At a secret facility, inside the observation room, a group of people had just witnessed sothing unbelievable. Project G, developed by the research division, had been utterly powerless against this man.
But the most shocking part? Even in berserker mode, Project G had failed to land a single scratch on him. They had closely monitored every mont of the battle, yet the outco remained unchanged—this man had destroyed the giant zombie with minimal effort. And Alex's bold words still echoed in their ears.
Even when static filled the massive screen, no one could forget his final words before El Gigante was torn to shreds. So felt fear toward this man. Others were consud by anger. And so were simply in shock, unable to comprehend how a human could possess such strength.
But above all, what worried them most was the reaction of one particular person—the head of the analytics division, Caleb Williams. All eyes turned to him. Caleb sat calmly, his gaze fixed on the flickering screen. Not a single emotion crossed his face. Then, suddenly, he burst into laughter. Everyone in the room flinched.
No one had ever seen Caleb like this. In fact, no one had ever seen him laugh at all. The head of analytics was always serious, demanding, and ruthless. His orders were followed without question because everyone still rembered what happened to those who dared to disobey… and then mysteriously disappeared. No one wanted to be next. So they watched in silence as Caleb laughed, as if he had just heard the greatest joke of his life.
"Broken toys, you say?" he finally muttered, wiping away a tear. "I can't even argue with that. Project G is a failure. But… it provided us with a wealth of useful data."
Caleb spoke as if addressing Alex, who was likely already leaving the battlefield. But those who had worked under Caleb for a long ti knew—he was furious. They held their breath, making sure not to draw his attention. Caleb leaned his cheek against his hand, deep in thought. No one knew what he was thinking. So they simply waited.
"Richards," his voice finally broke the silence.
"Yes, sir?" Richards stepped forward instantly.
"Send all collected data to the research division. And tell them that the next version of Project G better be vastly superior to the garbage they sent us this ti. Remind them that if they screw up again… there are plenty of people who can replace them."
His voice was cold as steel.
"Understood, sir. I'll send it imdiately."
Richards turned and hurried out. No—he practically ran, as if a pack of hungry wolves were chasing him. So watched him leave, thinking that perhaps he was lucky—at least he wouldn't have to deal with Caleb for a while.
anwhile, the head of analytics quietly tapped his finger against the desk, lost in thought. Then, he removed his hand and began rapidly typing on his keyboard.
A massive satellite image appeared on the screen—a live feed of the main shelter in Tokyo. The very place where the battle with El Gigante had just concluded. Tension filled the room. No one knew what Caleb was planning. No one dared to ask.
"Bennett," he finally spoke, his eyes never leaving the screen.
"Yes, sir?" Bennett stood and approached.
"How is the evacuation of the Tokyo branch progressing?"
Caleb continued tapping his finger against the desk.
"Most of the personnel have already left the facility," Bennett replied. "Only the observers and data collection specialists remain. Additionally, the research division in Japan is still onsite. They are analyzing the Marker fragnt."
Caleb nodded slowly, his eyes gleaming with cold interest. He knew—this ti, the Corporation of Evil had suffered a defeat. But this was only the first round.
Caleb mumbled sothing under his breath, continuing to rhythmically tap his finger on the table, lost in thought. Bennett stood nearby, not daring to break the silence, patiently awaiting orders. Suddenly, the tapping stopped, but Caleb didn't take his eyes off the screen.
"How much more ti does the Tokyo branch need to complete the evacuation?" he asked in a calm, steady voice.
"According to the branch head, they need a few more days. The research departnt wants to conduct additional experints on the Marker fragnt they obtained. Once their work is complete, they will leave the facility and head to the main headquarters," Bennett replied without any unnecessary emotion.
Caleb nodded, but when he spoke again, his voice was icy.
"Tell them they have a maximum of two days. After that, they won't need to return to headquarters anymore."
Bennett flinched almost imperceptibly, catching the hidden aning in his superior's words. He already suspected that Caleb had decided to purge the branch, but he still chose to clarify directly.
"Sir… are you planning to destroy the Tokyo branch?"
Caleb glanced at him from the corner of his eye, then returned his gaze to the screen.
"Yes. It's too soon for anyone to get their hands on such samples. We can't take that risk. If the Japanese get hold of the remains of Project G, it will slow down our plans. Make sure they understand that."
"As you command, sir," Bennett responded sharply, then swiftly left the room to relay the order.
He ran as if starving predators were chasing him. anwhile, Caleb realized there was nothing more for him to do in the observation room. Rising from his chair, he headed for the exit.
