Raccoon City: Uptown – Evening
Arlo and Link had zigzagged across half of Uptown Area of Raccoon City to get here. They'd ducked through alleyways littered with burning wreckage, stepped over broken glass, and avoided groups of the undead by cutting through narrow backstreets and derelict buildings. The deeper they moved into the city, the heavier the scent of rot became—like walking through the remnants of a collapsed world.
After dodging another small group of infected near a collapsed highway overpass, Arlo made a call. "No way we're waltzing up the main road," he muttered, eyeing the three dozen zombies limping through the intersections below. "Too many of them. I'm not burning through ammo unless I absolutely have to." He scanned the buildings around them and spotted a series of rooftops spaced close together. "Alright, vertical it is."
Thanks to the heightened reflexes and bodily control from the clown, climbing was less of a chore and more like a timed platformer. Arlo jumped, grabbed ledges with precision, and vaulted over gaps with ease. Link followed closely, assisted by Arlo's quick use of rope and anchoring lines when a jump was too far. Link moved like he'd been born for rooftops.
"Never thought I'd say this," Arlo panted as he climbed over a cracked stone parapet, "but I owe the clown's ability some respect."
They reached the final rooftop before the police station and crouched low. From there, Arlo had a clear view of the RPD building—massive and ominous under the moonlight. He could see the courtyard littered with corpses, some of them slowly twitching to life again. Burned-out cop cars and barricades formed a maze around the entrance.
Arlo glanced at Link. "You ready?" Link growled low, tail stiff. Arlo nodded. "Let's go."
Arlo sprinted toward the edge of the building and leapt. The gap was wide, but He landed on the roof of the police station with a roll, absorbing the impact. Link landed beside him with a soft thump. They dropped down into the front courtyard, careful not to disturb the nearby zombies.He sprinted toward the edge of the building and leapt. The gap was wide, but Arlo landed on the roof of the police station with a roll, absorbing the impact. Link landed beside him with a soft thump. They dropped down into the front courtyard, careful not to disturb the nearby corpses.Arlo pushed the heavy double doors open and stepped inside. The interior was dimly lit by flickering fluorescent lights. Immediately, he was hit by how wrong the place felt. "This isn't a police station," he muttered, surveying the massive pillars and the towering statue in the center of the lobby. "This is a damned cathedral."
They walked forward slowly, taking in the grandeur. The walls were lined with ornate molding. The floor tiles gleamed like marble, despite the papers and bullet casings strewn about. The statue of the goddess loomed ahead like some kind of shrine guardian, arms raised toward the high ceiling.
"Who designs a station like this?" Arlo grumbled. "What was the budget? And who thought puzzles in a law enforcement building were a great idea?"
Still, something about the layout felt oddly familiar. The staircases. The placement of the reception desk. The blocked-off west hallway. Then it clicked—this wasn't just from the original game. It was the remake. The more realistic one. That meant the layout was a mix of both timelines. Which also meant...
Arlo narrowed his eyes. "The events from both versions are smashed into one timeline. Jill's not where she should be. Brad's missing. But the RPD layout matches the remake... which means this world isn't same from the game. It's blended." His brows furrowed. He couldn't rely solely on memories. Not anymore. From this point on, he'd have to assume everything could shift—events, characters, enemy placements.With that thought hanging heavy in his mind, he pointed toward the second-floor hallway. "Come on, Link. Let's check the STARS Office." The statue watched silently as Arlo and Link ascended the staircase, their shadows cast long across the marble floor.
***
Racoon City Police Department: 2ND Floor, Library – Night
The climb up to the second floor hadn't been too bad — fewer creaky floorboards and fewer undead compared to the chaos below. Arlo led the way, sidearm drawn, the weight of the Pit Viper comforting in his grip. Link padded behind him with quiet discipline, his sharp eyes scanning every shadow. They arrived at a thick set of double doors.
