"Warrant Officer John, given how deadlocked our forces are in the Walden Region, with your intelligence, you must understand why the Empire's unrivaled air force has been unable to make any headway. That's right. Facing the joint assault of three Allied Forces legions is certainly one reason we have been unable to secure victory, but at the root of it all, the most important factor is the Anti-Magic Devices the Allied Forces have deployed on the front lines."
"The existence of those things has greatly hindered the advance of the Empire's iron hooves, causing heavy casualties among our Mage Soldiers and forcing us to shift from offense to defense."
"But we all know that if this war of attrition continues, the Seventh Air Force will eventually face defeat."
"Therefore, I need a well-trained elite unit to locate the sites where the Allied Forces have hidden their Anti-Magic Devices and destroy them."
"And that mission, Warrant Officer John Maslow, I intend to entrust to you."
At this point, Dormammu paused briefly before adding,
"Of course, given the difficulty and danger of this mission, Warrant Officer John, I will allow you time to consider before giving me your answer. However, I hope it will not take too long."
Huh?
He wanted me to lead men deep behind enemy lines to search for the Allied Forces' Anti-Magic Devices?
Was this a joke?
Wasn't this just sending us to our deaths? Any normal person would definitely refuse...
Hmm? Wait a second?
Wouldn't going behind enemy lines mean I could come into contact with the Allied Forces' higher-ups?
For me, wasn't this the perfect chance to completely escape the Empire and defect to the Allied Forces?
John had originally intended to refuse this "suicide plan" outright, but the moment he realized this, his well-developed brain lit up, and he unconsciously began recalling how the Allied Forces treated defectors in the game.
Although he was only a warrant officer at present, which made him merely a low-ranking commander in the military hierarchy.
He was not part of some ordinary army unit. He belonged to the Empire's most powerful branch: the air force.
On top of that, he had graduated from the Imperial First Military Academy. He was undeniably an elite student.
If he brought the thirty Mage Soldiers under his command along with him when he defected, then judging by how the Allied Forces treated high-level units in the game, they would definitely roll out the red carpet for him!
He might even receive a promotion and a pay raise for voluntarily switching sides, perhaps leaping directly from warrant officer to captain!
And most importantly, if he really succeeded, he would never have to worry about being targeted by the game's female protagonist again!
What suicide plan? This was practically a highway to heaven!
Dormammu, you old bastard, you're practically my lucky star!
The moment John realized this, everything suddenly became clear to him.
The way he looked at the shriveled old man before him became more excited and thrilled than ever.
If he had not been afraid of revealing something, he would probably have already burst into uproarious laughter.
Suppressing the wild joy in his heart, he repeatedly recalled scenes from movies he had seen in his previous life, where heroes marched boldly to their deaths. Imitating their bearing, he declared loudly,
"Everyone in the world knows there is only one sun in the sky. But in the heart of John Maslow, that sun is not the burning star above, but the Empire that gave an orphan like me a future!"
"Before the Empire liberated Ostrala Town, General Dormammu, you may not know what kind of hellish life I, born into a worker's family, lived under the rule of those filthy nobles of the Kingdom."
"At that time, I did not even dare hope for a bite of soft bread!"
"Because of the Kingdom's harsh taxes and the shameless price gouging of those damned profiteers, even a single loaf of bread had been driven up to five hundred thousand Brown!"
"A full five hundred thousand Brown! That was more than my parents could earn in an entire month of work!"
"My father became a miner for the sake of our family, only to die under the oppression of those Kingdom nobles. My mother also passed away from hunger. Back then, I did not even have enough money to buy a coffin to bury her."
"In the end, it was the arrival of the Empire that rescued me from that hellish life!"
"Therefore, I hate those damned Allied Forces more than anyone, and more than anyone, I hope the Empire's radiance can shine upon every corner of this planet!"
"So there is no need to consider it. Since the Empire needs me, then leave this mission to me!"
"Because from the moment I formally embarked upon the path of military service, I had already prepared to dedicate my body to the Empire!"
"So, General Dormammu, please be sure to entrust this mission to me."
"I swear upon my life that I will complete this mission. Not even the Grim Reaper will be able to stop me!"
