This World Is Quite Sick

"Wait at home for Matt's news. I need to meet two survivors... they witnessed a rampaging orangutan near the Acre Mountains last night."

"I suspect it's a bioweapon developed by Umbrella Corporation—a Tyrant!"

Kevin's expression shifted upon hearing this, his face contorting strangely. "Those two survivors... they aren't by any chance named Leon and Claire? A man and a woman?"

The female officer, wearing a camisole and light blue hot pants, stopped pulling open the door and turned around in surprise.

"What a coincidence, they weren't the only witnesses last night..."

Kevin took a deep breath, weighed his options, and seriously suggested, "I'll go with you. Maybe I can help."

The risk of being captured by Umbrella to go out was indeed steep, but it was worth it!

Raccoon City in the early morning was still filled with a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere, giving no hint of the impending disaster.

Although there were occasional routine checks by Umbrella Corporation, the soldiers didn't put up much of a fight against the few remaining troublemakers in S.T.A.R.S., only conducting a token inspection.

Kendo Gun Shop! This is it! Jill executed a beautiful drift with her black SUV, pulling into the gun shop's garage.

"Sister Jill!" As soon as the female officer parked the car, Emma, the gun shop owner Robert's daughter, came bouncing into Jill's arms, cheering affectionately.

"Come in quickly..." The bearded man in a yellow and black striped work shirt pushed open the side door and approached. After looking around to make sure no one was there, he beckoned to Jill.

The female officer nodded slightly, dragged a large travel suitcase from the trunk, and hauled it through the side door into the basement.

Owner Robert confirmed the surroundings once more, closed the shop, and put up a "Closed" sign. He then picked up the freshly brewed coffee and walked into the basement.

Meanwhile, the rookie cop Leon, looking somewhat nervous and wary, and the girl searching for her brother, Claire, sat at the table, feeling uneasy.

Jill pulled over a chair and sat down. She casually opened the travel suitcase, and a dark figure suddenly burst out of the confined space, gasping for air.

"I was suffocating! I thought you were going to murder me!" Kevin, who had been stuffed into the suitcase and transported all the way, was finally freed and impatiently stretched his limbs.

This scene attracted the curious gaze of the little girl Emma, but she was eventually won over by a plush toy Kevin gave her as a gift, and quickly became affectionate with him.

When his gaze fell upon the young man and woman in the corner, looking somewhat shocked, Kevin smiled and waved, greeting them.

"Yo, you two are here too. Looks like we'll have plenty to catch up on."

"With me, you have nothing to worry about. Umbrella can't reach my territory."

Gun shop owner Robert walked down the stairs, his words full of dominance. He then placed several cups of hot coffee in front of everyone and led away his daughter Emma, who was clinging to Jill.

Jill added sugar and creamer to her coffee in appropriate amounts, stirred gently, and pondered, explaining to everyone the reason for choosing this location as their meeting point.

"Robert is a master at modifying firearms and is responsible for supplying our S.T.A.R.S. team's weapons. He can be absolutely trusted!"

Leon and Claire, unable to fully grasp the unfolding events, nodded subconsciously, then their eyes became vacant again, unsure how the conversation would proceed.

"I'll explain the current situation: I got my friend Sergeant Peyton to pull you out of the police station's holding cells."

"As for the reason, on one hand, I'm a colleague of Claire's brother, Chris. We both belong to S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team, and I have an obligation to ensure your safety. On the other hand, I..."

Jill glanced at a certain person sitting calmly beside her, paused slightly, and reorganized her words.

"...to be precise, it's we who are very interested in your experiences last night."

It seems I've been recognized by this police officer. Good, a great start. Kevin's lips curved into a smile.

But in an instant, as the other pair continued their account of last night's events, Kevin's expression grew increasingly grim.

ps: In the game, the gun shop owner's daughter Emma was infected with the T-Virus. The owner couldn't bear to kill his daughter, and in the end, a gunshot echoed, leaving a suspenseful and tragic ending.

Speaking of which, doesn't it feel like if the original protagonist Leon hadn't gone, these NPCs would have all survived...

What can I say? As expected of Li San Guang.

Section 15 Chapter Fifteen: Beating Up Parents (Second Update)

"Someone broke into the underground Hive's core laboratory last night, intending to steal T-Virus samples and genetic weapon research data?"

