Watching Katherine run off, Lear had a face full of helplessness.
He quickly looked toward Jill, his tone slightly awkward. "Jill, don't listen to her nonsense. I... I didn't lie to you. I'm a very honest guy."
Seeing his nervous expression, Jill couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. "Alright, I believe you didn't lie to me. I came over to say it's time to go. We need to restore power first, and then find a way to get out of here as soon as possible."
With that, Jill turned and walked toward the subway exit.
Seeing that Jill didn't press him about their previous conversation, Lear breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to catch up.
It wasn't that he intended to hide things, but the current Jill was still full of idealistic passion. He just didn't want to lay out the cruel truth too early; some things, she had to see clearly for herself.
As he passed by Katherine, the girl who had just reached an agreement with him suddenly spoke in a soft voice:
"Good luck. She didn't reject you, you know."
Lear glanced sideways to find Katherine wearing a meaningful, knowing smirk.
"You're such a busybody," he muttered under his breath before quickening his pace to catch Jill.
The two passed by the surviving civilians and U.B.C.S. members. These people were more or less exhausted, but their faces were filled with the anticipation and excitement of finally escaping this place.
Just as they were about to reach the door, Tyrell suddenly stepped forward and stopped Lear.
"Lear, listen to me. Be careful out there, especially of a white-haired man." Tyrell looked at Lear seriously. "His name is Nikolai. He wears the U.B.C.S. combat uniform too, but I think he's like I used to be—a bioweapon monitor for Umbrella. B Squad was wiped out earlier, and it definitely had something to do with him. Be careful."
Lear nodded. "I know. Don't worry."
As Lear passed him, Tyrell grabbed his arm again and whispered, "If possible... kill him. If he really is recording the combat data of the bioweapons, no matter what he has in his hands, you can't let that stuff get out. Otherwise..."
Lear gave a slight nod before following Jill out of the subway and back to the surface.
"You all seem pretty strange today. You and Katherine were like that, and that U.B.C.S. guy just now—Tyrell, right?—he said something to you as well." Walking along the road, Jill asked in a seemingly casual manner.
Lear nodded. "Yeah. He told us to watch out for someone named Nikolai. This guy has been acting alone, collecting combat data of bioweapons for Umbrella. Tyrell warned me just now that he's not a good person and was involved in the destruction of a U.B.C.S. squad."
He paused, looking at Jill beside him before continuing. "If possible, Tyrell wants me to kill him."
After hearing this, Jill looked at Lear. "So you didn't tell me because you were afraid I couldn't handle it? Afraid I couldn't accept you killing someone?"
Jill stopped in her tracks and stared seriously into Lear's eyes. "Listen, Lear. We're partners, we're comrades-in-arms. I want you to trust me. Don't treat me like a weak woman who needs protection, okay?"
Lear looked at her serious expression and nodded subconsciously. "Alright, it won't happen again."
Seeing him agree, Jill's expression relaxed, and her tone softened.
"So Nikolai is likely at the Substation?"
Lear shook his head. "I'm not sure. He only warned me to watch out for the man."
The two talked as they walked, maintaining a brisk pace, and soon arrived at an Auto Repair Shop.
Lear looked at the perimeter wall of the Auto Repair Shop and spoke. "If I remember correctly, if we cut through here, we can reach the Substation."
Jill gave a slight nod. Just as she was about to step inside, the sound of a walkie-talkie conversation suddenly drifted out from within.
The two immediately took cover. They could hear someone inside talking to another party over the walkie-talkie, repeatedly mentioning data and prices in their exchange.
Lear and Jill exchanged a glance.
"That person inside should be the Nikolai Tyrell mentioned," Lear said in a low voice. Jill nodded softly.
Then, splitting to the left and right, the two quietly moved in to flank him.
Inside the shop, Nikolai suddenly sensed movement behind him and immediately drew his gun as he spun around.
But before he could fully draw his weapon, Lear was already there. In Nikolai's eyes, Lear's figure simply blurred in place before he was suddenly right in front of him.
Nikolai fired in a panic. Facing the muzzle, Lear remained expressionless, merely tilting his head slightly as the bullet grazed past his ear.
Lear clamped a hand around Nikolai's gun-wielding wrist and slammed a fist heavily into the man's arm.
A sharp crack rang out. Nikolai's arm twisted at a grotesque angle, fractured on the spot.
"Agh—!"
Nikolai let out a shrill scream and, enduring the pain, pulled out a dagger to counterattack.
Lear only looked at him with a cold sneer as a gunshot suddenly rang out.
The bullet struck Nikolai's knife-wielding arm with precision, exploding in a spray of blood as the dagger hit the ground.
Jill walked out slowly, her gun aimed at Nikolai.
"Who are you people! I've never crossed you, why are you attacking me!"
With both arms severely injured, Nikolai staggered back until he hit the edge of a table. Cold sweat poured down his face as pain and fear intertwined, leaving him deathly pale.
Lear walked slowly up to him and spoke calmly. "Nikolai?"
Nikolai panted heavily, looking up at the man before him. "That's me. Who the hell are you people? TRICELL? Hound? WilPharma? If you're willing to pay, I can get you even more experimental data. You don't have to do this!"
Hearing his words, Lear felt a stir in his mind. He thinks we're the ones buying data from him.
Lear quickly exchanged a look with Jill.
Jill understood instantly.
"You're telling us? High command is extremely dissatisfied with your efficiency. We spent so much money and only got this little? Where's the data you promised?"
Hearing Lear's words, Nikolai visibly breathed a sigh of relief and complained, "The data hasn't been fully collected yet. Moving this fast isn't good for business!"
"I don't have time for your bullshit." Lear clamped one hand around Nikolai's neck and hoisted him into the air. "Listen closely, Nikolai. If you can't produce what high command wants right now, you're useless." As he spoke, his grip slowly tightened.
Nikolai choked and coughed, his hands pulling uselessly at Lear's wrist, but Lear's hand remained immovable, squeezing his throat like a vice.
"Cough... cough... I... I have it in my pocket..."
Lear gave Jill a look.
Jill stepped forward, pulled a floppy disk out of Nikolai's pocket, and gave Lear a slight nod.
Lear tossed him aside. Nikolai fell heavily to the ground, doubling over as he panted and coughed violently.
"Taking it now is useless. I haven't finished collecting the data on Nemesis or the Hunter, and the files on the Pale Head are only half-complete." Nikolai propped himself up on the floor, his tone laced with mockery and malice.
"If you hand it in like this, your superior won't let you off either. Why not help me? When the data is complete, I'll give you a third of the payment. What do you say?"
Hearing Nikolai still trying to manipulate him, Lear sneered inwardly, though he put on a conflicted, greedy facade.
"A third?" Lear feigned deliberation. "No, a third isn't enough. I want half! And I want it now. Give me the money, and I'll help you."
Beside him, a flicker of surprise crossed Jill's face, which quickly turned to realization as she refrained from interrupting.
(Translated by yourtl.app)