The storm raged on...
Raccoon City was engulfed in an oppressive atmosphere that wasn't merely the physical presence of a super virus, but a palpable sense of dread that instinctively signaled danger to all life forms. The super virus was gradually spreading throughout the city, posing a threat not just through its corrupting mutations but also through the zombified creatures it created. Any Reincarnation Squad of insufficient strength encountering these threats was doomed.
The South Flame Team, by some stroke of luck, possessed just enough power to be on the "sufficient strength" side of the line, able to eliminate the mutated zombies they faced. Yet, their fortune was a double-edged sword. Their strength wasn't overwhelming enough to ignore the mutated zombies or the super virus entirely. There was no middle ground; one either had immunity by reaching the fourth stage, or death was certain without it.