His previous action was simply Javier's attempt to gain the initiative.
After hearing Rebecca's words, Billy Coen's expression froze slightly.
He hadn't expected Rebecca and Javier to actually be willing to listen to his explanation, especially since before, no matter what he said, his friends and superiors would never trust him.
Instead, they treated it as a lie to evade responsibility, which made him incredibly miserable.
It was to clear his name that Billy Coen had escaped while being escorted to the military court at the Caucasus base.
He was not guilty, so he would not die. Even if he were to die, he would die with a clear conscience. As a soldier, this was the dignity he deserved!
"I was formerly a Lieutenant in the Marine Corps, and the incident occurred a few months ago during a mission..."
"My teammates and I received a mission to intervene in a civil war in Africa. Our Delta Team was dispatched to a very remote location, supposedly to eliminate local guerrillas there.
Along the way, we experienced Africa's harsh environment; almost our entire Delta Team was dead or wounded.
We had lost several comrades before even encountering the enemy, but to complete the mission, we persevered and reached our destination."
"But what's even more ironic is that the intelligence we received was incorrect. There were no guerrillas there at all, only a group of indigenous natives.
After paying such a huge price, only to discover in the end that our target was wrong, such a loss was unacceptable to the captain of my assault Delta Team."
"He ordered us to completely shoot and kill these 23 innocent civilians, and I resolutely refused.
Because I believe the meaning of soldiers and servicemen is not to indiscriminately kill the innocent, but to protect our homeland.
I did not want to become an aggressor."
"But at that time, the captain of my Delta Team had gone mad.
He, along with two other soldiers, pinned me down and knocked me unconscious.
They killed 23 innocent civilians in front of me, using these civilians as guerrillas to claim credit.
Afterward, fearing I would expose them, they pinned the blame for killing the 23 innocent civilians entirely on me.
I had no room for explanation or proof, and was quickly sentenced to death by military court."
"The soldiers who were escorting me to the execution ground, they were attacked and killed by those monsters in the Akeley Mountains, it wasn't my doing.
From beginning to end, I haven't harmed a single person.
This is my explanation, believe it or not, it's up to you..."
A painful memory appeared on his face.
Billy Coen was silent for a long time, but finally, he explained the matter again.
He didn't expect others to believe him, but it seemed Rebecca and Javier were a little different, which was why Billy Coen was willing to speak.
After hearing Billy Coen's explanation, Rebecca and Javier exchanged glances, their eyes filled with surprise.
It seemed such a thing could indeed happen, because although both lived in the United States, everyone knew about the country's rotten behavior, especially the act of killing innocent people to claim credit, which was nothing new.
It was very possible that what Billy Coen said was true.
Therefore, after much hesitation, Rebecca still uncuffed Billy Coen, but she did not return his handgun.
Instead, she confiscated it and said calmly, "We can barely trust half of your explanation, but we cannot fully trust the other half.
Therefore, I am confiscating this handgun, just in case you try to harm us."
"Furthermore, the matter is not over. We will not let you leave for now.
If what you say is true, help us with this mission.
Afterward, Javier and I will decide whether to help you conceal your whereabouts based on your situation!"
Rebecca said this proudly, holding the handcuffs with her slender hand and tilting her chin.
To be honest, for Rebecca, who hated evil like fire, this was already her biggest concession.
When Billy Coen heard Rebecca's words, he closed his eyes and shook his head helplessly, but a relieved smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Finally, someone was willing to believe him.
For Billy Coen, Rebecca's request was perfectly fine; he could do it.
"..."
"Thank you for your trust.
Let's reintroduce ourselves.
My name is Billy Coen, a former Lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
I'm good at firearms and wilderness combat, and I can drive most vehicles.
What about you...?"
Rubbing his sore wrists, Billy Coen extended his friendly hand to Javier and Rebecca, asking them.
This time, he truly let go of his guard.
"..."
"Javier Li, I'm a mixed-race Asian, a member of the S.T.A.R.S in Raccoon City.
A shooting genius, you can even call me 'genius', old man."
Facing his new companion, Javier introduced himself with a playful boast.
Rebecca, standing by, rolled her eyes at Javier's shamelessness.
This bastard was getting more and more brazen.
Javier didn't mind being embarrassing, but Rebecca, his partner, was embarrassed for him.
"What genius? He's just a shameless guy.
Didn't you see him wearing a gas mask?
Such people don't care about their reputation.
My name is Rebecca Chambers, a pharmaceutical expert, skilled in precise drug formulation and medical technology.
If you get injured, you can tell me; I guarantee I won't kill you with my treatment!"
