Infinity, progressing from Arasaka

"Sure, do you have a satellite phone?"

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Chapter 034 William, ×! Vera, ?!

Just as Vera was heading to the White House, news broke in the media that her bill to sanction and freeze all of Umbrella's activities and force its reorganization had been passed by the House of Representatives.

With a slight delay, the footage of Vera chatting with a group of members of Congress and dignitaries under the Statue of Liberty on Capitol Hill was also broadcast live to the world.

In Denver, Colorado, a hidden safe house nestled in an upscale downtown apartment building plays news of the House of Representatives passing sanctions against Umbrella, its dimly lit interior glowing with shifting blue lights.

A tall man wearing a navy blue shirt, a set of gun holsters under his arm, sunglasses, and a slicked-back blond hairstyle leaned back in his seat, quietly watching the screen.

Among a group of balding older men and bob-haired middle-aged women, that beautiful young figure stood out.

She wore a high-end uniform with dark red patterns and a strong sense of technology, with a delicate and neat face that looked like a vase, and long, wavy, light blonde hair that cascaded down to her shoulders.

And those impressive indigo eyes.

"...Spencer, you've dug your own grave. How could someone like Vera Adelheid allow you to manipulate and exploit her?"

Albert Wesker gave a cold smile.

Although he wasn't sure how much Vera knew about Umbrella's private research on bioviruses and bioweapons—after all, it was a fact that the other party had never actively engaged in virology or made any underhanded moves—her arrogant and disdainful attitude was undeniable.

Through a few brief, unfaced encounters and observations from a corner, Wesker could even sense that he and that woman were, to some extent, kindred spirits.

Wesker admitted that in the past, he had even felt envious, jealous, and inferior about the woman's achievements and the high position she had been promoted to (a feeling similar to William's when Alexia became a researcher in the original work).

"William...you've lost after all."

squeak.

Wesker stared at the grotesque, pixelated image of the monster on the news, the bolded and enlarged lettering proclaiming 'William Birkin, principal investigator of virology at Umbrella Corporation, the mastermind behind the Raccoon City incident,' and clenched his fist, a fleeting bulge of veins appearing on his forehead.

William Birkin was one of his few close friends in Umbrella.

When he voluntarily injected himself with the experimental ancestral virus variant for the purpose of faking death, it was William who helped him prepare and administer the injection.

Wesker knew that William had been driven almost insane by the pressure from Vera at the company over the past few years.

William was likely aware of his personal ambitions, the pressure and contempt from his colleagues, and his increasingly bleak future within the company, as well as his contacts with high-ranking U.S. military officials and his possible plans to defect from the company.

The result was obvious: William suffered another crushing defeat.

The other party didn't even acknowledge him.

It was Spencer who did it.

Looking at the news, it seems Vera may have already been involved with Washington and the Pentagon.

Even if William were to succeed by chance, Wesker would not be optimistic about his friend competing with Vera.

While the military certainly has a need for BOW and biological weapons, compared to the clearly promising prospects of prosthetic technology, intelligent unmanned technology, and the electronic information industry brought by Vera, as well as emerging military products that are gradually being realized and profitable, William's technological shortcomings and limitations are too obvious.

Now that William has indirectly caused the world's first major biochemical leak, the military immediately cut off all contact with William and, in conjunction with Vera's speech in Congress, shifted all blame onto William.

Pentagon: What William Birkin? We don't know him! We're afraid Ms. Vera might misunderstand.

Soon, Wesker even saw news that William Birkin's alma mater had removed him from the Hall of Fame and revoked his graduation, and many private hospitals had announced the termination of their cooperation agreements with William personally...

"William, rest in peace. I will never repeat your mistakes..."

Although the image was pixelated, Wesker knew very well from the abnormally swollen human body that his friend had died when he was infected with the G virus.

beep...

The text message notification stopped Wesker from mourning his friend. He picked up his phone; the caller ID read: Ada Wong.

beep.

connected.

Wesker asked, "Did you get the stuff?"

There has been no progress yet.

A slightly husky, mature female voice came from the speaker.

"You didn't tell me that the internal strife at Umbrella would be so intense. There's Vera Adelheid's USF, the UTS at the Paris headquarters, the UBCS who know nothing but are still saving people, the USS sent by Spencer, the Raccoon City police from the RPD, and the military's special forces. It's all a chaotic mess. The number of BOWs dropped in the city and the number of bio-experiments that escaped from the labs far exceeds your estimate... It's too chaotic. I had no chance to get into the underground research facility."

“William Birkin has turned into a monster and is roaming the school district, seemingly searching for her daughter. She encountered military special forces and engaged in a fierce firefight. Hordes of corpses are converging on the city, and I am temporarily unable to make contact with my second target.”

"..."

