Long-term salvation

"..."

"Wait a minute, why are you suddenly silent?" Rhodes' heart sank, and he felt his heart beating wildly. He almost jumped up and screamed, drove to grab Irons' neck and questioned him, "Could it be--"

"Atlas Corporation has a secret research facility under construction in New Mexico, right in the desert. It's converted from an abandoned interstate ballistic missile base. The Foundation plans to research technology there to stably open the other world."

Oh my god, you were waiting for me here?!

I woke up from my illness, nearly dying, and realized that Black Mountain was actually me?!

"...Stop for now. If something goes wrong there," Rhode said helplessly, covering his face. He was silent for a few seconds, then said in a heavy tone, "There will be no human civilization left to save you."

"so serious?"

"It's very serious, so serious that I don't know how to deal with it."

There may not be a Dr. Gordon Freeman or G-man in this world.

"Okay, I'll ask them to suspend it first," Irons was frightened by Rhodes' tone. He frowned and called his secretary over on the other end of the satellite phone. He took out a document and started writing. "After the council meeting is over, I'll find a chance to talk to you in person in detail."

"That would be best, but please remember my words, Mr. Irons—the tide is rising—all decisions concerning the other world must be made with extreme caution."

Rhodes said, hanging up the satellite phone, he turned his head and looked outside the car:

The vehicle has entered the town. It is still dark, but the streetlights on both sides of the street are emitting a dim light, illuminating the road that has long been cleared.

This is the town of Arkham.

Chapter 32 Board Meeting (6K)

"Mr. Carter...Mr. Carter..."

"..."

A slight breeze blew in through the cracks in the deliberately opened car window, dispelling the lingering heat. The sudden chill caused Randolph Carter, lying in the back seat, to wince and utter a few meaningless mutterings. But then, as if dreaming of something horrible, he suddenly opened his eyes and straightened his body.

"The hounds are coming out of the corner!!!"

"Mr. Carter?"

The security guard of Atlas Company looked at Carter in confusion. The latter stood up and got out of the car to open the door for Carter, who was still a little dazed. This time, the cold wind completely sobered Carter. He quickly put on his coat, and then hurriedly put on his scarf and stuffed it into his collar before getting out of the car reluctantly.

"To Arkham Town... Wait, why do I see a plane?" Carter looked at the scene in shock, but the accompanying security personnel had helped him take the information backpack out of the car and handed him a document.

"As requested by Mr. Irons, we have taken you to a special channel at Logan International Airport. A specialist will be there to guide you on your next steps. Your private jet will take off in an hour, before the next major snowfall. Have a pleasant journey."

After saying that, the security guard saluted Carter, turned around and drove away.

"..."

The snow had not stopped yet. Carter stood in the cold wind, holding the documents woodenly. In front of him, the roar of passenger planes taking off and landing came one after another, and behind him, the traffic on the road was coming and going. Passengers dragging their suitcases past him were whispering about the bad weather... All this made him feel as if he was still dreaming.

The unstable backpack fell at Carter's feet, forcing him to scramble to put it on his back to prevent the snow on the ground from melting and getting the materials inside damp.

"Damn Irons, you're the first character to die in my new book!" Carter muttered and walked into the airport terminal.

Everything that happened next was incredibly simple and smooth. Carter made his way through the crowd and was immediately escorted away by two burly men. He then passed through the less stringent security checkpoint and boarded the long-awaited Atlas private jet.

Well, let’s go with the one that brought him here.

Such a hassle is bound to make people feel resentful, but when Carter sat at the small table with slightly hot Wellington beef and corn soup, all the bad emotions and resentment towards Irons disappeared without a trace, and when he took the first sip of Sauvignon Blanc, he felt a little touched.

After finishing his meal, Carter lay back in the soft chair and began to read the information he had collected from Dr. Richard's office until the plane landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

Atlas has an office building in New York, and the Cogito Foundation's board meeting will also be held there.

When Carter pushed open the door to the conference room, he saw Irons already sitting at his desk, flipping through a thick stack of documents. Next to him were three landline phones of different colors. Several other people had also arrived and were chatting casually.

The conference room was quite large, but it didn't appear particularly serious. A little further away from the conference table stood a long table, upon which sat a coffee machine, a kettle, and a tray filled with snacks and candies. Several bags of green tea of ​​unknown origin were neatly arranged to the side. A few books and printed papers were also scattered about, their footers smeared with oil.

One of the people in the conversation surprised Carter. He threw the backpack containing the documents on the table, walked around the entire circular conference table (not past Irons' side), came to the director, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a smile:

"Dr. Peng Jiamu (original), I didn't expect you to be here in person."

