"An energy shield straight out of a movie."
York sat in the driver's seat of the halted RV, staring at the dark tunnel ahead with a hint of amusement in his eyes.
To the ordinary eye, the scene appeared transparent, as if nothing was there.
But through his vision, the truth was clear—a series of hexagonal blocks layered into an energy dome, covering a large area and blocking his path.
A stone on the ground, moving with the speed of a bullet, suddenly levitated and slammed into the energy dome.
Bang!
The stone, capable of easily piercing a human body, smashed into something even harder at that moment, turning into dust, as if burned into invisible ashes by intense heat.
"Interesting."
York recalled a movie scene from the forest cottage where an eagle had met a similar fate.
"Is this your way of dealing with me?" York looked down at the floating camera, which was unmanned, and chuckled.
"Unfortunately, these measures alone won't stop me."
The RV started moving.
A soundless voice resonated within a massive concrete and steel structure, echoing deep within the command center, causing everyone present to tense up, except for the staff member still searching for Kurt and the others. All eyes were glued to the large screen.
Their anxiety grew as the RV approached the energy shield.
"Don't worry, he definitely won't get through," Sitterson tried to ease the atmosphere. "This is a relic left by the ancient gods. His end will be nothing but ash."
Yet, despite his words, Sitterson's gaze remained fixed on the screen.
Five meters...
Four meters...
The RV drew closer to the energy shield.
Everyone's breathing became heavy at this moment.
"Heh, maybe I really won't be able to get through," York glanced at the camera, sensing the situation on the other end and added a bit of suspense with a chuckle.
He wasn't concerned about the bureau's attitude; his focus was on demonstrating his power.
If his earlier conjecture about the ancient gods was correct, the ritual was already underway.
That meant, from this moment, he was like a character in a movie, and the ancient gods, in a sense, had become the audience.
His every action would determine whether he could break this fortress and become a person who could converse with the ancient gods on equal footing.
Of course, there was a more brute-force approach.
Like breaking into a stranger's house and beating up the homeowner.
He could charge straight into the sleeping place of the ancient gods, releasing the power of an entire world in one breath.
However, this method was also costly for York, as everything had two sides—advantages and disadvantages.
He would need to utilize the power of the corrupted world, which meant using up the incarnations deposited there.
And to leave a new incarnation, he would have to sacrifice ten attribute points.
After much consideration, that seemed too great a loss just for this one action.
Saving up wasn't easy.
Thus, York ultimately chose the first, more prudent approach.
Let the ancient gods witness his strength, then achieve a negotiation on equal footing.
According to the mission's requirements.
He didn't need to say much, nor did he need the ancient gods to move; he just needed them to give a little ground, to stop forcing humanity into pointless sacrificial rituals.
If the gods didn't agree, then he'd wake them up with a C4 magic bomb.
That was York's entire plan.
In essence, avoid fighting if possible, but when necessary, show no fear.
Thinking of this, York suddenly remembered his past life in China.
"Because I carry the spirit of China, huh..."
York smiled and slapped the steering wheel.
Magic power surged within him, radiating from him and enveloping the entire RV.
The next second, under his and the bureau's watchful eyes in the command center, the RV finally crashed into the energy dome.
The energy dome visibly shimmered, hexagonal blocks lighting up with a futuristic sci-fi effect.
However, the bureau did not witness the expected disintegration of the RV and its passenger.
Instead, the whole scene distorted momentarily, even causing the large screen to flicker and pixelate.
"This..."
Sitterson clenched his fists, watching as the RV pierced through the dome like a needle through foam, explosively bursting through.
The scene unfolded just as he had imagined.
The all-encompassing energy dome shattered like fragile glass.
Buzz!
The RV entered the tunnel completely intact, its headlights appearing on the big screen like a car's dashcam video in the night.
The command center fell deathly silent, with only the sound of the RV's engine echoing.
