Long-term salvation

open the door.

Five men dressed in priestly attire stood outside the door. They were slender, their every move revealing the simplicity and efficiency of a warrior. At their waists were long swords wrapped in sackcloth. Upon seeing the old priest's surprised face, the five men saluted earnestly and whispered in a mixture of enthusiasm and reverence:

"We come to welcome the Son."

"...Holy Son?" The old priest was startled and turned his head subconsciously:

At this moment, the light of dawn poured in from outside and fell on the man sitting on the bench at the deepest part.

"My lord."

The leading priest—a Knight of the Covenant—entered the church with the others, knelt on one knee, and said:

"The troops of the Army Without Borders are searching the world for the miracle of your resurrection, and so is the Vatican... We saw the pure white cross last night and searched here at dawn."

"I have no plans to go to the Vatican right now," Rhodes replied calmly, swirling the wine in his wooden glass. "I hope the Pope and those cardinals won't cause me any trouble."

"Yes, as you wish, my Lord."

The old priest, who heard the conversation between the few people, opened his mouth. His throat rolled, as if countless words were stuck there, but they only turned into a broken, almost inaudible gasp. The moment he turned around, the moment his eyes met those azure eyes, the moment the dawn light shone on that face, the identity of the visitor was already revealed. In the end, the old man said nothing, but just let the tears roll down.

"Is the wine not tasty?" Rhodes asked with a smile.

"No, it's delicious, very good," the old priest wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and sniffed hard, "very delicious, better than any wine I have ever tasted in my life."

Chapter 519: A Short Stay in Jerusalem (3K)

In Jerusalem, the sunlight is never stingy, just as its bloody holiness never fades.

The sun shines equally on this city that carries the faith and tears of hundreds of millions of people, on the magnificent temples, churches, mosques and ancient walls that have been passed down for thousands of years, and also on the simple ropes swaying in the wind in the narrow streets and alleys where people use to dry their daily clothes.

The sunlight from outside streamed in through the half-open door of the chapel, illuminating the Covenant Knights who were dining. They sat at attention, silently eating their slightly cool hummus.

And of course, there’s wine.

Rod had always been generous.

"Sit down, Father. I can't cure a heart attack—but nitroglycerin can."

After making a joke to the still agitated old priest, Rhodes looked at the leading captain of the Covenant Knights and said:

"Remember to count how many people saw the pure white cross in Jerusalem last night. Move discreetly and avoid being discovered. The Vatican should also keep its distance and avoid openly associating itself with me and the Army Without Borders. We don't have the strength to reach out to Jerusalem yet. It's best not to. The relationships in the Middle East are far too complicated, and the consequences won't outweigh the gains."

"I'll bear your orders in mind," the knight captain nodded slightly, but then hesitated for a moment, looking very conflicted. "Ever since we learned of your death and inevitable resurrection, we've had a question..."

"Will I be reborn near here next time?"

Rhode raised his eyebrows, but then raised his finger to stop the Knight Captain from speaking, and said with a little seriousness:

"Theoretically, not necessarily. The first time I came to this world, I fell into a stable, and after my death, I was resurrected in a cave... I think it's like drawing a circle around the place of death, and then randomly selecting a related location within that circle—maybe next time it'll be a cave near another Christian holy site."

"In that case, the Covenant Knights will make this small church their permanent base."

The knight captain said this, and he understood what Rhode meant, and had some more amusing little thoughts:

"Our team is originally operating near Jerusalem, collecting artifacts from the otherworld that may have an impact. In this way, we can also rely on you to gain some mystical power."

"You make your own decisions."

Rhode stretched, stood up, thought for a moment, and then asked:

"Have you arranged your itinerary? I was originally planning to go to New Antioch to take a flight to East Africa, and then return to the United States of North America from there."

"...The Pope has arranged a chartered flight for you via the Vatican, at least that was the original plan."

"What a useless thought!" Rhodes shook his head helplessly after hearing this. "I'll go back when I have time. Just do your own thing."

"Yes, my lord."

After pondering for a few seconds, Rhodes decided to take a chartered flight of Plessy Logistics and leave from Jerusalem International Airport. This small airport now only accepts domestic flights and charter flights in Israel, and has long lost its "international" name. In the end, this small airport was completely closed in 2000.

Now that the decision had been made, Rhode didn't waste any more time. After packing up, he stood in front of the old priest, patted his shoulder, and said softly:

"If you have any needs in life, you can tell these knights, but don't forget..."

