There can't be a Harvest Moon in the RimWorld.

Mr. Rhodes asked with a wry smile, "You didn't do anything to them, did you?"

I pointed to the two big dogs at the door: "They pounced on me, and I knocked them unconscious. Even if they wake up, they'll probably just think they were scared out of their wits by these two dogs."

Mr. Rhodes patted the pillow, rolled over, and leaned comfortably against the headboard before saying, "That's good..."

His gaze was fixed on the night, seemingly unhindered by the darkness outside the door, fixed on something in the starry sky.

“Marcus, you should understand the concept of self-interest… After the Happiness Town incident, the board realized my value was greater than they had imagined. So, under the guise of protection, they locked me up here, taking turns having my friends and students persuade me to accept the mission…”

I felt a bit helpless about this profit-driven mentality. "What do they see in you, sir? Forcing you to hand over technologies like phosphorescent star crystals doesn't need to be this complicated, does it?"

Mr. Rhodes shook his head: "They must have reviewed the whole incident and concluded that my planning and execution abilities exceeded their expectations, so they want me to take the initiative to play a greater role." At this point, the middle-aged man gave a wry smile again, "I can't explain this matter clearly either; it was a task that was accomplished by the combined efforts of two versions of myself."

Indeed, this was a momentous event orchestrated by two Rhodes from parallel universes. But even though it was two people doing one thing, it wasn't a simple 1+1=2. The fact that the school board took notice and deemed Mr. Rhodes' talent so valuable that they needed to go to great lengths to win him over demonstrates that Mr. Rhodes himself is an exceptionally outstanding individual.

Sigh, the worst off is me. After arriving in a parallel world, I found that my original self had become a corpse, and I even ended up helping him save the world. Otherwise, I could have experienced the feeling of two swords combined.

We remained silent for a while, and I noticed that Mr. Rod's gaze as he looked out the window was growing increasingly gloomy, and I had a vague sense of unease.

"Mr. Rhodes, are you planning something big?" I decided to bring up the topic directly.

Mr. Rhodes seemed to wake from a dream, pulling his gaze from the gloomy starry sky, and said somewhat caught off guard, "Oh... I did feel... no, but that's none of your business..."

I stared into his eyes. "Since you know I can leave this world at any time, how about satisfying my curiosity?"

Mr. Rhodes hesitated for a moment before saying in a low voice, "Well, Marcus... I just... saw Albert Wilmas the day before yesterday."

Albert Wilmas? Wasn't his head taken by Migo, and his body smashed to pieces at the bottom of the mountain in the chaos?

We both witnessed these things with our own eyes, so there's no possibility of them being faked.

"...Could it be that Migo took pity on him and returned his brain, and even created a brand new steel body?" I don't believe this myself. Migo's appearance already had a hint of conspiracy, and now he's doing good deeds without seeking fame or fortune, that's the most suspicious thing.

Mr. Rhodes did not refute my guess, but instead said, "Oh, by the way, I also saw Kate Winslop at the hospital. She said she was blown off the mountaintop that day and escaped the subsequent misfortune in the woods."

"Impossible, this is simply..." I vehemently denied it. Kate Winslop was reduced to ashes by the "Night Demon's" dark smoke right before our eyes. Apart from Rhodes, who was protected by the Phosphorescent Star Crystal, even I died over a hundred times. How could an ordinary person like her have survived?

"And Professor Henry Armitage's graduate student, he was discharged from the hospital last week, reportedly to continue his graduate studies and not participate in the investigation team's activities."

"Hmph... He was closest to the trisoctahedron. I saw his upper body torn into six pieces. How could he possibly be alive?" I scoffed.

Mr. Rhodes helplessly spread his hands: "Only I can see these things. You are also a person who does not exist. So no matter how much we investigate, the conclusion can only be that I had hallucinations due to contact with the indescribable, and that I developed a parallel self with a split personality, and also imagined a stranger who was repeatedly resurrected."

My eyes were filled with coldness as I asked, "Mr. Rhodes, has Professor Henry Armitage also been resurrected?"