"Library's ahead," Arlo muttered, glancing at Link. "Right. No noise. Good boy." The dog nodded once, no bark, no growl — just cold readiness. Arlo smirked.
He twisted the handle slowly, then kicked the door open in one quick motion. Pit Viper raised, he scanned from left to right in a tight sweep. No movement. The smell of rot, old wood, and dust hit immediately. The library was massive — two floors with a central area flanked by staircases and metal catwalks. The room was bathed in dim golden light from hanging chandeliers, half-flickering. Books were scattered everywhere — toppled shelves, broken ladders, blood smears on the polished floor.
Using his [Spirit Vision], Arlo pinged three corpses sprawled across the lower level. "No life signs… Leon's been here," he muttered. That meant someone was ahead of him. Probably dealt with the mess already. Arlo felt both relieved and annoyed. "Could've left a note or something."
They moved forward cautiously. He avoided stepping on fallen books or broken glass. Any sound could bring a new threat. On the far side, a half-ajar door caught his attention — the path to the lounge.
As they passed through into the west hallway, the mood shifted. The air felt heavier, more humid. Arlo paused. That familiar tingle crept up the back of his neck. Danger intuition — flaring like a five-alarm fire. Link tensed, hackles rising. His growl was low, a vibrating warning. Arlo's eyes followed the line of his snout, then raised upward.
Something clung to the ceiling near the far wall. It was grotesque — muscle tissue peeled back to expose a pulsing brain, claws like scythes, tongue twitching like a whip. No eyes. No skin. Just raw nerves and death.
"Licker…"Arlo whispered, activating [Spirit Vision]. The aura around the creature was a mix of red, black, and deep violet — corrupted, enraged, hungry.
He Arlo then activated his [Observe] immeditaely to see the Licker's Stats
---
Status Window
LickerRace: Undead (T-Virus)
Level: 15
HP: 160/160
MP: 0/0
Stats:
Strength: 15
Dexterity: 18
Intelligence: 7
Charisma: -10
Luck: 0
Endurance: 22
Wisdom: -5
Skills: T-Virus Mutation LV: 6/10, Cannibal LV: 7/10, Infection LV: 6/10
Status: Secondary Evolution of Infected zombies by the T-Virus
Description: A secondary evolution after a Zombie that have consumed large quantities of biomass to sustain their metabolism. They have exposed and expanded brains, lack of skin and eyes, extreme sensitivity to sound, substantive and newly reformed muscle structure and reformed bone structure, large talons and eponymous barbed tongues, the latter of which are capable of piercing flesh and decapitating prey.
Weakness: Exposed Brain
Threat Level: High
---
Link shifted on his paws — a creak underfoot.
Too late.
The Licker hissed. Its tongue lashed forward like a javelin. Arlo ducked and rolled left, his instincts firing milliseconds before impact. He twisted his body mid-roll and slashed upward with his threaded cane — the blade cleanly severed the creature's tongue. It screeched and flailed.
Arlo rose and drew his Pit Viper, aiming directly for its exposed brain.
Bang!
[Headshot - 24 Critical Damage]
Bang!
[Headshot - 30 Critical Damage]
Bang!
[Headshot - 20 Critical Damage]
Bang!
[Headshot - 26 Critical Damage]
Each shot echoed through the hall, punching holes into the Licker's head. It screamed and leapt — even wounded, it was fast. Too fast. It lunged.Link reacted first. He charged and slammed into the side of the Licker, forcing it off-course mid-air. The creature crashed into the wall. Arlo didn't hesitate. He dropped his pistol, gripped the threaded cane in both hands, and drove it into the monster's brain.
Once.
[Pierce - 110 Critical Damage]
Twice.
[Pierce - 152 Critical Damage]
Three.
[Pierce - 122 Critical Damage]
Four.
[Pierce - 116 Critical Damage]
Each strike was vicious, deliberate — straight into the brain. Blood splattered across his coat and face. With the fifth stab, the Licker twitched, gurgled, and went limp.
