Chapter 287: Eddie's Show-off Rescue of the Beauty
"Eddie, he's the one selling bioweapons, right? Are you just going to let him go?" Cindy asked, a little confused.
"He is, indeed. We could kill him, but the cost would be too high. Some things don't require our direct involvement, Cindy. I know you're very kind, and you hope the world will be a better place, don't you?" Eddie patted her shoulder.
Cindy nodded. "Yes, I hope this world will be better, with less war and more peace."
"Your idea is very good, and my dream is to research a way to achieve eternal life, to live happily with you all, and to protect your safety. Let others handle protecting the world; if I have the ability, I'll contribute my share too," Eddie explained earnestly. In truth, he just didn't want to be a pushover.
Cindy felt a little embarrassed after hearing Eddie's words. "I'm sorry, Eddie, I shouldn't have doubted you. I'll trust you from now on, believe what you say, and believe that everything you do is right."
Eddie, however, smiled and playfully flicked Cindy's nose. "You don't need to be like that; sometimes I also get lost. You can enlighten me then. If you gain power and don't show it off, it's like wearing fine clothes at night. But sometimes, showing off too much can lead to trouble, so you need to remind me in time, okay?"
His words were a bit excessive, talking about showing off to a girl was a bit vulgar and lowered his demeanor.
Cindy, however, didn't feel displeased. She thought this Eddie, who used such language, was a truly living, down-to-earth person, not an unattainable god. "I'll try my best, Eddie. We'll live together, forever."
"Alright, I've received your sentiment. Let's go back; everything's resolved. Next, we'll scout out construction sites and prepare to invest in business," Eddie smiled. He was a liar, deceiving Cindy. But what did it matter? True feelings never last; it's always schemes that win hearts.
The two returned to the air-raid shelter, strolling hand in hand.
Ten minutes later, they met in a monitoring room. Rachel and the others were also there. The leaders of the reactionary armed forces in the area were all dead, their deaths gruesome—either twisted to death or impaled through the heart by some animal.
"Was there a shootout here? It seems everyone's dead. Were the hostages rescued?" Eddie walked over, his expression nonchalant, as if the deaths had nothing to do with him. He didn't care at all; in fact, he was gloating!
"From what we can see, some kind of shootout occurred. We just didn't catch those unscrupulous bioweapons dealers. The hostages are safe. We can retreat now; we'll leave this area for Idonia's soldiers to clear," Rachel waved her hand, leading everyone away.
Back on the surface, Federal Bio-Terrorism Countermeasure Committee soldiers had already advanced to this point. There were also some Idonia troops who had come to take advantage, rushing in once most of the bio-monsters were eliminated, a bit like a dog relying on its master's power.
"Eddie, we've prepared a tent for you at the camp; there aren't any good hotels here," Rachel said to Eddie, who was preparing to leave.
"Thanks, I'll find a place to stay. I prefer living in a house, not a tent," Eddie waved his hand and left with Cindy.
Shira asked thoughtfully, "Captain, where is he going? This area hasn't been cleared yet."
"Don't worry about him. He's also a sponsor of our committee. As long as he's safe, nothing else matters," Rachel directly covered for her man. Whatever he wanted to do was fine; she wouldn't object.
Shira wanted to follow, but Rachel ordered her to do other things, so she couldn't leave.
Shira was a spy sent by a certain faction; only Rachel knew this, but Rachel didn't care. As long as it didn't hinder her, she let things be.
Returning to the alley, they suddenly found several Idonia soldiers surrounding Billy and Ms. Yaxi and her son, gesturing at them.
"Never! You scoundrels, don't even think about defiling my mother!" Jack stepped forward to shield his mother. He wouldn't tolerate his mother being harmed.
"You little brat, you're rebelling! Keep an eye on those two; I'm going to personally enjoy this woman!" The captain chuckled and walked over.
Whoosh! A dagger flew straight through his brain. Eddie hadn't even moved; the kind-hearted Cindy couldn't bear to watch any longer. She hated this kind of situation the most and killed anyone who caused it.
"Next time, can you leave the hero-saving-the-beauty part to me?" Eddie grumbled.
"I just couldn't stand it. You can handle the rest," Cindy said apologetically. She had acted out of impulse.
"Who are you people? How dare you attack the troops? Are you looking for death?" another man with a full beard roared.
The next second, Eddie pushed off the ground, using the advantage of acceleration, flying past the surrounding walls and dodging the incoming bullets. His posture was incredibly cool, astonishing young Jack. How could such a thing be possible?
It was unscientific, violating human cognition. Yet, it happened, making it impossible to deny.
Whoosh! Eddie quickly approached the house, punching a soldier who flew up, slammed into the wall with a dull thud, and then slumped down, as if boneless. His bones had been shattered when he hit the wall!