After listening quietly to the other party's explanation, Wesker said in a deep voice, "That's something you should consider. It's precisely because of the risks that I chose you. The reward will be doubled. Don't let me down."

“I’m trying. I’m trying to infiltrate the Raccoon City police force; they’re rounding up survivors, and I think I have a chance to reach my second target.”

"Then you'd better hurry, Ada. Vera Adelhead is in Washington. Once she has everything in hand and the survivors and troops have been evacuated, and the military assesses that Raccoon City is beyond saving, Raccoon City will be completely sterilized."

beep.

The phone hangs up.

"Before Vera Adelheid mobilizes more troops... no, there's no time, I can't reveal myself yet..."

Wesker put down his phone and stared quietly at the computer screen, which displayed the surveillance system of the Raccoon City underground research facility, which he had accessed through the backdoor left by William.

...

Raccoon City.

Southeast of the city, Raccoon Junior High School.

"Roar—!" The chilling, slight chewing and the enormous, inhuman howl of pain echoed continuously.

Tap, tap...

Beside the wrecked vehicles from the multi-vehicle collision, soft footsteps echoed along the edge of the road, followed by muffled groans of pain and low curses.

"Fuck, fuck! Umbrella USS bastards!"

"Alright, quiet down. We lost this round. Their equipment... Damn it, when did our USA Special Forces' equipment become so outdated..."

"You too, stop yelling. Fuller is dead. If you bring that monster William Birkin here, we'll all die."

A group of U.S. special forces personnel dressed in urban camouflage and combat vests stumbled into the emptied room, drew the curtains, ate compressed biscuits to replenish their strength, bandaged themselves, and sorted out the remaining ammunition.

There were deaths and injuries, and the atmosphere in the squad was very tense.

"Boss, is there any wording from above?"

When the squad leader, Justinham, put down his communication headset in the corner, the squad members couldn't help but ask him something.

Their situation was far from optimistic. Their initial encounter with the USS was a complete rout, and they even attracted the mutated William Birkin, who was roaming nearby, resulting in casualties for the team.

Because of the previous gunfight, there were hordes of corpses roaming around.

They were suppressed here by the USS. If they made any big commotion, they would definitely be targeted and sniped by the USS.

They weren't afraid of a simple battle, but they were afraid of being ambushed by that big-eyed monster during the battle, which could lead to their total annihilation!

"Madam, I hope your suggestion will be helpful."

Seemingly on a call with someone above him, the squad leader's expression after muting his microphone was strange and conflicted. If the other party's coordinates hadn't been the White House, he would have unleashed a torrent of abuse.

He turned around: "There's some word: we're being told to head west along Raccoon Avenue."

Upon hearing this, the team's Black virus specialist immediately cursed, "How do we get there? That damn monster with big eyes is standing right there at the high school at the fork in Raccoon Avenue. Without heavy firepower, we're doomed if we go there!"

"The solution provided from above is a solution that is not a solution at all."

"any solution?"

"Either we wait here, or..."

Silence fell, and the squad leader's strained gaze drifted to the radio in the room. Continuing to stall wasn't an option. Gritting his teeth and stamping his foot, he shouted, "Let's try! We're Echo Squad Six! How can we let corporate security come to our rescue?!"

He gave a brief overview of the plan.

The remaining team members gave them a look that said, "You must be joking."

"Use your voice to seduce it? What kind of idiot came up with this idea? What kind of voice could seduce it? Its wife, or its daughter?" The squad's medic, the bald, gruff fat man, immediately questioned.

"Perhaps an old rival would work too."

After saying that, the squad leader picked up the radio, adjusted the frequency, and said, "Execute the order. You guys move to the other side of the street first. Watch my hand gesture. I will attract that monster's attention!" He gestured for the team members to act immediately, and then he crouched down and headed towards the junior high school along the wall.

Fortunately, the mutated William Birkin will attack everyone indiscriminately, including zombies.

Every now and then, there were splattered bloodstains and bits of flesh along the way.

"help me..."

Near the middle school gate, the monster was still making viscous calls, as if it were stuck with a fishbone, from inside the building.

"Roar--!"

A moment later it turned into inhuman howling.

At the entrance of the middle school, a pile of damaged and abandoned vehicles lay scattered about, almost every one stained with blood, the mangled remains a gruesome sight. The squad leader glanced at them and chose a vehicle that looked relatively sturdy, with its window open.

He first turned the radio volume up to the maximum, "whoosh..." Then he took a deep breath, turned sideways into the most convenient running position, pressed the radio switch, and threw it into the car.

Ta-da!

He took off running towards his teammates, frantically gesturing to them: Find cover, head west, retreat along Raccoon Avenue!

Just then, amidst the crackling static, a clear, cold female voice came through the radio:

"Dr. William Birkin, it's been a long time. It seems you've failed again."

Very loud sound.