Long-term salvation

"This way, the many flaws left on me will not be shared by you. I will bear them all by myself," Rhodes replied with a low laugh. "Since I love you so much, you are mine, and my glory also belongs to you."

"..."

"...Could you two please stop reciting Shakespeare's love poems?" Little Red Riding Hood's voice rose a little. "There are other people here!"

"If you want to hear it, I can read it to you slowly."

"Well……"

Patting Nikki who had completely retreated, Rhode stood up, reached out and embraced Noah, whose face was flushed, and asked with a smile:

"Why don't I see Yuuka? Don't you two often act together?"

"Has Sensei become so adept at shamelessly mentioning another woman's name while holding her in his arms?"

Noah reached out and grabbed Rhode's cheek and said unhappily, glancing at Little Red Riding Hood who was huddled up in a ball of shyness because of the presence of outsiders - No, this guy is the most embarrassing - and then, before Rhode could say anything in response, she raised her finger and pressed it against him, whispering:

"Yuuka said she needed to go to the study first to put some new documents in."

"But you already knew I wasn't in the study, but in the living room, right?" Rhodes closed his eyes and touched his forehead to the girl's. "How despicable, Noah."

"How could that be, Sensei? The kid asked for it himself...especially since I said I was going to the living room."

The girl with silver hair and purple eyes smiled sweetly and skillfully omitted the most crucial part of her words.

"Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, everyone working outside will be back. How about we have a good dinner together?"

"As you wish," Rhodes kissed the girl, "my righteous one."

Chapter 299 Daily Life: Wandering in the Town

It would take some time to gather everyone in Hill Villa. Therefore, after handing the work over to Noah, Rhodes had some free time and was just in time to go shopping with the angry Yuka.

"This is all Sensei's fault!"

Yuka poked Rhodes' waist. She didn't dare to complain directly to Noah, lest he hold her hands down again one night... Thinking of those nights, the girl's cheeks flushed slightly, but then turned into complaints to the one she loved:

"Why didn't you just tell me you went to the living room? Moving files must be tiring!"

"Sorry, it's my fault," Rhode said, picking up the girl lazily and ignoring her struggles. "As an apology, I'll carry you all the way to the supermarket! We can also meet up with Mary and the others."

"Wait, someone will see us... Uh-huh..."

After kissing the girl almost to the point of suffocation, Rhodes put her down, causing Youxiang to grab a ball of ice and snow in embarrassment and try to stuff it into his collar.

The two men chased each other one after the other, gradually moving away from Hill Villa, which made Hina, who had just returned from outside, look helpless. The petite girl blew a breath on her hands, and the warm and sweet breath turned into misty white smoke in the cold wind and disappeared. After thinking for a few seconds, Hina walked into the villa, leaving the time alone to the two men.

On the slope leading away from the hill, Rod ducked to avoid the snowball thrown by Yuka, then picked up a ball of snow from the ground and threw it towards the girl like blowing sand.

"Well?!"

When Yuxiang pushed aside the melting snow that blurred her eyes, before she could see Rhodes' figure, she was pulled into his arms from behind and gently kissed her ears that were slightly red due to the cold, causing the girl to gasp softly.

"Let's go," Rod rubbed Yuka's hair with his chin and said with a smile, "We have to be back before lunch."

"Ok!"

The girl smiled and took Rhodes' arm, and together they walked towards the nearby town:

The town of Arkham was already shrouded in snow. The blizzard that had raged the previous night had folded its wings on the skyline, leaving behind a few centimeters of snow that weighed down the peaked eaves of the various houses slightly. Icicles dangled from the edges of each house's sloping roof in the not-so-warm sunlight, like an inverted forest of glass, gleaming coldly in the sub-zero air.

Walking down the street, Rhodes could see children in thick coats standing under their eaves, using various tools to knock down icicles. When the large icicles fell to the ground and shattered into pieces, the children would giggle and point at their masterpieces to show off to their parents.

Occasionally, some passersby, whether they knew Rhodes or not, would pass by, but they would all greet Rhodes:

"Mr. Rhodes is out shopping today?"

"I just saw those two nuns standing in front of the town church."

"Hey! Boss, is it Miss Yuka today?"

"...What do you mean today?!" Rhode raised his eyebrows and shouted at the soldiers of the Army Without Borders, "This month's cigarette rations for all of you will be changed to Red Apple brand!"

“Ehhhhh?!!!”

Ignoring the sad faces of the soldiers, Rhodes walked with his chin held high, trying his best to avoid the scrutiny from the sidelines.

Today is Saturday, and the people in this small town can enjoy some leisure time, but their minds are probably focused on the Christmas holiday in a month. To this day, families in Arkham are all employed by Atlas Corporation/Aperture Technologies, or work in subsidiaries that have been passed through countless layers of relationships. The town's infrastructure, logistics, education... including the neighboring town of Salem, the entire area is under the control of the Army Without Borders.

Ordinary people living here know nothing about this, as if there is some kind of iron curtain separating light and darkness, rationality and madness, maintaining the slow progress of peaceful daily life.

