Long-term salvation

Rhode, who was talking until his mouth was dry, stretched himself and said with a smile to Hina and Mary who were working as clerks beside him:

"It's almost lunchtime. You guys go make something to eat. I remember Marian should have brought us a lot of sauce, and there's meat in the fridge... Fry us some steak, mashed potatoes, and mix up a vegetable salad. I'll be in the kitchen to help later. Um, maybe Dr. Hannibal will be there too."

"...I'll keep an eye on him, Sensei," Hinata nodded. She also yawned, then asked, "Do you want some drinks?"

"Forget about the wine, we still need to continue the meeting this afternoon."

After saying that, Rhode turned around and glanced at the foundation directors who were still discussing. He raised his voice softly and found that no one paid attention to him, so he had no choice but to get up and open the window. The cold wind blowing from outside immediately dispelled the warm air in the room, making everyone shiver.

Closing the window, Rhodes faced those rather angry looks and said unhappily:

"Gentlemen, it's time to rest. You also need to eat something... Am I going to fly away from you? Don't be so anxious. Considering the human lifespan and the history of civilization, we still have time."

Seeing this, the directors had no choice but to pack up their things like children who were called by their parents to eat, find something to press them down, get up and walk around somewhere else to sort out their thoughts.

After sending the directors away with a smile, Rhodes quietly followed Dr. Peng Jiamu. When he saw him go up to the second floor and was about to relax on the balcony, he called out to him:

"Dr. Peng Jiamu, I want to talk to you about something."

The very pure Chinese startled Dr. Peng, who pressed his chest and said with a hint of complaint:

"I never knew you could speak Chinese, Mr. Rhodes... Is there anything you need to talk to me about alone?"

"Just call me Rhodes, and this isn't something that needs to be separated from the other directors. It's just that this matter is much smaller than what I'm going to talk about this afternoon." Rhodes leaned on the railing at the corner of the stairs and took out a cigarette and offered it to Peng Jiamu. After the latter politely declined, he smiled and put it in his mouth and lit it. "So, it can be considered a personal investment on my part."

"invest?"

"Atlas is another matter. I'll discuss this with Irons. Aperture Technologies is willing to invest in your Labor factory, either secretly or publicly. From my perspective, I can offer you the United States' latest F15E/F16C fighter jets, M1A1 tanks, and even warships. I also have the F117 stealth fighter, which was just publicly unveiled in April of this year. Want one?"

Rhode spoke in a low voice, his tone sounding like a devil tempting the world. After completing the "The Evil Within" mission last time, the system was updated and high-level vehicles were available for exchange. However, the specific era was still based on the 90s. Among the vehicles available this time were the F117 and the Perry-class frigate. However, the price was very high, the former costing 1500 points, while the latter was over 4000 points!

Although Rhode's points had exceeded 12000 after several missions, which seemed very wealthy, without a suitable base, sufficient maintenance personnel, resources and other necessary conditions, it would be useless even if he exchanged for F117s and battleships.

Give it to Atlas? That would be a slap on the face of the United States! Even if Rhode wanted to give it to Irons, he wouldn't take it... Of course, whether he himself was secretly tinkering with stealth fighters or something like that was another matter.

Rhodes felt that he was 100% up to something.

[[I won’t go into details here to prevent the book from being bombed. Indirect posts will also be strictly controlled.]]

"...What do you want?" Dr. Peng Jiamu took a deep breath. He took off his glasses and wiped them vigorously with the corner of his clothes, his lips trembling. "Why did you choose us?"

"Because I am a prophet," Rhodes stiffened his neck and squeezed out these words as if he had eaten a fly.

Dr. Peng Jiamu was amused by Rhodes's expression. He breathed a sigh of relief and helplessly reached out to tap Rhodes' forehead, as if he were facing a young man who liked to go his own way. After a sigh, Dr. Peng crossed his arms over his chest, tried to calm his expression, and asked:

"Will Aurora be good in the future?"

