Chapter 340: Shepherd! (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Passes)

"What the hell is this crappy computer, this crappy hard drive?! Why is copying so slow? Is technology in this alternate world really this terrible? How much longer is this going to take? You so-called masterminds, always trying to overthrow world governments—could you at least install a decent SSD in your computers?"

Zhang Yi stared at the fluctuating progress bar, nearly driven mad with impatience.

The enemy's assault was simply too fierce.

If not for his recent downgrade from Regular back to Recruit, he would've already seen the famous quote.

And that file transfer progress bar was pushing him even closer to the edge.

"Grandma crossing the street moves faster than you!"

Ghost blocked the front entrance, refusing to let a single enemy step into the safehouse, while Roach guarded the windows, eliminating any chance of the enemy flanking and launching a sneak attack.

Inside, Roach and Ghost worked seamlessly together—this wasn't their first time fighting alongside each other.

Their previous mission in the Slum had forged a strong tacit understanding between them.

Ghost was also an exceptionally skilled soldier, ranking just below Captain Price and Soap within Task Force 141.

Defending under such extreme pressure, Ghost's voice suddenly cut through, giving Zhang Yi a surge of hope.

"Roach, the transfer is complete!"

"I'll hold the front, you grab the DSM hard drive! We're evacuating—move fast!" Ghost's voice crackled through the earpiece.

At that moment, General Shepherd's communication channel connected.

"I'm approaching the extraction point. What's your status?"

"We're preparing to evacuate. Get ready to pick us up!" Ghost replied, then charged out of the safehouse with Roach, who now carried the DSM hard drive.

Despite being an NPC, Ghost still carried the same presence as in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare—a dependable Big Bro.

Always reliable. You could trust him with your life, hand over your back without hesitation, and he'd never let you down.

"Big Bro, after this mission, I'm buying you drinks!" Zhang Yi shouted with deep sense of immersion, looking at Ghost beside him, his heart warmed.

This kind of NPC teammate was something he'd never encountered in all his years of gaming.

All he'd ever met before were pig teammates—including Old Song!

Though, from the other side, perhaps others thought the same about him.

Zero and Scarecrow had already fallen in battle, but under Toad and Sharpshooter's cover, they still held a slight firepower advantage.

Brothers Roach and Ghost covered each other, fighting and retreating together.

Along the way, more teammates fell, but despite their desire to help, they were too far away—powerless to turn the tide.

They themselves were like clay figures crossing a river—barely surviving.

Breaking through the forest into an open field, suddenly the sky erupted with artillery.

Massive explosions tore around them, shells raining down like dumplings boiling in a pot.

Then, a precision shell detonated right beside Roach. Zhang Yi's screen jolted violently, then instantly flooded with red.

"Damn it! Roach!" Zhang Yi shouted in panic, a wave of dread washing over him.

From the first-person view, he clearly saw Roach being blown into the air.

The screen turned deep crimson, everything blurred, only the sounds of explosions and Roach's labored breathing echoing in his ears.

Then, a pair of hands clad in tactical gloves grabbed him.

Through the haze, a face appeared—wearing headphones and a skull mask.

"Roach! I've got you! Hold on!"

Yes—Ghost!

Even in this hellish situation, Ghost hadn't abandoned Roach.

Just like Griggs who once carried Soap across the bridge.

Ghost dragged Roach forward while firing, shouting through his tactical earpiece:

"T21! I've deployed a red smoke grenade in the forest! That's your target—prepare to attack!"

"T21! Engage now!"

"Roach, hold on!"

His vision cleared slightly. Zhang Yi, dazed, saw enemies swarming the hills. Behind Ghost, more hostiles emerged.

Gripping his weapon, Zhang Yi quickly aimed and opened fire.

Bullets streaked like meteors past them, striking the dirt and sending clods of earth flying.

Beside him, Ghost clung tightly to Roach, moving and shooting simultaneously.

"Roach, persevere!"

"We're almost there!"

"Just a little longer!"

Roach said nothing, only firing relentlessly at the enemies behind them.

Finally, two attack helicopters arrived, unleashing a barrage on the pursuing forces.

Under such overwhelming firepower, the enemy finally began to retreat.

"We're safe!"

Seeing the Golden Eagle fighter jets ahead, Zhang Yi exhaled in relief.

Then, the pilot issued an order: "Use thermal imaging to scan for snipers. Over."

The attack helicopter's side door opened. From inside stepped Shepherd, surveying the two battered soldiers.

"Did you retrieve the intel?" he asked.

Without hesitation, Ghost nodded. "Yes, sir!"

"Good. Mission accomplished."

With that, he raised his revolver and fired point-blank into Roach's chest.

"Bang!"

In an instant—completely unexpected—everything happened too fast.

All sound seemed to vanish.

Roach stared in disbelief at the officer before him, his body collapsing uncontrollably.

Ghost beside him was momentarily taken aback, then instinctively raised his weapon—but Shepherd was ready. In one smooth motion, he swung the revolver and fired at Ghost.

"Bang!"

The bullet pierced Ghost's heart, spraying a crimson arc.

Shepherd stepped forward, retrieving the hard drive from Roach's hand. The dying Roach, barely clinging to life, stared in horror as Shepherd slowly raised his hand—perhaps to question him—but no words came out.

Shepherd merely glanced coldly at Roach on the ground, then turned and walked away. Shadow Company operatives nearby acknowledged the order.

"Snipers eliminated."

At that moment, Roach finally understood—the so-called snipers weren't the enemy. It was Toad and Sharpshooter!

Then, two of Shepherd's men stepped forward, lifting Roach and Ghost and tossing them into a shallow dirt pit.

They had crossed the Slum together, broken out of the Gulag, fought side by side in safehouses.

All along, they were brothers who could entrust their lives to one another.

No matter how great the hardship or danger, they had overcome it.

Nothing seemed impossible.

As Captain Price once said—nothing could stop Task Force 141.

They were the world's most elite soldiers. Yet they didn't fall on the battlefield, but at the hands of General Shepherd—the very man they had always trusted.

As gasoline drenched their bodies, Captain Price's voice crackled through the tactical earpiece—a warning arriving too late.

"Ghost! Ghost, respond!"

"We've been attacked by Shepherd's men at the Afghan Scrapyard—it's a trap! Don't trust Shepherd! Soap, prone!"

"Ghost! Roach! I repeat—don't trust Shepherd!"

Captain Price's voice faded into silence.

The screen blurred.

On the ground, drenched in gasoline, the two soldiers lay lifeless.

Shepherd took a deep drag from his cigar, thick smoke swirling into the air.

Then, with a gentle flick of his finger—just as Price and Soap had once done—he let the cigar drop.

It landed on Ghost and Roach.

Instantly, roaring flames engulfed them both.

Ghost: Simon Riley.

Roach: Gary Sanderson.

Curtain close.

Outside the game, Zhang Yi was absolutely furious.

Unable to contain himself any longer, he roared:

"Shepherd! You jerk!"

<>