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On top of the dam, a chill spread with the flowing water.
On the massive concrete platform, the corpses of several mutated monsters emitted a foul stench, reminding them of the thrilling and bloody experience they had just endured.
Manuela's frail body trembled in the fierce wind.
Her face was pale, and her azure eyes were filled with terror and despair.
After learning that she was terminally ill and had been injected with the veronica virus, with the possibility of turning into a monster, her mental state was on the verge of collapse.
She hung her head low.
She dared not look at Leon S. Kennedy, nor Krauser, and even less at Noah, who had punched a monster's head to smithereens and exuded an oppressive aura.
She instinctively hid her right arm, covered in strange blue veins and keratinous growths, carefully behind her back.
As if it were something unspeakable, something that could trigger disaster at any moment.
Leon S. Kennedy looked at her trembling back.
An indescribable mix of emotions welled up in his heart.
He knew this girl was pitiful.
From the very beginning, she was a victim.
Used as a living experiment by her own father.
However, sympathy was one thing.
The current situation did not allow him to dwell too much on sentimentality.
Their purpose for this trip was to capture Javier.
Manuela was Javier's daughter.
This made her inherently full of uncertainty.
What's more, she had been injected with the veronica virus.
Although for now, she still retained human consciousness and sanity.
But no one knew how long this 'endurance' could last.
If she truly turned into a monster, as she herself said she would.
Then what was the point of everything they were doing now?
Leon S. Kennedy sighed deeply.
He knew.
This girl had become a hot potato.
Krauser's patience had clearly run out.
He stood aside, arms crossed, with a cold expression.
His sharp gaze swept back and forth between Manuela and Noah.
He said nothing.
But his clenched jawline and slightly furrowed brows silently expressed his inner impatience and irritation.
Noah just stood there quietly.
His gaze lingered on Manuela's right arm, hidden behind her back.
Without a ripple, he seemed to be contemplating something.
The atmosphere in the air grew exceptionally heavy.
Finally, Krauser broke the silence.
"Let's go," he said to Leon S. Kennedy and Noah.
His gaze merely swept over Manuela's back, as if looking at an insignificant obstacle.
Leon S. Kennedy frowned upon hearing this.
He knew what Krauser meant.
He wanted to leave Manuela here, or rather, abandon her directly.
"Krauser! She's a victim!"
Krauser sneered.
"A victim?"
He repeated Leon S. Kennedy's words mockingly.
"Leon, what help do you think a crazy girl injected with the veronica virus, who could mutate into a monster at any moment, can bring to our mission?"
He took a step forward, his voice lowered a few notches, carrying a dangerous allure.
"Taking her with us will only be a burden."
"And don't forget, she's Javier's daughter."
He looked at Noah.
"Noah, what do you think?"
Noah met Krauser's gaze, his dark eyes calm.
"She won't be a burden," he said lightly.
"Moreover, she holds the answers we need."
Krauser raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.
He looked at Noah, seemingly waiting for a more specific explanation.
"Why did Javier inject his own daughter with the veronica virus?"
Noah's voice was unhurried.
"What exactly is the 'treatment' he spoke of?"
"And why does this virus manifest in Manuela in a 'controllable' form, different from Steve?"
He paused.
"These are all crucial pieces of information."
"Furthermore..."
Noah turned his gaze to Manuela.
His deep black eyes now held a hint of scrutiny.
"Her existence itself is Javier's greatest weakness."
"If Javier truly saw everything in the observation room, as we suspect.
Then he should have already seen her with us."
"Manuela is Javier's only daughter and the core of his experiment."
"Abandoning her will only make Javier completely lose all his scruples."
"At that point, a mad drug lord with no weaknesses will be even harder to deal with than he is now."
Noah's words made Leon S. Kennedy's eyes light up.
He looked at Krauser.
"Noah is right, we can't abandon her."
Krauser's expression was somewhat unpredictable.
Although he was somewhat dismissive of Noah's statement.
The strength Noah displayed, however, forced him to seriously consider Noah's opinion.
"Hmph!" He merely snorted in the end, tacitly agreeing to Noah's proposal.
But then he turned to Leon S. Kennedy again.
"Leon, this doesn't follow our rules."
"We are here to execute a mission."
"A potential threat that could mutate at any moment should not be brought into our operational area."
Leon S. Kennedy detected a hint of softening in Krauser's words.
He knew that Krauser wasn't entirely heartless.
He was simply a pure soldier, prioritizing the mission above all else.
