Chapter 38: Barry's Anomaly

The moss-covered stone steps wound downward, and the endless darkness completely enveloped Jill. The faint light from above gradually receded as the unique cold and dampness of the underground facility rushed toward her. The air was thick with the smell of earth, mold, and a faint chemical odor—pungent and oppressive.

Jill tightly gripped the Grenade Launcher on her back and held her handgun in one hand. Her steady footsteps on the cold stone steps made a faint scuffing sound, echoing clearly in the deathly silent underground space.

This was the hidden underground area of the Spencer Mansion, far deeper and more complex than the mansion itself. The walls were covered in water stains and unknown mucus, and exposed wires occasionally sparked with faint light, illuminating the narrow space ahead for a fleeting moment.

Jill moved forward cautiously, her eyes scanning the surroundings. Along the way, she avoided several loose stone slabs and small mutant insects lurking in the shadows. She didn't trigger any mechanisms rashly and slowly got a sense of the underground facility's general layout.

This place appeared to be abandoned staff dormitories and experimental support areas. Rooms were scattered about, and corridors branched off in all directions, every corner bearing the marks of the Umbrella Corporation's secret experiments.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, a closed metal door appeared at the end of the corridor. The door was covered in rust but remained tightly shut. From behind it came the faint, intermittent sound of conversation. The voices were low, carrying clear signs of argument and anger, breaking the underground silence.

Jill's body tensed instantly. She immediately slowed her pace, held her breath, and crept toward the door. Pressing her ear against the cold metal, she listened carefully to the dialogue inside.

"No, this isn't what we agreed upon!" a familiar voice spoke first, filled with unmistakable anger and confusion, his tone brimming with resistance.

Then, another low voice cut in. It was muffled but carried an unquestionable firmness. Jill could only barely catch fragments: "...the plan is what it is, don't ask too much."

"But there's no need to eliminate STARS..." the first voice spoke again, becoming more agitated, even carrying a hint of pleading.

"...And what about my family? You promised to ensure their safety!"

"...Provided I obey, is that it?"

The conversation was fragmented and bizarre. The argument, questioning, and compromise between the two parties were intertwined. Jill was left bewildered, but the suspicion in her heart continued to surge.

The first voice was all too familiar to her—it was clearly her teammate, Barry Burton. But who was the other voice? What secrets were hidden behind the 'plan,' 'eliminating STARS,' and 'family safety' they mentioned? All of this was clearly connected to the Umbrella Corporation's conspiracy.

Driven by intense doubt and concern, Jill no longer hesitated. She suddenly grabbed the door handle, pushed it open, and burst into the room. At the same time, she raised her gun, alertly scanning the entire space.

But the scene before her left her stunned. The room wasn't large; it was a simple underground lounge with a few worn-out tables and chairs. It was empty—there was no sign of a second person. Only Barry stood alone in the center of the room, his back to the door, surrounded by an indescribable air of loneliness and irritability.

Hearing the movement, Barry spun around. Seeing it was Jill, a flicker of panic flashed in his eyes, which he quickly masked. He raised a hand in a forced casual greeting, trying to squeeze out his usual steady smile. "Jill? How did you end up here too?"

He moved subtly to stand in front of Jill, slightly turning his body to block her view deeper into the room. His fingertips tightened unconsciously—a subtle movement that was highly abnormal.

Jill lowered her handgun, her brow furrowed deeply. Her gaze was locked onto Barry, her tone filled with confusion and concern. "Barry, I heard someone talking outside the door just now. Who else is here?"

At those words, Barry's eyes flickered. He raised a hand to scratch the back of his head and forced a bitter laugh, his tone intentionally casual. "Uh... so you heard that. It seems I really am getting old, starting to talk to myself without realizing it."

"Talking to yourself?" Jill clearly didn't believe him. She took a step forward, staring intently into his eyes as she continued to press, "What is wrong with you? You've been restless this whole time. What are you worried about?"

She knew Barry too well. This teammate had always been steady and reliable, a firearms expert with a straightforward personality. But since entering the Spencer Mansion, he had frequently acted alone and behaved strangely. His current explanation was full of holes and completely unconvincing.

