Chapter 77: Both Sides Suffer

【September 26, 1998, 20:17. Raccoon City, citywide broadcast frequency.】

The static hiss suddenly drowned out the endless roars of the zombies, echoing in every silent corner of the city. Infected feasting on corpses raised their heads, survivors hiding in ruins held their breath, and UBCS soldiers on the clock tower gripped their rifles tightly.

An emotionless female voice came from all working loudspeakers:

"This is the Raccoon City Council emergency broadcast. Attention all citizens, effective immediately, the city is entering a Level Red alert status.

The municipal government has mobilized all police forces and the National Guard and is currently working to clear out armed rioters in the city. Please remain in your homes, lock your doors and windows, and do not go out.

The municipal government will weather this crisis with all citizens, and we promise that rescue will arrive soon. Repeating..."

The broadcast looped three times and then suddenly stopped.

No explanation, no follow-up, no specific information regarding "rescue."

Only the eternal static remained in the speakers, then it fell into total silence.

In the Raccoon City Police Department command room, Marvin slowly put down the walkie-talkie in his hand. His eyes were bloodshot, and the cigarette in his hand had burned down to the filter, scorching his fingers and making him tremble, which finally snapped him back to reality.

"Weather this crisis." He repeated in a low voice, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

The city council building had been overrun by the zombie horde yesterday afternoon. The spokesperson who read that script was likely one of the infected wandering downstairs by now.

This was Umbrella Corporation's last clumsy performance, using a long-dead government to hammer the final nail into the city's coffin.

Meanwhile, downtown, at the intersection of Maple Street and Central Avenue.

A rusted sewer manhole cover was suddenly flipped open from within by immense force, slamming onto the sidewalk with a "clang."

Chloe slowly emerged from the darkness.

Her long silver hair was stained with sewage and dried blood, hanging disheveled behind her. The faceplate covering her face and head shone with a cold luster in the moonlight, like the mask of the Grim Reaper.

Her eyes, completely filled with blood-red, lacked any focus, yet they constantly scanned everything around her, automatically tagging every moving object as a threat.

Just as she was about to step forward, a low roar of engines came from overhead.

Three Umbrella Corporation UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters cut through the night sky, without any lights, like three black ghosts. They circled over the city center, then dropped three massive airdrop crates; the parachutes slowly opened in the air and finally landed on the City Hall plaza three blocks away.

Chloe's blood-red pupils contracted slightly.

She sensed a new threat.

City Hall plaza, Zeta Squad temporary assembly point.

"Airdrops confirmed landed, safe." Zeta Three held an M4A1 with a night-vision scope, kneeling and guarding the perimeter of the plaza, "No infected approaching."

Zeta One nodded and gave a hand signal. The remaining five members immediately spread out in a tactical formation, quickly approaching the three crates. Sharp tactical knives sliced through the parachute cords, and the heavy alloy crate doors were slowly pushed open by hydraulic rods.

The first crate was filled with ammunition and supplies. In the second crate, two M240 general-purpose machine guns, one Barrett M82A1 anti-tank sniper rifle, and two AT4 rocket launchers were neatly arranged in foam padding.

And in the third crate, two sleek, pitch-black power exoskeletons lay quietly.

"X-013 bio-combat exoskeleton." Zeta Four whistled, reaching out to touch the cold armor surface, "The company still has good stuff like this."

"Cut the chatter." Zeta One's voice remained cold, "Headquarters order: Zeta Two and Zeta Four wear the exoskeletons, responsible for close-quarters assault. Zeta Three operates the Barrett, Zeta Five carries the rocket launchers, responsible for long-range suppression. I and Zeta Six are responsible for flank cover and data collection."

He paused and added: "This is the first combat application of the X-013. Everyone pay attention, the exoskeleton's maximum output can increase strength by three times and defense by two times, capable of withstanding direct fire from calibers below 12.7mm.

The weak points are the neck joints, the energy port on the lower back, and the inner knees. The operation manual has been synced to your tactical terminals; you have ten minutes to familiarize yourselves."

The team members immediately went into action. Zeta Two and Zeta Four climbed into the cockpits of the exoskeletons. With the hum of hydraulic pumps, the heavy armor closed, completely wrapping their bodies inside.

The optical lenses of the exoskeletons lit up with a pale blue glow, and the mechanical arms slowly lifted, gripping the matching alloy combat knives and riot shields.

They walked a few steps tentatively; the movements were still a bit stiff, but they adapted quickly. The exoskeleton's power system perfectly synchronized with their movements, each step carrying a heavy sense of power, leaving shallow footprints on the concrete.

"Target confirmed, moving toward us." Zeta Six watched the red dot on the tactical tablet, "Distance eight hundred meters, moving at high speed, expected to arrive in three minutes."