The staff didn't even dare to lift their eyes to him. His face was as cold as an iceberg in the ocean, and no one wanted to be caught in his gaze. The mont he left the room, it felt as though the air beca easier to breathe—everyone exhaled, as if a massive weight had been lifted from their shoulders.
Caleb walked unhurriedly down the long corridor. Everyone who saw him imdiately stepped aside, retreating quickly to avoid his attention. But he paid them no mind, moving with focused determination toward his office.
Entering the room, he sat at his desk without unnecessary movent, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes for a brief mont. A few seconds passed, and when his eyes opened again, they were filled with cold calculation.
"Red Queen," he said calmly.
A hologram of the Red Queen—an artificial intelligence that always remained in the shadows, observing everything—materialized in the air behind him.
"How may I assist you, Director Williams?" her smooth, chanical voice echoed.
"The data I requested. Is it ready?" Caleb asked without turning around.
"Yes, Director," the AI confird. "There is very little information about the individual who defeated Project G. However, based on the available data, he can be categorized alongside certain masters whom the corporation has been monitoring long-term."
Caleb raised an eyebrow slightly, drumming his fingers thoughtfully on the armrest.
"Hmm… You say there's no reliable information on him? That's interesting. I was sure it was impossible to hide from the corporation's eyes. Very, very interesting…" He smirked, but there was no amusent in his eyes. "Have you determined the threat level?"
"Yes, Director," the Red Queen responded without hesitation. "The individual who destroyed Project G has been classified as a potential threat. Based on the analysis of his combat capabilities, a decision has been made to add him to the list of special targets."
Caleb fell silent for a mont, then his fingers resud their rhythmic tapping on the table.
"Excellent. Then we begin surveillance."
The computer screen lit up, displaying a list of individuals considered threats to the corporation—even now, amidst the chaos caused by the epidemic. Caleb had seen this list many tis before and wasn't expecting any new nas to suddenly appear.
He dove into the data the Red Queen had gathered about soone nad Alex, but the information was extrely sparse. All that had been recorded was that he had organized a group of survivors, helped rescue people in the early days of the virus spread, and had enough leadership skills to guide people through the crisis.
Caleb frowned. This data was clearly insufficient. He closed the file on Alex and returned to the main list. If Alex himself saw this list, he would definitely recognize most of the figures marked as particularly dangerous.
"Continue monitoring this individual and gather data. If necessary, he can be eliminated. We don't need any unexpected elents that could disrupt the Director's long-term plan. If he encounters or even establishes contact with anyone on this list, report to imdiately," Caleb ordered coldly.
"As you command, Director Williams. I will continue surveillance," replied the Red Queen, and she vanished.
Caleb leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, sinking into thought. A heavy silence hung in the office.
At the sa ti, Alex was completely unaware that he had beco the subject of the corporation's surveillance. However, if he had known, he would have simply smirked. The more they watched him, the faster they would realize the threat he posed. And that ant they would start sending more and more people after him… or special infected individuals. This only played into Alex's hands—the more enemies there were, the more information he could gather.
Extinguishing his cigarette, Alex turned his gaze toward the remains of El Gigante. He was contemplating the possibility of the Los Iluminados cult existing in this world but decided to put that thought aside for later—first, he needed to finish things at the Tokyo shelter and leave the city.
He turned toward the defense line, where soldiers and mbers of his group stood. So of them, still not used to his abilities, were staring at him with their jaws hanging.
"What's with the faces?" Alex asked in a cheerful tone.
His voice snapped them out of their stupor. The soldiers simply stared at him in silence, as if he were an alien. Alex scanned them until his attention settled on one particular group.
"Hmm…" he raised an eyebrow, noticing so familiar faces.
Before him stood Itami and his team—the heroes from the ani Gate. Alex let out a quiet sigh. It seed this world really did rge many different universes.
But what truly surprised him was Itami's gaze. There was sothing more in his eyes than simple shock from what had just happened. Alex imdiately realized that he had recognized him. He didn't need to guess the reason: Itami had probably read the manga, where Alex replaced Anos in the lead role.
"What do you an, 'what's with the faces'?" a voice ca from behind him.
Alex turned around and saw Rei, who was looking at him with an expression of genuine bewildernt.
"You just beat a giant zombie with your bare hands, and you're still asking? Do you have any common sense at all?"
"If you know how..." Alex began.
"Don't even start with your nonsense about 'If you know how, you can do the sa thing!' This ti, it won't work!" Saya snapped, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him. "Even if you know how, it's physically impossible!"
