Long-term salvation

"The system is too focused on killing and not burying...it's really troublesome."

Rhode, who hadn't come up with a good idea, frowned and thought about what he could get from Atlas to fully arm the island. "Besides, the island needs some guard troops anyway."

"Then we should start by cramming in a few more artillery batteries, or perhaps adding some missile launchers?" Aomori Miya tilted her head slightly, her index finger resting against her chin as she pondered, "If that's the case, we'll need professionals to operate and maintain it, right? Do we have enough manpower now?"

"Yes, this is something we need to address now... but fortunately, there is no need to worry too much about it."

Rhode said, raising his chin forward.

Two androids with different faces were already waiting at the end of the road, the circular LED rings on their right temples emitting a faint blue light. In the original game "Detroit: Become Human", these androids would be different models depending on the different tasks they performed, but overall they still had a human appearance and were only distinguished by the LED rings.

The appearance of the android made Rapunzel raise an eyebrow slightly. She lowered her eyes and whispered a few prayers for the beings in front of her.

"Don't you have the intelligence of a human being..."

Not noticing Nikki's strange behavior, Rhode took a few steps forward and said in a deep voice:

"Report on the situation inside the R'lyeh base."

"Based on the stored data, a more detailed report has been sent to your [Shiting Box]," one of the androids said gently, "Do you need me to explain it to you now?"

Already sent?

Rhodes frowned and took out the [Box of Shiting]. He saw Alona on the screen sleeping on the table, surrounded by various documents and storage-like technological products. There were even a few scattered papers resting on the girl's little head.

The blue-haired girl's brow was filled with fatigue, as if she had completed some big task - guiding the arrival of rewards from so many large systems is no easy task!

It’s okay if Alona falls asleep, but if we want her to organize the information, it will probably take more than half a month... Now, let her have a good rest.

Rhode suppressed the sigh of missing Prana and pondered for a few seconds. He looked at the two androids and asked:

"How many of you are on this island now?"

"427 androids of various types are heading to various infrastructure facilities for oversight and maintenance," the android replied, its tone steady and powerful, indistinguishable from a human's. "However, due to underlying protocols, we are currently unable to leave. New data entry, name change completed. R'lyeh Base."

Unable to leave... Rhodes originally wanted to bring back a few bionic humans. Their core computing speed can reach 100 petaflops, which is a level that the supercomputer "Frontier" in the original timeline in 2022 can achieve!

However, based on Rhodes's understanding of the speed of human development on this planet, supercomputers of this level might have already completed design and development, or even started prototype construction, but they still couldn't be assembled into such a small computing core to be stuffed into the brains of "humans."

It now seems that apart from the bionic man given by the system, Rhodes is currently unable to redeem the pollution points in the other world - according to the system's instructions, the redemption will only be open after the [Base Construction Mission: City of Gods] is completely completed. Otherwise, it can only be collected through mission rewards.

"I understand. Please provide me with a concise paper report, including everything the base has and what's missing." Rhode nodded slightly. He turned and looked toward the port, where he saw the Alicorn slowly entering its berth. "Then organize manpower to perform some basic maintenance on the Alicorn... What's your name? No, no, no, I don't need your machine identification number or model number. I can't remember them."

"Name, I need to know your name," Rhodes emphasized.

"...Nolanton," the android looked a little confused, but it still gave itself a name, "You can call me by this name."

"Very good, you all need to give yourselves a name, preferably with a surname, so there won't be any duplicate names."

Rhodes waved his hand. He wasn't interested in these machines that hadn't yet awakened their self-awareness. Without the intellect of intelligent life, they naturally couldn't achieve the same status as intelligent life. Having said that, Rhodes was looking forward to the future of this world... If human civilization fell in the tides of the inner world, then it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing if the mechanical civilization carrying human wisdom and past history could set sail into the starry sea.

Now, a new problem arises:

Will androids be affected by the power of the other world? Perhaps only after they have souls and become "them".

This didn't sound like good news, and Rhodes sighed in his heart.

"From now on, you will send someone to cut off the data connection and monitor the power generation facility housing the evil god's body. Collect the data. If any unexpected situation arises, report it to me immediately."

"Yes, android understands."

