Manager, give me a membership card too!

The sharp sword sliced ​​through countless obstacles, cleaved flesh and bone with unstoppable force, and appeared with a 'whoosh' in the twisted monster's chest, piercing the terrifying creature. The twisted monster, which had been struggling relentlessly, lost all its life force at that moment and fell into complete silence.

Suddenly, bright flames burst forth from the burning arm blade, spreading across the entire body of the twisted monster in just a few seconds. Even the severed limbs, which should have been severed from the main body, suddenly burst into flames, and the surging flames caused even the seemingly living fog to retreat.

Silently pulling his arm from the burning wreckage, the burly figure slowly turned around and looked at the quiet department store not far away.

[The mission continues...]

Chapter 383 Forbidden Power

Chapter 383 Forbidden Power

[We are about to arrive at the temporary shelter. Please prepare to disembark. After disembarking, please refrain from moving around or making noise. Dedicated staff will be on hand to arrange your accommodation and medical care. The Chaldea Special Operations Bureau thanks you for your cooperation.]

As a soft female voice rang out in the relatively spacious carriage, David, Ollie, and the others, who had been in a daze, belatedly came back to their senses.

Recalling their experience just over ten minutes earlier, the survivors felt as if they had entered a dream.

They had thought they were doomed and would eventually be killed by those terrifying monsters, and many had even begun to consider ending their own lives to reduce unnecessary suffering. But unexpectedly, their fortunes turned around in the blink of an eye, and reinforcements actually arrived. They had been certain to die, but they were rescued.

Although everyone's faces were filled with terror when the towering metal giant flung open the warehouse door, their fear transformed into a sense of security when they learned that the two-and-a-half-meter-tall giant was actually a savior.

After all, having a powerful warrior, like a mobile tank, standing beside you can give you a bit of courage, even when facing those ugly and twisted monsters.

Especially when they witnessed the metal giant dismember a scorpion-like monster the size of a jeep with incredible agility, David and the others already had smiles on their faces, as if they had escaped with their lives.

They did indeed arrive safely at the survivor settlement, although they encountered several interceptions along the way, but these were all defeated by the automatic defense system of the armored personnel carriers.

Just as David and the others were speculating about the situation at the camp while secretly observing the metal giant who had been sitting quietly at the exit of the armored vehicle, his body suddenly swayed, and the armored vehicle carrying them slowly came to a stop.

David and the others, realizing something, smiled and looked at the tightly closed car door. Under the watchful eyes of all the survivors, the metal door made a sound like air pressure being released, then slowly opened to the outside.

"Is...is that the sun?"

"Yes, that's right, it really is the sun!"

"Great! Great! We really made it out of that godforsaken place!"

Seeing the dazzling sunlight streaming into the vehicle from outside, the survivors of Bridgeville almost uncontrollably rushed out of the armored vehicle and collapsed into the brilliant sunlight.

Feeling the warm, slightly lazy feeling of the afternoon sun, everyone's face showed a relaxed expression.

Those who haven't experienced dozens of hours of dense fog and darkness simply cannot understand the feelings of these survivors at this moment, nor can they imagine what the ordinary sunlight means to them.

Out!

It's really out!

Some survivors collapsed to the ground, kissing the earth beneath their feet; others stood frozen, gazing blankly at the familiar yet unfamiliar landscape around them; while many more ran and jumped, shouting and cheering, venting their excitement at surviving the ordeal.

Only one person's mood was not as beautiful as the others, and that was the painter David Drake, who has not put down his crowbar to this day.

When David retreated from the department store, he tentatively pleaded for help for his wife who was home alone. He thought that the metal giant, who had remained silent from beginning to end, would refuse the proposal. However, the other party readily agreed to the request and directly controlled the armored personnel carrier to change course.

Unfortunately, David's wife wasn't as lucky as her husband. Alone at home, she was no match for the monsters in the mist. By the time the rescue team arrived, the woman was already wrapped in layers of spider webs and had lost her life.

Looking down at his sleeping son Billy, curled up in his arms, David felt a mix of emotions. He couldn't imagine how he would tell Billy the cruel news when he woke up and asked why his mother was gone; it would be agonizing torture for a father.

With a silent sigh, David tightened his embrace around his remaining family members, preparing to set off to find his comrades who had shared life and death with him, when a gentle female voice came from behind him.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. David Drake?"

Upon hearing the voice, David instinctively turned around and saw a beautiful blonde woman in military uniform with a sweet smile.

"you are?"