"Yes, very good, very good—an island of reason in a chaotic world—of course, there are other 'insignificant' titles, such as the world's leading industrial nation, and stable and long-term policies, which are trustworthy enough," Rhode shrugged, but he still put away his previous frivolous tone and said seriously, "Outside forces cannot defeat you, but in this era, your situation is very dangerous. It can even be said that many future problems are the seeds of this period. Don't 'trust the wisdom of future generations.'"

Hearing this, Dr. Peng Jiamu reached out to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes. He looked out the large window in the corridor - the drizzle had stopped, and the sun was peeking through the gaps in the clouds. It would clear up soon.

"I will pass your words on to the Party Central Committee."

"But I have a condition," Rhodes said. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and stuffed it into Dr. Peng Jiamu's hand, whispering, "You have to hold on... I don't want to see the few possible allies collapse like the Soviet Union did."

The collapse of the Soviet Union?!

Dr. Peng Jiamu was stunned, and a sense of foreboding came over him.

"The 'military-run business' policy you started in 1985 is poisoning your army. This policy has caused endless harm. If it weren't for... the frenzied pressure from external forces and the concentrated internal disasters, you would have had a hard time making it past the millennium." Rhode's words were a bit absolute, but he had to make the Cathay people aware of what they were facing. "Add to that the influence of the other world. Although Cathay is relatively stable, the number of serious crimes has been on the rise recently, right? It's not just the economic impact."

"The military is prohibited from engaging in commerce, starting this year or next year. The deal will be fulfilled whenever it begins. In return, I will provide a large number of high-tech weapons and vehicles. Of course, only complete machines, no blueprints or anything like that. That's it, Doctor. Go back and tell them clearly. I think that person will understand. He's the one who can turn the tide."

The person who turned the tide... Dr. Peng nodded slightly. Just as he was about to say something, he heard the voices of two girls downstairs calling them to come for dinner.

So, Rhodes didn't say anything more, but patted Dr. Peng Jiamu on the shoulder and turned to go downstairs.

Because of his conversation with Dr. Peng, Rhodes didn't go to the kitchen to help, but that wasn't a big problem. Dr. Hannibal personally cooked lunch for the directors, which made the two girls look confused, thinking, "My cooking skills have been beaten by a man, but it's delicious."

The main course is Portuguese filet mignon, served with truffle sauce and black pepper, and mashed potatoes drizzled with gravy. The salad to relieve the greasiness is made of chopped cherry tomatoes and seasonal vegetables.

Lunchtime was always pleasant, and the foundation's directors relaxed a bit, squeezing around a long table to eat delicious food, chat about ordinary family matters, or tease Rhodes and the two girls beside him, causing them to blush and take their meals and run away to eat in other rooms.

After this relaxing time passed, the directors returned to the reception room and prepared to continue the meeting. Soon, they tasted the huge bomb dropped by Rhodes - of course, before that, he still needed to give the directors some time to buffer, so that they would not vomit their lunch directly due to emotional excitement.

"I just spoke with Dr. Peng Jiamu," Rhodes said openly. "I plan to try cooperating with Aurora to see if they can become a solid ally in the future. Furthermore, a hungry, primary industrial nation also needs massive investment and technological upgrades, which will bring opportunities."

"Oh, that's not a big deal, Rod. We're not some hysterical anti-G idiot like McCarthy," Randolph Carter said with a laugh, high-fiving Alan Grant. "Rather, we even hope that everyone in the world can live the same standard of living as people in the United States. It's just not likely to happen."

"I see. It seems you all have no objections," Rhode nodded. He stood up and walked to the fireplace, his eyes sweeping over Perseus, who felt a little uneasy. Then, Rhode took a few deep breaths and said,

"If nothing major changes, the Soviet Union will disintegrate on December 25, 1991."

"..."

This explosive news made all the directors look at each other in bewilderment. Even Irons was stunned. He actually knew a lot about the Soviet Union's current difficulties and believed that it was very likely to lose the Cold War... But it was still unimaginable that it would disintegrate like this and no longer exist as a political entity.