Bang! He tilted his head, dodging a flying bullet, and then backhanded the soldier who fired, making his head spin twice. He was as dead as could be.
Neck breaks, heart punctures—all sorts of one-hit kill combat techniques were employed. The five soldiers didn't last five seconds; all were dead.
With a hand chop, he cut the rope binding Billy. Eddie quipped, "You're really pathetic, getting tied up."
Billy gave a wry smile. "They tied me up as soon as they came in, and they said they were Idonia troops. I couldn't very well not open the door, could I? Who would've thought they'd be so deranged."
Chapter 288: A Great Mother
Ms. Yaxi, however, bowed solemnly in gratitude. "Thank you for saving us again, both my son and me. I am very grateful. Is there anything you need me to do? I will try my best to repay you."
"That's not necessary. There should be a motel nearby; we can make do there for now. We can also discuss some things; I need your help with some research. As for your son, you need a job to support his growth, don't you?" Eddie smiled, with a hint of threat in his tone.
"Cough, cough, I understand. We'll come over and talk properly. There's a hotel in the south; it's the best one in town," Ms. Yaxi began to cough after only a few sentences.
"Mom, what's wrong? Mom, boo hoo, if I could earn money, I could help Mom." Jack was very upset. He was very filial; compared to his unknown father, he wanted his mother to get better more.
"You seem to need treatment. I have a lot of experience treating various difficult illnesses. I can examine and treat you, and I can also offer you credit, to be deducted from your future salary," Eddie offered a suggestion.
"Thank you, I will seriously consider it." Ms. Yaxi did not refuse. She still needed to think it over before making a decision, and she indeed needed to consider her son's future.
As for Jack, Eddie himself didn't pay much attention. The other party's blood might be useful for researching certain virus-enhancing substances, but that was all.
Soon, soldiers heard the gunshots and came over. "You killed army soldiers! Surrender immediately!"
Eddie scoffed, "Haha, I'm an honorary doctor of the Federal Bio-Terrorism Countermeasure Committee. Would I kill people? These were killed by hidden reactionary armed forces; it has nothing to do with us. Get out of the way; I need to return to the camp. If you have any problems, tell your superior to communicate with Camp Commander Rachel. You don't have the authority!"
His status and position allowed Eddie to haughtily scold these Idonia soldiers. The soldiers hesitated, and after their captain spoke up and asked, they could only let the group go.
They still couldn't afford to offend the Federal Bio-Terrorism Countermeasure Committee, let alone the Western Federation behind it. The weak get bullied—that was an unchangeable truth.
The group arrived at the motel in the south. This was equivalent to a roadside inn, and at no other time had Eddie ever stayed in such a poor place.
After dinner, Eddie called Ms. Yaxi over to discuss matters. Jack was temporarily left with Billy, with the idea of having Billy train him to become a mercenary.
"Mr. Eddie, thank you very much for saving my son and me twice today. Is there anything you want to discuss with me? I'm ready," Ms. Yaxi sat upright on the cheap sofa, her voice calm.
"I need you to work for me. Before that, I need to tell you something: Wesker is still alive. And another question: why did you go looking for Wesker?" Eddie was very interested in this gossip.
Ms. Yaxi pondered for a moment, seemingly organizing her words. "Women sometimes make mistakes. Albert is a very proud and talented man. He has a unique, cold charm."
"It's just that his coldness seemed innate. During the time I spent with him, there wasn't much actual interaction. From his handling of things and his relationships, I could tell that he treated everything as a chess piece, a usable chess piece. If it had no use, he would discard it without hesitation."
"I saw through his true nature, so I left him. You could also say he abandoned me. Jack was already born then, and a child is innocent, so I've worked hard to raise him." Ms. Yaxi recounted her story.
Cindy listened, somewhat lost in thought. Her greatest hobby was listening to other people's stories, which she often got at bars where everyone would brag, and she'd just listen for entertainment. "Does this count as what Eddie calls a scumbag?"
"Scumbag, definitely a scumbag!" Eddie said with certainty.
"Scumbag? It sounds quite fitting," Ms. Yaxi smiled.
"Then why does Jack say you sometimes miss Wesker?" Eddie suddenly asked. This was quite a significant matter.
Ms. Yaxi shook her head. "He misunderstood. In truth, he needs a father to guide him on his path to growth. But I worry that other men might not treat him well, might bully him. That's why I've always been single. I know some medical knowledge, and besides that, I can do some handicrafts. What position do you think I'd be suitable for? I'll work hard to repay my debt."
"Uh, you trust me that much?" Eddie was a little stunned. Before, he was always the one actively deceiving people, because very few people would trust him. Even Jill approached him with a purpose, and then he himself fell for her.