Long-term salvation

The Crane children didn't go to school today; the tutor they had been assigned by Kristo Armitage, a member of the Cogito Foundation's board, would have to wait a while before arriving. Only after a few months of tutoring could the children go to the town's school.

Now, the Crane children are walking through the streets with smug expressions on their faces, using their sweet smiles and praise to make the widowed elderly people willingly give them cookies and jam buns. In return, they will help clean the house, shovel snow, dispel loneliness and bring vitality.

The light turned green and the girl moved forward.

Not long into the ride, Bai Zi saw Father Lankester Merlin, the priest from the town church, standing in front of the church, chatting with Mary. Mary, still wearing her nun's uniform, wore a gentle, compassionate smile. Noticing Bai Zi on his bicycle, she waved to him and, raising her voice slightly, called out:

"You have to go home early today, you must! I'll be back soon too!"

"OK," Bai Zi gave a thumbs up and continued forward.

The church, the town hall, and two supermarkets were all on the same road, which ran through the entire town and caused a lot more pedestrians on the sidewalks. Because of this, the girl had no choice but to get off her bike and push it.

The buildings in the town are not tall, which allows the sunlight to shine unreservedly on every eaves and window, making the houses of the same style but with their own characteristics and colors present a rare warm color in winter.

Among the houses, Bai Zi saw the one where Rhodes had temporarily lived. Now several Atlas agents lived there, and it was more like they were on vacation than working. Every day they just lazily walked through the street, took a look at Hill Villa, or went to the shooting range on the other side of the hill to compete with the soldiers in shooting skills.

Speaking of soldiers... Bai Zi saw several Army Without Borders soldiers in civilian clothes coming out of the supermarket. Of course, they now called themselves "Blackwater employees." They were carrying plastic bags stuffed to the brim and were putting the stuff into the back seat of a Humvee.

One of them noticed Baizi and nudged his companion with his arm, then said to the girl:

"Ms. Marian is in the supermarket. You can find her if you go in now."

"Thank you," Bai Zi nodded slightly. "Will Mr. Hammer come to Hill Manor for dinner tonight?"

"Probably not. The General just finished training Group 2 against Miss Noah. He'll probably take them to a hot spring or a bar to relax tonight. You know, there's still 'Nightmare Training' and group competitions tomorrow night."

The soldier touched his head and replied that even though the girls in Hill Manor were very gentle, he still didn't like going to that damn place - there were two to three training sessions in Hill Manor every week... the kind of training against ghosts and girls, as the name of the training suggested, was no different from a nightmare for these soldiers who had no clairvoyance.

However, as the training progressed, they gradually adapted. Their outstanding tactical skills and the help of the Ozodek scanner enabled the soldiers to fight back against these extraordinary creatures.

After bidding farewell to the soldiers, Bai Zi walked towards the supermarket and saw Marian coming out with two large bags of vegetables and fresh meat. Marian smiled brightly and said,

"Let's have a big dinner tonight!"

"Marian cooks a big meal every day... Let's go back now," Bai Zi said calmly. He reached out to take the bags from Marian, whose smile was getting wider, and then hung them on the handlebars of the bicycle. The two of them then walked towards Hill Villa, talking and laughing.

When they were almost at Hill Manor, Marian tilted her head to look at Bai Zi carefully, then asked with a hint of surprise:

"Baizi, don't you know?"

"what do you know?"

The girl blinked, then realized a possibility. She immediately got on her bike and rode up the slightly sloping road under Marian's amused gaze.

There were several cars parked in front of Hill Villa. Little Red Riding Hood, with her striking hair color, was introducing the house to a thin girl with long black hair. Yuka and Noah were standing on either side of a man, chattering about recent events.

After stopping his bicycle, Bai Zi first walked slowly, then jogged.

Finally, the wolf girl threw herself into Rhodes' arms.

Chapter 123 Daily Life: Return

"Pfft!"