Alex just smirked, allowing Saya to vent her emotions. He was already used to the various reactions his thods elicited from people.
He felt her shaking him back and forth, and he just chuckled. Was it his fault that he could do such things while others couldn't? His laughter only irritated Saya more, and she shook him harder.
Deciding it was ti to stop her, Alex suddenly, to everyone's surprise, wrapped Saya in a tight hug, holding her close. She froze for a mont, embarrassed, but didn't try to pull away. Shifting her gaze, she t her mother's eyes, who gave her a smirking thumbs-up. Saya's cheeks flushed, but despite her embarrassnt, she stayed in Alex's embrace.
"Alex, I wanted to ask..." Mao began, a little unsure. "Would you mind teaching so of us? It would be useful to learn a couple of new skills to expand our capabilities in this world."
"Well, I'm not opposed," Alex shrugged. "But keep in mind: the training will be brutal. As much as I don't want to hurt you, your bodies are clearly too weak to replicate even a fraction of what I showed. So, once we get to Okinawa, you'll have to ignite the flas of your youth!" he finished with a wide grin and a thumbs-up.
Hearing another ntion of the "flas of youth," the guys exchanged glances and sheepishly looked away. Alex didn't want to discourage his future... students just yet. Letting Saya go, he approached the commander to find out how they could help before leaving.
"It would be great if you could help with the fortifications," the commander said, hoping for support.
"Aren't you planning to leave?" Alex looked at him with confusion. "You do realize this place is just a walking target. No matter how much you reinforce it, you won't last long here. Maybe you should just leave?"
"We can't leave. This is our ho, our holand," the commander replied firmly, shaking his head.
Alex's expression darkened. He couldn't understand how these idiots kept clinging to the past when the world was literally falling apart. What difference did attachnt to the holand make if soon only bones would remain? His fist unconsciously clenched so tightly that the bones cracked.
Rebecca and Brunhilde noticed this and quickly approached him, gently taking his hands to prevent him from doing sothing foolish. No one missed this mont.
Alex silently stared into the commander's eyes. He wasn't going to impose his opinion on anyone, beg, or persuade. Their fate was their choice.
"If you really want all these people to die, holding onto the ruins of their holand... so be it," Alex said quietly but coldly, turning away. "But I won't let my people die for your illusions. So stay here, talk about duty, reminisce about the past... and when your people start dying, their deaths will be on your conscience."
After these words, he didn't look at the commander again.
The commander just sighed heavily, not denying Alex's words. Alex walked away, gathering his group around him to give out assignnts. Everyone waited for him to calm down and collect himself. Saya, Rei, and Saeko had never seen him this irritated since they first t on the first day of the apocalypse.
Lighting a cigarette, Alex took a deep drag, held his breath, and exhaled the smoke.
"Listen up. We'll help these idiots as much as we can, and then we're out of here. Either way, tomorrow we leave this place," he said, glancing around at everyone present.
"Why are you in such a hurry to leave Tokyo? Sothing bothering you?" Wylie asked, squinting.
"There's only one thing bothering ," Alex flicked the ash. "Most likely, the 'Evil Corporation' will want to cover their tracks. We've got the corpse of an experintal zombie lying around, and if it falls into the wrong hands, people could extract the serum that prevents the transformation after being bitten."
"Kid, you're saying they're gonna blow this place up to clean it up?" Lehm asked, lighting his own cigarette.
"Exactly. I don't know when exactly, but the sooner we get out of here, the better. So here's the plan: Yuriko, Saya, Koko — try to convince the people to leave with us. Rei, Saeko, Kiriko — gather information, but do it subtly, just talk to the locals. Valt, Rebecca, Rika, and Brunhilde — check the surroundings, see what's happening outside the stadium, but don't go too far. Guys — you're with , we'll help these stubborn idiots reinforce the defense and then get out of here. If everything's clear — let's get to work!"
"What if they don't agree?" Saya asked calmly.
"Then let them die here if they want," Alex shrugged. "But not a word about the possible airstrike."
Everyone nodded and dispersed to carry out their tasks. Alex stayed with the guys and those who weren't part of the reconnaissance group. They went to look for places where help was needed. After a quick briefing, Alex quickly assigned tasks, and soon the whole team got to work.
Before long, they were pouring concrete into the holes in the walls.
"We used to be rcenaries, and now we're builders. The apocalypse really changed our line of work," R muttered, smoothing out the mortar.
