Long-term salvation

The next second, a flaming sword emerged from Rhodes' hand. With a casual wave of his hand, the scorching flames swept across the heads of the terrified representatives and ignited the thick dark red curtains!

One representative stood up in a daze and reached out to touch the golden flame. Rhodes turned his sword upside down, gripped the hilt with both hands, and his eyes moved slightly. The flame then faded from the curtain like a dragon, condensing their names above each representative's head, but soon fell to the ground and disappeared instantly like exploding bubbles, leaving no trace.

Only the curtains that had been burned by the flames still emitted a burnt smell, reminding everyone that what had just happened was not an illusion.

This was also a new trick for Rod, but he was very satisfied with the effect.

"What...what kind of trick is this? Magic?! What did you do before you came here?"

"How is this possible? We chose this location on the spur of the moment. We had people guarding it long ago, so he wouldn't have had time to make any arrangements... Someone must have tipped us off... No, I can't think that way... Damn it, my mind is a bit confused... The golden flame appearing is fine, but how did it reveal our names?"

"The sword in his hand is gone too!"

"...Calm down, everyone. I believe Mr. Rhodes will definitely give us an explanation," said the young man sitting in the back row. He was handsome but a little cold. He looked at Rhodes and said seriously, "Please continue. The representatives will discuss this later."

Facing those astonished eyes, Rhodes nodded to Marian, who casually picked up a metal folding chair, easily squeezed it into a ball, flattened it, and placed it under the portable projector - this also made the representatives stare blankly - soon, various images appeared on the turned-over whiteboard, such as the definition and characteristics of the other world, and the records of the soldiers without borders when they were carrying out the mission of fighting against the creatures of the other world.

Compared to the faint singing and music coming from outside the room, the roars of the monsters and the gunfire of the human soldiers in the video seemed particularly harsh. The relatively clear images flickered in each representative's eyes, disturbing their hearts and minds.

"Everyone, this is what you will be fighting against in the future... creatures from the otherworld, or in other words, supernatural beings."

Rhode clapped his hands and turned off the video, letting the sunlight shine back on each representative, but it couldn't bring them any warmth - human civilization was actually sailing like a lone boat on such a terrifying deep sea?!

Silence enveloped all the representatives, making their faces stiff, but their hearts were beating rapidly due to the confusion of their thoughts, making a dull sound like the morning bell and evening drum.

After waiting quietly for half an hour, Rhodes broke the silence:

"So, today is the last chance, the chance to make a choice."

Rhodes took out the memory eraser and held it tightly with his hands folded.

"Will you choose to become soldiers of the 'Army Without Borders' and follow me to defend human civilization, or do an ordinary guard job? I know you are just representatives, and you will go back and tell the soldiers... Marianne, D, go get some tissues."

"No... no need."

The representative who was shedding tears waved his hands, wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, and said with some sobs:

"This is the job I want to do! I'm tired of standing guard at the Berlin Wall every day. I joined the army for liberation, to help more people live a better life! But what am I doing now?! What did I do in the past?!"

"I think most people would do it, Mr. Rhodes."

A representative stood up suddenly, staring at Rhodes' face, and said seriously:

"I can't make promises to you on behalf of others right now, and I personally can't confirm the truth of everything you describe to us, but I will bear witness with my own eyes—if you lie, then let this lie collapse like the Tower of Babel!"

"This is also what I expected. Or rather, it is exactly what I want."

The corners of Rhode's mouth curled up slightly. He stepped forward to shake hands with the representative, and both palms responded with warmth and strength. After releasing his hand, Rhode looked around and continued:

"My friends, the truth is irrefutable, and I am fully prepared to accept your scrutiny. Of course, I also need to tell you that there will definitely be soldiers from NATO under my command."

"Of course, we know this. You can tell from the name of your organization - Army Without Borders."

"It just sounds like anarchism..."

“Just not Trotskyism.”

"Anren is not much better!"

"..."

Looking at the representatives who had suddenly strayed from the topic, Rhode pressed his head with his hand and said unhappily:

"Stop! Set aside the dispute! Go back and carefully consult the soldiers. You can be vague or serious about the specific adjectives—be careful not to let the news leak out."

Upon hearing this, the representatives looked at each other and then responded in unison.

After spending some time sorting out the details, Rhode breathed a sigh of relief and watched the representatives file out. But before the last person left, he suddenly grabbed the collar of the young man and pulled him back.

Facing the other person's seemingly calm yet doubtful eyes, Rhode took out his cigarette case and shared a cigarette with him. Then, as the two stood by the window, puffing away, he smiled and said to the latter:

"Mr. Lloyd Folger, codenamed 'Dusk', how is it working in the Stasili?"

dusk:"……????!!!!!"

Chapter 241: Both Sides Move

"Mr. Lloyd Folger, whose real name I have long since abandoned, or should I call you 'Dusk'?"

