John Maslow Was Unfathomable

"Finally, they're gone."

In the forest at the edge of the Whistling Plains, John watched the tearful members of the 14th Squad head toward the small hill in the distance. Standing where he was, he finally let out a long breath.

Then, rubbing his sore face, he turned to look at the trench not far away, unable to suppress the excitement rising in his heart.

He knew that the moment he contacted the Allied Forces and formally broke away from the Empire for freedom had finally arrived.

"Come to think of it, in the early days of the Allied Forces camp, weren't the people in charge of the Anti-Magic Device front lines all colonels or above? Although that rank isn't low, it seems like it only counts as a mid-level commander?"

"So even if I finish negotiating my job-hopping deal, I might not be promoted immediately? I'll probably have to wait for approval from above? Tsk, that feels a little unfortunate."

John could not help muttering to himself.

After all, his original plan had been to use his status as a top student after jumping ship to the Allied Forces, make his presence known among the Allied Forces leadership, and casually bring up some tactical theories he had learned from forums in his previous life, so the higher-ups would see him in a different light.

Then he would become an elite backbone of the Allied Forces' middle ranks in one stroke and spend the rest of his life happily loafing around behind the protagonist.

But judging by things now, that plan would most likely fall through.

"But it's not a big problem. As long as I can escape the ending of being destroyed along with the Empire, even if I have to clean toilets for the Allied Forces every day, it's not like I can't accept that!"

Shaking his head and casting aside the distracting thoughts in his heart,

John, already unable to wait to meet his Allied Forces friends, immediately rose from the forest.

Just as he was about to head straight for the trench ahead, he suddenly seemed to remember something. He hurriedly slapped his forehead, then swiftly stripped off his magic pack and Imperial Army uniform.

Damn, I almost forgot I'm still wearing Imperial skin.

If he walked over dressed like this, he was afraid that before he even met the person in charge of this front line, the Allied Forces scouts would shoot him dead.

"Good thing I'm smart, or I would've really screwed myself over."

Still somewhat shaken, John patted his chest. Looking at the Imperial uniform in his hands, he had initially wanted to throw it onto the ground. But when he caught sight of the shoulder insignia made of real gold and the gold-thread-trimmed cuffs, and considered that they would fetch quite a bit of money even if taken apart and sold,

the money-grubbing Warrant Officer John hid it in a bush, then cleverly gathered some branches to cover it up.

Only after making sure that no one passing by would easily discover it did he nod in satisfaction.

Then he casually pulled the dagger from his waist and began making marks on the trunk of a nearby tree.

"John Maslow, what exactly are you doing?"

At the same time, Colonel Jett, leading the Black Eagle Special Forces and using the Phantom Barrier spell to blend into the surrounding scenery, was hidden among distant bushes, secretly observing John's every move through binoculars. He could not help knitting his brows.

The look in his eyes as he watched John also became uncertain.

In fact, ever since John had led the 14th Squad forward at a slow pace, Jett's trust in John Maslow had begun to waver.

And just now, when he saw that the other party had not led the 14th Squad to attack the target location as required by the mission, but had instead apparently said something to the squad members, causing these soldiers loyal to the Empire to give up the idea of attacking and head toward an utterly unremarkable little hill instead,

the suspicion in his heart grew even stronger.

Until he personally witnessed John remove the military uniform symbolizing Imperial honor and return to his current civilian attire,

an absurd and incomparably furious thought uncontrollably surfaced in his mind:

John Maslow, could he be trying to defect?

Otherwise, how could one explain his passive attitude toward the combat mission?

What was more, he had taken off the uniform representing the highest honor of an Imperial soldier right in front of the enemy lines!

The more Jett thought about it, the darker his expression became. His gaze at the distant figure gradually filled with dense killing intent.

The Empire had clearly trusted you so much.

To ensure your safety, General Dormammu had even sent me to secretly protect you all the way.

And in the end, you still chose to betray the Empire?

I thought I would witness the rise of a new Imperial star, but I never expected

that what I would see in the end would be the ugly sight of a traitor begging for mercy before death.

"Truly, how tragic!"

A complicated expression flashed across Jett Slaifute's face. But just as he slowly suppressed the anger in his heart, lowered the binoculars in his hand, and prepared to raise a hand to signal his subordinates beside him to shoot this Imperial traitor,

the next second, seeing John's action through the binoculars, he froze.

This guy was saluting him?

Had he discovered them?

But they were clearly still concealed within the Phantom Barrier. By all rights, he should not have been able to notice even the slightest trace of them!

But if he had not discovered them, why would he make such a baffling saluting gesture?

Could it be that there was another reason why he had ordered the 14th Squad to leave and taken off his uniform?

Watching John in the binoculars salute him with a "loyal" expression, even the battle-hardened Jett Slaifute could not help falling into confusion and bewilderment.

But after a brief hesitation, he still temporarily suppressed the killing intent in his heart and continued scrutinizing John through the binoculars.

