Long-term salvation

After taking a sip, Rhodes felt his whole body filled with sweet and hot taste. The faint aroma of milk lingered between his lips and teeth, making him unable to help but let out a long and satisfied sigh.

"I added more milk," Marian said softly, a smile spreading from the corners of Nikki's mouth. "Abi-chan doesn't like the taste of this milk very much, but I like adding it to coffee or cocoa. I wonder what you think, Commander?"

Commander? Carl blinked, thinking it was just a playful name between the man and the girls.

This name is quite unique, you can try it yourself in the future.

"I smell corn soup," Rod said, pushing Carl toward the RV and shouting to the silver-haired girl, "Noah! Serve a bowl for this Carl, too. We're going to go check out the storage area over there after we finish drinking."

"Thank you...uh, ma'am."

After watching Carl accept the bowl of soup with a slightly awkward manner and express his gratitude, Rhode nodded slightly and whispered to Marian, "Bai Zi sensed something in that warehouse. I'll take Bai Zi to check it out later."

"Is this an incident in the other world?"

"That's right. Also, after we get there, you and Noah will scout the target bank. Noah has a great memory, so have her observe the locations of employees and security personnel, the entry and exit times of ordinary people, the routing of power cables, and backup generators. Then, Yuka and Little Red Riding Hood will create incidents at the target location and other locations in the South District that will attract the police. Observe the speed of police response in each neighborhood and the routes where roadblocks can be set up... As for Abigail, have her guard the car."

"I see," Marianne nodded gravely.

"Relax, it doesn't matter even if you fail in the end, it's just a little more trouble."

Seeing her like this, Rod tapped Nikki's forehead in a funny way, then went to the RV to get a bowl of corn soup and drank it slowly.

Inside the RV, Abigail was munching on a burger. It was too big for her mouth, so she had to nibble on it slowly, like a squirrel. Baizi could actually take a good bite, but she was staring out the window at the storage area, not really paying attention to her food.

Little Red Riding Hood was holding an Atari Lynx just now, and now she is playing with it while eating a mille-feuille cake. Yuuka sat next to her and chattered about this month's expenses, accusing everyone of taking advantage of her and buying things for her, but she was soon stuffed in the mouth by the former with dessert.

As for Noah... Noah was watching Rod drink the corn soup, and occasionally scooped up a little to eat like a snack.

At this moment, the light snow and the cold wind were blocked outside the RV, and everyone inside was quietly enjoying their food, with warmth enveloping them from the inside out and from the outside in. However, this quiet atmosphere with a little sleep-inducing noise did not last long. After checking the time, Carl said aloud:

"Mr. Rhodes, the warehouse auction will start in fifteen minutes."

Carl already knew Rod's name on the way back, and the two became familiar with each other quickly.

"Okay, I understand." Rhodes stood up and placed the half-eaten corn soup on the table. "Baizi, come with me and do our work."

"Okay, Sensei," the girl nodded, pulling a cello case from the cabinet and handing it to Rod.

Seeing Rhode put the heavy violin case on his back with a "Hey Yo" sound, Carl smiled and reminded:

"There's no room for you to perform there, Mr. Rhodes."

"Who knows?"

+ + + + + + + + + +

"400 dollars! 400 dollars a time!"

"450 US dollars," Carl raised his hand, and Rhodes was standing behind him, quietly observing the people around him who were participating in the auction - there was a skinny guy who was looking at Carl with displeasure, but when the price was raised to 450 US dollars, he spat at him and left.

"$450 last time!"

"One last time! Okay... if no one bids, then Warehouse 36 and its contents will belong to this guy!"

After the auctioneers dispersed, Carl turned around. Having already obtained the key to Warehouse No. 36, he asked Rhode with doubt:

"Sir, the reason you just gave me $1,000 to buy this warehouse is..."

"Because it's worth it, Carl Gallagher."

[Side Quest: Twelve Trials·Auction Item No. 36]

Mission Description: There is a warehouse in the storage area of ​​South Chicago. Enter the compartments, solve the otherworldly events, and find the clue fragments.

