But what she coughed up was sweet blood, which splattered all over Ashley's fair palms, mixed with a faint amount of saliva.
Unnoticed by Ashley, the blood vessels in her neck were already densely exposed.
This was a sign of the Plaga parasite developing and growing.
It was parasitizing Ashley's body and moving towards her spine.
The blood she coughed up indicated that the Plaga parasite had already begun to absorb blood and thrive…
"Cough, cough…"
"Wait, Leon, what's going on—?!"
Looking at the pool of blood on her palm, Ashley's expression was one of disbelief.
She grabbed Leon's hand and urgently asked, "What's happening to my body?
How could I be coughing up blood at such a young age?
I remember never having this kind of illness."
"It's a sign of the Plaga parasite developing…"
"Once the Plaga parasite begins to develop and parasitizes the spine, it will start to absorb blood for nutrition.
The lungs are the easiest place for them to absorb blood.
Sometimes, due to excessive greedy absorption, it can lead to accidental blood seepage, which is then coughed up from the lungs."
"Currently, there's no major problem, but this also indicates that the Plaga parasite is already deeply embedded and growing vigorously.
It cannot be removed by simple surgery, and medication won't suppress it for long.
A new type of ultraviolet laser surgery must be performed as soon as possible."
"She was kidnapped earlier, so the Plaga parasite eggs were injected earlier.
At this rate, the Plaga parasite will likely fully develop into an adult within two days… three days at most.
At that point, the new ultraviolet laser surgery will also be useless."
Seeing Ashley cough up blood, Luis, who was standing nearby, explained with a slightly solemn expression.
As the father of the Plaga parasite, he understood these aspects well and immediately recognized Ashley's physical condition.
Yes, Ashley was kidnapped a day or two earlier than Leon, so the Plaga parasite eggs were injected a day or two sooner.
This caused the Plaga parasite in her body to develop faster; under normal circumstances, it would turn into an adult within two to three days.
If medication was used to suppress it, the delay would be limited to at most one or two more days.
However, if Ashley were captured midway and forced to drink the black water that accelerates Plaga parasite development, the speed could be even faster.
Two days? No… one and a half days might be enough!
Additionally, if it truly evolves into an adult, it will be extremely dangerous.
An adult Plaga parasite is very large, curling up to be about half the size of a human torso.
At this point, the Plaga parasite has completely taken over most of the human flesh and blood.
If forced removal using ultraviolet laser surgery is attempted, the Plaga parasite can indeed be killed, but it cannot be completely removed.
Its flesh and blood will remain inside, and it will have already attached to the spinal nerves.
There is always a risk of triggering a nerve, and removing the Plaga parasite's flesh and blood would destroy the spinal nerves along with it, leading to a tragic outcome of one body, two lives.
Therefore, if it can be removed earlier, that would be for the best—
"What's going on?!"
"Plaga parasite, what do you mean, Leon, Luis, are you saying that what those cultists injected into my neck earlier wasn't some kind of medicine, but Plaga parasite eggs?
Am I going to turn into a monster like those villagers?!"
Upon seeing this, Ashley completely panicked.
Originally, she wasn't worried about what was injected into her neck, but now, hearing that it was Plaga parasite eggs, she immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
Because she had personally witnessed the villagers acting like walking corpses.
At first, Ashley just thought they had been brainwashed and controlled by the cultists, but she never expected that they were actually controlled by the Plaga parasite!
And Ashley herself absolutely did not want to become that terrifying sight—
Seeing Ashley starting to panic, Leon quickly took out the capsule medicine Luis had given him earlier and had Ashley swallow it.
These pills could temporarily suppress the Plaga parasite's mischief, preventing it from absorbing blood and developing for a while.
"Le… Leon…"
"Will I become like them?"
After swallowing the capsule, Ashley recalled the terrifying appearances of the villagers and felt a pang of fear.
She couldn't help but ask Leon, who was beside her.
