Long-term salvation

After Director Hannibal finished speaking, the restaurant fell into an eerie silence. The two people, each with their own thoughts, were not interested in the current conversation. Moreover, the two of them were just "colleagues" at the moment, although Director Hannibal knew Detective Will far better than he did himself.

You know, it’s not easy to find a suitable person who can inherit your “job”!

Director Hannibal sipped his wine and thought about how to make Detective Will, who was good at profiling and had a dark heart almost like his own, a member of the Cogito Foundation.

Kill and sacrifice a serial killer right in front of him? Or handle an otherworldly incident? Or bring him before the chairman of the Cogito Foundation?

These options all look good, and Director Hannibal's eyes are filled with eagerness to try them out.

Will frowned slightly, sensing the change in his mood. His fingers brushed across the table, subconsciously preparing to profile him. However, the creaking of the chair as Hannibal stood up jolted him out of his trance.

The renowned psychiatrist was walking slowly out of the restaurant with his hands behind his back, which made Will subconsciously follow him.

The two walked one after the other until they arrived at Director Hannibal's study. The decoration style here was no different from other areas in the house, but there were many more books on archaeology and mysticism, as well as many papers with monster sketches pressed down by old books.

Suddenly, Will felt uneasy and subconsciously clenched his fists - his heart was shouting madly, telling him to move his legs and leave here, because something more terrifying than death was about to happen - the truth, the truth of this world would be revealed by the man in front of him.

"..."

Will took a deep breath. He did not choose to leave, but stood where he was... When working with Hannibal and hunting down those serial killers, the detective had already vaguely felt the disharmony of the whole world. He always dreamed of the rising dark tide, countless human beings struggling in the tide, and the slowly rising sun.

I wonder if those humans can hold on before the sun dries up the tide.

Will gathered all his thoughts and waited for Director Hannibal to speak. However, the latter simply turned around, smiled, and asked:

"Do you want to understand the meaning of life? Do you want to truly...live?"

Chapter 438: Jesse Faden, You've Been Called

For Ms. Jesse Faden, who is still young, she has recently encountered some troubles -

The Polaris in his heart seemed to have reached some kind of agreement with another existence recently, and labeled it with flattering words such as "great", "void", "the gaze of the highest", etc., which sounded quite unreliable... But Jesse believed in the judgment of Polaris, and believed in this kind and benevolent existence that accompanied him growing up.

It would be even better if she could tell herself where her brother is.

Of course, this is just one of the troubles.

During this time, Jesse discovered that many people with strange movements were appearing around him. They were not monsters or events from the other world he had encountered before - this name was told to him by Polaris - but surveillance from reality and human civilization.

Were they the same people who had kidnapped her brother, Dylan Faden? Realizing this, Jesse immediately chose to leave. But she soon realized that it was pointless.

Every time you go to a new place, every time you use a new phone number, every time you use a new mobile phone, you will be discovered quickly, and then different people will appear to monitor you.

But today, the watchers gathered and came to the restaurant where Jesse was working.

These men and women were wearing black suits, no longer the messy attire they had before, only professionalism and toughness remained, just like those government officials (Government Man) or senior CIA agents in the movies.

They were focusing their attention on Jesse Faden, observing and remembering him carefully, as if preparing for the future.

This made Jesse a little creepy.

"..."

After exchanging blank stares with the observers of different genders for several seconds, Jesse took a deep breath, clenched the plate in his hand, and said in a somewhat self-deprecating tone:

"Why are you all here, waiting here? What are you planning to do? Are you going to kidnap me now?"

"Actually, we're waiting for an important person to come. There's no one greater than him in this world."

The stingy owner of the restaurant poked his head out from the back kitchen and shouted. He reached out and pulled off the mumbling that was used to disguise it, touched the small mustache under his nose, and said to Jesse, whose eyes were wide with shock:

"I'm also a monitor... not really a monitor, just one of the assessors. You are qualified to be one of us, Miss Jesse Faden."

"...If I remember correctly, you also deducted my bonus for this month last week."

"That's all acting," the restaurant owner, an Army Without Borders agent, said rather proudly. "That's all acting, Miss Jessie. You know... don't pull the beard! That's a real beard!"

After finally pulling out a few strands of his beard, Jesse Faden threw his plate onto the bar, glanced at the agents who had booked the restaurant, and said helplessly:

"What on earth are you guys trying to do? Can someone come and explain it to me?"

"Of course, that person will come and invite you personally! This shows that your talent has surpassed us ordinary agents, Miss Jessie," the restaurant owner said with a smile, but he quickly restrained his smile and said something serious:

"There's no point in refusing, Miss Jesse Faden. You've been drafted! By a human civilization that wants to resist its inevitable destruction!"

"..."

"But don't worry, he'll explain it to you," the restaurant owner shrugged and started busying himself in the kitchen with unprecedented seriousness - as if some distinguished guest was about to arrive, which made Jesse feel inexplicably more uneasy.

