Long-term salvation

Chapter 4: Ains, the Lord of Giant God Corporation (5K)

Rod opened his eyes and saw the fire in the fireplace still burning brightly. He had a vague dream.

After stuffing two pieces of firewood into the fireplace, Rhodes stood up and stretched, turning his head to look at the clock hanging in the living room - it was not yet three o'clock, and he had only slept for a little over two hours - it was still dark outside, and the only sound around him was the crackling of burning firewood, which gave him an inexplicable sense of security.

Rhodes wrapped himself in the blanket again and sat back on the sofa, quietly feeling the warmth brought by the fire.

After sitting there for a few minutes, he stretched out his hand, clenched his fist, unclenched it, and clenched it again. His fatigue had vanished, and his slightly frail body was filled with strength bestowed by an unknown existence. And this was achieved with just two hours of sleep...

What does the system bring to oneself? Power? Or is it a goal that seems out of reach?

After thinking it over and over without coming up with an answer, Rhodes leaned back on the sofa and let out a long sigh. Bored, he took out the eye mask from the system space and put it on his left eye. After turning it on, he scanned the surroundings. The only things marked by the all-seeing eye were some ordinary furniture. There was nothing worth studying or information about it.

But just as Rhodes stood up to add more firewood to the fireplace, he glanced out the window and was shocked - six Hummers stopped in the distance, and more than a dozen people got out of the cars... There might be more in other directions of the house.

With the help of the thermal imaging function of the All-Seeing Eye, Rhodes saw that those who came were fully armed and immediately dispersed after getting out of the car, slowly approaching the house in a skirmish line. At the same time, someone even took out something that looked like a machine gun from the car and mounted it on the roof of the Hummer!

Very professional, very professional, just like hunters on a hunt, and Rhodes was the unfortunate prey.

"Tsk..."

Rhode remained silent, slowly retreating to the sofa. He quickly donned his gear and checked his rifle and magazine. A wave of frustration washed over him as he felt the empty holster. Even before that feeling faded, he began to worry about the system quest—what the hell was that main quest?! The system quest said we were to reunite with our allies, but beyond that, there were no other clues, leaving Rhode unsure of the group's intentions.

It is 1989, the red giant has not yet fallen and the Cold War has not yet ended!

This wasn't Rhodes's home world, and after three days of hell, he knew one thing very well: it was best to remain vigilant when facing anything "unusual," even if the other party might be his ally.

Holding the rifle, Rhodes sincerely hoped that there would be no conflict, at least not disturbing the rest of the old man upstairs, breaking furniture or... taking lives.

As the uninvited guests drew closer, Rhode began to hear the subtle clatter of combat boots on dirt and gravel. After considering the possibility of a firefight, Rhode sighed, stood up, and walked to the door. He opened it a crack and shone the flashlight in his waist pack outside.

The footsteps outside suddenly stopped, but no one fired a shot.

This made Rhodes breathe a sigh of relief, and he then vaguely heard someone using a walkie-talkie to report his actions to the back.

After a few minutes of silence, footsteps were heard again, but this time there was only one voice. The person approaching the house seemed to be a representative to negotiate with Rhodes, or to make "contact."

Through the crack in the door, Rhodes saw a man with a stern face. He wore a black knitted beanie and held an M4 carbine, which definitely wouldn't appear at this moment... But when Rhodes saw the man's information, he didn't think it was a question worth exploring:

【Gideon (United States of America, Atlas Corporation)】

【Source: Call of Duty 11: Advanced Warfare】

[Description: Gideon, a member of the British SAS, currently serves Jonathan Irons and Atlas Corporation.]

【Attitude: Caution/Distrust】

It was still a very brief hint, but it contained a lot of information - the visitors were from the Atlas Corporation in Call of Duty 11: Advanced Warfare, and the story of this game was set in 2054, with no connection to "the afterlife," "systems," or "time travel"! Not only that, how did they know they were here?

These questions filled Rhodes's mind, giving him a headache.

But then, Rhode felt a slightly strange sensation, like soft, cold sashimi sliding into his stomach after slowly chewing it. During this process, some "knowledge" appeared in his brain, as if he should have known it:

Countless streams leaking from other worlds converge in this world, and this repetition, superposition, and accumulation make it an unfathomable ocean.

【The tide is rising.】

The strange feeling faded, and Rhode's mind became clearer. But now, he had to solve those small problems outside first - since there were so many problems, he might as well start with the one in front of him.

"Gideon."

Rhodes called out the name of the man who was about to reach the door. The latter was stunned and subconsciously put his hand on the holster on his waist.

Attitude: Caution/Distrust/Suspicion/Fear

Rhodes: “…”

In this situation, it was indeed inappropriate to suddenly call out the other person's name. Rhode felt that the other person must have flashed through the routines of seventy or eighty horror movies... Thinking of this, he quickly spoke to make amends:

"I mean, Gideon, can you feel the cold? Ah—wait, that's even more inappropriate. What if you could get your friends to stand down and remove that machine gun? Oh, not just one, but you're carrying an M2 and a rocket launcher?! Are you planning to attack the Lubyanka?"

