Infinity, progressing from Arasaka

“We will keep your things safe, Mr. Redfield.”

After the guards completed the body search, a Beretta M92F pistol, a military knife, a spare magazine, a wallet, a set of keys, a Nokia mobile phone, and a waist bag containing film, CDs, and CAM flash memory were placed on the long table.

The secretary's brow twitched, but he didn't say anything more. "Please." He gestured for Chris to follow.

After taking a few dozen more steps, there was a door that looked extremely heavy and incredibly expensive.

dong dong.

"Director, Mr. Redfield has arrived."

"Please let him in." A cool female voice came from inside.

The secretary turned to the side.

Chris stood up straight; there was no point in backing down.

At worst, he would die. He had backed up all the information he possessed and given it to Rebecca. He had even filmed a video before entering the Umbrella Industrial Park, so that if something happened to him, it could be used as a point of attack against Umbrella.

Squeak.

Push the door open and enter.

Chris looked at the interior decoration, quickly and carefully observing every detail.

A style completely different from that damn mansion and the Umbrella Building in Raccoon City.

It is spacious, simple and bright, about 300 square meters. The entire wall is made of dark-toned floor-to-ceiling glass. There is a large semi-circular table, elegant and exquisite, like wood and metal. On it is a 27-inch computer monitor without a host and a large black leather executive chair.

The ceiling is very high, and I wonder what kind of cutting-edge communication equipment and sophisticated electronic devices are hidden in the recessed ceiling that faces the desk.

The two walls are divided into three areas. One side has a bookcase and a recessed area with a small bar and rest area with a wine cabinet and refrigerator. The other side has a reception area consisting of a large sofa and coffee table.

In the center of the long, empty room, a beautiful woman sits at a table, holding a teacup, taking a sip, and nodding to him. The unique material of the minimalist ripple-patterned carpet adorns the room.

"Welcome, Mr. Redfield."

With great interest, Vera spoke first.

Tsk tsk, look who this is!

Standing at over 1.82 meters tall, with slicked-back brown hair, he possessed a strong physique, though not as muscular as he would become in the future. His youthful face already hinted at a resolute and ruthless temperament befitting a hand-to-hand combat tyrant.

Chris.

To be honest, Vera never expected that one of the protagonists of Resident Evil would actually come looking for her.

"Director Russell, you should know about the Raccoon City situation, right?"

Although Vera's elegance and tranquility were very pleasant, Chris, a straight-laced man who ignored his stunningly beautiful female partner at home, had no intention of chatting with Vera and went straight to the point.

"What? That washed-up, middle-aged stubborn William Birkin can't even manage his own territory? You, a Raccoon City SWAT officer, come to me for help. Ah, although I really want to kick Birkin out of his position in charge of the U.S. region, he is, after all, a veteran and still has some influence on the board of directors."

Vera raised an eyebrow and put down her teacup.

Okay, if you're in a hurry, then I won't pour you tea. Let's not stand on ceremony and get straight to the point.

"You...no, they're researching viral weapons!"

"Research into viral weapons is also part of national defense and security. Are you a child with black-and-white values? As a former air force soldier."

Vera spoke in an official tone, "It's normal for the company to have this kind of business and cooperate with the Pentagon. This is a business line that their 'white umbrella' and Birkin are in charge of. The opinions are raised by the board of directors. I don't interfere with their work, and they can't interfere with my business. This is an open rule."

"Rules... your rules are deadly! Fuck you! So many people have died! And you're sitting in your luxurious, secure office saying this..."

Still a young man of twenty-five, Chris's composure was limited. Provoked by Vera's nonchalant attitude, Chris, who was already annoyed and suppressing his negative emotions because of the suppression he had suffered while investigating Umbrella, suddenly exploded.

Bang bang.

"I'd like to remind you to use polite language."

Vera glanced at Chris's gritted teeth and tapped the table, saying emphatically, "Otherwise, I can ask you to leave."

"Huff...huff..." Chris took a deep breath and looked intently at Vera. "You really don't know?"

“I know, but as a professional in the business, I won’t delve into it or want to find out.”

Vera answered instantly, and without any fear, walked up to Chris, looked him in the eye, and said slowly and deliberately, "So, you know the inside story about the company in Raccoon City. Tell me. That's why I'm here to see you."

With that, Vera turned her back and walked to the large sofa in the reception area, gesturing for Chris to sit down.

