Chapter 60: Secret Maneuvers on All Sides

August 29, Evening, Raccoon City Police Department, Chief's Office

Heavy curtains completely shut out the gray daylight from outside the window. Only a dim desk lamp was on in the office, casting Brian Irons's obese shadow onto the wall, making it look exceptionally bloated and hideous.

He held a cigar between his fingertips. Scattered on the desk in front of him were several emergency reports, each marked with the words "Confidential" and "Umbrella Corporation Priority."

Several high-ranking police officials stood before the desk, their expressions tense, not daring to breathe. Irons took a harsh drag from his cigar and blew the smoke onto the reports in front of him. His already greasy face was now filled with impatience and ferocity, his tone so brutal it was as if he wanted to eat someone:

"Listen, deploy immediately. The northern part of the city is to be completely locked down. Arrange 24-hour police guard at all entrances and exits, and conduct strict quarantine checks. No one is allowed to enter or leave without authorization. If anyone dares to resist, arrest them directly—no need for paperwork!"

He slammed his hand onto the virus leak emergency plan on the desk. It was an order issued directly by Umbrella Corporation. The so-called "quarantine" was merely a facade to cover up the spread of the T-Virus.

Multiple unexplained incidents of injury and biting had already occurred in the northern region, and the number of infected was quietly climbing. Umbrella Corporation demanded that he completely seal off the news, control the spread of the infected area, and avoid causing city-wide panic.

"Chief," a deputy chief spoke up hesitantly, his voice tight, "nearly ten thousand citizens live in the northern district. If we suddenly lock it down completely, won't it trigger even greater chaos? Besides, our police force is severely understaffed. The patrol teams are already exhausted from dealing with missing persons cases, and if we divert more manpower..."

"Chaos? I said lock it down, so it must be locked down!" Irons slammed the desk, causing a black bear skull specimen to sway slightly. He glared at his subordinate, his eyes fierce. "If you don't have enough manpower, force it! Whoever dares to cause trouble will be dealt with for obstruction of public safety! If any problems arise, I'll take the blame—you just execute the orders!"

He had long since been completely bought off by Umbrella Corporation's interests; the safety of the citizens never existed in his eyes, only how to please the parent company and protect his own power and wealth.

As for the mess of the T-Virus leak, he only needed to cover it up and seal it off according to Umbrella Corporation's requirements. As for the lives of ordinary citizens, they were never within his scope of consideration.

"Also, at eight o'clock tonight, release a statement to the public according to the press release I gave you. Say that a new type of epidemic has appeared in the city, with symptoms characterized by an abnormal craving for raw meat. Tell the public to reduce outings and pay attention to precautions. Do not mention anything regarding infection, mutation, or injury. Whoever dares to speak out of turn can get out of the police department immediately!"

Irons waved his hand, his tone full of unquestionable harshness. The high-ranking officials dared not say more and turned to leave after receiving the order. Once again, he was left alone in the office. He slumped into his leather chair, staring at the darkening sky outside the window, a sinister smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

As long as he could keep Umbrella Corporation stable, it didn't matter what Raccoon City became—it had nothing to do with him.

August 29, 8:00 PM, Raccoon City Public Broadcast

At exactly eight o'clock in the evening, official broadcasts sounded simultaneously throughout the streets and alleys of Raccoon City. A cold, robotic female voice transmitted through street speakers into the ears of every anxious citizen.

"Citizens, please take note: following a joint investigation by the city's health department and the police department, a new type of epidemic has recently appeared in the city. Patients will exhibit abnormal appetites and symptoms of an excessive preference for raw meat. No large-scale transmission risk has been found yet. Citizens, please do not panic, reduce unnecessary outings, and pay attention to dietary hygiene. If you have relevant symptoms, please go to Raccoon City General Hospital for treatment in a timely manner..."

The broadcast repeated this lukewarm statement, making no mention of the frequent incidents of injury on the streets, unexplained disappearances, animal mutations, or other issues.

Pedestrians on the street stopped, their faces full of confusion and unease. The so-called "preference for raw meat" could not explain the various bizarre events occurring recently, but the official downplaying left them with no way to verify the truth. Panic, like a vine, quietly spread among the crowd.