Before long, the large screen lit up again as the RV drove out of the tunnel, speeding on.
"Release the poison gas."
Sitterson's voice broke the silence.
"Understood."
The nearby staff member resumed their tasks.
On the big screen, poison gas began to seep from the ground and
the bushes along the path where the RV passed.
This was a special concoction by the bureau, effective against various supernatural beings and should have quickly subdued the target.
However, what the command center saw was the RV continuing its journey, even as thick smoke began to swirl around it.
Despite deploying various methods in succession, the RV kept moving, getting closer to the cottage.
"Bang!"
Sitterson, like Hadley, could no longer contain his fear and slammed his hand down on the desk.
At this moment, his forehead was covered with cold sweat.
Sitterson's breathing became labored, afraid to even think about the consequences of disturbing the ancient gods.
What would happen to Earth? To humanity?
Just then, Hadley's voice snapped him back to reality.
"What now, continue as we are? You could send Daniel to try."
Sitterson looked up, noticing everyone in the command center watching him.
"Given the circumstances, this young professor clearly isn't someone ordinary humans can handle, and since he's still very much alive, our usual methods for ghosts might not work on him," Sitterson resignedly shook his head, then looked at Hadley somewhat despondently.
"Hadley, I agree with your approach, ghosts against ghosts, monsters against monsters..."
Upon hearing this, Hadley nodded.
"We can't let him endanger the whole world."
After speaking, Hadley snapped his fingers, regaining his decisive demeanor in an attempt to uplift the command center's somber mood.
"Open cells five, three, two, and eight."
"Yes!"
A staff member responded, and the sound of typing resumed.
On a smaller screen adjacent to the large screen, the shapes of these cells began to appear.
Redneck Zombies: The Buckner Family— "Pain transcends flesh, elevates the body, and purifies the soul."
Werewolves.
Mutants.
A skull-shaped ghost...
One by one, the cells containing creatures powered by the ancient gods opened.
Hope surged again among the people in the command center.
They watched as these monsters began to approach the RV.
However, fate seemed to play a joke on them.
"Zombies, known for their gruesome appearance and love for plasma, slow in movement but immortal; even if beheaded, their bodies can still move.
But they fear divine power..."
As the speaker announced these traits, a grenade flew casually from the RV's window, landing precisely on The Buckner Family.
Boom!
The redneck zombies: The Buckner Family were obliterated by a glowing grenade.
Even in their demise, as devout believers who believed that genuine faith in God should manifest as extreme suffering, Old Buckner was smiling—a smile so devout.
"What the hell is this!"
Hadley watched the large screen and yanked out one of his few precious hairs.
"Besides the redneck zombies: The Buckner Family, there's also a werewolf!"
Hadley said somewhat resentfully.
Before long.
A towering werewolf over four meters tall, with a strong body and a menacing aura, suddenly appeared.
Roar!
It roared and charged towards the RV, carrying their hopes.
"Good! Well done!"
Encouraged by the werewolf's vigor, which surpassed that of the Buckner Family, Hadley waved his hand, then froze the next second as the speaker announced again.
"Werewolves? Quite a novelty, but too weak."
As these words fell, Hadley watched in despair as the werewolf, while leaping towards the RV, was twisted mid-air as if controlled by someone, turning into a bloody mess, unable to even touch the still-moving RV.
While the reasoning was unclear, it was evident the werewolf was dead beyond revival.
Then, an even more desperate situation unfolded.
A mutant with immense strength, sneaking up in front, was killed by a precisely targeted grenade.
Only the skull-headed ghost managed to penetrate the RV.
The people in the command center, including Hadley, who were feeling suffocated, cheered again.
But their cheers stopped abruptly within a second.
Because from the large screen, they saw the ghost moving through the windows, only to be caught by a hand...
A calm voice spoke.
"Good boy!"
At the sound of this voice, whether it was an illusion or not, Hadley felt the fierce ghost suddenly turn into a docile dog.