With a fierce look on her small face, Rebecca twisted Javier's waist muscle hard and introduced herself calmly.
The simple introductions instantly eased the atmosphere among them.
Although there was still some distance, at least they were not as wary as before.
However, just at this moment—!
"Buzz...!"
"Clang—Clang—Clang—Clang—!!!!"
A loud noise, followed by the sound of train wheels slowly starting to turn.
The Zodiac Train, which had been stopped on the tracks, suddenly started moving again for some unknown reason, continuing deeper into the Akeley Mountains.
Javier, Rebecca, and Billy Coen, standing in the carriage, were startled and quickly gripped their weapons.
Billy Coen looked at his empty hands and sighed helplessly.
He finally bent down and picked up a walking stick that had fallen on the ground.
Although it wasn't very powerful, it was better than nothing.
At this moment, since everyone on the Zodiac Train was dead, who was driving the train?
Survivors? Or... infected zombies?!
Chapter 13 U.B.C.S
"Shhh...!"
A shushing sound.
Javier, Rebecca, and Billy Coen slowly crept forward, hugging the floor of the carriage, trying to minimize noise during the process.
After about a few minutes, the three finally crouched down and reached the frontmost carriage of the Zodiac Train, almost at the driver's cabin.
However, just at this moment, two fully armed special soldiers stood on the railing outside the driver's cabin.
Javier, Rebecca, and Billy Coen immediately exchanged glances, signaling to each other, and covered their mouths, instantly entering a state of silent breath-holding.
The three of them slightly raised their heads and glanced.
"Whoosh...!"
"Boom—!!!"
Outside the carriage, the wind and rain raged, and thunder roared.
Daylight lightning occasionally struck the dense forests of the Akeley Mountains, seemingly delivering divine punishment under God's command, to eliminate the Bio-weapon monsters in the forest that had escaped the natural cycle of life and death.
Fortunately, it didn't strike any trees, or it would have caused a forest fire.
But with so much rain, it should be fine.
And with the flashes of lightning, Javier, Rebecca, and Billy Coen quickly saw the two fully armed special soldiers standing outside the Zodiac Train.
They were dressed almost identically to Javier, all in black from top to bottom, wearing steel helmets and bulletproof vests.
On their armbands, they wore the red and white Umbrella Corporation logo.
There was almost no need to guess.
As members of S.T.A.R.S, Javier and Rebecca immediately recognized them as the Umbrella Corporation's Biohazard Countermeasure Service, or U.B.C.S.
This unit had four sub-teams: Alpha Team, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta Team.
Each division was further divided into five teams: Alpha Team, Bravo, Charlie, Delta Team, and Echo, totaling 120 soldiers.
Most of the members were retired military personnel and mercenaries, with a small number of ace soldiers.
Initially, Umbrella only recruited retired military personnel into U.B.C.S.
However, due to this unit frequently participating in the "aftermath work" of failed Bio-weapon experiments and handling rescue missions for Bio-weapon leaks, the death rate was extremely high.
Many team members even experienced symptoms of mental derangement after witnessing the bloody scene of terrifying mutated monsters tearing their teammates apart.
Therefore, Umbrella had no choice but to recruit mercenaries and criminals with extreme violent tendencies to form this first line of defense against Resident Evil.
This was the true military force under the Umbrella Corporation's name.
So, their weapons and equipment were much more sophisticated, as evidenced by their fully armored helmets and bulletproof vests.
They were completely incomparable to S.T.A.R.S, after all, no matter how you looked at it… S.T.A.R.S was just a special police unit belonging to Raccoon City.
And the two special soldiers in front of them were members of Delta Team.
It was almost certain that these U.B.C.S members knew about the Bio-virus leak and were ordered to handle it.
But only two people?
It seemed they were underestimating these Bio-zombies too much; there should be reinforcements!
However,
At this moment,
The two U.B.C.S soldiers had no idea that Javier and the other two had stealthily approached.
They were still receiving signals on the rapidly moving Zodiac Train, attempting to connect their communication system.
And very quickly… amidst static, the communication system actually connected?
"Beep-beep-beep…"
"Beep-beep-beep…"
"Hello, can you hear me? This is Delta Team.
We have successfully taken control of the train, but unfortunately… all the researchers sent to the Cadre Training Institute are dead.
There are only corpses and infected Bio-weapons on the train."
"What should we do next? Continue to the Cadre Training Institute for investigation, or directly destroy the train to eliminate the evidence?"
The two U.B.C.S soldiers stood outside the Zodiac Train car, leaning against the railing, calmly asking their superior over the communication.