"The Raccoon City STARS came here. Has William Birkin, that stubborn guy, degenerated into a useless piece of trash? His research only resulted in a leak, and he hasn't even managed to defend against it. Could it have escalated into a biohazard? If so, is he really going to..."

"It's like Resident Evil. The corpses move, they're living dead."

Chris didn't sit down, but walked straight to Vera, his expression more solemn than ever before.

“This is a crime committed by your Umbrella. If you have any conscience left, reveal the truth. Your men confiscated my bag; it contained the evidence I had collected!”

Vera paused, leaned back on the sofa, seemingly lost in thought because of Chris's words, and then smiled.

"As a senior executive at Umbrella, aren't you afraid I'll destroy the evidence and silence you?"

"Go ahead and try. I never intended to leave this snake pit peacefully."

"Then, don't you want to try kidnapping me and threatening me to submit?"

"No, I would never do such a thing. I would never take my anger out on someone without knowing the facts."

Chris said stiffly, his face stern, “You’re not a good person, nor are you a scumbag. You’re a true genius. All my friends in the army say so. The prosthetic limb technology you led the research and development of helped my comrades embrace again. Society needs you… Umbrella has criminals who aid and abet evil, but also innocent people.”

"Ha." Vera chuckled softly.

Is this how a young, unlucky teammate can talk?

"So, if I don't stand by your side, I'm aiding and abetting evil?"

Chris nodded straightforwardly.

“…” Vera smiled without saying a word and returned to her desk.

Vera took off the microphone, had her secretary bring in Chris's things, took out the contents of her waist bag, and checked the flash drive for a moment. Her expression then grew increasingly grim.

Chris stood there, observing Vera's changing expressions.

After a long pause, Vera looked at Chris, who was standing opposite her, and said, "Not enough."

Chris looked puzzled.

“With this piece of flimsy evidence, William Birkin could easily countersue me for defamation and stick to the argument that it’s special effects. They know I have this technology, so they must provide concrete evidence, such as their research progress data or experimental samples.”

"did you mean..."

"I need you to return to Raccoon City."

Veratu revealed his true colors.

"Of course, I won't let you fight alone; you'll be with my troops."

------

Chapter 027 Raccoon City Carnival, Opening Ceremony

Umbrella Industrial Park, California USF Guard Training Base.

"Ah, let me go! This is kidnapping! I'm a police officer..."

At this moment, a woman dressed in plain clothes and wearing a black hood, whose face was obscured but whose voice suggested she was quite young, was forcibly dragged into the building by two Umbrella bodyguards in black, passing through layers of security doors.

"Rebecca? Hey, let her go!"

The woman was pinned to the chair, struggling, when she suddenly heard that familiar voice. She paused, then exclaimed in surprise, "Chris? Is that you?" Just as she was about to ask, "Did you see President Russell..." a female voice entered her ears, "Alright, untie me, take off the hood."

Swish.

In response, the black hood was removed, and vision was restored.

"Huff—" With a heavy breath, Rebecca raised her head, gradually adjusting to the light, and focused her eyes on the other side.

"Rebecca."

Seeing Rebecca, who looked a little disheveled but hadn't suffered any real harm, Chris's worries eased slightly, but quickly returned.

"what do you mean?"

"To our friends who have come from afar, I apologize on behalf of my subordinates for their rough actions, but these were necessary safety measures. How about you have some water first?"

Without directly answering Chris, Vera leaned back on the workbench piled high with tactical toolboxes, gave a formulaic smile, picked up a bottle of mineral water, held it up to Rebecca as a gesture, and then tossed it over.

Rebecca instinctively raised her hand to catch it. She looked at the blonde woman in front of her, dressed in a dark, high-tech uniform, and then at the bodyguard who had unlocked her handcuffs. She nodded blankly, "Th...thank you."

So cute.

Rebecca Chambos.

Vera sized up the girl, who was just 18 years old and the youngest member of the Raccoon City STARS.

She was petite, with a slender figure, and her short, tomboyish brown hair was meticulously styled. She had delicate features with a youthful air about her, and her small face was adorned with a pair of bright, azure eyes that darted away like a deer under Vera's undisguised scrutiny.

Ah, the pure and innocent scent of a student who hasn't been in society for long.

"Self-introduction 1..."

"Vera Adelheid Russell, inventor, genius, pioneer of human bionics engineering, brilliant professional mechanical developer, the youngest Umbrella executive and regional head, became the youngest billionaire in the USA through patent licensing, selected for Washington's key innovative high-end talent pool, leading investment in and development of intelligent control technology, high-end semiconductors and electronic information industries..."