Only those who walk between the two worlds will know the truth, but this truth is too cruel. How many people can make it to the end?

"Mr. Rhodes."

The boy, Lucas Weaver, ducked his head and greeted Rod. He wasn't riding a bicycle, but was carrying a large bag filled with snacks. Upon seeing Rod, the boy even ran over from across the street like a lively moose.

"I'm so glad to see you."

"Um...are you going to see your brother?"

"Well, I just came back from Mike and Will's house. Their parents gave me some snacks and homemade cookies." The boy smiled a little more. "I was going to give them to Aiden, but there's a girl living in Arkham Asylum who occasionally... uh..."

"Sneak out to play?" Rhode raised an eyebrow. He then thought of the little girl Constantine and the others had brought with him. "If she's deemed harmless, there's no need for round-the-clock supervision."

"That's not the case. Professor Ellen Halsey of Miskatonic University said that some outsiders have been keeping an eye on her lately, so it's best to wait another six months or a year."

Hearing this, Rhode did not continue to delve into it. Instead, he stepped forward, patted the boy on the head, and said with a smile:

"Do you need my help? This place is not far from Arkham Asylum."

"That's not necessary, sir," the boy replied with a smile. He glanced at the girl next to him who was curling her hair with her fingers, then winked at Rhodes, "I'll take the bus by myself."

Hearing this, Rhode could only reach out and flick his forehead, saying unhappily:

"You're so young, but you know a lot. Go ahead."

"Hey hey hey."

Looking at the boy's figure walking away, Rhode shook his head, put his arm around Yuka's shoulders, and said:

"Shall we go to the church first?"

"Based on Mary and Mika's progress, we should go straight to the supermarket," Yuuka put her finger on her chin and thought carefully for a few seconds before adding, "Or we could call the church and ask. I remember Father Thomas is on duty recently, and Father Merlin has resumed his archaeological work."

"No, it's not necessary."

Rhodes shook his head and pulled Yuxiang towards the church. Snowflakes fluttered down, neither dense nor sparse, but for some reason they just blocked the girl's sight, preventing her from walking alone on the street.

"No need to calculate so clearly. It doesn't matter if there are mistakes. I will deal with all the consequences and impacts of your mistakes. As for now—do you want this to end quickly?"

"No...I want this time to last forever."

The girl clenched Rhodes' arm tightly, her purple hair swaying slightly in the cold wind of North American winter. The bright light in her eyes overwhelmed the glint of sunlight shining on the snow at that moment. Suddenly, the light disappeared again, shattered by the surging love.

The girl looked away and complained softly:

"The road is really slippery. The snow hasn't melted yet."

"Then we can go slower."

I hope Weihua and Mary won’t be angry because of my lateness, Rod thought so, and then put all his thoughts on the wonderful time at this moment.

Chapter 300 Daily Life: The General Preparing for the Banquet

"General, it's time for you to set off!"

The soldier from the Army Without Borders, who was born in the United States, knocked on General Hammer's door and shouted loudly.

"Okay, I get it... this damn button..."

General Hammer buttoned his coat with difficulty. He shook out the woolen shirt he used to wear only when on leave. Looking in the mirror, he saw an old man who had suppressed his resentment and resentment. He had become accustomed to his current life, so accustomed, even, that he hardly wore any clothes other than his military uniform.

Even now, General Hammer had to wear a cotton military coat to attend Rhodes's party at Hill Manor... He had just lost two bottles of top-quality brandy to Colonel Allen Faulkner last week. He had bought them secretly with his salary, but they were discovered by his old friend before they were opened, and became the stakes during the confrontation exercise.

Opening the door, General Hammer looked around, but only saw the part-time signalman in front of him. The latter smiled awkwardly and said:

"I'll send you to Hill Manor... Um, I won't attend the party. I'm still a little afraid of the ghosts there."

"You've fought monsters from otherworldly battles before, so what are you afraid of?" the general said grumpily, clutching his coat and heading out. "If only Captain Krauser were here, it would save an old man like me the embarrassment of attending someone else's family dinner."

"You have a good relationship with the boss, and also with Mr. Irons. I have no doubt that you will be able to attend the boss's wedding...if he wants to hold it."

The soldier spoke attentively, but there was a hint of hesitation in his words. It was obvious that he was going to say something else, but in the end he swallowed it back into his throat.

The young man was wearing a neat winter military uniform, except that the armband emblem had long been replaced with the [Laurel Wreath and Skull] of the Army Without Borders - a symbol of human purity and victory - but for most of the soldiers of the Army Without Borders, this thing was just cool enough.

"That scene was terrifying. I was worried they would start a fight just to stand on Rhode's left or right side."

General Hammer thought of the lovely girls in Hill Manor. The old man sighed and shook his head, then put on his coat, walked out of the warm house and stepped into the wind and snow.

Snowflakes were falling and melting into snow water on the dark asphalt road. It was okay now, but if it waited until the next morning, a thick layer of ice would form on the road... If possible, the general would still rush back before the banquet ended and night fell. He didn't want to stay overnight in that Hill Villa.

