An Unexpected Journey Together

On the streets of Raccoon City, the sunlight had finally shed its bloody hue, becoming bright and warm.

Amid the ruins, stubborn weeds sprouted from the cracks, bringing a trace of life to this reborn city.

Between the broken walls and rubble, the low growls of unknown creatures could occasionally be heard in the distance, adding an eerie note to this seemingly peaceful land.

After countless days and nights of research and experimentation, Li Stark and Wanda had finally found a way to open a portal home by combining technology with their special energies. Gwen and Natasha assisted with calibrating the equipment nearby, their faces showing both anticipation and complicated feelings toward this land.

In the laboratory, various instruments hummed rhythmically. Li Stark wiped the sweat from his forehead, excitement and tension gleaming in his eyes. "Energy calibration complete. Prepare to open the portal!"

His fingers rapidly tapped across the control console while Wanda gathered Scarlet Magic between her hands, its power flowing into the device like a gentle stream.

In an instant, a dazzling light flared, and a circular portal glowing with strange radiance slowly unfolded. Light and shadow swirled within it, while mysterious runes flickered in and out of view, as though calling from another world. Electrical energy continuously crackled around the portal's edge, seeming to warn everyone of the danger and uncertainty within.

Just as Li Stark, Wanda, Gwen, and Natasha were about to step into the portal, hurried footsteps approached from afar, echoing clearly through the empty corridor. Ada Wong rushed into the laboratory, her red qipao covered in dust and her hair disheveled, though it could not hide the fire in her eyes. She stared straight at Li Stark, her chest heaving. "Wait! I'm coming with you!" Her chest rose and fell sharply with each breath, her gaze holding both determination and a hint of barely perceptible nervousness.

Li Stark froze in place. "Ada Wong, the portal is unstable. It's too dangerous..." His voice was full of concern, his brow tightly furrowed and his eyes filled with worry.

"Because I like you, Li Stark." Ada Wong cut him off, her voice crisp and resolute. A wild smile curved her red lips, and her eyes were filled with certainty. "Ever since you gave everything to save Wanda in the laboratory, I saw you clearly—you're brave, smart, and willing to sacrifice anything to protect the people you care about. During that battle, you were covered in blood, yet you still thought only of protecting everyone. That completely stole my heart. Without you, Raccoon City is nothing more than an empty city piled with memories to me. I want to go to your world with you, see the place where you grew up with my own eyes, and stay by your side no matter what challenges the future brings." As she spoke, she slowly walked toward Li Stark, every step elegant and confident. The hem of her red qipao swayed gently with her movements like a blazing rose in bloom.

She approached with elegant yet hurried steps, her fingertips lightly tracing Li Stark's arm. "Don't use danger as an excuse to reject me. You know what I'm capable of. I can more than take care of myself, and I can protect you when it matters. Just think of me as a nuisance you can't shake off. Take me with you." Her fingers lingered on Li Stark's arm for a moment, her gaze carrying seduction and expectation.

Wanda's gentle gaze instantly turned sharp. Scarlet Magic surged uncontrollably at her fingertips, and the air itself seemed to grow oppressive with her emotions. The laboratory lights began to flicker, and several small instruments even emitted piercing alarms from the magical fluctuations. She stepped forward, stood beside Li Stark, and linked her arm through his as if declaring her claim. "Ada Wong, even though we've been through life and death together, feelings aren't something you can just barge into." Her voice was sweet but cold. "Besides, the portal is far too risky. No one can guarantee you won't become a burden." Wanda's nails unconsciously dug into Li Stark's arm as she stared at Ada Wong, her eyes full of vigilance and hostility.

Ada Wong raised an eyebrow and met Wanda's gaze without yielding. "Feelings are a fair competition. Don't tell me you have no confidence in yourself? As for ability, we both know who is more qualified to stand by his side." She glanced at Wanda's arm linked through Li Stark's, a provocative curve appearing on her lips. At the same time, she casually tossed her hair and tucked a loose strand behind her ear, the gesture elegant and openly challenging.

Li Stark's face reddened as he frantically tried to explain, but he stammered without managing a complete sentence. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his eyes shifted back and forth between Wanda and Ada Wong, leaving him utterly embarrassed. Gwen adjusted her glasses beside them and gave a light cough to break the deadlock. "This isn't the time to argue about this. The portal is already open. We need to decide quickly." Her voice carried urgency as her hands moved rapidly over the control console, trying to stabilize the increasingly unstable portal energy.