“I am your guide, Margaret Carter. I belong to the Logistics Department of the Human Survival Agency, Phineas Chaldea, and I am responsible for medical-related work.”

A blonde beauty, exuding both a dashing military air and feminine charm, first introduced herself, then extended her left hand to the middle-aged man holding a child. Seeing her gesture, David slightly adjusted his son's sleeping position, freeing one hand to shake hands with the woman who introduced herself as a guide.

"Hello, Ms. Carter, thank you so much for your rescue."

"It's nothing. Protecting humanity is Chaldea's job."

Faced with David's words of gratitude, Margaret waved her hand, indicating that he didn't need to be so polite. After a brief greeting, she turned to look at the survivors frolicking in the open space and said to David beside her:

"Mr. Drake, could you please do me a favor?"

David, who was holding the child, was slightly taken aback when he heard this, but he still nodded: "Please go ahead."

"Could you please gather your friends together? While I understand their excitement at being saved, for their health, we must conduct routine medical checks to ensure everyone's safety."

"I understand, I'll go and get Ollie and the others right away."

Upon hearing Margaret's request, David did not protest against Chaldea's violation of their freedom and human rights as depicted in movies or television dramas. On the contrary, he actively cooperated with Chaldea's demands without any complaints. The survivors who had survived alongside her reacted similarly, obediently following David and gathering before Margaret after hearing the situation.

Perhaps they were once obsessed with those grandiose and empty theories and ideas, but after dozens of hours of racing against death, these survivors deeply understood one thing.

Living is the most important thing. If you die, you lose everything. Compared to living, everything else is bullshit!

David and the others' cooperation secretly relieved Margaret, who was in charge of receiving them, and she quietly withdrew the Freedom Magic she had prepared for their release. After a quick headcount, she led the group toward the quarantine area.

Faced with these survivors rescued from the mist, Chaldea was not foolish enough to simply gather them together haphazardly without any quarantine measures. These individuals had to undergo a series of comprehensive medical tests and then stay in a designated area for a certain period of time before being allowed to proceed to the resettlement camp.

As for leaving the resettlement camp immediately for other cities? Forget about it. After thoroughly confirming that these survivors do not carry any viruses or bacteria from 'other' places, they must be quarantined for a full month without any unforeseen circumstances before they are allowed to leave. Even then, these survivors must be ready to respond to any possible summons from Chaldea at any time.

This may seem cruel and heartless, but for the safety of the vast majority of people, this is an ironclad rule that must be followed.

Guarded by a group of soldiers wrapped in heavy protective suits, David and his companions made their first serious observation of the base they were in.

Unlike the rudimentary refugee camps or quarantine zones I had in mind, the buildings here were quite complete, and most of them were made of metal. Even the outer walls reflected a cold light, and there were a large number of heavily armed soldiers patrolling back and forth.

David could assure him that there was absolutely no such massive base near the town of Bridgeville in his memory, let alone those sturdy and durable metal structures. Yet this disaster had occurred in less than three days; how had these people calling themselves 'Chaldea' managed to do all this?

With these questions in mind, David led his child into the quarantine area, which was separated by a wall, and began the routine medical examination. Just as he was having his picture taken in front of the CT scanner as instructed by the doctor, news of David and the others' safe arrival reached the base's command center.

"Lord Rorschach, the last group of survivors has arrived at the base. Please give your next orders."

Rorschach, who was standing in front of a row of glass jars, turned around upon hearing this and looked at Wilhelmina, who was standing quietly behind him.

"Have all the people been rescued?"

"Yes. The few remaining survivors entered the base ten minutes ago and are now undergoing health checks by the medical department."

"How many people have been rescued so far?"

"Since our people arrived, we have rescued a total of 272 survivors. Of these, 52 died due to severe injuries, deadly bacterial infections, parasitism by otherworldly creatures, and other causes. Now, only 220 survivors remain."

"Only two hundred and twenty people left...?"

Repeating the number in a low voice, Rorschach looked at the overhead view of Bridgeville on the screen on one side of the command center.

Although the town wasn't particularly prosperous, it still had over 2000 permanent residents. Adding to this the nearby scattered villages, at least three thousand civilians were trapped in the dense fog when the disaster struck, suffering brutal slaughter and prey at the hands of the monsters; less than one in ten survived.

All of this stems from the ambitions of the US government. More precisely, from the ambitions of a segment of American politicians.

They, who consider themselves the saviors of the earth, cannot stand idly by and watch Rorschach and his Chaldea claim the immense credit for saving humanity from the Crimson World Apostles.

