A/N: For those who want to read ahead of the Webnovel schedule, you can read up to Chapter 111 on my Patreon.
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*****
"Doctor Ashford, are you there?" shouted Luke, his voice echoing across the camp. The tents flapped weakly under the cold wind, and the faint metallic scent of blood hung heavy in the air.
Angela followed right behind him, clutching her small bag tightly while looking around with wide, anxious eyes.
"Doctor, we're the group you made the deal with!" Luke called again. "We brought your daughter!"
The camp was silent. It looked like all the Umbrella technical staff had evacuated long ago, and the soldiers who were supposed to guard the place were now just corpsesâkilled by them.
Thenâ
"Hmmmmphm...."
Luke stopped mid-step. His head tilted slightly, his ears catching a faint, muffled sound from one of the tents near the far corner.
He moved toward it, and pushed the flap aside. Insideâthere he was.
The man he'd been searching forâDoctor Charles Ashfordâwas tied to a chair, ropes digging into his wrists, a strip of plaster sealing his mouth.
His glasses were cracked. The moment his eyes met Angela's small figure behind Luke, his fear turned into visible relief.
"Daddy!" Angela cried, rushing past Luke before he could stop her. She threw her arms around her father, hugging him tightly.
Ashford's eyes softened, tears of relief glimmering as he smiled despite his exhaustion.
"Glad to see you, Doctor Ashford."
The doctor mumbled somethingâonly a muffled noise came out.
"Oh, sorry," said Luke quickly. He stepped forward, peeling the plaster off and untying the ropes.
Ashford groaned softly as he flexed his wrists, finally free. "Thank you for saving my daughter⊠and also me," he said, his voice weak but sincere.
"Don't mention it. It's a mutually beneficial relationship," said Luke with a faint grin.
"Let's get you both out of here," Luke said quietly, "before the neighborhood gets noisy again."
With all the commotion they'd caused, this place would soon be swarmed with zombiesâit was better to leave now than wait for trouble to pile up.
***
Then they arrived at the helicopter launch pad.
When Luke arrived, he noticed Cain still alive, tied up tight like a caterpillar near the edge of the platform.
Luke slowed his pace, frowning. "Why is that scum still alive?" he asked. He honestly thought they'd have finished him off by now.
Alice crossed her arms, her eyes cold. "I mean, dying by a bullet seems too much of a luxury for him."
Jill added quietly, "Yeah⊠he doesn't deserve such a simple death."
Luke could tell from their faces that both women were still pissed. Considering what Umbrella had done, it made sense.
These two hated the company to their core, so it wasn't surprising they wanted someone like Cain to suffer.
"So, you tied him up like this so he'll be nuked along with the city?" Luke asked after a moment. His tone wasn't judgmental â more curious. "That's⊠kinda brutal."
Alice didn't even blink. "We also opened the gates for the dead. Before the nuke hits, they'll get to him first." Her voice stayed calm, but her eyes told another story. "He should feel the same pain he has inflicted on this city."
Luke exhaled slowly. "Guess you're not wrong," he muttered. "Still â hell of a way to go."
Cain lifted his head weakly. The once-arrogant official now looked more like a desperate animal. "Do you think that would make me scared?" He shouted hoarsely. "Even if I die, you'll all die too! Umbrella will hunt you down!"
Luke raised an eyebrow. "You talk a lot for a guy who's tied up like lunch meat."
Cain kept ranting, his voice cracking. "You can't stop them! They'll find you! You're nothing!"
Luke sighed and looked back at the others. "He's lost it."
"Yeah," said Alice quietly, her eyes fixed on Cain. "Now he'll finally know what it's like to be powerless⊠and surrounded by the monsters he created."
"You turned people into experiments. This is your payback," said Jill
Cain laughed bitterly, "You think this changes anything? Raccoon City burns, and Umbrella rebuilds. That's how it always goes."
"Okay guys, we should leave â we've only got fifteen minutes until the nuke hits," said Peyton, already climbing into the cockpit.
"Okay," Alice replied shortly, loading her weapon one last time before stepping aboard.
One by one, everyone climbed in â Terri, Alice, Jill, Peyton, Angela, Dr. Ashford, Selene, and Luke. Behind them, Cain screamed curses, his voice hoarse and meaningless against the thumping rotors.
