"Hmph! What if you slander Ben?" Katherine was a little angry. She had a very good impression of Ben, and they were almost boyfriend and girlfriend.
"I see you have a very good impression of that guy. I'm helping you see through his true colors. Forget it, what he does is none of my business. I'm going to confront him. Do you think someone who steals other people's papers can be a good person? How would you feel if something you worked hard on was pirated and then you were mocked for it?" Eddie tried to communicate using rhetorical questions.
Katherine lowered her head and remained silent. She wasn't one of those ordinary college students; she was the daughter of the Raccoon City mayor. It was impossible to deceive her, and she trusted her own judgment. "Alright, I'll call Ben out. What if you're wrong?"
"If I'm wrong, I'll apologize to him and give him monetary compensation. But what if your friend is wrong?" Eddie retorted. Isn't this a gamble? How can he be the only one to lose out?
Katherine bit her lip and asked, "Then what do you want?"
"Hmph, you tell me. Anyway, I can't lose out. Are you one of those people who only looks out for themselves and takes advantage of others?" Eddie used a very common taunt.
"If Ben is really that kind of person, then I won't have anything to do with him anymore, is that good enough!" Katherine said angrily, also doubting her own judgment.
"What's the use of you not having anything to do with him? I don't get any actual benefit. Alright, how about this: I want pizza, hamburgers, and cola from the pedestrian street. You treat me, and I won't make things difficult for you." Eddie proposed a very comical bet.
Katherine was a little annoyed and amused. Such a handsome person actually wanted to trick her into buying him food and drinks. "Alright, I promise you. Don't forget what you promised."
Meanwhile, in the fully armed and guarded villa, Spencer found his subordinate's report somewhat amusing. Eddie Cai, that guy, actually had his subordinate bribe a reporter to use him to pick up girls? Truly incorrigible. But this was good too; such a person wouldn't achieve great things and had no grand ambitions, which perfectly fit his plan's requirements.
All of this was planned by Eddie. He probably pretended to be a good-for-nothing with a bit of talent in front of Spencer. Only by pretending to be a wimp would Spencer not suspect him and kill him. And secretly approaching the mature woman Wesker to seek help—this is called 'mending the road in the light while crossing the river in the dark'! What do these Westerners know about such tactics?
Eddie and Katherine chatted for about fifteen minutes. The novel theories on virology and cancer also changed Katherine's view of Eddie. His vivid explanations of knowledge, unlike those of university professors that made one want to sleep, were fresh and sparked an urge to continue exploring.
"And then? Have you found a way to treat cancer?" Katherine's beautiful eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"I've made a little progress. Alright, your friend is here. We can confront him now. If you're interested, we can chat again when you have time." Eddie looked at a man wearing a vest, smoking a cigarette, and walking over in the distance. He also had a ponytail. What was he trying to be, an artistic youth? A grown man with long hair? This is modern times, for goodness sake!
"Sorry, Katherine, I'm late. Who are you, and what are you doing with Katherine!" Ben said apologetically while scolding loudly.
"Hmph, you've probably forgotten that six months ago, you stole my paper. You came to interview me six months ago, but there wasn't even a news report, and you took the opportunity to steal my paper. Have you no shame? Today, in front of Katherine, let's make things clear!" Eddie demanded angrily.
Ben secretly admired the other party's acting skills; even he was almost fooled. At the same time, as Eddie questioned him, Ben slowly retreated, feeling a bit guilty, as if his lie had been exposed.
Such an obvious action made Katherine suspicious. "Ben, do you know Eddie?"
Ben lowered his head guiltily and said, "No, we've only met."
"You'd better tell the truth. You can't deceive people. I hate people who deceive others the most." Katherine put her hands on her hips angrily, her pretty face showing great indignation.
"How can you be sure I'm the one who stole it!" Ben was still holding on, somewhat unwilling to face it.
"Because the day after you came to interview me, my paper was stolen. Only you had seen it during that time. And I checked your newspaper agency; they said there was no interview targeting me at all. That interview was entirely your own plan. You still won't admit it!" Eddie presented actual evidence.
Seeing this conversation record, Ben seemed to lose all his strength and slumped to the ground. "Yes, I accepted someone's commission to pretend to interview, but it was actually to steal the paper. I was wrong, please don't tell anyone. I beg you, I'll lose my job."
"Hmph! Katherine, you see, I told you, I was right. This person is not a good person!" Eddie was still fanning the flames.
Slap! A crisp sound of a slap rang out. Katherine angrily glared at the other party, "You scumbag, I really misjudged you. You even said you were righteous, you degenerate, get out, I don't want to see you again." Then she left without any hesitation.
After Katherine left, Eddie took out a check. "Here, good acting. And give me the camera and film. You can confirm the check's authenticity first, then give me the items."