These politicians, each with their own agendas, secretly gathered a group of Flame Haze warriors wanted by Chaldea. Combining this with new technologies derived from Rorschach, they began attempting to create a unique "powerful force" for the United States, comparable to the power of Chaldea.

Some people succeeded, and some people failed.

Initially, they did achieve something, opening a door to other worlds. There, they obtained a completely new power, different from the Free Law and the system brought by Rorschach.

This power is so strong that it can turn a weakling who can't even kill a chicken into a super strong man who can fight dozens of people at once, and even use all kinds of supernatural abilities.

Fire, lightning, and ice are just the basics; some test subjects have even developed the ability to manipulate gravity, interfere with magnetism, and even control minds. Most importantly, these individuals can move freely within the sealed-off area without relying on the special equipment developed by Rorschach.

Although most of these test subjects exhibited severe aftereffects, constantly repeating incoherent statements such as "being able to hear evil whispers," "being able to see twisted monsters," and "feeling being watched by countless eyes," they could be transformed into perfectly obedient weapons if given sufficient tranquilizers and certain "special" drugs.

Everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction. Chaldea's most crucial trump card—the freedom of ordinary humans to move freely within the confines of the Great Seal—was no longer the only option. Glorious America was about to become great again, leading all of humanity to defeat the invaders from the Crimson World and reclaim the pinnacle of glory.

Unfortunately, humans are ultimately greedy creatures.

If their exploration of that new power had ended there, perhaps everything could have been salvaged. But the chasm in these people's hearts can never be filled; they only keep demanding more.

Naturally, disaster struck.

During an experiment, the scientist in charge of the experiment made a mistake and enlarged the rift used to extract energy from another world by "a tiny bit", summoning a giant spatial gate with a diameter of tens of meters.

Endless thick fog gushed out from the gate, engulfing the entire experimental base in just a few minutes, and then relentlessly spreading outwards.

The US government, which had been monitoring the base, immediately dispatched a secret force to handle this 'trivial' incident. However, the Delta Force troops who parachuted to the scene almost instantly lost contact with command. After the second batch of SEALs responsible for the rescue disappeared without a trace, the US government finally realized that the incident was not as simple as it seemed and immediately began a devastating bombing raid.

The long-range firepower had no effect whatsoever, and the dense fog continued to expand its territory as if it had vanished into thin air.

Seeing the increasingly large crimson area on the map, the US government had no choice but to notify the administrators of Chaldea's US branch while simultaneously deploying a large-scale armored force to explore it. However, due to certain concerns, they did not specify the details but instead requested coordinated operations.

Lacking crucial intelligence, the Chaldea American branch assumed they only needed to deal with some troublesome Crimson Denizens. However, upon entering the battlefield, they discovered that they could not activate any Free Magic within the eerie fog, including the strategically important 'Seal'. Moreover, the monsters within the fog were countless, overwhelming them with sheer numbers.

The end result of all this was that Rorschach personally came to this land across the ocean, dealt with those incompetent fools, and then had to take care of the trouble they left behind.

Chapter 384 Golden Fertilizer~Give it to him~

Chapter 384 Golden Fertilizer~Give it to him~

Silently gazing at the map of Bridgeville in front of him, Rorschach frowned slightly, deep in thought.

Suddenly, the shopkeeper's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, because he had noticed that familiar footstep.

"Rorschach, is there anyone else we need to rescue? I haven't had enough of that big guy yet."

The speaker was a petite girl with a full head of long, flowing black hair. Judging from her cute yet spirited appearance, she was Shana, who had recently been learning combat techniques from Rorschach. However, she wasn't wearing her signature night-cap combat outfit or Misaki High School uniform; instead, she was wearing an extremely form-fitting bodysuit.

Looking at his cheap apprentice's crimson bodysuit with black stripes that completely covered the girl's delicate and well-proportioned body from her slender neck, Luo Xia's face revealed a very subtle expression.

These clothes were actually made by Rorschach with a certain playful attitude. There are three pieces in total: crimson, pure white, and pinkish-white.

The combat suit has a very simple function: it uses hundreds of sensors installed inside the suit to receive electrical signals from every inch of the wearer's skin and every muscle. Combined with an EEG receiver worn on the user's head, it can achieve synchronous transmission.

Accompanying this combat suit is a small squad of twenty combat weapons known as the 'Terminator'.

They were a group of giants forged from steel, about two and a half meters tall, wearing extremely heavy alloy plate armor, possessing astonishing defensive and combat capabilities. Although they looked very cumbersome, because they were purely mechanical devices, they actually possessed quite terrifying agility, capable of performing tactical and offensive maneuvers that ordinary people could not even accomplish. They carried a variety of destructive weapons, making them a group of terrifying killing machines.