Chapter 51: Warehouse Taobao War (11/15)

Rhodes had watched many variety shows about old warehouses or containers before, and he was deeply impressed by the hosts' speaking speed, which was almost like a tongue twister. As for the one just now, he didn't have that ability.

"Looks like we need to open it now," Carl said. He looked at the warehouse manager Eddie, who came over with the key. After glancing at Rhodes's eye patch, the latter spoke:

"I don't know why you want this warehouse, but I have to tell you in advance - the previous owner was a weird old man who hadn't been here two months ago. Every time he entered or left, he would hop like a rabbit. This has been going on for many years. At least the previous administrator mentioned this."

"Why, are there things like Anna from Dead by Daylight in there?" Rhode asked with a smile. This made Carl nervous, and he was about to say something, but Rhode took a few steps forward, snatched the key from Eddie's hand, and stuffed him with a stack of US dollars.

"Take this thing and go out for a while, administrator, don't disturb us."

The administrator, Eddie, roughly counted the US dollars in his hand, which amounted to about a thousand dollars. He pondered for a moment, then returned the money and said seriously, "Sir, I don't care what you do in the warehouse, but if something goes wrong, a thousand dollars is not enough to compensate you. You know, I—"

"Gas consumption and follow!"

Rhodes hit Eddie's chin with a rising dragon punch. The latter's eyes rolled up and he fell backwards to the ground without a sound.

"So much nonsense," Rhode muttered, adding a few more US dollars and stuffing them into Eddie's jacket pocket along with the previous portion. He then turned his head to look at the girl squatting beside him, poking the unfortunate man's chin. "Baizi, drag this guy out of this storage area and shoot him again. And put a coat on him to prevent him from freezing."

"Ok."

"...Sir, you generally cannot cover a corpse with clothes, as it will accelerate decay," Carl's lips trembled. He glanced uneasily at Rhodes and Baizi, who was dragging the administrator Eddie's legs. The latter had just turned the corner, and Eddie's head hit the corner of the corridor with a dull sound.

"Wrong! That depends on how you want to adjust the time of death," Rhodes said nonchalantly. He took out his revolver, checked the bullets inside, and placed the cello case by the warehouse door. "Carl, get ready to open the door. If there's nothing wrong inside, I'll give you another $500 as compensation for the shock... Don't run! I just asked Baizi to shoot you with anesthesia!"

Carl didn't even dare to look back and quickly disappeared around the corner of the corridor - but just a few seconds after he turned around, he saw Rhodes appear from the end of the corridor, with a helpless expression on his face, as if to say, "If you dare to run again, I will break your legs."

After bringing the dejected Carl back, Rhode watched him open the warehouse and said unhappily:

"Why are you running? I still need your dollars."

"You've got to live to spend it, sir," Carl whispered, unlocking the warehouse door with his key. "You're not some CIA agent, are you?"

"You better hope I am."

Rhodes stepped into the warehouse. The dust accumulated on the old furniture and sundries was flying in all directions due to the influx of outside air. When the dim incandescent light came on, the dust became more conspicuous, almost forming a dust curtain to block the intruders.

A faint stench permeated this cramped, cluttered space, almost making one think that several corpses were buried in the walls, their foul, decaying fluids seeping through the masonry and escaping from the cracks. An inexplicable chill, like thousands of closely packed needles, slowly and inexorably pressed against the skin of every human who entered.

Waving his hand to disperse the dust lingering in front of him, Rhodes carefully observed the objects in the warehouse, and then found that the place was extremely narrow, far less spacious than its appearance. Combined with the system's task prompt - there was a compartment, and that compartment was obviously only in the deepest part of this warehouse.

"They are all old furniture. If you just wash them and sell them, they won't fetch much money."

As Karl spoke, he ran his fingers across a worn and cracked mahogany table. The tips of his fingers were immediately covered with dust, but he just rubbed them on his clothes nonchalantly, carefully keeping a distance from Rhodes.

"Be patient, Carl from the Gallagher family," Rod said softly. Following the guidance of the All-Seeing Eye, he first saw an old leather box. After opening it, there was only a metallic candlestick and some faded clothes, as well as a photo album. The photos started with family portraits and personal life photos, and gradually turned into photos related to the Nazis in World War II.

