Chapter 70: Anti-B.O.W. Virus Inhibitor

September 23, 1998, 2:17 AM.

In Paris, France, the lights at the Umbrella Corporation global headquarters remained lit throughout the night. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic in the American Midwest, the underground command center of the Umbrella Corporation North American branch on the outskirts of Chicago had already been plunged into 18 consecutive hours of high pressure and chaos.

The entire wall of surveillance monitors was divided into hundreds of frames, with 90% of the screens covered by glaring red alerts.

The Raccoon City ground surveillance system was almost completely paralyzed, and the life signals from the NEST underground facility were fluctuating wildly. Red alerts for the loss of contact with USS Alpha Team, the loss of Dr. William Birkin's G-Virus samples, and the city-wide spread of the T-Virus had been flashing in the command system for an entire night.

Operators in black uniforms had their fingers flying across their keyboards. The roars, gunfire, and low growls of zombies from the radio came through intermittently, and every face was etched with undisguisable exhaustion and anxiety.

The speed at which Raccoon City had spiraled out of control far exceeded everyone's predictions. What was originally just a routine virus sample retrieval mission had ultimately evolved into a disaster capable of toppling the entire Umbrella Corporation empire.

"NEST underground level three auxiliary passage, all life signals for the cleanup support team have vanished! The last uploaded video clip has been synced to the terminal!"

A sharp alert sounded. Lina Holt, from the intelligence analysis team, gripped her mouse tightly, her fingers even trembling slightly.

She was the dedicated intelligence analyst for the William Birkin project. She had been tracking all the data on the S-series test subjects since the Arklay Research Facility days; no one was more familiar with the cold files behind those serial numbers than she was.

She clicked on the 8-second video clip.

The footage came from a cleanup team member's tactical helmet camera. In the dim passage, red warning lights flashed frantically. The lens only caught a silver-white blur, followed immediately by the crisp sound of shattering bones and the metallic screech of firearms being torn apart. After the footage shook violently, it plunged into total darkness, and the life signal lines on the screen flattened into cold, straight lines.

Lina's heart sank. She had been in this job for seven years, witnessed the crushing slaughter of Tyrants, and seen the rapid assaults of Hunters, but she had never seen any kind of B.O.W. capable of wiping out six fully armed, anti-B.O.W. combat cleanup team members in eight seconds, without even having its complete attack trajectory captured by the camera.

She immediately pulled up the final monitoring data from the NEST main laboratory, along with the Subject S01 death confirmation report uploaded by the previous cleanup team.

The report stated: "Subject S01 body torn apart, life signals zeroed out, VX Gas extermination complete, confirmed deceased." Yet, just 40 minutes after this report was submitted, this crushing massacre occurred in the auxiliary passage.

"Reverse trace the target's genetic fragments, cross-reference with the S-series test subject files, immediately!" Lina's voice carried an imperceptible tremor as she gave the order over the intercom.

She slowed the video to 0.1x speed, examining it frame by frame. Finally, in the gaps of the camera's shaking, she captured the target's complete outline: silver-white hair reaching the waist, an exoskeleton clinging to the body, bladed claws on both hands, symmetrical spikes on both elbows, and those eyes completely covered in blood-red.

The comparison result popped up almost instantly, and the red matching percentage value on the screen soared, eventually settling at 99.7%.

【Genetic sequence comparison complete: Target matches Subject S01 (formerly No. 703, William Birkin's exclusive test subject), match rate 99.7%. Dual-fusion sequence of T-Virus and G-Virus detected in the body, cellular activity has exceeded monitoring limits, surpassing current B.O.W. combat rating standards.】

Lina's back was instantly soaked in cold sweat.

Subject S01, the "unique specimen" that William Birkin had hidden for three whole years, the test subject viewed by Umbrella Corporation high-level management as the only hope for controllable T-Virus research, had not only survived but had also undergone an unprecedented mutation.

