Long-term salvation

"At three o'clock, everyone move towards me! Form a search formation!" Gideon shouted the order on the communication channel - although it was everyone, there were only seven people left in the entire team including him, and the other half had already been lost in the battle.

Two minutes later, Gideon heard a faint rustling in the woods. Teams approaching from different directions had already gathered within a fifty-meter radius of him. They advanced cautiously, constantly reporting in code on the communication channel to avoid surprise attacks.

Breathe… breathe… breathe… breathe…

Gideon looked at his surroundings warily. The strange rocks and dense forests interspersed with each other. Any creature moving through them would make a noticeable noise, but this sound was now weakened:

Heavy rain and darkness remain the biggest obstacles. Even with the most advanced equipment, the foundation is still humans - weak flesh and blood can only compromise with the power of nature, and constantly try to use their own wisdom to make up for their inherent defects - in the thunder that flashes from time to time, the dark shadows of the trees are baring their fangs and claws, and every swaying shadow looks like an enemy preparing to ambush.

"The people carrying the detection equipment are reporting in," Gideon said. He could see the faintly lit logo on his companion's helmet not far away. "Starting with Torres."

"The noise is too heavy, and the sonic detector cannot pick up the unknown sound."

"The drone also didn't find anything, and the wind was too strong to keep it stable for long."

"…Did anyone bring that threat detection grenade?"

"The performance is extremely unstable, and it was only used at the beginning of the battle," Gideon said, pursing his lips. Their entire team has been doing frequent testing work recently, but it is still a bit uncomfortable to invest so much new equipment this time - the reliability of the new equipment is not good, and it still needs time to be improved and adjusted. Although it is promising in the future, it cannot be relied upon in the current battle.

"…Odrodek Scanner?"

"That thing is of no use to him. Or rather, it would be a disaster if it were useful."

"Mr. Irons will be very sad."

"Aren't you angry?"

"Shut up, gentlemen," Gideon sighed, feeling heartbroken at the thought of his forfeited bonus. "We're still fighting... Wait... Who's running?!"

Only a short scream was heard on the communication channel.

Gideon whipped his head around to look at the last member of the group who had made the noise. He had collapsed to the ground, completely silent. He wasn't far away, only thirty meters away, yet no one had noticed the enemy's attack—he was faster, stronger, and more skilled than when they'd first met.

In less than a year!

There is nothing found in front, behind, left or right, so it must be... above!

Gideon jerked his gun up and flicked on his tactical flashlight. The bright, daylight instantly illuminated the bizarre boulder. But the next second, a bullet from the side shattered the gun, destroying the tactical equipment on it along with it. He had leaped sideways, not hidden among the rocks?! How had he gotten there?!

"Gideon!"

"Don't come over here, maintain alert formation, and don't let your teammates out of your sight for more than five seconds!"

"Five seconds...that's too long, Gideon."

A voice suddenly broke into the communication channel. The voice was calm and peaceful, yet terrifying. Without any hesitation, Gideon drew his pistol and fired repeatedly at the figure carrying an Atlas soldier. The latter immediately threw away the body and communication headset in his hand, dancing in the darkness like a ghost, and disappeared into the dark rainforest.

This made Gideon grit his teeth, and the anger and unwillingness in his heart increased, but soon he put these frustrations behind him and began to think quickly about how to deal with the situation at hand.

"Tsk... Gideon, take Torres's weapon. He's been taken," said an Atlas soldier. He turned on his tactical flashlight and approached his fallen comrade cautiously. "You'd better take a rifle."

"No... don't get close. I'm not sure if he put explosives on it. He can use the same experimental weapons and equipment as us. Don't forget that!"

Gideon whispered, took a few deep breaths, and gave the order again:

"Mission failed, personnel extraction, passing on intelligence—we'd better have someone run to the designated extraction point, otherwise this will be very embarrassing."

The Atlas soldiers did not refute. They took out smoke bombs and threw them out, then quickly retreated in the opposite direction behind Gideon.

Mist swirled in the rain, then swirled up in the air currents generated by the rapid running, forming a vague phantom. The phantom did not pursue directly, but chose to take a detour.