Barry was momentarily speechless. He slowly turned his back, avoiding Jill's gaze, his shoulders drooping slightly. His voice lowered a bit. "I've made you worry, haven't I? But don't worry, I'm fine."

He paused, intentionally softening his tone in an attempt to reassure Jill. "Maybe this mansion is just too eerie, and the underground is so oppressive. It's got me all keyed up and my head's a mess, so I couldn't help muttering a few things."

Without waiting for Jill to press further, Barry immediately turned around, waved his hand, and walked toward the door. He tried to sound lighthearted. "Anyway, I'll be fine once I get some fresh air. Staying down here is really stifling."

Seeing this, Jill immediately stepped forward and blocked him, the concern in her eyes not fading at all. "There are mutant creatures everywhere. It's too dangerous. It's not safe for you to go out alone. We should move together."

Barry stopped and looked at Jill's worried face. A pang of guilt crossed his heart, but he still forced himself to stay calm. He patted the sidearm at his waist, putting on a determined expression.

"Don't worry, I'm just going out for some air. If I'm lucky, I might even get to kill a few monsters along the way to blow off some steam. Don't you trust my marksmanship?" His tone was firm, but there was a hint of evasion in his eyes, not wanting Jill to see any more flaws.

Seeing his insistence on leaving, Jill was full of doubts, but she knew that once Barry made up his mind, it was hard to change it. Besides, she had no evidence of anything being wrong. Ultimately, she pulled back her hand and warned him helplessly, "Then please be careful. If you run into danger, contact me immediately. Don't try to handle it all alone."

"Don't worry." Barry nodded to her without another word and quickly walked out of the room. His figure soon disappeared into the darkness of the corridor, leaving Jill standing alone in the empty room, her heart full of doubt and unease. She felt that Barry was hiding something extremely important.

Having no time to dwell on Barry's anomaly, Jill suppressed the suspicion in her heart, gripped her weapon again, and continued her exploration of the underground dormitory area.

She pushed open the rooms on both sides one by one, carefully searching for document clues and supplies. Along the way, she collected First Aid Spray, Handgun Ammunition, and several leftover experimental documents from the Umbrella Corporation, putting them away one by one as she tried to piece together the truth of this place.

Following the corridor of the underground dormitory to its end, a narrow sewer entrance appeared. The entrance was filled with heavy mist and a fishy smell. Below was a circular concrete waterway where murky water flowed slowly. Beneath the surface, dark shadows could be seen darting quickly, accompanied by the sound of splashing water.

Jill leaned over to observe carefully and was shocked to find several Mutant Sharks, far larger than normal ones, swimming in the waterway. They darted through the water, their sharp fangs clearly visible. If one fell into the water, there would be no chance of survival.

Jill knew that underwater was not her battlefield and there was no need to provoke these ferocious mutant creatures. She carefully stuck to the narrow path along the edge of the waterway, lowering her body and holding her breath. Trying not to make even the slightest sound, she quickly crossed the circular waterway without disturbing a single mutant shark, successfully reaching the experimental area on the other side.

The rooms in the experimental area were labeled with numbers. Jill investigated them one by one. In the experimental room labeled 003, she found a complete set of experimental records. The documents detailed the plant mutation experiments conducted by the Umbrella Corporation here, with the core experimental subject codenamed Plant 42.

The files showed that this plant had been injected with the T-Virus, undergoing a violent mutation. Its root system spread throughout the entire underground facility, and its vitality was extremely strong. Ordinary attacks could not eliminate it. Only the Special Biochemical Agent mentioned in the documents could temporarily weaken its activity and destroy its cellular tissue, making it possible to kill it.

Jill studied the documents carefully, noting the formula and synthesis steps for the agent. Then, at the lab bench in the corner of the room, she found the corresponding chemical reagents. With her excellent practical skills, she quickly mixed the Weakening Agent according to the process in the documents, poured it into a special container, and stored it properly.

Following the location marked in the documents, Jill moved along the basement passage and soon arrived at the main growth area of Plant 42.