Soon after, the camera shifted to the passenger seat, and unsurprisingly, the ghost became the young professor's slave, relegated to driving.
Whether they were monsters or ghosts, the process varied but the outcome was the same; nothing could stop the RV's progress.
Hadley pulled out another hair, leaving only four strands clinging to his smooth scalp.
"Damn it! Cells ten, fifteen, twenty-one, twenty-two, thirty..."
Hadley rattled off in one breath, then stared at the large screen as he spoke.
Under his command, the sweat-drenched staff member busied themselves nonstop.
At that moment, the staff member who had been searching for Kurt
and the others suddenly spoke.
"Report, Commander, we've found the original five targets unconscious in a villa in the west district. Should we capture them, please instruct..."
His voice trailed off, growing quieter as he realized that everyone's attention had shifted back to the large screen.
He glanced at the two commanders.
As expected, the commanders were not paying attention to his report, their eyes fixed on the large screen.
The staff member looked around, and under the circumstances, could only leave a note for those found: "Hold position, await orders," before unconsciously removing his headset, his eyes filled with confusion.
What exactly was happening?
...
"Witch?"
York stared at the black-robed, white-haired old woman blocking his path, somewhat surprised.
Why he thought she was a witch was due to the dry right hand she held a broom in, surrounded by a familiar power, her laugh sharp and piercing.
"No, this isn't magic."
York realized something. Although it felt similar, the magic within him and the power exhibited by the witch were entirely different.
"Stop!"
The witch's laughter abruptly ceased, and she uttered a very cold phrase.
At the same time, York felt as if something was trying to pierce his skin.
"Mind control? Such a familiar trick."
York looked at the stunned witch, snuffed out a wisp of energy, and calmly said.
"But you can't even break my skin, how are you going to enter my brain and control my mind?"
"Impossible!"
The witch seemed frightened, looking up as if she saw a glowing giant rising from the RV, staring down at her with cold eyes.
Looking down on the world, regarding all life from above.
"Kneel!"
York watched the trembling witch, who was about to flee, and smiled.
He didn't know why the witch reacted this way, but through his extensive knowledge, York knew that witches of the evil alignment typically possess the ability to see through surfaces to the essence of the soul.
Based on her reaction, the witch didn't even qualify to look directly at his true soul.
"I'll spare your life. Stay here, I have questions for you later."
The existence of a real evil witch in this world was an unexpected pleasure; York wondered if the black-robed witch possessed any knowledge he was unaware of.
The trembling witch knelt down on the spot, her head touching the cold ground, respectfully answering.
"Yes..."
The RV slowly passed by her, the ghost driver glancing at her, seemingly grinning.
Meanwhile.
Everyone in the command center was engulfed in a deathly silence.
They didn't know how to articulate what they had just witnessed.
It was clear they had little hope for the recently released ghosts and monsters.
Because in the setting, the black-robed witch was a formidable character.
She could cause storms, earthquakes, floods, and possessed powerful abilities such as curses, illusions, necromancy, mind control, and dark magic.
Near her cell, another creature cowered in a corner, daring not approach.
"Who exactly are you?"
Hadley murmured, recalling the young professor's introduction earlier.
"Let me introduce myself, I'm York John. You might not believe it, but I really am the savior of the whole world and the backbone of humanity..."
Now, it was deafening.
Hadley suddenly turned to Sitterson, who also seemed to sense something and took a deep breath.
"Do you think what he said was true?"
Sitterson furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"
"Will he represent humanity in speaking with the ancient gods?" Hadley took a deep breath.
"Ending the sacrifices?"
The last half-hour passed, and it was almost the New Year.
Even though I have a thousand words in my heart, I don't know what to say.
But I can still offer sincere wishes.
Thanks to everyone's support, I've made it this far.
On this wonderful New Year's occasion, I wish you all the best, happiness, and health!
___________________
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