The distance between the Army Without Borders' military housing complex and Hill Manor wasn't far, but besides the asphalt road, there were only a few brick and stone paths. However, on a snowy day, for the sake of bone health and integrity, it was best not to take shortcuts. Looking at the snow and the cleared roads, General Hammer decided to take a car.

"Let's go, and remember to pick me up in five hours, whether I call you or not."

Sitting in the still somewhat chilly Hummer, General Hammer fastened his seat belt. As the air conditioner turned on, he took a long breath and said with a smile:

"I don't think the Soviets are involved this time. They are still fighting for their country."

"They're just doing useless work. But to be honest, General, I really don't want to fight with those Warsaw Pact people, and those Cathay people... Many people think so, and we have discussed this matter privately many times."

The soldier shook his head and carefully drove the Humvee onto the road. After glancing at the guard who was saluting at the checkpoint, he honked his horn in response:

"Those Soviets and East Germans are mentally ill, and as for the Aurora people, I doubt their ability—you know, Aurora's military strength is very weak and they are all plagued by corruption."

"We're no less corrupt, kid. Otherwise, why would I leave the army?" General Hammer sighed. "Even within Atlas Corporation, this kind of corruption exists. It's just that Irons's knife is sharp enough."

The general sighed, thinking of the various "futures" Rhode had mentioned to him before... It was truly a hell. The people on both sides of the Cold War were immersed in the collapse, and it was only a matter of time before it came.

"Where are the Aurora people?"

"You all know very well... I'm obsessed with the past. I was even trapped in nightmares by the memories for a long time."

General Hammer spoke calmly, slowly recounting his story. He had told it to Irons, and to Rhodes, and now, the general spoke it freely to the young men under his command:

"I still remember something from the Vietnam War - we were on a raid on a hospital on the border with the North Vietnamese, but when we were evacuating, there was a troop that was following us like a ghost, keeping close to us."

"They rushed through the jungle and waded through the swamp, using only their legs and rubber shoes to catch up with us... I still remember that day, artillery bombardments rained down from the sky, completely covering our position. Rockets rose from the jungle, destroying the helicopter that came to pick us up. A dozen soldiers were lying on the ground in a foreign land."

"Afterwards, pursuits and ambushes occurred every day and every night until we fled in panic under the protection of the navy. The weapons they used were not advanced, and there was not even any air support. In the final moments, I stood at the edge of the jungle, watching those figures retreating into the forest. I was sure I saw pairs of eyes filled with hatred, compassion, and determination."

"From that moment on, I knew that these Chinese were fierce fighters with a strong tendency to sacrifice themselves and become martyrs. Their backwardness was only temporary, and they would inevitably become the only powerful enemy of the United States in the future. I looked forward to fighting such an enemy. I must fight such an enemy."

At this point, General Hammer smiled helplessly and lowered the car window.

"It's just that I didn't expect there was such a thing as the 'other world'. Since that day, I knew that human civilization had embarked on another path... Hey, Professor Armitage! Do you want a ride?"

The professors from Miskatonic University standing on the side of the road stood upright in the wind and snow, like meerkats standing upright. After hearing the general's words, they all shook their heads and declined the good intention - on the other side of the intersection, there was a bus waiting for the green light.

Seeing their expressions, General Hammer smiled, then closed the car window and complained:

"It's not even cold yet. I'm glad my old bones haven't been serving in Alaska... Where was I just now?"

"Asiatic, General."

"Ah yes, the people of Cathay... Whether they are from Cathay, the Soviet Union, East Germany, or people from certain countries in the future, as long as they can stay in the Army Without Borders, it proves their ability, will, and determination - this is not something unique to the people of the United States, but something that all of us 'humans' possess - will you bravely cross the 'border' in your heart, or do you think your disgust can compare to the true hatred in my heart?"

"No... General, I've never thought of that." The soldier took a few deep breaths, tightened his facial muscles, and responded seriously, "I'll seriously consider it and pass on your words to others."

Hearing this, General Hammer's face showed a hint of a smile. "I don't know what you little brats are thinking. You want to test my opinion and attitude, but you're hesitant and don't dare to speak until you get in the car, right?"

"That's good, take your time."

Through the windshield, the general could already see the dark corner of Hill House, exposed in the snow. He didn't continue to preach on the topic, simply intending to let time and reality slowly change the soldiers' mindsets... Perhaps we should find a place to train with those Warsaw Pact troops later? I'll send a message to Krauser later.

Now, I am going to attend this rare banquet.

"I really hope there aren't any more of those messed up ghosts floating around," General Hammer said, opening the car door and letting the wind and snow pour into his collar. "I don't want to have nightmares at night."

Chapter 301: Night Banquet at Hill Villa

The wind and snow grew more and more violent in the night on the edge of Arkham Forest. Millions of snowflakes hit the stained glass windows of Hill House, but accidentally touched the heat waves inside and evaporated instantly, turning into rushing streams and freezing into ice marks on the walls.

The inside and outside of Hill Manor seemed to be divided into two worlds, darkness and light, cold and warmth, separated by the walls of this mansion filled with malice.

"Aha! I knew this mansion was special! The tall ghost I just saw was simply—"