Manuela stared blankly at Hilda's dissipating body, her eyes hollow and dazed, still muttering to herself.
Facing her mother Hilda's departure without any time for goodbyes, Manuela was undoubtedly completely unable to accept it.
However,
What she didn't notice was,
On her back, as she turned away,
Her mother Hilda's last gift remained: two tears had ripped open her thin white sundress, exposing Manuela's flawless back to the air.
But on her shoulder blades, on either side of her spine, there remained skin that was not human.
They were two wrinkled, dark, folded wings, and upon closer inspection, they even had the 紋 of dragonfly wings. This was the last gift her mother Hilda left for Manuela…
No,
Perhaps some would say it was a curse,
Leaving non-human, monstrous features on Manuela's back, both ugly and unsightly, forcing her to bear the name of a monster for life, to be cursed as a monster by anyone who saw her.
But for Manuela,
This was a talisman.
One day in the future, when Manuela encountered danger again, the wings attached to her shoulder blades would instantly unfurl,
Just like the warm embrace her mother Hilda gave Manuela today, they would carry her high into the sky, away from danger, avoiding all calamities.
Therefore,
For Manuela,
This was an irreplaceable gift, and also the last love…
…
After an unknown period of time,
Everyone slowly came to their senses.
Everything, everything seemed to be over—
The setting sun in the sky had already descended to the horizon, its crimson light spilling over the Amazon Rainforest. If not for the massive skeletal ashes remaining on the ground, and the pure white girl kneeling and crying in the distance,
Perhaps no one would have realized that this mission was completely over.
"It's over…"
Leon dropped the RPG in his hand, looked around at everything, and slowly let out a sigh, muttering. He then plopped down onto the ground, took out his satellite phone, and requested the Colombia government to come clean up the aftermath.
"Life…"
"It truly is an incredibly fragile existence,"
Meanwhile, Krauser, watching the massive ash remains of the V-Complex being scattered by the breeze, and the crying Manuela in the distance, couldn't help but lower his usually sharp eyes, muttering with great emotion.
He, who was usually on the battlefield, had never experienced such a profound realization until today. Only now did Krauser truly understand the greatness of life… as well as its insignificance and fragility.
"Thump, thump, thump…"
Javier also let out a heavy sigh of relief.
Looking at the crying Manuela in the distance, he slowly walked towards her. Ignoring Manuela's low spirits, he gently patted her shoulder with his thick hand, looked at the setting sun on the horizon, and spoke softly:
"…"
"You have a mother who loves you very much, Manuela!"
"And… she has a good resting place, doesn't she? And so does your father. You lost everything, but you also gained everything. You must keep looking forward."
"Your mother placed the hope of life on you, so next time, don't easily say you want to die. Live well with your mother's hopes; perhaps that is the best reward for her!"
Hearing Javier's words,
Manuela's body trembled slightly.
She looked up at everything before her, then slowly released the dust tightly clasped in her hands, letting the breeze scatter it into the sky. This seemed to represent something: Manuela had chosen to let go.
"I know, thank you, Mr. Javier, thank you for coming to the Amazon Rainforest… and thank you for helping me resolve all of this. If not for this, I…"
"Javier—!!!"
"Helicopter, the rescue helicopter is here!"
Just as Manuela was about to say more, Rebecca's shout suddenly came from a distance. This woman, who was already 24 years old, still ran over excitedly, jumping like a child, shouting with an incredibly thrilled expression.
She immediately rushed over and hugged Javier's waist, directly interrupting their conversation.
At the same time,
The roaring sound of helicopter propellers indeed came from the sky. It was the black armed helicopter from before.
During the battle between the three black armed helicopters and the V-Complex, two crashed, and only this one survived, slowly descending towards Javier and the others.
The strong rotor winds made Manuela's and Javier's hair fly. The two exchanged glances, and a smile appeared on their faces, their meaning clear:
They had survived a disaster; other matters could wait. First, they needed to leave this place…
Only Rebecca looked at Javier and Manuela with suspicion, wondering what kind of deceptive words Javier, this scoundrel, had used on Manuela, this innocent girl—
Chapter Thirty-Three: So?
"Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump…!!!!"
On the black armed helicopter,
The pilot was flying the helicopter towards the Colombia government. If nothing unexpected happened, they would take the last flight back and arrive in the United States around tomorrow afternoon or evening.
And looking at the sunset over the Amazon Rainforest visible from the open door of the helicopter,
Everyone couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic…
Although the V-Complex's power was terrifyingly immense,
In front of the Amazon Rainforest, the Earth's lung, it still appeared small and insignificant. In the dense, dark green rainforest, the V-Complex's ash remains were gradually shrinking. Aside from the billowing black smoke, it was difficult for everyone to discern its specific appearance.
As the dim yellow sunset bathed everyone, Javier looked at the silent, thoughtful people inside the helicopter and finally couldn't help but break the deadly silence, asking in a very serious tone:
"Alright…"
"Now it's time for the final main topic. After all, the mission is over, and it's time to divide the spoils. Although it might not sound good, that's the reality. Since none of you are willing to speak, then I'll have to be the bad guy."
"As I said before, Manuela, I came to the Amazon Rainforest to take you with me. You carry the T-Veronica Virus, and you are also a highly integrated infected. This is a very important discovery."
"Therefore, make a choice! Will you come with me and Rebecca, or with Leon and Krauser next to you? Of course, to show my sincerity, I will truthfully state my identity."