"...Then all that remains is to take good care of this place, plant trees and flowers, renovate the control center, and build some habitable buildings. I'll have the Alicorn or some other trustworthy cargo ship deliver the goods. You need to ignore the model restrictions and learn and apply other skills."

Rhode said this, rubbing his temples a few times, and said with some annoyance:

"I won't stay here for long. I'll depart immediately after completing some simple maintenance on the Alicorn... Oh, and scan your bodies. Give me some of the 'blue blood' as well. I'll take it back for research."

Give it to Aperture Technologies for research. Maybe they can come up with something good out of it... as long as they don't mess things up in Detroit again.

Chapter 373 Daily Life: Rest on the Way Back

The blue sea and blue sky of the Pacific Ocean, near the Marquesas Islands.

Sitting in the assault boat, Rhodes swung his fishing rod forward, then pressed down the sun visor on his head to block the slightly strong sunlight.

"Now that I think about it, I'm the only one on the Alicorn who needs sunscreen," Rhode complained, shirtless. He was already feeling a bit hot and a bit painful, so he had to dig out a black umbrella from his storage space to cover himself. "I should have asked Nyako and the others to make me some proper beachwear... Wait, we can't let them come."

That's no different from a sheep walking into a tiger's mouth!

After staying at the R'lyeh base for two days, Rhodes set off for home with the Alicorn. There were still many things waiting to be dealt with in the United States.

However, he can find some free time in the middle of this journey. At least he is still looking forward to the girls' swimsuits... Swimsuits are back, swimsuits are back!

After finding an uninhabited, warm, shallow sea, Rhode arranged for reconnaissance drones and rotating personnel to serve as guards, and then had the girls, including the mass-produced Nikki, change into swimsuits and enjoy the well-deserved rest after weathering the storm.

The Pacific Ocean stretched out its eternal folds under the midday sun, and the cobalt blue reflected by it seemed to stretch out in all directions with the black body of the Alicorn as the center, until a layer of pearly mist appeared where it met the horizon.

The hot weather makes the sea breeze also carry a bit of unbearable warmth, and only by jumping into the sparkling cold sea water can you get temporary relief from it.

New Jersey (Swimsuit).jpg

New Jersey, wearing a swimsuit, glided across the waves. She had her hands behind her back, and the corners of her lips curved into an ω shape, looking very happy.

Some mass-produced Nikkis were playing water polo, their bodies immersed in the sea water, and occasionally leaping out like a dolphin, hitting the ball into the opponent's court.

Of course, they also have to be careful not to use too much force to damage the goal and the railings, and the two goalkeepers also need to pull back the goal that is flying far away - Nikki and the others made these things using some useless materials from the junk store. They look a bit ugly, but at least they can have fun.

Contrary to their usual behavior, the three descendants of the evil god did not join in the fun. Instead, they sat on the beach chairs set up on the front deck of the Alicorn, shielding themselves from the sun with large parasols. They enjoyed the tranquility while slowly recovering their strength... Even overthrowing an Old One would not be easy.

Listening to the laughter coming from not far away, Rhode reached out to grab a sip of juice beside him, then turned his attention to the fishing rod in front of him. He fished for a while, but unfortunately, his luck was bad. He could only watch the slightly swaying sea surface and the shadows cast by the high clouds.

"Why can't I catch any fish?"

Rhodes muttered a few words and cast the fishing rod again, and this time he was lucky - the float sank suddenly, and the fishing line was taut and slanted downward, so he had to use a little more force to offset the pulling force from under the sea.

"You're still quite strong," Rhode said, raising his brows. He lifted the fishing rod, causing the nearly-severed fishing line to hiss in the water. "I just don't believe it... I'm telling you, if you don't get out of the sea, I'm going to jump in and find you."

"..."

After a few seconds, the fishing line shook and relaxed.

Helen(swimsuit).jpg

Nikki, with her long blue hair, half-peeked out of the water. Like a mermaid, she looked at Rhode on the boat amidst the swaying waves. Her pouting and bubbling appearance looked adorable, but Rhode simply held out his hand without a second thought and said unhappily,

"Helen, give me back my fish."

"The commander is a little too stingy."