"If we really want to attack there, our equipment is not enough." Gideon's facial muscles twitched. He was a little confused for a moment, but the other party seemed to be able to communicate... After taking a few deep breaths, Gideon continued: "Let's look for-"

"ally?"

"I don't know what I'm looking for. This requires you to follow our—"

"Jonathan Irons? He's here?! Never mind, just let him talk to me."

"..."

Gideon stopped talking. He suppressed his anxiety, took off the walkie-talkie and handed it through the crack in the door, but a hand reached out and tightly grasped his arm.

The strength was so great that Gideon was shocked.

"I think we can come in and talk," Rhodes said, his palm feeling the resistance coming from his sturdy arms. "Also, take off your weapons and leave them at the door. If you feel scared, you can use the dagger hidden in your boot. But please be careful, my speed and strength are far superior to yours."

"...I don't like having daggers in my boots."

"You should get one."

Following the sound, the door opened a little, just enough for an adult to walk in sideways.

Gideon slowly exhaled, raised his hand to stop the team members who wanted to come forward, turned on the walkie-talkie and said to Ains in the car in the distance:

"Sir, I'm going into the house."

[No, stay where you are. I'll talk to him in person.] Such a voice came from the walkie-talkie, causing Rhodes, who was hiding behind the door, to raise his eyebrows slightly.

"Wait a minute, sir, you can't... well, at least let me come with you." Gideon glanced at Rhodes, who half peeked out from behind the door. His handsome face was covered with a black eye mask, ruining his original beauty. "So, two people?"

"Yes, but be gentle. Mr. Bob is sleeping upstairs. He provided me with dinner, and I don't want to disturb him with what's going on between us."

Gideon relayed Rhodes' request to the rear, and the radio also transmitted the response of "Acceptable".

Soon, Rhodes saw a middle-aged man wearing a long black trench coat and a well-tailored suit walking through the moonlight and approaching the house without fear - brave, determined, and a little arrogant.

At this distance, Rhodes only needed to slightly raise the muzzle of the gun, or pull out the dagger from his waist and throw it out to kill him.

But Jonathan Irons still walked towards the house without any hesitation.

"You look a lot like Kevin Spacey," Rod exclaimed as he looked at Irons, who had approached him. "Only younger."

Irons: “?”

"Oh forgive me, just pretend I didn't say anything."

Rhodes opened the door and let Gideon and Irons in. It was at this moment that the two saw Rhodes' face clearly for the first time... He looked like a human. Apart from his young and handsome face, only his blue eyes were eye-catching enough.

Looking human is a good start.

Irons nodded slightly to Rhodes, rubbing his shoe soles on the doormat before stepping in. Gideon followed closely behind Irons, loyally guarding his leader... Rhodes's playful gaze lingered on Gideon for a few seconds, sending a chill down his spine.

"Please sit down and keep your voice down," Rod said, sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace, his rifle leaning against the side within easy reach. "Mr. Bob upstairs should have just gone to bed. If you don't want to face an old cowboy with a shotgun and a bad temper, you'd better keep your voice down. Why are you looking at me with such a look that says, 'You didn't kill him?' I'm a normal person, right?"

"Many things are not as gentle on the inside as they appear on the outside," Irons said lightly, "The most colorful creatures are often highly poisonous."

Rhodes looked into his face, and the latter returned his hawk-like scrutiny.

Jonathan Irons (CEO of Atlas Corporation, United States of America, Vice Chairman of the Cogito Foundation)

【Source: Call of Duty 11: Advanced Warfare】

Description: Born in the United States of America, he served in the US Army and participated in the Vietnam War. He is the founder, president, and CEO of Atlas Corporation. He is a powerful psychic. He is a major supporter of "real world priority" within the Cogito Foundation. He is also a father who lost his son.

Attitude: Caution/Distrust/Expectation

Kogito Foundation?

Cogito, I think therefore I am.

Rhodes frowned. He didn't know of any organization with that name in COD11 or any other work... At least it wasn't the three-letter foundation that liked to contain people, nor was it some Mobius Corporation or something like that - wait, maybe it really existed in this damn world.

"What's your name?" Irons broke the silence. He paused for a few seconds and then said slowly, "And you know my name, so I guess I don't need to introduce myself."

"Rod."

"Lor..."

"Wait, I've already mentioned this," Rhodes raised his hand to stop Irons from continuing. "Rod, ROD, I haven't decided on a last name yet, so just call me that for now. I'm curious, how did you find me? I've only been here for less than three hours, or did some [existence] give you a hint?"

"Come back with me and you'll know more."

"Back to your company? Or..." Rhodes narrowed his eyes slightly, "to the Cogito Foundation?"

After saying this, Rhodes was satisfied to see that Irons' breathing was no longer steady, while Gideon next to him had a confused look on his face - obviously, he might know about the Cogito Foundation, but he knew nothing about its nature.