Time ticked by, and as the sky darkened, a silver-haired young man pushed open the restaurant door. His handsome face was etched with a pair of deep, azure eyes, though he wore a black eyepatch over his left eye, which inevitably made one feel a pity.

The man glanced around the entire restaurant, then his gaze fell on Jesse Faden, whose body subconsciously tensed. Then, she heard these words:

"You look younger than I remember, Ms. Jesse Faden. By the way, give my regards to North Star."

The North Star! He knew the North Star existed!

In this world, only she and her brother Dylan know of her existence!

Jesse's heart skipped a beat. He saw the man raise his hand to stop the surrounding agents from getting up. He slowly walked up to him, took the half-cold glass of whiskey poured by the restaurant owner, and said with a smile:

"My name is 'Rod'. Of course, you can also call me Boss from now on."

"...Well, Mr. Rhodes, I have a lot of questions to ask you," Jesse pursed her lips. She could feel Polaris's slight fear of the person in front of her... This was an extremely strange thing. Polaris didn't show any fear when facing those monsters from the other world!

Not only that, even Jesse himself could vaguely feel the other party's strength - this was not from the appearance, but from the inside - like a sun pretending to be covered with a layer of camouflage and isolation, and then standing in front of him so carelessly!

If the disguise and isolation were removed...

Jesse swallowed hard, calmed down, and asked:

"I heard them say that I will become one of you, so the first question is, who are you?"

"We are the Free Army, an Army without Borders, determined to save human civilization, regardless of nationality or origin. That's our name. The existence of the Otherworld. Do I need to introduce it to you? Don't tell me that as a powerful clairvoyant, you haven't encountered events or creations from the Otherworld. Polaris is a creation from the Otherworld. She appeared after you touched that slide projector, didn't she?"

He knows everything!

This thought suddenly hit Jesse's mind, and she instantly thought of another possibility:

"That is to say... you know..."

"Dylan Faden, yes, he is under our control, you will meet him." Rhodes did not hide it. He would not hide the fact that he would be the future leader of the Otherworld Creation Containment Management Agency.

Because of this, Rhode turned to look at the agents of the Army Without Borders and said:

"Those with a confidentiality level of B or below, please leave now. You will receive corresponding leave and bonuses according to relevant regulations. Since Miss Jesse Faden is now standing before me in good health, your bonuses will be increased by another 20%. Thank you for your hard work."

After a small cheer, the agents filed out, and soon only Rod, Jesse, and the restaurant owner were left. However, the latter was slowly wiping the cutlery and cups in the kitchen, completing his plan of not coming over.

After most people left, Rhode said to Jesse, whose eyes were eager:

"Your brother is not in good condition. Contrary to the North Star in you, he has been bewitched by the malevolent entity 'The Hiss' from the other world. He is currently imprisoned in a special cell within Arkham Asylum, guarded by my most elite warriors."

"...You mean, I have to do something?" Jesse asked tentatively.

"No," Rhodes shook his head. "You have to become stronger. I'm not sure if you can remain untainted after close contact with Dylan. You are very important to my plan. Don't let your thoughts wander. I have a wife."

"I don't think so!"

Jesse Faden took a deep breath and tried her best to ignore the seemingly unreliable man in front of her as he pulled out his phone, which contained a number of pictures... Wait a minute, why are there more than one beautiful girl in these pictures?!

After classifying the shrimp-headed man in front of her as an idiot, the still young Miss Jesse Faden could only sigh helplessly, reached out to pick up the cup beside her and pour herself a glass of water, and asked while drinking:

"What should I do now to become 'strong'? Physical and military training?"

"Of course, but before that, you need to go on a mission with me. Recently, a friend of my friend, a forensic doctor named Carl Winters, ran into some trouble, and the anomalies in the trouble caught our attention... So, you'd better prepare a 'gun'."

"...I understand," Jesse sighed again, his expression filled with worry despite his young age. "It seems I have no reason or possibility to refuse."

Chapter 439 Bailey Town

Night falls on the coal mining town called "Bailey" - the coal mine here is still operating in an orderly manner, still bringing wealth and vitality to the town - some smart residents leave early, but more people do not have the ability, ideas or awareness that the town's prosperity will not last forever to stay here.

Time goes on like this day after day, so there has been no big news in this town and the surrounding towns, except for the past few days:

Someone detonated a bomb in a coal mine, killing dozens of miners, and many mangled bodies were found in the forests surrounding the town...all of them were men without families who made a living by doing odd jobs.

Events suddenly become confusing and attract the attention of paranormal investigators from the Army Without Borders.

At this moment, the summer night heat was flowing through the town streets wrapped in coal dust, covering the drunken miners, most of whom were having a drink after their shift and returning to their homes. However, due to recent incidents such as the serial dismemberment case, bars and other places were not open late, and there were police cars patrolling the streets.

"Another car passed by... It's clear that the town police and state police are taking this very seriously. No wonder they contacted the FBI," Rhodes said. He was sitting in the passenger seat, observing the streets and pedestrians on both sides with his all-seeing eyes. "But then again, Director Hannibal, I didn't know you had such a friend."

