Chapter 101: A Police Officer's Responsibility

The cold rain pelted his police uniform, sliding down his collar and into his back, bringing a bone-chilling cold. Leon shook the water from his hands, holstered his pistol, and looked back at the slowly descending parking garage gate.

"Don't look back." Ada's voice came from ahead. She had already walked a dozen paces away, the hem of her brown coat soaked by the rain and clinging to her calves. As she walked, she held the micro-recorder to her ear and pressed the play button.

Leon hurried to catch up. Rain blurred his vision, and the distant streets distorted into a hazy black shadow in the torrential downpour. Occasionally, the roar of a zombie drifted from an alley, diluted by the sound of the rain, sounding exceptionally distant.

"Is it the intel you wanted?" he couldn't help but ask, seeing Ada's slightly furrowed brow.

Static hissed from the player as the intermittent dialogue between Ben and Annette drifted out. Ada listened expressionlessly until the recording came to an abrupt halt; only then did she press the stop button and casually tuck the tape back into her coat pocket.

"Unfortunately, no." Her tone was flat, devoid of any emotion. "Ben failed."

Leon's heart sank. Looking at Ada's indifferent profile, he finally couldn't resist asking the question he had been holding back for a long time: "Then what exactly are you investigating?"

Ada stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him. Rainwater dripped from the tips of her hair, tracing her delicate jawline. Her eyes were as deep as the night, making it impossible to read any emotion.

"Investigating the culprit behind this disaster," she said, enunciating every word with a trace of imperceptible coldness in her tone. "The Umbrella Corporation."

After speaking, she arched an eyebrow and asked back, "And you? Rookie cop. Are you here to save the world?"

Leon shook his head, his gaze fixed firmly on the silhouette of the city shrouded in the downpour. What was once a bustling downtown area had now become a living hell.

"I promised Lieutenant Branagh that I would find someone to come back and help," he said. "He held the station with his life; I can't let his sacrifice be in vain."

Ada gave a light chuckle, a sound filled with a bit of mockery and an indefinable quality.

"Then I wish you luck, Savior."

She turned to continue walking but stopped abruptly at an intersection. A large hole had split open in the main road ahead, revealing a sewer entrance, with twisted metal wreckage blocking the entire street.

Leon also frowned. Taking a detour would add at least half an hour to their journey, and no one knew how many monsters were hiding in the alleys.

Ada's gaze swept over a building by the roadside; it was Kendo Gun Shop. The sign was swaying precariously in the wind, the glass display window was covered in cracks, and it was pitch black inside.

"Go through here." She pointed at the gun shop's door. "The back street is right on the other side."

Leon nodded.

Ada walked to the shop door, crouched down, and pulled a thin wire from her hair, skillfully inserting it into the keyhole. With a soft click, the lock opened. She pushed the door open and led the way inside.

The shop was a mess. Shelves were overturned, the firearms and ammunition long since looted, leaving only spent casings and crushed cardboard boxes all over the floor. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, blood, and a heavy musty odor, mixing into a nauseating stench.

"Anyone here?" Leon called out in a low voice, but the only response was the sound of the rain outside.

Ada looked around warily, her pistol already in hand. She gestured for Leon to check the backyard while she guarded the front door.

Leon nodded, gripped his gun tightly, and carefully navigated through the shelves toward the small door leading to the backyard.

Just as he stepped into the yard, a cold metallic sensation pressed against the back of his head.

"Don't move!"

A raspy male voice rang out nearby, filled with extreme exhaustion and wariness. Leon froze, slowly raising his hands.

"I'm not going to hurt you..." He slowly turned around and saw the man standing in the shadows.

It was Kendo. He wore a stained flannel shirt, his hair was disheveled, his eye sockets were sunken, and his eyes were bloodshot.

He held a Shotgun, the muzzle pressed firmly against Leon's forehead, his finger on the trigger. With just a little pressure, Leon's head would be blown apart.

"I said don't move!" Kendo warned again, his voice trembling slightly with agitation.

"I'm just passing through; I hope you can put the weapon down." Leon tried to keep his tone as calm as possible. "We mean no harm."

"Like I'd believe you!" Kendo roared excitedly. "Turn around and go back the way you came! Or I'll blow your head off!"

Just then, a small figure walked out of the room behind Kendo. It was a seven or eight-year-old girl in blue pajamas, trembling all over, her face as pale as paper, her eyes filled with terror.

Leon's heart sank. He noticed a blackened wound on the little girl's wrist, and the surrounding skin had already begun to rot.

"Sir," Leon looked at Kendo, his tone softening considerably, "I think your daughter needs help."

These words were like lighting a powder keg. Kendo's emotions instantly spiraled out of control. He shoved the Shotgun forward and roared, "Don't you tell me how to take care of my daughter! Get out! Get out now!"

Ada stepped out from the shadows, gun raised. She looked coldly at Kendo, her tone devoid of any emotion: "Put the gun down."

Kendo shuddered and turned to look at Ada, his eyes full of anger and despair. He didn't lower his gun; instead, he turned the muzzle toward Ada.

"I dare you to shoot!"

Ada expressionlessly moved her aim, pointing it at the little girl standing behind Kendo.

"Please step aside." Her voice was as cold as ice. "I need to deal with her before she mutates."

"Deal with her?!" Kendo looked as if he'd been struck by lightning. He lunged in front of the little girl. "She's my daughter!"

"Ada... don't interfere..." Leon pulled on Ada's arm and whispered. Looking at the despair in Kendo's eyes, his heart felt heavy, as if something were blocking it.

Ada frowned and said nothing, but she didn't lower her gun either.