"..."

"...Is that so?" Perseus closed his eyes, lay on the sofa, and said calmly, "It disintegrated - what a shame. I was wondering how they would celebrate the millennium."

"The Soviet Union... The collapse of the Soviet Union was a huge geopolitical disaster. No, no, no, wait, can't we make it last? At least until the disaster in the other world is over." Dr. Crystal Armitage breathed heavily and unbuttoned his clothes. "I can't imagine what will happen when it collapses. Civil war? They have nearly tens of thousands of nuclear bombs!"

"This is what we need to avoid. As for whether the Soviet Union can continue to exist..."

Rhodes put his hand on Perseus' shoulder, took out a handkerchief and put it on the old man's face, watching the two wet marks gradually expand - he knew that the motherland he loved was already terminally ill, but there was nothing he could do. He could only put this possibility aside in his heart and paralyze himself with tasks and more noble goals.

Escape is shameful, but useful.

It was just that Rhodes chose to puncture this membrane and put the bloody facts before him.

"Gorbachev's foolishness, like the 1987 State-Owned Enterprise Law, led to many products being sold at bargain prices across borders at the cost of raw materials, or even being sent to the black market right off the assembly line. Within a few years, the Soviet Union went from economic hardship to economic collapse. The old planned economic system had been completely shattered, the public sector was being constantly plundered, and yet the country was unable to establish a healthy market economy. This was almost the most fatal point: ordinary people were unwilling to go hungry to uphold great ideals."

"Of course, there were also a host of other issues, such as the deployment to Afghanistan, the betrayal of the Soviet army after the Tbilisi Incident, and even more self-destructive actions, including the complete abandonment of ideological positions and the inability to distinguish between soft and hard tactics in diplomacy... These issues are enough to feed an entire army of historians, so I can only briefly describe them to you here."

"Don't think that shooting that Map Head will solve the problem. Let me give you an example," Rhodes said, pointing at the frowning Irons, and said to the others:

"Within the Foundation, if I wanted to reach an agreement with Irons, the rest of you would have no room to resist. Or like the investment I just made in Aurora—if anyone protested or objected, who could stop it except Irons, even Irons? No one. No need to answer, I saw the expressions on your faces."

"And now within the Soviet Union, such people abound. They are high-ranking officials in the Soviet Union and the controllers of each republic... Of course, some will try to save the Soviet Union, but as I said just now, they are powerless. The roots of the chaos were sown during the Khrushchev era, and this is just the aftermath of that incident."

After Rhodes finished speaking, the entire reception room fell into silence. A moment later, Randolph Carter suddenly said:

"Rhodes, Irons, Perseus, and Dr. Peng Jiamu, you guys handle these matters. The others and I will go to another room to deal with the details of the plan discussed in this morning's meeting."

"Indeed, we are just scholars and investigators. We cannot decide on such matters. You can make your own decisions." The other directors also realized what was happening and stood up to leave. But before leaving, the eldest, Argus Panoptos XVI, glanced back at Rhodes and whispered a warning:

“Don’t let the people suffer.”

"Some things are only appreciated after experiencing them," Rhode nodded slightly. "They will understand, and when that time comes, they will naturally follow their inner choices."

"Well...you guys handle it."

When only Rhodes and the other three were left in the reception room, Perseus threw away the handkerchief covering his face, grabbed Rhodes' arm with red eyes, and asked slowly and firmly:

"She still has a chance to come back, right?"

"If history doesn't change drastically, then there's another chance," Rhodes said. He saw hope ignite in the old man's eyes. "But it's very difficult. The biggest problem isn't returning, but finding a suitable leader who's resolute, tenacious, and deeply committed to the Communist Party. With our help, we can contact those former Soviet troops who still have some willpower before we can give it a try."

"I know a man who is imprisoned in a secret KGB prison in the Ural Mountains."

"……who?"