"Why, is Dr. Carl Winters special? He's not a clairvoyant, and he doesn't have much experience with the otherworld. He's just been in the profession for a long time and has heard a lot of supernatural stories."

Dr. Hannibal Lecter, who was driving, tilted his head slightly, his eyebrows raised, looking displeased with Rhodes's veiled conversation. With a cold snort, Director Hannibal reached out and turned the steering wheel right, steering the car toward the abandoned ice factory on the edge of town—according to the previous phone call, Dr. Winters would be waiting there.

"Dr. Winters is not, but he has the wisdom, will, and courage to be one of us."

Rhode said calmly. He rolled down the car window and lit a cigarette, but just as he took a puff, he thought of the two people in the back seat. After stubbing out the cigarette and putting it back into the pack, Rhode turned to look at the two people and asked with a hint of a smile:

"Detective Will Graham and Miss Jesse Faden, there's no need to be so nervous. Nothing serious will happen... probably."

"Then don't add the word 'maybe'!"

Jesse replied angrily, but Will next to him was calmer. He reached out and touched the holster on his waist, but the pistol inside did not bring him any sense of security.

As the successor chosen by himself, Director Hannibal gave Will a strong prescription right from the start - he was dragged directly to Miskatonic University to watch the professors summon evil spirits, and then be beaten and taken into custody by Michael or Satan.

Will finally decided to join, and was taken by Rodella who learned about this to deal with the incident in the other world... It may have nothing to do with the other world, but it is always an "abnormal" creation of human civilization.

"In our current world, there are more threats than just the other world and its derivative religious demons. You will learn more about them later."

Rhode shrugged. He couldn't see the expressions of the two people in the back seat, but he could imagine them completely - shock, confusion, panic, and bewilderment. After a pause, Rhode continued:

"For example, aliens, aliens from other universes, and the Earth's self-defense mechanism, the 'Titans'. I think they are super animals from Earth that are even more powerful than the Kaiju. Super monsters! Maybe we can call them 'super beasts'."

"..."

"Of course, the indescribable ancient evil gods are also indispensable. They have visited Earth several times and left their descendants behind to serve as—ahem, in short, you will know later."

After hearing these words, Jesse remained silent for a long time before asking Polaris about the truthfulness of Rhode's words. After receiving a positive answer, she covered her face with her hands and asked in despair:

“Are we living in a cesspool?”

"In theory, yes, and it's the level of a roadside toilet in the countryside in the summer, and it's rising and splashing outwards."

“S-Stop talking…”

Ignoring Will's stiff expression and Jesse who started to chatter about Polaris, Rod propped up his cheek with his hand on the car door, enjoying his extremely successful intimidation of the newcomer.

Director Hannibal, sensing Rhode's childish attitude, shook his head helplessly and said:

"My Chairman, you should let them accept these facts slowly instead of pouring them out all at once."

"Hey, hey, hey, are you so embarrassed to say that? Besides, we don't have that much time." Rhode didn't lower his voice, but simply stated the fact calmly, "They must pass the test immediately and become the force we need to face future threats."

These words fell into the ears of the two people in the back seat, and they fell silent again:

It is true that what happens during this time can cause confusion and withdrawal, but it is also a trial.

But only by overcoming this trial can they take on greater responsibilities.

After a few seconds of silence, Will slowly spoke. Unlike Jesse, who was worried about his brother in Arkham Asylum, Will didn't have much of a strong connection with the Army Without Borders, but he also had his own life. He hesitated and asked with some trepidation:

“What happens if we fail the test?”

"Your memories will be wiped, and you will never be able to buy Red Apple cigarettes again."

"...No, no, no, the last one is a reward or a punishment!"

As a detective, Will knew a little about this brand of cigarettes that tasted terrible but still had large orders. Only old policemen who had experienced countless life and death and ups and downs liked this stuff, saying that smoking it was like "living in the Garden of Eden" - Will didn't believe it, because most people who had smoked it thought it was terrible.

The car moved forward slowly during the time of questions, answers and complaints. After passing the relatively prosperous town streets, it arrived at the abandoned ice factory on the edge of the desolate town. There were already two people waiting there.

One is the local sheriff Nate Craven, and the other is Dr. Carl Winters, who looks unhappy and seems to be suffering from some disease.

After scanning the two with his all-seeing eyes, Rhodes got out of the car with Director Hannibal. He stood by and watched the latter chat with the two and talk about recent events.

"You've arrived just in time, Dr. Hannibal," Dr. Winters said gently. The sheriff standing nearby had heard of this man's great reputation. After introducing each other, the doctor continued, "The information, the morgue, and the bodies here are all ready and gathered together... including those that have been dismembered."

"I heard that the blood in many corpses disappeared without a trace?"

"Yes, that's what confuses us..."

"The miners' families need compensation, and we have to prove they weren't killed by some crazy killer..."

"We get it, let's get ready to start."