Not daring to delay for a second, she immediately grabbed the encrypted tablet and strode into the office of the duty supervisor, Harris.

Harris was the duty supervisor of the North American branch's operations department, with a 20-year military background. At that moment, he was rubbing his temples while facing a screen full of out-of-control reports. Seeing Lina barge in, his expression instantly darkened: "I told you, unless it is an A-level or higher emergency, do not—"

"Supervisor, it's Subject S01." Lina interrupted him, shoving the tablet in front of him, her voice urgent yet precise.

"The NEST cleanup team confirmed it was dead, but just 40 minutes later, it wiped out our six-man support team in the level three auxiliary passage. Genetic comparison confirms it is her. She not only survived but also completed a mutation fusing the T-Virus and G-Virus; her combat power far exceeds the Tyrant series of B.O.W.s."

Harris's expression changed instantly. He snatched the tablet, watched the 8-second video frame by frame, and repeatedly verified the genetic comparison report, his fingertips trembling uncontrollably.

He knew the weight of Subject S01 all too well. This was a test subject that Oswell E. Spencer had personally inquired about. Now, this test subject, who should have died in the Arklay Research Facility incident, was not only alive but also possessed the characteristics of a dual-virus fusion and had run into the Underground Sewage Network of Raccoon City.

"Seal this information. Everyone who has come into contact with this video and data must sign the highest-level confidentiality agreement. Anyone who leaks it will be dealt with according to company regulations."

Harris stood up abruptly and grabbed the red encrypted phone on his desk. "This matter is not something we can decide. I must contact Director Cole immediately."

Ian Cole, the general manager of operations for the Umbrella Corporation North American branch, was directly responsible to the global board of directors and Oswell E. Spencer himself, holding the power of life and death over the entire North American branch.

At 2:40 AM, Cole walked into the command center wearing a crisp black suit, his graying hair combed meticulously. There was not a trace of exhaustion on his face from being woken from sleep, only a pair of hawk-like eyes staring intently at the video looping on the screen.

The command center instantly fell silent, and everyone held their breath.

Cole was known within Umbrella Corporation for his coldness and decisiveness. During the laboratory containment breach at the European branch, he personally ordered the destruction of the entire research facility, reducing over a hundred researchers and the out-of-control B.O.W.s inside to ashes without a moment of hesitation.

"Confirmed to be Subject S01?" Cole's voice was low, carrying an unquestionable sense of oppression.

"Confirmed, Director." Harris immediately stepped forward and handed over the complete experimental file and comparison report. "Genetic match rate is 99.7%, with no errors. It was supposed to have died in the NEST main laboratory's VX Gas extermination. We speculate that the near-death state triggered the fusion of the T-Virus and G-Virus within her, completing this mutation."

Cole flipped through the file, his fingertips slowly tracing over the experimental records of Subject S01. He knew better than anyone present just how valuable this test subject was.

Although William Birkin's G-Virus was powerful, it had unsolvable defects of infinite proliferation and genetic instability. Yet Subject S01, a test subject that had stably coexisted with the T-Virus for eight years, had actually perfectly fused with the G-Virus and formed a fixed, non-deformed combat form.

This was not an out-of-control monster; this was the most perfect prototype of a bio-weapon in the history of Umbrella Corporation.

"William is done for. His G-Virus has completely spiraled out of control; he is now just a beast that only knows how to kill." Cole closed the file and swept his gaze over everyone present. "And Subject S01 is the only sample we currently have that can stably fuse the T-Virus and G-Virus. Oswell E. Spencer has been monitoring this test subject since the 1990 Ark Laboratory incident. She must be retrieved alive; no damage is permitted under any circumstances."

"But Director, regular cleanup teams cannot possibly complete the retrieval mission." Lina spoke up cautiously. "Her speed and strength have already exceeded the ratings of our existing B.O.W.s. Conventional non-lethal weapons are completely ineffective against her, and unconventional lethal firepower would destroy the sample..."