"Keep your return a secret," the old priest breathed deeply. He didn't dare meet those eyes, but lowered his head and made the sign of the cross on his chest. "I understand what you mean—those Zionist entities absolutely don't want to see you. They'll go crazy... But do I need to tell the Haredi people? I know a few trustworthy old priests."

Rhodes didn't reply, but just looked back calmly, which made the old priest feel a chill in his heart:

"I understand what you mean. I will keep the secret until I die."

"That's right! If there are any changes in the future, we'll talk about it then." Rhode smiled a little more. He took out some firearms he had exchanged in the other world from his storage space and stuffed them into the confused and shocked old priest's hands. "Come on, come on. Although I can't give you fish and bread now, I can give you pistols and grenades... If you want a rifle, that's fine too, but I only have M16A2s..."

The Covenant Knights pricked up their ears at this remark. They quickly put down their plates and gathered around, watching Rhode pull out a variety of weapons. Although many of them were unusable, they chose to store them in the armory that would be opened in the small church as a backup.

After bidding farewell to the old priest and not letting the Covenant Knights follow him, Rhodes took Marianne and Honglian to stroll around Jerusalem. It would take some time for the Plessy logistics plane taking off from Crete to land, which was just the right time for him to relax a little. The three days in the other world before were like rolling in hell, enough to make even the toughest soldiers suffer from PTSD.

Even Rhodes needed to relax his tense mood:

"How about we go down town and find a place to eat near the airport?"

"Just make your decision," Marian said, putting her arm around Rhodes. She glanced at Honglian, who had changed into ordinary clothes, and added with a low laugh, "I thought you would go straight back to Hill Villa. After all, everyone else in Africa is also preparing to return one after another."

"I have to clean up the mess, and judging by Irons's personality, he'll definitely have to see me in person before he can truly feel at ease."

As Rhodes spoke, he took a step forward. He saw the alleys stretching out before him like a maze, winding and narrow. The streets twisted and turned, the cobblestones worn smooth by countless generations of footsteps, yet thin green grass stubbornly sprouted from the cracks.

As far as the eye can see, the gray-yellow ancient stone walls almost cover half of the world, clearly separated from the azure sky above, but connected by the church bells.

The melodious sound of the bells is heard by the endless stream of pilgrims who come here. They carry bulging backpacks, hold up small travel guides, look up hard to read the road signs and holy signs on the wall, and then continue to head towards their desired destination.

The faces of those men and women, young or old, were filled with fatigue from the long journey and excitement of finally being in the holy land.

Throughout human history, how many people have shed their blood for this city that is worth nothing and yet priceless?

However, nothing can happen to Jerusalem, not because of its lofty status in the real world (Nothing), but because it has become a disaster switch for another supernatural dimension (Everything).

"We still need to send more personnel here. The Vatican really has a unique advantage in this regard."

Rhodes was troubled by this. He ran his fingers across the walls of Jerusalem's Old City and felt a faint sense of joy—joy from the city itself—but it seemed to be just an illusion:

"We also need to establish good relations with Syria or Cyprus, or gradually take control of them. Otherwise, it will take a lot of effort for the New Antioch District to suppress them."

"Don't forget Egypt, Commander. It's closer that way."

Marian reminded softly, holding Rod's hand and glancing at the fruit and snack stalls on the street. Nikki saw lemons and pomegranates piled up like a hill, with some raisins and dates next to them. After noticing her gaze, Rod touched Marian's head in amusement, then went forward and bought several pomegranates.

After forcing a few pomegranates onto Honglian's stomach, Rhodes ate the pomegranates bit by bit and wandered around Jerusalem with the girls.

Pedestrians, travelers and pilgrims passed him, and at some unknown moment, Christ walked among them.

"Other people have also sent inquiries. Everyone is very concerned about you."

Rhodes took out the [Box of Shiting] and shook it towards Marian. The smile on the latter's face became more intense, while a trace of envy and nostalgia flashed across Honglian's eyes.

Putting these random thoughts aside, Nikki, wearing a long sword, focused her attention on the pomegranate in her hand. This was the first time she had eaten it.

It's a bit hard to eat, but it's sweet, and the slight sourness in it makes the sweetness even more pronounced.

"Is it tasted okay?" Rhodes noticed the expression on Honglian's face. "If you're not used to it, I can eat the rest."

