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"Is there still no way to contact headquarters?"
Marine Corps Commander Mil White frowned at his deputy, who shook his head.
"There's some kind of powerful signal interference on this island. We can't reach the outside world at all."
"Damn it! How did this happen?"
Mil White cursed under his breath.
A team of 120 Marines and FEAR operatives had successfully landed on the island via transport ships, but as soon as they entered the dormitory area, they met fierce resistance.
The Black Mountain mercenaries launched a relentless assault on the intruders, causing the Marines and FEAR team to lose a fifth of their personnel in an instant.
Don't underestimate that loss. These soldiers were elite members of the military and FEAR. Losing even one was a serious blow, let alone twenty.
Worse still, the Marines and FEAR were now pinned down in one of the dormitory buildings, unable to break out.
The Black Mountain mercenaries were no pushovers. Many were retired veterans, well-equipped and battle-hardened, guarding Amacham Technology's critical experimental facility.
Compounding the issue, they seemed to be under some kind of control, fighting with reckless abandon. Even the elite Marines and FEAR operatives struggled to push through.
Mil White tried to contact headquarters for fire support, but the connection was completely cut off.
Without backup, breaking out would cost an unthinkable number of lives.
"Damn it! The Black Mountain mercenaries were never this insane before!"
Having dealt with them often during his career, Mil White was stunned by their ferocity today.
At that moment, Point Man stepped forward.
"Major White, let me slip behind the mercenaries' lines to draw their attention. Then you can seize the chance to break out."
Mil White's eyes widened.
"Point Man, if you leave, who's going to lead FEAR?"
"Major, you can take command of FEAR too. I've never been great at leading operations anyway."
Point Man knew his strengths. Created through biotechnology, he possessed peak human physical abilities, making him a one-man army in combat.
But his leadership skills were average at best—possibly not even as good as his younger brother, Paxton Fettel.
He could handle commanding expendable clone units without issue, but leading FEAR's elite operatives was another story.
Mil White, on the other hand, had over a decade of special operations experience and exceptional leadership skills, which had earned him his rank.
Making a snap decision, Mil White nodded, trusting Point Man's abilities.
"Alright, let's do it! Everyone, make some noise to cover Point Man's move!"
Point Man quickly climbed to the rooftop. The nearest dormitory building was about ten meters away—a tough jump, but he was confident.
After a running start, he leaped, soaring seven or eight meters. He didn't quite reach the other rooftop but landed on a balcony one floor below.
A normal person would've shattered their legs attempting that, but Point Man rolled to absorb the impact, standing up unscathed.
From the balcony, he scanned the ground below. The mercenaries seemed distracted by the others, unaware he'd crossed to another building.
Point Man didn't act immediately. He was too close to his team to effectively draw the enemy away. He needed to move farther and strike from a better position.
As he prepared to head downstairs, a sudden dizziness hit him. Then, he noticed a man standing in the hallway.
"Long time no see, brother."
"Paxton, you're here too?"
The man before him was indeed Paxton Fettel.
But something was off. His brother didn't seem… alive.
"Don't look at me like that, brother. I'm a bit different now, as you've probably noticed."
"Paxton, your body…"
"It's a shame. I had an incident with a succubus and had to abandon my physical form. Thanks to Mother's power, I can appear like this. Honestly, it's not so bad once you get used to it."
Paxton wore a faint smile, as if he'd made peace with losing his body.
But Point Man saw the shadow in his brother's eyes. Abandoning one's body couldn't be that simple.
Knowing Paxton's prideful nature, Point Man didn't press the issue, as it would only anger him.
"Paxton, you mentioned Mother. How is she?"
At the mention of their mother, Paxton's face lit up.
"Yes! Mother's finally free from that man's control. She's practically a god on Earth now, just one step away from transcendence! Brother, she needs our help!"
Point Man fell silent, a bad feeling creeping into his chest.
"Paxton, tell me the truth. Was Mother behind what happened in San Francisco?"
Paxton's smile faded, and he raised an eyebrow.
"You mean the nuke? That was my plan. Mother just helped a little."
Point Man's eyes widened, disbelief washing over him.
"Why would you do that? Millions of innocent people died!"
Paxton's expression turned cold.
"So what? If it means helping Mother become a god, a few million lives are nothing."
Point Man took a step back, his face darkening.
"Paxton, how could you become like this?"
Paxton shook his head with a wry smile.
"I've always been this way. Didn't you notice, growing up together? Oh, right—you were always the golden child, praised for your perfect physique. Me? Just a frail failure with slightly above-average mental strength. Only Mother truly cared for me. Everyone else? Hmph."
Point Man's breathing quickened, anger rising.
"I always cared about you! I wrote to you every week, and you never replied!"
Paxton's expression shifted, looking puzzled.
"Letters? What century is this? I never got any letters."
His words stunned Point Man. He had sent those letters, but if Paxton never received them, there was only one explanation.