Rhodes shook his head, somewhat puzzled, and said, "That's what I find strange too. The professor, who is so important, wasn't resurrected... even though resurrecting him would have been more beneficial..."

I said coldly, “No need to think about it, Mr. Rhodes. The mastermind behind this is the ‘Thousand-Faced God.’ I personally witnessed Professor Henry Armitage’s soul being taken away by him. It must be that the old professor’s will has not yet been broken and he is unwilling to be enslaved by it.”

Chapter 434 The End of the Mystery (Part 2)

Mr. Rhodes' expression instantly turned serious, and he nodded, saying, "I guessed it was Him... The Academy gave me two appointments this time. One is to reorganize the University of Michigan Investigation Team to investigate anomalous events in the North and South Poles, and to carry out prehistoric archaeological excavations in India and Myanmar."

"Aren't there problems with these places?"

“There are big problems. The second is to succeed Professor Henry Armitage as the library director and continue the research on the previous manuscript of the unnamed weapon.”

I hurriedly stopped him, saying, "Absolutely not! I can confirm that too. That weapon manuscript is something left behind by the 'God of a Thousand Faces.' There must be a conspiracy involved. He must want to see humanity use the forbidden weapons inside and head towards their own destruction!"

Mr. Rhodes glanced at me and said in a low voice, “After the explosion at Mount Mads, the school board became very interested in this power that could ‘save the world’ and was determined to develop a weapon similar to the one in the manuscript… Even if I didn’t participate, they would appoint someone else to forcefully push forward this research and development project and forge a suicide dagger…”

I was about to speak hastily, suggesting that I destroy the manuscript, but I quickly calmed down.

Even if I destroy this weapon manuscript, the "God of a Thousand Faces," as the original author, can immediately replicate it a hundred times, a thousand times, or even print it all over the land of this world. As Old Man Hook said, since this terrifying being has already set its sights on this world, all we can do is dance on the edge of a knife.

In that instant, an even more terrifying possibility occurred to me, and cold sweat broke out on my forehead. A chill ran down my spine as I exchanged a glance with Mr. Rhodes, and I noticed the same unspoken, complex emotion in his eyes.

"...Mr. Rhodes, did you also guess... 'that possibility'?"

Rod's expression vanished instantly, as if all his previous emotions were an act, and only this moment of profound emotion truly reflected his inner self.

This guy... was doubting me just now too...

“Marcus, I apologize, I was testing you.” Mr. Rhodes readily admitted his actions, speaking in a complex tone, “Since you were able to guess this possibility, then you can’t possibly be a fake created by the ‘Thousand-Faced God’…”

I looked at him with a wry smile, my face also bearing an indescribable expression. I knew very well that I shouldn't blame this man, because what he was facing had exceeded my wildest imagination.

Mr. Rhodes closed his eyes, seemingly recalling or meditating, and slowly said, "I increasingly feel that everything we have worked so hard for is just a drama orchestrated by the 'God of a Thousand Faces'."

I sighed inwardly.

Indeed, looking back now, the appearance of the "God of a Thousand Faces" was a very strange thing.

His avatar, the Night Demon, was summoned by a partially trigonal octahedron, which Albert Wilmas obtained from Migo. Worse still, Migo himself was acting on the orders of the "God of a Thousand Faces" to join this chaos.

In other words, in hindsight, this entire process bears the traces of manipulation by the "God of a Thousand Faces," who conveniently helped Mr. Rhodes achieve his plan.

What followed unfolded logically and according to his plan, driven by the initial impetus. In this process, I, Rhode from the parallel world, Rhode from this world, and the many who sacrificed their lives were all merely pawns in his scheme…

What's even more terrifying is that everyone involved in this conspiracy was wholeheartedly, selflessly, and burning their lives to perform this act and achieve their own goals. This includes Rhodes, who wanted to save his family; Professor Henry Armitage, who wanted to save the world; and Rhodes from another world who wanted to return to a parallel universe—they were all pawns in this game.

...and perhaps even me.

