously be employed, so be prepared."

This made most of the people present chuckle. After looking at each other, they smiled and said to Rhodes:

"We're agents, former soldiers and police officers, so we naturally know about these things... After all, our hands aren't clean either. You're worrying too much, Boss."

"No, I will take all the darkness into myself," Rhodes shook his head. "I don't want the secret operations organization of the Army Without Borders to become a place like the CIA or MI6. Everyone, we are the ones saving the world, and what we do is truly a 'necessary evil' - our hearts and actions are as clear as a mirror, and everything we do is just."

Rhodes's eyes swept across everyone's face, but he only discovered tenacity, perseverance and persistence in those eyes, which made him feel more joy and confidence in victory.

After returning the smile, Rhodes continued:

"Regarding the selection of agents to investigate paranormal phenomena, since they involve different regions, it is best to select retired military personnel, law enforcement personnel, medical personnel, rescue and intelligence workers from their respective countries. They must have at least three years of relevant professional experience, proof of secondary or higher education, and be non-believers.

A full-fledged agent is required to be proficient in the use of firearms and explosives, possess a certain level of close combat skills, sufficient knowledge of otherworldly confrontations, and the ability to collect and organize daily intelligence information. Furthermore, they must be physically fit, courageous, pragmatic, and mentally resolute, and possess a willingness to sacrifice for ordinary people and human civilization.

"...This sounds like the Army Without Borders' recruitment request for the Otherworld Force."

Someone whispered something, which aroused the approval of others. Rhode was not angry about this, but laughed and said:

"That's it, everyone, that's it! I'm even considering letting the unsuccessful candidates from the Otherworld Force do this job—we can definitely do it on two legs!"

"So, do you have any questions?"

"One more thing, Boss, who are the leaders of these two organizations..." an agent asked. As he spoke, his eyes fell on Noah, who was standing next to Rhodes. The halo above Noah's head was shining slightly, emitting a beautiful luster even in the bright living room. "Okay, I get it, I have no objection. The ladies who follow you are all very powerful, we know that."

The agent recalled the scene when Rhodes just came here, and suddenly felt that his boss's ability was truly extraordinary - he hoped that he would not be locked up in the basement after defeating the other world in the future... But that would be a good thing, it is also a good thing for the boss of such a large organization to have a successor, at least he can serve as a mascot to bridge the differences within the organization.

Wait, you’re thinking too far ahead. Besides, the person in front of you may not be locked up!

The agent shook his head, throwing these messy thoughts out of his mind, and then heard Rhodes say:

"Not only will Miss Shengyan Noah be in charge, but there will also be others. Once things are on track, I plan to integrate these covert operations agencies into a single entity, which I'll call the 'Intelligence Department.' An intelligence center will be established to analyze and organize the intelligence obtained, and Miss D, codenamed D, will be in charge of other matters..."

D will be responsible for the "target elimination" work, that is, the [Assassination Team], specializing in infiltration investigations and assassinations, as well as doing the dirty work. Because of this, they will report directly to Rhode.

Of course, there is no need to explain these in detail to the agents in front of him.

"Since there are no further questions," Rhodes stood up, raised his glass, and smiled at the attendees who also stood up. "Then we will end the meeting today. You will receive a top-secret document for your reading and summary. Irons and the Foundation's directors will also inquire about it."

"Let me see, there are twenty-one in total. 777, what a great number. Now, let's toast to the victory that is sure to come!"

"For humanity, I will die!" x21

Just after finishing his drink, Rhodes turned around and saw D holding a phone. He said in a calm tone:

"Father Merlin said he has identified a case of demonic possession in the small town of Salem that involves religion and the afterlife. He hopes to receive your help."

The town of Salem...isn't that right next door? Hasn't the influence of the cultists been eliminated last time?

Rhode raised his eyebrows, turned his head to look at the agents who were looking at each other in confusion, and asked with a smile:

"Let's go together... You all want to go? Great, D, tell Hinata and Mari, we're going to meet that idiot."

[P.S. If you have any questions about the settings, please point them out in the thread, comment section, or book club. Thank you!]

Chapter 211 The Exorcist (1/3)

In the small town of Salem, at dusk, the devil appears.

The curtains in all parts of the house were drawn early to keep out possible prying eyes, and inside, the lights were turned on and dozens of thick candles were lit to prevent accidents such as falling into darkness... But the darkness was here, and some evil and weird thing was here, it wantonly grabbed the temperature of the surrounding air, let the walls be covered with frost that emitted a foul smell, extinguished the candles and made them rise with green flames.

The two priests remained unmoved. Although they were worried, they were not afraid. They just continued their work calmly.

When all preparations were completed, Father Lankester Merlin turned his head to Father Damien Karras beside him and said:

"We need to make sure the demon doesn't leave the house now, he'll be here soon."

