Chapter 46: Out of Prison

Chris supported the exhausted Barry as they stepped out of the Core Laboratory's alloy doors. Suddenly, the entire Arklay Research Facility shuddered violently, and the shrill, piercing sound of a red alert instantly echoed through every corridor. Emergency lights on the walls flashed frantically, bathing the passage in a panic-inducing crimson.

【Self-destruct sequence activated. All personnel evacuate immediately. Unlocking all door locks. Repeating: Self-destruct sequence activated. All personnel evacuate immediately...】

The cold, synthesized mechanical voice echoed repeatedly through the empty facility. Each word felt like a tolling alarm in their hearts, while the faint ticking of a countdown added a suffocating pressure.

Barry's expression changed instantly. His footsteps halted as his heart sank, his voice urgent and heavy: "It must be Wesker! He's activated the facility's self-destruct system! We have to move fast. If we don't leave now, everyone will be buried here, blown to pieces!"

He knew Wesker's ruthlessness better than anyone. Even if his plans were exposed and he was near death, Wesker would never leave behind this facility filled with the Umbrella Corporation's sins. Self-destruction was his final act of annihilation.

Chris's heart tightened instantly. Ignoring his physical fatigue, he grabbed Barry's arm and asked urgently, "What about Jill? Barry, where did Wesker lock Jill up?!"

From the moment he confronted Barry to their joint battle against the Tyrant, he had never forgotten the captured Jill. Now that the facility was self-destructing, every second was a matter of life and death; he could not leave Jill behind to escape alone.

"In the B3 level prison! Wesker locked her in a solitary confinement cell on the third basement floor!" Barry hid nothing, immediately revealing Jill's location. Filled with guilt, he wanted nothing more than to rescue Jill as quickly as possible to make up for his mistakes.

Chris made a split-second decision and quickly assigned tasks, his tone firm and unquestionable: "Barry, go to the B3 level prison immediately and get Jill out! I'll go to the second basement floor to find Rebecca. We'll meet at the B2 lab pod entrance! Move fast, there's no time to waste!"

"Right! Be careful!" Barry nodded heavily without hesitation and turned to sprint toward the stairs. His previous exhaustion and fatigue were completely suppressed by the urgency of survival and his determination for redemption, every step taken with all his might.

Chris also turned and sped toward the second basement floor. The alarms grew more frequent, and the facility occasionally emitted sounds of minor collapses. Debris fell continuously from the ceiling as the situation became increasingly critical.

He navigated past loose ceiling panels and scattered equipment, using his memory to weave through the corridors. He soon arrived at the Special Subject Isolation Chamber Lab on the second basement floor.

Pushing the door open, he saw Rebecca standing by the glass isolation chamber, softly comforting Chloe inside. Chloe still looked fragile and helpless, her head lowered and her shoulders trembling slightly, appearing as terrified as ever.

Hearing the sudden sound of the door opening, Rebecca spun around. Seeing it was Chris, she stood up immediately, her face full of worry.

"Chris! You're finally back! What's happening? Why did the alarm go off?" Rebecca asked urgently. Seeing Chris looking disheveled and panicked, a strong sense of unease rose within her.

"There's no time to explain! Wesker activated the facility's self-destruct system. The whole place is about to blow. We have to evacuate now!" Chris strode toward them, his tone urgent as he grabbed Rebecca's wrist to lead her away.

Rebecca's face turned pale instantly. Subconsciously looking at the glass isolation chamber, she quickly pulled Chris back and said anxiously, "Wait! Chloe is still inside! We can't leave her!"

Chris looked at Chloe inside the chamber, frowning as he said in confusion, "The alarm just said that when the self-destruct sequence started, all door locks were released. Why can't she get out?"

At those words, the previously silent Chloe looked up immediately. Her eyes reddened and tears welled up as she spoke with a sob, her voice full of helplessness: "It's no use... I was locked in here by Director John himself. This isolation chamber has an independent authorization lock. It can only be opened with his Director-level ID card. The general door release doesn't work on this..."

A flicker of calculation passed through her eyes, but it was perfectly hidden beneath her terror and despair. She maintained her pitiful appearance, terrified of being abandoned in this soon-to-explode facility.

Meanwhile, in the B3 level prison.

The heavy alloy cell door's electronic lock had already been released by the self-destruct sequence. Barry rushed to the cell door and pulled it open with force. In the dim cell, Jill was curled up against the cold wall, having fallen asleep.

Days of running, the blow of betrayal, and the oppression of being trapped had left her physically and mentally exhausted. Once her strained nerves relaxed slightly, she had fallen into a deep sleep.

"Jill! Jill, wake up!" Barry rushed to Jill's side and gently shook her shoulder, his voice urgent.

Jill startled awake, her eyes snapping open with a cold, wary gaze. Upon seeing it was Barry, she instinctively tensed and pulled back. Assuming Wesker had sent Barry to deal with her, she spoke coldly and guardedly: "Barry? Wesker sent you? If you're here to kill me, just get on with it."

