Long-term salvation

"Damn terrorists, if only you could charge towards machine gun fire like these idiots in front of you?"

Price muttered as he saw the shadows in the forest grow thicker. Gray-black mist emerged from the corpses and gathered upwards... The dark clouds and mist that gathered did not go high, but slid along the treetops of the twisted forest.

"Then I can save myself some trouble and not have to come to this damn place!"

After emptying an ammunition belt, Price reached for the ammunition box at his feet and took out a new one. But at this moment, a giant python, its flesh and blood as if it had been skinned, suddenly jumped out from the shadows on the ground, and its sharp fangs attacked the captain who had no time to react.

Price subconsciously raised his gun to block the monster's attack, but the latter's head was directly smashed by a Magnum bullet, turning into rotten flesh and blood scattered everywhere.

Reaching out to wipe the blood off his face, Price climbed up from the ground and shouted to Rhodes in shock:

"Thanks, I owe you one."

"Oh? Then you want to come work for me? Just consider it as a way to repay you for saving my life."

Rhode raised his gun again and smashed a monster that was about to attack from the shadows. He was even in the mood to joke. Compared to previous battles, the intensity here was really average, not even interesting. He just wondered what the monster was capable of. Bending down and picking up the flamethrower on the ground, Rhode and the girl stood back to back and shouted to Price:

"The salary is easy to talk about. No matter how much NATO offers you, I can give you 245% more!"

"Hey, that number of yours is a bit too random! It's like you just punched it out on a calculator... Can't you just round it up?!"

"No—Fireball!"

"Don't use the flamethrower as a fireball!"

Price complained subconsciously, reaching out to press his hunter hat, waving his machine gun to knock a human skinner with a machete to the ground, pulling the trigger and quickly releasing it, and several bullets smashed the ugly head like a rotten pumpkin.

With a light sigh, the brave veteran looked around. Aside from the main battle tanks that were constantly firing or using heavy machine guns to slaughter, the combination of Rhode and the girl in hunting clothes seemed particularly strange.

After using up the fuel in the flamethrower, Rhodes recovered it and bent down to pick up the grenade launcher on the ground. After a series of muffled bangs, smoke and dust rose from the forest not far away - the shock wave generated by the grenade explosion pushed the metal fragments to shoot in all directions, embedding into tree trunks, embedding into flesh and blood, and tearing apart everything soft and warm along the way!

As for the girl, she was wielding a combinable double-blade called "Luoyang", cutting into pieces any monster that dared to approach Rhodes, and occasionally took out a flintlock to knock down enemies in the distance.

The two never spoke a word during the battle, but they understood each other so well that they were like old comrades who had fought side by side for decades. They didn't even make eye contact!

The man holding a modern weapon was smoking a cigarette, letting the blast of gunfire blow up his gray robe. With a casual blow, he would kill the monster that attacked from the blind spot of the girl's sight. The girl holding a cold weapon had an indifferent look in her eyes, and her emerald eyes would be reflected on the bright blade every time she swung it, but if she used a double-edged sword, the slightly longer blade would reflect a touch of azure.

"..."

Are you two here to fight or flirt?! I'm fighting hard!

Suppressing the urge to complain, Price relaxed a little. He was glad that the weapon in his hand could inflict damage on the monsters that were pouring in like a tide. Although it was a bit unethical to think so, the captain always felt like a German machine gunner on Omaha Beach:

Human wave tactics? After the invention of the machine gun, what use would human wave tactics have?!

Just as Price half-knelt down and prepared to change his weapon, he found that the shadow under his feet was getting bigger and bigger, so big that it seemed like a tank was pressing down on him from above!

Price subconsciously raised his head and looked at Soap, whose face was full of confusion. In this moment when time almost stopped, both of them saw a face mixed with fear and despair in each other's eyes.

The T80BV tank weighing more than 40 tons was actually overturned and thrown by something!

“What the F——”

Before Price could finish the second half of his sentence, he saw the tank disappear without a trace in front of him. The three big men who fell out of it, along with himself, rolled into a ball and fell into the ammunition boxes that were almost piled up like a mountain.