Nikki, wearing a swimsuit, leaned forward, picked up an unknown silver and blue fish and climbed onto Rhodes' boat, but this action caused the boat to sway back and forth, and her wet long hair and swimsuit also swayed, which made Rhodes' eyes hurt.

As if she didn't notice the burning gaze, Helen, with a layer of dusk on her cheeks, stuffed the sea fish in her hand into Rhodes' arms, letting the huge fish tail slap the latter's face continuously.

Throwing the fish in his hand back into the sea, Rhode reached out and scooped Helen up, letting her lean lazily against his chest. The sun seemed to have bleached Nikki's hair, making it a beautiful silver-blue against her fair skin.

Starting from the ends of the hair, moving down little by little, the forehead, eyes, nose tip, cherry lips, chin, neck, collarbone... the captured mermaid did not resist.

Of course she tried to resist! But Nikki's brain had been swallowed by the hazy and uncontrollable music, noise, and clamor. The suffocation that seemed to be drowned in the sea made Helen utter vague whispers with a hint of pain, but she couldn't tell where the pain came from.

Only after the sea fish on the chopping board completely collapsed did Rhodes let go of Nikki who was curled up in his arms.

"After this separation, it will be a long time before we meet again," Helen whispered. She closed her eyes, hugged Rhode's arm to her chest, and gently bit his fingers. "Sometimes, I always envy my companions who have lived in Hill Manor for a long time. Please don't say anything, because I am not complaining or begging."

Nikki bit Rhodes' finger hard, then gently licked the oozing blood. She slowly raised her eyes and looked into those azure eyes.

"You are truly sinful... Please complete the portal technology quickly," Helen whispered, her words filled with trembling shame. "Even I don't want to trouble Miss Abigail."

Rhodes smiled and touched Nikki's head, but the next second he felt the entire boat being lifted up, and he and Helen fell into the sea unexpectedly - after swimming out of the sea, Rhodes wiped his face and saw Aomori Miya and Rapunzel not far away smiling and waving at him, while Helen, who was filled with shyness, had already escaped without a trace.

"Hey, you threw my fishing rod and tackle into the sea!"

Rhodes pretended to be angry. He jumped out of the sea like a flying fish and dived back into the sea. He grabbed Meiya from behind before she could escape and kneaded her face like dough until the girl made a soft sound of begging for mercy.

"Very good, next is the next one... where did she go?" Rhodes looked around and did not see the figure of blonde Nikki on the undulating sea. He then tapped Mimi's forehead and dived into the sea.

It wasn't difficult to find Nikki in the clear sea, especially with her eye-catching golden braids. Rapunzel gently swung her legs, letting the waves propel her forward. She saw nothing when she turned her head, but bumped into Rhodes when she turned back. After a series of bubbles emerged from her panic, Nikki was pulled to the surface of the sea, and the water droplets on her hair were sparkling in the sunlight.

Reaching out to hold Rapunzel's slender waist, Rhode enjoyed the soft squeeze from the side. He reached out and pulled Nikki's cheek, saying unhappily:

"Why are you playing such a joke on me? You want to be punished, right?"

"...Miss Nyako said that the Commander would be very happy if this were the case."

Rapunzel whispered, her eyes flickering with a faint light, and a beautiful color brighter than red coral was climbing up her fair and smooth skin. After carefully studying Rhode's expression, she nodded again, seeming to agree:

"The Commander is indeed very happy."

"Wait a minute, I'll go get that guy." Rhode released his hand, his eyes twitching slightly, but he immediately remembered something more important. "She didn't say anything weird again, did she?"

“…That’s not the case.”

"No?" Rhodes raised his eyebrows. He reached out and grabbed Nikki's chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Are you sure you didn't?"

"No," Rapunzel replied with a serious expression.

"..."

Hearing this, Rhodes took a deep breath - this guy Nayako has big plans!

After temporarily letting Rapunzel go, Rhodes decided to go and suppress Nyarrako first and swam towards the Alicorn, leaving Nikki behind.

After floating for a long time, Rapunzel took away her hand that was gently stroking the place where Rhodes had just touched. She lowered her eyes slightly and swam back slowly with a bit of...satisfied expression.