"Emma, honey." Kendo turned around, crouched down, and gently stroked the little girl's hair, his voice instantly becoming raspy and choked with emotion. "I told you not to come out."

"Daddy?" Emma looked up, staring timidly at Kendo, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"Emma, Daddy's here. I'm with you." Kendo hugged his daughter tightly, his shoulders shaking violently. Tears finally burst from his eyes, sliding down his stubbled cheeks and dripping onto Emma's hair.

He held his daughter and wept uncontrollably like a helpless child. The entire yard was filled only with his crying and the sound of the rain outside.

Leon stepped forward, wanting to say something, but was interrupted by Kendo suddenly looking up. His eyes were bright red and bloodshot as he stared intently at Leon.

"These damn viruses, what have they done..." he questioned hoarsely. "You're a cop, you should know something! Why is this happening? Why?!"

Leon opened his mouth but couldn't say a word. What could he say? That this was all a conspiracy by the Umbrella Corporation? That they used living people for experiments, ultimately causing this disaster? What use would those words be now? So many people were already dead; nothing could be undone.

Ada silently lowered her gun and turned her head away, an imperceptible flicker of emotion crossing her eyes.

"Where's Mommy?" Emma asked softly again, reaching out her small hand to wipe the tears from Kendo's face.

Kendo's body gave a violent jolt. He took a deep breath, fighting back tears, and forced a smile that looked more painful than crying.

"Honey, Mommy's asleep." He gently stroked Emma's hair, his voice so tender it could melt. "Daddy's going to put you to sleep now, okay? When you wake up, Mommy will be back."

Emma nodded half-understandingly, leaned into Kendo's embrace, and closed her eyes.

Kendo held his daughter and slowly stood up, walking toward the warehouse. At the door, he stopped, back turned to Leon and Ada, and said hoarsely, "You two go... leave us alone for a while."

With that, he closed the warehouse door.

With a click, the door was locked from the inside.

Silence returned to the yard, save for the sound of rain drumming on the ground.

Leon stood there, feeling terrible. He turned to Ada, his eyes filled with fury.

"I'm telling you, it's one thing if you won't tell me the truth, but you're keeping it from them too?" he questioned angrily in a low voice. "You clearly know everything, yet you say nothing!"

Ada looked at him and said nothing.

"I must find the culprit and stop them!" Leon's voice trembled slightly with emotion. "It's to help people like them that I became a police officer!"

Rain hit his face, mixing with tears. His gaze was incredibly firm, like a burning flame.

Ada was silent for a long time before she finally spoke: "My mission is to dismantle all of Umbrella's operations. This path is dangerous; there may be no turning back."

"As long as it saves this city..." Leon looked at her, enunciating each word, "I'll do whatever it takes!"

Ada gave him a deep look and nodded.

"Let's go." She turned toward the small door leading to the back street. "We have a long way to go."

Meanwhile, deep within the sewage network beneath Raccoon City.

Cold sewage reached past their ankles, emitting a nauseating stench. The walls were covered in dark green moss, and occasionally, several large mutant rats scurried through the darkness, letting out squeaking sounds.

Chloe walked in front, her silvery-white long hair reflecting a cold light under the flashlight. Her steps were light, making almost no sound, each step precisely landing on dry stones.

Everything here was both familiar and strange to her. Familiar because she had once hidden here alone for over half a month, surviving on stolen compressed biscuits; strange because it was now filled with mutant creatures and the stench of death everywhere.

Claire followed behind her, gripping her revolver tightly and warily scanning the surroundings. Watching Chloe skillfully avoid monsters and infected areas, she couldn't help but ask, "Have you been to the Nest?"

Chloe's footsteps paused for a moment. She remembered that night, when she and Jill had sneaked into the Nest to get the inhibitor. She remembered G1 William's massive claw, the agonizing pain of being torn apart, and Jill's broken sobbing.

"In a way," she answered simply, without looking back.

Just then, a familiar violent aura suddenly surged from all directions. Chloe's body froze, and her chest felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer, bringing a surge of intense pain.

It was the aura of the G-Virus.

The long-suppressed G-Virus within her was instantly triggered, beginning to stir frantically. The blood in her veins felt as if it were boiling, scorching every inch of her skin. The scene before her began to distort, and countless frantic roars echoed in her ears.

"Ugh—aaah!"

Chloe crouched on the ground in pain, her hands clutching her head tightly.

"Chloe! What's wrong?" Claire was startled and hurriedly moved forward to check on her.

"Don't come near me!" Chloe suddenly looked up and roared roughly. Her voice was hoarse and distorted, carrying a trace of a non-human growl. She stared intently at Claire, her eyes filled with bloodshot veins and a frantic killing intent.

Claire was frightened into taking a step back, staring at her blankly.

After a long time, that violent aura finally began to subside. Chloe slumped on the ground, gasping for breath. Sweat soaked her clothes, dripping down her cheeks and into the sewage, creating ripples.

She looked up at Claire, her eyes full of apology.

"Sorry for shouting at you just now," she said hoarsely.

Claire hurriedly stepped forward and crouched beside her, her heart aching as she looked at Chloe's pale face.

"What... exactly happened to you?" she asked softly, her tone full of concern.

Chloe shook her head, avoiding her gaze.

"It's nothing," she said flatly. "It's better if you don't know. When this is over, you can ask me then, and I'll give you an answer..."

She took a deep breath and used the wall to slowly push herself up.

"Now, let's hurry and find Sherry." She turned and continued walking, her silhouette appearing exceptionally thin and lonely.

Claire watched her back and didn't press further. She gripped her revolver and quickly followed.

In the dark sewers, the two figures drifted further away, disappearing into the endless darkness. Awaiting them ahead were even more unknown dangers and fates.