Rhode's eyes swept across the young man's face, where a little cold sweat had appeared on his forehead. Seeing the young man's tense expression, he comforted him with a smile:

"Don't be nervous. I have no intention of sending you to heaven for sacrifice... By the way, are you a representative of the Stasi?"

"You can call me by my codename. I'm not really a representative, just someone here to make contact and prevent leaks from the People's Army. We're more familiar with Perseus, so there's no need to specifically educate ourselves on the existence of the Primordial World... Well, your flaming sword truly opened my eyes."

Huanghun exhaled slowly to suppress his rapidly increasing heartbeat. After carefully considering his words, he said with a hint of helplessness:

"Now that we've met you, there's no need to waste any more time... We, too, need your help. In return, we will obey your orders and serve the Army Without Borders."

"Is it a genuine service, or is it just a stopgap measure to avoid being sent to prison or executed?"

Rhode raised an eyebrow slightly, took a drag on his cigarette, and blew the smoke out the window—all he could see was the bright sunshine, the wind blowing, and the cityscapes near and far. The faint sound of a car horn burst into the large room, vibrating the air between the two men, turning it into an invisible wall.

Now, Huang Hun only felt that a giant head was sticking out of the wall, looking down at him.

"...We will hand the files over to you if you can remove them from the archives at headquarters."

Huanghun gritted his teeth. He had been a bit skeptical when he first received Rhode's intelligence—what did "prophet," "savior," "transcendent being," "one who sees through people's hearts" mean? Now, his doubts were gone, replaced by pressure—he really didn't know what his enemies were facing.

"Oh? If this is your token of allegiance, I'm quite satisfied. There are still some reasonable people among you."

"Perhaps this is a temporary solution," Dusk sighed, "but no matter what, leaving the files at headquarters is definitely the worst outcome."

Hearing Huanghun's reply, the corners of Rhodes' mouth curled up slightly. He extinguished the cigarette in his hand and the twisted cigarette butt flew out of the window, landing in a place where neither of them could see.

"I'll do it, the sooner the better," Rhode thought for a moment before continuing, "We'll go this afternoon. As long as you can lead me into the archives, I can transfer all the files directly... I hope you've already made a plan, otherwise, it'll just take a few more days."

"Any time," Huang Hun breathed a sigh of relief. He took out a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "We've already made a plan. If you don't lend a hand, we're going to use three days to extract the files bit by bit."

"Without further ado... Oh, by the way, Dusk, how many people know your identities? Including your appearance, past, etc.?"

Rhode suddenly remembered this important matter. He looked at the young man in front of him with interest. The young man's expression froze for a moment, and then he whispered, "What are you doing?"

"Several operations directors know."

"Let me guess. These operations directors aren't part of 'us,' right?" Rhodes laughed. "They want to seize the Stasi agents' files and intelligence so they can win credit for their new boss?"

"Based on our speculation... yes."

"Do you need any more help from me?"

"If you don't mind—actually, I plan to handle it myself," Huang Hun said, his expression gradually calming down. "I don't think those Nazi remnants will treat us fairly, but there are always people who hope for the best."

"It's not like I'm going to handle it myself, but... D, come here."

Rhode said as he called Nikki over. Nikki's expression was as cold as ice, completely different from yesterday and the night before. Her wine-red eyes stared at Rhode, awaiting his command.

In contrast, Huang Hun walked away tactfully to ask Marian, who was packing up the projector, for some information about the other world.

After patting the girl's head, Rhode pondered for a few seconds and then spoke softly:

"D, contact Ms. Diana from the ICA and have her send someone to deal with those operations directors as soon as possible. You will also bring the Black Crows with you and investigate whether the candidates from the ICA are qualified to join us."

"Yes, I understand."

Having made the decision, Rod no longer wasted time. He took Marianne and Little Red Riding Hood and quickly left the theater in a dusk car, heading towards the Stasi headquarters.

The current plan was simple. Dusk would enter the headquarters disguised as another Stasi agent, creating an opening for Rhode, who was wearing a stealth suit with optical camouflage. They would meet outside the archives, obtain the documents, and then stage an incident to conceal their actions. The two Nikkis would remain outside, providing cover and interception. Rhode intended to directly attack the Stasi headquarters, completely consuming this historic intelligence agency with a blazing flame.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, let the Federal German government deal with the rest of the trouble!

In the bright sunshine, the car drove along the streets of Berlin, heading towards 103 Ruschester Street in East Berlin.

On the way, Rod rolled down the window and looked at two East German policemen who were lazily smoking on the side of the road. They were standing by the door of a bakery, chatting casually with the owner who came out, and seemed to be full of expectations for their future life.

After noticing Rhode's gaze, Huanghun rubbed the steering wheel with his fingers and asked nervously:

"Will the people of East Germany...be better off in the future?"

"That's strange, Huanghun. As a Stasi spy, you've obviously been to West Germany and other countries. You're fluent in multiple languages ​​and have a university degree. I'm sure you know a lot about the history and politics of various countries. So why are you asking me this question?"