"I have no intention of sending those wastes." Cole raised his hand to interrupt her, turned, and walked to the encrypted communication console, inputting a 16-digit authorization password. "Contact USS Theta Team, and connect to their commander."

Everyone present gasped.

USS Theta Team was the most elite black-ops retrieval team of the Umbrella Corporation North American branch. The entire team consisted of retired elites from the Delta Force and Navy SEALs, specializing in handling the highest-level B.O.W. containment breaches, live retrieval, and internal purging. They were the sharpest blade Umbrella Corporation kept hidden in the shadows.

They had just returned from a mission in Europe and were resting at the base in Chicago. Except for Oswell E. Spencer himself and Cole, no one had the authority to mobilize them.

The encrypted communication was quickly connected. On the screen appeared a man wearing a black tactical suit and a gas mask—the commander of Theta Team, Logan Walker.

"Director Cole, Theta Team is currently in a rest period. Without authorization from the highest board of directors, we will not accept any missions." Logan's voice was cold, without a hint of pleasantries.

"I am now giving you Oswell E. Spencer's highest-level authorization code, authorization number SP-0713." Cole recited the authorization code word by word. The permission verification on the screen passed instantly, and the green pass indicator lit up. "Mission objective: Raccoon City Underground Sewage Network, live retrieval of Subject S01, highest priority."

He gestured with his hand, and the screen immediately synchronized the experimental files of Subject S01, the data on her mutated form, and that 8-second slaughter video.

"The target is a dual-virus fusion. Conventional non-lethal weapons are ineffective, and unconventional lethal firepower will destroy the sample." Cole's tone was exceptionally serious. "I will allocate exclusive weapons for you—the anti-B.O.W. special virus suppression weapon jointly developed by Ark Laboratory and NEST No. 2."

He paused and added: "It uses syringe bullets. The warhead can penetrate 30mm thick homogeneous steel plates and inject directly into the target's cells. It can instantly suppress the proliferation of highly active viruses, causing the target to lose the ability to act, while not causing irreversible bodily damage. This is currently the only weapon capable of completing the retrieval without destroying the sample."

No one knew that this weapon, which was externally referred to as a "Virus-Specific S01 Inhibitor," was not an inhibitor at all.

Its core stock solution came from the "Elpis" project personally supervised by Oswell E. Spencer and was a weakened version of the Elpis prototype.

Except for Oswell E. Spencer himself, no one else in the world knew its true origin. Even Cole only knew that this was a special anti-weapon against the highest-level mutants, approved for mass production by Oswell E. Spencer personally, and was one of the deepest trump cards Umbrella Corporation kept hidden.

"Mission requirements: First, live retrieval of Subject S01, absolute priority; second, prohibit any lethal heavy firepower, use only the issued S01 Inhibitor weapons throughout the operation; third, the entire mission must be kept secret. You must not have any contact with any USS or UBCS units within Raccoon City, and you must not leak the existence of Subject S01."

Cole's voice carried an unquestionable command. "You have 40 minutes to prepare. You must arrive at the deployment point in the Raccoon City Underground Sewage Network within 3 hours. Any questions?"

Logan on the other side of the screen finished reviewing all the data, a flicker of gravity flashing in his eyes, before giving a standard military salute: "Theta Team acknowledges. We guarantee mission completion."

The communication cut off, and the command center fell back into silence. Cole walked to the window, looking at the Chicago nightscape outside, his fingertips slowly tapping against the glass.

He knew very well that this retrieval mission not only concerned the future of Umbrella Corporation but also concerned Oswell E. Spencer's ultimate plan.

And at this moment, inside the Underground Sewage Network of Raccoon City, Chloe was slowly moving forward, following the lingering scent of Jill Valentine. She did not yet know that Umbrella Corporation's most elite retrieval team was already speeding toward this city of hell, carrying weapons specifically designed for her.