Rhode's abdomen was bruised, and he could only reach out and touch the restless wolf ears, feeling both amused and helpless.

"We've only been apart for a few days, less than two weeks, right? I thought you would be more used to it and do something you enjoy."

"Since I am your slave, what can I do but serve your wishes at all times? I have no precious time to kill, and nothing to do until you send me what you will."

Noah smiled and took Rod's arm. Her eyes swept over Yuuka, whose cheeks were puffed up, passed over Little Red Riding Hood, and finally fell on the black-haired girl who was timidly looking at the surrounding environment.

Squinting his eyes slightly, Noah's eyes showed a little more curiosity and vigilance:

"Is this the lovely girl you met in your dream? Her name is Asuka Ikiji. I remember you mentioned her."

"Ahem, the word 'secret meeting' doesn't sound very nice," Rhode pretended to cough loudly a few times. Seeing Marianne approaching with something in her arms not far away, he hurried forward to meet her. This was indeed a bit difficult, as he was still clinging to the three girls, and they didn't seem to want to let go. He said as he walked with difficulty, "I'll introduce her to you in detail during dinner... Could you three please let go for a moment?"

"This is to prevent anyone from sneaking away, Sensei."

Yuuka looked at her best friend seriously, but as soon as she finished speaking, Little Red Riding Hood, who was passing by, suddenly shrank her head, and her heroic laughter also faded. After realizing that no one was paying attention to her, the red-haired Nikki continued to lead Asuka Ikiji towards the interior of Hill Villa as if nothing had happened, and quickly disappeared behind the gate.

After reluctantly patting everyone's head one by one, Rhodes finally broke free from the encirclement. He watched the girls take the plastic bags from Marian's hands and walk towards the villa. The latter put her hand through her hair, her expression gentle and her eyes full of affection.

"I thought you'd come rushing over too, so why not give me a hug?" Rhode asked with a smile, opening his arms. "Luckily, Mary and Abigail will be back a little later, otherwise I'd have to have two more people hanging on my back."

"I'm not that—"

"I do," said Rod, pulling Marianne into his arms. "It's awful to be away from home."

“…I feel terrible without you.”

Rod loosened his grip and looked at the lovely woman before him, gazing at her eyes that shimmered like ripples. Suddenly, he carefully reached out and touched Nikki's cheek. It felt soft and warm, and it was impossible to tell it wasn't real flesh and blood. When Rod regained consciousness, he found himself holding Marianne's face in his hands. She had her eyes closed and tilted her head, her soft lips slightly parted, anxiously anticipating something.

As she wished.

Once, twice, until Rhodes was satisfied.

Feeling Nikki trembling in his arms like a little animal reminded Rhodes of the first time he saw her. Now, he could do this without any shame... It seemed that there was nothing particularly memorable about his time with Marian. She was everywhere, at all times, and indispensable.

Who would keep a record of the common things in life? Who would count how many times they breathe every day?

"Surprised, it's a kiss!"

Rhode looked up and saw Abigail pointing in shock. The black cat, Pickman, had a look on its face that said, "You've finally taken this step." Mary, beside him, clasped her hands together and muttered something quietly. The little nun's lovely, drooping face was flushed with a shy blush like a ripe apple.

Seeing this, Rhode waved the two girls over. He flicked Abigail's forehead, then touched Mary's head, and then said slowly:

"How have you been lately?"

"That's great," Abigail said, her hands on her hips, her face full of pride. "I've successfully connected all the girls of my age in town. We plan to set up a witch coven and curse the hair of that fusty school principal. He'll have to wear a wig when he goes out from now on!"

"That's enough, let the principal go!"

"Father Lankester Merlin said he wanted to talk to you, Sensei. If there's time, his friends might also be there. Oh, and the priest said he's also a member of the Cogito Foundation... but not on the board of directors."

Mary spoke softly, her eyes wandering from Rod to the fleeing Marianne, who disappeared quickly behind the gate of Hill Manor without even saying hello to the other girls - just like Little Red Riding Hood.

