Infinite Progress, Starting with Arasaka

Over the years, Vera has spared no effort. With her leadership of Umbrella's North American California branch as the core, she has expanded into emerging industries such as prosthetics, intelligent control, semiconductors, and electronic information, while also making significant strides in transforming towards the military industry.

Under the leadership of Derek C. Simmons, after her Umbrella USA California branch obtained industry qualification certificates recognized by the Pentagon and the Department of Justice, regardless of whether other large factories and workshops had been built or if high-tech next-generation weaponry from Arasaka and other Cyberpunk worlds had been put into production, the framework was established and positions were secured.

Such as bullets of various calibers, stun grenades, gas grenades, smoke grenades...

These are technologies with relatively low technical content, yet they are indispensable.

Vera, utilizing her experience and technical parameters from the Cyberpunk world and leveraging Umbrella's own influence, was the first to penetrate the California market.

She infiltrated police departments, shooting ranges, shooting competition organizers, rifle associations, and veterans' associations, often offering them as gifts. She wasn't seeking profit; with the market for drones, intelligent control technology, semiconductors, and Generation 0 basic prosthetics as her backing, her California branch would make money elsewhere.

First, secure a foothold and open up avenues.

The American soldiers were discussing amongst themselves. The technical sergeant who had quickly mastered drone operation walked over to the general and said meaningfully, "Umbrella's technical reserves are very sufficient. This consumer-grade drone is completely adequate as a single-soldier reconnaissance equipment, and..."

"Its future modification potential is immense, whether it's for mounting bombs for controlled drops or for use as a suicide drone..."

The general nodded. Regardless of Umbrella's original intentions in designing and producing this thing, with modifications, it does have strong tactical effects.

As long as drone technology continues to develop, its future prospects are predictable.

"The feedback from the grassroots units on the batches of reconnaissance drones procured last quarter has been positive. The Chief of Staff highly values the position of drones as emerging equipment in future battlefields."

The general gently extended his hand and shook Vera's lightly.

"Dr. Russell is indeed a renowned expert in intelligent control technology and ergonomics today. In just a few short years, it has iterated to this extent."

He paused and then tentatively asked, "Doctor, military use is different from civilian use. It still needs to undergo more rigorous testing to adapt to the complex environments of the battlefield. Perhaps you could help us in the military further improve this lovely little thing."

Where there is civilian use, there is naturally military use.

To reach the rank of general in the USA, having such foresight is fundamental.

Vera had already shown him so many drone accessories; with a few additions and modifications, they could easily transition from civilian to military use.

"Furthermore, regarding the large-scale sale of such semi-tactical items to the public, if they fall into the hands of malicious criminals, will it not affect social stability and public safety?"

Vera smiled charmingly.

What are they even saying? How many products on sale in America are 100% safe? This problem will probably never be solved, not even until death. Are they going to ban sales?

Ultimately, Vera deflected the topic with statements like, "the hypothetical conditions are insufficient," "we at Umbrella have absolutely no such intentions," "please believe in our integrity and bottom line," and "we trust the law enforcement agencies."

In short, it was deferred for further discussion.

It meant further discussion, further research, further consultation, further consideration, further comparison, further thought, further observation, further looking, further thinking, and further waiting, waiting, waiting...

OK, that matter was over.

The group continued their tour of the production line, with questions and answers flowing, and the atmosphere became lively again.

"If I recall correctly, isn't the sole founding elder of your company British?"

As if by chance, after touring the production workshop for large unmanned aerial vehicles, the general, while listening to the guide continue to introduce the parameters, looked at Vera and suddenly asked.

"Chairman Spencer is a British noble."

Stopping her steps, Vera instantly understood the implication, her expression remaining calm.

"But I grew up in America, and the Black Umbrella department I'm in charge of is in America. The vast majority of my employees are American citizens, and in the future, more Umbrella industrial parks will rise on California land, and even on land in other states."

Seemingly satisfied with the answer, the general just chuckled, a smile appearing on his slightly plump face.

"Umbrella, if managed by Dr. Russell, will surely go further."