"Yeah, just like the old days," Lehm smirked, letting out a puff of smoke. "When we first started: carrying bags, digging trenches, building fortifications. Real nostalgia."
After his words, everyone fell silent, lost in their mories. A couple of minutes later, the guys started laughing, sharing stories from their army days.
Alex listened to them with interest, but one detail caught his attention. Lehm casually ntioned that he had once served with a person whose call sign was "Bravo-6." Alex was surprised. Could it be the person he's thinking of? He decided to ask Lehm more about it later.
The work progressed faster thanks to the chatter — it wasn't as boring. Alex also used this opportunity to get to know the guys from Koko's crew better. In the ani, he had only known them as characters, but talking to them in person turned out to be much more interesting. Even Ugo, a forr mafia mber, turned out to be a rather pleasant and kind guy.
"You know what pisses off the most about this zombie apocalypse?" Todzi suddenly spoke, sighing. "I won't get to finish the ani I've been waiting for all year."
"Tell about it," Itami imdiately chid in, looking as though he might cry. "All my figure collection is gone! All my gas! My manga! It's all gone to hell! If I had known the apocalypse was coming, I would've grabbed my collection first!"
Alex smirked. Well, even at the end of the world, soone manages to worry about things like that.
Alex could only sympathize with Itami and Todzi. He completely understood the feeling — when you can't finish your favorite ani simply because the studio shut down or the creators decided not to release the next season.
"Don't worry, guys. If you want to watch ani, just ask G.I.R. — he's got a huge collection. Manga, ani, comics, movies — anything you want. He can transfer files to you," Alex said, nodding toward G.I.R., who was carrying a heavy tal beam over his head.
Todzi and Itami brightened up, deciding they'd definitely ask the robo-dog for sothing to watch later.
"What else is in his database?" Mao asked with interest.
"Hmm... pretty much everything you can find on the internet. Movies, cartoons, series, books... He's got a huge collection, so you can pick whatever you like. But only if he's not mad at you," Alex added with a smile.
The guys exchanged glances, realizing that they might indeed turn to G.I.R. for sothing interesting in the future.
Work continued at its usual pace, and they needed to finish as quickly as possible. Taking the opportunity, Alex asked Itami if he and his group wanted to leave with them instead of staying here.
Itami thought about the question. He decided to discuss it with his subordinates first before giving his opinion. Alex nodded, respecting his decision. He didn't want Itami and his people to die here.
Gradually, the sun sank toward the horizon, and evening fell. Most of the work was completed, and the remaining small tasks were left for the locals to finish.
Before heading back, Alex reminded Itami about their conversation. He nodded and imdiately went to his people to discuss the decision. Alex hoped he would be able to convince them.
As Alex approached the transport, he noticed that Koko, Yuriko, and Saya hadn't managed to convince many people to leave, but he didn't push the issue. However, they had managed to persuade a small group of soldiers and their families to follow them.
When Alex asked Kiriko, Rei, and Saeko if they had gathered any useful information, they simply shook their heads. Nothing valuable.
Rebecca, Brunhilde, Rika, and Valt hadn't found anything worthwhile either — just a few traces, most likely left by soldiers controlling the zombies.
Realizing there was nothing more to do here, Alex suggested they head back.
"Thank god, you're still here! I thought we'd miss you!" shouted Itami, running up with his group.
"I'm glad you managed to convince them," Alex said with a slight smile.
"Hah! Who convinced who..." Kuribayashi scoffed, stepping on Itami's foot. "He only wanted to leave because you have ani! That's the only reason he decided to bail from here."
"Pff, so you spilled the beans," Todzi remarked, holding back laughter.
"What do you an 'spilled the beans'? I told them straight up that I prefer my hobby over work!" Itami proudly declared.
Alex shook his head and smirked.
"As you say. Then throw your stuff in and let's go. We're leaving tomorrow."
Alex sat on his motorcycle, leisurely waiting for everyone to gather. He noticed there was so kind of silent competition between the girls, as though they were subtly figuring out who would sit next to him. What surprised him the most was that even Brunhilde was participating in this unspoken contest.
However, they missed one person who was acting quickly and stealthily. Taking advantage of the mont, Koko sneaked up to Alex and, while no one was paying attention, sat on the bike in front of him, casually leaning back against his chest. The girls only noticed her when it was already too late.
Koko smiled triumphantly at her competitors and pressed herself a little closer to Alex, showing off her victory. Almost imdiately after her, Valt wasted no ti — she jumped onto the bike behind Alex and tightly hugged him around the waist. The other girls had no choice but to surrender and take seats in the vehicle.
