'Doctor'

A quick note:

The author is introducing this anomaly now. While the setup is somewhat similar to the previous book, I need this medically brilliant anomaly to help Umbrella in this story develop "Astart" and "Astarts" (his screen time will increase).

After all, the original heroine is gone in this version, and I plan to focus on steady technological development while significantly cutting back on so-called daily life.

Veteran readers should notice that this book is quite different from the last one, and it has only just begun.

Finally, thank you all for your support and tips!

Room 407.

A one-bedroom apartment.

The lights were bright, the table and chairs were arranged neatly, and even the yellowed, aged white floor tiles were kept very clean.

However, there was a homemade operating table in the center of the living room, various surgical tools hanging on the wall, a few stubborn bloodstains, and a "person" dressed in a black robe...

There was an indescribable sense of eeriness.

This "person" stood beside the operating table, roughly 1.9 meters tall, wearing white plastic gloves stained with blood and the hood of the robe pulled up.

At this moment, the "person" was using a scalpel to perform some kind of surgery on a corpse lying flat on the table.

Beside this "person," eight Alphas held their firearms aimed at "him," Hunk among them.

Due to the limited space in the living room, the four Alphas of Team C were standing guard outside the door to provide support for Teams A and B inside.

"Drop the scalpel and raise your hands!"

An Alpha standing next to Hunk shouted at the "person," attempting to make "him" stop the movements.

However, after the muffled shout—distorted by the tactical mask—faded, the "person" continued the surgery as if no one were there, completely ignoring the fully armed Alphas surrounding "him."

Seeing this, the Alphas stopped shouting and tightened their grips on their MA5B Rifles, waiting for Hunk's next command.

"Alpha, prepare the sedative gas," Hunk ordered in a calm voice.

Hearing this, two Alphas in the back slung their MA5B rifles across their chests and reached for the gas grenades on their belts.

But...

"Les jeunes sont calmes, attendez que je finisse l'opération (Young ones, stay calm, wait for me to finish the surgery)."

The "person" who had been acting on "his" own suddenly spoke, causing the two Alphas to pause as they were about to pull the grenade pins.

"He" could communicate?

Furthermore, "he" spoke in French, and the voice was magnetic and pleasant, giving off a comfortable feeling—it even made the Alphas feel that this "person" was quite learned.

"Hm? You don't understand French? How about English?" Seeing that Hunk and the Alphas didn't respond, the "person" switched to an old-fashioned English with an 18th-century cadence.

After speaking, the "person" raised "his" hand and turned to look at Hunk and the others.

Now, everyone finally saw the other's appearance—or, to be precise, the appearance of the "mask."

It wasn't just the accent; the "person's" tone leaned toward the medieval, and "he" wore a "plague doctor" mask.

The lenses of the mask were gone, replaced by eyes with blue pupils, a gaze so deep it felt as if "he" could read the inner thoughts of others.

The medieval doctor's attire and the mask seemed embedded into "his" body; only the blood-stained white gloves appeared to be external clothing.

As the leader of this operation, Hunk, who had seen all kinds of B.O.W.s, had not expected to encounter an anomaly like this.

But the Grim Reaper was the Grim Reaper; Hunk was only startled for a moment before he gave a slight wave of his left hand to signal the Alphas to maintain their guard, then attempted to communicate with the "doctor":

"Hello, please raise your hands and remain still to cooperate with us, otherwise we will be forced to use stronger measures."

"Heh." The "doctor" chuckled, ignoring Hunk's "threat," turned back to continue the surgery, and said:

"Children, patience, you must have patience. Completing this surgery will help me perfect the vaccine. That way, you and your colleagues will not suffer from the plague. Children, please, do not disturb me at this moment."

Watching the "doctor" continue to act on "his" own, the Alphas, no matter how disciplined or professional, felt their fingers itching to pull the trigger.

Hunk, understanding his subordinates' state of mind, did not issue a forceful order. Instead, he spoke softly into his throat mic: "Sir... yes, understood."

Afterward, Hunk scanned the Alphas and commanded: "Maintain your guard and wait for this doctor to finish the surgery."

"Yes, sir." Although the Alphas didn't understand, they strictly followed Hunk's order.

--

Meanwhile.

Umbrella's Paris Headquarters.

The control center on the middle floor of the building.

"The Paris police have cooperated with us to seal off Charenton Street."

"Major media outlets in Paris have also been notified by us and will not be focusing on the situation in Charenton for the time being."

"Follow-up troops have arrived at Apartment 26 and are currently assisting technical personnel with the 'cleanup' work."

The control center was filled with a constant stream of reports.

Employees dressed in black T-shirts and cargo pants sat before their respective computers, watching the content on their screens and reporting in real-time.

Above the control center hung several large screens, displaying the situation on Charenton Street from multiple angles, with one screen showing the "medieval doctor" performing surgery.

Sui Bian, dressed in a dark red shirt and a charcoal gray suit, frowned slightly. He stared at the screens above, his left hand supporting his right elbow while his right hand lightly pinched his chin.

049.

Through the helmet camera of Alpha, Sui Bian had caught sight of the zombie-like anomalies, and the moment he saw the "medieval doctor," he guessed it was the 049 recorded by a certain Foundation.

He was actually quite familiar with this strange doctor, 049.

Despite possessing the ability to kill with a single touch and the capacity to create "pseudo-zombies," the entity could be sedated using lavender.

Moreover, as long as 049 did not detect the "Pestilence," it remained quite amiable toward the researchers of a certain Foundation.

Since 049 was willing to communicate with the Alphas and seemed prepared to cooperate after finishing its so-called "surgery," Sui Bian ordered Hunk to wait for a moment.

However, what troubled Sui Bian was that the discovery of 049 meant that the items, phenomena, and spaces of a certain Foundation also existed in this world.

Good grief, he thought, he really had to say good grief; he had originally thought this world was at "Purgatory" difficulty, but now it had jumped straight to "Unrivaled Asura."

He took a moment to compose himself.

Sui Bian said calmly to an employee standing to his left, "In the name of Colonel Vladimir, mobilize the UBCS to the headquarters."

"Yes, sir."

"Also, dispatch a team of technicians to Apartment 26. Have them collect fresh lavender from the plant sample room, as well as lavender-scented sprays... In short, bring plenty of items related to lavender to assist Alpha in containing the anomaly known as the 'Plague Doctor'."

"Plague Doctor...? Sir?" The employee looked puzzled, but seeing that Sui Bian did not respond, he stopped questioning and nodded instead.

"Yes, sir."