The fire crackled in the fireplace, and the flickering flames cast the shadows of the three people inside onto the wall, blending with the shadows of other objects in the room to form strange, twisted, dark shapes. The stiff atmosphere seemed to freeze the entire air.

Rhode knew that Irons was mentally assessing his threat. Based on his fragmented memories of Irons, he was not stingy with his life, and his ambition and audacity were rare in the world... At least, using a biochemical nanovirus to screen the entire human population was not something that anyone could do.

"Let's go back to my company first," Irons said slowly after taking a few deep breaths. The calmness and composure on his face were difficult to maintain. "I will ensure your safety first, and then inform the other directors of the foundation of the situation. We will work together to answer your questions."

"So, it also includes things about the [other world]?" Rhodes asked again.

"You have too many questions, and this isn't a good place to chat. We'd better just discuss some simple topics," Irons said calmly. He decided to regain the initiative in this conversation. After taking a look at Rhodes' uniform and the rifle beside him, the tough leader decided to get straight to the point:

"How did you acquire the uniform and weapons you are wearing, and how did you get here?"

"An answer in exchange for an answer," Rhodes remained unmoved. He tilted his head slightly and heard a dozen tiny footsteps approaching. With a gust of wind, Rhodes' left hand was already on Irons' neck, and the dagger in his right hand was also against Gideon's throat.

It was only then that Gideon realized that Rhodes' words were no joke. However, with his reflexes, he could only barely stand up, let alone make any response.

"The action plan is well done, but now, I have to ask your people to retreat. I don't have that much patience... Also, Gideon, you really should bring a dagger," Rhodes said calmly. He looked at Irons, but there was no fear in the latter's eyes. "Or do you people in the United States of North America need to see some violence before you understand the importance of equal discussion?"

"..."

Feeling the coldness coming from the palm, Irons sent a look to Gideon, who then took out a walkie-talkie and pressed the call button several times in a row.

The footsteps outside the house stopped.

Rhodes slowly sat down on the sofa, the dagger turning nimbly between his fingers.

"Listen, Mr. Irons, I can answer your questions. So, first, here's my answer," Rhodes reached out and tugged at his military uniform. "I crawled out of hell after receiving the mission to save the fate of humanity. Someone—or something else—asked me to come here to seek 'allies.' Now, it's your turn. I need to know how you and your Cogito Foundation found me."

"…The record of Tesla's manuscript, a prophecy of an [unknown benevolent being]."

Irons closed his eyes. He could still remember his loss of composure when he saw the manuscript stained with the dying old man's blood after being introduced to the Foundation. The manuscript contained a lot of content, some of which were detailed, while others were very rough. But the most important thing was that it had the following prophecy:

"The Savior will come under the pure white cross and lead mankind out of darkness and into the future."

Rhodes: "...I thought you would be some materialists."

"Of course we are. It's precisely because we are materialists that we conduct verification and preparation," Irons said disapprovingly. "The Foundation has confirmed the accuracy of a considerable portion of the manuscript. Otherwise, we wouldn't have gone to the trouble of deploying resources across several continents to find you. At the same time, we are also prepared. If you are not human or behave like a madman, then the heavy firepower outside and the two fighter jets on standby will come in handy."

"As for how I found you, all I can say is 'I saw a pure white cross.' Although I hate to admit it, it really should be attributed to luck for now."

After Irons briefly described his experience tonight, Rhodes sighed, stopped playing with the dagger, stood up, and stretched out his right hand to the middle-aged man in front of him:

"I understand. I hope we can get along well in the future."

"I hope so." Irons also stood up and stretched out his right hand to shake hands with Rhodes. He said with some sincerity and expectation, "Don't let us down..."

The moment the two of them shook hands, Rhodes received a prompt from the system:

[Main Mission: Waiting (Completed)]

【Task rewards begin to be distributed】

【Character exchange voucher has been received】

【Main Quest Update】

[Main Quest: Wield Power]

Mission Description: Gain the support of the directors and become the chairman of the Kojito Foundation.

Rhodes: “?”

There's no need to be so anxious! Why do you have to act like the boss of someone else's organization as soon as we meet?

Chapter 5: Different Paths to the Same Destination (4K)

Irons watched as Rhodes got into the Humvee without hesitation, without flinching, and without making any rude requests. He even chatted and laughed with the Atlas soldiers who were on guard nearby... He didn't look like a suspect who might be imprisoned, but more like a charismatic leader.

"Remember to fill the water trough in the sheep pen. Ah, yes, Mr. Irons will give you an extra bonus," Rhodes said to the Atlas soldiers who would stay here for a while. They would check and determine whether there were any [anomalies] in the surrounding land. After explaining the matter, Rhodes looked at Irons puzzledly:

"Why aren't you in the car yet?"

This little bastard actually used my money to buy the hearts and minds of my subordinates?!

"..." Irons' eyes twitched slightly. He opened the car door and pulled Rod to the other side. "Move aside. I want to sit next to you."