Seeing Rhodes concentrating on flipping through the photo album, Carl quietly stepped back, but with a hard object pressed against his back, he had no choice but to go back into the warehouse.

"Sensei, I gave the warehouse keeper to the people in the store outside the warehouse area. I gave the owner some money so that he can take care of him." Bai Zi put away the SIG556 assault rifle and gently pushed away Carl who was blocking her way. She leaned close to Rhodes' ear and said in a low voice:

"There's the smell of the dead ahead, and it's growing stronger, even now... It's hungry, it feels very hungry, thirsting for fresh souls and flesh."

"Now?" Rhodes frowned slightly, remembering what the administrator Eddie had said - the previous owner of the warehouse would jump before entering and leaving every time - this was a ritual, just like the sacrificial spell in the Salem Town Hospital before, using specific movements and sounds to guide the energy of the other world to achieve a certain purpose.

What purpose?

Before Rhode could figure out what was going on, Bai Zi's ears suddenly stood up. The girl raised her rifle and pointed it deep into the warehouse. A low growl like a frightened dog rolled in her throat:

"It broke free!"

[Pollution points in the other world increased by 1]

Without any hesitation, Rhodes pushed Carl out of the warehouse, then drew his gun and fired several shots into the deep darkness!

Gunfire flashed in the dark warehouse!

+++++++++++

at the same time.

Abigail, sitting in the driver's seat of the RV, raised her head and looked towards the storage area.

"Sure enough, Rhodes can't do without me."

Sighing, the girl prepared to leave the driver's seat and head towards the living area in the back half of the RV, ready to retrieve her weapon from there, but a gentle knock on the window was heard.

Abigail turned her head to the left and saw an old man in a gray coat smiling and waving at her.

Rolling down the car window, Abigail put her hands on the car door and asked:

"Who are you looking for?"

"I want to see Rod, kid, just to chat," the old man said, with a harmless and gentle smile on his face, "Oh, by the way, you can tell him -"

"Perseus comes to visit."

Chapter 52: Monsters Out of the Cage (12/15)

Carl was thrown out of the warehouse before he could react. The fierce gunfire in the narrow warehouse poured into his ears, torturing his eardrums and making him cover his ears subconsciously.

The dust raised by the sound waves kept swirling in the air, and was then carried by the bullets that flew out of the chamber and rushed towards the monster that had torn the compartment door apart. The shriveled and wrinkled female body was rushing out at a very fast speed, as if it had long been unable to suppress the desire to devour the sweet blood in front of it. Dozens of huge tentacles emerged from the missing face, and even the skin on the chest was squeezed open, and the mouthparts that looked like lampreys were filled with the smell of corruption and blood.

Facing the firepower of Rhodes and Bai Zi, the monster's tentacles suddenly stretched out and stabbed towards the two people in front.

"Sensei!"

Rhodes pushed Bai Zi away, turned sideways and raised his left hand to reduce the area of ​​attack while preventing head injuries from the tentacles. He fired two more shots with his right hand, emptied the bullets, pulled Bai Zi up and retreated out of the warehouse.

"I'm fine." A bloody streak appeared on Rhode's face, and a little blood oozed out from the streak. The monster, sensing the bloody smell, immediately became even more violent. "Baizi, suppress it with fire! And how come this thing is so fast?!"

The moment he saw the monster, fragments of memories surfaced in Rhodes' mind. However, in the original movie, its speed was not fast, and even an ordinary person could get rid of it... Rhodes could only simply attribute it to the changes in the world, and the truth could only be explored in the future.

The monster's tentacles twisted, touching everything in the warehouse like a wild dog marking a spot, old tables and chairs, cloths, and even the dusty walls. Grayish-white mold with a hint of yellow-green in the middle grew out of those places, and the bulging vesicles in them burst, emitting an even more unbearable stench.

Taking out the speed loader from his pocket, Rhodes opened the revolver's cylinder, but before he could load the bullets, the monster rushed over with a shrill howl - Rhodes suddenly lunged forward and collided with Carl, who was already stunned on the ground. The latter was awakened by the dull pain and let out a scream even shriller than the monster's.

The monster rushed out of the warehouse and slammed into the opposite wall. The wall cracked under the terrifying force, and dust and bits of paint residue fell like snow under the flickering light, covering Carl's mouth.

