Three months after the global virus outbreak, the world had been overrun by roaming zombies.
Umbrella Corporation's deployment of high-precision nuclear weapons on Raccoon City had catastrophic consequences.
Under the immense destructive force, nearly every building in the city had collapsed. What remained of Raccoon City was a wasteland, with only a few structures—those either exceptionally sturdy or far from the blast's epicenter—still standing as skeletal remnants. The scene was hauntingly apocalyptic.
At the city's heart lay a massive crater over a kilometer in diameter, erasing the central district entirely.
A river that once flowed through the city center now cascaded into the crater, forming a substantial waterfall. At the bottom of the 100-meter-deep pit, a small lake had pooled in the low-lying area.
After surviving for more than two months in the outside world, Wang Ye and Alice had returned to this desolate place. They stood at the edge of the crater, surveying the ruins.
Behind them was a new Hydra special operations team, including Rain Ocampo, Peyton Wells, JD, and other survivors they had rescued over time.
Alice gazed at the scene, her expression filled with a mix of nostalgia and sorrow as memories of Raccoon City resurfaced. The lively, bustling city she once knew was now a lifeless, ravaged wasteland.
"Ye, why are we here? The city has already been destroyed," Alice asked, her confusion evident as she turned to Wang Ye.
"True, the city is gone," Wang Ye replied, his gaze fixed on the ruins. "But HAM detected that the underground Hive remains intact."
He pointed toward an inconspicuous spot at the bottom of the crater.
"Last time, we only destroyed a small portion of Umbrella Corporation's underground Hive. This location, their headquarters, has an even larger Hive buried deeper underground. That spot right there is one of the Hive's ventilation shafts."
Following Wang Ye's direction, Alice noticed the unassuming vent. At first glance, it seemed like nothing more than a collapsed structure.
Wang Ye gestured to Rain, who immediately mobilized 50 operatives to descend into the crater and clear out any zombies or mutated beasts lurking nearby.
Hive Headquarters – Deepest Level
In a dimly lit chamber, a tall, muscular man in a black shirt and suit sat at a desk. His slicked-back hair and rigid, grim expression gave him an air of authority. Methodically, he carved an ice block with an ice pick, his movements precise and deliberate.
In a commanding voice, he ordered, "Activate security monitoring at all Hive entrances."
Instantly, wall-sized monitors lit up, displaying scenes of Hydra operatives dispersing antivirus serum and Wang Ye and Alice standing at the crater's edge, overseeing the mission.
"The Hive's security system is fully activated. Intruders have been detected at the entrance," said a voice nearby.
The speaker wasn't human. It was a glowing red, flickering figure—a 3D holographic projection.
This was the Hive's primary control AI: the Red Queen.
Though she shared the same name as other Red Queen systems in various Umbrella facilities, this one was entirely independent.
Each Umbrella base had its own autonomous AI subsystem, but this Red Queen was the central control program for the entire corporation.
The Hive had been dormant, designed to awaken only after the completion of the extinction plan, when Earth's surface was purged of all survivors.
However, Wang Ye's unexpected actions had disrupted Umbrella's plans. While the apocalypse had wiped out much of humanity, Wang Ye's intervention had saved key survivors, threatening Umbrella's objective.
The detection of intruders triggered the emergency protocols, fully activating the Red Queen and summoning Wesker to defend the Hive.
Wesker glared at the monitor, his rage barely contained.
"It's them again," he growled through clenched teeth.
"Deactivate automation. I'll take direct control of the defense system!"
As he poured a glass of whiskey, the Red Queen spoke, her tone calm and measured.
"Allowing me to control the defense system will be more efficient," she suggested, almost as if dissuading Wesker from confronting Wang Ye and Alice directly.
Focused on the monitors, Wesker didn't notice her subtle undertones. He continued pouring his drink and replied in a cold, menacing voice:
"No. This time, I'll eliminate them myself. You know what they've done. I won't let them leave alive."
After a brief pause, the Red Queen responded, "As you wish. Full control of the Hive's defenses is now yours."
Holding his whiskey, Wesker stared at the screen, watching as Wang Ye, Alice, and their team descended into the crater. His voice, cold and resolute, carried his command:
"Release the Cerberus hounds!"
The Red Queen acknowledged his order.
"The Cerberus units are being deployed."
The Ventilation Shaft
As Wang Ye led his team toward the ventilation shaft, HAM's warning interrupted the quiet.
"Hostile units detected approaching from multiple directions," the AI intoned.
Wang Ye immediately signaled his operatives to spread out and investigate.
He and Alice pressed forward, their weapons ready, when dozens of monstrous, snarling Cerberus hounds erupted from hidden pits around the shaft.
The creatures were grotesquely mutated, far larger and more muscular than any they had encountered before. Their massive forms resembled lions or tigers more than dogs, and their heads were warped beyond recognition.
Gaping maws bristling with razor-sharp teeth opened impossibly wide, creating a horrifying, almost nauseating spectacle.
"They're disgusting," Alice muttered, wrinkling her nose in distaste.
"Then let's make them disappear," Wang Ye said calmly, signaling his team to open fire.
Rain issued the order, and a barrage of bullets and energy blasts turned the monstrous horde into ash.
Inside the Hive
Watching the scene unfold, Wesker's fury boiled over.
With a sudden motion, he crushed the whiskey glass in his hand, the shards biting into his palm. Blood trickled down his fingers, but he didn't care.
"Damn it! That bastard is cheating!"
(End of Chapter)
Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon
https://patreon.com/Glimmer09