Chapter 42: Hope and the Final Betrayal

Jill pressed herself against the cold alloy wall, her breathing extremely light. Her muzzle remained steadily aimed at the hatch of the high-security laboratory, her muscles tense to the point of aching.

The dim light of the emergency lamps cast mottled shadows on the floor. Everything around her was deathly silent, save for the steady thumping of her own heart, which sounded exceptionally clear in the empty corridor of Basement Level 2.

She was prepared to face a hideous, mutated monster; images of Lisa's twisted and terrifying form flashed through her mind. Her finger was hooked on the trigger, ready to fire at any moment.

After a moment of stalemate, no sounds of impact or roaring came from the lab hatch. This abnormal silence, however, made Jill even more vigilant.

She moved her feet slowly, approaching the hatch step by step. Her other hand pressed against the authorization panel by the door, which was already damaged and only emitted a faint electrical crackle.

Jill took a deep breath, leaned her shoulder against the hatch, and slowly applied pressure, pushing the heavy alloy door open just enough to create a gap. The beam from her tactical flashlight was the first thing to enter the room.

The interior of the laboratory was a mess. Shattered consoles, peeling walls, and leaking pipes were everywhere, and the floor was littered with discarded experimental equipment and documents.

In the very center of the lab, a reinforced glass isolation pod partially encased in alloy armor stood prominently. The faint white light from within the pod clearly outlined the figure inside.

The expected festering, hideous mutated monster did not appear. The moment the beam fell upon the figure, Jill's pupils contracted slightly, and her grip on her gun loosened instinctively.

Curled up inside the isolation pod was a frail young girl.

She looked to be in her teens, wearing a faded, plain hospital gown. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and her face was as pale as death. She was so thin that it seemed a gust of wind could knock her over. She leaned quietly against the pod wall, her eyes filled with a deep, silent despair.

There were no signs of viral mutation on her body—no claws, no foul stench, and certainly no aggression. She looked entirely like an ordinary girl.

The girl noticed the movement outside the pod at the same time. She slowly raised her head and looked toward the door at Jill, who was dressed in the dark blue S.T.A.R.S. tactical uniform.

That familiar uniform and the clear squad insignia instantly ignited a spark of burning light in Chloe's deadened eyes, nearly breaking through the depths of her despair.

It's someone from S.T.A.R.S.!

Combining the plotline of Resident Evil 1 with the appearance and equipment of the person before her, Chloe was almost certain: this was Jill Valentine! The brave, kind, and righteous protagonist who would eventually survive the Arklay Spencer Mansion and the research facility!

After being ignored by James Marcus and rejected by Wesker, Chloe had thought she was destined to die in this cage, waiting for the virus to spiral out of control and turn her into a monster. She never expected to wait long enough for Jill to arrive.

This was her last and only hope of escaping this place. This ray of life made her almost unable to control her inner excitement.

Jill walked slowly into the lab, gradually lowering her muzzle but remaining vigilant as she approached the glass isolation pod step by step.

She carefully observed the girl inside. After confirming the girl had no aggressive tendencies and showed no symptoms of mutation from T-Virus infection, most of the wariness in her heart dissipated, replaced by confusion and a faint, imperceptible trace of pity.

Jill stopped in front of the cold glass and asked, her tone as gentle as possible, "Who are you? Why are you locked in here?"

Hearing Jill's question, Chloe immediately suppressed all the calculation and urgency in her eyes, instantly replacing them with a pitiful, fragile, and helpless expression.

She curled her body slightly, her eyes reddening as crystalline tears welled up. Her voice was as light as a feather, yet it carried an uncontrollable tremble and grievance as she wove the story she had prepared: "My name is Chloe... My father was a researcher here. To complete Umbrella's virus experiments, he kept it from everyone and used me as a test subject, locking me in here for years..."

She didn't mention that she was a clone from the Ark Laboratory. Instead, she borrowed Lisa's background to adapt a tragic past that better fit her current situation. Every word was steeped in the pain of betrayal by her kin and the despair of years of imprisonment—a mix of truth and lies that was enough to stir anyone's sympathy.

"Every day they injected me with various drugs and drew my blood. I wanted so badly to escape, I was so scared... After this place fell, they all left and just abandoned me here to die alone."

Seeing Chloe's reddened eyes, trembling voice, and frail, helpless appearance, the last of Jill's vigilance vanished completely.

She could see that the despair and fear in the girl's eyes weren't faked, and the pain of being betrayed by a loved one was certainly real. This girl was a victim used as a test subject, forced to endure all of this. Just like Lisa, she was a sacrifice to the evil experiments of Umbrella Corporation.

"Don't be afraid, I'll get you out," Jill said firmly, her eyes full of justice and pity. She immediately looked at the glass pod's locking mechanism, trying to find a way to open it, but the pod was secured by the highest level of authorization and could not be forced open.

"This hatch can only be opened with a Director-level ID card from the research facility," Chloe said immediately, grasping onto Jill as her lifeline. She continued, "When the facility fell, Director John came here. He had the Director's authorization card. He ran away later, but he definitely didn't make it out of this facility."

Jill nodded without hesitation. "Wait here. I'll go find John. Once I find the ID card, I'll come back to save you. Don't be afraid, I will definitely come back."

She gave Chloe a reassuring nod and, after double-checking that the isolation pod was temporarily safe, gripped her weapon and left the lab, heading toward Basement Level 3 to track down John.

Basement Level 3 of the Arklay Research Facility was far more gloomy and dilapidated than the second floor. Collapsed stones and Leech mucus were everywhere, and the number of roaming zombies and deformed test subjects was higher, causing the danger level to skyrocket.

