Chapter 44: A Complete Showdown

The thick layers of soil completely isolated the underground space from the outside world. Only low growls could be heard faintly, turning into deep echoes that lingered in the dark passages for a long time.

Chris walked ahead with his Shotgun in hand, his steps steady and alert. Rebecca followed closely behind him, her small hand gripping the strap of her first-aid kit. Her eyes were full of tension, yet she still struggled to keep up with Chris's pace.

The two stood before the open iron door of the basement, looking at the steep, narrow mine tunnel covered in rubble. A sense of gravity welled up in their hearts.

This mine tunnel was far more dilapidated than the underground areas they had explored before. Scattered mining tools were covered in rust, and the walls were filled with scratches of varying depths. The air was thick with the smell of rot and dust. Every step on the rubble produced a faint crunching sound that was exceptionally clear in the silence.

"Stay close to me, don't leave my sight," Chris whispered, turning his head to caution Rebecca. His voice was steady and powerful, attempting to reassure the young medic beside him.

Rebecca nodded and pursed her lips tightly, following him step by step. The two slowly descended along the steep mine tunnel, carefully avoiding loose rocks. They moved forward without encountering any attacks from mutant creatures; it was clear that Jill Valentine had already cleared the dangers on this route, leaving behind only faint traces of combat and scattered shell casings.

Following the mine tunnel to its end, a rusty vertical iron ladder appeared before them. The ladder connected to a deeper underground space below. Chris climbed down first, and after confirming the surroundings were safe, he reached out to pull Rebecca down.

What met their eyes was a spacious yet eerie underground burial chamber. The chamber was built of rough rock, and the walls were covered in damp moss. In the dim light, a faint scent of dust and decay floated in the air, and an old wooden coffin sat right in the center.

The coffin lid had already been pushed open and was leaning to the side. The inside was empty, leaving only some small skeletal remains. There were also drag marks on the surrounding floor; clearly, someone had stayed here not long ago.

Chris frowned deeply as he looked at the open coffin, and Jill Valentine's figure instantly flashed through his mind. He was certain that this was the route Jill Valentine had just taken. Everything before him was a trace left by her, which meant he was getting closer and closer to her.

He quickly scanned the burial chamber but found no trace of any living person, only endless silence. He waved his hand at Rebecca: "It's not safe here, let's keep moving forward."

The two bypassed the central coffin and headed deeper into the burial chamber. Before they had gone far, they saw a heavy metal gate. The gate was half-open, leaving a gap just wide enough for one person to pass through; clearly, someone had opened the mechanism beforehand.

Chris passed through the gate first, with Rebecca following closely behind. After passing through the gate, their field of vision opened up slightly. A brand-new metal elevator sat quietly in the corner, its doors open and its internal indicator lights emitting a faint glow, clearly ready for operation.

"It's an elevator; it should lead deeper down," Chris said in a low voice, leading Rebecca into the elevator car. The interior of the elevator was clean and tidy, completely out of place with the dilapidated surroundings. He pressed the up button, the elevator doors closed slowly, and then it emitted a steady mechanical hum as it began to ascend.

The elevator's ascent didn't take long. With a soft "ding," the elevator doors slowly opened, and the damp outdoor air instantly rushed toward them.

The two stepped out of the elevator and found themselves by a large open-air pool. The cold wind blew against their foreheads, bringing a bone-chilling cold.

The mechanism in the center of the pool had been fully activated. The pool, which was originally filled with water, had parted to both sides, revealing a narrow underwater passage hidden below. The inner walls of the passage were smooth without a trace of standing water. Clearly, Jill Valentine had passed through here, clearing the final obstacle for them.

"It's Jill Valentine, she must have been here!" Chris looked at the activated mechanism, a flash of urgency in his eyes, and the worry in his heart intensified.

He no longer hesitated and led Rebecca quickly along the underwater passage. The light inside the passage was dim, and the two could only move forward by the faint light of their tactical flashlights. The passage was not long, and they soon reached the end, where a metal lift was stationed, waiting for their arrival.

The two stepped onto the lift, and Chris pressed the start button. The lift started slowly, descending toward the depths of the underground.

The surroundings were pitch black, with only the emergency lights on the lift emitting a dim yellow glow. As they continued to descend, the surrounding air gradually became dry, replaced by the pungent smell of a mixture of disinfectant and chemical reagents. The faint sound of mechanical operation came from below, indicating that they were about to arrive at a completely different area.

After an unknown amount of time, the lift finally came to a steady stop. The cabin doors slowly opened, and a blinding white light instantly flooded in, causing the two to instinctively squint their eyes.

