John Warrant Officer's Loyalty Was Witnessed by Heaven and Earth!

"Warrant Officer John, regarding the current stalemate of our forces in the Walden Region, with your intelligence and talent, you must understand why the Empire's peerless air force has been unable to conquer it after so long, correct? Indeed, facing the siege of three Allied Forces legions is certainly one reason our army cannot achieve victory, but at the root of it all, the most important factor is the Anti-Magic Devices the Allied Forces have set up on the front lines."

"The existence of those things has greatly obstructed the advance of the Empire's iron hooves, causing heavy casualties among our magic soldiers and forcing us to shift from offense to defense."

"But we all know very well that if this war of attrition continues, the Seventh Air Force will sooner or later meet defeat."

"Therefore, I now need a well-trained elite force to locate the places where the Allied Forces have hidden their Anti-Magic Devices and destroy them."

"And this mission, Warrant Officer John Maslow, I intend to entrust to you."

At this point, Dormammu paused slightly before continuing to add:

"Of course, considering the difficulty and danger of this mission, Warrant Officer John, I permit you to give me an answer after careful consideration. However, I hope it will not take too long."

Huh?

He wanted me to lead people deep behind enemy lines to search for the Allied Forces' Anti-Magic Devices?

What kind of joke was this?!

Wasn't this just throwing ourselves away to die? Any normal person would definitely choose to refuse...

Hm? Wait a second?

Wouldn't going deep behind enemy lines mean I could come into contact with the Allied Forces' upper ranks?

Wasn't this the perfect opportunity for me 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 in an instant, and he involuntarily began recalling how the Allied Forces treated defectors in the game.

Although he was currently only a warrant officer, within the military hierarchy, he could only be considered a low-ranking commander.

But one had to remember that his rank differed from those of ordinary army units—he belonged to the Empire's most powerful air force branch.

On top of that, he had a record from the Imperial First Military Academy. He was unquestionably a top student.

If he brought the thirty magic soldiers under his command along when he defected, then judging by how the Allied Forces treated high-tier units in the game, they would definitely sweep the couch clean and welcome him with open arms!

Perhaps he himself might even receive a promotion and a pay raise from the Allied Forces for voluntarily switching sides, leaping straight from warrant officer to captain!

And most crucially, if he truly succeeded, he would never again have to worry about being targeted by the game's female protagonist!

How was this a suicide plan? It was practically a broad road leading straight to the heavens!

Dormammu, you rotten old man, you were practically my lucky star!

Once John realized this, he instantly felt as though the clouds had parted and the sun had appeared.

The way he looked at the shriveled old man before him became more excited and thrilled than ever before.

If he had not been afraid of letting the other man notice something amiss, he probably would have already thrown back his head and burst into laughter.

He forcibly suppressed the wild joy in his heart and kept replaying scenes from movies he had watched in his previous life, scenes where heroes had finally gone to their deaths with righteous grandeur. Imitating that posture, he declared in a ringing voice:

"Everyone in this world knows that there is only one sun in the sky. But in my heart, John Maslow's heart, that sun is not the burning star hanging in the heavens—it is the Empire that gave this orphan 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 to eat a single bite of soft bread!"

"Because under the Kingdom's harsh taxes and the bottomless 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!"

"For the sake of the family, my father chose to become a miner, and in the end, he died beneath the oppression of those Kingdom nobles. My mother also passed away because she had nothing to eat. At that time, I did not even have the money to buy a coffin to bury her."

"It was only the arrival of the Empire that saved 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 very moment I formally set foot upon the path of military service, I had already prepared myself to dedicate this 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. Even the Grim Reaper will not be able to stop me!"

Of course, that was impossible. What did an oath sworn by John Maslow have to do with me, a Chinese man from another world?

I was determined to become a traitor anyway. No fucking person was going to stop me!

Ah, my dear Allied Forces friends, had you prepared the red carpet and champagne to welcome this warrant officer's arrival? Hahaha! John laughed wantonly in his heart, while the smile on his face grew ever more sincere and warm.