No one knew that this seemingly ordinary disease statement was the first fig leaf Umbrella Corporation used to cover up the arrival of the apocalypse, and the locked-down northern district of the city had long since become a hotbed for the T-Virus to run rampant.

September 10, Raccoon City Hospital, Director's Office

The hospital was filled with a strong smell of disinfectant, yet it could not mask the faint, painful roars and eerie wheezing sounds coming from deep within. In the corridors, medical staff hurried along with panicked expressions. The originally spacious wards were already filled with strange patients; their eyes were manic, their moods volatile, and they were crazily tearing at their bedding, constantly emitting low growls of a craving for flesh.

Director Carl sat behind his desk, his face pale, his hands trembling uncontrollably. On the computer in front of him was the academic report he had just finished and clicked send on, with the title clearly reading: "Clinical Report on Raccoon City's Unidentified Infectious 'Cannibal Disease' and Request for Medical Assistance."

He took off his glasses and rubbed his throbbing temples, his eyes bloodshot. Recently, the hospital had been receiving more and more patients, and their symptoms completely defied medical common sense.

Extreme aggression, a craving for raw meat, body temperatures continuing to soar—all signs indicated that this was by no means an ordinary epidemic, but a terrifying, highly contagious virus.

"Cannibal disease"—this was the most fitting definition he could provide.

He looked at the sending record at the bottom of the report; the recipient was the Medical Division of Umbrella Corporation. This giant, which monopolized Raccoon City's medical and pharmaceutical industries, was the only institution capable of providing sufficient medical resources and the most likely to know the truth about the virus. Carl took a deep breath, his eyes filled with despair and anticipation.

In the report, he had detailed the patients' clinical symptoms, signs of viral transmission, and the current state of the hospital's medical supplies, which were completely depleted. Every word was earnest, requesting that Umbrella Corporation immediately allocate a large quantity of medical equipment, antiviral drugs, and protective supplies, and dispatch medical experts to support Raccoon City.

But a full day had passed, and the sent report was like a stone dropped into the ocean; Umbrella Corporation had not given any response.

Carl leaned back in his chair, looking at the gloomy sky outside the window, his heart icy cold. He vaguely understood that Umbrella Corporation did not care about the lives of these patients at all; this city, these citizens, perhaps had been their test subjects from the very beginning.

In the hospital corridor, another piercing scream rang out, accompanied by the exclamations of medical staff. Carl closed his eyes, his face full of powerlessness. All he could do was wait, but Raccoon City could no longer afford to wait.

September 15, Umbrella Corporation French Branch, Executive Conference Room

Unlike the chaotic and oppressive Raccoon City, the conference room of Umbrella Corporation's French branch was extremely luxurious. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was the bustling street scene of Paris, yet inside the room, the atmosphere was solemn, and the air seemed to have solidified.

Christina sat at the head of the table, dressed in a sharply tailored black suit, her makeup exquisite, her gaze sharp and calm. She was the head of Umbrella Corporation's French branch, decisive in her actions and iron-fisted, deeply trusted by the company's upper management, and specifically responsible for handling all kinds of confidential and high-risk special missions.

At this moment, the encrypted computer in front of her displayed a top-level secret order from Umbrella Corporation headquarters. The faint light of the screen reflected on her face, without the slightest emotional fluctuation.

The content of the secret order was brief, yet every word was shocking: Confirmed through a spy embedded in the military, Raccoon City researcher William Birkin is about to defect with G-Virus samples and join the U.S. military. Immediately assemble the Alpha Team, secretly infiltrate Raccoon City, control William himself, and recover the virus samples intact. During the mission, eliminate all obstacles and leave no traces.

Christina tapped her fingertips lightly on the table, quickly organizing the details of the mission in her mind.

William was the developer of the G-Virus and held the most core virus data and samples; he was a core asset of Umbrella Corporation. Once he defected to the military, it would be a devastating blow to Umbrella Corporation.

And the Alpha Team was Umbrella Corporation's most elite special forces unit. The captain, Hunk, even held the codename "Grim Reaper," having executed countless life-or-death confidential missions without ever failing. He was the best candidate for this recovery mission.