Climbing the rocks placed there, leaping over the artificially dug river ditch to simulate nature, ducking through layers of overlapping branches and the wreckage of collapsed buildings, they arrived faster than the Atlas team of only five people left - this was exactly what Gideon had expected. He replaced the magazine of his pistol, put it back in the holster, drew his dagger, and shouted loudly into the communication channel:

"Spread out! Cover me with fire!"

Gideon began running through the hail of gunfire. Bullets whizzed past his sides, shattering the raindrops into a fine mist. The sizzling sound of several pairs of combat boots treading through the wet earth echoed almost simultaneously. The entire squad dispersed to either side, firing as they ran.

As Gideon had said before, at least one of them had to get out.

But the enemy didn't seem to be willing to give them this opportunity:

The target emerged from the shadows of the woods, crossing the short distance of less than twenty meters in almost an instant. However, it did not directly confront Gideon. Instead, it quickly caught up with a soldier, crushed the back connection of his exoskeleton, and threw it at another person.

Just as the two of them struggled to get up, they were knocked to the ground by two bullets and never moved again.

The remaining three people looked at each other, but did not stop their steps - one of them was still running towards the evacuation point, and the other turned back and continued to fire with a rifle to cover Gideon's actions.

There were no complicated conversations or hysterical shouts. The two elite humans used years of training and the tacit understanding cultivated in fierce battles as weapons to challenge the extraordinary existence.

The gunfire was clearly visible in the rainy night, and the faint hum of the exoskeleton's servo motor gave the two more courage to fight against the figure standing in the darkness - Gideon's breath spurted out from between his teeth, and he growled, and the dagger in his hand cut through the air, cutting through the rain, and attacked his target with the purest murderous intent and fighting spirit.

The figure twisted his body, raised his arm to block Gideon's downward dagger, and constantly moved the latter's body to adjust his own position, ensuring that the remaining Atlas soldier's gun line was always blocked by his companion.

Gideon let out an angry cry. He clenched his mechanical left fist and struck out, but the enemy's right palm caught it and twisted it! The alloy fingers were immediately broken, and the motor emitted a high-pitched cry of pain. But this was not the end yet. A fierce knee strike struck Gideon's lightly armored abdomen. With a few muffled sounds, spider-web-like cracks spread out from the injured area!

Dull pain and dizziness crashed into Gideon's brain, blurring the world before his eyes... Subconsciously, he recalled the mission in which he lost his left hand. The enemy was hiding in the darkness, rushing into the team's formation like a cheetah, tearing apart the unsuspecting flesh and blood.

"Gideon!"

The Atlas soldier screamed, but he immediately saw the figure ducking to avoid the gunfire and running towards him at a speed no mortal could possibly reach. Just as he subconsciously took half a step back, he was hit by a roundhouse kick in the chest, and the whole person flew several meters away.

Gideon gasped in pain. Just as he was trying to get up, the back of his head was pressed against the cold muzzle of a gun.

"boom."

The figure said jokingly, but he still pulled the trigger.

Fifteen seconds later.

The last Atlas soldier was running when he saw an open jeep on the side of the road. The man - Jonathan Irons - was standing next to the car, looking at him.

It seems that he and the entire team will not be embarrassed.

The Atlas soldier thought so, but when he was about to run out of the jungle, his body suddenly stopped:

Something grabbed hold of his exoskeleton, then his neck, and silently dragged him into the darkness.

"…The exercise is over."

Irons said, his expression expressionless.

[Note: Drelick, Carter, and Torres were all Atlas Corp. soldiers who appeared in the original game, and all died.]

Chapter 215 Atlas (3K·Part 2)

"You crushed the mechanical arm I gave Gideon."

Irons said to Rod, who was leaning next to Jeep, who was loading his revolver and watching the still dazed Gideon lead his team out of the training ground.

"The prototype alone cost two million dollars," Irons said again, patting Rhodes' back in dissatisfaction. "Did you hear that?"

"Oh, you're so stingy. I'll pay you back, you see Gideon didn't say anything."