Of course, that was impossible. What did John Maslow's oath have to do with me, a Chinese man from another world?
I was going to be a traitor no matter what. Nobody was going to stop me!
Ah, my dear Allied Forces friends, have you prepared the red carpet and champagne to welcome this warrant officer's arrival? Hahaha! John laughed wantonly in his heart, the smile on his face growing ever more sincere and enthusiastic.
At the thought that he would soon escape this sea of suffering, he was so excited that he nearly wanted to break into an impromptu dance on the spot!
At the same time, the man opposite him, known by countless Allied Forces soldiers as the White-Haired Demon General of the Empire—
Dormammu Klot, who was renowned even within the Empire for his cold severity, deep scheming, and rare displays of emotion, could not help but laugh after a moment of stunned silence.
Although his smile appeared particularly horrifying to ordinary people.
It was Dormammu's most heartfelt smile.
What extraordinary loyalty!
This brave warrant officer could practically be used by the Imperial Ministry of Culture as a model for all soldiers!
Such heartfelt identification with the Empire, such determination to sacrifice for it—even Dormammu himself, who had been born in the Empire, feared he could only sigh in admiration!
If those parasites of the Empire had even half of Warrant Officer John's loyalty—no, even one-tenth of it—
Then the Empire's flag would probably have long since covered every inch of this planet. How could it have fallen into its current state?
Thinking of this, Dormammu gradually reined in his smile. His azure eyes looked at Warrant Officer John before him, without concealing the favor in his heart.
He truly had begun to appreciate this young man.
However, Dormammu ultimately did not change his decision. After explaining the details of the mission to the Empire-loyal Warrant Officer John,
He watched the other man's retreating figure leave. Then, pipe in hand, he sank into thought where he stood.
After a long while, he slowly spoke to Colonel Jett, who had somehow come to stand behind him.
"Colonel Jett, although I trust in the strength of our brave and fearless Mage Soldiers, I still feel that this mission may be somewhat too difficult for our Warrant Officer John."
Dormammu took a puff from his pipe and slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke. Then, without hesitation, he gave an order to the subordinate watching him respectfully.
"Arrange for the Black Eagle Special Forces to secretly assist our warrant officer in destroying the Anti-Magic Devices. Our Warrant Officer John has proven his loyalty to the Empire, and the Empire will never allow a loyal soldier to fight alone."
"John Maslow is a promising talent. I do not wish for him to fall in such a low-level operation, much less for the Empire to lose someone of such limitless potential because of my decision. So, Colonel Jett, you understand what I mean, don't you?"
"I understand. This time, I will personally lead the Black Eagle Special Forces and secretly assist Warrant Officer John in completing the mission to destroy the Anti-Magic Devices. I swear upon the honor of the Slayfort Family that regardless of the outcome, I will bring Warrant Officer John safely back to the garrison. I will not break my word!"
Jett Slaifute answered in a deep voice. He felt not the slightest dissatisfaction with his superior's decision to send him on the dangerous task of infiltrating behind enemy lines.
In fact, after hearing John's stirring speech from behind the screen just now and witnessing the other man accept the mission without hesitation,
He had also developed an unprecedented fondness and admiration for his nominal junior.
Therefore, even if Dormammu had not made such a request, he would have volunteered.
As the strongest assassination-type Mage Soldier in the Seventh Legion, known on the battlefield as the Ghost Walker, he would only be in danger if he faced the Allied Forces' Crown Tier powerhouses head-on.
Under normal circumstances, those ordinary Allied Forces soldiers would not even be able to hit his afterimage. They could not possibly pose any threat to him!
And the reason he had agreed to this mission so readily was not only his appreciation for John, his junior, but even more so his curiosity.
He also wanted to see what astonishing wisdom this junior, whom Principal Tolovsky—known for his strictness—had personally praised and awarded with the Iron Wreath, an honor only nine people in the Empire's history had received, would use to complete such a difficult mission.
"It is sure to be quite a spectacle!"
Suppressing the anticipation and curiosity in his heart, Jett saluted Dormammu, then quickly left the command post.
(End of Chapter)
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