In a familiar high-tech underground garage.
Suddenly, the three figures appeared: two adults and one child.
Immediately, alarms blared from the electronic instruments in the garage. Disinfectant spray shot out from all directions, enveloping the trio for a full half minute before stopping.
"Is it the second day in the evening now?" Tony glanced at the clock on the wall. "Only one day has passed? That's quite efficient."
"Tony, never mind the time for now. I really think this setup is a bit over the top," Lyon said after the spray had stopped.
He removed his suit and stepped out, using his palm to wipe the face of the now-soaked Sherry.
"Pfft~ This damned disinfectant system sprayed poor Sherry so much, she's turned into a wet little duck, haha."
Lyon cupped her innocent face. "Look at those big innocent eyes of hers, Tony. Doesn't it make your heart ache?"
"Yeah, yeah, blame this stupid system! Why did it take so long to disinfect?"
Tony took off his suit and squatted in front of Sherry. "Oh, look at this pitiful little princess. Her hair's turned into a wet towel."
He playfully slapped the Mark IV suit behind him. "Pfft~ Uncle Tony will make it up to you!"
Sherry's delicate eyebrows twitched as she puffed her cheeks, "You two... were you doing this on purpose!?"
At first, she was touched by how much they cared for her, but the barely suppressed laughter on their faces was just too obvious.
This suddenly reminded Sherry of something.
Back at Raccoon City's central square, when they were about to leave, neither of them had been wearing their armor.
But after Lyon casually said, "Do you remember the disinfection procedure you set up before leaving?" the two troublemakers exchanged glances, suited up, and each took one of her hands so "thoughtfully."
At the time, Sherry hadn't thought much of it.
She was too focused on the fact that she was about to enter a new world, feeling both nervous and overwhelmingly excited. After all, on the other side awaited a brand-new life, a whole new world, and she could stay with her big brother Lyon forever!
But thinking about it now, those two were clearly up to something!
Sherry was furious, her lips quivering as her big watery eyes stared at Lyon, unable to speak.
"You still dare to say that!" Lyon nudged Tony with a playful push. "You've made Sherry upset, and you're still laughing! Heartless!"
With a big grin, Lyon picked up Sherry and placed her on his shoulders.
"Aww~ Don't be mad, Sherry. We won't be angry at that bad uncle anymore. It's all his fault; he loves to play tricks on people. Come on, I'll show you your room."
Lyon carried Sherry upstairs, and before long, her giggles filled the air, having completely forgotten about the half-hour of disinfection spray she had endured alone.
The Stark mansion clearly had no shortage of spare rooms.
Sherry was assigned the room farthest down the hallway. After Lyon finished introducing all the smart devices in the room one by one, he left her to settle in and organize her belongings.
Sherry sat on the couch, daydreaming for a moment, then hopped off, tiptoeing around the room in excitement.
Whether it was the curtains and lights that could be controlled by voice or gestures, or the holographic display that popped up with countless functional buttons at the slightest touch, everything seemed new and fascinating to her.
Originally, she might have felt a sense of anxiety from being in an unfamiliar environment, but instead, curiosity took over.
However, the prank pulled by the two troublemakers in the underground garage left a slight sense of alienation in Sherry's heart.
Her attention was entirely focused on the various fascinating smart devices.
In the apocalyptic environment of the Resident Evil world, most industries had come to a standstill. Clean food and water had nearly become luxury items.
In that kind of environment, Sherry had felt like she was living as someone from an older generation.
Now, it felt like she was that person suddenly stumbling into a modern world.
After spending two to three hours exploring the room, Sherry's curiosity was finally satisfied.
Next, she ran straight into the bathroom, tapping on the electronic screen and arranging her little plush toys on the sink before enjoying a nice, relaxing bath.
At night, after dinner, Lyon knocked on her door.
"How are you feeling? Getting used to it? After all, you'll be staying here for a few days," Lyon asked as he sat next to Sherry.
"I think everything is great, but I'm still a bit surprised. Brother, you said it's 2008 here, and everything is so advanced!" Sherry waved her hands in the air, drawing a circle as she hesitantly asked, "So, um, did you guys live here often before, or are we going to move somewhere else in a few days?"
"No, Tony and I have lived here all along," Lyon said, not immediately understanding Sherry's concern.
When he noticed the apprehensive expression quickly appearing on her face, he realized it was his previous comment about "staying for a few days" that had caused the misunderstanding.
"Don't overthink it. Since I brought you to this world, I'm definitely going to take good care of you," Lyon reassured her, ruffling Sherry's hair.
Then, in a playful gesture, he put his hands around his own neck. "Besides, if Jill finds out I didn't take care of you, she'll 'crack' and finish me off!"
Sherry giggled, "Hehehe, Jill might be a bit violent, but she wouldn't really harm you, brother." Her worries eased, and her eyes squinted with a smile again.
Lyon chuckled as he explained, "We're only staying here for a few days because I'll be moving to New York soon, and you'll come with me."
"There's no way I'd leave you in Tony's care alone. We wouldn't trust him to take care of a kid."
After all, Lyon knew all too well how terrible Tony was at taking care of children.
"Moving to New York?" Sherry asked, recalling the version of New York in her world, which had been reduced to ruins. "Are you going there for college?"
She remembered Lyon mentioning something about college before.
"Not right away. I'm setting up an organization there, so I need to check on things. Plus, Stark Industries is building a new tower there, and I need to keep an eye on it."
"Sounds amazing! What kind of organization is it? Like Umbrella?" Sherry's eyes lit up with curiosity.
"How should I put it... in terms of its goals, it's kind of similar," Lyon replied, pulling out a storybook. "Tomorrow, I'll introduce you to some of the sisters in the organization, and you'll understand then."
"As for now, do you need me to tell you a few bedtime stories?"
Sherry's eyes sparkled, and she eagerly nodded. "I—I'll go to bed right now!"
She jumped off the couch and leaped onto the bed, hurriedly pulling the covers over herself. Only her head peeked out, like a baby bird waiting to be fed, her face full of excitement as she prepared to listen to the stories.
Lyon chuckled softly at the sight.
Adopting Sherry was a decision he made with Tony's support. This little girl had a heartbreaking story after all.
—At the age of twelve, she was hunted by her mutated father and neglected by her mother. After narrowly escaping death, she was taken by an official organization and used for G-virus human experimentation.
By the age of twenty-six in the original story, Sherry finally gained some semblance of freedom. Yet, despite the horrible experiences she endured, she never succumbed to bitterness. Instead, after all her suffering, she chose a path of protecting others from the harm of biohazard viruses.
Such a resilient girl, how could anyone not admire and adore her?
"Alright, let's start with Andersen's fairy tales. Have you ever read Andersen? Actually, when he first started writing, it was..."
Lyon sat by the bedside, his tone soft and soothing like a gentle stream. Before long, Sherry drifted off into sleep, her breathing becoming deep and peaceful.
"Kids fall asleep so quickly. Goodnight, Sherry."
Lyon closed the book, gently smoothed down her hair, and quietly left the room, closing the door behind him.
He then headed to the lab. As soon as he entered, he saw Tony hurriedly covering a suit of armor with a black cloth.
"Lyon! Next time, knock before you enter the lab!" Tony turned around, looking annoyed.
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