"...Well, actually, it's pretty uncomfortable to live without a hand," Gideon said honestly as he approached. He watched sadly as several technicians gathered around him and helped remove the damaged fingers. "But it seems we only need to replace a few fingers, and then adjust them for two or three days."

Looking at the dismantled mechanical fingers, Irons picked one up, examined it carefully, and put it back. He then picked up the mechanical exoskeleton that the Atlas soldiers had dismantled, and while inspecting it, he said:

"After you showed up, Atlas Corporation's research and development speed suddenly increased. Many talented researchers were able to implement their ideas at varying speeds. Was this your influence, or was it caused by the tides of the other world?"

"Obviously it's the latter. Of course, if you want to attribute it to the former, I won't deny it," Rhodes said with a smile. His words made Irons snort coldly. He put down what he was holding and said to the technician next to him:

"Tell your supervisor to come up with a more stable product in a month. The exoskeleton also needs to have a longer battery life and higher output. At least—"

Irons glanced at Rhodes, who was looking at the exoskeleton curiously, and then continued:

"At least give the soldiers a chance to resist."

"We understand, Mr. Irons."

"Do a good job. I have high hopes for you. Glory lies in the ordinary, and hardship lies in the long process. Your products determine the bottom line of soldiers on the battlefield and can help many survive certain death... Now, get in the car. I'll show you around Atlas."

The latter sentence was directed to Rhodes.

Irons got in the car and sat next to Rod, just like the first time they were riding together. After handing Rod two towels and asking him to wipe the water stains on his hair and body, Irons leaned over and patted the driver's shoulder and said:

"We'll follow the planned route and make a circle. We won't have this opportunity after the headquarters moves."

The vehicle started, passed through the slowly opening heavy gate, and drove out of this huge training ground. Although there was no constructed image here like in the game, it was more than enough to simulate natural lighting and weather. It was also a testing ground for various weapons.

Rhodes had just arrived at Atlas Corporation's headquarters in Colorado when Irons threw him into the test site. He then completely defeated Atlas Corporation's elite troops in less than half an hour... If the goal was simply to kill them, they would probably only survive one-tenth of the time.

The world outside the test site is sunny and bright, and a gentle warm breeze brings the breath of early summer.

Atlas's headquarters, nearly the size of a small city, sat adjacent to Colorado Springs. Originally, many company employees, workers, and soldiers' families lived there, but as Irons' overseas relocation plan unfolded, new arrivals dried up. Even those who had lived there for years gradually left, following their leader's orders and moving unconditionally around the world.

But for now, at least, there were still groups of soldiers and researchers walking the streets. Soldiers testing jump packs made strange whistling noises as they leaped onto and off platforms. A few technicians in white coats were recording data, and two ambulances were waiting nearby to prevent any accidents.

On the road, several clearly military-style Laborers, their heavy, multi-legged legs, lined up in a row, their drivers at the controls, waiting for the red light. On either shoulder of the Laborer at the end sat two Atlas soldiers wearing VR headsets, apparently operating the robots remotely.

In the garage on the left side of the road, there are several M1A1 tanks, Stryker armored vehicles and experimental vehicles of unknown models. A little further away are the Soviet T-80BV, T-72 tanks and more advanced armored vehicles from different countries.

An experimental vertical take-off and landing fighter that looked like the XH9-Warbird flew across the sky. The airflow blew several drones below crookedly, and the angry rebuke of the drone operator was heard in the communication channel... I wonder when we can see its stealth version.

"How much will this cost?" Rhode said with emotion. He crossed his arms and nodded seriously. "It was indeed the right decision to let Yang, Yuxiang, and Noah come with me. I hope they can successfully understand the operation of Atlas Corporation."

"I don't doubt their abilities, but they clearly lack the experience to run a large company on an ongoing basis... They will grow, and now we have our own things to do."

Irons turned his head and said to Rhodes, with a subtle sense of pride and pride on his face:

"The company currently controls more direct military power than the United States Marine Corps. Of course, this isn't publicly stated. We still have to consider the reactions of countries around the world. Atlas Corporation is expanding in Africa, South America, and the Antioch region of the Middle East. You'd better have Aperture Technology coordinate with us... You have the opportunity to speak today."