Clenching his teeth, Point Man realized he'd been deceived all along. Despite his kind nature, he wasn't as extreme as Paxton.
Though the betrayal stung, he wouldn't take it out on others.
"Paxton, it's my fault for not seeing your struggles. But I won't let you keep going down this path!"
Paxton burst into laughter.
"Did I hear that right? You're going to turn against your own brother and mother for some insignificant outsiders?"
His expression grew menacing.
Point Man's face showed sorrow.
"I can't just watch you and Mother go down the wrong path!"
Paxton's face twisted further.
"Wrong path? Sounds like FEAR's brainwashed you, making you forget the hatred in our blood—and Mother's!"
Point Man had no response. After a pause, he spoke.
"I haven't forgotten! Why do you think Lady Iris is so determined to take down Amacham? But some things take time!"
Paxton sneered.
"Take time? No need to bother, dear brother. Harlan Wade is already dead by Mother's hand. As for your Lady Iris, she's in Mother's grasp too—and could die any moment!"
"What? You kidnapped Lady Iris? Why? She's a good person!"
Paxton scoffed.
"Good person? She'll be honored to witness Mother's ascension. This twisted world needs to change. Brother, there's still time to join Mother. She's so kind."
Point Man didn't buy it.
"Release Lady Iris. Now!"
Paxton shook his head, his form starting to fade.
"Brother—maybe the last time I'll call you that—you've disappointed me and Mother."
"Don't go! Release Lady Iris first!"
Point Man lunged, a faint blue psychic energy glowing in his hand as he tried to grab Paxton.
But Paxton vanished.
"Damn it!"
Point Man slammed his fist against the floor, sinking into confusion.
On one side, the ghosts of San Francisco's millions. On the other, his brother and mother. He didn't know what to do.
Just then, strange noises from outside the dormitory snapped him out of his turmoil. He remembered his mission wasn't over—now wasn't the time to hesitate.
"What was that sound?"
The answer to that question began ten minutes earlier.
As Roy and his team approached the dormitory area, their vision suddenly blurred.
Then, the three of them were pulled into different illusions.
"You're finally here."
Roy opened his eyes to find himself in an endless grassy plain, standing before a towering tree.
The voice came from a red-dressed girl swinging on a swing beneath it.
Yes, this time it was a teenage girl, not a child.
"You again?"
Roy realized the red-dressed girl, teenager, and woman he'd seen before were likely the same person—different stages of someone's memory.
The girl laughed, her voice clear and bright, turning the withered yellow grass green and sprouting countless flowers.
"Be my husband!"
Roy was stunned, thinking he'd misheard.
"Huh? Are you serious?"
As he spoke, the girl's features sharpened, becoming breathtakingly beautiful, like something crafted to match his every aesthetic preference. His heart skipped a beat.
No—this was enchantment!
Roy took a deep breath and tore his gaze away.
Thankfully, she was only using her face to charm him. If she'd used her body, he might've given in.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
The girl stepped off the swing, slowly approaching him.
An invisible force seemed to grip Roy's head, forcing him to look at her face.
"You're the most remarkable man I've ever seen. I want to have your child."
Whoa, talk about blunt!
Roy couldn't help but think this girl was a bit unhinged, giving her a look of pity.
"Why do you have to have a kid with me?"
"Because our perfect genes will create a child who'll become a god in the new world!"
Roy rolled his eyes. Genes don't guarantee everything—upbringing matters more.
Plenty of exceptional parents have mediocre kids.
"Why do you think a child with me would become a god?"
"Yeah… why do I think that?"
The girl looked genuinely puzzled, as if she didn't know why she had this idea.
"I can't remember why I think that, but I know it's right. Don't you want to create a new world with me?"
She stared at him with wide, tempting eyes.
After a moment, she still couldn't find an answer and looked at Roy pleadingly.
"Sorry, if you can't give me a reason, I can't agree."
Roy resisted the temptation and refused.
The girl's face fell, disappointed.
"I'll figure out the answer to this question!"
Suddenly, Roy felt her pull away, as if he'd been teleported far from her.
In the next moment, he was back in reality, facing Miss Jay's anxious eyes and Adrian's furrowed brow.
"Roy, are you okay?"
Roy checked himself, feeling fine.
"I'm okay. Just got caught in an illusion."
Adrian's expression darkened.
"Roy, I tried to dispel the illusion on you, but it didn't work! I don't think it was an illusion at all!"
"If it wasn't an illusion, what was it?"
"I suspect someone linked their mind directly to yours!"
Roy was shocked.
"A mental connection? But that world felt so real! I could smell the grass, feel the breeze on my face!"
"That's what makes it scarier! Their mental power might've broken through the world's limits. That's incredibly dangerous!"
Adrian's words left Roy silent. He didn't think the red-dressed girl seemed that dangerous, but maybe her kindness toward him was clouding his judgment.
"For now, let's regroup with the Marines and FEAR!"