"It'll be fine in a few days. I'll go find him." Rhodes stretched and took a few deep breaths, feeling the chill brought by the strange atmosphere of Hill Manor. How should I put it... he actually missed it quite a bit. "Let's go back now. I don't want to stand here in the wind."

"Hmm... um? Didn't Yang come back with you?"

"She still needs to help me with some work in Japan, which will probably take about two weeks."

As Rhodes spoke, he walked towards Hill Villa. He saw Noah standing at the door, whispering with Yuka and Baizi, wondering what they were planning.

"Then she has found her own path," Mary said softly.

"what?"

"No, it's nothing. Please go away, Sensei. I'm a little cold too."

"Rod! I heard you encountered another rift in the other world when you went to Japan this time?" Abigail tugged at the corner of Rod's clothes. The black cat Pickman was squatting on the girl's head, swaying with her movements. "As expected, Rod, you can't do without me. Next time you encounter a rift in the other world like this, be sure to call me over!"

"I see you want to eat Japanese snacks?"

"Hey hey hey."

Chatting and laughing as they walked into Hill Villa, Rhodes saw Asuka Iki coming out from the main staircase. She greeted the others stiffly, but was immediately taken away by Yuuka and Noah who glanced at each other, leaving behind only a series of cute panicked calls.

The girls were very curious about what Rhode had done in Japan, but when they asked Little Red Riding Hood, they only got some ambiguous answers. That's why they set their sights on Asuka Iki - they also happened to be familiar with each other. When the latter showed up at the dinner table that night, their reserved and cautious fear had disappeared a lot.

After sending Mary and Abigail away, Rod suddenly found that he was the only one left at the gate of the villa. Several ghosts emerged from the corner, saluted Rod in awe, and then disappeared into another shadow.

Placing his palms on the wall, Rhodes could clearly feel that Hill Villa was welcoming his return.

Back home, Rhodes thought.

+ + + + + + + + + + + + +

"Your failure in Japan cost the [Organization] an opportunity."

“…There are spoilers, there are people who are fighting against us.”

"Atlas's men."

"It's obvious, just like the failure of Mobius, but he clearly didn't understand what we were doing. It's likely he just happened to come across it. After all, there were intelligence reports that someone was planning to acquire the Institute of Psychiatry."

"Hide yourselves, everyone. Atlas Corporation's armed forces and rapid expansion have made it impossible for us to launch a frontal offensive. However, after the end of the era, this will no longer be a problem."

"In that case...we will accelerate the STEM program."

Chapter 124 Daily Life: Time Passes Quietly

Although the cold winter is coming to an end, the early spring has not yet appeared, just like the dawn today.

Darkness still crawled within the walls of Hill Manor, savoring the emotional power emanating from the living creatures that inhabited it. Its greed, its desires, its delusions materialized every night—ghosts would wander the corridors and empty halls, continuing to exist in a daze, waiting for decades before being absorbed by the mansion and merged into the vast and ancient darkness.

Because of this, Hill Manor was always somewhat chilly, even in the warm rooms. This chill was particularly pronounced around sunrise, so much so that most rooms were covered in thick, colorful carpets. However, thanks to the manor's unique location, residents didn't have to worry about pests like termites, moths, or cockroaches.

The sky gradually brightened, and weak sunlight that was not dazzling penetrated the gaps in the curtains and poured into the bedroom, barely illuminating the dim environment inside. However, as the clock hands gradually moved, the sunlight became brighter. After only a few minutes, it cut through the darkness like a sword, casting a straight streak of light on the dark red carpet.

The curtains were gently drawn open, causing Rhodes, still wrapped in the quilt, to squirm a few times before opening his eyes helplessly.

"You don't have to wake me up at this time every morning, Pickman. I'll lock the door next time."

"Meow."

