I searched and fought in America.

Meanwhile, right in the heart of that intense firefight.

Several burly men dressed in black tactical uniforms and wearing special steel helmets hid behind the house. The MP5 submachine guns in their hands were equipped with silencers and tactical flashlights. Each burst of fire accurately harvested the cultists who pounced on them like mad dogs.

"Viper Squad reports: They have broken through the outer defense line."

The leader, codenamed "Viper," transmitted his voice back to headquarters via an encrypted channel: "The resistance here is fiercer than expected, but these sewer rats are nothing to worry about."

On the chest of their tactical vests was a prominently displayed golden pyramid emblem, the badge of the "Black Gold Capital" security force.

This is the same financial tycoon who burdened Rosen with enormous debt. The Viper Squad's mission is to retrieve a top-secret document lost five years ago in this underground laboratory—a special experimental data concerning human modification.

However, the viper was unaware that high above this underground tunnel interchange, there was a rusty, suspended platform, upon which a pair of crazed eyes were staring intently at them.

That was the leader of the cult, the "Ghoul Father".

He wore a robe made of human skin and sewn with human hair as thread. He looked at the believers falling below him without panicking. Instead, he revealed a chilling smile.

"Come on...come on all of you...God needs more strong sacrifices."

The priest murmured, his fingers still stroking a detonator beside him.

In the center of the transfer station below, those seemingly messy piles of metal barrels don't contain garbage at all, but rather gas cylinders!

Behind this squad, a dozen or so assassins, injected with special drugs and high on drugs, stared madly at the sacrifices before them.

This is a pocket that has been opened for a long time, waiting for this elite squad to step into the core area, where they will be sacrificed to the great Kchina.

---

Let's switch the perspective back to Rosen's.

Rosen and the others were hiding behind a drainage pipe. Just as he peeked out to observe the situation, a system notification sounded in his mind:

[Warning! You have entered the "Red Zone of Combat".]

[In this area, the danger level of hostile units is greatly increased, but the chance of them dropping treasure chests is increased by 30%, and the quality and probability of treasure chests spawning are also improved.]

"Wow, fortune favors the bold."

Rosen squinted, watching the one-sided battle unfold in the distance.

In his view, the fully armed squad clearly had an absolute advantage, and the cultists in tattered robes were being driven back in disarray, almost powerless to fight back.

"These guys have incredible firepower." Cade's chewing gum slowed down a bit, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes. "Judging from their tactics, they're either a top-tier security company or mercenaries."

"It's a good thing that someone is helping us pave the way."

A thoughtful look appeared in Rosen's eyes. In his judgment, this armed squad was sure to win.

"We won't fight," Rosen quickly gave the order. "While these guys are drawing all the cultists' fire, we'll sneak in from the left flank, where there's a blind spot. We'll 'steal' the loot and run."

As long as we get the treasure marked with the red dot, we don't care who lives or dies on either side.

The group nodded, quickly lowered their bodies, and stealthily made their way to the flank of the battlefield using the intricate network of pipes.

As Rosen's gaze swept across the left, he noticed two treasure chests side by side at the edge of the battlefield, right in their path.

Without the slightest hesitation, he crouched down and reached out.

[Opening treasure chest (1/2)...]

A flash of blue light!

Congratulations on obtaining: Military-grade encryption chip (rare)

[Description: This is the key to unlock certain advanced privileges or facilities.]

Rosen's heart skipped a beat.

It's like finding a needle in a haystack! The three core materials needed to start a transaction, besides Kazabethan coins, are chips and batteries. Now that I have the chips, all I need are two [High-Energy Polymer Batteries]!

He suppressed his overwhelming joy and quickly opened the second treasure chest.

[Opening treasure chest (2/2)...]

This time it was a green light.

Congratulations on obtaining: Tactical Assault Backpack (LV.2)

[Attributes: Backpack capacity +150, weight reduction 20%.]

A very practical piece of equipment.

Without saying a word, Rosen immediately equipped the data backpack that only he could see, so he could use it when he had more supplies later.

After picking up the leftovers, Rosen looked at the "friendly" squad that was still advancing and silently gave them a thumbs up in his heart.

"Come this way."

Rosen pointed to a maintenance tunnel on the flank, which allowed them to bypass the frontal fire and directly reach the rear of the transfer station.

However, not long after turning into this passage, everyone stopped in their tracks.

The road is blocked.

On this only road, two cultists dressed in robes, holding assault rifles they had somehow acquired, were guarding an iron gate.

In the corner behind them, there was a gray-blue treasure chest!

Rosen and Wang Ling exchanged a glance. Rosen then made a "throat-slitting" gesture to Wang Ling, who nodded. The two reached a tacit understanding.

At that moment, the two cultists were facing away from them, gnawing on a piece of unknown jerky while talking in hushed tones.

"...This meat is too tough, it tastes like rat meat," muttered the cultist on the left, a trace of blood still clinging to the corner of his mouth. "I want to eat the white, tender kind, especially women's."

"Shut up, you idiot." The one on the right chuckled, his eyes gleaming with fanaticism. "The priest said that a lot of 'sacrifices' have come today."

Those dressed in black must have very firm flesh... After the sacrifice, we will get the best thigh meat. Praise be to Mekkhina, who grants us eternal hunger...

"Zamekchina..."

The two were so engrossed in their fantasy of the upcoming "feast" that they were completely unaware that two shadows had already crept up behind them in the darkness.

Just as the cultist on the left was about to stuff the last piece of meat into his mouth, a large hand wearing a tactical glove suddenly covered his mouth and nose!

"Ugh—!"

At the same time, a flash of cold light swept across his neck.

puff.

Blood gushed out, but it was held down firmly by that large hand, producing only a faint sound.

Almost at the same second, Rosen moved as well.

He suddenly grabbed the man's neck with his left arm, and with his right hand, he clawed at the man's Adam's apple.

"Click."

A crisp cracking sound rang out, and the believer who was still praising God had his head tilted to one side at an eerie angle. The fanaticism in his eyes turned to ashen, and he didn't even have time to scream.

The two corpses fell limply to the ground and were gently laid flat by the two people.

The whole process was smooth and quick, taking only three seconds.

Rosen shook his hand and his gaze fell on the treasure chest in the corner.

[Opening the treasure chest...]

Congratulations on obtaining: Serrated Saber (Blue, Excellent)

[Special Effect: Tear (Upon hitting a target, there is a 30% chance to inflict "Severe Bleeding," deducting health per second, and the wound is slow to heal.)]

"Great stuff, a bloodletting miracle!"

Rosen toyed with the dark blue dagger in his hand for a moment, then casually slid it into the scabbard at his waist.

"There's no time to deal with the body."

Rosen whispered to the group behind him, "While the fighting is getting intense over there, let's hurry and get through."