As the old priest spoke, his gaze fell on the girl who was tied up in the hall. Ugly bloodstains appeared on her face, appearing and disappearing, leaving only warm blood slowly flowing out. Perhaps in a while, this poor child would die from blood loss and organ damage. From her mouth, which was oozing disgusting saliva, came the grunts of pigs, the howls of jackals, and even the hissing of venomous snakes. These sounds were absolutely not human-made, overlapping and transforming into an arrogant and shrill snort of laughter.

"Every one of you carries cowardice in your heart... Your cause will never succeed... Just like this doll!"

Claw-like bumps appeared on the girl's tortured face, as if something was really moving under her skin, and her head twisted and turned along with the claws!

Such a horrifying scene made Ms. Chris MacNeil scream. She is the mother of the possessed girl Regan MacNeil. After suffering for several days, she finally found Father Merlin according to someone's introduction and prayed that he could save her daughter.

"...Father Merlin," Father Karras pulled his guide aside to avoid the heartbroken and frightened look of the girl's mother, and asked carefully, "Are you sure he can handle this incident? I doubt it - this can't be solved with guns and bullets!"

"You have only recently realized the truth of this world, Father Karas." Father Merlin coughed a few times and wrapped his coat tighter. It was almost the beginning of summer, but it was as cold as winter in this house. After carefully considering his words, the old priest slowly explained:

"I'm not worried about the devil, but about you. I'm worried that your faith will be hit and shaken."

"...I have nothing to lose, Father." Father Karas forced a smile. "Although my mother has passed away, she was well taken care of before her death, thanks to your help and a suitable job. Now I have a safe life and can help others. The devil cannot find a crack in my heart."

"Really? Your faith is your flaw... The time to test your faith has not yet come, and you will understand."

The old priest looked back calmly. Without waiting for Father Karas's answer, he turned his gaze to the girl who was sticking out her tongue and making obscene expressions. The latter was constantly scolding her mother, telling the most private and dark things of every household on this street, and denounced the entire human society as worthless.

Noticing the old priest's gaze and the Bible in his hand, the demon-possessed girl chuckled softly. She spat out a mouthful of yellow-green phlegm mixed with teeth at the priest and laughed heartily again:

"The thing in your hand is useless. How can it cause me pain? Ah~ I do feel something, but it's as weak as a child's beating. Come on, just kill this girl—and I'll leave!"

"Leave and go into the body of another person in the room? I won't fall for it, demon."

The old priest spoke calmly, wiped off the dirt with a tissue, spread out the Bible, and recited in a low voice.

This action made the devil sneer. It ignored the contents of the Bible, turned its head and looked at Father Karas standing next to it, and said with a smile:

"Your faith is worthless. Your God does not exist. There is only chaos and darkness forever!"

"...Shut up, demon!"

Father Karas responded angrily, also opening his Bible and reading aloud. The demon-possessed girl immediately twisted her body, her face in agony. A gust of wind blew through the room, the candlelight instantly went out, and even the electric light flickered wildly. The furniture creaked strangely, and countless phantom locusts flew out from inside. Seeing this, Father Karas's voice became even louder. He held out his cross and slowly approached the girl.

The cross was pressed against the girl's forehead, and all the strange phenomena around her immediately ceased... Success? Father Karas was startled, but then he heard the devil's laughing response:

"I lied to you."

Father Karas was instantly flung away by an invisible force and fell to the ground. He took two or three minutes to slowly get up. He coughed a few times and looked back at the possessed girl who was making a shrill laugh with anger and slight fear.

Ignoring what was happening here, Father Merlin continued to recite the Bible, as if the only ones left here were him and the book that had accompanied him for almost his entire life.

This situation made the devil scream loudly. Several cockroaches crawled out of the girl's mouth, but soon transformed into strange-looking locusts, flying around the room and bringing the sound of the dry earth cracking:

"Your Bible can't expel me!"

"No... you're mistaken, demon." Father Merlin closed the Bible and felt the vibration of his phone in his pocket. He took it out and glanced at the message on it, then said with a slight sense of relief, "I'm not expelling you. I'm giving myself the courage and strength to face that person."

To face... what? Father Karas, the demon, and Ms. Chris, who was almost collapsed in the corner, all felt confused.

The eyes of the girl possessed by the demon suddenly turned into a rotten green, and her original human pupils were squeezed to the side, trembling in the corner - the creature from the supernatural dimension spread its power and then probed into the old priest's soul, trying to discover the truth from it.

"Ah... the smell of fear. You're afraid and wavering. Why?" The possessed girl licked the corner of her mouth with her tongue, which resembled an octopus tentacle, and a disdainful smile appeared on her face. "Let me see... You actually think the Son of God has already arrived... Wait, what has arrived?!"

There was a knock on the door.

The old priest took a deep look at the possessed girl, patted Father Karas on the shoulder, and said:

"Help Ms. Chris up, and then, stand firm in your faith."

“…Yes, I understand.”