"Let's put that aside for now. What's the United States' reaction?" Rhode inquired. This question was crucial, essentially determining Atlas's development speed and direction for the next decade. "They won't let a behemoth slip away from their control."

The United States government in the 90s was bad, but not bad and stupid as it was thirty years later. The imperialist elites who had experienced World War II and the Cold War were trembling with fear as they seized evil interests for the country, and naturally they knew how to balance and deal with these big capitals in the country.

"They're distancing themselves from Atlas, but that's what I expected... Five years! I can still buy five more years!"

Irons raised his voice to drown out the noise of the helicopter landing nearby. He handed Rhodes a tablet computer containing information about the experimental vehicles that Atlas Corporation was currently planning to develop—basically, various classic vehicles and equipment from the original game, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.

The XH9-Warbird, T-600 "Titan" tank, XS1 "Goliath" armor (AST), and other models of bipedal or multi-legged combat robots seem to be based on what Labor developed.

"The technology you brought and recent technological developments have greatly benefited the company. We've launched many cutting-edge weapon designs, but there are still many new technological bottlenecks that need to be overcome. Even if many of these things are developed in two years, they will still be expensive and extremely unreliable, just like the Gideon arm and the mechanical exoskeleton you saw today."

After hearing what Ains said, Rhodes had some idea in his mind and asked:

"So, besides Labor, weapons and equipment like mechanical exoskeletons and robotic arms are the ones making the most progress?"

"Yes, that's why it will take at least seven to eight years for you to see those steel behemoths appear on the battlefield. The fighter jets currently under development will take even longer to test and debug. We submitted a stealth fighter design called the 'YF-23' to the US military... but it will probably be rejected. The military no longer wants Atlas to be too involved in military affairs."

Irons explained to Rhodes, raising his hand to respond to the Atlas soldiers who saluted him on the roadside:

"But there will be a hiatus, probably six months to a year. I'm moving all the production lines and laboratories here outside the United States—starting with Somalia and radiating outwards to Africa. This has gained some support from the United States. The White House seems to believe this will weaken the influence of Britain, France, and the EU in Africa, while also suppressing Tanzania... You know, they have a good relationship with the Aurora Republic."

"I also plan to build Antioch in Türkiye into Atlas' key base in the Middle East, and also take complete control of it within five years."

Irons stretched lazily in the bright sunshine, rubbing his temples, and took out a bottle of Coke from the small box in the middle and handed it to Rhodes. But as soon as Rhodes opened the bottle cap with his finger, Irons took the Coke back and started drinking!

Rhodes: “…”

As Irons let out a sigh of relief after finishing half the bottle, Rhode, with his eyes wide open, reached out for another bottle and asked as he opened the cap:

“What if the construction is completed five years later and the Turkish government changes its mind or wants to confiscate it outright?”

"Heh...Turks."

The corners of Irons' mouth twitched slightly, and Rhodes tentatively assumed it was a smile. Then he heard the middle-aged man in front of him say calmly:

“Then change the government.”

"...Argos Panoptos, the Greek-born director of the Foundation, would probably be very happy. I remember him hating the Turks."

As Rhode spoke, his eyes swept across the tablet in his hand. He suddenly felt a sense of anticipation. If he could get the technology from "Full Metal Panic" or some other work, what kind of wonderful things could the technical masters of Atlas Corporation come up with?

As he thought about this, Rhodes felt the jeep beneath him pause slightly, and then he heard the Atlas soldiers standing on both sides of the door in front of a tall research building. They were fully armed and looked completely different from the other people walking in the headquarters.

After signaling Rhodes to get out of the car, Irons led him to the research institute and said as they walked:

"Remember the teleportation experiment you stopped? I asked Dr. Gordon Freeman, the research director of that project, and his students to wait for you here, along with an annoying old guy..."

"Wait, who?"

"Dr. Gordon Freeman—what, you know him? Oh yes, you should know him."

That's really too much to know... Rhode covered his face with his hands, and at the same time rejoiced in his heart:

Fortunately, Atlas Corporation (Black Mesa Base) was not allowed to carry out the portal experiment.