"Valery Mikhailovich Sablin, he's still alive!"

Perseus' eyes were filled with blazing fire. He pounded his chest to quiet down his pounding heart. Then, he gritted his teeth and squeezed out the words:

"Tell me, Rod, who are the people you can trust? I will unite them around that person and bring the Soviet Mother back once again!"

"Even if it might fall apart?" Rhodes said calmly, "After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, many of the republics will not return, but I personally do hope there will be a catfish in this world. Otherwise, the United States will also decline at an incredible speed. The disintegration of the Soviet Union and the return of Soviet Russia will bring vitality to the world."

"Even if she's shattered, even if it's just Soviet Russia—help me, Rod! Everything the Perseus Organization has will be yours!"

"In that case," Rhode nodded slightly, meeting those pleading eyes, "the agreement is established."

+++++++

When Rod walked out of 194-454 Angell Street, he was surprised to see Dr. Timothy Flyte standing at the door, looking like he had been waiting for a long time.

"Doctor, are you able to communicate with me?"

"Yes," Dr. Timothy nodded with a smile. "An old friend of mine is having some problems with his old house in England. They say there are a lot of rats and stuff. I also have a student I'd like to introduce to you. She'll be my 'apprentice' and knows a bit about the other world. Honestly, I really should train more young people, otherwise I won't be so helpless when dealing with otherworldly events."

"That's surprising," Rhodes said, flicking the water droplets off the doctor's shoulder. They were dripping from the eaves, still carrying a hint of chill. "I'm planning a trip to Europe, and Director Ciel has invited me to visit his home... So, may I know the name of your beloved disciple?"

"Lara Croft, I want you to take her to participate in some otherworldly events to gain experience. Wait, you look weird. Have you heard of her?"

Chapter 169: Flying Across the Atlantic

It takes seven or eight hours to fly from Boston to London, which is definitely a long journey. Fortunately, Irons has not yet taken back the private plane he gave to Rod, so that the latter and Dr. Timothy Flyte who accompanied him can also enjoy this treatment.

After several hours of flight, the private plane has crossed the turbulent Atlantic Ocean and entered the Irish airspace. It will take a while to arrive in London. Unfortunately, the weather at that time is not good. It will be cloudy and there may be a little rain - this is quite in line with the changeable weather in the British Isles.

"Boss, here's your cherry brandy."

It was still the familiar pilot and crew members. Rhode nodded and thanked the flight attendant who poured him a glass of drink. Then he asked with a little curiosity:

"I thought you were going to just call me 'Mr. Rhodes', like you did before."

"To us agents who know the true side of the world, you are truly a legend," the stewardess, who had made no secret of her identity, replied with a smile. She also chopped the veal into small pieces for Black Cat Pickman, then slowly said, "Actually, we usually call you 'The One' in private, but Mr. Irons doesn't like that name, so we can only call you Boss."

"Oh! It's my great pleasure."

Rhode took a sip of the wine, savoring the wonderful flavor of the brandy. He reached out to cover the two girls sleeping close together—Marie and Hina—with blankets. Then, under Dr. Timothy's "It's great to be young" gaze, he continued reading the confidential document in front of him.

Irons is gradually transferring Atlas's secret services, investigators with some connection to the Cogito Foundation, and some personnel and assets that may be related to the investigation of the other world to the Army Without Borders, which will be managed by Nikki D, who will complete the establishment of the organization with the help of Noah.

Although the current secret service of the Army Without Borders is only undertaking missions in a general manner, Rhodes intends to professionally subdivide it after next year, mainly dividing it into two major categories and managing them by specialized departments, namely "investigation, assessment and initial intervention in the inner world" and "covering, blocking and post-processing in the real world."

The transfer of this secret investigation agency is just the beginning. Later, some Atlas Company troops will be assigned to Rhodes's command:

When the armed forces under his direct control are strong enough, but this will not be too far away. After all, Perseus has returned to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, preparing to contact those Soviet soldiers who are frustrated after the end of the Afghan war.