The beautiful Nikki shook her head, causing her long hair to shake along with it.

Seeing her like this, Rhode shrugged and continued walking along the street. After turning a corner, the front suddenly opened up, as if the stage curtain suddenly opened, and the sunlight poured down more generously, as if dyeing the noisy voices with a layer of honey-like light golden warm light.

Crowds surged and swirled through the spacious streets, enveloped in the heat and noise, and permeated with the aroma of coffee and cakes. But if you looked more closely, you could see several Israeli soldiers standing against a mottled wall, their bodies tense, their eyes scanning the sunlit street. Their olive-green uniforms clashed with the brightly colored clothes of the tourists, making them an eyesore.

Rhodes withdrew his gaze, took a step forward, and merged into the noisy and bright golden river.

"Hmm, I've already walked out of the narrow alley... Let me see, turn, and then turn again." Rhodes stretched out his hand and scratched his head. He felt helpless holding the tourist map. "Oh, I regret it. I should have asked those Covenant Knights to follow me. At least they could have provided me with a vehicle... Hey, hey, hey, bus!"

Rhodes waved his hands and ran forward, causing Marian to cover her mouth and giggle, and Honglian to curl up the corners of her mouth. Then, they also took steps to catch up.

In Jerusalem, pure white doves continue to fly back and forth between the city and the blue sky, and between the cross and the crescent moon, like some ancient and eternal balance.

Chapter 520 Return to Somalia

The scorching sun at noon on the equator distorted the air at the end of the airport runway, as if evaporating the asphalt of Kismayo International Airport into a swaying deep sea.

After a flight of more than ten hours, the passenger plane carrying Rhodes and others landed in Kismayo in southern Somalia. This city will serve as the temporary headquarters of Atlas before the construction of the "New Mogadishu" is completed, and will later serve as a springboard to Kenya and even Central and West Africa.

When Rhodes stepped out of the plane and felt the familiar heat of Somalia, he saw a convoy of Hummers parked in front of the terminal in the distance.

It was still the same process as before. As soon as Rhodes got in the car, he saw Ains's dark face, but his complexion looked much better, without the fatigue and anxiety that comes from being under pressure for a long time.

"Well, new lover... Is this how the [Unknown Benevolent Being] helps you?"

Irons glanced out the window at Honglian who wanted to get in the car but was stopped by Marian. This girl now considers herself a personal bodyguard. She was new here and didn't know much about the relationship between Irons and others and Rhodes... She would understand it later.

"What? Is there a problem?" Rhode's eyes were empty as he slumped back in his chair and let out a long breath. "During my days wandering the inner world, I collected some interesting things, mainly minerals and some Black Stone, which is native to the inner world. Take them to the researchers to analyze and see if there are any differences. I'll also send some to Aperture Technology."

"Although these words are a bit extravagant to use to change the subject, they are indeed very successful."

Irons sighed slightly. He took the data terminal from his side and put it into Rhodes' hand. As Rhodes looked at the various statistical data on the screen, he slowly said:

"The number of casualties was less than we initially expected, but there are many wounded—like the transport pilots and navigators who raided over Mogadishu, and those who faced the rift to the other world. They are now plagued by nightmares and varying degrees of hallucinations."

"How effective is Meiya's treatment? I remember her abilities should be able to help," Rhode raised an eyebrow. The psychological assessment reports displayed on the terminal clearly showed that the problem was indeed serious. "Let them go to Arkham Town for collective recuperation. Muji will help, and I will also visit them at the military hospital."

"Right on my mind."

Nodding in agreement, Irons pursed his lips and remained silent for a long time before speaking. His face was filled with a worry and seriousness that Rhode had never seen before. The air in the car seemed to freeze, and only the faint humming of Gideon's mechanical arm in the front seat echoed quietly. Placing his hand on Rhode's arm, Irons whispered:

"How many times...how many times will we have to face such disasters?"

"There are at least three more times," Rhode sighed. "Nuclear bombs may not always solve the problem. And the arrival of the Apocalypse doesn't mean the disaster will disappear. On the contrary, I think it's just the beginning."

With his eyes lowered, Rhodes said calmly:

"To give you a simple example, if the cost of the Tyrant can be reduced to $80, we might face an enemy force of heavy infantry and heavy mechanized infantry centered around biological weapons like the Tyrant, as well as widespread bioterrorism attacks around the world. If a terrorist organization can't even scrape together $100 million, then it's best left as a helpless pawn."