Once their vision adjusted to the light, the scene before them sent a shock through their hearts.

This was no longer the dilapidation and gloom of the Spencer Mansion's basement, but a brightly lit, modern underground research facility with sophisticated equipment.

The smooth alloy walls were spotless, and bright recessed lighting illuminated the entire space like daylight. Rows of sophisticated experimental equipment and control consoles were neatly arranged. The prominent Umbrella Corporation logo could be seen everywhere on the walls, along with warning signs for various types of dangerous experiments.

The corridors were clean and tidy, a sharp contrast to the mess of the Spencer Mansion and the underground areas, yet it exuded a suffocating coldness and oppression. This was the core secret base of Umbrella hidden in the Arklay Mountains, the birthplace of all the evil experiments.

"What kind of place is this..." Rebecca couldn't help but whisper in shock, her eyes full of amazement and unease.

"It's an Umbrella secret research facility. All the virus experiments and mutant creatures were created here," Chris said with cold eyes and a heavy tone.

He gripped his Shotgun tightly and scanned the surroundings alertly. The research facility was quiet, with no roars of zombies or movement from mutant creatures, but this excessive silence was more unsettling than any danger.

The two slowly advanced along the main corridor of the research facility, passing by laboratories. Most of the doors were open, the interiors empty, with experimental equipment scattered in disarray and documents strewn across the floor. Clearly, the personnel in the research facility had already evacuated or met with misfortune.

Chris was focused on finding Jill Valentine's whereabouts, and his pace involuntarily quickened. Rebecca followed closely. The two made their way to the second basement level of the research facility, where the security level of the laboratories was clearly higher. Most doors were tightly closed and marked with labels like "Top Secret" and "Biological Isolation."

At the end of the corridor, an electronic screen lit with "Top Encryption Laboratory" caught their attention. The alloy door was slightly ajar, and a faint white light peeked through the gap.

Chris stopped and signaled for Rebecca to stay where she was. He gripped his Shotgun, pushed open the heavy alloy door, and carefully peered inside.

The interior of the laboratory was spacious and empty. In the center stood a huge reinforced glass isolation chamber, the chamber body emitting a soft white light that clearly outlined the scene inside.

Unlike the hideous and terrifying experimental subjects they expected, a frail young girl was curled up inside the glass chamber. She wore a faded hospital gown, her face was pale, and her hair was messy. She looked fragile and helpless; it was Chloe.

Chloe heard the movement and slowly raised her head. When she saw Chris and Rebecca standing at the door wearing S.T.A.R.S. uniforms, a flash of surprise quickly crossed her eyes. She then immediately concealed it, replacing it with a look of confusion and fear. Her eyes turned slightly red, and she spoke timidly, her voice as light as a feather and trembling uncontrollably: "Who... who are you?"

Her tone was full of wariness and fear, perfectly portraying the image of an innocent young girl who had been imprisoned for a long time and was thoroughly frightened.

Chris lowered his gun and softened his tone as much as possible, stating his identity: "Don't be afraid. We are members of the S.T.A.R.S. team. I'm Chris Redfield, and she's Rebecca. We came here to find our teammates and escape this place."

Rebecca also showed a gentle expression and softly added: "We have no ill intentions, you don't need to be afraid." Looking at the thin and helpless Chloe in the chamber, her heart was filled with pity, and she couldn't help but ask, "Who are you? Why are you locked in this glass chamber?"

Hearing Rebecca' question, Chloe lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. Tears quickly welled up in her eyes, and her voice became choked. She once again used the rhetoric she had used to deceive Jill Valentine, saying with a sob:

"My name is Chloe. My father is a researcher here. He's kept me locked in here as an experimental subject for many years, injecting me with drugs every day... Just now, a sister wearing the same uniform as you came by. She was very beautiful and very gentle. She said she was going to find a key to save me, but after she left, she never came back..."

At this point, she raised her tear-streaked face, her eyes full of anxiety and worry, deliberately guiding their attention.

When Chris heard "sister wearing the same uniform," his heart tightened. He could no longer care about anything else and quickly walked to the front of the glass isolation chamber, asking urgently: "Are you talking about a female team member with short hair? Her name is Jill Valentine! Where did she go?!"

This was the first time since they were separated that he had heard clear news of Jill Valentine. The worry and anxiety of the past few days instantly surged into his heart, and his eyes were full of urgency.

Chloe saw Chris's urgent look and understood, yet she put on an even more fearful expression on her face, adding more detail while crying: "I don't know what she's called... Not long after that sister left, she was caught by an uncle wearing sunglasses and the same uniform! That uncle looked so mean. That sister struggled, but she was still taken away by him!"

