Eddie Cai sat on a park bench smoking a cigarette, patting the seat next to him. "Sit down, don't stand. Privately, we have always been friends, we are family."
Lisa didn't stand on ceremony. She sat down on the bench in her high heels. "You know who we're dealing with this time, don't you?"
"Why do you ask?" Eddie Cai chuckled, taking out a cigarette and offering it to her.
Lisa skillfully lit the cigarette, her beautiful eyes showing a hint of amusement. "Because I've noticed you seem to have everything under control, without the slightest panic. I don't know if you've overcome fear, but if things ever fall outside your expectations, would you be afraid?"
It seemed she had noticed something. Eddie Cai smiled. "Perhaps I would have been afraid before, but I won't be now, because I have become stronger."
Lisa was silent for a moment, then turned her head, her brilliant sapphire eyes gazing at the man before her. "Are you using us, or do you genuinely care?"
"Before, it was just utilization; you know how special you are. But later, I couldn't help myself. I can't turn against my own family. I can't be a thoroughly bad person; I can only be a scumbag with a clear conscience. When it comes to you and Jessica, I might be the most failed scumbag, because I developed feelings for the people I was using. Don't you think I'm foolish? If someone targeted this weakness and set a trap for me, I might die," Eddie Cai mocked himself.
Lisa smiled silently, reaching out to gently stroke his hair. "You are very honest, and I like this side of you. I didn't like you before because you were using me, treating us like tools. But then you changed, and I accepted you."
"Thank you. I am truly sorry for everything in the past." Eddie Cai felt a bit embarrassed; he had indeed been using the beautiful woman in front of him previously.
Lisa shook her head. "Aren't hardships and setbacks, conversely, some of the joys we remember? I will trust you just like Jessica does. Anything Jessica can do for you, I can do too."
Eddie Cai laughed heartily. "Thank you. I promise, as long as I live, you will live. We will live happily, survive together."
"Of course, I believe you. Want to go find some fun? There are lots of bikini girls here, and they have very little immunity to handsome men." Lisa nodded toward the distance.
Eddie Cai shook his head. "I'm not interested in those women, just like I never go to bars."
As the two chatted, Leon arrived alone, followed by a car. Inside were Kevin, an unfamiliar woman, and an old acquaintance: Enrico, the Captain of Bravo Team who had escaped Raccoon City.
Since the dissolution of the Federation Bio-Hazard Commission, Enrico and Dury had been recruited to work for the Presidential Secret Service.
Chapter 494: The Despicable Outsider
The group walked to a safe location before meeting up in a secluded spot.
Enrico stepped forward. "Long time no see, Eddie Cai. You're still so young."
"Ha, everyone here is young. Are you accompanying us on the investigation this time too?" Eddie Cai asked.
"That's right. The plan is this: we intend for Leon to act as the advance team for exploration. Enrico and Dury will explore a separate route. I will provide protection from the shadows, and this lady will provide Leon with covert protection," Kevin analyzed.
"Counting me, that's three lines, three overt lines, and two covert lines?" Eddie Cai quipped.
"You could say that. This is a very serious incident, and Mr. Graham is close to retirement. We must find Ashley no matter what, both to give him respect and to display the strength of the Western Federation," Leon said seriously.
"Got it, got it. The Western Federation is practically claiming to be the strongest on Earth. Just give me the address. I'll go check it out myself. We can contact each other anytime then." Eddie Cai waved his hand, appearing impatient.
This left Leon helpless, and he could only hand over the address. "This is a relatively remote mountainous area. I will seek assistance from local agents."
"You go ahead. I'm leaving first. You guys take your time." After speaking, Eddie Cai flagged down a sports car, pulled out a check, and declared, "Your car belongs to me now."
After seeing the amount on the check, the woman calmly took out her phone. Only after confirming the check's authenticity with the bank did she get out of the car. "Handsome, the car is yours. If you need me personally, feel free to name your price."
"No need. He wouldn't like someone with syphilis," Lisa mocked. In her eyes, no one had secrets; the only difference was whether she chose to look or not.