Vera's lips curved slightly upwards, "Thank you for your kind words."

The tour concluded.

The Pentagon ordered the full range of drone products from Umbrella's California branch.

Consumer-grade, competition-grade, professional-grade, large aerial platforms, and other series. As expected of the wealthy and powerful US military, all series started at three-digit figures and above. This was just the initial trial deployment in 1998 when drones were first adopted.

Unlike the experimental batch purchases from some time ago, this order represented a long-term cooperation.

Large-scale orders would be placed annually, even increasing year by year. It would be separately listed in the year-end congressional consultations and defense budget requests.

Everyone was happy.

Vera escorted the Pentagon delegation out of the industrial park. Dedicated personnel would then escort them to the hotel cooperating with Umbrella for accommodation, where they would be treated to good food and drinks. Everyone is human, not that busy, so why not enjoy some entertainment before returning to Washington?

Snap. Snap.

Returning to her office in the industrial park, Vera tapped her fingertips idly on the desk, looking at the Pentagon's order contracts and cooperative service qualification certificates. The polite smile on her face slowly disappeared.

"As expected, the prosthetic industry has too much vested interest with the semiconductor, intelligent control, and electronic information industries. Umbrella is not only being targeted by the antitrust bureau, but even Washington, which has a father-son relationship with the British, can't sit still."

Umbrella is the leader in the global medical industry, so Washington tolerated it.

But now, Vera had created Umbrella's Black Umbrella department.

Its functions cover prosthetics, intelligent control, weaponry, semiconductors, electronic products, and several other emerging industries, all at world-leading levels. Its scale has been visibly growing year by year, and the officials in Washington are starting to feel uneasy.

If not for the internal division of Umbrella into 'Four Umbrellas' with clear factions, coupled with its powerful political lobbying groups and legal teams, Spencer himself, even if confined to a wheelchair, would have been summoned to attend antitrust hearings.

The more successful Vera became, the more Washington would want to break up Umbrella, or at least break up USA Umbrella.

It was only a matter of time.

Drake C. Simmons could only delay, not prevent, and besides, he probably welcomed the breakup of Umbrella.

'Disembarkation' is this year.

Vera frowned slightly, leaning back in her executive chair, adjusting to a comfortable sitting position. She stretched out her long legs and spread open the Colorado newspaper she had ordered.

In a corner of the newspaper, in inconspicuous text, it read: "Raccoon City is experiencing a series of murders. The RPD (Raccoon City Police Department) has announced that it will definitely eradicate this satanic cult..."

September 20, 1998

The news was severely delayed, undoubtedly suppressed by Umbrella.

"Soon," a strange sense of stimulation and urgency rose from Vera's chest, and she gently rubbed her temples.

The time to break away from Umbrella had matured.

This wasn't Arasaka. Oswell E. Spencer, that old geezer, was useless now.

She, Vera, had been more than dutiful to Spencer and the Umbrella board over the years.

Cultivation?

Not much. She wasn't a superior product of the 'Wesker Project'; she was a naturally emerging wild genius who happened to join Umbrella.

For their investment, she had always returned several, even tens of times, the amount.

Let alone Western universal values of freedom, even in the East, Vera's current actions of establishing her own business and changing jobs were morally impeccable.

Moreover, Umbrella itself was not clean. The T-Virus project, the G-Virus project, B.O.W. biological weapons... and the impending Raccoon City biohazard, she had ten thousand reasons to leave in a huff.

From the moment she entered Umbrella, Vera had been preparing to run.

Whether in Umbrella's board meetings or private product launches, she had expressed her opposition to the company's unlimited investment of vast sums of money and experimental materials into biological research, showing no hesitation in her critical and disdainful attitude.

She believed the company's strategic direction was wrong, and her proposed direction was correct. The company was clinging to the past, favoring unrealistic excessive medical treatment.

After years of performance, anyone paying attention to Umbrella knew that Director Vera of the Black Umbrella division was a genius, a great contributor to Umbrella's transformation and expansion, and also the highest-ranking executive within the company most dissatisfied with the board's old, established strategy.