[Advance notice: Due to well-known reasons, this book will not cover the plot of a certain East Asian superpower. It will only provide basic background settings and will not be mentioned further in the future.]

"Oh! Director Carter... As a new director, I'll definitely need to come more often. I've brought some compiled data on the other world as a token of Aurora's sincerity," said Peng Jiamu, a 65-year-old Aurora native and biochemist. He had served as an observer at the Cogito Foundation since 1985 and was promoted to director in 89. "I should have come a long time ago, but it takes time for the central government to approve it, and I can't reveal the true purpose of my visit to comrades in other departments. I can only wait for permission."

As the only national representative present, Peng Jiamu rarely spoke at meetings and, even after becoming a director, generally abstained from voting. However, he maintained a close relationship with the other directors. In fact, he was something of an ambassador for Atlas, occasionally discussing investment opportunities with Irons.

Dr. Peng patted the two piles of documents on the table in front of him, and then slapped away Dr. Alan Grant's hand as he approached. He said unhappily:

"Don't touch the documents with the hand that just held the cake, Dr. Grant. And I've already gotten you the application to go to Zigong, Sichuan to study dinosaur fossils. Don't tell me you want to go to Lop Nur next time, or you'll be stopped on the way and shot as a spy."

"You're being petty. Besides, I'm not interested in scrap metal that can only be used to kill people," Grant shrugged. He first brought Dr. Peng a cup of hot tea and handed Carter a cup of coffee before reaching for the translated document and perusing it. As he continued reading, his brow furrowed at the contents. "Wait, you encountered something from the otherworldly during your advance into Qinghai-Tibet? Perhaps a paleontological creature?"

"[Delusion God Buddha], I named it that. Sadly, it was blasted to pieces by the 18th Army's artillery fire. Now, all I can find are scattered records of it in a pile of rumors and memoirs that are hard to tell whether they are true or not. I even have to go to the museum and take blood pressure medication while reading the Tibetan inscriptions on the human skin drum."

Dr. Peng shook his head and placed his hand on the document. Thinking about his work experience over the past few years, he said with a hint of emotion:

"For some reason, Zhendan has always been relatively stable, with few incidents from the otherworld that warrant attention. Most of them involve strange occurrences like loud noises in the sky or the screaming of livestock in the middle of the night. Ninety-eight percent of these incidents have reasonable explanations—this is the conclusion reached by the 902 Project Team after reviewing extensive archival materials. Because of this, and with the country currently undergoing reform and opening up, these 'small matters' without serious consequences are naturally not taken seriously and can only be put aside for the time being. But at least there's enough funding to cover salaries... By the way, where's Dr. Timothy Flyte? I was planning to talk to him about underground microorganisms."

"He recently returned to the UK and is currently engaged in a heated debate with his old colleagues at Oxford University, again over the book 'Ancient Enemies,' so he will be participating in the meeting via video this time."

The speaker was Dr. Cristo Armitage (original). Born in Brazil, he came to the United States with his father at an early age. He was an expert in ancient writing and folklore, specializing in investigating otherworldly events in South America. He was eating an Alfajores sandwich while explaining to his colleagues:

“And Panoptos XVI (original), he’s still in Greece sorting out ancient materials in the library, and he only plans to check the minutes after the meeting… Hey, Dr. Peng, do you want to try this?”

"No, thank you. I've already eaten on the plane." Dr. Peng Jiamu looked toward the door and took a sip of tea. "So, we're the only ones arriving at the venue this time?"

"Hannibal will be here soon. Charles (original author) is still in Marseille, France. He was injured while racing with his general father-in-law a few days ago and is still in a cast. So, we will be joining this conference via video conference."

Irons put down the documents in his hand and rubbed his temples. Rhode's words had put a lot of pressure on him, especially since it was the first time he had used such serious words to warn him. Putting these worries aside for the time being, Irons continued:

"That Gomez guy said he'd bring Sawai along...and Perseus will be there too."

"What?! Wait, isn't Perseus afraid that the CIA will arrest him?" Dr. Crystal Armitage asked in surprise.

"Atlas Corporation gave him a fake identity," Irons said in a relaxed tone, with a hint of sarcasm. "And I knew which CIA team was investigating Perseus. I used some connections and threw them into the Sahara to eat sand. For at least a month, Agent Adler and his friends won't have time to track down our Council observers."

"Observer Perseus, but even now I still think they are too dangerous."