It seemed the only person she could rely on now was the bodyguard sent by her father, the President of the United States.
"No,"
"You won't.
You won't turn into that kind of monster.
I will help you remove the Plaga parasite from your body.
This is also my mission."
Shaking his head, facing the emotional Ashley, Leon grabbed her shoulders and comforted her with a very serious, word-by-word tone.
He tried to make Ashley calm down; excessive tension was useless, only calmness could help them overcome this difficulty.
"Hmph…"
"You two really have time for flirting.
Luis, you come with me now… Since the crisis has been resolved, you should go help me find the "Amber" sample.
Don't forget about this; it's the payment you still owe me."
"As for you two? Leon, our cooperation is over… I have no obligation to continue helping you.
I'm not here to play house with the President's daughter, so I can only wish you good luck."
Just as Leon was busy comforting Ashley, Ada, who was standing by, couldn't stand it anymore.
She decisively pulled out the agent's pistol from her thigh and pointed it at Luis's head.
At the same time, her gaze towards Leon and Ashley was filled with ice, a very clear warning!
That's right—
Ada had no intention of continuing to play house with these people.
She had already wasted too much time here.
As she had said before, Ada had never forgotten her identity and purpose.
She was a bounty hunter, a virus hunter, a bio-hunter, and also a top female agent.
Her mission this time was to retrieve the "Amber" sample and deliver it to Wesker.
Then she would collect her two million dollar reward…
This was her true purpose for being here.
She wasn't here to catch up with Leon, a friend she hadn't seen in six years.
She didn't have the leisure for that.
The main reason she came here and met Leon earlier was because of Javier.
She and Javier had reached an agreement for cooperation.
Javier needed Luis as a hostage, and Ada needed the "Amber" sample.
Their interests did not conflict, so they cooperated.
After all, Javier's combat power was good; he was a good helper, worth Ada's cooperation.
But now…
Javier was dead.
And Leon had the President's daughter, who was about to be completely controlled by the Plaga parasite, as a burden.
This made Ada very displeased.
Continuing with Leon and the others would likely lead to unknown troubles, and it seemed the Plaga Parasite Villagers' goal was this President's daughter.
She was practically a living target magnet, attracting attacks from the Plaga parasite wherever she went.
Given this… Ada might as well directly abandon Leon and Ashley, letting them attract the firepower while she seized the opportunity to obtain the Amber sample.
This was the best and most effective method.
So Ada decisively chose to cut ties.
She immediately turned hostile with her pistol, going their separate ways.
Don't say Ada was cold-blooded; perhaps… she had always been this kind of person.
She would only provide as much help as the other party could offer her in terms of benefits.
From another perspective—
If Leon really had the ability to continue with Ashley, the President's daughter, as a burden, then Ada wouldn't let them die easily.
Instead, she would save them at a critical moment.
As for why?
Would it be out of emotional reluctance—?
Probably, but it's also very possible that Ada found such a cannon fodder fire attractor very useful.
After all, if such a cannon fodder fire attractor could keep attracting fire until the end of the mission, that would be even better.
Perhaps it was for this reason that Ada always chose to help?
However,
This was merely speculation; who truly knew the real reason besides Ada herself…
"Ada—!"
"You…"
Upon seeing Ada suddenly turn hostile, Leon frowned, wanting to say something… but found that he couldn't utter a single word.
Because he realized that Ada's actions seemed to be without fault.
After all, Ada truly had no obligation to continue helping Leon himself.
Ada had come to the village for profit.
Now that she was going to get her profit, did Leon have any reason to stop her?
No…
He didn't.
On the contrary, Leon didn't know how to persuade Ada to stay and help him and Ashley.
To play a trick?
To say that if he could safely rescue Ashley and return to the United States, Ashley's father, the current President of the United States, would give Ada a large sum of money as a reward?
This proposition might be useful,
But not very useful, because Ada was a smart person.
She understood that this possibility was very low, not to mention the amount of the reward.
