"I see."
In short, a failure. They didn't become zombies or bio weapons and just died pathetically.
"Alright, second question... What kind of serum did you want to find?"
Upon hearing that, John tensed up visibly.
"Eh? Ehm..." He stammered nervously. "That thing..."
"Did you think we didn't hear what you said when you entered the lab?" I said threateningly.
Seeing no alternative method available in order to survive except providing information requested, Davis complied readily.
Thus, he began narrating once more after taking deep breaths beforehand to calm himself down. "The thing I sought... Is an antidote. I-I heard that one of them is inside the safe in the facility down there."
"A zombie antidote"
"NO!!" John shouted in panic then added softly afterward. "I-I wanted it because— I heard that you can develop an antivirus using it."
So, you wanted it because it's an important substance.
"And the final question."
Davis was still pale, looking horrified for being treated like this.
"Who sent you?" I asked tersely.
He blinked twice in surprise at hearing my inquiry. "...Excuse me? W-What are you talking about?"
"Don't act dumb now." I snarled disdainfully. "You're affiliated with Umbrella Corporation! If someone from your workplace heard that one of their biggest investments has gone rogue, sending agents here shouldn't be impossible for them! Am I right?!"
'Umbrella Corp wasn't that nice. These zombies were their money makers.'
"H-Hold on! You misunderstood me! I did work for them but I'm no longer loyal to that horrible corporation! And they don't need to send anyone to deal with me because..."
John Davis paused abruptly as realization dawned upon him.
"The Tyrant... He was sent to kill me!"
'Tyrant?'
Now that was interesting. Tyrant Nishimura lingered around that mall back then, yet Umbrella dispatched another agent besides him?
'Were the laboratories independent from each other?'
Or maybe they were connected and this John Davis man was around the mall a few days ago. When he realized the lab was ransacked already, he visited this place to search for clues, and he discovered the underground lab.
Whatever it may be, I wanted to confirm my suspicion first.
"Are you talking about that big giant with ridiculous strength?" Saeko chimed in before me.
Of course she would be curious.
She experienced firsthand how insanely strong Tyrant Nishimura was, thus being interested in knowing further details regarding creatures akin to monsters must surely intrigue her curiosity greatly.
"Yes. An artificial human designed by the corporation. Although I am unsure which model was used, its sole purpose remains unchanged despite differences between models, namely extermination."
John Davis answered calmly before continuing with evident anger evident across his facial features, clenching his fists tightly whilst gritting teeth furiously, glaring fiercely towards floor beneath feet.
"Those bastards sent a monster like him to assassinate me!"
Judging by his reaction, it appeared whatever happened between himself and whoever hired the assassin wasn't particularly pleasant nor happy memories worth remembering fondly.
But then again, why would the Umbrella Corporation dispatch Tyrant to kill this man? Did that mean Tyrant Nishimura that we defeated was actually sent for this man here?
I chose to kill it by following the system choice. So this was the result of that choice?
[Ding! You have received 300 Shop Points!]
As if confirming my thought, the system gave me the reward for the latest choice.
"I see... So the creature I fought in the mall was meant for you." I commented nonchalantly while resting my finger on the trigger, "Say, who is the most responsible person regarding the creation of these zombies?"
"Well..." John Davis contemplated for several moments, staring intently downwards towards tiles composing office building interior design's flooring surface, "It depends on which branch you refer to exactly, but generally speaking I don't know."
"Hmm?" Saeko narrowed her eyes suspiciously, observing his face closely.
"I-I was only a lowly researcher assigned to test a few things. I-I don't know anything more than what I told you." John Davis stammered anxiously.
"Is that so?" My brows creased ever so slightly, "Let's test it out then."
"W-Wait, wait!" John Davis raised his hands instinctively in a surrender gesture before pleading desperately for mercy. "I really don't know much more beyond my tasks! Believe me!"
'I don't believe it.'
Umbrella Corporation wouldn't send a Tyrant over him if he was just a worthless pawn.
They probably sent it to retrieve his corpse. Maybe they needed a brain of his? Or, they just wanted to silence him.
Whatever the case may be, I deemed him untrustworthy.
Hence, I pulled the trigger and shot him straight at his head.
Bang!
A hole appeared right between his wide eyes. I stepped back, expecting him to fall dead in a moment. However, what greeted my sight shocked both myself and Saeko.
"What the hell!?!"
John's skin turned pale with red veins appearing all over his exposed parts. His wound healed instantly, revealing a new fresh forehead with an intact skull.
"He... How?" I muttered in shock after witnessing such an unnatural phenomenon unfold right before mine own two eyes.
"Brother!"
Saeko immediately unsheathed her sword and beheaded John Davis decisively, looping his head and separating it completely from the rest of his body.
At that moment, his body convulsed violently as black blood spurted forth abundantly, spraying across the entire area. A strange movement could be seen around his severed neck, like an insect leg, twisting around in vain.
Then, with a spurt, a tentacle emerged from his headless neck, resembling a grotesque worm-like appendage covered in pulsating red veins.
It wriggled around erratically, forming a sharp spike made purely out of solidified muscle mass protruding from the topmost portion. Within moments it grew exponentially larger becoming nearly a meter tall, towering threateningly above us.
'Las Plagas!' I recognized it easily thanks to playing RE 4 multiple times.
A parasite originating from Spain,. If I remembered correctly, the game also described it as having intelligence, allowing them to communicate with others. That was the dominant one.
Las Plagas started out as tiny organisms burrowed within human hosts, manipulating them through nerve signals, granting incredible regeneration abilities and turning ordinary people into ferocious creatures capable of attacking anyone indiscriminately.
Just like zombies, but different.
To think that John Davis was infected with one! Could this be the safety key that all Umbrella Corporation researchers carried?
"It looks ugly." Saeko remarked calmly whilst slicing off the newly sprouted tentacle, causing it to fall lifelessly onto tiled floor with a sickening plop sound, spurting out copious amounts of foul smelling pus in process.
Thud!
I looked at the corpse quietly.
Investigating the lab again might be a good idea. If my guess was right, then the antidote that John Davis talked about was one that could kill the Las Plagas inside our bodies. Having it would guarantee our survival even if we were unlucky enough to meet them.
'Damn.'
***
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