At the thought that he would soon escape this sea of suffering, he was so excited that he almost wanted to break into an impromptu dance right where he stood!

At the same time, the man opposite him, known by countless Allied Forces soldiers as the "Empire's White-Haired Demon General"—

Dormammu Klot, who was renowned even within the Empire for his cold severity and deep scheming, and who rarely lost composure, could not help but smile after a moment of astonishment.

Although his smile looked exceptionally horrifying in the eyes of ordinary people—

It was Dormammu's most heartfelt smile.

What loyalty!

This brave warrant officer could practically be used by the Imperial Ministry of Culture as a model for all soldiers!

Such heartfelt recognition of the Empire and such resolve to sacrifice himself for it—even someone like Dormammu, who had been born in the Empire, feared he could only sigh in admiration at his own inadequacy!

If those worms within the Empire possessed even half of Warrant Officer John's loyalty—no, even one-tenth of it—

The Empire's banners would probably have long since covered every inch of this planet. How could it have fallen into such a state today?!

As Dormammu thought of this, his smile gradually faded. His azure eyes looked at Warrant Officer John before him, making no attempt to conceal the favor in his heart.

He truly had begun to admire this young man somewhat.

Yet Dormammu ultimately did not change his decision. After explaining the details of the combat mission to the Empire-loyal Warrant Officer John—

He watched the other man's retreating figure disappear. Then, holding his pipe, he stood where he was and fell into deep thought.

After a long while, he slowly spoke to Colonel Jett, who had somehow come to stand behind him:

"Colonel Jett, although I have great faith in the strength of our brave and fearless magic soldiers, I still feel that this mission may be somewhat too difficult for our Warrant Officer John."

Dormammu raised his pipe and took a puff, slowly exhaling a cloud of smoke. Then, without the slightest hesitation, he gave an order to the subordinate respectfully watching him:

"Arrange for the Black Eagle Special Forces to secretly cooperate with our warrant officer in destroying the Anti-Magic Devices. Our Warrant Officer John has already proven his loyalty to the Empire, and the Empire will never allow loyal soldiers to fight alone."

"John Maslow is a fine prospect. I do not wish for him to fall in such a low-level operation, nor do I wish for the Empire to lose such a boundlessly promising talent because of my decision. So, Colonel Jett, you understand what I mean, correct?"

"I understand. This time, I will personally lead the Black Eagle Special Forces and secretly assist Warrant Officer John in completing the Anti-Magic Device destruction mission. I swear upon the honor of the Slayfort Family that no matter the outcome, I will safely bring Warrant Officer John back to the base. I will never break my word!"

Jett Slaifute replied in a deep voice. He harbored not the slightest dissatisfaction toward his superior's decision to have him risk going deep behind enemy lines.

In fact, after hearing John's soul-stirring speech from behind the folding screen and witnessing the other man accept the mission without hesitation—

He too had developed unprecedented goodwill and admiration for this junior of his in name.

Therefore, even if General Dormammu had not made such a request, he would have taken the initiative to apply for it.

As the Seventh Legion's strongest assassination-type magic soldier, known on the battlefield as the Ghost Walker, he would only face danger if he encountered several of the Allied Forces' crown-ranked powerhouses head-on.

Under normal circumstances, those ordinary Allied Forces soldiers probably would not even be able to hit his afterimage, let alone pose any threat to him!

And the reason he had agreed to this mission so readily, aside from his appreciation for John, his junior, was even more because of his curiosity.

He also wanted to see what astonishing wisdom this junior—whom Principal Tolovsky, known for his strictness, had personally praised and had exceptionally awarded with the Iron Wreath, an honor received by only nine people in Imperial history—would use to complete such a difficult mission.

"It will surely be quite spectacular!"

Suppressing the anticipation and curiosity in his heart, Jett gave Dormammu a military salute before swiftly leaving the command post.