"You're crazy! You have syphilis!" Just as the woman finished speaking, Eddie hit her with a sonic wave, causing all her teeth to fall out.
Eddie Cai than slammed the accelerator and sped away, not even glancing at the woman. Just as Lisa had said, he had no interest in women with syphilis or AIDS.
"You didn't have to do that, I could have handled her myself." Lisa sat very steadily in the passenger seat.
"You are my woman. I won't stand by and watch others bully you," Eddie Cai huffed, his tone brooking no refusal.
Lisa curved her lips into a playful smile but did not argue, instead watching the scenery constantly passing by outside the window.
Three hours later, the two drove to a remote suburban area. The place was full of withered branches, looking like a forest lacking nourishment and on the verge of death.
Eddie Cai keenly noticed the large number of crows here. "Do you see those crows?"
"Crows eat carrion. There must be many rotting corpses nearby." Lisa nodded. Her intelligence was not low; she had been studying for years, and sometimes her knowledge of wilderness survival might even surpass Eddie Cai's.
"It looks like we are about to enter hell!" Eddie Cai joked.
Lisa grabbed Eddie Cai's hand, her beautiful eyes sincere. "Don't be afraid. If we go to hell, I'll be with you."
Eddie Cai laughed. "Good thing no one else followed us, or they'd be choking on PDA."
Ahead was a suspension bridge. Eddie Cai parked the car before the bridge, and the two got out.
Lisa sniffed her delicate nose. "It stinks around here!"
Walking up to the suspension bridge, they could see several burned-out vehicles below, completely empty.
Several figures were hiding in the shadows, monitoring everything. When Eddie Cai and Lisa got out of the car, they began whispering and preparing some kind of plan.
Eddie Cai saw a civilian house by the roadside. This was probably Old Man Li's home. This poor fellow was truly pitiful. Whether his wife was dead or not was unknown, but his child being killed by his crazy wife was genuinely tragic.
He bypassed the house and walked straight ahead, choosing not to enter.
Soon, they encountered a villager. This young villager was holding an axe in one hand and pointing at Eddie Cai with the other. "Despicable outsider!"
Eddie Cai clenched his right hand, and the villager was instantly controlled, suspended in mid-air. With a forceful squeeze, the villager exploded into fragments, crushed by the power of the magnetic field.
A wriggling parasite appeared, but it had not been killed.
This parasite had six legs and greatly resembled a spider, but its head looked like a sickle. It appeared to be only its first form.
The controlled parasite continued to twist and struggle, attempting to escape the restraint.
Eddie Cai flew Lisa up to the mountaintop to conduct simple observation experiments on the parasite.
With his magnetic abilities, Eddie Cai barely needed to lift a finger. With a thought, he could control invisible magnetic blades to dissect the parasite.
Everything has value for utilization, and parasites are no exception. Perhaps some of their unique advantages could be studied, converted, and grafted onto a virus for further enhancement.
Eddie Cai knew that even if these parasites became fossils, they would use unique methods to ensure the continuation of their offspring. This was a biological instinct, the instinct to avoid extinction. This was fascinating and could perhaps be used for reference.
Outside the Iberian Peninsula, on a certain island still within the Mediterranean region, there were no surrounding islands, and the area was private property. Therefore, no ships passed by, and even if someone wanted to invest in building a port for profit, they would be refused.
Over time, the area became desolate.
This place belonged to the territory of a certain noble from the Kingdom of the Iberian Peninsula. Throughout European history, countless kingdoms were born, and countless hereditary nobles emerged, owning vast tracts of land. This phenomenon was invisible to ordinary people; those who knew about it were not ordinary people.
Sadler was on this island, diligently researching the parasite project he had personally unearthed.
An old acquaintance stood before Sadler. "The Western Federation has sent people. One person is very difficult to deal with: Eddie Cai. There are rumors that he has enhanced himself using a virus, and his bodyguard is also difficult to handle."
"You have completed missions with him, so he is your responsibility. Don't rush. Concentrate on sensing the powerful strength within your body. Once you master it, go deal with him. Eliminate him. Kill him!" Sadler said with a grim expression.