Rhodes, who had recovered the tank the moment it fell, threw away the rocket launcher in his hand, picked up the long staff in his hand again, and looked up at the monster that had already formed above:

This monster resembled a bizarre spider, but without its massive central abdomen. Instead, it consisted of a hose-like, gray-black, misty body connected and coupled together, creating a strange and twisted existence. It was undoubtedly the entity that dominated this area, and the thing before it... seemed not to be its true form, but rather a reflection.

"The Mind Flayer (from Monster Stories) huh... Those kids really know how to come up with names," Rhode said, moving forward towards the monster's gaze. The girl and the soldiers, who had risen from the ground and armed with various weapons, followed closely behind. "You seem a bit more powerful than I imagined, but just like your flesh-and-blood slaves, that's all."

That being said, this thing seems to exhibit abilities of possession, mind manipulation, and flesh contamination, and it shouldn't be allowed into the real world.

Kill it here, now!

Stepping forward, Rhodes reached out and grabbed the gray robe on his body. In the horrified eyes of Price and others, he tore off the gray robe and recast the long staff.

The girl followed the man and took a step forward, transforming into a hawk and diving in, projecting the power of dreams onto him.

Flames erupted from the blade, and unrealistic dreams cast a layer of golden armor on Rhodes' body, with an eagle on his chest and a dark red cloak on his back billowing in the heat - the glory had not yet faded, and the sun was rising - looking at the gray-black fog in front of him, the savior wearing a golden laurel crown calmly swung his sword.

Golden flames burn the sky!

The mist suddenly contracted and expanded, colliding with the raging flames that surged like a tsunami! At the moment the two touched, a shrill scream echoed from the gray-black mist, followed by the sizzling sound of flesh and blood sticking to hot metal.

Suddenly, a cloud of dust with a burning smell floated down from the dark sky. Before it touched Rhodes, it was burned again by the golden flame and turned into a pure energy that dissipated in the chaotic energy torrent of the inner world.

This ultimate power of order spread along the gray-black fog and pierced directly into the monster's real body. Even though it did not cause any terrible damage, the pain from the depths of its twisted soul was enough to make the monster roar shrilly.

Because of this, the collision lasted only a few breaths before the gray-black mist quickly dispersed and vanished into the darkness of the surrounding forest. For the monsters that dominated a certain area in the other world, they would never fight a life-and-death battle with a powerful enemy unless they had no other choice... This was instinct and wisdom. Only those inferior creatures bound by their "characteristics" and hunger would charge forward headfirst.

The monster that would be called "Mind Flayer" in the future chose to retreat at this moment, choosing to fear the power from the savior of mankind.

Then, the gray-black fog disappeared without a trace in an instant, leaving only the cold malice and hatred - this thing will never give up - it will definitely come to the door one day in the future, and it will be more powerful than today.

Hatred is also one of the characteristics of creatures in the other world.

"It's troublesome..."

Clearly feeling the monster's fixed gaze on him, Rhode simply gripped his sword tightly and stood still for a moment. After the golden flames dissipated, he turned around and embraced Asuka Iki, who had also revealed himself, frowning and saying:

"Don't do such dangerous things next time... If necessary, we can train more on weekdays."

When Asukai Muji transformed, he nearly broke out in a cold sweat. His own flames could harm the girls at Hill Villa! Not to mention this near-soul fusion. If he mishandled it, Muji would have to prepare a resurrection... He didn't know if the system would offer a resurrection option like the others.

If there is a chance, I still need to ask again... ask Alona?

Thinking of this, Rhodes frowned tightly, without any joy at having defeated the monster and returned safely.

"Well, I won't do anything dangerous like this again," the girl nodded obediently, her eyes filled with an unprecedented seriousness. "I won't die, Mr. Rhodes."

Sighing, Rhode turned his head to look at the stunned Price and others, and said unhappily:

"The monster has escaped, and there's no point in pursuing it. Everyone, we're ready to return to the real world... Mr. Zikov, I have something to leave you."

Chapter 428: Returning in a Dream

Field Supply Point.

The exchange options provided by the system are divided into 500/1000/1500 world pollution points according to their size. Rod wanted to leave this thing for Zikov. Unlike the purely supply purpose in the game, this one has everything from camouflage nets, ammunition, fuel, communication antennas, and even fixed fire bunkers.

