Chapter 54: Settling Accounts and Showdown

"Irons." Jill gritted her teeth, squeezing the name out from between them, the chill in her eyes nearly freezing the air.

She carefully folded the note and tucked it into her inner pocket, then turned to grab a handgun in perfect condition. After checking the magazine, she rushed out of the rental apartment.

She was going to the police station to find that bastard and demand an explanation.

In the lobby of the Raccoon City police station, the central air conditioning hummed, but it couldn't disperse the stagnant tension in the air.

The two officers on duty at the front desk were chatting with their heads down when they suddenly heard rapid footsteps. Looking up, they saw Jill storming in, radiating hostility. Her beautiful blue eyes were filled with cold fury, frightening the two of them into instant silence; they didn't even dare to breathe.

"Officer Valentine? You..." An officer instinctively stood up to block her, but before he could finish, he was silenced by a cold glare from Jill.

"Get lost." Jill's voice was low and hoarse, yet carried an unquestionable intimidation.

She was an ace member of S.T.A.R.S., and no one in the entire police station dared to truly stop her.

Without a moment's hesitation, Jill strode up to the second floor in her combat boots, heading straight for the chief's office at the end of the corridor.

Officers encountered along the way instinctively stepped aside, none daring to speak up, only whispering as they watched her back.

Everyone knew that ever since returning from the Arklay incident, Jill and Irons had completely fallen out; today's display clearly meant things were coming to a complete breakdown.

Reaching the door of the chief's office, Jill didn't knock. She lifted a foot clad in a tactical boot and kicked the heavy solid wood door with all her might.

With a loud "bang," the lock shattered instantly. The door slammed into the wall, shaking the framed awards hanging on the wall until they fell to the floor.

Inside the office, Brian Irons was sitting behind a large ebony desk, toying with a newly acquired black bear skull specimen. On the desk sat a glass of whiskey, half-finished.

Startled by the sudden intrusion, he jerked his head up. Seeing Jill at the door with a livid expression, a flash of panic crossed his face, which was immediately replaced by arrogance.

"Jill Valentine! Are you fucking crazy?!" Irons slammed the desk and stood up, his fat body trembling with rage. "Breaking into the chief's office, violently destroying public property—do you have no respect for police regulations? Is there no law in your eyes?!"

Jill closed the door behind her, walked step by step to the desk, and braced her hands on the edge, staring down at Irons. Her eyes were like ice-tempered blades, practically ready to poke two holes in his fat face.

"Regulations? The law?" Jill sneered, the chill in her voice nearly freezing the air. "Irons, what is the meaning of this? You came to my house to arrest someone without even a word, and you fucking arrested my person?!"

Irons' eyes flickered. He spread his hands and scoffed, "Your person? Do you really consider that orphan to be yours?"

"Don't pretend." Jill's voice was even colder. "In the entire police station, who doesn't know that Chloe is my person? What right do you have to arrest her? No one would be stupid enough to send someone to the public The Orphanage. You're the director, and I think you just want to hand Chloe over to the Umbrella Corporation as a gift. Am I right?"

Having his intentions exposed, the mask on Irons' face was instantly shattered. He stood up straight, rounded the desk, and leaned into Jill's face. His greasy face was full of malice, spittle practically spraying onto Jill's face.

"Jill Valentine! Show some respect! I am your superior! You are harboring an unidentified minor, defying official police relocation orders, and now you dare to make false accusations and defy your superior?!"

He pointed at Jill's nose, his voice becoming increasingly shrill. "I received reports a long time ago that you've been drinking heavily since the Arklay incident and your mental state is extremely unstable; you are completely unfit for duty! Now, I am officially warning you: immediately send that girl named Chloe to the public The Orphanage, or I will strip you of your position, revoke your badge and service weapon, and have you completely removed from the police force!"

This sentence was like a fuse, completely igniting the anger Jill had been suppressing for so long.

Having escaped the Spencer Mansion with her life, the evidence against the Umbrella Corporation that she and her teammates submitted had been completely dismissed by him. Her fallen teammates were slandered as lunatics who acted without authorization, and the survivors were suspended and marginalized. Now, he actually dared to send people to her home to grab Chloe and even used her badge to threaten her.

Jill stared at Irons' nauseating face and suddenly laughed, a laugh of absolute determination.

She reached into her chest pocket and pulled out the police ID that had been with her for five years. Pinching the metallic badge between her fingertips, she slammed it hard against Irons' face.

The plastic card holder hit his cheekbone with a crisp sound. The badge slid out of the holder, fell to the floor, and clattered with a light ring.

The office fell silent instantly. Irons was stunned, frozen in place, the anger on his face stiffening; he clearly hadn't expected Jill to take such an action.

