Vol 15 Chapter 7-1
Carlos was obviously shocked when Zheng’s voice appeared in his head. He was doing some things stealthily. It seemed like downloading a name list of people in managerial positions. He also didn’t have a legitimate identity. So he almost fell to the floor when he heard Zheng’s voice.
“Zheng Zha? Your soul can still exist after death with the G virus? Shit. That can’t be real.” He lost his reasons for a moment and murmured about souls.
Zheng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Wait. I am not dead. We are just communicating through our minds. How could I have become a soul? Don’t curse me about dying!”
A while of silence from Carlos. He took several deep breaths and said. “What is this that can send your voice to people’s minds? People who don’t know about this would think you are a ghost. How did you escape? All your comrades and we were knocked unconscious and taken away back then. We escaped afterward and heard people talk about what happened. It seemed like the Corporation nuked the city with nuclear bomb shortly after we escaped. We are certain you didn’t escape at the time.”
Zheng had mixed feelings as he heard about the situation at the time. He wanted to make up some lies but when he came to say it, he sighed. “That’s a very long story.”
Carlos also had mixed feelings. His comrades all died in the city. He was the only one among the mercenaries who lived. Although he met several new comrades afterward, the death of his original group made him feel down.
A moment of silence from both people. Carlos then said. “Zheng, it’s good to hear that you are fine. If we have your help, we can certainly save Alice!”
It was Zheng who was shocked this time. The ending of the second movie that he knew was everyone including Alice boarded the plane. However, the violent wind from the result of the explosion caused the plane to crash. Alice died in that crash. Umbrella Corporation found the remains of the plane and used their technology to revive her. They also tried to erase her memory in order to control her. She miraculously regained her memory the escaped the Corporation’s headquarter with the help of Carlos and his group.
(Right. It isn’t long after the end of the second movie. We entered at the time they are attempting to save Alice. That’s why he mentions this.)
Zheng was still thinking when a stern voice suddenly sounded in his mind. That never changing apathetic voice of God.
“Bonus mission pre-Resident Evil Extinction. Rescue Alice within twenty days. Three members receive a rank B reward and 5000 points. If Alice isn’t rescued in twenty days, or if Alice dies, erase three members at random. Not allowed to obtain plot information about the next movie from the movie characters in any way. Each sentence deducts 100 to 1000 points.”
Zheng was stunned hearing these words. They were both fortunate and unfortunate to receive a bonus mission that wasn’t entirely a team mission. There weren’t many points and rewards but it still totaled to 15000 points and a rank A reward. Furthermore, saving Alice didn’t seem to be a difficult mission based on the original movie. So this bonus mission was basically gifting them points.
(Not allowed to obtain plot information about the next movie from the movie characters in any way. What is the point of this rule?)
As Zheng was still thinking, Carlos said. “Alice died when the plane crashed so we escaped by ourselves. Fortunately, we met…”
Just then, God’s notification of points deducted came through and scared him. If Carlos continued, it would certainly go to the plot of the third movie, which was what God had forbidden. He immediately digressed. “Leave that for later. There are several critical questions right now like do you know where Alice is? How is the security there? What do you need me to do?”
Carlos followed Zheng’s topic and said. “We don’t know much right now. We only know that Alice is undergoing healing within the internal headquarter of the Umbrella Corporation. The healing will take about ten days or more. In the meantime, we can find out where she is and we have enough time to make the rescue plan. What do you think?”
Zheng took a deep breath. “We will have to settle for that. I am on floor forty-one. How much longer are you going to take? It’s better for us to meet and talk face to face afterward. And where is Jill? Gather everyone for a meet up.”
Carlos hesitated for a moment then said. “My task still needs about half an hour. I don’t know how you get up above floor forty-one, but there’s going to be a floor inspection every two hours. The next one is in twenty minutes. If you can’t leave by yourself, why don’t you come to the floor I am on. I have an identity that can get you out of the building.”
Zheng laughed. “No. I can come up here so I naturally have my way to leave. It’s decided then. I will leave this building now and wait for you at the park across. Don’t worry. I can find you.”
“Then Jill and the others will…” Carlos was replying when Zheng cut off the connection.
Zheng dropped himself on the sofa and smiled bitterly. He twirled his hair as he pondered. The bonus mission was hugely different from his expectation and plan. He originally wanted to obtain information about the internals of the Corporation from Carlos, such as where the research base was at, how the security was there, if there was anything to be aware of. Who would have thought that Carlos didn’t tell him anything about those but rather gave him a mission, especially one with a time limit?
“So this was what Xuan meant. Sudden situations can be good or bad. We can’t gain control of how things will develop every time and it can’t always lead to good developments every time. What if we encounter the bad side of things, like if we fail this mission and get our team members killed?” Zheng murmured to himself.
After a long while, he stood up and took off the intercepting device. Then he said to Lan. “Help me scan the offices with a window from floor twenty-nine to twenty. Label the people you can control then just choose one.”
Lan complied. About a minute later, she said. “I have labeled the person I controlled on floor twenty-two. Zheng, is there something on your mind?”
Zheng smiled at her through his mind. He walked over to the window then jumped out. He said to Lan. “Do you think Xuan is important to our team?”
Lan replied affirmatively. “Of course. To be honest, the reason we won’t in Starship Troopers was because we had Xuan in the team. Do you have anything against him? Did something happen between you two again?” She wasn’t overthinking since Xuan and Zheng were almost enemies long ago. They became a team after Zheng slowly grew up to a leader and Xuan revived.
“No. How can that be?” Zheng laughed. He used Geppo again then replied. “It’s not conflicts. I am just feeling worried, a little lost at the future direction of the team. A lot of things are just different means to the same end. So there can’t be a definite right way. Similarly, it applies to the strategy and arrangement of the team’s future. Xuan’s strategies are full of gambles and interests. He considers too little of human nature. These plans are steady in that they proceed accordingly and you either succeed or fail. Our other strategist focuses on changes and variability. He may create miracles in the most desperate situation and he may run into a wall during a moderate situation.”