"Do you think that after Umbrella Corporation is blown up, biological weapons won't be leaked? The Pentagon will be furious at Umbrella for the special forces members killed in Mogadishu, and will use this incident and public opinion to drive down the price."

Thinking about the bizarre things in the Resident Evil game timeline, as well as things like the subsequent Tri-Laboratory and the biological weapons developed by the various villains in the animation... Rhode spread his hands helplessly.

"Humanity's greatest enemy is humanity itself. This isn't empty talk—we're ultimately fighting humanity's own 'negative emotions,' a war with seemingly no end in sight... Sigh, that makes me want to develop the Manticore virus... Hey, hey, hey, why are you hitting me in the head?!"

Shaking his aching palm, Irons glared at Rhodes fiercely. Feeling better, he took a deep breath and tried to keep his tone steady:

"I had researchers carefully organize the data on the orbital elevator you brought back from another universe, as well as the space station data you obtained from the Soviet Union... Perhaps it's time for us to set our sights beyond this planet. It's not too late to start now."

"I see. You want to establish an orbital airborne force? I support you," Rhode said, giving a thumbs-up. "It would also be great if we could cram all of humanity into a fleet of spaceships and disperse them."

Irons: "...I thought you were going to say that escaping Earth was a cowardly act, and then equip Earth with thrusters and push it around, although that does sound romantic."

"Let's not even talk about whether or not it's doable... why do you even carry a toilet with you?! Ahem, if I had the ability, I'd want humanity to spread across the galaxy in the form of fleets, and then traverse the stars in the Macross with VF fighters (both from Macross)—I'm just as committed to spaceships as Liu Cixin is!"

"Who is Liu Da? He sounds like a Chinese from China."

"He was a great power plant engineer."

After hearing what Rhodes said, Irons shook his head in amusement. He turned his head and looked out the window, and saw heavy trucks driving past the convoy under guidance. They would follow the coastal highway northward, delivering various supplies to the former Mogadishu - which was now a horrific ruin filled with nuclear radiation. In order to prevent further accidents, Atlas Corporation would surround the entire ruins with concrete walls.

As for the location of the "New Mogadishu", it was chosen to be adjacent to Marka, which will become a huge international modern city in the future.

Now, materials and resources from all over the world are being shipped here continuously, including iron ore from Australia, oil from the Middle East, minerals from Africa and South America, etc., as well as a large number of workers, mostly workers from the Aurora Republic and unemployed soldiers after disarmament. They will have a job with a good salary that will never be delayed - Aurora is accelerating its economic transformation, and technical agreements, capital investment and remittances from the outside will obviously provide great help to Beijing - Atlas Corporation is happy to see that its "allies" are gradually becoming stronger and help share some of the pressure from NATO countries such as the United States.

"I have nothing more to say. It's not your turn to shoulder the heavy political responsibility right now. There are just some messy things that still need you to do personally."

Feeling much more at ease, Ains sighed slowly. He withdrew his gaze from the window and said to Rhodes, who was still looking at the data terminal:

"You must attend the victory celebration, and when you return to the other countries, send the ashes and compensation back... You understand what I mean."

"I see."

Rhodes turned off the data terminal and looked at Irons:

"This is my duty as the supreme commander of the Army Without Borders. I have no choice but to fulfill it."

Chapter 521 Celebrating Victory

Africa, autumn night.

The scorching heat faded during the day, and the cool night breeze blew up sand, brushing past two different flags on the edge of the base - the laurel wreath and skull, and the flag of Atlas Corporation. The sand was wrapped in the unique chill of the desert night, swaying gently amid the noisy cheers.

Victory, what a beautiful word. Like electricity, it coursed through the blast-proof walls, across the hoods of Humvees, and beneath the roofs of the barracks. Soldiers marched between main battle tanks, sat atop armored vehicles, and stood atop AS armored vehicles, microphones in hand, howling heartfelt songs—We have won!

Only the elite of the Army Without Borders who penetrated deep into Mogadishu knew that they had not only won the victory but also pulled human civilization back from the brink of the abyss, even if only temporarily.

But now, everyone can cheer for this.

Soon, the aroma of food joined the chaotic symphony. On a makeshift grill in the open space, premium steaks, purchased from around the city and flown in by cargo plane, sizzled and radiated an alluring, charred aroma. There was also fresh fish and shellfish caught from the ocean, and vegetables grown in greenhouses.