Resident Evil

In the laboratory, Li's breathing was rapid and heavy. His gaze was fixed on the hastily assembled energy device, the faint glow in his palm especially dazzling in the dim surroundings.

This was the result of weeks of relentless work. Every assembled component and every line of code carried everyone's effort. Gwen stood before the console, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat. Her fingers trembled slightly over the controls, as though she were playing a tense melody.

Scarlet Magic flowed around Wanda, illuminating her resolute face. Its crimson radiance complemented the device's blue glow, creating a strange yet magnificent sight. Natasha stood quietly in the corner, her vigilant eyes sweeping the area, one hand resting on the gun at her waist, ready for any danger that might arise.

"Now!" Li shouted, his voice filled with resolve and anticipation. He pressed the faint glow in his palm against the energy device's core, and that mysterious power flowed down his arm into the machine, as if breathing life into cold metal. Wanda raised both hands, chanting under her breath as Scarlet Magic surged into the device like a raging tide. Magical power and technological energy intertwined, forming a constantly spinning energy vortex. The vortex spun faster and faster, emitting a piercing hum as if it were about to swallow the entire laboratory. Gwen stared unblinkingly at the console before her, her fingers flying across the controls. "Energy output is stable. It's breaking through the critical threshold!" Her voice trembled with excitement and tension, every word filled with anticipation and unease toward the unknown.

After a brilliant flash, the laboratory's space began to distort. The air seemed to be kneaded by an invisible hand, producing a teeth-grinding twisting sound.

A passageway radiating strange light slowly opened. Within it flickered countless mysterious lights and shadows, like a flowing galaxy or a vortex concealing endless secrets. Mysterious whispers drifted from the passageway, as though another world were calling to them. Yet the instant it opened, a powerful suction force surged forth. Like a black hole, it dragged everything nearby toward it. Before the three could react, Natasha was swept into the vortex along with them. Li felt as if countless forces were tearing at his body, his bones creaking as his consciousness drifted through chaos, as though he had fallen into a boundless abyss of darkness.

After an unknown amount of time, Li slowly opened his eyes. A pungent stench of rot hit him full force, nearly making him vomit. He struggled into a sitting position, and the sight before him made his pupils constrict—this was a street both familiar and unfamiliar. Store signs along the road hung crookedly, and display windows were shattered, as if a massive disaster had swept through. Abandoned cars lay scattered across the street, their bodies covered in bloodstains and claw marks, telling of the brutal battle that had once taken place here. Not far away, several slow-moving zombies with rotting skin wandered aimlessly. Low growls came from their throats, and every step was accompanied by the crackling scrape of bone against bone.

"This is... Raccoon City?" Li murmured in disbelief, his voice full of shock and fear. He had seen this city countless times in games, but the real Raccoon City was far more terrifying and hopeless. Wanda's face turned pale, Scarlet Magic flickering faintly at her fingertips as her body trembled. "These monsters... are completely different from the magical creatures we encountered before." Unease filled her voice, and even the magical glow had weakened somewhat. Gwen quickly took out a scanner. The data on its screen jumped wildly as she frowned deeply. "The energy readings are chaotic. The air here seems to be filled with some unknown pathogen." Her eyes were full of concern as her fingers rapidly worked the scanner, trying to find more clues.

Suddenly, a burst of rapid gunfire came from the intersection ahead, piercing the silence of the street. Natasha immediately crouched, twin pistols sliding into her hands. Her gaze sharpened with alertness. "There's a fight. Move!" The four quickly advanced along the wall. Li's protective suit activated its optical camouflage, blending him into the mottled concrete as though he had vanished into thin air. Wanda's magical senses cautiously probed their surroundings, catching every slightest disturbance. Gwen's scanner continued sweeping the area, trying to lock onto the source of danger as her fingers rapidly adjusted its settings and sweat dripped steadily from her forehead.