Leon S. Kennedy pulled out his military phone from his pocket and quickly tapped on the screen a few times.
Then, he handed the phone to Krauser.
The phone screen displayed an encrypted digital order.
The title boldly read: [Biological Weapon Protocol NO. 7600].
Krauser took the phone and meticulously read the content on the screen.
As he read further, his expression gradually became solemn.
He looked up, his gaze firmly fixed on Leon S. Kennedy's face.
"Biological Weapon Protocol NO. 7600... You... are you under a special order from the President?"
Leon S. Kennedy looked directly into Krauser's eyes.
"Yes, to completely eradicate biological weapons from this world."
He paused.
"This is my order, and my mission."
"Let's act together."
Leon S. Kennedy's words carried an irresistible force.
Krauser's eyes flickered.
He averted his gaze and looked at the secret order on the phone screen again.
Finally, he returned the phone to Leon S. Kennedy.
A rare solemnity appeared on his stern face.
"What about you, Noah?" He looked at Noah.
"Do you also have a secret order I don't know about?"
Noah smiled faintly.
"The mission I received."
"Is to help you complete this mission."
Krauser looked deeply at Noah upon hearing this.
That gaze was filled with scrutiny and an indescribable complex emotion.
He didn't press further, merely slowly extended his right hand, his voice low.
"I am a soldier."
"I will obey orders unconditionally."
Leon S. Kennedy saw Krauser's outstretched hand, and a smile finally appeared at the corner of his mouth.
He also extended his hand, clasping Krauser's tightly.
Noah also stepped forward and placed his hand on top of theirs.
"Good." Leon S. Kennedy's gaze swept over Noah and Krauser's faces.
His blue eyes were filled with determination and trust.
"Let's go."
Krauser's stern face also showed a hint of fierce Battle Intent.
"Alright!" His voice carried a wild excitement.
"Let's go kick their asses!"
The three withdrew their hands and no longer hesitated.
Leon S. Kennedy walked over to Manuela, who was huddled in the shadows of the stairwell, and extended his hand.
He spoke in as gentle a tone as possible.
"Manuela, let's go."
"We'll take you out of here."
Manuela looked up.
Her swollen eyes timidly looked at Leon S. Kennedy.
Then she cautiously glanced at Noah.
Finally, she slowly placed her hand in Leon S. Kennedy's.
Her body still trembled.
But within that trembling, there was a faint glimmer of hope for survival.
The four set off again.
They crossed the top platform of the dam.
And descended a narrow, slippery, moss-covered staircase.
At the end of the staircase was a lush, dense jungle.
Unlike the fierce wind and cold at the top of the dam.
The air here carried a rich humidity and earthy fragrance, characteristic of a tropical rainforest.
Towering trees blocked out the sun.
Sunlight was fragmented into countless tiny specks by the dense foliage, scattered sparsely on the ground.
Beneath their feet was a thick layer of decaying leaves.
Various unknown insects buzzed in the humid air.
Ahead lay Javier's true Lair.
Manuela walked at the very front.
Her steps seemed exceptionally heavy.
Each step was as if she was exerting all her strength.
Her physical strength had already been exhausted by the previous running and immense emotional shock.
Coupled with the slippery and rugged jungle path, and the pervasive mugginess.
Her frail body quickly reached its limit.
Finally.
After walking for about ten minutes, Manuela's steps completely stopped.
Her legs gave out, and she knelt on the ground with a thud, gasping for air.
Her chest heaved violently, and sweat, mixed with tears, rolled down her pale cheeks.
Noah walked forward.
He took out an energy bar and a bottle of drinking water from his Tactical Backpack and handed them to Manuela.
Manuela timidly looked up.
She looked at the energy bar and water in Noah's hand, her eyes filled with struggle.
The instinct to survive overcame her inner fear.
With trembling hands, she took the food and water Noah offered.
Under Noah's gaze, she carefully tore open the energy bar's wrapper.
And began to chew in small bites.
Her movements were like a startled small animal, wary and cautious.
Krauser stood by, arms crossed, watching the scene unfold.
His eyebrows furrowed again.
"See?" he said to Leon S. Kennedy with a mocking tone.
"I told you she was a burden."
Leon S. Kennedy ignored Krauser.
He walked over to Manuela and gently patted her shoulder.
"After you eat, we'll continue."
His voice was gentle, seemingly wanting to offer Manuela some comfort.
Manuela didn't respond, merely silently sped up her eating.