Of course, there are no vehicles of any kind; the only thing with wheels is the Silent Tactical Enhanced Force Cart (STEED).

In the territory of the mind flayer, Rhodes first found a secluded area for Zikov, exchanged it for the smallest unit of field supply point, and brought Price and others to help with cover and camouflage.

After spending nearly two hours like this, Rhodes finally breathed a sigh of relief and said to Zikov with some helplessness:

"If I can help it, I really don't want to leave you here. Staying in the other world is extremely dangerous. I'm sure you have experience with this... If you find any danger, leave immediately! I'll leave a jeep and a motorcycle for you, and the supply point has plenty of water, food, and medicine. Don't try to be brave."

"I'll wait until you pick me up from here," Zikov chuckled. He looked at the row of AK47s and various machine guns in the bunker, and a warm feeling flowed through his heart. "If possible, please help me find out about my family's situation after you leave. Whether it's good or bad, I can accept it."

"Write down their names. I'll assign someone to be in charge of this matter."

Rhodes handed over a pen and paper, and watching Zikov holding it with some difficulty and starting to write Cyrillic letters, he whispered,

"You should carry the smaller black stone with you, and place the larger one here, if you don't want to come back one day and find your bed has grown legs and run away."

"I'll try not to go out."

"That's for the best," Rhodes sighed. "The speed of time in the other world is difficult to determine. You need to be mentally prepared."

Hearing this, Zikov didn't say much. Instead, he returned the paper and pen to Rhodes, then walked up to him, hugged him, and said with a smile:

"I'll have my last words written—carved in stone—and poetry, and maybe a novel like Nikolai Ostrovsky."

"...There must be paper and pen in the supplies at the supply point. Take a look yourself."

Now that you are prepared, there is no need to hesitate any longer.

After waving goodbye to Zikov standing in front of the field supply point, Rhodes and the others set out on their return journey. After eliminating the interference of the monster, the return journey was a little easier, but the creeping darkness, the mist and flashes with colorful colors like oil films still accompanied them all the way.

Price saw his fallen comrades in the fog. Their faces were covered in a dark blue color, and the whispers they were saying could be heard even from such a distance... It was as if these people were lying on his back, putting their mouths close to his ears to speak!

Price retracted his gaze, not daring to look any further. He took a deep breath and followed Rhodes' footsteps under the gloomy sky.

The same went for Ghost and Soap. The former didn't even bother looking at Rhode, who was still draped in his gray robe. Soap, having been imprisoned before, was relatively safer, having witnessed countless strange occurrences and mirages during that time. But if Zikov hadn't also been drawn into this area by the monster, he certainly wouldn't have survived until now.

Just like when he came here, after crossing a certain "boundary", Rhode received a prompt from the system, and Asuka Iki beside him also reminded him in time:

"Mr. Rhodes, we are back to the dream world."

"...In that case," Rhode glanced around, glancing at the exhausted Price and the other two, and whispered to Asuka Ikiji, "First, guide them to Hill Manor in the dream world. Then have Abigail and the others prepare to cast a curse or something. There's no need to erase their memories, just control their mouths."

While they were brave and morally upright warriors, Price and the other two weren't part of the Army Without Borders. While they likely wouldn't reveal it, they still needed to ensure that information about the "dream world," the depths of the other world, and the existence of a girl who could lure people into dreams wouldn't be accidentally leaked.

Rhodes knew all too well the methods of those CIA scumbags. They would not restrain themselves just because Price was an elite soldier in NATO.

What's more, the shadow of the "Organization" has not dissipated for a moment. If these guys who are obviously colluding with the United States military directly use supernatural powers to torture and dig up memories... Now that Price and others have come into contact with the other world and the Ibris Organization, they have to be on guard.

"I understand," the girl nodded slightly. She put her finger to her chin and pondered for a few seconds before speaking. "Mr. Rhodes, there's one more thing—the monster was able to lock onto us so quickly and pull us deeper into the other world. It might have something to do with us."

Rhodes raised his brows, stopped and looked at the girl who was in deep thought.