Randolph Carter's face was filled with helplessness. He used tongs to get some of his favorite desserts and placed them on a small plate, then found a seat. He picked up a small knife, only the length of his index finger, and cut the financier cake. He then spread a little sour cream on the golden surface of the cake, and finally used the knife to pick up the spread piece and put it into his mouth. As he savored the aroma of burnt butter, Carter mumbled:

"I've read the mission brief they submitted. Like the Slavs, they're using sledgehammers to smash cultists' heads and torture them... The Perseus Organization's style of action is too extreme, and it's too deeply entangled in real-world politics. This isn't a good thing, Irons."

"The Perseus Organization, founded during the Andropov era, is still very 'young,' and has already slipped out of the Soviet government's control and sight after Chernenko's death. Without state support, they're nowhere near enough of a threat to the Foundation. Especially now—the Foundation needs their intelligence networks in Eastern Europe and areas under Soviet control—and besides, we clearly agreed not to discuss politics within the Foundation."

Irons said this calmly, as if he didn't care about bringing the enemies of the United States into the country... It would be better to say that he didn't care much about the interests of any country, otherwise he would not have been so crazy about expanding the influence of Atlas Corporation throughout the world.

After a few seconds of silence, Ains, who had thought of something, smiled a little and said meaningfully:

"From now on, matters like this will depend on the willingness and ability of THE ONE. We just need to ensure that the power of everyone in the Foundation is used for the right purposes."

"Then you better be careful next time. I know Rhodes holds a grudge very well."

Hearing this, Carter immediately raised his hands in surrender, and then began to complain to others about Irons's urgency along the way, and the thrilling experience he and Rhodes had when they experienced the events in the other world together.

The few people who had already arrived at the conference room chatted casually for nearly half an hour before the other directors who were attending the meeting hurriedly arrived.

Gomez Alonzo Addams walked into the conference room in a stylish suit and smoked a cigar as he chatted with Soichiro Sawai, who had come in with him. They were discussing the existence of extraterrestrial life and whether there were aliens in Area 51.

Following closely behind was Dr. Hannibal, with a look of fatigue between his brows, as if he had not slept well recently. Of course, it was more likely because of an FBI agent named Will, who was tracking down his past criminal cases.

As everyone was chatting and chatting, Perseus, a gray-haired old man, walked into the conference room. He was wearing a simple suit, more like something he'd bought casually from a street vendor, and a slightly playful smile on his face. After looking around and taking in everyone's expressions, the old man found a seat and leisurely sat down, saying with a smile:

"Forgive me, my friends in the 'free world,' I've been a bit busy lately. The CIA always thinks we're planning to destroy Europe with Operation Greenlight, but we were just unearthing ancient otherworldly ruins nearby... But I still need to thank you, Mr. Irons, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to enter North America so easily."

"I hope you are indeed excavating the ruins, but now is not the time to discuss this. Let's start the meeting," Irons said nonchalantly. He did not dwell too much on this issue, but stood up, turned on the projector, and began to play the footage captured by Carter.

The video was shaky and the content was bloody and unbearable to watch. Before the video was even a third played, everyone had lost interest in the dessert in front of them, but all the directors watched it very carefully, and occasionally even had to rewind the video to watch it again.

On this basis, Carter slowly recounted his own experiences, from the [disaster projection] to the scuffle outside the hospital, from the girl who emerged from the [door] to Dr. Richard's final fate. He detailed Rod's methods throughout the incident, his changes in mentality, and the two girls who accompanied him.

When Carter finished his story, the directors fell into deep thought. A few minutes later, Dr. Alan Grant said with some shock:

"How could a cultist who got their hands on some old tomes cause so many casualties?! Even the Jonestown massacre was caused by years of development and a large number of believers, and the Foundation didn't find any traces of the otherworld there. Even Silent Hill was indirectly caused by the spread of the fire."

"There might be more than one cultist," Carter said in a heavy voice. He reached out and pointed at the ancient Arabic books and scattered materials he had brought with him. "These things came from Afghanistan, and there's also Mobius. They supported the church in Silent Hill. Remember? They've been testing the power of the other world for decades!"

"Urban legends are on the rise in Japan, and some are spreading rapidly thanks to modern communications," Sawai Soichiro said, his expression not looking good. "Some ancient folk traditions seem strange now, so we have to be on guard."

"It's not just North America and East Asia. According to statistics from the CMEA and the Perseus Organization, since December 1988, the number of extreme violent incidents in Eastern Europe has far exceeded previous events. Mass robberies, serial murders, and other vicious crimes have emerged one after another. However, these are mixed with the consequences of the economic recession, making it difficult to distinguish them." Perseus spoke calmly, getting up to make himself a cup of coffee. When he remembered the scene he had just seen, he subconsciously added several sugar cubes to the coffee.