There were no old timers in Umbrella who weren't dissatisfied, but Vera could make money.

No one would refuse money.

Fine, she'd just humor the old ancestor.

At the same time, many Umbrella insiders, influenced by Vera, thought about it carefully... Hiss... It seemed to make some sense.

How much resources had the company invested in those forbidden fields of biological viruses over the years? The results were few and far between.

If it weren't for the end of the Cold War in '91, and the lucky acquisition of stable T-Virus-adapted subjects by accepting decommissioned military officers from Eastern Europe, wouldn't the results have been zero?

Looking at it this way, the future of 'Machinery Ascends' described by Vera was undoubtedly more credible.

Eternal life was too far-fetched to mention, but extending lifespan and maintaining health by replacing cybernetic limbs and artificial organs was tangible.

A large number of people who had previously supported virology thus chose to switch their allegiance and moved under Vera's 'Black Umbrella' faction.

What about Spencer?

She would continue to watch.

Perhaps in his youth, Spencer was not only sinister and ruthless but also extremely wise and decisive, but now, for the dream of eternal life, the old geezer had gone mad.

Vera knew Spencer's true face very well.

Don't look at how imposing the old geezer was in the board meetings, how he controlled everything, how he had spread such a large net globally, as if playing a profound game with unfathomable schemes. In reality, the root was simple: he was playing this big game just to extend his own life.

Therefore, he supported Vera's cybernetics project;

He also supported William Birkin's T and G projects.

He even poured the money Vera earned into William Birkin's huge black hole. This was partly due to sunk costs, and partly because he himself was hooked by William Birkin's grand promises, trapped by his obsession, and had become senile.

Tap... tap...

Her fingers lightly tapped the desk. Having figured it out, Vera finally fixed her gaze on the red and white umbrella-shaped logo in the corner of her desk.

Most likely this year, these Umbrella logos would be erased by her.

"Umbrella's name will definitely be unusable after it becomes notorious... Ah, I've got it." A flash of inspiration struck her, and Vera's lips curled into a slight smile. She took out a notebook from the drawer and began to sketch with colored pencils.

Rustle.

MILITECH.

And a new logo, black with yellow stripes, a V shape nested within a square, appeared on the paper.

"Militech," she said.

Uttering the word, a formidable light flashed in Vera's eyes.

The vehicle production and manufacturing workshops must be put into production as soon as possible, both Arasaka's and Militech's. Obtaining old and outdated models would not be difficult given her status as a high-level executive at Arasaka Security.

The cybernetics industry also needed to accelerate its iteration.

The implant devices she designed and manufactured, which were currently on the market, were mainly used to replace missing or damaged limbs and organs.

That is, limbs, artificial heart valves, vertebrae—these were all intended to save patients' lives or enable them to work normally after suffering severe physical trauma.

In the definition of the Cyberpunk world, these are considered Generation 0 cyberware.

Vera needed to manufacture true Generation 1, and even Generation 2 and 3 cyberware to arm her private bodyguards.

At the same time, she also needed to accelerate the integration of some of Umbrella's private armed forces, preferably a few U.S.S. special operations units. As for the integration of U.S.F. guard units, she had been doing that for a long time.

Arasaka series weapons had already been produced on a small scale, and Vera had delivered them to the U.S.F. guard units under her control.

Thoughts surged.

Just as Vera was constantly pondering how to more conveniently extract more benefits from the soon-to-collapse Umbrella, knock knock...

"Come in."

"Director Russell, there's a man who wants to see you. He says he has important information to deliver, something of great significance, company insider information." The secretary entered with a strange expression, reporting with some doubt.

"Huh?"

Vera was taken aback.

"What's his name?"

"He said his name is Chris Redfield."

Chapter 026: Chris, Let's Go Back to Raccoon City (Combined)

Night.

Deep forest.

Eerie mansion.

The corpses of her comrades, Kevin Dooley, were mangled, their faces gnawed, their torsos torn apart in horrific states.