Zhang Fan looked at his team captain with a sense of speechlessness. Well, older folks do tend to reminisce, he thought. If only Captain Enrico knew that his family wasn't in Raccoon City, Zhang Fan would have advised the captain to leave this place with his family immediately.
Members of S.T.A.R.S., hailing from various parts of the United States, were all elite forces. When the team was formed earlier this year, Captain Wesker had expended considerable effort in its assembly. However, Zhang Fan knew that this elite team was doomed to a tragic fate, with only a few surviving, a fact he had learned while playing the third installment of the game.
Soon, everyone was fully equipped. Zhang Fan donned his blue police uniform, covered with a bulletproof vest, and was armed with a tactical dagger, a SIG_P229 police pistol, and a P5k-PD submachine gun - standard S.T.A.R.S. gear.
After quick preparations, the team boarded the helicopter. Rebecca seemed to relax a bit during the flight, displaying commendable self-control for a first-timer.
Upon arriving in the outskirts of Raccoon City, Zhang Fan wondered why they opted for a helicopter for such a short distance. A car would have sufficed, but perhaps it was just S.T.A.R.S. style - grand and showy.
"Stay alert, everyone. Kenneth, you're on recon ahead. The rest, follow me!" Captain Enrico commanded as they disembarked, unlocking the safety catch of his P5. This was a real combat mission, and caution was paramount.
"Rebecca, stay close to me," Zhang Fan said, also unlocking his gun's safety catch. As a medical officer, Rebecca carried a P5 pistol instead of a submachine gun, a suitable choice for her.
The forest, despite the clear skies, had an ominous and eerie atmosphere. Rebecca moved closer to Zhang Fan upon hearing his instruction.
"Look at that, getting cozy just after a day?" Forrest teased them with a whistle, his frivolous gaze landing on Zhang Fan and Rebecca.
"Who... Who's getting cozy?" Rebecca's face flushed as she stuttered a response, seeming guilty.
Watching this unfold, Forrest chuckled triumphantly. Zhang Fan, however, remained focused on the mission, ignoring the banter, which seemed to dull Forrest's amusement.
"Stay focused during the mission!" Captain Enrico frowned, reminding them of the importance of discipline during a mission. He would need to have a serious talk with Forrest later.
With a mock pout at Forrest, Rebecca then hurried to Zhang Fan's side. In her moment of fascination with the serious Zhang Fan, she scolded herself for being so fanciful during a mission.
"Situational report!" Kenneth's voice suddenly broke the silence, signaling alertness. Everyone quickly gathered around him, only to find two decomposing bodies lying in the bushes.
"It appears to be some of the missing tourists," Zhang Fan observed, looking at the deteriorated bodies of a man and a woman, both dressed in hiking gear.
"From the looks of it, they were mauled to death by a wild beast. Judging by the decomposition, they've been dead for over six days," Rebecca commented, completing her initial assessment despite her discomfort.
"This doesn't add up. This area isn't remote, and tourists often pass through here. If these bodies had been here for six days, they would've been discovered much earlier. We wouldn't have needed to come here," Zhang Fan analyzed, trying to suppress his revulsion at the sight.
"Fan's right. But there's no sign of dragging here, so we can't be sure this is the exact crime scene. Let's search the area for more clues," Captain Enrico ordered, taking charge of the situation.
Everyone scattered to search, with Zhang Fan and Rebecca paired due to their rookie status. Captain Enrico likely thought two rookies equaled one regular member.
"Report: no significant findings!"
"No clues discovered!"
Thirty minutes later, the search yielded nothing. Zhang Fan, however, noticed something odd - the forest was eerily silent, with no birdsong. Had all the birds left the area?
"Let's return to base with the bodies. We at least owe that much. It seems like another case of an animal attack," Captain Enrico concluded after some thought.
"Hold on! What's happening?" Rebecca's scream suddenly pierced the air. To everyone's shock, the bodies they thought were lifeless began to rise slowly. Were they in the midst of filming a horror movie?
"What kind of monsters are these?" No one could remain calm in the face of such a scene. Even Zhang Fan, who knew they were zombies, felt his heart race. The grotesque and nauseating sight was different from anything he had experienced in games or movies.
"Freeze, or I'll shoot!" Captain Enrico commanded, confronting the zombies with a humanity-first approach.
Zhang Fan quickly regained his composure. They were just zombies, after all. He knew he would face far more formidable foes in this game. Only by defeating them could he grow stronger.
"Everyone, get back to formation!" Captain Enrico instructed, his brow furrowed. The team had to be disciplined, especially during a mission. Forrest would definitely need a talking-to later on.
Rebecca, attempting to retort at Forrest's earlier teasing, ended up just pouting and running back to Zhang Fan. In that instant, she found Zhang Fan's seriousness quite appealing, scolding herself for her silly thoughts during a work mission.
"Situational report!" Kenneth's voice suddenly broke the silence, signaling alertness. Everyone quickly gathered around him, only to find two decomposing bodies lying in the bushes.
"It appears to be some of the missing tourists," Zhang Fan observed, looking at the deteriorated bodies of a man and a woman, both dressed in hiking gear.
"From the looks of it, they were mauled to death by a wild beast. Judging by the decomposition, they've been dead for over six days," Rebecca commented, completing her initial assessment despite her discomfort.
"This doesn't add up. This area isn't remote, and tourists often pass through here. If these bodies had been here for six days, they would've been discovered much earlier. We wouldn't have needed to come here," Zhang Fan analyzed, trying to suppress his revulsion at the sight.
"Fan's right. But there's no sign of dragging here, so we can't be sure this is the exact crime scene. Let's search the area for more clues," Captain Enrico ordered, taking charge of the situation.
Everyone scattered to search, with Zhang Fan and Rebecca paired due to their rookie status. Captain Enrico likely thought two rookies equaled one regular member.
"Report: no significant findings!"
"No clues discovered!"
Thirty minutes later, the search yielded nothing. Zhang Fan, however, noticed something odd - the forest was eerily silent, with no birdsong. Had all the birds left the area?
"Let's return to base with the bodies. We at least owe that much. It seems like another case of an animal attack," Captain Enrico concluded after some thought.
"Hold on! What's happening?" Rebecca's scream suddenly pierced the air. To everyone's shock, the bodies they thought were lifeless began to rise slowly. Were they in the midst of filming a horror movie?
"What kind of monsters are these?" No one could remain calm in the face of such a scene. Even Zhang Fan, who knew they were zombies, felt his heart race. The grotesque and nauseating sight was different from anything he had experienced in games or movies.
"Freeze, or I'll shoot!" Captain Enrico commanded, confronting the zombies with a humanity-first approach.
Zhang Fan quickly regained his composure. They were just zombies, after all. He knew he would face far more formidable foes in this game. Only by defeating them could he grow stronger.
"Everyone, get back to formation!" Captain Enrico instructed, his brow furrowed. The team had to be disciplined, especially during a mission. Forrest would definitely need a talking-to later on.
Rebecca, attempting to retort at Forrest's earlier teasing, ended up just pouting and running back to Zhang Fan. In that instant, she found Zhang Fan's seriousness quite appealing, scolding herself for her silly thoughts during a work mission.