The main function of Shana's tight-fitting combat suit is to remotely operate these combat weapons and carry out various missions. For example, most of the survivors in Bridgeville were rescued by these Terminators, while the rest were rescued by various autonomous machines sent out by Rorschach.

The fundamental reason for doing this was the thick fog that enveloped the town of Bridgeville.

The fog was extremely eerie; ordinary human soldiers who entered its range quickly began experiencing all sorts of bizarre hallucinations. As time passed, their emotions would become increasingly volatile, restless, and frantic, and there were even incidents of soldiers suddenly opening fire on their comrades—and this was not an isolated incident.

Only the most elite warriors, with wills as hard as steel, can be immune to some of the fog's effects and successfully carry out rescue missions. However, even these few elite soldiers, though powerful in combat, are no match for the numerous monsters lurking within the fog, and quickly succumb to overwhelming odds.

Faced with this dilemma, Rorschach decisively unleashed the large toy he had been researching in his spare time, using a mechanical weapon that had no concept of mind to enter the fog and fight.

As vehicles, artillery, tanks, and even aircraft, equipped with emergency electronic AI control systems, entered the dense fog area, the human side, which had initially been at a disadvantage, regained the initiative on the battlefield.

Those attacks that would be fatal to flesh and blood lost their arrogance when facing the steel body. The mechanical troops held them back on the only road leading from the secret base to Bridgeville, buying time for the survivors in the town to be rescued.

Meanwhile, Shana, having received news of Rorschach's "business trip," traveled all the way from Japan to the United States to find her cheap master who had disappeared after leaving only one sentence, leaving some long-dormant forces empty-handed.

Seeing his little apprentice following closely behind, Rorschach decided to involve her in the rescue of the survivors, to cultivate her experience in interacting with various humans, and he even brought out the hidden 'Terminator' squad.

Compared to those bizarre, spider- or scorpion-like mechanical soldiers, and various armored units that were urgently equipped with intelligent AI and sent to the war zone, the Terminators, who were burly and strong, looked more like normal humans and were safer, were more acceptable to the survivors.

Of course, Shana wasn't the only 'pilot' of the Terminators, nor could she operate twenty Terminators simultaneously. A dozen carefully selected elite warriors fought alongside her. However, those warriors used 'cockpits' hastily constructed by Rorschach, requiring them to enter a deep sleep state to maintain signal strength while operating the machines (similar to Avatar).

Shana, his precious apprentice, naturally used the original operating system, making her superior to the others in both responsiveness and performance. And Shana did not disappoint Rorschach's expectations, rescuing many times more survivors with her Flame Haze combat instincts and skills.

Seeing his cheap apprentice in front of him, who was trying to take credit, Luo Xia naturally responded with a smile.

"Good girl, good girl, Shana is such a good child. The civilians you rescued must be very grateful for everything you've done. Your efforts have paid off."

While gently stroking the girl's chin and forehead as if teasing a kitten, Luo Xia kept praising Shana's achievements. The girl, who was a little shy at first, was soon immersed in Luo Xia's increasingly skillful head pats after a few seconds, and even made a series of happy purring sounds.

After petting the little girl for a full ten minutes, Luo Xia finally released the now dizzy Shana, took off his suit jacket, and draped it over the girl's shoulders.

Shana is currently wearing an extremely tight-fitting combat suit. Although the little girl's figure is really nothing to look at, and the clothes don't reveal anything, it's not something just anyone can appreciate. It's fine for herself to see, but she can't let outsiders have a say.

"Next time you wear this, remember to wear a jacket over it. You're a grown woman now, you should be more mindful of that."

"Okay, okay, Rorschach, you're so annoying!"

Although she kept saying "no way," Shana obediently slipped her hands into the cuffs of Rorschach's suit jacket, which was much larger than her own, and wrapped herself up completely in the jacket, leaving only her slender, straight legs and her cute little face, which still had a slight blush on it, showing.

Is this okay?

"Okay, okay. Oh, by the way, as a reward for your hard work this time, shall I take you to see the big fireworks?"

"Big...fireworks?"

"Yes, it was a really big firework."

Pulling a hopeful Shana along, Luo Xia and Shana left the command center, arriving at a corner of the base amidst the respectful greetings of passersby. Pointing to a magnificent building several tens of meters tall in the distance, Luo Xia smiled and said to Shana:

"Look, this is the big firework I prepared for you."