"First, Rebecca. She is a medical biological researcher and a pharmacist. She is currently working for the United States Government on virus research, dedicated to developing a serum against bio-viruses. She and I were S.T.A.R.S partners, so we have a very good relationship."
"As for myself, I am a mercenary with very obvious profit motives. Of course, I don't work for anyone; I work for myself. My goal is also to research bio-viruses, but I have never conducted human experiments. You can rest assured about that."
"I also have a few infected under my command who are in similar situations to you. You are all in the same boat; perhaps you might find some common ground together."
"As for why I want to take you with me, the purpose is also very simple: I lack highly integrated infected samples and need your help in providing blood for research. Additionally, I want you to act as helpers."
"After all, I still need to diligently search for other infected like you around the world for research, and at the same time, it's also a way to save a life."
"Manuela, since you once said you felt guilty for causing the deaths of over fifty girls, how about you join me in saving more people? If you caused the deaths of over fifty girls, then save over a hundred girls. This might make your guilty heart feel better."
"Furthermore, the most important point is that the T-Veronica Virus in your body is very unstable right now. Although I don't know what method your mother Hilda used to temporarily stabilize the virus in your body,"
"There is still a possibility of relapse. And I have a special method that can help you recover completely. Don't worry… it's not the killing kind. And that's probably all of my objectives."
Looking at Manuela before him,
Javier revealed all of his little schemes, exposing them without reservation to Leon, Krauser, and Rebecca.
These things were irrelevant to Javier, as when dealing with such a pure and kind girl, it was best to be honest from the start.
If he were to deceive her…
Although it was possible, if she ever found out,
Then Manuela would never trust Javier again. Therefore, everything Javier said was honest—
"Cough, cough…"
"Of course, now that I've introduced my side, it's time to introduce our two guests, Leon and Krauser. They are legitimate government personnel, specifically sent by the United States Government to investigate the incident involving your father Idalgo and the bio-virus in the Amazon Rainforest."
"As official personnel, if you choose them, then congratulations, you will receive very strict and safe protection. After all, the United States Government cherishes a hard-won T-Veronica Virus infected very much."
"You don't need to worry about safety, and you don't need to worry about food and lodging either. You can live a very comfortable and enjoyable life."
"However… as a price, you will also need to assist the United States Government's virus research, which involves extracting cells, blood, and similar things. It's similar to what I'd ask."
"And when you suddenly experience a relapse of heart failure, their treatment method will probably be similar to your father's; they will perform organ transplant surgery for you. However, you can rest assured that their heart sources are safe and are all voluntarily donated, so you don't need to worry about guilt."
"I haven't said anything wrong, have I, Leon, Krauser…?"
Smiling, Javier suddenly spoke faintly to Leon and Krauser, though the smile on his face was somewhat chilling—
Undoubtedly,
Javier's recent statement was correct,
But it made Leon feel a little strange. He didn't want Manuela to think that the United States Government was not a good thing.
At the same time, he didn't want Javier to easily abduct Manuela, because Javier's motives were too vague,
Making Leon suspect whether Javier still held the same sense of justice he had seen in Raccoon City.
Therefore,
"It's similar…"
"But Manuela, the United States Government isn't as bad as you imagine. At least it can ensure your safety, and the United States Government is an official organization, so you can live there legitimately. No one will discriminate against you for being infected."
Trying to argue,
Leon was trying to salvage the United States Government's image, although he himself disliked the United States Government because it was filled with corrupt politicians who used their power to manipulate everything.
But there were also some righteous individuals who sincerely served the people and the country, so Leon couldn't condemn everyone with one stroke.
"Is that so…?"
"It sounds like it's no different from my previous life, like a canary confined in a cage, well-fed and without worries, but forever unable to step out of the cage, and even having to entertain those who come to observe."
"I think… perhaps there's no need to even consider it, Mr. Javier. I am willing to leave with you. What you just said is very true; I do need to atone for my actions, so if I can save more people, then I am willing to use my power."
Without hesitation,
Manuela chose to follow Javier. This was Manuela's trust in her intuition. Manuela could clearly feel that although Javier had clear profit motives, he was the most sincere.
Additionally, Manuela hated the government—
Whether it was the United States Government or the Colombia government, Manuela's impression of them was very poor.
The country of Colombia, and even the entire Republic of Brazil and South America, suffered from backward development and severe wealth disparity due to government inaction and the huge gap between rich and poor. Violence and fear were rampant everywhere, and drugs also came into being under these circumstances.
Therefore,
Manuela had no good feelings towards the government.
The government had always been just a tool to serve the rich and powerful. Therefore, Manuela believed that gaining freedom by following Javier was much better than being a canary for the government.
"Manuela…"
"Alright, I understand. I respect your choice…"
And finally,
Seeing Manuela decisively choose Javier, Leon couldn't help but sigh deeply, but he still agreed to Manuela's willful choice.
After all, he didn't really have a better solution. The reason he repeatedly obstructed was only because he was worried that Javier had ulterior motives.
But now,
Whether he worried or not,
It seemed to be useless. The foolish girl was determined to follow Javier, that old fox. Leon wanted to stop her but was powerless—
"OK!"
"Very good, your choice is wise, Miss Manuela. I won't disappoint you. Also, calling me 'Mister' is too formal; just call me Javier. I'm a very casual person."
Snapping his fingers,