Looking at the distant, explosion-ruined Institute, Rebecca's small face showed an angry expression, and she cursed furiously.
It was useless, though, no matter how much she cursed; the matter was already concluded.
Even the tunnel entrance they had just escaped from had collapsed due to the explosion's impact; all passages were inaccessible.
It could only be said that the Umbrella Corporation's method of dealing with escape routes was ruthless!
"…"
"Forget it, Rebecca," Javier said, shaking his head to comfort the fuming Rebecca, who was like a little lion.
"Even though the Institute was destroyed, we can still continue to expose the Umbrella Corporation's crimes.
Don't be discouraged; we still need to keep moving forward."
He then opened his tactical backpack, took out three bottles of fine wine, and threw them to Rebecca and Billy.
How could they not celebrate after surviving such a disaster?
This was fine wine he had managed to "borrow" from the Institute's wine cellar.
For a country with only two hundred years of history like the United States, its vintage was already considered top-tier.
Therefore, they had to enjoy it thoroughly.
However, as if he had thought of something, Javier threw the wine to Billy and then pointed at the silver pendant tag on Billy's neck, saying faintly:
"Now this is truly surviving a disaster.
Oh, right, Billy!
Take off the tag from your neck and give it to me."
Upon hearing this, Billy's expression froze slightly.
He didn't understand what Javier wanted to do and even frowned, thinking Javier wanted to go back on his word and arrest him.
After all, Billy genuinely didn't know what Javier was up to at first, as a dog tag was an item representing a soldier's identity.
In war, many soldiers going to the battlefield would wear an identity tag around their necks.
If they died on the battlefield, or were blown beyond recognition by artillery shells, or their faces were disfigured, they would be identified by these tags carried with them.
Of course, there was another situation.
Dog tags could also be used to count heads.
What did that mean?
It meant that the more people killed on the battlefield, the more dog tags brought back could serve as heads to earn military merits.
Therefore, Billy Coen's first thought was that Javier would use the dog tag for credit.
After all, he had been framed by his comrades and his captain, so his reaction was very strong when others tried to take his dog tag!
But…
"Clatter—!"
Without giving Billy Coen a chance to react, Javier yanked the dog tag from Billy Coen's neck and explained calmly:
"You're not wrong."
"I am going to use your dog tag for credit, after all… Billy Coen is dead now, isn't he?"
Without any hesitation, Javier nodded and admitted it.
Listening to Javier's words, Billy's expression froze slightly again, but looking at Javier, who had a smile on his face, Billy suddenly understood something… and his face also broke into a smile along with Javier.
"Yes!"
"There is no longer a person named Billy Coen in this world; he is dead, killed by S.T.A.R.S members Rebecca and Javier.
Thank you… Javier, and Rebecca, thank you both for believing in me!"
"And I know I can never clear my name in this life.
It's already lucky enough to have survived.
After I've taken care of everything, I'll gradually live out my life in anonymity."
A relieved smile appeared on his face.
Billy thanked Javier and Rebecca, raising his bottle to gently clink against theirs.
Then, Billy chugged his wine, emptying the bottle.
The warm, brilliant sunlight of the rising sun shone on Billy's face.
At this moment… he seemed to be reborn.
Yes, this was Javier's intention.
It was impossible for Billy to clear his name; the corrupt US government would not allow such a major scandal to tarnish its reputation.
Therefore, Billy Coen could only live in anonymity, but compared to being sent to a military court for execution, it was already very fortunate.
However, before he left, he could also properly repay his former teammates and the squad captain who had framed him.
After all, the plot of a soldier king being framed and returning for revenge is common in various films and TV shows.
Flawless plans, secret assassinations, anything is possible.
Furthermore, as a former Lieutenant in the Marine Corps, Billy had the ability to carry out precise assassinations.
Therefore, Billy Coen could still get his revenge before he left!
"In that case…"
"Then I cannot accompany you two on the rest of this journey, Rebecca, Javier.
I hope you can find evidence of the Umbrella Corporation's crimes and expose this ugly company.
I wish you both all the best!"
"Former Lieutenant, Billy Coen thanks you two—"
He drained the fine wine in his hand, tossed the empty bottle aside, his cool face slightly flushed, but Billy Coen still suppressed his drunkenness, and with a serious expression, saluted Javier and Rebecca.
"Thump, thump, thump…"
Then, after saying goodbye, Billy Coen turned and walked away… his broad back gradually disappearing into the distance of the hillside.
And in his last glimpse before disappearing, Billy slowly raised his thumb.
This was the encouraging gesture that girl Rebecca had initially given him, and now Billy faithfully returned it to Javier and Rebecca.
[Resident Evil 0 — End]
Volume Two: Resident Evil 1
Chapter One: The Mansion Incident
Akeley Mountains—
"…"
"It's truly regrettable, isn't it…?"
Watching Billy Coen's gradually disappearing figure, Rebecca gazed for a long time before finally retracting her gaze.
Her delicate face was filled with reluctance, and she could only sigh helplessly, saying to Javier,
"It is indeed regrettable," Javier replied, nodding at Rebecca's murmur.
"Righteous people are not rewarded, and may even be framed, but what is admirable about Billy Coen is that he always possesses a fervent heart.
And precisely because of this, we need to work even harder to eradicate the Umbrella Corporation."
He then slowly walked to the front of the hillside.
Approaching the base of the slope, Javier and Rebecca looked down from above and indeed saw the red Mansion Institute standing in the dark, dense forest.
The Mansion Institute was different from the Cadre Training Institute.
The Cadre Training Institute was a place specifically used by the Umbrella Corporation to cultivate talent.
All the Umbrella Corporation's cadres, big and small, had studied there, including the two fellow apprentices, William and Wesker.
Moreover, the Cadre Training Institute was built many years before the Mansion Institute.
Of course, the Cadre Training Institute itself was also equipped with certain biochemical research facilities, especially after Director Marcus created the T-Virus, he even moved his Laboratory to the Cadre Training Institute.
As for the Mansion Institute, it was a secret Institute personally ordered by Spencer to be built.
Ostensibly named as an entertainment and recuperation facility of the Umbrella Corporation, it was actually secretly researching various biochemical viruses inside.
At the same time, the Mansion Institute was specifically commissioned by Spencer to be built by George Trevor, a famous architect in Raccoon City.
Don't let its ordinary Mansion Villa exterior fool you; inside, it was a world of its own.
The interior of the Mansion was equipped with various mechanisms and traps, and like the Cadre Training Institute, it had its own underground Institute, designed to ensure that any enemies attempting to invade it would perish in the traps.
Initially, George Trevor had no intention of designing such a dangerous Mansion Villa, but because of urgent financial needs, coupled with the fact that the client was the famous Umbrella Corporation CEO, Spencer, who at the time still maintained a reputation as a benevolent person, and the offer of a high architectural fee, George Trevor could not refuse this request and agreed.
After a very long time, the Mansion Institute was finally completed.
To celebrate… Spencer falsely invited George Trevor and his family of three to a dinner party at the Mansion Villa.
But in reality, it was a sinister trap.
Spencer sent people to capture George Trevor and his family of three, keeping them captive in the Mansion Villa and using them as experimental subjects for the T-Virus.
Among them, George Trevor, the father, and his wife, Jessica, both died because they could not fuse with the T-Virus, and were discarded as waste in a corner of the Mansion Institute.
However, their daughter, Lisa Trevor, was very fortunate to fuse with the T-Virus, but this also caused Lisa to lose her sanity.
For a full 26 years, Lisa was tortured by the Umbrella Corporation as an important experimental subject.
During this period, she was injected with various viruses, leading to her body becoming deformed.
Lisa, however, managed to survive through her obsession with her parents.
Later, William, Marcus's rebellious disciple, even injected Lisa with the Na-a parasite, which was the parasite for the later Nemesis T-Type.
However, unexpectedly, Lisa devoured all the parasites.
Under a miraculous fusion of the two, Lisa regained a little bit of consciousness.
And Lisa's powerful virus fusion constitution made William feel incredible, so he extracted the virus from Lisa's body for research.
Unexpectedly, William actually discovered the prototype of the G Virus within it.
Therefore, in a sense, Lisa was the original source of the G Virus, the truly most perfect fuser.
Lisa, having regained her sanity, began to attack the female staff members within the Mansion, tearing off their facial skin and attaching it to herself.
She did this in an attempt to not forget her mother's face.
Later, when the Mansion Institute was abandoned, William, who had successfully extracted the G Virus, lost interest in Lisa as an experimental subject and she was also treated as waste.
But unfortunately… Lisa survived thanks to the powerful vitality of the G Virus, continuing to wander aimlessly within the Mansion, attempting to reunite with her mother.
All in all, this was a pitiful child!
A tragedy created by the Umbrella Corporation itself.
Just based on this… the Umbrella Corporation and Spencer cannot be whitewashed, and the same goes for William and Wesker and others.
On the other hand, it also sufficiently demonstrated that the strongest boss within the entire Mansion Villa was neither the experimental Tyrant nor Wesker with the Progenitor Virus, but Lisa, who had fused with a large number of viruses.
At this moment, Wesker had only just fused with the Progenitor Virus and had not yet fully mastered it; he had no so-called superhuman body, merely being slightly stronger.
Lisa, however, had been fusing with the T-Virus for a full 26 years, and during that time, she had even been injected with various other viruses, all of which she had fused with without exception.
Coupled with the Na-a parasite, it even caused Lisa to produce the original G Virus.
Even if this original form was not as complete as William's current G Virus research, it was ultimately the initial original form.
Once Lisa wanted to destroy everything, the G Virus within her could unleash all her power at any time.
At that point, let alone a Tyrant, even a fully-powered Wesker might not be able to defeat her.
After all, throughout the history of viruses in Resident Evil, the G Virus has always held a significant position.
Its tenacious vitality, mutation, and rapid adaptability are unmatched by other viruses.
"…"
"Let's go," Javier said faintly, looking at the red Mansion Villa down the hillside.
"Let's see how the Umbrella Corporation committed evil in this Mansion Institute, and it's time to rendezvous with the other members of the S.T.A.R.S.
After all, we've been delayed for so long, and with the poor radio signal, perhaps the captain and the others have been worried about us for a long time."
And Rebecca, beside him, also nodded.
Indeed… until now, she and Javier had been operating alone.
The other team members should be very worried.
However, in reality, at this time, the Bravo Team, except for Captain Enrico, had probably been wiped out entirely.
After all, that's how the script goes.
Other members might be good at dealing with terrorists, but against zombies… they might not be that excellent.
Therefore, casualties were definitely going to happen, and with the protagonist's passive ability to kill teammates in Resident Evil, it would be very difficult not to become cannon fodder.
But Rebecca didn't know any of this.
She just followed behind Javier, slowly walking down the hillside towards the Mansion Villa.
And before leaving, Javier took out his Desert Eagle and looked at it.
For some reason, even though the enhanced Desert Eagle didn't show very obvious changes, Javier felt that the gun's weight and power had increased significantly.
He wondered if it was just his imagination.
And that absurd Gun Kata, it seemed as if he could truly use it anytime, anywhere.
…
Raccoon City Police Department—
"Whirrrrr…!!!"
Beside the empty helipad, the cold evening wind combined with the rotating airflow from the helicopter's propellers blew painfully against the faces of the people standing in a line.
But even so… everyone's expression remained extremely serious, like a row of machines, waiting for orders to be issued.
And in front of them, a tall, stern figure paced back and forth.
He wore a blue police uniform, a simple bulletproof vest, and had neatly slicked-back golden hair.
His chiseled face was adorned with dark sunglasses, adding a touch of mystery to his already cool demeanor.
This man was handsome, but not many people liked him, as his pale poker face gave a very unpleasant first impression.
They instinctively felt… that this person was very difficult to get along with!
And in reality, that was indeed the case.
Albert Wesker, captain of the Alpha Team, and also the overall captain of the entire S.T.A.R.S in the Raccoon City Police Department, always wore a cold poker face, making his colleagues around him feel awestruck.
But fortunately, although Wesker was difficult to get along with, his abilities were evident.
Whether it was his intelligence, his ability to coordinate, his execution, or his proficiency with firearms, he was impeccable.
If one disregarded his personality, he was indeed a very formidable individual.
And at this moment, Wesker, just like Enrico, the Bravo Team captain a day earlier, was lecturing and instructing his subordinate team members in front of the helipad:
"…"
"I will only explain the mission content once.
Do not make me repeat myself.
Listen carefully.
You should all be well aware of the serial murder cases in the Akeley Mountains over the past few months.
Just yesterday, on the tracks in the Akeley Mountains, the Umbrella Corporation's Zodiac Train suddenly derailed."