Just the fact that Ashley was currently a burden, and could be completely controlled by the Plaga parasite at any time, or even attacked by many Plaga parasite infected individuals, these risks alone, the rational Ada would not take.
Wouldn't it be better to safely exchange the Amber sample for money?
Why take a greater risk for money that might not even be given?
As for relying on their friendship to make Ada stay and help, Leon thought that idea was even more ridiculous.
So, very helplessly, Leon could only watch Ada leave with Luis.
"Hey!"
"Don't worry, once I get the Amber sample, I'll come back for you two.
Anyway, I also need to find something.
Besides the capsule pills, I also have injectable suppressants, which are more effective.
Just wait for me a moment; I'll bring you the medicine then."
Compared to Ada's coldness,
Luis, who was being led away at gunpoint, smiled and comforted Leon and Ashley.
Then he made a gesture, telling them not to die so easily, and with Ada's displeased gaze, he turned and left with a graceful stride.
At this point, the few people completely went their separate ways…
Chapter Thirty-Eight Ramon Salazar
"Hey, Ada, do you have to be so heartless?"
"After all, we were comrades who fought side by side.
To abandon those two kids just like that is a bit too pitiful."
The four went their separate ways.
Although Luis was being held at gunpoint by Ada, his face showed no panic.
Instead, he walked ahead with a very relaxed, carefree, and self-satisfied look, a slight smile on his lips, unable to resist asking Ada again.
As an unrelated party, a helpless researcher who was even being thrown around as a hostage, Luis was already accustomed to Ada's behavior.
Anyway, he used his brain, and he certainly couldn't escape Ada's gun, so he might as well just give up.
Ada wouldn't dare do anything to him either.
However,
Seeing Ada abandon Leon and Ashley without the slightest bit of pity, Luis's heart was still somewhat moved.
Because leaving two people, one of whom was an underage girl, implanted with Plaga parasite eggs, to wander in this dangerous Wolf's Valley, even with Leon's protection, would be futile.
Therefore, Luis still felt a little uncomfortable.
After all, it was too much of a shame—
On the other hand, Ada showed not a single trace of emotion, which made Luis sigh… this woman was truly not simple.
Not only was she beautiful, but her temperament was also… not exactly cold-blooded, but rather astonishingly rational.
They say women are emotional, and often make mistaken judgments due to feelings.
But with Ada, rationality took the lead, which was truly unbelievable.
Could anyone truly pluck such a high-mountain flower… no, an ice lotus?
Because even Luis, a playboy, dared not harbor any thoughts about Ada.
From the moment he first saw this woman, Luis knew… she was definitely not to be trifled with—!
"Hmph…"
"It's not me being cruel, Luis.
Are you perhaps mistaken about something?"
"I came to this godforsaken village to get the Amber sample, not to be a bodyguard.
And that's also what we agreed upon in our transaction.
I brought you out of the Island Institute, so shouldn't you fulfill your promise?
Don't try to fool me, okay?"
"Besides, I work for money.
If there's no payment, and you expect me to be the President's daughter's bodyguard, that's just ridiculous.
Are you trying to get something for nothing?
At least wait until you help me find the Amber, so I have some assurance, alright?"
"Don't ask me to run around with you without anything substantial.
Do you really think I'm a fool?!"
Listening to Luis's words, Ada was so angry she wanted to laugh.
She lifted the hem of her bright red cheongsam, raised her fair, long leg and black high heels, and decisively stomped hard on Luis's vintage leather boot.
Ignoring Luis, who was clutching his foot in pain, Ada directly retorted.
Yes,
This was what angered Ada the most.
From beginning to end, Ada had followed Luis and Leon and the others all the way, and she hadn't even seen a shadow of the Amber sample.
If Javier hadn't kept luring her with rewards like antique gems and gold coins, Ada would have run off long ago.
Now that Javier, the rich man, was gone, and there were no high rewards to entice her, how could Ada possibly continue to fall for it?
She could help, but first, hand over the Amber sample.