As Claire and Leon relayed the secret they had accidentally overheard to Kevin, a gloomy light flickered in the boy's eyes.

Something definitely went wrong with Alice!

Although he didn't know the cause, he guessed she had already been controlled.

It's a mess! Everything is a mess! The current chaotic plot progression gave the prescient Kevin a severe headache.

And his worry for Alice grew.

But at this moment, he had to remain calm, because when confronting Umbrella Corporation, the disparity in strength between the two sides was too great.

If he wanted to rescue Alice, he couldn't afford to make a single mistake, and it was clear he no longer had the luxury of a do-over.

While Kevin was frowning in thought, Claire also learned from Jill that her brother Chris had safely gone to the UK to investigate genetic weapons, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Subsequently, Leon and Jill, his senior in the police force, exchanged information about the mutants and gained a general understanding of what they were facing.

"Why not report this to the Chief?"

The rookie, not understanding the situation, asked in confusion. He clearly didn't suspect the RPD's integrity.

"Director Alons is filled with the oil and water supplied by Umbrella Corporation. Do you think it was someone else who sold the movements of S.T.A.R.S. to Umbrella?"

Kevin took out a blank A4 sheet of paper, patiently explained the reason while writing "RPD" with a ballpoint pen, then crossed it out.

The water in Raccoon City's police department runs too deep! It was the most heavily infiltrated by Umbrella, making it impossible to seek aid from there.

Moreover, Director Alons, a man who outwardly appeared to be a champion of justice and a friendly figure, was secretly a pervert who enjoyed making and collecting specimens.

And these specimens included humans!

"What about Mayor Warren?" Leon, filled with dreams of justice, naturally couldn't believe that Raccoon City harbored such deep corruption.

"The city's large-scale construction required the mayor's personal approval. Do you think he wouldn't be aware of some of Umbrella Corporation's unusual private dealings?"

Kevin wrote down the mayor's name, but didn't cross it out immediately.

Although Mayor Warren turned a blind eye to Umbrella Corporation's illicit construction for the sake of his political achievements, he hadn't directly participated in Umbrella's human experiments like Director Alons. He still retained some moral boundaries, making him a potential target for persuasion.

Most importantly, this Raccoon City official had a fatal weakness that, if exploited at the right time, could shake Umbrella Corporation's overt influence.

For now, it was best not to engage him.

"Then who can we trust?" Leon asked, feeling somewhat defeated. He didn't understand why he couldn't do the right thing since arriving in Raccoon City.

A moment later, Kevin raised the A4 paper. His expression was calm and composed, and the blank space had been filled with a clear relationship map.

Within Raccoon City's military, police, and government departments, the surviving S.T.A.R.S. members, Jill's military friends, Leon, Claire, and even the mayor whose stance was still unclear, were all potential allies...

Within Umbrella Corporation, the missing Alice, Lisa who was on the run, and Dr. Charles, who was clearly dissatisfied with Umbrella, could also be persuaded...

As for external support, the unknown forces represented by Ada Wong and his own BSAA might still hold some exploitable value...

This clear and concise map of forces had untangled the complex situation in Raccoon City, leaving the three of them deep in thought.

However, to minimize unnecessary trouble, he had assigned the identity of a well-known FBI agent to Sister Wang.

With a concrete direction, the process and objectives also became foreseeable.

Kevin and Jill spoke openly about the various bioweapons possessed by Umbrella Corporation. The boy, who had relevant memories, even added the advantages and disadvantages of these different types of mutants.

The mission to win over more people to join the fight against Umbrella Corporation also became feasible with everyone's input.

"Everyone, even if you plan to save the world, you need to have lunch first. Mary makes great barbecue patties and vegetable soup."

Just as the four of them were engrossed in their heated discussion, Robert, the gun shop owner, led his daughter Emma and brought the prepared meal to the table where they were gathered.

Kevin and the others snapped back to reality, their hunger reminding them of the need to replenish their energy.

However, the other three instinctively turned their questioning gazes to the youngest man at the table, as if waiting for him to make the decision.

The insight and planning he had displayed earlier, coupled with Jill's endorsement, had subtly positioned Kevin as the leader of their small group.

"Let's all dig in. Saving Raccoon City is important, but there's always time for meals."

Kevin's half-joking, half-relaxed tone gradually eased the tension in the other three's hearts, and they began to enjoy the meal served by the shop owner.