Rhodes spoke calmly, recalling the events following the reunification of Germany. He sighed and said to the silent young spy:

"This is not something you can decide, nor is it something the East German people can decide - or rather, this is the decision they made, and whether the result is good or bad, let them try it first."

"...Then I wish them good luck," Dusk nodded slightly.

"Don't worry too much. After all, we're a long-established industrial nation. Even if things are awful, we won't be like some superpower in thirty years, forcing the lower classes to sell blood every week to survive... What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

dusk:"???"

Looking at the young man's incredulous expression, Rhodes shrugged and stopped talking about this topic. Instead, he waited for the destination with a little anticipation. Sneaking into the Stasi headquarters was indeed very exciting. Maybe he could try to sneak into the KGB headquarters next time?

Rhodes is looking forward to it.

+ + + + + + + +

A car arrived at the block near the Stasi headquarters slightly earlier than Rod and Huanghun and the others.

As soon as the car stopped, a man came over, handed the thing in his hand to the person in the car, and whispered:

"Here are the documents and precautions for passage, as well as the code words for some key departments. You can let her work there for a few days to familiarize herself with the terrain."

"We don't have that much time. West Germany's Federal Intelligence Service is also in contact with Stasi executives. When you return, you must guide her to the location of the archive."

"...Aren't you CIA people coordinating with them?"

"That's not something you can explore," the man in the car said coldly, "When you get the money, go to Austria or Italy and don't come back."

"I don't want to be in this damn country either."

"..."

Looking at the man's receding figure, the driver turned his head and said to the woman sitting in the back seat:

"Get rid of him once you've got the files, Edith Blackwater."

"Tsk! Don't shout my name out there!" the woman said, frowning. She ran a hand through her hair. "Luckily, there aren't many people here, or we'd be in trouble again—those mad KGB dogs haven't left Berlin yet!"

"Just a reminder... That mad dog Adler was paralyzed, and his pups haven't gotten any better either. The higher-ups have no choice but to ask us to do this. We'd better do it well, otherwise we'll definitely be thrown into some garbage dump in Southeast Asia."

Note 1: From the painting "Black Lagoon", that is, Eda, one of the nuns of the violent church in Roanapura.

Chapter 242 An unexpected encounter at the Stasi headquarters (3K)

This ordinary building with brown exterior walls stands here quietly, having endured the battering of wind and rain for decades without moving. But now, it is emitting a dead air that permeates both inside and out, just like the humans working inside.

With a certain pride and disdain that she could not reveal to herself, Edith Blackwater walked in here with a brisk pace.

The soldier in charge of the guard saluted her and took the certificate. After carefully examining it, he said:

"Have a great day at work, Ms. Anya Schultz."

This name is really a bit lame… Edith complained in her heart, but she still responded in a friendly manner and then walked into the Stasi headquarters, which is considered "one of the most efficient intelligence and secret police agencies in the world":

This is a complex of buildings connected together, from the ministry leadership office building in Building No. 1 to the "Counterintelligence Department" in Building No. 2, and so on. The most important departments are basically all here, which also means that the number of staff here is much greater than that of the "Radio Reconnaissance and Radio Security Department" whose office building is located in the Lichtenberg district.

Walking into the enemy's lair, Edith couldn't help feeling a little nervous, but for her, who joined the CIA immediately after graduating from Harvard University and graduated from the training camp with excellent results, this was more like an interesting challenge - although the consequences of failing the challenge would be miserable - the Stasi might not do anything to her, but she would definitely be happy to hand her over to the KGB.

Following the corridor and stairs, Edith successfully found the bribed "mole (often used to describe a lurking spy)". The latter was drinking a cup of coffee slowly. When he noticed her arrival, he subconsciously shuddered... Looking at the man who was wiping his pants, Edith frowned and felt more disgusted.

After thanking his colleagues for their concern, Mr. Mole took Edith to an empty conference room. He straightened his collar, took a few deep breaths, and then slowly said:

"You are too anxious."

"It's better to hurry up. After all, you are not the only choice. There are many people waiting in line."

Edith said expressionlessly, and sneered:

"You are valuable, but that value is gradually depreciating with the passage of time. Oh, oh, oh, don't think of threatening me with reporting you. Not only will you not be able to escape, but you will also be liquidated after the reunification of Germany."

After saying this, Edith put her arms together and leaned forward, as if expecting to be handcuffed.

"...I'll take you there now," the Mole gritted his teeth, his chest heaving and his breathing like a bellows. "Listen carefully, you're a logistics officer from the Leipzig district, and you'll be managing the non-top-secret archives. To everyone else, I'll tell you, 'I'm showing you around the workplace.' Do you understand?"

What an idiot! Even if he escaped, what would happen? Would the CIA let him go? Even after working in intelligence agencies his entire life, he still couldn't figure it out... But it was only an idiot like this who would choose to betray his colleagues and his country... Edith laughed inwardly, but a smile remained on her face.

"Of course, sir."

"..."