Zeta One drew the pistol from his waist and chambered a round.

"Everyone take combat positions." His voice had no ripples, "Latest order: capture prioritized, recover wreckage if necessary."

Three minutes later, Chloe appeared at the entrance of City Hall plaza.

She stood in the shadows, her blood-red pupils staring fixedly at the six heavily armed soldiers in the center of the plaza.

The virus's instinct screamed within her. These six targets emitted a threat ten times stronger than ordinary soldiers, especially those two guys wearing black armor, which made her feel a long-lost sense of danger.

Without any warning, the battle erupted instantly.

"Fire!"

As soon as Zeta One's words fell, Zeta Three had already pulled the trigger of the Barrett.

The 12.7mm armor-piercing incendiary round dragged a fiery tail, whistling toward Chloe's chest.

To the eyes of ordinary humans, the bullet was too fast to capture, but in Chloe's perception, it was as slow as a snail. Her body tilted slightly, the bullet grazed her shoulder and hit the stone pillar behind, exploding a burst of rubble.

But this was just a distraction.

Almost at the same time, Zeta Five lifted the AT4 rocket launcher.

"Boom!"

The rocket dragged thick smoke and hit the position where Chloe had just been standing with precision. The violent explosion blew the entire entrance to pieces, with rubble and dust flying into the sky.

"Target hit?" Zeta Five asked.

"No." Zeta One's pupils contracted violently, "Above!"

Chloe's figure appeared like a ghost on top of the street lamp above the plaza. Her body squatted slightly, then she exerted force, and her whole person became like a silver cannonball, pouncing toward Zeta Four, who was closest to her.

"Four, left side!"

Zeta Four reacted extremely quickly and immediately raised the riot shield.

"Clang!"

A deafening sound of metal collision rang out. Chloe's blade claws grabbed fiercely onto the riot shield, and five deep scratches instantly appeared on the alloy shield surface, sparks flying everywhere.

The huge impact force made Zeta Four retreat three steps, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the concrete floor under his feet.

"Such strong power!" Zeta Four was shocked, immediately swinging his alloy combat knife and hacking toward Chloe's waist.

Chloe dodged sideways, her blade claws backhanded, hacking onto the exoskeleton's arm armor. This time, only a shallow white mark was left.

Her blood-red pupils contracted slightly.

The defense of this thing was much stronger than she had imagined.

Just then, Zeta Two rushed over from the side. The alloy combat knife in his hand carried the sound of tearing wind, stabbing toward the back of Chloe's heart.

Chloe had to give up attacking Zeta Four and jumped backward violently, dodging this fatal blow.

But the moment she landed, a dense rain of bullets poured down. The M240s of Zeta One and Zeta Six kept spitting fire, bullets accurately shooting at her head and limbs.

Chloe could only dodge constantly, using the stone pillars in the plaza as cover. Although her speed was fast, under the pincer attack of the two exoskeleton soldiers and the suppression of long-range firepower, she couldn't get close to the enemy at all.

The blade claws kept hacking at the exoskeleton's armor, but only left scratches. A few times, she was almost slashed by the alloy combat knife.

This was the first time since her mutation that she had fallen into a truly passive state.

"Her speed is dropping." Zeta One looked at the data analysis on the tactical tablet and said calmly, "The exoskeleton's battery life has thirty minutes left. Keep suppressing, don't give her a chance to breathe. Three, aim for her legs."

The gunshot of the Barrett rang out again.

This time, Chloe didn't dodge completely. The bullet pierced through her calf, bringing up a spray of blood.

The intense pain made her body pause slightly.

It was this momentary pause that Zeta Two seized. He accelerated violently, the alloy combat knife hacking fiercely toward Chloe's chest.

The blade had already touched the bulletproof vest on her chest.

Just then, Chloe's body suddenly twisted at an angle that defied the laws of physics.

She dodged the fatal stab, and at the same time, the blade claws of her right hand shot out like lightning, precisely inserting into the joint gap of Zeta Two's exoskeleton neck.

"Zzzzt—"

Electric sparks flew everywhere.

The exoskeleton's power system paralyzed instantly.

Before Zeta Two could react, Chloe's left hand had grabbed his helmet and twisted it violently.

"Crack."

A crisp sound of bone breaking rang out.

Chloe casually threw the corpse on the ground, her blood-red pupils still without any ripples.

"Two is KIA!"

Zeta Four's eyes turned red. He roared, charging toward Chloe regardless, the alloy combat knife in his hand waving crazily.

"Four, calm down! Come back!" Zeta One shouted sternly.

But it was too late.

Anger caused a flaw in Zeta Four's movements.

