sbdcsierra Chapter 331 The Grim Reaper's Choice
Chapter 331 The Grim Reaper's Choice
Beijing, Command Center No. 1.
Li Zhenguo stood ramrod straight as he listened quietly to the hoarse yet steady voice coming from the communicator.
"This is 'Death'."
"Calling, Commander-in-Chief."
In that instant, the entire command center seemed to freeze, as if all the air had been sucked out. Everyone froze, staring incredulously at their commander-in-chief.
grim Reaper?
The Chinese "variable" they judged to have died a heroic death alongside General Marcus and the "Death Squad" in Zone Zero?
Is he... still alive?
Moreover, he calls himself "Death"?
Was he calling out "Commander-in-Chief"?
Countless questions, like bombs, exploded in everyone's minds.
Li Zhenguo ignored the surprised and uncertain gazes behind him; his heart skipped a beat. But his battle-hardened willpower allowed him to instantly regain control of his emotions.
He knew that the "right time" that He Yuzhu had mentioned had arrived.
"I am Li Zhenguo." His voice, transmitted clearly through the encrypted line, was steady, powerful, and without the slightest wavering. "Please state your identity."
He needs confirmation.
He needed to be absolutely certain who the person opposite him was.
Was it the "variable" they sent out? Or... someone else entirely?
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the communication.
Then, that hoarse voice rang out again.
"Code name: 'Variable'. Mission: Assist Marcus's team in destroying 'Leviathan Heart'."
"Mission complete."
"General Marcus and the 'Death' squad are all dead."
"I am the only survivor."
"Now, I have inherited General Marcus's code name and identity."
"North American Theater, 'Death' Task Force, Commander: Marcus."
This series of answers was clear and accurate, and every piece of information perfectly matched the intelligence held by the command center.
A chorus of barely suppressed gasps erupted from the command center.
It's him!It's really him!
Not only did he survive, but he also claimed to be Marcus? What is he up to?
Li Zhenguo's pupils contracted slightly.
He got it.
This is no longer a simple "variable".
That gentleman's plan was far more far-reaching and far... audacious than he had imagined!
He's trying to pull off a stunt!
"General Marcus," Li Zhenguo began slowly, changing his form of address to match the other man's, "It's a pleasure to hear your voice again. We all thought you had already..."
"I'm dead." The voice on the other end interrupted him. "The old Marcus is dead. He and his squad died in that pit."
"Now, I am just an avenger carrying their last wishes."
"I have something in my hand."
"I think the Commander-in-Chief would be very interested."
Li Zhenguo's heart skipped a beat again.
key!
He was almost certain that the other person was referring to the "ignition key"!
"What is it?" Li Zhenguo pretended not to know and continued to ask.
"It's the 'key' that will determine the future of this world." Marcus's voice was completely honest. "The 'examiner' handed it to me."
He said that the key belonged to the Supreme Commander of the North American Theater.
These words caused an uproar throughout the entire command center!
"What? He has the key?"
"The proctor gave it to him personally? What... what's going on?"
"Why didn't he hand the keys over to the White House? Why did he contact us instead?"
Everyone's face was filled with confusion and shock.
Li Zhenguo's mind was racing.
He seems to understand a little.
The proctor, Jian Wuchen, is one of the master's men.
He handed the key to "Variable," which is now "Marcus."
Then, "Marcus" contacted himself again.
This was not an accident at all; it was a perfectly planned handover!
Sir, in a way that no one could have imagined, you have firmly handed over this "key" that could ignite a global conflict to China!
No, to be more precise, it was handed over to Li Zhenguo.
"Then why did you contact me?" Li Zhenguo asked the most crucial question. "According to the agreement, the supreme commander of the North American theater should be the President."
He needs a reason.
One reason that could make this call "reasonable".
One reason that can silence the criticisms of the White House.
"Because he no longer deserves it."
For the first time, Marcus's voice carried a cold, angry tone.
"Just now, he ordered me to cooperate with the 'Sky Dome Martial Alliance.' He called those executioners who slaughtered our compatriots 'helpers'!"
"He's gone mad, for that damned star map, for his ridiculous 'Great Revival'!"
"I cannot hand over the future that my brothers risked their lives for to such a madman!"
"I absolutely cannot treat the lives of hundreds of millions of Americans as chips on his gambling table!"
"Commander-in-Chief!" Marcus's voice became extremely solemn.
"I, Marcus, as a soldier of the United States of America, as the only S-class combatant in the North American Theater."
"I request a temporary suspension of my supreme military command from the White House!"
"I request that the 'Earth Alliance Command' directly take over all military operations in the North American theater!"
"I request to speak with you directly!"
"I am willing to hand over the 'key'."
"But I need a promise."
"A promise that can bring true survival to my people!"
……
at the same time.
Washington, D.C., the White House, and the underground bunker.
The President, facing a busy signal, was hysterically roaring through his communicator.
"Connect me! Reconnect me! Damn it! Marcus! You traitor! How dare you hang up on me!"
He slammed the communicator hard onto the ground, shattering it into pieces.
"What happened?! Why did the 'Blood Axe' warship explode?! Can anyone tell me what happened?!"
The entire fortress was deathly silent.
All the staff and generals lowered their heads, remaining silent as if trembling in fear.
They had just witnessed that cataclysmic scene firsthand through a backup satellite.
That interstellar warship was their source of pride, their biggest trump card to surpass China.
Just like that, without any warning, it split open from the middle.
Then, it exploded into a fireball, even more dazzling than the sun.
Nobody knows what happened.
All the detectors malfunctioned in that instant.
All they knew was that the top mercenaries they had hired at great expense, along with their invincible warship, vanished into thin air within ten minutes of entering Zone Zero.
"Report...Reporting, Mr. President..." A technical official stood up, trembling. "We...we have just intercepted a very weak, encrypted communication signal..."
"What signal?!" The president charged forward like an enraged lion.
"Signal source...from deep within Zone Zero. Receiving party...yes, yes, Beijing, Command Center One..."
The president's pupils instantly shrank to the size of pinpoints.
He stared intently at the red line on the screen, the line that indicated the direction of the signal.
On one end was General Marcus, whom he had just placed high hopes on.
On the other end was the man he hated and feared most—the Eastern man.
A chilling cold, penetrating to the bone, instantly swept over his entire body.
He finally understood.
From beginning to end, he was just a clown.
A pitiful clown who was completely fooled and manipulated.
"Traitor...traitor!!"
"Mr. President," came a desperate, angry roar.
He felt as if his world had collapsed.