"Many places within the Soviet Union were also unstable. Despite the KGB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs' systematic suppression, some strange phenomena and rumors continued to spread. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union clearly did not take them seriously, nor did they have the ability to do so."

"Well, the only good news right now is that there are no aliens involved... Ha, maybe they're also worried about the otherworldly activities on their own planet."

Soichiro Sawai, an astronomer and researcher of extraterrestrial life, sighed and said that this was a cold joke, but no one could laugh at it - if there was an inner world on other planets, where could humans escape to?

No one brought good news.

The frequency and intensity of activities in the other world have suddenly increased, making the directors of the foundation feel a little at a loss. Too many possibilities and troubles are overflowing from the edges of everyone's mind, and more or less anxiety is filling this huge conference room.

Suddenly, Irons remembered what Rod had said to him on the satellite phone:

The tide is rising

Tides, obviously the tides of the other world.

But how high will the tide rise, and in what form will it manifest? Will it only stop when human civilization is completely submerged?

Would the afterlife research of multinational corporations and conglomerates accelerate this process? Would revealing the afterlife to various governments be the right thing to do? The Soviet Union was mired in a political and economic quagmire, limping along. China, with its unstable foundations and a quest for reform, was unable to undertake large-scale research and control. As for the United States... Irons, who knew his own country's character best, simply didn't have the courage to disclose the existence of the afterlife to Washington.

Those European countries are even worse. Not only do they lack strength, but they are also more likely to cause trouble than accomplish anything.

Furthermore, with the Cold War still ongoing, how would humanity react if it discovered the other world? Judging from the experience of several nuclear crises, the outcome would likely be anything but good.

The other world will one day be known to the world, but not now.

What should I do...

"Everyone!"

Just as everyone was lost in thought, one of the directors, Gomez, suddenly stood up and spoke. Unlike the others, he had a cheerful smile on his face. This Spanish-born man walked over to the projector, holding a coffee cup, patted Irons on the shoulder, and said loudly:

"Don't forget, we still have a savior! A prophet!"

"We can completely rely on his strength, and he's proven it to us—just look at it," Gomez twisted his body and pointed at the projection screen, sending the coffee in his cup flying outward, staining Irons's trouser legs and causing the latter's eyes to twitch slightly. "He perfectly ended an otherworldly incident just a few days after arriving in this world, and then yesterday, he slaughtered a group of zombies and a shameless cult leader with ease. That's more kills than all the Foundation's past directors combined!"

"I don't understand why we don't ask him for help when we are in trouble, instead of looking so sad here?"

Gomez put down the cup in his hand, walked along the round conference table with his hands behind his back, passed behind each director, and said as he walked:

"I think everyone should contact him immediately, even if it's just to talk, now, immediately, right now! Get to know him, trust him, and let him understand us and trust us—this has never been a problem worth worrying about. In less than a month, with the help of the Savior, the Foundation's understanding of the inner world has surpassed the research of the past ten years... So what are we waiting for?! Are we going to let Mobius or some other weird thing surpass us?"

"We need to unify our thinking and take action immediately, instead of hesitating and wasting time!"

The elegant yet slightly nervous man smiled and said, he walked back to the front of the conference table and announced loudly:

"So, I'm inviting the Savior to stay at my house for a week!"

"..."xN

"Gomez," Dr. Crystal Armitage took a deep breath and looked at his friend with wide eyes. "Your decision is quite bold. Don't forget that you have two children at home!"

"Ah, I'm well aware of that, thank you for reminding me, Crystal," Gomez waved his hand, seemingly unconcerned.

"No... this might be a good opportunity," Randolph Carter suddenly said. Facing the puzzled gazes, he said seriously, "Don't forget, everyone, we still need to seek his approval and trust. Mutual understanding is obviously the foundation of trust. If the timing wasn't inappropriate, I would live with Rhodes and the others for a while. I even think every director should spend more time with him."

"It seems you've already identified with him, Randolph."

"Yes," Carter said frankly, "In terms of ability, knowledge, character, or anything else, I think he is qualified to be the chairman of the foundation."

"I also hope to meet this 'savior,' although I don't believe saviors exist in this world," Perseus said with a smile. He glanced at the still-open projection screen, which showed Rhodes firing a rifle at a monster. It would have been even better if he had a Kalashnikov, the old man thought. But he remained calm as he made his request, "We also hope to prove our worth and abilities, not just be simple observers and wary collaborators."

"In that case, colleagues, I also have a suggestion."

Irons suddenly spoke out, breathing slowly, as if making a decision:

"How about letting Rhodes attend the next council meeting where all members are present?"

"..."

"No objections? Very good, it's settled then."

Chapter 33: Daily Life: Playing and Fighting (1/2)