This World Is Seriously Ill

Sam mentally encouraged himself while using his peripheral vision to observe the two "thugs" behind him.

However, the male officer seemed to have prepared for this. He crouched down, pulled a tactical knife from his belt, and skillfully destroyed the GPS tracking device using the cover of a blind spot.

He had long heard that American school buses had five-star safety ratings—not only tough enough to crush a Hummer but also equipped with GPS tracking devices.

But since Jill and the others were police officers, it wasn't a problem for them to privately access the school bus blueprints.

What a cautious little one, the female agent Ada thought, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.

The colleague before her had evolved from a fresh rookie into a cunning little fox, meticulous in his thinking and leaving no loose ends along the way, constantly challenging her perceptions and preconceptions.

As the school bus neared the city's edge, the children seemed to sense something, and an uneasy stir rippled through the group.

At that moment, the friendly older brother officer let out a sinister grin, suddenly revealing his "true colors."

"Alright, kids, time for a ghost story! Now, it's robbery time!"

"Hand over all the snacks in your hands and backpacks immediately! Candy, chocolate, cookies... no hiding contraband! One by one!"

The children stared with wide, confused eyes, frozen in their seats.

Yet the male officer actually pulled out a tote bag with a straight face and started collecting the kids' hidden snacks from the front row.

Monster! Ada covered her face with her hand, unable to bear watching Kevin's antics.

One by one, the adorable kids, under the male officer's threat, obediently handed over all sorts of "contraband."

Though their pouty, tearful expressions were a bit hard to watch, the children seemed to have unconsciously forgotten their fear of being away from home.

However, some kids who had been bullied at school nervously handed over their pocket money.

"Buddy, are you questioning my professionalism? Didn't you hear me? We're robbing snacks!" Kevin refused with righteous indignation.

And after asking the bullied kids, he gave a few little schoolyard bullies a lesson—not too harsh, but enough to sting.

With that, the children's last shred of worry vanished. They all stared with curious eyes, secretly sizing up the unusual "robbers" before them.

When the collection reached the back of the bus, Kevin winked at Angela and Emma, and the three of them smirked in silent understanding.

It had turned into some kind of fun role-playing game...

This guy could actually get along so well with a bunch of kids?

Ada felt a dawning realization. A strong urge to explore this unpredictable boy stirred within her.

"Mentos, want a taste?"

Just as the female agent was lost in thought, a beautifully wrapped pack of bubble gum was tossed into her arms.

Ada resisted slightly, shaking her head at the childish label attached to kids' snacks.

"Eating candy is a way of life—craving sweetness, trying new flavors. Give it a shot..."

The boy lounged lazily across two child seats, tossing a few marshmallows into his mouth and chewing, his expression relaxed and carefree.

Ada seemed infected by the atmosphere. After a moment's hesitation, she tore open the wrapper and popped two Mentos candies into her mouth.

"You're doing this to lighten Leon's load and create a chance for escape?"

The female agent seemed to catch on, sitting beside Kevin and whispering in his ear.

Kevin neither confirmed nor denied it, his expression unreadable. He stroked his smooth chin with his right hand, his gaze drifting, as if his mind was elsewhere.

"Hey, buddy, keep going—let's take a joyride out of town!"

As the school bus burst past the city's edge, Kevin stood up and cheered like a bad student celebrating a prank.

The children, caught between tension and a little inner rebellion, couldn't help pressing their faces to the windows, curiously watching the unfamiliar scenery pass by.

Meanwhile, Angela, who had been holding her phone and waiting quietly, lit up as the screen glowed. Like a soldier completing a mission, she excitedly jumped out of her seat and handed the phone to Kevin.

Looking at the encrypted phone number, Kevin gently patted Angela's little head, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips.

Step three, in position!

PS: The work has already been contacted by an editor for signing, updates are stable, please feel free to enjoy.

Section 20: A Few Words from the Heart

Thank you to many old readers for continuing to follow my book. I appreciate it.

Baker's Soul Street, Phantom Snow Wolf, Just Call Me Old Stele, I'm Truly the Best in the Country, Alaskan Dog, mmooommm, Azure Wing, Miao Yan, Don't Seek Fate, Wind Through April, April's Glaze, Three Days Two Nights Is Also Strange, Black Car Coach, Soul of Jade Tower, Sasha Subsonic, Purple Orchid Flower Shop.

Bet you didn't expect that—I've gotten familiar with most of these readers who've followed me from the last book. I'm a bit sentimental, I guess.

Readers give a work its value. Thank you for your trust in me.

Also, please forgive me for not being able to list and remember everyone.

I'll update diligently. Everything is in the silence.

Section 21: Chapter 20: Daughter Complex Saves the World

Earlier, Kevin had asked Emma, the gun shop owner's daughter, to pass a message to Angela: "Have the three subjects at home been fed?"

Maybe some classmates knew the little girl kept hamsters.

But calling them "subjects"—aside from Angela herself, only Kevin would do that.

Although her father, Dr. Charles, had warned her before she left in the morning to stay away from this now-wanted tutor, the little girl had always trusted Kevin completely.

So, this clever little angel immediately grasped the deeper meaning in his words and, at Emma's request, proactively volunteered to take the school bus home.

"Hey, whoever you are, don't hurt my daughter. Whatever you want, just name it!"

As soon as the call connected, Dr. Charles's nature as a doting father was laid bare, his suppressed panic and worry for his daughter seeping through every word.

But since the main target had shown up, there was no need to keep controlling the school bus, which had only served as a decoy.

"Alright, everyone, trip's over. Go home and write a 1,000-word essay on your reflections. Make it profound! Next time we meet, we're robbing this place!"