The black cat, Pickman, let out an apologetic cry, then jumped onto Rhodes' bedside table, expertly opened the drawer, snatched the bacon from it, and disappeared out of the half-open room. The cold air from the corridor quickly poured into the bedroom, competing with the warmth that had lingered there all night.

Rhode climbed out of bed. He was wearing dark blue plush pajamas and a blanket, then draped over himself. He sat bleary-eyed beside the bed, letting the early morning heat envelop him. He let his mind wander, savoring the joy and satisfaction of wasting his life. After a few minutes, he slowly stood up and drew open the curtains.

The bedroom, which was not small in size, suddenly became bright. A slightly hard and thick carpet supported a large bed, a messy desk, two small sofas and a matching high round table. There was still half a cup of coffee left in the mug on the table that was not finished last night.

Tall, dark brown bookshelves were built into the wall, filled with books in various languages. However, some large, thick books were unevenly placed, which was annoying to look at. In addition, Rhode had specially reserved a row on the bookshelf to display exquisitely painted Warhammer chess pieces.

Wearing slippers, Rhodes picked up the coffee cup, left the bedroom and walked downstairs.

"Oh... good morning, Mr. Hill," Rhodes yawned and greeted the tall ghost passing by. The latter nodded slightly, and his body gradually turned into nothingness and merged into the wall.

Although it was already early morning, the corridors of Hill Villa were still filled with darkness and a chilly atmosphere, even the spacious and bright floor-to-ceiling windows were of no use.

Strolling into the kitchen with his coffee cup in hand, Rhode saw Noah already standing at the stove, boiling water. The silver-haired girl smiled at him, then reached out to take the cup, turned on the faucet, and began to rinse it in the ice-cold water.

Seeing this, Rhode had no choice but to hug her from behind, holding her hands around her soft hands, and said unhappily:

"That's so mean, Noah."

"A woman who is hesitant and cautious will never be able to stand until the end, and this is especially true for those who are proud and reserved."

Noah turned around, not even shaking off the water droplets on her hands, and cupped Rhode's face, trying to sober him up a little from the torment of his sleep. Compared to the coldness, the warmth on his lips made him indulge in his dream again. After parting their lips, the girl smiled softly and asked,

"Is it soft?"

"It's obvious."

"How does that compare to others?"

"!!!"

"Eh? You're sweating, Sen~sei~~Okay, I just kidded you," Noah stuck out his tongue, reached out to grab a towel and wiped his hands clean, then carefully dried Rod's hands, "Would you like some coffee?"

"Yes... add more milk and sugar."

The smiling girl shuttled around the kitchen like an elf in a fairy tale, took out the coffee-making equipment from the cupboard, opened the refrigerator, and took out milk and small pieces of sugar in turn.

In just a few minutes, Rhodes saw his mug filled with boiling hot coffee. The sweetness and steam mixed together, blurring his vision and making it difficult for him to see the clear back of the person in front of him.

After a moment, Rhodes put down the half-drunk cup and asked:

"Did anything happen while I was away? Like the house started to make noise again, or some weird rumors?"

"No, every day is very dull," Noah said softly. She also made coffee for herself and watched Yuxiang stagger into the kitchen from outside, then rest her head on the back of Rod's head.

"Ugh!"

"What are you saying? I should be the one making that noise!" Rhode reached out and pulled the girl into his arms, rubbing her cheeks. The more he rubbed her cheeks, the more awake she became, and her face became redder and redder. "Would you like some coffee?"

"Yes," Yuka whispered.

Noah poured Yuuka a cup of coffee and sat at the dining table. She sipped her coffee while watching Rod tease her best friend. After a few seconds of silent contemplation, the girl leaned back in her chair and peered out the window. From the kitchen, she could see the forest directly, but it was still filled with a distasteful darkness that would only improve around noon.

Twenty minutes later, Marian and Asuka Iki also came to the kitchen. The latter hoped to learn some cooking skills from Nikki.