After a few bites, Jill gently patted the head of the young girl, Emma.

Then, with a pensive look, she walked into the storage room next to the stairs. Facing Robert, who was busy preparing their meal, the female officer felt a surge of guilt.

"Robert, I'm sorry for dragging you into this..."

The shop owner stopped washing dishes, slowly turned around, his voice low and his expression solemn, with a hint of comfort.

"Jill, it's not your fault. Kenneth, Edward, Foster... many people have died..."

"Those who are alive must continue to live; it's not shameful, but we owe it to these old friends to give them some closure."

For Robert, the shop owner, he had maintained good relationships with almost every member of the S.T.A.R.S. team.

Being able to work on his firearm modifications for their weapons had always been one of Robert's few joys in life.

Having known them for so long, he felt he should do something for these old friends.

"The crisis Raccoon City is about to face is far more serious than I imagined. I'll arrange for you and Emma to leave here as soon as possible."

"At the airport, I'll speak with Sergeant Peyton and ask him to reserve a spot for you to leave Raccoon City."

Jill pulled out a ladies' cigarette, put it in her mouth, and tilted her head, using the flame from Robert's palm to light it before taking a deep drag of nicotine.

"Jill..." The shop owner was touched.

The female officer skillfully flicked ash with her fingers, her expression solemn. "Don't refuse. This is the only thing I can do for an old friend."

Robert nodded slightly. "Alright then. In a couple of days, I'll close the shop and take my daughter on a vacation to the UK for a while..."

"By tomorrow night at the latest!" Jill patted her old friend's shoulder and took another deep drag of her cigarette.

The nicotine stimulated her drowsy mind, making her feel even more awake. The female officer then turned and left the storage room.

Just as Jill stepped out the side door, she saw Kevin slowly putting down a black phone. The screen displayed a string of encrypted characters, causing his expression to change drastically.

"It's a distress signal! Matt was intercepted by an Umbrella Squad and is trapped near the homeless camp about 1.5 kilometers from Raccoon City."

"What's the plan?" Jill's expression turned grim. The situation was indeed developing in a worse direction.

Kevin's face was somewhat somber, and he didn't give a direct answer, as this wasn't the worst possible outcome.

The incident occurred 1.5 kilometers from Raccoon City, in a relatively open terrain, making it easy for Umbrella Squads from within the city to quickly provide support and intercept. It was like a hunting ground designed for capture!

A strong sense of danger permeated from the encrypted characters.

"This fight will require enough manpower. I'll contact the S.T.A.R.S. survivors right away!"

Jill frowned when Kevin didn't respond for a long time, preparing to move up the plan to contact surviving teammates.

"If you want to win, you have to learn to attack, not just defend, understand?"

Kevin placed a hand on Jill's shoulder, then picked up the clear and concise relationship chart with his other hand. He flicked it with his finger, his originally gloomy expression gradually brightening.

"If we just fight a brawl with these brats under Umbrella, what will be the outcome?"

"At times like this, you should beat up the parents first!"

The three fell into confusion, unable to understand.

"By the way, Emma, you still have to go to Raccoon City Elementary School this afternoon, right?" Kevin turned and asked the little girl beside him with a smile.

After receiving an affirmative answer, a dark and cunning smile bloomed from the corner of the boy's lips.

ps1: Note: Leon, also known as Li San Guang. San Guang means "kill all monsters, charm all beauties, and betray all teammates." It is a nickname given by players to the protagonist Leon S. Kennedy in the Resident Evil game series. In addition, he also has the honorary titles of "Vehicle Killer" and "Bystander Nemesis."

ps2: Preparing for some fancy moves. Also, thanks to all the friends who signed in yesterday. I didn't expect so many people to be reading. Thank you.

I will continue to work hard on updating. By the way, if anyone is familiar with Resident Evil, could you write a long review?

Section 16 Chapter Sixteen Want to See? (Bonus)

"Girl, help me pass on a message. After the mission is complete, I'll reward you with a Häagen-Dazs ice cream cone!"

Kevin crouched down, patted Emma's little head, and proposed the trade with a smile.

The little girl swallowed. After getting her father's approval, she eagerly nodded in response, "I want strawberry flavor!"

Kevin smiled and bumped fists with Emma, sealing the deal, and then whispered something in her ear.