The scene before her was shocking: massive plant roots occupied the entire space, and thick, dark green tentacles stretched out like pythons. The roots were deeply embedded in the ground and walls, their surfaces covered in fine thorns, emitting a pungent, foul stench. The huge flower buds trembled slightly as if ready to attack at any moment. The entire space was completely taken over by this mutant plant, exuding a suffocating sense of pressure.

Without the slightest hesitation, Jill immediately took out the prepared Weakening Agent and threw it with all her strength toward the plant's main root system.

The moment the agent touched the plant, it made a sizzling sound. Black spots quickly appeared on the dark green roots, and the previously tense tentacles gradually went limp. The mutant plant let out a strange roar, its activity clearly significantly weakened, and its movements became sluggish.

Jill seized the opportunity and immediately raised her Grenade Launcher, aiming at the core root of the plant, preparing to deliver a fatal blow.

But just a second before she pulled the trigger, the previously limp tentacles suddenly twitched violently. Several thick tentacles swept in instantly, tightly coiling around her limbs and waist. The force was incredible, instantly hoisting her into the air.

Sharp pain surged through her entire body. Jill felt as if her bones were about to be crushed. The Grenade Launcher slipped from her hand. She struggled desperately but could not break free from the tentacles' grip. Breathing became increasingly difficult, and her consciousness began to fade.

At this critical moment, a familiar figure suddenly burst into the space. Accompanied by the roar of a blazing Flamethrower, brilliant flames instantly swept across.

It was Barry, who had returned! Holding a Flamethrower he had found in the underground supply room, he saw Jill being coiled by the plant. His expression changed drastically as he shouted, "What the hell is this thing?"

"Barry! Save me!" Jill used all her strength to cry for help. But as soon as the words left her mouth, the mutant plant, enraged by the flames, whipped another tentacle toward Barry. Caught off guard, Barry was also tightly coiled by a tentacle and dragged into the air.

Trapped, Barry did not panic. He gripped the Flamethrower tightly, ignoring the tightening of the tentacle, and forced the nozzle to turn, aiming the roaring flames precisely at the plant's core.

The high-temperature flames fiercely scorched the mutant plant, and the sizzling sound of burning was constant. Plant 42 let out a shrill roar, its roots quickly turning black and withering. The tentacles coiling around the two gradually lost their strength and began to loosen.

Under the continuous scorching of the flames, the main body of the mutant plant completely disintegrated and collapsed. Its massive body turned into a pile of charred remains scattered across the floor.

Jill and Barry were instantly released from their bonds and fell heavily onto the cold floor. They were so sore from the fall that they couldn't recover for a long time.

Jill lay on the ground, gasping for breath, the relief of surviving a disaster flooding her heart. She spoke weakly, "I thought I was dead."

"Yeah, this damn thing was really tricky." Barry also slowly climbed to his feet, rubbing his sore shoulders as he agreed, his tone full of lingering fear.

The two supported each other as they stood up, brushing off the dust and charred residue. Jill looked at Barry and thanked him sincerely, "That was close just now. Thank you for coming to save me."

"Don't mention it. We're teammates; we're supposed to help each other." Barry waved his hand, his gaze falling on the plant remains scattered everywhere. His brow furrowed deeply as he asked with confusion, "But what exactly is this? This place, this whole mansion—what on earth happened?"

Jill was about to take out the experimental documents she had collected to sort through the clues with Barry. She suggested, "There are too many secrets here. Let's explore together so we can look out for each other. Let's not split up again."

But Barry refused her again. He looked toward the depths of the corridor, his eyes flickering, his tone still carrying his previous stubbornness. "There are still some strange things in that mansion that haven't been cleared up. I'll stay here a bit longer and continue searching the nearby area."

He paused, and seeing Jill about to protest, he spoke first, "We should split up and investigate again; it's more efficient. We'll regroup if anything happens."

Jill looked at his determined expression. The suspicion in her heart surged again, but she ultimately couldn't sway him. She nodded helplessly in agreement. "Alright, then you must be careful. If you encounter danger, find a way to notify me immediately. Don't try to handle it alone."

"Don't worry." Barry nodded to her, gave Jill a complex look, and then turned to walk toward another part of the underground facility. Once again, he left Jill standing alone in the messy experimental area, continuing to face this underground space filled with countless secrets and dangers.