"No, Jill, let me explain!" Barry quickly stepped back and raised his hands, his face full of guilt and urgency, his voice sincere and self-reproaching. "Wesker is dead—no, he's disappeared... I did many things to hurt you. He threatened me with my wife and daughter, so I had to obey him. I betrayed you, I betrayed the team. I know I was wrong. I don't expect you to forgive me right away, but the facility is self-destructing now. We have to leave immediately!"

He lowered his head, filled with remorse. His previous compromise and betrayal were the most shameful moments of his life.

Jill looked at Barry's face full of guilt and sincerity, then remembered his previous action of secretly helping her hide the ID card. The last bit of animosity in her heart vanished completely. She stood up slowly, brushed the dust off herself, and spoke calmly yet with relief: "I don't blame you, Barry. This was all Wesker's scheme and the Umbrella Corporation's fault. You were a victim too."

She had always known that Barry wasn't a bad person at heart; he was just being manipulated through his weakness. The true culprit had always been Wesker and the Umbrella Corporation behind him.

Barry hadn't expected Jill to forgive him so easily. His eyes were full of emotion as he nodded heavily: "Thank you, Jill! Let's go. Chris has already gone to get Rebecca. We're meeting them at the B2 level!"

Jill nodded and followed Barry out of the prison. The two of them sprinted, avoiding collapsing sections and following the stairs to the second basement floor. Just as they reached the door of the isolation chamber lab, they saw Chris and Rebecca waiting there.

"Jill!" Chris saw that Jill was unharmed, and his tense heart finally relaxed as he stepped forward.

Jill looked at the safe and sound Chris, and the days of fear, grievance, and worry instantly rushed to her heart. She stepped forward and hugged Chris tightly, her voice carrying a faint, nearly imperceptible sob of relief: "Chris, I'm so glad you're okay! It's so good that you're really okay!"

"I'm fine, don't worry," Chris said, gently patting Jill's back to comfort her before releasing the embrace.

Jill wiped the corners of her eyes, her face showing a mix of grievance and anger as she gritted her teeth. "It's all that bastard Wesker's fault. He was using us from the very beginning. He almost had us all buried here!"

Just then, Jill noticed Chloe inside the isolation chamber, looking dejected with reddened eyes. Confused, she asked, "What's going on? Why hasn't Chloe come out yet?"

"Jill, you're here!" Rebecca spoke up quickly, her tone anxious. "This isolation chamber needs a specific ID card to open. The emergency door release didn't work. We have no way to get her out."

Chris also nodded, his face full of helplessness. "We've looked, but we haven't found the corresponding ID card. If we delay any longer, none of us will be able to leave."

Jill reacted instantly, reaching into the inner pocket of her combat suit. She pulled out the Director-level ID card she had been carefully hiding and said to the group, "I found Director John's ID card. This is it!"

With that, she stepped quickly to the isolation chamber's control panel and swiped the ID card.

"Beep—Identity verified. Chamber door opening."

As the mechanical voice finished, the massive glass isolation doors slowly slid open to both sides. Fresh air rushed into the chamber, bringing with it the scent of freedom.

Chloe stared blankly at the open door, frozen in place. Her eyes turned bright red instantly. This time, she didn't fake it; tears streamed down her pale cheeks without warning as her body shook uncontrollably.

She had been trapped in this tiny isolation chamber for countless days and nights. From despair to calculation, from trying to save herself to meeting Jill, she had never truly thought she would walk out of this cage alive or escape this grim facility. This sudden freedom caused her to drop all her pretenses, and she began to cry from the bottom of her heart.

"Come out, it's okay now. We're taking you out of here," Jill said, her heart full of pity as she looked at the crying Chloe, reaching out to gently comfort her.

Rebecca also stepped forward, whispering soothingly, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. We're all here. You'll be safe soon."

Both of them assumed Chloe was simply terrified by the impending explosion of the facility, completely unaware of her previous pretenses and schemes.

Chloe stood up slowly and stepped out of the isolation chamber one step at a time. Feeling her long-lost freedom, her tears continued to fall uncontrollably.

Chris looked at the three of them comforting each other and gently interrupted the moment, his tone urgent and grave: "Alright, there's no time for sentimentality. The alarm is still going off and the collapses are getting worse. We must find the escape route and get out of here immediately!"

The group snapped back to reality, looking at the shaking corridor and falling debris. Chloe was physically weak; two months without proper nourishment left her with almost no strength to walk. Without hesitation, Chris leaned down and gently picked Chloe up, cradling her securely in his arms.

"Hold on to the person next to you and stay close to me. We're charging out together!" Chris said, carrying Chloe as he led the way. Jill and Barry flanked them on either side while Rebecca followed closely behind. The five of them looked out for one another as they sprinted toward the facility's escape route without stopping.

The shrill alarms, the roar of collapsing structures, and the sound of frantic footsteps intertwined. The self-destruct countdown ticked away second by second. The entire sinister Arklay Research Facility was about to be reduced to ashes in the explosion, and they had to escape this abyss before the final collapse to find their chance at survival.