An uncle wearing sunglasses!

Chris's pupils shrank, and his whole body instantly tensed up. The suspicion in his heart was instantly confirmed.

It was Wesker!

Ever since the team was separated, Wesker's various abnormal actions, deliberate guidance, and subtle concealments had always made him suspicious; now, it was finally confirmed: Wesker was indeed problematic!

He had actually betrayed the team and captured Jill!

"Wesker... what the hell are you doing!" Chris growled through gritted teeth, his fists clenched tightly, anger and worry intertwined, his eyes burning with fury.

He could no longer hold back; he turned and rushed out, determined to find Wesker immediately, confront him, and rescue Jill!

"Don't go! Please, don't leave me behind!" Seeing this, Chloe immediately cried out from inside the glass chamber, her voice shrill and helpless as she desperately pounded against the cold glass. "I'm so scared, that uncle with the sunglasses will come back, I don't want to be left here alone..."

Her heart-wrenching, despair-filled cries instantly stopped Chris in his tracks.

Chris stopped and looked back at the helplessly sobbing Chloe in the chamber, his eyes filled with conflict.

His heart was set on saving Jill, but the young girl before him was also a victim of Umbrella Corporation's experiments, and he couldn't just leave her here.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the urgency and anger in his heart, and turned to Rebecca, saying, "Rebecca, you stay here to look after Chloe and guard this room. I'm going to find Wesker; I will definitely find a way to rescue her, and I will definitely bring Jill back."

"Okay, don't worry, I will take good care of her." Rebecca nodded firmly, her expression resolute.

Chris gave Rebecca a solemn nod, then looked at Chloe in the glass chamber, his tone firm: "Stay here without worry. We will definitely rescue you; we will never leave you behind."

Chloe looked at Chris with tear-filled eyes, not forgetting to continue her disguise, sobbing as she urged, "Thank you... you must find that sister Jill, you must rescue her, please don't let anything happen to you..."

These words seemed caring and worried, but in reality, they were intended to further deepen Chris's hatred for Wesker, guiding him to fully commit to a confrontation with Wesker and buying herself a chance to escape.

Chris didn't think much of it, taking it as the girl's kindness. His resolve grew stronger; he turned, gripped his Shotgun, walked quickly out of the laboratory, and began searching for traces of Wesker along the institute's corridors.

The institute was terrifyingly quiet. He proceeded cautiously, avoiding several laboratories that held rampaging experimental subjects, and after searching around, he finally spotted a familiar figure at the corner of the corridor on the second basement level.

"Barry!" Chris walked up quickly, looking at Barry before him, his tone urgent and angry. "Why are you here? Wesker is problematic; he betrayed the team and captured Jill! Have you seen Jill? Have you seen Wesker?"

The dangers of the past few days, the grief of losing teammates, and the news of Jill being captured left him extremely emotional, and he poured out all his doubts and anger to Barry.

Seeing Chris, Barry's expression instantly became complex, a mix of guilt, conflict, and helplessness. Faced with Chris's questioning, his eyes flickered, unable to meet Chris's gaze, and he could only awkwardly change the subject, his voice hoarse:

"Chris, I... I don't have time to explain right now. I know where Wesker is; I just saw him. I'll take you to him."

He dared not face Chris's questions and could only shift the topic this way. The struggle and pain in his heart were almost consuming him, but looking at the teammate who trusted him, he was filled with guilt.

Watching Barry's abnormal expression, Chris had doubts, but finding Wesker and rescuing Jill was the priority right now, so he suppressed his confusion and nodded: "Fine, take me to him!"

Barry said no more, turned, and led the way. The two remained silent as they took the elevator to the first basement level of the institute.

The security level on the first basement level was higher, with biohazard signs and heavy alloy doors visible everywhere. Barry led Chris to an iron door marked with a red biohazard sign and stopped.

"He is inside." Barry said in a low voice, his eyes showing even more conflict.

Chris took a deep breath, gripped his Shotgun, stepped forward, and slowly pushed open the heavy iron door.

Inside was a massive core laboratory, spacious and vast, with a super-large main control computer placed in the center, connected to its surroundings by countless wires.

On both sides of the laboratory stood several giant glass incubation chambers filled with pale green nutrient solution, in which soaked tall, muscular humanoid creatures—these were the Tyrant prototypes.

They kept their eyes closed, sleeping quietly, their exposed hearts beating slowly in their chests, exuding a heart-palpitating sense of oppression.

Wesker was standing in front of the main control computer, dressed in his black S.T.A.R.S. combat uniform, standing tall, his hands typing rapidly on the keyboard, his expression focused and cold, seemingly indifferent to the arrival of the two.