As they rounded the corner, an intense battle came into view. Blonde-haired Claire rolled nimbly to evade a zombie's bite, her movements swift and agile like a wildcat darting through the night. The roar of her shotgun made the air tremble, each blast precisely shattering a zombie's head and spraying brains and blood everywhere. Jill, clad in tactical gear and wielding two pistols, flashed through the horde like black lightning. Her marksmanship was flawless, every shot finding its target. Each bullet was like Death's scythe, reaping zombie lives. Behind them, several survivors fought desperately with makeshift weapons, but they were gradually being forced into a desperate corner.

A young man wielded a rusty iron bar, swinging it repeatedly in an attempt to fend off the zombies. But his movements grew slower and slower, his face filled with exhaustion and terror.

"We can't just stand by!" Wanda's eyes sharpened as Scarlet Magic suddenly surged around her, transforming into a vast net that blotted out the sky and swept toward the zombie horde. Wherever it passed, the zombies were reduced to dust before they could even howl, while the ground itself was scorched black. Li, Gwen, and Natasha stared in astonishment. They had never seen Wanda wield such immense power. Claire and Jill also stopped fighting, staring in shock at the mysterious woman who had appeared out of nowhere.

Under everyone's gaze, Wanda slowly stepped forward, Scarlet Magic churning beside her like two colossal dragons. At that moment, a bloodcurdling shriek suddenly came from outside the police station. Several twisted Lickers leaped from the darkness. Their bodies were covered in wet, exposed muscle tissue, their skinless heads grotesque and horrifying. Their long tongues lashed wildly through the air, each strike easily piercing a car's metal shell.

One Licker attacked first, pouncing at Wanda with lightning speed. Wanda neither dodged nor flinched. She raised a hand and fired a scarlet energy beam, blasting the Licker away and carving a long trench through the ground. Seeing this, the remaining Lickers howled and lunged from different directions. Wanda merely curled her lips in a cold smile, her hands moving rapidly as Scarlet Magic wove a great net through the air, enveloping every Licker within it.

"Get lost!" Wanda cried. The magical net instantly tightened, and the Lickers struggled madly within it, letting out miserable shrieks. But before Wanda's overwhelming magic, their resistance was utterly futile. Their muscle tissue was torn apart, their bones cracking with a teeth-grinding sound. Within moments, they had all dissolved into pools of blood.

Farther down the street, more Lickers and zombies were drawn toward them. Wanda showed no fear. She rose into the air, Scarlet Magic around her transforming into a massive energy vortex. Wherever it passed, zombies and Lickers alike were shredded to pieces by its power. The sky seemed stained red as Wanda resembled a demon god descending upon the world, freely unleashing destruction.

Jill and Claire watched in stunned silence. They had never imagined such power could exist in this world. Claire swallowed and turned to Jill. "Th-this... is she even human?" Jill shook her head, her eyes full of awe. "I don't know. But with her here, maybe we really have a chance to end this crisis for good."

Li looked at the powerful figure in the sky, complicated emotions rising within him. He knew Wanda's power was constantly awakening, and that this power gave them greater confidence in peril-ridden Raccoon City. Yet at the same time, he could not help worrying whether Wanda could control this near-divine power, and whether it might bring new uncertainties to this world.

When the last monster was destroyed, Wanda slowly descended, the magical glow around her gradually fading. Her face was somewhat pale; such an intense battle had clearly drained her greatly. Li hurried forward to support her. "Wanda, how are you?" Wanda gave a weak smile. "I'm fine. Just a little tired."

Gwen also came over, her eyes full of admiration. "Wanda, you were amazing just now! That power is practically unbeatable!" Natasha vigilantly scanned the surroundings in case any monsters had slipped through, then said, "No matter what, we're safe for now. But this isn't a place to stay. Let's head to the police station first."

Everyone nodded and headed toward the police station. Meanwhile, after this horrifying battle, Raccoon City seemed even quieter and more sinister, as if it were brewing an even greater crisis.