Rebecca shot Alex a dissatisfied, almost offended look, but he only smirked, watching their reaction. anwhile, the guys, realizing that arguing with the girls was pointless, tactfully cleared an entire vehicle for them. This only amused Alex more, who watched with a slight grin as they hurriedly retreated, making way.
When everyone was finally settled, Alex started the engine and waved his hand, signaling them to move out. The convoy began to climb the hill, where a view of the stadium opened up. Alex held his gaze on that spot for a mont, understanding that everyone left behind in the shelter was dood. He knew this, but he wasn't going to impose his opinion on them. These people had made their choice — and he respected that.
The road to the bank was quiet—no obstacles or unexpected encounters. By the ti the group arrived, the sun was already setting. Once they entered the area, everyone began to get out of the vehicles.
Alex jumped off his motorcycle and scanned the group.
"You can go rest. Tomorrow morning, we're leaving this city and heading to the port," he said with a smile. "So, get so rest."
Everyone nodded in agreent and started dispersing. Alex and the girls entered the building, where they were greeted by Shizuku, Namiyo, and Alice, who had been waiting for their return. While the girls chatted excitedly, Alex decided to take so ti alone and head to the roof to relax.
He felt Koko following him but said nothing. Once on the roof, he sat in a chair, gazing at the sunset. Koko soon appeared next to him and settled beside him, silently watching the sun set as well.
"You know, I never thanked you," Alex finally broke the silence, not taking his eyes off the horizon.
"For what?" Koko asked with mild curiosity, tilting her head.
"The satellites you sent into orbit helped gather more information than I expected," he replied, turning his head to her with a smile.
Koko was montarily taken aback, realizing that Alex had hacked into her satellites. A sense of unease crept in—he could now discover her true intentions. But in the next mont, she quickly cald herself. After all, her plan had already lost all aning. The world was on the brink of destruction anyway—what was the point in carrying it out now?
"So, you already know what I needed them for?" Koko asked, giving him a faint smile, her gaze fixed on Alex.
"Yeah," he nodded, lighting a cigarette. "But your plan... honestly, it was a bit foolish. Sure, in so ways it could have helped, but people would still remain people. Even if you banned them from flying, wars wouldn't stop. They'd face so inconvenience at first, but eventually, they'd find workarounds, and everything would go back to normal."
Koko squinted slightly, pondering his words.
"What would you have done?" she asked, realizing Alex had already figured out her plan in detail.
"Well, there are two ways to end wars," he said thoughtfully. "The first is to unite everyone under one flag. The second is to create a common enemy for humanity, one so terrifying that they forget all their differences and unite to destroy it."
He exhaled the smoke, his gaze fixed on the horizon.
"In simple terms, you can make people believe there's an enemy threatening all of humanity, and then they'll start working together as one."
Koko smirked slightly, leaning back in her chair.
"You an sothing like our current situation? When zombies and the evil corporation beca a common enemy for everyone?"
"Exactly," Alex nodded. "But that's not all. As they say, there's a ti and place for everything. For now, our goal is to find a safe place before thinking about anything bigger."
Koko smiled and nodded in agreent. anwhile, Alex was thinking about sothing else—it was ti to contact ho and tell them what had happened. He needed to explain where he and Rebecca had been, and that Takashi was now David. In addition, he had to find out if there were any organizations related to the corporation in this world, and whether there were other characters from the "Resident Evil" series in this world. He also needed to gather more information about the situation in different countries.
"Koko, have you been in contact with any of your friends or family?" Alex suddenly asked.
"Not yet. I haven't had ti to establish communication with either my channels or my brother. Why do you ask?" Koko slightly tilted her head, looking at him with interest.
"Well, as a weapons dealer, you must have connections all around the world. I'm curious about the situation in other countries right now," he explained.
Koko nodded thoughtfully.
"I'll try to get in touch with anyone I can. My brother went to China before all this happened, and I don't know what's going on with him now. But I'll try to find out."
"Since you're going to do that, ask Yuriko to do the sa. She should have so useful connections too," Alex suggested.
Koko narrowed her eyes cunningly, a business-like gleam flashing in her gaze.
"Alright, but you understand I won't work for free, right?" she smiled. "After all, I'm a weapons dealer, so I expect to be paid. And I'll make sure to take full paynt for my services."
Alex laughed, lightly ruffling her hair.
"Anything you want, but within reason."
Koko smirked, eagerly anticipating how she would make use of this promise.
To be continued...
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