And so, with Kevin's devilish grin, the terrified black driver abandoned Ada, Kevin, and Angela, who had voluntarily gotten off, and drove off with a busload of resentful kids.

"Long time no see. Miss me, teacher?"

After putting a bit of distance between himself and Angela, Kevin greeted his mentor on the other end of the line with a smile, his tone warm and familiar.

"FUCK YOU! You scumbag! Bastard! XXXXXX..."

After a brief silence on the phone, Dr. Charles erupted into a furious roar, unleashing a string of curses without repeating himself.

But Kevin, who knew his uncle well, had already pulled the phone away from his ear and angled it to the side after his first sentence.

Once news of the school bus hijacking broke, Dr. Charles would surely do everything in his power to contact him, the kidnapper, as soon as possible.

After all, though he was a workaholic, he was also a complete daughter-con.

In fact, even if Angela hadn't brought her phone, Kevin figured Dr. Charles could still locate and contact him through the school bus's communication system.

The plan had gone surprisingly smoothly, thanks to little angel Angela's assist.

It took nearly a full ten minutes of cursing before Dr. Charles, with his impressive lung capacity, finally calmed down.

And throughout it all, Kevin, feeling not a shred of guilt, wore a faint, amused smile.

"You faked your identity, infiltrated my home, all for the T-Virus, right?"

Dr. Charles, desperate for his daughter's safety, forced down his anger and began laying out his cards.

"As long as you don't hurt my daughter, we can talk. But preparing that stuff takes time..."

Kevin sighed softly, seeming a bit wistful.

"Doctor, you're not being honest. If I wanted the T-Virus and the antidote, I'd just have to rummage through Anje's backpack to find a set."

That kid's backpack had T-Virus samples and antidote in it!

Ada's eyes narrowed slightly at this, her gaze flickering over Angela's bulging backpack. For a moment, she was tempted, but after a brief hesitation, she quashed the thought.

On the other end of the line, Dr. Charles seemed stunned into silence. When he came back to himself, his voice was hoarse and defeated.

"Tell me, what do you want?"

Clearly, he had no bargaining chips left against Kevin.

Kevin didn't show any smugness or arrogance; his tone was sincere, with a hint of teasing.

"Just a little favor, and incidentally, saving the world: use your Umbrella Corporation Level 6 privileges to implant a virus into the Hive's mainframe AI, Red Queen, or just shut it down..."

"And seal off all the Hive's exits to the surface for about 12 hours!"

Back at home, Dr. Charles's face was a mask of shock.

"How is that even possible?! And what exactly are you planning?"

Kevin took a deep breath, his tone resigned.

"Doctor, can't we just be honest with each other? You think leaving a backdoor in Red Queen's network is some big secret? Doesn't seem like something a loyal employee would do, does it?"

"Umbrella stole your research and turned it into genetic weapons. You can't be indifferent to that."

"Given the chance, you'd definitely stab them in the back..."

"So, our goals are aligned..."

The secrets spilled by his rebellious student sent a cold sweat down Dr. Charles's back. He felt like he had no secrets left in front of this man.

"Alright, take this as friendly advice, or a bandit's order..."

"Within an hour, cripple Red Queen's network inside the Hive and seal off all its entrances and exits for at least half a day!"

"Otherwise, you'll never see your daughter again..."

Dr. Charles's mind was in turmoil, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

"Even if I cripple Red Queen's network, by noon tomorrow at the latest, Dr. Isaacs, the real head of Umbrella's Raccoon City division, will have enough authority to reboot Red Queen. Your plan is pointless!"

Kevin's expression was calm, his response patient, without a hint of impatience, but his stance was firm.

"That's why I need you to plant a decent virus, to keep Red Queen down for at least 12 hours."

"I only need 12 hours! That's your only chance to reunite with Angela!"

Left with no choice, Dr. Charles gritted his teeth and agreed.

"Fine! I'll use the keys and backdoor now! Let my daughter go!"

Kevin didn't budge an inch. "Deal. In 12 hours, I'll bring her to you, and I'll take full responsibility for everything!"

"Bastard!" Charles cursed in frustration, but he couldn't sway the man's resolve. Forced to swallow his pride, he opened his computer and pulled up the Red Queen's login interface.

Done. Kevin snapped his fingers lightly, casually pulled out the phone card, snapped it in two, and tossed the pieces into the grass.

"What do we do next?" Ada asked, pulling the quiet little girl Angela along as she stepped forward to consult Kevin.

Kevin stroked his chin with a faint smile. "If I remember right, you had a journalist contact in Raccoon City. Name was... Ben? Seems like he's already got dirt on Director Alons?"

"Right, that unlucky kid's probably locked up in jail by Alons by now, isn't he?"

Ada's pupils sharply contracted. How the hell did this guy know so many secrets?

Kevin kept recalling, tilting his head as he asked, "And didn't he have a girlfriend named... Katherine Warren? Our dear mayor seems to share that last name, doesn't he?"

Damn it! What else didn't this guy know? Had BSAA's intelligence network really gotten that advanced?

Deep wariness rose in Ada's heart, but since they were on the same boat, she couldn't afford to openly clash. So she just stayed silent.

"Got the blackmail material on Director Alons already, FBI Agent Ada Wong?"

As if struck by a thought, Kevin turned to ask the grim-faced female agent.

After a long silence, under Kevin's gaze, Ada finally gave a slight nod.

Kevin's smile grew more genuine. "Then next up, that's your job. Set up two meetings for me. I've already written the script, and I guarantee it'll be a hell of a show."

The female agent listened closely to Kevin's instructions, her expression shifting several times before settling into calm.

"Fine, I'll handle that. What about you?"

Kevin took Angela's little hand, blinked his bright eyes, and broke into a grin. "Me? I'm taking my little angel on another hiking adventure."