Old Yorkson's confident time-travel plan went awry, and he was drawn to this world. It's very likely that the "Man of a Thousand Faces" was using me to push everyone to complete this performance.

On this point, I am more convinced than Mr. Rhodes that this is a conspiracy.

According to what Old Yorkson extracted from the "Man of a Thousand Faces," this malevolent god, who first noticed the world years ago after Professor Henry Armitage's "certain feat," has been setting numerous traps to lure humanity into actively destroying themselves, falling into madness, and finally gratefully embracing chaos.

There's absolutely no need for him to fake this kind of personality; otherwise, he could just come here and destroy the world. Unlike "Deepsea Cataclysm," he's not trapped and asleep in an unknown cage.

"Mr. Rhodes, have all the things we've done with all our might really saved the world?" I looked at Rhodes.

This middle-aged man, who lost his family in the disaster, did not show a trace of grief.

He gently stroked the ring on his ring finger, his face weathered, and said, "Don't think so much, Marcus. I'm a failed father and husband; I didn't protect my family. But our efforts at least helped the Earth weather this crisis and left behind hope for redemption..."

"But all we've done has been in vain..."

Mr. Rhodes shook his head: "I originally thought the same as you. But after I met Rhodes from your world, I suddenly believed in the existence of hope. Faced with the 'Thousand-Faced God's' all-pervasive schemes, he used an extremely imaginative plan to make this disaster develop in a way that was beyond the 'Thousand-Faced God's' expectations. And I know that he just wanted to go home. Compared to me, he must be a good father."

I silently thought of the family in Mineral Town who had lost their male head, and mumbled, "Yes, everyone misses him."

Mr. Rhodes smiled wistfully: "I hope he can go home and help me fulfill my unfulfilled promise..."

Then, with a resolute look in his eyes, he said to me, "Since the 'Thousand-Faced God' wants me involved, to watch humanity destroy itself, then I will gladly take on that role and lead the investigation team and the library. Since He refuses to intervene personally and prefers to exploit humanity's weaknesses, then I will create a miracle within His conspiracy, just like another Rhodes."

Looking into Rhodes' eyes, it seemed as if he had transformed into Atlas, the legendary giant who carried the heavens on his back, making his own perhaps insignificant efforts in this game of power that perhaps only he understood, a game where the forces were extremely unequal.

Even if the ending may not achieve his dream, he will undoubtedly take this as his life's mission, and like Professor Henry Armitage, he will gladly welcome his end.

“I finally understand what Professor Henry Armitage said that day,” I said with a wry smile.

Mr. Rhodes nodded gently: "Marcus, it would be so good if you could stay. This world needs more people like you, one after another, to protect and lead humanity forward through its difficult journey."

I said solemnly, “Mr. Rhodes, I still have a reason to fight—I will try to go back and protect my world. But if other crises occur here, and you have a way to bring me here, I will fight alongside you again.”

Mr. Rhodes' smile held a hint of satisfaction as he glanced at the doorway, where a sound had suddenly come from: "I'm also looking forward to seeing just how many more miracles you can create."

Hearing the dog barking outside the door, I immediately knew that someone was approaching, so I stood up to leave.

But Mr. Rhodes, lying in his hospital bed, grabbed my arm. “Don’t rush, they won’t be here anytime soon. Marcus, this incident has not only temporarily saved the world, but it has also taught us that there are exploitable contradictions between these indescribable beings.”

He took the old bronze ring off his hand: "This is a trivial magical item that can steal the aura of extraordinary power. It also contains the mark of the 'King of Light' that I stole. You should be able to use it, so take it with you."

I quickly declined, saying, "No, Mr. Rhodes. What will you do next time if I take it?"

Mr. Rhodes smiled slightly: "Don't worry, I have already contacted the Church of the King of Light. They will send a high priest to work with the University of Michigan on a weapons research program. I am confident that I can get them on board. After all, the 'King of Light' who came to this world earlier will certainly not be happy to see the 'King of a Thousand Faces' appearing here."

It's another dangerous attempt to negotiate with a tiger for its skin. It seems Mr. Rhodes intends to carry out the "Let them get their hands on" strategy to the end.