Natasha, who had been standing aside with her arms folded and watching coldly, suddenly stepped forward. Her boots clicked crisply against the floor. She looked Ada Wong over with a faint smile that was not quite a smile, her eyes filled with scrutiny and disdain. "You say you can protect yourself? Don't end up dragging us down. When we faced that pack of mutant dogs last time, if we hadn't worked together, you would've already..." She deliberately drew out the last word, a mocking curve on her lips and contempt in her eyes.

At that, Ada Wong turned to face Natasha directly. The hem of her red qipao flared with the movement like a blazing rose in bloom. "Natasha, you'd better take that back." Her voice was soft, but it carried a warning. A cold glint flashed in her eyes. "Don't forget who was the first to get into trouble in the underground parking garage. If I hadn't distracted myself to block that mutant creature's sneak attack for you, would you still be standing here?" Ada Wong slightly lifted her chin, her gaze full of pride and confidence.

Natasha's pupils contracted slightly. Having struck a sore spot, Ada Wong made her gaze turn razor-sharp at once, and her hand instinctively moved toward the gun at her waist. She leaned forward slightly, taking a fighting stance. "That was just an accident! If you've got the nerve, let's settle it right now and see who the real strong one is." Her voice was low and provocative, thick with the scent of gunpowder.

Ada Wong elegantly smoothed her wind-tousled hair, her eyes full of confidence and contempt. "Fine, let's do it. But if you lose, you'll apologize to me properly and admit that I'm more qualified than you to leave with Li." As she spoke, she slowly rotated her wrists, her knuckles making faint cracking sounds. Beneath her red qipao, her body was tense, ready for battle at any moment.

Seeing this, Gwen hurriedly stepped between them and raised both hands to signal a truce. "Enough! This is no time for infighting! The portal could close at any moment. Do we still want to go home or not?" Her voice became shrill with anxiety, and sweat beaded on her forehead.

Li Stark took the chance to say, "We're all partners. Don't fight over this." His eyes moved between Wanda, Ada Wong, and Natasha, full of helplessness. He held out both hands in an attempt to calm them down, but he looked utterly at a loss.

Natasha snorted coldly and turned her face away, refusing to look at Ada Wong again. Her arms were folded over her chest, and her body trembled slightly, showing that the anger in her heart had not subsided. Ada Wong, meanwhile, elegantly smoothed the wrinkles from her qipao as though the tense confrontation had never happened, but her clenched fists and trembling shoulders betrayed her unrest. The undercurrent of rivalry between them seemed to have only just begun when they stepped into the portal.

At that moment, Ashley ran in as well, her eyes full of yearning. "I don't want to stay here anymore. Here, I'm always the one being protected, and I hate that version of myself. I want to go to a new world with you, learn more, grow stronger, and become someone who can protect herself and the people who matter to her. Everything here has helped me grow, but I want even more to see the vast world beyond." Her voice choked slightly, determination shining in her eyes as she clenched her hands into fists.

Jill and Claire also appeared in the doorway. Jill gently stroked the weapon in her hand and said, "Raccoon City has returned to peace, but I know there are still many unknown dangers elsewhere. I don't want the tragedy here to repeat itself somewhere else. I want to use my experience and abilities to prevent and stop disasters before they happen. Besides, I'm curious about what another world might be like. Maybe there, I can find a new meaning for my life." Her gaze was firm and deep, as though she had already prepared herself for every challenge ahead.

Claire skipped forward, a radiant smile on her face. "Exactly! I don't want to miss out on any exciting adventures! The fighting here may be over, but I know that if I'm with all of you, there'll definitely be even more thrilling stories waiting for us! I don't want to be left behind!" Her energetic smile brought a hint of ease to the tense atmosphere.

Li Stark looked at Wanda's tense profile, then at Ada Wong's determined eyes, his heart filled with conflict. In the end, Wanda took a deep breath and released his arm. "Let's go together. Anyone who can fight alongside us is a partner." Although her voice was calm, the vigilance in her eyes had not faded. Her fingers trembled slightly, revealing her reluctance. Gwen and Natasha exchanged a glance and nodded in silent agreement.

In the end, under everyone's watchful eyes, Ada Wong, Ashley, Jill, and Claire followed Li Stark, Wanda, Gwen, and Natasha into the portal together. The light blazed brightly, and their figures gradually vanished from the laboratory, leaving behind only an empty room and the slowly closing portal.