"Of course. I won't give you anything until I see the money, but you must pay for the previous expenses!" Ben said seriously.
No one would have thought that there had already been some dirty deal between them! All of this had kept the vibrant and beautiful Katherine in the dark. The seemingly sunny Eddie was actually extremely shameless and despicable. How could someone who wasn't full of evil schemes survive under the watchful eyes of Spencer, the founder of Umbrella, amidst constant crises?
In the bank's VIP lounge, after confirming the check's authenticity, Ben, who chose to withdraw the money, handed over a camera and a roll of film.
"This is what you wanted. By the way, you won't kill me to silence me, will you?" Ben seemed to be joking, but he was actually on alert.
"Pfft, I'm not that bored. I'm just doing someone a favor. Even if there's something shady in there, it's for the relevant people to worry about. You should leave quickly; it's dangerous to stay here." Eddie waved his hand, ready to leave.
Ben, however, called out to Eddie just as he was about to exit, "Wait, remember to be good to Katherine. She's a good girl."
"She's a good girl, and you didn't cherish her?" Eddie's tone was a bit mocking.
Ben, however, said proudly, "Compared to love, I think cash smells better!"
.
Chapter 12: Dr. William's Head Is in Danger!
After handing the items over to Mayor Warren, Eddie received a helicopter, declared as scrap, which was stored in an abandoned factory.
Having a helicopter is always a good thing. After the biohazard outbreak in Raccoon City, the most convenient way to leave was either by helicopter or by subway.
Returning to the underground laboratory, it was still as cold as ever. And some access permissions had been shut down, which made Eddie a bit pensive.
"Thirty-eighth experiment, T-Virus enhancement failed. Reason: toxicity too strong, cells unable to adapt!" Eddie closed the microscope again. Long hours of work made him feel a bit dizzy and lightheaded.
Ding! The laboratory door opened, and Annette walked in, carrying a cup of coffee and a plate of donuts. "If you're tired, you can rest. Your dedication to experiments is very much like William's; you both go crazy to the point of risking your lives."
"No, at least I still know how to live; I'm not as obsessive as he is." Eddie took the coffee. After a sip, he felt his head clear up a bit.
"What are you researching? A new bioweapon?" Annette asked casually. She was only there to keep Eddie stable and prevent other accidents.
"No, I'm researching how to perfectly adapt the T-Virus. This seems very difficult. Among ten million people, only Sergei's clone can perfectly endure it." Eddie frowned.
"Indeed, the Caucasus laboratory he is in charge of has the latest model of Tyrant, while our laboratory only has the 002 prototype." Annette also nodded and said.
"Are you talking about the specialized bodyguards named Ivan-type Tyrants?" Eddie exclaimed.
"You're both right and wrong. Those Tyrants are indeed bodyguards exclusive to high-ranking officials; there are only a handful of four, but they are not the latest model. Do you know why?" Annette suddenly asked.
Eddie pondered for a moment, then looked up, staring into Annette's emerald green eyes, and said, "Because the maintenance cost is too high, to the point where even Umbrella finds it unbearable."
Annette smiled with relief. "That's right, high cost is one issue, and another is not wanting to leak information about this model. The T-Virus accelerates metabolism and must be alleviated with a special drug. Except for Sergei, who doesn't need it, all other Tyrants require maintenance."
"But these are defined as consumables; using them for maintenance would be too wasteful and not cost-effective." Eddie was pensive; basically, Tyrants sent out were never intended to be recovered.
"Exactly. You just said you want to research perfect T-Virus adaptation. What are you thinking?" Annette suddenly asked, feeling very curious.
"I believe that both T and G can be used to benefit humanity. It's just a breakthrough opportunity to extend life. Haven't you ever thought about living longer, staying young, and being free from the troubles of illness!" Eddie began to persuade her.
Annette was silent for a moment, not answering directly, but instead said, "Your idea is very unique!"
"Can you help me? More friends mean more options. It's hard to say we won't need to help each other in the future. I have no intention of participating in the struggles between factions, and you should know that. I just want to do my research, and I want to survive." Eddie said in a low voice.
That sorrowful tone, for a moment, made Annette feel a pang of softness. A maternal glow shone around her. "Alright, I can help you. Let's be friends. I hope you won't do anything detrimental to me or my family."
"I won't harm my friends. If I were to harm someone, I wouldn't befriend them, because I wouldn't be able to do it." Eddie said with certainty.
Even if he didn't harm William, William wouldn't survive. Wanting to betray Umbrella without full preparation was not a wise choice.
Even someone as strong as Albert Wesker hid behind the scenes, only daring to appear and fight Sergei when Umbrella was on the verge of collapse. At this time, Umbrella's power was too immense, too powerful for an individual to contend with.