Let Me Tell You About a Biohazard [Seeking Follow-ups!]

Ever since Ren Ze returned from destroying Umbrella Corporation's headquarters, he had been in low spirits. He had gained far too much in this world, yet when it came to leaving, he had no idea how to bring it up to Alice...

Alice found it strange. They had clearly succeeded in destroying Umbrella Corporation's headquarters, and she had promised never to forcibly attack another Umbrella Corporation base. Their relationship had been harmonious, and after returning, Ren Ze had been even more insatiable in his demands. The settlement and base were thriving as well. Even though Dr. Ashford had yet to develop the Reverse T-Virus, with the Alice Legion and their own strength, ending this catastrophe was only a matter of time.

But whenever she asked, Ren Ze would force a smile and say he was fine. Alice could only silently stay by his side every day...

Watching Alice remain gloomy beside him every day, Ren Ze felt that whether he faced it or avoided it, the blade would fall all the same. He might as well come clean...

"Alice, haven't you always wanted to know why I suddenly appeared at the villa by The Hive's entrance?"

After pondering for a long time, Ren Ze slowly spoke.

"You... you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. As long as you can be happy again, nothing else matters!"

A trace of unease flashed through Alice's heart upon hearing that. She did not know why—perhaps it was simply a woman's intuition.

"Alice, I want to tell you a story. The story of Resident Evil..."

Ren Ze began recounting the story of Resident Evil.

"Isn't this what we went through? Wait, it seems like you haven't mentioned yourself?"

At the beginning, Alice found the story rather strange, yet also felt that something was off. When Ren Ze reached the part where Captain James and his group of four were cut apart in the laser corridor, Alice could no longer hold back. "Aren't they all alive and well? Ren, why are you telling me this?"

"Don't worry. Listen to the whole story first, then I'll explain everything."

Ren Ze reassured her.

He continued all the way to when they fought their way out of The Hive, only for the entire team to be wiped out, leaving only Alice and Matt, who had mutated after being scratched by a Licker. The two had barely escaped before being taken under Umbrella Corporation's control.

Although Alice did not interrupt him again after hearing this, she vaguely felt that if Ren Ze truly had not been there at the time, everything he described might really have happened.

"Later, Umbrella Corporation decided to restart The Hive. Countless Zombies escaped from it, and Raccoon City fell into a biological crisis. Umbrella Corporation transferred its important personnel in advance, but the car sent to pick up Angela met with an accident..."

He continued through Alice's escape from Raccoon City and subsequent plane crash, her capture by Umbrella Corporation once more and the implantation of a satellite tracking chip, her rescue by Carlos and the others, her chance encounter with the Claire Rescue Team, and then her solo assault on the North American branch. With the help of the clones, she killed the mutated Dr. Isaacs using the laser corridor.

After rescuing all the clones from the North American branch, she led the clone army to Umbrella Corporation's headquarters for revenge. Though they destroyed Umbrella Corporation's headquarters, every clone vanished along with the headquarters base in its self-destruction. Only Alice remained, having infiltrated Wesker's plane. In the end, during their fight, the plane lost control and crashed into a mountain, taking them both down with it...

After listening to Ren Ze's account, Alice's expression was exceedingly complicated. Without Ren Ze, everything sounded so logical, so inevitable.

"Ren, why?"

Alice's mind was in turmoil.

"Actually, I came from another world. I'm not from this world."

Ren Ze revealed the cruel truth.

He then told her, exactly as it was, about part of the situation in the Swallowed Star World and the secret behind his ability to travel through different worlds.

"I'm sorry, Alice. I didn't mean to hide it from you for so long. I truly just didn't dare tell you all this... I want to take you away from here so we can explore together in the future! But I'm afraid you might not be able to leave with me, so I had to tell you the truth."

Ren Ze looked at Alice sincerely.

Seeing Ren Ze wearing the expression of a man prepared to die heroically, Alice could not help but burst into laughter first. She threw her arms around him.

"Of course I'm willing to explore with you. Isn't it exciting? Facing life and death together, seeing all kinds of new worlds together. But if I really can't leave with you, I'll wait for you forever. I'll help you end this catastrophe, and when you come back, you'll see a brand-new world!"

As she smiled, silent tears ran down Alice's face. She held Ren Ze tightly...

"If—if you can't come with me, then forget me. Because I truly don't know whether I'll ever have another chance to return here, or when I'll be able to return... Lead them well and survive in this apocalypse. Rebuild humanity's home..."

Back when Ren Ze was still in 0211 County and the Star Map's energy had filled up, he had considered returning to the world of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. After all, he had left in quite a hurry back then, afraid that he would lose himself in the tender embrace of romance. He had also wanted to get his hands on the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms and the Six Meridian Divine Sword. Unfortunately, he had not succeeded and could not travel to the world of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. At the time, his strength had also been growing rapidly, and he had not yet planned to explore a new world.

"Don't say things like that, Ren. I believe I can leave with you. From now on, I'll always be by your side. Then we'll grow stronger together and face those unknown threats together..."

Alice interrupted him, happily envisioning the future. But when she thought of the possibility she found hardest to accept, she continued, "Even if, in the worst-case scenario, I can't leave with you, there's nothing left in this world that can threaten me. I also won't recklessly try to attack Umbrella's other bases. Don't worry about me after you leave. Live well! I'll wait for you forever!"

Inside the room, the two silently held each other tight, as though doing so would let them remain together forever.

Over the following period, Ren Ze and Alice indulged themselves in their world of two, because both feared that the final outcome would not be what they wanted.

But Ren Ze ultimately had to make a choice. If he were willing to sink into such a life, he would probably still be at the Spirit Vulture Palace on Misty Peak...

Ren Ze held Alice tightly. The backpack on his back, which had contained only a little in the way of supplies when he first arrived, was now stuffed full. Everything inside had been prepared by Alice: ninety-one titanium alloy throwing knives, a quantity of gold, a laptop loaded with vast amounts of technological knowledge that Bai Yi had collected, ranging from basic to cutting-edge fields such as bioengineering, as well as Bai Yi's subprogram.

Ren Ze knew that none of it would be of much use in the Swallowed Star World. Even Bai Yi, the most precious item of all, would probably become an artificial idiot in front of Babata... But it was, after all, a token of Alice's affection.

That was what Ren Ze knew. What he did not know was that Alice had secretly raised one of the clones' permissions to the highest level as well, and had arranged everything...

In a base room more than two thousand feet underground, the moment Ren Ze chose to return, a silvery-white radiance appeared without warning. He had no power to resist as he was sucked into it alone...

"NO!"

The last thing Ren Ze heard was Alice's helpless, terrified, heart-rending scream...