As they neared the Alicorn, Rapunzel climbed onto the boat, which had been flipped over by Miya. They sat sideways inside the boat, looking at Rhodes chasing Nyako on the front deck. The girls, amused by this scene, curled their lips slightly, full of anticipation for the future.

After a day of rest, the Alicorn continued to move towards the west coast of North America until it met up with the fleet of Plessy Logistics Company.

Chapter 374 Daily Life: Maybe I should plant something

"Mr. Rhodes has been away for a long time this time."

Asukai Muji said this as she used a kitchen knife to chop kale, tomatoes and onions, then reached out to take the frying pan handed to her by Sand Wolf Baizi next to her - the girl with long black hair was preparing lunch for the lovely residents of Hill Villa - while Marian and the others were off to supervise the new [Mobile Task Force]'s mission, she was the one who made the decisions at home.

But it’s more like she nodded in agreement and took notes after the other girls discussed the results rather than making the decision... This is also fine. Mu Ji is not a very smart or decisive person. She is very clear about her ability level.

"He's been gone for a long time."

She repeated it again, completely forgetting what she had said, stirring the thick soup with a wooden spoon. Steam condensed into tiny droplets at the tip of her nose. At this moment, the North American spring sunlight was shining through the bright glass windows, reflecting rainbow-like spots on the polished kitchen utensils.

The spots of light moved along with the movements of the two busy girls, as if diluting a bit of the gloom of this ancient mansion filled with dark forces.

"I was away for a long time last time," Bai Zi said calmly. She minced garlic and basil with a knife, mashed them into a paste, mixed them with a small piece of butter, spread it on a slice of bread, and put it in the oven. "Muji always meets with Sensei in his dreams in advance, so he definitely won't feel lonely."

“…No!”

"Look, he's in a hurry."

"!"

Furious, Mu Ji smeared some cream on Bai Zi's face, but Bai Zi wiped it off without a care in the world and stuffed it into his mouth, smacked it twice, and nodded.

“Today’s cream is delicious too.”

Mu Ji glanced helplessly at the complacent wolf girl, sighed, and continued to focus on the frying pan. She placed it on the stovetop to heat it up, and when she felt the warmth from her palm, she added butter to fry the onions, then added chopped carrots and tomatoes and stir-fried them briefly, then added water to steam the kale.

Putting the lid on the frying pan, Mu Ji let out a long sigh and then went to check the bread in the oven.

"Ah, the bread is a little burnt... but it seems okay. Want to try a slice first?"

A few minutes later, when the girls from Hill Villa finished their morning work and came to the restaurant, they saw Mu Ji placing slices of bread on a prepared plate, adding kale and poached eggs on top, and finally garnishing it with a spoonful of cheese and ground black pepper.

"Anyone want some pigeon soup?"

Mu Ji asked, she looked around, then smiled and served a small bowl to Yuuka and Hina who raised their hands. The amber soup was filled with chopped pigeon meat and thyme, exuding an enticing aroma.

"Speaking of which, why can't I see Yang?" Mu Ji looked around, but couldn't find Nikki, who was often busy on business trips. "Is she still in the room? Do you want me to prepare a lunch and seal it up?"

"Yang seems to be trying to finish the last business document...ah, here she comes."

Nikki, wearing luxurious pajamas, looked very tired, with a hint of annoyance between her brows. Yang sat in his seat, reached out to pick up a piece of bread and started eating. After finishing most of the piece and drinking some pigeon soup, he let out a contented sigh.

Pushing the empty bowl away, Yang bit into the bread and complained:

"I originally thought I could crush the Heikemedia Group with just the capital from North America, but now it seems I'm still a little short. I'll have to mobilize resources from other continents... It looks like these guys have someone helping them."

"Umbrella Corporation?" Noah asked, raising her eyes slightly, her beautiful purple pupils reflecting the others at the table. "If it's the Organization, then you'll need to wait. We're planning a large-scale counterattack soon. Perhaps you can take this opportunity to teach these guys a lesson."

"It should be them... Besides, using physical means to eliminate the enemy is indeed a good idea." Yang's mouth curled up slightly. She wiped her hands on her pajamas without mercy, then took the fried fish handed to her by Mu Ji. After peeling the fish meat from the top with a fork, Nikki piled the meat on the last piece of bread and ate while mumbling: