"Also..."
"We aren't going there to play; we're going on a mission. You should understand what I mean. If an emergency really occurs,"
"Then stick close to me and don't go running off. Even if you have the G-Virus in you, don't try to be a hero. Do you understand?"
Before they left,
Javier, just like Leon,
Earnestly gave instructions to Sherry, his 'daughter' who never seemed to grow up.
After all, he knew Sherry's personality well. Even with the power of the G-Virus protecting her, she couldn't afford to be careless. If she were actually infected by the c-virus, it would be all over.
Furthermore,
This young girl had made rapid progress over the past few years under Javier's special training.
Combined with the physical enhancement from the G-Virus, her combat strength was not inferior to a man's at all. Consequently, she had become a bit overconfident, so it wouldn't do if he didn't suppress that attitude a little.
"I know, I know..."
"Javier, you're so naggy! Let's hurry up and go!"
Sherry still didn't take it to heart, hurriedly shaking Javier's shoulder and acting spoiled to urge him along.
Traveling far from home for the first time, Sherry was incredibly excited, to the point where her mind simply couldn't hold onto any other instructions!
Volume 9: Resident Evil 6: Chapter 13: Wishes, Soul
Several days later—
Hong Kong, China.
After a series of flights, Javier and Sherry successfully arrived in the Hong Kong they had been longing for.
At the same time, Javier specifically booked a room in a five-star hotel in Lanxiang City. However, land in Hong Kong was worth its weight in gold.
The five-star hotel room wasn't much larger than imagined; it was barely enough for two people to live in.
Knowing that a biohazard incident had not yet broken out in Lanxiang City,
Javier intended to use this free time to accompany Sherry and show her around, while also making up for his guilt over the years.
After all, because of his missions,
Javier was rarely home, constantly running around outside to prevent the world from being destroyed, acting like a proper superhero.
While he looked after the safety of outsiders and the entire world, he had neglected the family by his side. Thus, Javier planned to fulfill Sherry's wishes.
And so,
The duo's happy father-daughter tour began.
Early in the morning, the two of them rented a car and headed to Disneyland's seven themed areas. Although people on the internet often criticized Disney's various actions,
One had to admit,
Compared to other ordinary amusement parks,
Disneyland was a very luxurious, beautiful, and exquisite place for entertainment. Besides the standard amusement facilities,
There were also large and small colorful, dreamlike, and brilliant castles that could satisfy the princess dreams in a young girl's heart.
In her early years, because of her parents Annette and William, Sherry didn't have many opportunities to go out. After all, both her parents were researchers.
To study bio-viruses,
They spent almost the entire year immersed in the Institute with no time to go out.
Only her mother, Annette, would occasionally fulfill her maternal duties by taking Sherry out of the Institute to visit nearby amusement parks. Those were almost the only happy times Sherry had.
Therefore,
Sherry's childhood was actually incomplete.
She didn't have the childhood life of many normal children. Most of her childhood was spent in the cold, pale, and monotonous Institute.
The heavy scent of disinfectant alcohol filled her nose, and her world lacked any extra color, as if there was nothing but white and grey.
Even the clothes her mom and dad wore were white lab coats, which made Sherry hate the grey and white colors of the Institute.
She hated those two colors most in her life.
Naturally, her favorites were bright colors, as they allowed Sherry to feel the brilliance and richness of the world.
And the Disneyland before her eyes
Exactly met her childhood needs.
Colorful castles, many cute Disney mascots, performing bands, small trains to ride, and beautiful carousels.
It was as if she were in a dream.
Here, Sherry found the childhood she had once lost. More importantly... Sherry wasn't alone; she was accompanied by her 'father' figure, Javier.
Buying osmanthus and carrying wine on the same boat... it's never the same as a youth's journey...
If Sherry had come by herself, it would have been hard to find that lost childhood.
But with a loved one who cared for her, that lost affection was what Sherry had been searching for all along.
The amusement park was merely a catalyst.
After Disneyland ended, without stopping,
Javier took Sherry to Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. In Hong Kong films and TV dramas, this was often the territory that various gangs fought over, once leading people to think it was a very chaotic place.
But in reality...
Tsim Sha Tsui was Hong Kong's most prosperous shopping paradise. It had all kinds of malls and duty-free shops, where all the world's famous luxury brands could be purchased.
As long as you had money...
Coincidentally, the thing Javier lacked least right now was money.
So, Javier took Sherry on a shopping spree.
They bought all sorts of luxury items, bag after bag, until they literally couldn't carry any more, at which point they had the items sent to the hotel.
After a quick lunch,
Javier continued to act as a qualified tour guide, taking Sherry to Ocean Park. There, they saw performances by dolphins and seals, as well as many gentle and cute marine creatures.
