Chapter 17 Can I Apply to Return to the Frontline?

Colonel Phillips walked ahead, with Arthur following closely behind. The surroundings were bustling with soldiers, and after a night's rest, these energetic individuals were becoming active again. The gruesome scene from the previous night seemed like a mere illusion.

"The battlefield is not suitable for you," Colonel Phillips spoke, and Arthur listened silently. "However, your completion of that mission earlier was quite impressive. That damn achievement makes it impossible for me to directly remove you from the military. So, you've been assigned to another place."

Colonel Phillips stopped in his tracks, turned around, and looked at Arthur and Arthur also looked at him with a blank expression on his face.

"Remember my words, don't harbor any illusions of grandeur!" Colonel Phillips sighed, "There are things you might not understand, but remember, I won't harm you. Be careful, be cautious! If there's an opportunity, I'll get you out of this environment… You should live a peaceful life; this kind of lifestyle is not suitable for you."

Arthur wholeheartedly agreed with these words. He preferred staying at home, drinking cola, playing games, and watching movies! But Colonel Phillips' words also left him a bit puzzled. What exactly was going to happen next? Where was he supposed to go?

Perhaps sensing Arthur's confusion, Colonel Phillips, with an unpleasant expression on his face said, "You are appointed as a bodyguard for an important figure."

"Huh?" Arthur widened his eyes and hurriedly asked, "Is he on the battlefield?"

This was what he cared about the most.

"Put away your fantasies. Even if that were the case, I couldn't agree, even if it were a direct order from above!" Colonel Phillips stated authoritatively. "Your upcoming Missions will be all in the rear!"

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief. Watching the mustached and stern Colonel Phillips, he suddenly felt like laughing.

He didn't know the circumstances of his previous 'parents,' but the person in front of him was genuinely trying to keep 'him' away from danger.

"Let's go."

Seeing that Arthur didn't speak again, Colonel Phillips was somewhat surprised. He couldn't find the right words to persuade Arthur, so he turned and continued leading the way.

They arrived at the other side of the camp where a vehicle was waiting.

"Your weapons and equipment are already packed," Colonel Phillips said. "Wait here for a moment; there's another person leaving with you. There's no need for pointless struggles; this is an order! If you truly want to be a good soldier, obeying orders comes first!"

Arthur was speechless. Was he worried that he wouldn't want to go back, and would secretly hide to continue fighting?

'Rest assured, even if you point a gun at my head, I'm not willing to return to this ghost place!'

Arthur's silence surprised Colonel Phillips again. After a moment of silence, he patted Arthur's shoulder and said, "Take care of yourself! I hope, before I die, I won't hear any bad news about you."

After saying that, the old man turned and walked away, his figure straight and brisk.

A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Arthur's mouth. Although this sincere concern was not directed at him, it still felt quite nice.

While waiting by the car, he suddenly heard a loud commotion in the distance.

A soldier shouted, "It must be a ghost! Yes, definitely a ghost! Otherwise, no one can do such a thing!"

"Don't be ridiculous. Could it be that our enemies, after dying, still intend to linger around us? So, they swapped our weapons with theirs? What's the point of doing that? Are we supposed to use their weapons to continue fighting against our own people? That's impossible!"

"How do you explain all forty of our weapons turning into Kar98k and G43? Patrols found nothing unusual, and damn it, those are forty guns! No one can casually stroll around the camp with forty guns, even if they're a Soldier!"

"Okay, okay, let's say you're right. But the higher-ups are already investigating; this is definitely a man-made issue, not some ghostly phenomenon."

As these few people spoke, they walked away and soon disappeared.

Unable to contain his laughter, Arthur thought to himself. Normal people couldn't possibly think of things like spatial bags, let alone the Disassembler Space.

As long as this matter wasn't exposed on the spot, even if the investigation turned everything upside down afterward, it would be useless – it would be left unresolved.

"What are you laughing at?" A familiar voice came from beside him and Arthur turned his head and saw Agent Carter.

"Nothing, just overheard a few guys claiming their guns got replaced with enemy weapons," Arthur chuckled. "It's quite amusing."

"Yeah, there are always various ghost stories and strange tales in the camp."

Agent Carter smiled as she got into the car. "This might be some new horror story. Are you interested in these things?"

Arthur stared at Peggy Carter in astonishment and then looked around. "The person I'm waiting for isn't you, is it?"

"Correct, the person you're waiting for is indeed me."

Agent Carter smiled slightly. "Why don't I sense your anticipation but rather a bit of… panic?"

"Panic to describe a soldier?" Arthur shook his head helplessly, opened the car door, and got in. "So, can you tell me what I'm supposed to do next? Am I going to be a bodyguard for you? Stick close to you 24/7? What should I do when you go to the bathroom or sleep? Demonstrate 'gentlemanly' behavior?"

"Soldier, I don't need anyone's protection."

Agent Carter laughed, "The place we're heading to is called the Strategic Science Reserve. It's a recently established but highly significant department. The person you need to protect is a genuinely important figure…"

"Is it a beauty?"

"No, 'It' is a man!" Agent Carter chuckled, "A middle-aged man."

"Well, from a beauty to a greasy middle-aged man, it seems fantasies are indeed unrealistic," Arthur sighed.

"At least it won't be awkward," Agent Carter said with a smile.

But suddenly, Arthur caught a whiff of something. "Wait a minute… this Strategic Science Reserve… could it be the place where Dr. Erskine is located?"

"Smart!"

Agent Carter smiled slightly as she spoke. "Colonel Phillips hopes you can leave the frontline battlefield, but letting talents like you leave the fight directly would be too great a loss for us. So, this is a compromise – keeping you away from the battlefield while still utilizing your skills. Isn't this good news for all of us? Don't forget, your dream is world peace."

After hearing this, Arthur hesitated for two seconds and asked, "Can I apply to return to the frontline?"