She picked up the encrypted communicator and pressed the exclusive channel, her tone calm and capable, without a hint of unnecessary emotion: "Connect to the Alpha Team, Captain Hunk."

A few seconds later, a low, cold, emotionless male voice came through the communicator, with the faint sounds of team members organizing their equipment in the background—it was Hunk.

"Commander Christina."

"Hunk, top-level mission." Christina looked directly at the communicator, clearly conveying the instructions word by word, "William Birkin has defected, intending to present the G-Virus to the U.S. military. You are to lead the Alpha Team, assemble immediately, secretly infiltrate the Raccoon City NEST laboratory, control William, and recover all G-Virus samples. Remember, the mission is the priority; the samples must be complete. Everyone and every obstacle that hinders the mission is to be cleared, leaving no evidence behind."

She paused and added, "The situation in Raccoon City is out of control, the T-Virus spread has exceeded expectations, and the internal danger level is extremely high. Headquarters requires that the mission be executed quickly and decisively, with no delays."

"Understood." Hunk's reply was extremely brief, without any questions or the slightest hesitation, as if he had just received an ordinary instruction.

"Mission codename: Recovery G. Departure time: one hour from now. A dedicated transport plane will take you directly to the outskirts of Raccoon City." Christina issued the final order and immediately cut the communication.

She leaned back in her chair, looking at the bustling street scene outside the window, her eyes cold. William's betrayal could not be tolerated; the G-Virus must return to Umbrella Corporation's hands.

As for the chaos in Raccoon City and those innocent lives, in the face of vast interests, they were merely dust that could be discarded at any time.

September 15, Alpha Team, Assembly Base

In the dark underground base, the lights were pale white, and the air was filled with the smell of machine oil and firearm lubricant. The members of the Alpha Team were quickly organizing their equipment.

Heavy body armor, silenced firearms, viral protective masks, concussion grenades, and virus sampling kits—every piece of equipment was checked repeatedly, precise and error-free.

Hunk stood at the front of the team, silent throughout. He wore his signature protective mask, the red lenses obscuring all emotion, revealing only a taut jawline.

The tactical gear on his body was neat and sharp, with a close-quarters combat blade tucked at his waist. He radiated a cold, fierce killing intent, like a dormant Grim Reaper.

From the moment Christina issued the mission order, his brain had already begun planning the infiltration route, mission steps, and contingency plans, without any unnecessary emotional fluctuation.

William, the G-Virus, Raccoon City, the out-of-control T-Virus—these were all just mission objectives and mission environments to him. His eyes only held the completion of the mission and returning safely with the G-Virus samples.

"Captain, all equipment has been checked, and the transport plane is ready for departure at any time." A team member stepped forward to report, his tone respectful.

Hunk nodded slightly and raised his hand to signal the team to assemble. His voice, transmitted through the mask, remained cold and low, without a ripple of emotion: "Move out. Objective: Raccoon City NEST laboratory. Recover the G-Virus, clear obstacles, leave no survivors."

There was no unnecessary mobilization, no unnecessary communication; this elite team was long accustomed to such life-or-death missions. In a corner where no one noticed, a newcomer was rubbing his hands together, looking forward to his first mission after joining the Alpha Team. The team members quickly formed up and followed Hunk's footsteps onto the stealth transport plane parked at the base.

The transport plane's engines roared, breaking through the night sky and flying toward the Raccoon City, where chaos was imminent.

The cabin was silent. Hunk closed his eyes to rest, his mind constantly simulating the mission process. He did not know what kind of purgatory awaited him and the Alpha Team on this trip to Raccoon City; nor did he know that their recovery mission would become the final straw that crushed Raccoon City, completely detonating this apocalyptic catastrophe.

Meanwhile, in Raccoon City, the curfew on the ground became increasingly strict, patients with "cannibal disease" in the hospital continued to surge, infected individuals in the northern lockdown zone quietly broke through the defensive lines, and the T-Virus was sweeping through the entire city at an unstoppable speed.

Umbrella Corporation's conspiracy, William's defection, the Alpha Team's infiltration, the police department's cover-up, the hospital's despair—all the undercurrents converged at this moment. The entire city was like a powder keg about to explode, waiting only for a single instant before completely turning into a living hell.