"Meow."

The black cat, Pickman, leaped into Rhodes' arms and curled up into a puddle of cat pancakes. This guy didn't travel to England with the person he cared for—Abigail refused the long journey and only planned to use Pickman to "jump" directly to the location when she encountered something. She could also replace him, but both methods would consume the power stored in her silver key.

According to Abigail, this key will open the [door] and is part of the deal between the system and her father.

For Rhodes, he just felt that he might be thrown into the "copy" world by the system in the future... This would be an interesting experience.

Thinking of this, Rhodes reached out and touched Pickman's head, making the latter's ears twitch a few times. He then stretched and turned from a cat biscuit into a long cat strip.

Just as Rhodes was about to tease Pickman again, Dr. Timothy coughed lightly and said to Rhodes:

"I heard you say that the depth of the otherworld is determined by the degree of energy pollution. Correspondingly, disasters in the otherworld in the real world should also be divided into a more clearly defined level. What are your thoughts on this?"

"The current idea is to refer to the International Nuclear Event Scale (INES) and classify the levels of disasters in the inner world. However, I need to discuss the specific details with the other directors first." Rhodes pulled out a piece of waste paper from a pile of documents and simply marked it with numbers from 0 to 7. "But now there is a problem. Creatures in the inner world also need to be classified, and under certain conditions, they may not pose a threat to humans. Let me give you an example—"

"A teddy bear placed in an ordinary wooden box poses no harm, making it 'safe.' However, if it were taken outside, it could become a killer doll, so it would be labeled 'hazardous.' Finally, if it were heated and could destroy the world, it would be labeled 'critically dangerous.' The hazard level requires careful consideration and is not set in stone. It also requires consideration of containment, the difficulty of containment and supervision, and whether destroying it would result in more serious consequences... Of course, these are all crude classifications."

"So, we're lucky, then?" Dr. Timothy Flyte wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. He exhaled slowly, taking in Rhode's words before speaking slowly, "The Foundation and Atlas Corporation's current management of the otherworldly artifacts is more like liquid nitrogen sealing and basement storage. Obviously, more special methods will be needed to contain them in the future."

“It will also take a dedicated location and personnel, Doctor – we have a lot of work to do.”

Just as Rhodes finished speaking, he saw Dr. Timothy was a little stunned. After a few seconds of silence, the latter said with emotion:

"Now I think about it, if only I were 20 years younger, I could charge into battle as a soldier or explore the unknown and define the future as a researcher... I'm almost 60, and I've accomplished nothing except accumulating experience and knowledge."

"Do all Englishmen share your fondness for self-deprecation?"

"What? No!" The old doctor's face twitched, and anger immediately squeezed out all the sentimentality, making him look like an old lion shaking its mane. "Those stubborn idiots at Oxford University are as stupid and arrogant as Thatcher! Ha! I even want to see what expressions will be on their faces when the other world appears before the world."

"...Has Thatcher become a curse word now?"

"Not only because of her bitch policy, but also because I'm a Scouser and I grew up watching the Liverpool football team! If she dies one day, I will definitely dance on her grave!"

Looking at the excited Dr. Timothy, Rhodes felt that this old man must have been a football hooligan when he was young, but he had become much more restrained as he got older and mainly operated around London.

After jokingly comforting Dr. Timothy, Rhodes stretched and looked out the window at the city that was already vaguely visible. He asked:

"Let's not talk about Miss Laura Croft for now... You once said that your friend's name was 'Delapool' and that he had a medieval house in northern England called Exham Priory?"

"Yes."

[Side Quest: Twelve Trials: Rat in the Wall]

Mission Description: Go to Exham Abbey in northern England, resolve the events in the other world, and seal the gap in the other world.

"That's a bit troublesome."

Rhodes put his hand on his forehead and let out a helpless sigh - compared to Bubbles, that one was even more difficult to get along with.

Chapter 170 Miss Laura and Rainy London