[Pierce - 140 Critical Damage]
[EXP Gained: +500]
The hallway went quiet again.
Maybe It was overkill, Arlo thought
Arlo stood over it, breathing hard. "Thanks, Link," he said, wiping blood from his brow. "You're quicker than me today." Link wagged his tail once, then went back to scanning the dark.Arlo checked himself. Bloodstains, but no bites. That was a win. He wiped his cane off on the creature's body and holstered his Pit Viper. He scavenged around and found a half-full box of shotgun shells behind an overturned desk.
"Well, that confirms it," he said, loading the shells into his inventory. "If Leon came through here, he sure didn't clean up." He looked down the corridor toward the S.T.A.R.S. Office. "Let's finish this wing before it finishes us."
***
Racoon City Police Department: S.T.A.R.S. Office
Arlo pushed open the door to the S.T.A.R.S. Office, gun raised. His eyes swept the dim room automatically — corners first, then the desk clusters. No movement. No sound but the faint static of a busted radio. He lowered his weapon and exhaled. "Clear."
Link padded in behind him, sniffing around cautiously. The room had a familiar layout — too familiar. Desks arranged in neat, paired stations. A glass case stood near the back wall with a model revolver inside. Posters, papers, and dusty S.T.A.R.S. insignia flags hung in static silence. In one corner, a more polished private office sat closed off, clearly belonging to someone important. Arlo guessed: Wesker.
"Man, this place is like a time capsule from the late '90s," he muttered, moving toward the radio equipment bolted beside one of the desks. He'd expected something significant in here — some kind of clue, maybe a survivor note. Instead, just the heavy stillness of abandoned workspaces. On a small shelf beside the lockers, he spotted a box of 12-gauge shells and swept them into his inventory without ceremony.That's when the static broke into garbled noise. Arlo snapped to attention, turning toward the console near the lockers. He twisted the frequency dial slowly until a broken transmission started coming through.
"...No...Come...head...to...Subway...Station...Our platoon is...off...We have been... survivors... This is Carlos... se—...poi—... immediately..."
Then silence.
Arlo stared at the console a moment longer, as if it might miraculously start broadcasting again. "Carlos... so this confirms it. U.B.C.S. are still here and calling for survivors. They're in Subways Station." He turned to Link. "Change of plans. We're going underground." Link gave a low bark, tail straight with alertness.
Arlo exited the office and made his way back through the west hallway. His pace quickened, knowing time was running short. If Carlos and the U.B.C.S. were coordinating survivors, then Jill might also head there — if she wasn't already there.He descended the stairs to the first floor and headed toward the East hallway. "Basement's through the Break Room," he muttered. "Assuming the way's not flooded with infected..."
As they entered the corridor, Arlo spotted the bent frame of the Watchman's Room shutter. It was pried open — possibly by Jill, maybe not. A mangled corpse was on the other side, missing its head. Arlo stepped through cautiously.
No sooner had his boots hit the hallway floor than his Danger Intuition flared. A crack of shattering glass echoed behind him. Two zombies burst through the windows, one snarling as it lunged straight for his face.Before Arlo could react, Link slammed into the first zombie mid-air, sending it crashing into the wall. The second clawed at Arlo's side — too close — but he ducked low and fired twice from the Pit Viper. The shots echoed in the tight corridor.
[Headshot – 28 Critical Damage ]
[Headshot – 31 Critical Damage]
[EXP Gained: +100]
The zombie collapsed. Arlo turned and fired a third shot into the first zombie as it got up from the floor.
Headshot – 34 Critical Damage]
[EXP Gained: +100]
It went limp.
They rounded the corner. Ahead, the heavy metal door marked "Basement Access." Arlo pushed it open slowly. A long stairwell descended into flickering darkness. Cold air rose from below.
"Let's hope there aren't any Lickers down here too." Together, they moved down, one cautious step at a time — into the dark underbelly of the station, and toward the Subway Station.