Jill looked at him, her voice calm but carrying an unquestionable resolve. Every word hit the ground like a nail: "This shitty badge—whoever wants it can have it."

"I quit."

Irons finally snapped out of it, trembling with rage, his fat face turning bright red. He pointed at the door, his voice shaking: "You... get out! Get out of the police station right now!"

Jill didn't even glance at him; she turned and pulled open the office door.

A crowd of officers had gathered at the door to watch the spectacle, mostly cronies who usually followed Irons for a living, though there were a few honest veteran officers who dared not speak up. Seeing her come out, they all instinctively stepped back. The entire corridor was deathly silent.

Jill's gaze swept over the group, her face expressionless. She left only a cold warning, her voice not loud, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"A word of advice: stop following Irons, that dog of the Umbrella Corporation. For a little benefit, he would sell out all of Raccoon City. If you keep following him, you won't even know how you died in the end—you'll lose your lives."

The onlookers fell into a dead silence. Some lowered their heads in guilt, others showed disdain, but no one dared to say a word.

Jill stopped looking at them and turned to walk towards the stairs. Just as she reached the corner, a familiar voice called out to her.

"Jill! Wait!"

Jill stopped and turned around to see Sergeant Marvin Branagh hurrying over. Marvin's face was full of anxiety; he had heard the commotion on the second floor from the first floor, but he hadn't expected Jill to just throw away her badge and completely break with Irons.

"What on earth are you doing? How did you end up in such a direct confrontation with Irons?" Marvin pulled her into an empty breakroom and lowered his voice, his tone full of worry. "Without your status as an officer, you'll be stuck at every turn in Raccoon City. If Irons wants to come after you, he won't have any reservations!"

Jill leaned against the cold wall, her tense shoulders finally slumping a little, a flash of exhaustion in her eyes. She briefly told Marvin about what happened at the rental apartment this afternoon and about Chloe leaving.

"I've put up with him for a long time." Jill's voice was slightly hoarse. "Since we returned from the Spencer Mansion, he's been cleaning up after the Umbrella Corporation. Now he even dares to send people to break into my home and grab someone. If I stay any longer, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself from just shooting him."

After listening, Marvin frowned tightly and sighed heavily. He knew exactly what kind of person Irons was, but he had a family to support and wasn't as unburdened as Jill, so he could only do what he could in secret.

"I know you're angry." Marvin looked at her, his tone sincere. "Don't worry, I'll arrange for people I trust to help you find the missing Chloe. A little girl like that can't run very far. Just try to stay calm."

"Thank you, Marvin." Jill nodded, a hint of warmth welling up in her heart. In this police station, which had been riddled with holes by the Umbrella Corporation's infiltration, Marvin was one of the few who still stood on her side.

"But what are you going to do next?" Marvin frowned. "Irons has stripped you of your position, so your investigation in Raccoon City will definitely be hindered. Do you want me to ask the deputy chief to intercede for you?"

"I have it under control." Jill took a deep breath, suppressing her emotions and regaining her calm. "I will find Chloe, and at the same time, I will fully expose the evidence of Irons' collusion with the Umbrella Corporation, as well as the truth about the Arklay incident. Those teammates who died in the Spencer Mansion cannot have died in vain."

Marvin looked at the determination in her eyes, opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't try to persuade her to give up. He knew Jill too well; this woman looked gentle, but she was more stubborn than anyone in her bones. Once she made a decision, no one could change it.

"Alright." Marvin nodded and pulled an encrypted walkie-talkie from his pocket, handing it to her. "This is my private channel, it's encrypted, Irons can't monitor it. If there's any movement in the police station, or if Irons makes any moves, I'll let you know immediately. You must be careful—Irons has gone mad; he's capable of anything."

Jill took the walkie-talkie, gripping it tightly, and said solemnly: "Thanks, Marvin. I won't forget this favor."

"Don't stand on ceremony with me." Marvin patted her shoulder. "Take care of yourself; staying alive is more important than anything."

After saying goodbye to Marvin, Jill avoided the officers in the lobby and left the police station silently through the back door. She got into her SUV parked in the alley, started the engine, and gripped the steering wheel until it felt hot.

She first called Brad Vickers. As soon as the call connected, Brad's panicked voice came through: "Jill? My God, did you really throw away your badge? It's all over the police station—Irons is absolutely furious."

"Less chatter." Jill interrupted him. "Come help me. Chloe is missing, and I'm very worried about her."

Brad wailed on the other end of the line, yet he didn't dare to refuse: "I must have owed you all in my past life... Fine, but Jill, I'm warning you, this is the last time. I really don't want to be targeted by the Umbrella Corporation; I still want to leave this hellhole alive."

"Don't worry, I won't bother you again after this." Jill hung up the phone, stepped on the gas, and the car merged into the traffic of Raccoon City.