"Rot in hell," Jill muttered as the helicopter lifted off.
Luke stayed near the open door for a moment, his eyes scanning the launch pad below.
It was night â the city a patchwork of distant fires, broken streetlights, and shadows shifting in the smoke. Down below, Cain was still writhing, bound tightly in those thick ropes, struggling like a worm on concrete.
"Help! You can't leave me here!" Cain screamed, his voice cracking as he dragged himself forward inch by inch.
Then, movement â dark shapes creeping from the edges of the light. The first zombie stumbled into view, then another, and another. Within seconds, a dozen of them had gathered around him, their groans echoing into the night.
Cain's screams turned desperate. "No! Get away! Noâ!"
The creatures closed in, clawing and biting. One tore into his leg; another sank its teeth into his shoulder.
He thrashed violently, blood splattering across the concrete. His voice broke into a raw, guttural scream as the swarm piled over him, tearing chunks away in frantic hunger.
***
Inside the Chopper, the tension that had been hanging in the air finally began to fade.
"Finally escaped," Jill sighed, leaning back against the seat, her voice tired but relieved.
The others shared the same look â exhaustion mixed with relief. After everything that had happened in Raccoon City, they were just glad to be alive.
Luke exhaled slowly, glancing at Selene. "Selene, when I go into deep sleep, you should take care of my body."
Selene turned her head slightly
"No matter what happens, don't disturb me or let anyone touch me," Luke explained calmly. "My body's going to evolve â a lot of changes might happen, and during that time, I'll be completely vulnerable."
"So, it's an evolution this time, huh? What are you changing into?" asked Selene, glancing at him curiously. She didn't sound worried, just casually interested.
Truthfully, she didn't care what Luke became â vampire, mutant, or something in between â as long as he didn't turn into something grotesque.
"Nothing special," Luke replied with a small grin. "My appearance won't change, but my strength will increase."
Selene nodded slowly, satisfied with the answer. "Good," she said simply, settling back in her seat.
"Wait, Selene," he said, his tone suddenly playful. "Would you⊠ignore me if I changed into something else?" He put on a mock heartbroken expression, leaning toward her.
Selene raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Hmm. How would you feel if I turned into a man? Would you still love me?"
"UmmmmmâŠ" Luke froze, completely caught off guard. His mouth opened, then closed again. "That's⊠definitely a question that needs some deep thinking," he muttered.
He leaned back with a sigh, pretending to think, though his mind was already spiraling. Would he? Honestly, he wasn't sure.
He wasn't gay, and no matter how much he liked to believe love was purely about connection, appearance did matter.
Maybe not entirely â but enough. Attraction, comfort, instinct⊠they all play a role.
'Maybe even in relationships, appearance really is a factor for love,' he thought, staring at the ceiling of the Chopper.
Selene watched him, clearly amused. "So?" she pressed with a teasing smile. "Would you still love me?"
"HahaâŠ" Luke gave a dry laugh, scratching his head. "You ask tough questions at the worst times, you know that?"
Selene smiled faintly. "As always, you dodge the main ones," she said, shaking her head with a hint of affection.
Luke sighed, his interface flickering faintly in his vision. "Alright, enough talk. It's time for evolution."
He pressed the glowing [Evolve] icon on his system display. Almost immediately, a wave of drowsiness hit him. His eyelids grew heavy, the world blurring around the edges.
"Heyâ" Selene started, but Luke's body already slumped sideways, landing gently against her shoulder. His breathing slowed, calm and steady.
Selene looked down at him, expression softening slightly. "Always dramatic," she murmured. She carefully shifted him so his head rested on her lap, brushing a few strands of hair away from his face. "Sleep well, idiot."
Moments later, a thunderous shockwave rattled the Chopper. The windows shook, and everyone instinctively turned toward the source.
Alice, Jill, and Peyton leaned toward the glass, eyes widening. Below them, Raccoon City was engulfed in fire. Flames spread across the ruins like veins of molten light, and at the center, a massive mushroom cloud rose into the dark sky.
"It seems all the crimes of Umbrella just got wiped out," Jill said quietly.