Chloe dodged his hack sideways, her body circling behind him like a fish. Her elbow spike popped out, precisely piercing the energy port on the lower back of the exoskeleton.

"Boom!"

The energy core exploded violently.

Zeta Four's body was blown away, falling heavily to the ground, and never moved again.

In just ten seconds, two elite soldiers wearing exoskeletons were killed.

The plaza instantly fell into deathly silence.

The remaining four USS members finally showed expressions of disbelief on their faces. They were battle-hardened, having executed countless dangerous missions, but had never seen such a terrifying enemy.

"Retreat!" Zeta One issued the order without hesitation, "Three, cover with the rocket launcher!"

Zeta Five immediately lifted the remaining rocket and fired it at Chloe.

Chloe did not pursue. She jumped backward, dodging the explosion.

When the smoke cleared, the plaza was empty.

Zeta Squad, carrying the remaining equipment, disappeared into the dark alley.

Chloe stood in the middle of the corpses and wreckage, panting slightly. Her calf was still bleeding, and there were several wounds on her body scratched by shrapnel. But these wounds were healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

She raised her head and looked at the direction where Zeta Squad had escaped.

Instinct told her to chase after them and eliminate all threats.

But just then, a dense sound of footsteps and roars came from all directions.

The gunshots and explosions just now had attracted infected from half of the city center.

Thousands of zombies poured out of various alleys, gathering toward the direction of City Hall plaza.

Chloe's blood-red pupils scanned the dense zombie horde, without any hesitation. She turned, and with a few jumps, disappeared into the shadows of the rooftops.

On the roof of a residential building three blocks away from City Hall plaza.

Carlos lay on the edge of the roof, his binoculars staring fixedly at the direction of the battle just now.

He had snuck out after hearing the explosions.

The clock tower had been surrounded by the zombie horde for an entire day and night. Their ammunition was less than one-third left, and food and water were almost exhausted. Just when they were about to despair, intense gunshots and explosions came from the City Hall direction.

Carlos held onto a sliver of hope and brought a few people over to check the situation.

Then, they saw a scene they would never forget.

That silver-white figure, weaving through the battlefield like the Grim Reaper. The bulletproof exoskeletons were like paper in front of her, and two heavily armed special soldiers were cruelly killed by her just like that.

"My God!" The binoculars in a soldier's hand fell to the ground, his voice full of fear, "What is that thing?"

"I don't know." Carlos's face was pale, his palms full of cold sweat. He had come to Raccoon City, seen the living dead, seen monsters, just hadn't seen ghosts, but he had finally seen it now, "What on earth is Umbrella Corporation doing here?"

Just then, Tyrone pulled him hard.

"Carlos, look!"

Carlos looked in the direction Tyrone was pointing.

Countless zombies, like a black tide, were surging toward the direction of City Hall plaza. The number was endless at a glance.

"Not good!" Carlos's expression changed, "The zombie horde has been attracted! Let's go!"

Several people immediately turned and ran downstairs.

But it was too late.

The vanguard of the zombie horde had already blocked the gate of the residential building.

"Split up and run!" Carlos decided immediately, "Meet at the clock tower! If the clock tower falls, go to the subway station!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a few zombies had already rushed up the stairs.

Carlos raised his rifle and blew the head off the leading zombie.

"Tyrone, come with me!"

The two ran toward the fire escape in the other direction. The remaining three soldiers also dispersed, breaking out in different directions.

In the chaos, gunshots, screams, and the roars of zombies intertwined.

The already sparse remaining UBCS remnants were completely scattered.

Ten minutes later, City Hall plaza returned to calm.

Only corpses, wreckage, and wandering zombies remained on the ground.

Nicholai emerged from the shadows of a building.

He held a high-definition camera in his hand, his face still devoid of any expression. He had hidden in the dark and filmed the entire battle just now.

He walked to the corpses of Zeta Two and Zeta Four, squatted down, and carefully examined the wreckage of the exoskeletons.

"X-013 field test failed." He wrote in his notebook, "Defense capability meets standards, but mobility is insufficient, unable to cope with high-speed targets. Joints and energy ports are fatal weaknesses."

He took another look at the blood on the ground, dipped a cotton swab in it, and put it into a sealed test tube.

"Target S01, combat data collected. Strength assessment: approx. 8 tons. Speed assessment: approx. 120 km/h. Reaction speed: far exceeding human limits. Self-healing ability: extremely strong. Threat level: Ω."

He packed away the test tube and notebook, then hoisted a relatively intact piece of exoskeleton wreckage.

Zeta Squad had already withdrawn.

But for him, this data and equipment were priceless treasures.

He looked back at the direction of the police station in the distance, a cold smile curling on his lips.

The game had only just begun.