After she finished the energy bar and drank half a bottle of water, Noah again handed her a small bottle of emergency medicine.
Manuela hesitantly took it, her eyes full of questions.
"This is to relieve physical fatigue," Noah explained.
"It can help you temporarily recover some stamina."
Manuela, half-believing, opened the bottle cap, poured out two pills, and swallowed them.
The medicine seemed to take effect quickly.
Her complexion improved slightly, and her body was no longer as stiff.
"Thank you..." she whispered in a very small voice.
This was the first time she had actively thanked Noah.
Noah merely nodded faintly, without any extra expression.
"Javier's base is ahead," Manuela pointed towards the depths of the jungle.
Her voice trembled slightly.
"This used to be my home."
"But now..."
A hint of unspeakable sorrow flashed in her eyes.
"Now, it has completely changed."
Noah gazed in the direction she pointed.
Deep within the dense forest, faintly visible, was a cluster of buildings surrounded by high walls.
Javier's Lair was close at hand, and they quickened their pace.
Led by Manuela.
The four cautiously walked towards the military base hidden deep within the jungle.
As the distance closed.
A faint, nauseating stench began to permeate the air.
The smell mingled with the dampness of the earth, decaying vegetation.
And a faint, almost imperceptible, scent of blood.
Krauser's face grew exceptionally grim; he suddenly raised his hand, signaling the team to stop.
"Something's wrong," he said in a low voice.
"It's too quiet here."
Noah, Leon S. Kennedy, and Manuela also noticed it.
The surrounding jungle was deathly silent; the chirping of insects that could be heard before.
Now, it had completely disappeared, leaving only the rustling of wind through the leaves.
And the strong beating of their four hearts, along with an inexplicable sense of oppression.
"I smell... rotting flesh," Leon S. Kennedy said in a low voice, gripping his gun tightly.
Manuela's body began to tremble again, her eyes wide, her face drained of all color.
"I... I've never seen it this quiet here before..." Her voice was filled with fear.
Noah said nothing, merely slowly drew his desert eagle.
Krauser waved his hand, signaling the three to be careful.
He led the way, crouching low, moving like a ghost towards the base's main gate.
The gate was made of steel, tall and heavy, but it was half-open.
Inside, faintly visible, were a few empty shell casings scattered on the ground.
And a few drops of dried, blackened blood.
Krauser carefully pushed open the half-open gate.
"Creak—!" The harsh metallic scraping sound was particularly eerie in the dead silence.
Behind the gate was a wide plaza.
Several military trucks were haphazardly parked in the plaza.
Beside the trucks, several unrecognizable corpses were scattered on the ground like rags.
Their skin had a morbid grayish-green hue.
Their bodies were bloated, and their blood vessels protruded.
Several unknown giant black insects were feeding on the corpses.
"Damn it..." Krauser muttered a low curse, his face showing disgust as if he had seen something repulsive.
Noah's gaze fell upon the highly decomposed corpses.
"t-virus," he said in a low voice.
"This place has been infected with the t-virus."
Leon S. Kennedy and Manuela now also saw the horrific scene in the plaza.
Manuela let out a suppressed gasp, covering her mouth tightly, her stomach churning.
Leon S. Kennedy's face was exceptionally grim.
He glanced at Manuela beside him, then at this hellish scene.
The t-virus had once again appeared before him in such a cruel manner.
The four entered the base, and the foul stench in the air grew even thicker.
The entire base was terrifyingly silent, like a city of Hell forgotten by death.
They crossed the plaza and entered a building that looked like a command center.
The scene inside was even more shocking.
Computer screens flickered with chaotic code, documents were scattered everywhere.
Traces of battle, bloodstains, bullet holes, and various biological remains that made one want to vomit.
"It seems," Krauser's voice carried a hint of cold sarcasm.
"Javier has turned his own base into a living Hell."
Noah moved with steady steps, carefully searching the command center.
His gaze sharply swept over every corner, trying to find some useful clues.
Suddenly, he stopped.
He looked behind an overturned table in the center of the command center.
There, a shattered glass case lay quietly.
Fragments of the glass case were scattered everywhere.
Among the fragments, some emerald green viscous liquid was faintly visible.
The liquid emitted an eerie glow, sending shivers down one's spine.
Noah slowly crouched down.
He reached out and gently touched the emerald green liquid with his finger.
It was cold, viscous, and held a powerful, terrifying vitality hidden deep within.
Noah's brows furrowed slightly.
A hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.
What exactly was this familiar yet strange aura?