Although he did not know how the other party had discovered their hiding place, since John had chosen to face him, his superior, directly, Jett was not unwilling to hear his explanation.

"Ah!" At the same time, completely unaware that he had just walked through the gates of hell, John carved an arrow mark into the tree trunk, then turned to look in the direction from which he had come, his heart filled with emotion.

Honestly, although he had only come to this world two days ago, he had to admit that the Empire treated its soldiers quite well.

According to his memories, even a rookie commander like him, newly arrived on the battlefield, could receive a salary of a full 500D every month.

The full name of D was Dinar, the highest unit of Imperial currency. The exchange rate was roughly 1D (Dinar) = 100E (Eiron) = 1000C (Kornt).

In terms of purchasing power, 1D in a third-tier Imperial city was about enough to cover a normal family of three's daily expenses for a month.

Even in the Imperial capital, a well-located building only cost around 6000D.

What was more, as an Imperial soldier, he was entitled to a great many benefits.

If he had not known that the Empire would inevitably be destroyed under the power of the game's female protagonist, then honestly, John truly would not have wanted to give up such a high-paying job.

But unfortunately, compared with money, his life was still a little more important!

At that thought, John immediately suppressed the reluctance in his heart. After a soft sigh, he rose and gave a military salute toward the road he had come from.

"Goodbye, Empire. Goodbye, my past!"

John used almost unprecedented willpower to pull back his gaze. Just as he was about to move forward and complete his plan to surrender,

a sparrow flew overhead, and a lump of liquid suddenly fell onto the top of his head.

"Hmm? What is this?"

John rubbed his head in confusion. Feeling a sticky sensation on his fingertips, he instinctively rubbed his fingers together.

Then he raised his right hand before his eyes and examined it closely.

"Fuck, where the hell did this bird shit come from?"

"Hmm? This is... tactical sign language? Stay alert and listen? What does that mean?"

At the same time, observing the "tactical hand signal" John had made through the binoculars, Colonel Jett could not help sinking into thought. But after connecting it with John's earlier "strange" actions, he seemed to realize something and suddenly widened his eyes.

"Could it be? Is John trying to tell me that the trench ahead isn't the real location of the Allied Forces' Anti-Magic Device, but a trap specially set to ambush us? Is that why he wants me to stay alert?"

"And does 'listen' mean he wants me to arrange for Reno, who possesses the special Vibration Sense spell within the Black Eagle Special Forces, to investigate and confirm the truth of this intelligence?"

But the abilities and information of the Black Eagle Special Forces members had always been confidential. How did John know about them?

Had the general told him, or had he learned these secrets through some special channel?

Moreover, Reno's spell consumed an enormous amount of magic stones, and after using it, his mana circuits could not be used again for a month. Should he really use such a precious reconnaissance ability on a mission that had already been confirmed?

Jett was deeply shocked, but after only a brief consideration, he immediately issued an order through the communicator.

"Reno, use your detection spell immediately. Check the situation in the trench ahead!"

"Yes, Colonel!"

Upon receiving the order, the bald, muscular man named Reno immediately pressed both hands to the ground without hesitation, closed his eyes, and activated his special spell with all his strength.

Very quickly, a great number of silent microwaves seeped from his palms into the ground. Under his precise control, they rapidly spread toward the trench ahead, transmitting the situation inside into his mind.

In less than ten seconds, Reno opened his eyes again. But after receiving feedback from the spell, his originally calm face swiftly turned incomparably ugly, and even his voice faintly trembled.

"Colonel, something is wrong. The number of enemy soldiers in the trench far exceeds expectations. There are at least a thousand of them, and all of them possess magical auras."

"Also, if my senses are correct, the enemy seems to have set up a special magic-tool device inside the trench in advance."

"The enemy had clearly guessed our surprise attack plan long ago and made preparations beforehand."

"The so-called mission target is nothing but a trap, a trap meant to wipe us all out!"

"What!?"

Hearing this reply, Jett's pupils immediately contracted to the extreme, and even the hand gripping his binoculars trembled.

Combined with the sight he had just seen through the binoculars—John Maslow calmly rubbing his fingers together as though everything were held within his fingertips—

the words General Dormammu had used to evaluate John at the command post that morning exploded beside Colonel Jett's ears like thunder.

"Without a doubt, our Warrant Officer John Maslow is a true genius!"

"A true genius!"

"Genius!"

The intense shock made Jett's throat tighten, and his scalp went numb. Somewhat shaken, he looked through the binoculars in his hand and saw John staring calmly at the trench ahead, his fingers lightly pressing against the tree trunk as though he were deep in thought, considering how to use their unit to completely annihilate the difficult enemy force ahead.

At that moment, Jett Slaifute, this powerful man called the Imperial Black Wing by countless people, could not help feeling toward the nominal subordinate in his binoculars an emotion he himself was unwilling to admit: fear.

John Maslow, this man, was simply unfathomable!

(End of Chapter)