Suddenly, noisy footsteps sounded outside the door, as if more people had appeared around the ward building. No matter how fierce the guard dog was, it couldn't keep up with people breaking through from all four directions at the same time, and soon some people entered the courtyard.

Mr. Rhodes placed the ring on the table beside him, rested his hands on the windowsill, and anxiously watched the movement outside the door. He said, "Take it quickly. I won't lack this ring now that I'm the librarian. This is a token of our love, given to me and Lilia. I originally planned to pass it on to Poppy as her engagement gift..."

At this point, Mr. Rod felt the room was unusually quiet and immediately turned around to look, only to find the room empty and there was no one else in sight, except for the faint marks left on the bed next door.

The old bronze ring on the table had also vanished.

"Ha...that's fine...right, Lilia..."

After a moment of snickering, he quickly changed his attitude and spoke sternly to the investigator who barged into the room.

"What are you doing?! As your future boss, can't I even have a couple of dogs for company?! Or do I have to test you spineless cowards?!"

Mr. Rhodes's sudden change in attitude—from neither opposing nor approving—startled the investigator who entered, who quickly protested, "Professor Rhodes, we were just ordered to protect your safety..."

Mr. Rhodes snorted, "From now on, you'll have to call me Commander Rhodes. Also, since you're all so energetic, go and clean the librarian's office tonight..."

Among the intruders was an elderly man in an expensive suit, who exclaimed with delight, "Rhodes! You mean..."

Mr. Rhodes nodded slightly and answered seriously with a famous quote from a chivalric romance novel.

"From dawn till dusk, I will wield my sword until my death."

Chapter 435 Far from Home

When I returned to the dream, Old Man Hook's expression was extremely grim. And in the once vast and desolate space, a thick, scorching smoke was now billowing.

Within the thick smoke, a gray cloud, roughly the size of a medium-sized house, suddenly appeared and rose. And in my ears, I seemed to hear a vague, musical sound coming from the cloud, like a distorted hymn accompanied by frenzied praise and shouts.

Immediately afterwards, a purplish darkness emerged like a ghost from the deepening smoke in the dream. A powerful yet invisible force, like a tidal wave, mixed with an indescribable stench, swept down from the clouds, affecting the entire world and shaking the once stable primordial dream so violently that it was almost impossible to stand.

But after that fluctuation, I was certain that something terrible had left this world. That intense, unsettling feeling suddenly vanished from the space. In the dissipating smoke, a figure staggered out of the barrier, his face as somber as the sky before a summer storm.

"Old Man Hook, what happened here?!" I asked hurriedly, the familiar smoke giving me a bad feeling.

Old Man Hook's face was ashen; his already displeased old face was now etched with layers of anger.

He gritted his teeth and said, "As you can see, the 'God of a Thousand Faces' has been here..."

My heart tightened. If even the Gate of Dreams couldn't stop the invasion of the "God of a Thousand Faces," it would only prove that our previous efforts were insignificant. If he wanted, he could invade every corner of the world without any restrictions.

"Did he discover what we did? If I had known, I wouldn't have resurrected in front of him so openly..." I said regretfully.

But Old Man Hook's expression grew even darker: "This has nothing to do with you. That old bastard Yorkson... what kind of schemes is he up to now! I knew that guy was up to no good!"

I quickly asked, "You mean old Yorkson? Wasn't he seriously injured and still recovering? What did he do in secret?"

Old Man Hook said, "It's him! I've already confirmed it. Since you transmigrated, the mastermind that old bastard has been secretly contacting is this 'God of a Thousand Faces'! Your arrival and subsequent experiences were all driven by their conspiracy!"

I was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Old Man Hook, I'm not doubting your theory... but it seems that we only have the option of being used in the face of the 'Thousand-Faced God'..."

At this point, Old Man Hook fell silent for the first time, not flying into a rage because I defended old Yorkson. If there was any possibility that he had ulterior motives before, then through his observations over this period, Old Man Hook could confirm that he had not had any dealings with the "Man of a Thousand Faces" before this.