Jill moved stealthily and cautiously, delivering precise headshots to any lone zombies she encountered. Her movements were clean and efficient, saving every bullet. After bypassing several collapsed sections and searching for a long time, she finally found John's body in a cramped staff lounge.

He was slumped by an office desk, a prominent claw wound on his chest. He had long since stopped breathing. A black Director-level ID card lay quietly on the floor by his hand.

Jill bent down to pick up the ID card, wiped away the dust, and tucked it away carefully. After confirming the card was functional, she immediately turned back, preparing to return to Basement Level 2 to rescue Chloe.

She walked quickly toward the stairwell. Just as she rounded a corner in the corridor, a familiar figure approached from the opposite direction, causing Jill to pause.

"Barry?"

Seeing that Barry was unharmed, Jill felt a wave of relief before speaking urgently, "Barry, I found a young girl imprisoned by Umbrella on the second floor. She's a victim of their experiments. I found the ID card to open her isolation pod. Let's go rescue her together."

Hearing this, Barry's eyes flickered slightly before he nodded and said calmly, "Alright, let's go over there together."

The two walked side by side toward Basement Level 2 in silence. Jill's mind was entirely focused on rescuing Chloe as soon as possible, and she didn't notice the complexity and hesitation in Barry's eyes.

But just as they reached the corridor leading to the lab on Basement Level 2, a tall figure stood blocking the way, causing Jill to freeze in her tracks.

The black S.T.A.R.S. tactical uniform, the dark sunglasses on his face, and the cold aura radiating from him—Albert Wesker.

Jill's expression turned cold instantly. Without hesitation, she raised her handgun, aiming it steadily at Wesker. Her eyes were icy, filled with fury and contempt.

But the moment she raised her gun, the faint sound of a firearm being cocked came from behind her.

Jill's heart sank. She turned slowly to see the revolver in Barry's hand, its muzzle aimed directly at her.

The air froze instantly. Jill closed her eyes and then slowly opened them, a bitter yet resigned smile tugging at her lips. Her voice was as calm as a still pond: "I'm really not surprised at all, Barry."

Ever since Barry had taken the elevator alone and exhibited various abnormal behaviors, she had harbored suspicions. It was only because of the lingering trust she had for her teammate that she hadn't acted. Now, that final illusion was completely shattered.

Wesker watched the scene unfold and slowly took off his sunglasses. His golden pupils glinted with a cold smile as he stepped forward, his tone carrying undisguised triumph: "Oh, don't blame Barry. If he doesn't behave, the lives of his wife and two lovely daughters will be at stake."

These words instantly revealed the truth. Barry's hand holding the gun trembled slightly, his eyes filled with guilt and helplessness, yet he did not lower the weapon.

"Wesker, you despicable coward!" Jill hissed in anger, her heart full of fury that he would use Barry's family as leverage to manipulate a teammate. "You are absolutely insane!"

Wesker looked indifferent, spreading his hands slightly as he spoke in a detached and cruel tone, "Don't worry, my dear. You'll be at peace soon enough anyway. There's no need for such anger."

"Why eliminate S.T.A.R.S.? What did we ever do to you!" Jill stared at him, questioning him sharply.

"Believe it or not, this wasn't my idea; it's an order from Umbrella," Wesker said flatly, as if discussing a trivial matter. "You were all just test subjects used by Umbrella to test the B.O.W.s. Once the mission is complete, there's naturally no reason for you to exist."

"You're just Umbrella's lapdog!" Jill shouted, her eyes full of disdain.

"Clever girl, but you still misunderstand me." A cold smile curled on Wesker's lips. His gaze swept toward the laboratory, his voice carrying a lethal malice.

"That girl you're trying so hard to save is nothing. Once I finish my plan, I'll blow her and this research facility to smithereens, leaving no trace behind."

Jill's whole body shook as a chill surged through her heart. She could not let Chloe die here, and she could not let Wesker's conspiracy succeed!

But before she could move, Wesker had already turned to Barry, giving an order that brooked no argument: "Barry, take her to the prison on B3 and lock her up. Confiscate all her weapons."

With that, Wesker didn't spare them another glance. He turned and walked away, his gaze piercing through the half-open door of the lab to land on Chloe inside the glass pod. A cold light of total understanding flashed in his eyes, and his lips curled into a mocking smirk.

He had long since seen through Chloe's act of feigning weakness to manipulate Jill. That smile was full of contempt for her little tricks, like looking at a clown struggling in vain. In an instant, he regained his composure and vanished decisively into the darkness.

Barry stepped forward slowly and looked at Jill, his eyes full of guilt. His voice was hoarse: "Jill, I..."

"I understand," Jill interrupted him, not bothering to argue. She knew Barry was being forced. Before Barry could move to confiscate her weapons, she inconspicuously slipped the ID card she had just found into the inner pocket of her tactical uniform, her movement so fast it was almost imperceptible.

Barry saw this, but he remained silent. He wordlessly confiscated the handgun from Jill's hand, the knife at her waist, and the grenade launcher slung over her shoulder. Throughout the process, he did not expose her for hiding the ID card.

"Let's go," Barry said in a low voice, turning his head to avoid Jill's gaze.

Jill did not resist. She followed Barry toward the prison on Basement Level 3, but her mind was already calculating her next move.

She would not be trapped here, and she certainly wouldn't let Wesker blow up the facility. She would find a way to escape, rescue Chloe, and expose all of Wesker's schemes.

The cold iron bars of the prison door slowly closed, trapping Jill in a small cage. However, her gaze remained as firm as ever. The ID card hidden in her inner pocket was the final spark of life for her and Chloe.