Walking out of Ocean Park,
The two of them felt a bit hungry.
Javier continued his duty as a guide, taking Sherry to Wan Chai. The streets here were filled with hidden gourmet shops, offering a one-stop experience for clothing, food, housing, and transportation.
The various signs along the street left Sherry dazzled. Even after stuffing themselves, the two hadn't even finished exploring a single street.
It was clear how incredibly rich the Chinese culinary menu was.
To taste all of China's delicacies, one would probably need a lifetime. The two could only be said to have barely satisfied their appetites.
As evening approached,
Javier took Sherry to Repulse Bay, one of Hong Kong's most beautiful beaches. Watching the sunset while feeling the sea breeze was very romantic.
It was also a great place for a post-dinner stroll.
Sherry's delicate feet stepped on the sand, leaving footprints behind her that were then washed away by the waves. Watching the beautiful scenery of the setting sun,
Sherry made a wish on the beach, hoping that she, Javier, and the others could always live together safely.
Then,
Night fell,
And the horizon gradually darkened.
Javier took Sherry to the last check-in point of the day: Victoria Harbour, one of the world's eight greatest night views.
The pitch-black night sky, paired with the lights of the skyscrapers, made the entire harbor incredibly colorful. There was also a Ferris wheel nearby.
Riding it allowed them to overlook the entire Victoria Harbour night view, which was exceptionally beautiful and romantic. They played until around midnight.
Only then did Javier and Sherry finally return to their hotel room.
Looking at Sherry, who was fast asleep on the bed from exhaustion, Javier shook his head with a helpless, wry smile. She was still a child at heart; once she played until she was tired, she would start snoring away.
But tired as she was,
Today was likely the happiest day of Sherry's life.
Because even while asleep, a very happy smile remained on Sherry's face, as if her lips were coated with honey.
Regarding this,
Javier was also very satisfied.
This arrangement had fulfilled Sherry's wish and greatly reduced Javier's sense of guilt.
Although he had failed the dying wish of Annette, the mother who entrusted her child to him,
By raising Sherry a bit 'crooked'—making her quite spoiled and willful—Javier had at least succeeded in ensuring she lived happily.
"Beep, beep, beep..."
"Beep, beep, beep..."
"There's some good news and some bad news. Which do you want to hear first? No... I've decided it's better to tell you in person. I'm coming back. See you in Hong Kong. Signed: Your favorite Wonton Noodles—!"
The communication device in his pocket sent a message, vibrating steadily.
Javier opened the screen, and there was a message from that woman, Ada. After all, the two had been working closely in secret for so long that they were already familiar with each other's contact information.
'Favorite Wonton Noodles'... normally it would feel okay,
But now Javier only felt it was exceptionally awkward and cheesy. Their relationship was already too familiar for this kind of flirting.
It felt like an old couple teasing each other. After all, the signature on the messages he sent to Ada was 'Hong Kong Style Sausage,' which was just too embarrassing.
However,
Ada's message also served as a reminder to Javier.
That was, it probably wouldn't be long before Lanxiang City in Hong Kong suffered a bio-virus missile attack from Simmons and Carla.
At that time, this place would surely become a living hell. Besides dealing with the two culprits, Simmons and Carla, Javier also intended to notify the BSAA Asia Branch in advance.
After all, this could be considered one of his homelands.
Naturally, he didn't want it to become a living hell like Raccoon City. They couldn't stop the bio-missiles,
But with the help of the BSAA, they could avoid more deaths of innocent civilians. This was the only thing Javier could do for now.
...
On the other side—
Republic of Edonia.
Inside a small tavern on the border,
A middle-aged man was slumped at the bar, dead drunk. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes sunken and bloodshot, and a thick stench of alcohol drifted from him. He was clearly a chronic drunkard.
A group of men with buzz cuts sat at a nearby table. They weren't drinking, only ordering some peanuts and melon seeds.
They sat quietly at the table,
Their gazes fixed on the drunken man at the bar, eyes filled with a trace of helplessness.
Because of their fierce faces, the tavern's bartender and many customers could do nothing about this group.
Since they clearly didn't look like people to be trifled with, if they didn't drink, they didn't drink. As long as they didn't cause trouble, everything was fine. But interestingly,
This group of buzz-cut men visited the tavern every day.
Their purpose was to watch a drunkard drown his sorrows, watching for the entire day. This made many customers in the tavern feel very strange.
As for the drunkard at the bar, he was called a'stray dog' by the bartender and patrons.
Because this middle-aged man came to the tavern every day, went nowhere else, and just sat and drank for the whole day.
Just like a homeless stray dog.
That was why he was given this nickname. Fortunately, the bartender and customers didn't reject this stray dog.