"It probably first targeted Eleven, the girl from your Mobile Task Force: Red Right Hand," Asuka Inoki said softly, a maternal glow on her face. "That girl was already harassed by the strange smoke before she even arrived in Arkham (Chapter 236). But after my interaction with her, I think the dream world created by DC-mini might have been tainted by her a little bit."

"Little Eleven's future will be uncertain. Talk to her in detail when we get back—and rebuild the defenses of the dream world. You have a heavy responsibility, Muji."

"I'll try my best, Mr. Rhodes."

After careful consideration, Rhode could only helplessly scratch his hair. He snapped his fingers, causing two vehicles to appear between them.

These two long, streamlined vehicles, all white with accents of red and metallic gray, resembled wheelless hoverbikes. Wild golden lightning bolts painted on their sides made them look like something that would make a speedometer scream! A speedometer in the hands of a traffic police officer? No, even the enemy's head wasn't a speedometer, right?!

Even if it's just in a dream, no man can resist a hoverbike!

"But we only have two motorcycles here, but there are five of us. Do you plan to have this young lady transform into a falcon again?"

Price pointed at the two hoverbikes, but all he got was a "what the fuck are you talking about" look from Rod.

Reaching out to carry Asuka Iki onto the motorcycle, Rhodes grabbed the handle with both hands and said unhappily:

"I can't carry grown men on my motorcycle. I'm glad I didn't ask you to squat on the back of Gloria's truck. Don't ask for too much—just squeeze in as much as you three can. I don't care who drives."

"What the hell is Gloria's truck?!"

"Nothing, the King's Car."

"..."

Instinctively, he felt that this was not a good thing to say, but Price still pressed his hunter hat on his head and turned to Ghost and Soap and said:

"In that case, let me do it... Hey, don't even think about running away!"

Chapter 429: The Outer Gods Are Here

Driving a hoverbike through the dream world is an extremely exciting thing - passing through the edges of countless illusory dreams, using guns and cannons to shoot down nightmare creatures that suddenly become real. When they are destroyed, they will explode like fireworks, and each tiny fragment will sparkle with crystal light, engraved like stars in the colorful dream world.

The stars twinkle in the dreams of mankind, allowing the monsters who live on them to sneak in and feast happily.

"We're very close and will be there soon."

Asuka Jing Muji said in Rhodes' arms, she saw illusory clouds dragging long air currents on both sides of the hoverbike, and the darkness and fog thrown behind were also twisted into dozens of slender whirlpools, as if trying to grab the silk threads, spider webs, and arms of the hoverbike - they couldn't grab them, everything that happened here was just a "dream".

The girl in hunting clothes is becoming the master of dreams, even though she is now just a weak outsider in the dream world.

"Miss Qianye said they've prepared a 'welcome ceremony'... something like, 'It's to make them realize all at once how beautiful the real world is, and that you're carrying a heavy burden.'"

Rhodes: "...I'm really glad they have this understanding."

Although he instinctively felt that the three guys would cause trouble for him, Rhode only complained softly before twisting the throttle, sending the hoverbike rushing off into the distance like lightning. The white cloud trail it created was like a scar across the sky.

However, for Price and the other two behind Rhode, their mood was not so beautiful.

After Rhode and Asuka Iki suddenly vanished, the entire dream world collapsed. Chaos descended like a curtain, obscuring all light. In that gloom, tentacles seemed to wriggle, propelling the hoverbike carrying the three people forward.

The next second, a door shimmering with the colors of stars opened before Price and his companions, forcing them to rush through without even braking. After hearing a crisp sound like a bubble popping, the three of them rolled into a ball in the corridor.

"what's the situation?!"

"The man named Rod is also missing... We are still in a dream."

"Calm down! Where has your spirit as a member of Task Force 141 gone?"

Price shouted, and he quickly stood up and took a guarded posture, but when he reached for the holster on his waist, he touched nothing - no one could use force here without permission, even if they were invited "guests".

Calming themselves, Price, Ghost, and Soap exchanged a glance, then picked up the small sculptures and vases placed on either side of the seemingly endless, dim corridor as weapons and cautiously walked forward.