"Wesker!" Chris stepped into the laboratory, unable to contain his anger any longer, and shouted sternly.

Wesker's typing paused, but he remained with his back to them, his tone calm and waveless, even carrying a hint of faint approval, as he spoke without looking up: "You've arrived, Chris."

"I am proud of you, but of course, after all, you are my team member."

"Thanks for the compliment!" Chris responded through gritted teeth, his tone full of sarcasm and anger; this approval sounded incredibly ironic to him right now.

Just then, Barry slowly took a step back and suddenly drew the revolver from his waist, aiming it steadily at Chris's back. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were full of guilt and helplessness, and he said in a hoarse voice: "Chris, I am very sorry."

Chris stiffened, slowly turned his head, and looked at Barry, who was aiming his gun at him. His pupils shrank, the last shred of trust in his teammate shattered completely. Anger and disappointment surged into his heart. He looked at the two coldly and asked in a low voice: "Since when did this start?"

Wesker finally stopped what he was doing, slowly turned around, took off his sunglasses, his golden pupils revealing a cold smile. He looked at Chris with a blank face, feigning innocence as he said: "I don't know what you are talking about?"

"When were you bought off by Umbrella?" Chris stared straight at Wesker, his tone cold; all his doubts were finally revealed at this moment.

A cold smile curled the corners of Wesker's mouth. He slowly drew the pistol from his waist, aiming it at Chris as well, his expression cold and cruel, finally tearing off all disguises: "It seems you don't understand the situation. I was never bought off by anyone, because I have always been Umbrella's man."

"And S.T.A.R.S. was never some elite team; it was merely Umbrella's... no, that's not right, it should be said, it was just my puppets, excellent experimental subjects for testing B.O.W. performance."

He turned to look at Barry beside him, his tone indifferent, "You don't need to hold a grudge against Barry; he is just very afraid of Umbrella and cares very much about his family."

"I'm sorry, Chris. Umbrella captured my wife and daughter; I had no choice. I couldn't let anything happen to them..." Barry's hand holding the gun trembled continuously, tears swirling in his eyes. He was filled with guilt, yet helpless.

"Enough, Barry." Wesker coldly interrupted Barry, his tone carrying an unquestionable command, "Go back to the surface and wait; you don't need to worry about what happens here."

Looking at Chris's angry and disappointed eyes, Barry was struggling to the extreme. He gripped the revolver tightly, his knuckles turning white. Finally, he slowly lowered the gun, took one last deep look at Chris, full of guilt and self-reproach, and turned to leave the laboratory quickly. The heavy iron door slowly closed, leaving the space to the two who were confronting each other.

"You and Umbrella captured his family and used such despicable means to blackmail him, you bastard!" Chris looked at Wesker, burning with rage, and cursed loudly.

Wesker's despicable nature and cruelty completely exceeded his imagination; using a teammate's family, betraying the entire team, and harming innocent members was simply insane.

Wesker looked indifferent, shrugged lightly, and said in a detached tone: "I think you have misunderstood me. Because of the T-Virus leak in this facility, the infection has spread, and the research has gone out of control. More unfortunately, I have to abandon my dear S.T.A.R.S. team members; this is a necessary sacrifice."

"Abandon? You killed them with your own dirty hands! Enrico, Richard, and those other sacrificed teammates—they were all harmed by you! You son of a bitch!" Chris's eyes were splitting with rage. Thinking of the teammates who had died one by one, and thinking of Jill who had been captured, the anger in his heart was almost consuming him.

Wesker was noncommittal, his face still wearing a cold smile, his eyes filled with the confidence of someone in control of everything: "You don't want to die yet, do you, Chris? Don't be so excited; I have something that you should be very interested in."

As he finished speaking, Wesker kept one hand steadily aiming his gun at Chris, while his other hand operated the main control computer rapidly again.

Following his command, the sound of liquid draining instantly echoed from the glass incubation chambers on the right side of the laboratory. The pale green nutrient solution drained rapidly. The Tyrant in the chamber slowly opened its eyes, its previously dormant body began to move, muscles tensed, and it let out a low growl. Its exposed heart beat violently, exuding powerful destructive force and a lethal threat.

The glass chamber door slowly opened. Wesker watched the Tyrant slowly stand up, his tone filled with extreme fanaticism and triumph as he introduced it to Chris: "Watch closely, Chris, this is the ultimate life form developed by Umbrella Corporation—the Tyrant!"

The massive Tyrant stepped out of the glass incubation chamber, its huge body occupying most of the laboratory's space, its cold gaze locking onto Chris, radiating a suffocating sense of oppression.