The Plague Doctor

Inside the airport terminal built above Containment Site One;

It was clean and brightly lit, with sharply contrasting black-and-white tones—the typical Umbrella Enterprises style.

A thin male researcher in his fifties, dressed in a white lab coat, stood waiting inside the terminal.

Dr. Corson Dielson was the director in charge of Containment Center One, possessing extensive knowledge and research experience.

Dozens of security personnel also stood nearby, guarding Dielson.

They wore dark-blue combat uniforms bearing the Red and White Umbrella logo. Helmets and masks covered their heads and faces, while their bulletproof vests were laden with an array of weapons and equipment.

The security personnel were better equipped than the standard armies of countries around the world, but they still fell far short of UBCS and USS.

UBCS combat uniforms were semi-sealed and offered excellent resistance to slashing attacks. Moreover, every UBCS member had a combat rating above ninety.

How did that compare to USS?

There was no comparison.

Every USS member had been forged with money. They were on an entirely different level from mere security personnel—"mooks."

Likewise, Victor, the five other UBCS members responsible for escorting the Plague Doctor, and the three Tyrants were waiting there as well.

Everyone stood behind the exit of the airport jet bridge. An atmosphere of tension and excitement filled the terminal.

That was because the private jet of William Russell, the owner of Umbrella Enterprises, was connected to the jet bridge.

"Thud, thud—"

Before long, the footsteps of a large group came from the jet bridge.

Led by Hunk, Alpha Squad emerged first and formed a fan-shaped formation at the exit.

William, draped in a trench coat, and Halsey, dressed casually, were the last to pass through the jet bridge and enter the terminal.

Seeing this, the security personnel and UBCS members raised their voices in salute. "Boss!"

"Mm." William nodded and gestured. "At ease."

"Yes, sir!"

Immediately afterward, William's gaze settled on Victor.

Victor had short hair and was in his thirties. His resolute face carried an innate military bearing.

William did not speak with Dielson first. Instead, he walked over to Victor and the other UBCS members and praised them:

"Captain, it was clearly the right decision to entrust you with the first containment mission. I'm proud of you all."

"Boss, it's our duty!" Victor and the UBCS members replied, puffing out their chests.

"Heh."

William smiled faintly, reached out to pat Victor on the shoulder, then looked over the UBCS members as he said:

"In view of your company's outstanding performance, I doubt you're interested in bonuses or anything like that. So I'll bestow upon your company the title of 'Obstacle Clearers.'"

"Yes, sir!"

The UBCS members seemed even more excited upon hearing William's words.

Indeed, after being assimilated by the system, they no longer cared much about money. Their loyalty to William was absolute.

Being personally granted a name for their company by the boss was enough for them to boast about it among personnel of every rank for the rest of their lives.

William looked at Victor again and said in a low voice, "Captain, from this moment on, you're a major and the western operations commander.

"The three Tyrants are also being placed under the command of you Obstacle Clearers. Don't disappoint me."

"This..."

Victor was stunned at first, but he quickly recovered and answered solemnly, "Boss, you have nothing to worry about."

"Yaaawn~"

At that moment, Halsey covered her mouth and yawned. In a lazy voice filled with impatience, she said:

"Boss William, hurry up. I'm getting a little impatient~"

"You, honestly..." William shook his head helplessly.

Then he led her to Dielson and said, "All right, Doctor. Take us downstairs."

"Yes, Boss."

Dielson, who had been waiting for a long time, showed not the slightest trace of complaint as he led William, Halsey, and the others onward.

After receiving their reward, Victor and the other UBCS members directed the three Tyrants out of the terminal. They headed for the CH-53E Super Stallion waiting outside to return to Alberta Province.

Because of the elevator's limited capacity, only Hunk and six other members of Alpha Squad accompanied William and the others.

Before long, the group arrived at an underground containment site with a layout similar to The Hive.

As they headed toward the control center, Halsey's expression turned serious. She asked Dielson:

"Has that medieval-looking doctor spoken with any of you?"

Facing Halsey, who was more than thirty years younger than him, Dielson answered just as respectfully:

"Following the boss's instructions, we assigned him the number 049 and the alias 'Plague Doctor.'"

"049?" Halsey turned her head and glanced at William behind her.

William merely shrugged without offering further explanation.

Dielson failed to notice the subtle exchange between the two of them and continued, "After learning that you and the boss were coming, Doctor, we didn't interrogate him without authorization."

"Doctor." William took over from Halsey and asked Dielson, "Is there anything at the containment center that needs to be reported?"

At that, Dielson reported to William, "The D-Class personnel transported here yesterday appear to be strongly resisting.

"The security personnel first tried to reason with them, guaranteeing that their food and lodging would be provided and promising that, as long as there were enough other D-Class personnel, they would not be used as experimental subjects.

"But they still resisted violently and attempted to escape. The security personnel subdued them with ease."

"Mm." William said nothing more.

In fact, several months ago, he had already proposed a memory-modification plan to Halsey.

However, she had yet to fully understand the technology of memory.

According to her explanation...

A clone was like a blank sheet of paper, on which all kinds of past experiences could be written with ease.

But the memories of a normal person were like an extremely messy sheet of draft paper.

If one attempted to erase or modify them, the best possible outcome would be becoming a vegetable.

Therefore, William could only turn those survivors into D-Class personnel.

Compassion?

It could not exist.

Before long, the group arrived inside the control room of the containment center. Hunk and the other members of Alpha Squad remained outside to stand guard.

The screen hanging in the center displayed the scene inside the Interrogation Room. The Plague Doctor was reading a notebook, sitting upright on the side near the wall.

William and Halsey stood side by side in front of the screen. He ordered Dielson, "All right. Send in a researcher to speak with him."

"Yes, Boss."

The following contains the first interrogation of Subject 049:

(A researcher approached the room and sat across from 049.)

049: (speaking in standard English in a magnetic voice) Oh, has it finally begun?

Researcher: Begun what?

049: Heh heh, don't worry about it.

Researcher: Very well. I am Doctor ■■ (Doctor/physician)...

049: (interrupting, slightly excited) A doctor? Were you the one who tried to cure those three patients?

That was very impressive medical expertise. It will also be a great help to my research into curing the plague.

Researcher: Three patients? The plague? I don't understand.

049: (sounding somewhat disappointed) It seems you're not that doctor. What a pity. What a pity.

The plague... Hmm... (He tapped the table rhythmically with the fingers of his left hand.) What was it called again... It was...

(He sighed.) Ah, never mind.

It can be seen everywhere, and many people have already succumbed to it. More people will succumb in the future.

And I...

I have devoted my entire life to finding a way to cure it.