"Shut up!"

Rhode grabbed Carl's collar and threw him to the other side of the wall. He dodged the monster's tentacles and shouted loudly:

"Karl, open that violin case!"

The young man was stunned, and he scrambled to get the cello case. The black case was covered with dust, and it looked shabby. And inside -

It was an M249 squad machine gun, 5.56mm caliber, with a belt clip filled with bullets placed neatly under the gun body, and several M67 grenades stuffed next to it, as well as two pistols and countless magazines and bullets.

Taking advantage of the moment when the monster was split apart by Baizi's attack, Rhodes quickly ran to Carl's side, took out a pistol from the guitar case and put it in his hand, saying:

"Take this for self-defense and stay away."

Then, Rhode stood up, raised his M249, and began to fire at the monster that was chasing Bai Zi further and further away:

The gunfire roared!

Hot shell casings bounced on the ground, their crisp echoes drowned out by the distorted sound of gunfire that echoed endlessly through the corridor. Steel, forged by human wisdom, tore through the dust, leaving faint traces. The accumulated damage to the monster's tentacles shredded them, leaving them to fall to the ground, writhing like leeches.

The monster roared as it was struck hard, and tentacles several times larger than before burst out from its body, almost filling the entire corridor! It jumped like a spider to the ceiling of the corridor, then to the ground and the walls on both sides to avoid the golden-red flames.

Rhodes retreated steadily, the flames from the muzzle of the squad machine gun in his hand not extinguished even for a second, but the enemy's speed was getting faster and faster - but when it was less than three meters away from Rhodes, the monster suddenly shrank, and the tips of its tentacles pointed outward like the spikes of a hedgehog.

Seeing this, Rhode, terrified, threw his machine gun at the monster. Then, he grabbed Carl's collar and rushed to the corridor with him, shouting:

"Baizi, hide! Take a detour and meet me!"

The girl's speed was even faster than Rhode's. The halo above her head reached its peak at that moment. Her strength and speed surpassed those of ordinary people who had been trained but could not transcend. And the next second after Bai Zi hid in another corridor—

The monster that had shrunk like a thorn ball suddenly expanded, and its tentacles shot out in all directions like harpoons, piercing through the warehouse door that had not yet been opened, piercing through the solid and thick concrete wall, and even the steel-made violent machine was pierced at this moment!

The tentacles slowly retracted, and the remains of the machine gun and broken and twisted metal fragments were scattered all over the ground.

The entire corridor became unusually quiet, with only the crackling sound of tiny pieces of cement falling to the ground.

Releasing his hand from covering the terrified Carl's mouth, Rod expressionlessly loaded his revolver and fired a few blind shots. Then, he took out a grenade from his pocket, pulled the ring, and threw it into the corridor where the monster was like a stone being thrown on the water.

However, there was no sound of the grenade exploding, only the creepy sound of hundreds of teeth rubbing against each other while chewing, echoing in the corridor.

"...Gan."

"What is that thing!" Carl finally came to his senses. He clenched the pistol in his hand and asked Rhodes in a trembling voice, "FvCK! I now believe that you are definitely not the CIA or... FvCK! FvCK! FvCK! I'm finished, I'm definitely finished here!"

The strange sound of tentacles licking the wall came slowly, passing through everyone's cerebral cortex.

Rhodes fired a few shots, which seemed to calm Carl down. He gritted his teeth, stood up, and fired a few shots like Rhodes did.

"I don't want to die here," Carl gasped. He looked at the pistol in his hand and asked, "Are there any other weapons?"

This made Rhodes raise his eyebrows and shook his head, feeling a little guilty.

"Even though I dragged you into this, I won't apologize—Okay, I apologize, and I'll let you go home alive," Rhodes said these meaningless words while comforting Carl and thinking quickly:

Flamethrower, incendiary rocket launcher, grenade launcher, general-purpose machine gun, or heavy machine gun?

Should I just exchange it for a tank or armored vehicle and beat the damn thing into a pulp? That obviously wouldn't work. It would be best not to let this damn thing leave the storage area. Leaving it outside would only cause more trouble.