As soldiers of the Umbrella Corporation's forces, they were long accustomed to the Umbrella Corporation's methods; it was often primarily about killing people and destroying evidence.
As for eradicating the Bio-virus?
Heh heh… if everyone was dead, wouldn't no one know who released the Resident Evil?
This was no different from eradicating the impact of Resident Evil; it was all the same.
Therefore, most of these U.B.C.S soldiers were too lazy to fight dangerous Bio-virus weapons; they would try to skip it if they could.
Only a few righteous hotheads in the unit would insist on fighting Bio-virus weapons.
Please—
Those monsters were terrifying and troublesome, alright?
Javier and the other two, hiding inside the train car, listened to the two soldiers' conversation with their communicator, and their expressions couldn't help but sink, especially Rebecca and Billy Coen.
Billy Coen was fine; after all, he had just experienced betrayal from his military comrades, so he only felt anger towards the Umbrella Corporation's malicious actions, with no other emotions.
But Rebecca was different.
As a pharmaceutical expert, before she joined S.T.A.R.S, she had greatly admired the Umbrella Corporation.
After all, it was the world's largest pharmaceutical company, possessing extremely powerful technology, and frequently creating various medicines in the news to help the public.
In Rebecca's view… the Umbrella Corporation was a very good organization.
But now it seemed…
Things were not like that.
What was in the news was all just the Umbrella Corporation putting on a show to gain goodwill; it was not their true face at all.
In private, it was an enterprise that had gone insane for the sake of virus research.
Additionally,
What Javier and the other two probably didn't know was that,
The superior of the two U.B.C.S soldiers on the communication system was their old acquaintance, the captain of S.T.A.R.S Alpha Team, Albert Wesker.
At this moment… this old captain, along with his junior disciple William Birkin, was in the Cadre Training Institute, using the communication system to issue orders to these two soldiers.
"Wesker…"
"This is unscientific.
Marcus has been dead for nearly ten years, and the T-Virus has been well-protected by us.
I have even investigated all Umbrella researchers who have ever come into contact with the virus, but none of them could have spread the virus.
It can be confirmed that… the virus leak incident in the Akeley Mountains was not spread by our Umbrella Corporation!"
"So if it wasn't spread and leaked by the Umbrella Corporation itself, then who is trying to slander us?
What's more absurd is… the Cadre Training Institute is three miles away from the Zodiac Train.
How did it suddenly infect a train? Did it fly over?"
In a secret monitoring room at the Cadre Training Institute,
Two figures were discussing intensely, none other than Wesker and William Birkin.
As the former managers who intervened with the T-Virus and the Cadre Training Institute, the two had to take responsibility for this virus leak.
Therefore… William Birkin beside him spoke so anxiously.
He was different from Wesker.
William Birkin himself was just an ordinary researcher; besides his ability to research viruses, he was basically useless.
If he were implicated by that scoundrel Spencer, he could basically pack up and leave.
Not to mention—his "God" had not yet been researched!
Chapter 14: A Sudden Thunderclap
Cadre Training Institute—
"…"
"I don't care if it's scientific or not.
I only know that the situation has been completely exposed, and the virus leak has occurred.
We must take remedial action."
"Hello, can you hear me? Delta Team, I order you to completely destroy that train, destroy the evidence, and leave no trace.
If the news of the virus leak being caused by the Umbrella Corporation gets out, you two will be finished too.
Do things cleanly and efficiently!"
"Understood—?"
In the secret monitoring room of the Cadre Training Institute, a cold man with slicked-back blonde hair spoke in a serious, deep voice.
His short blonde hair was neatly slicked back, adhering smoothly to the back of his head.
He had a chiseled face, but his expression was always as cold and emotionless as a poker face.
He frequently wore black sunglasses, a simple deep blue police shirt, and a bulletproof vest.
His physique was tall, strong, and upright.
From a distance… he looked like Neo from The Matrix, able to show off.
And this person,
Was a key figure who ran through the entire Resident Evil series, also the main villain, a spy with multiple identities, a turncoat, a bioengineering expert, a perfect match for the Progenitor Virus, superhuman physique, I can teleport, I can catch bullets, my sunglasses are my true form, I am Agent K, Chris's nemesis, Chris is my wife, a highly intelligent child, I didn't know I had a son, I did all the bad things, S.T.A.R.S captain, intending to become the god of the new world, Albert Wesker—!
He had so many titles and nicknames, it was hard to know where to begin to complain.
But without a doubt,
With so many nicknames, there was no need for detailed explanation; one look and you knew this guy was no simple man.
And the blonde man in the white coat next to him,
His identity was slightly simpler:
William Birkin—