The sudden chaos froze the security team. The masked, silver-haired girl flipped them off playfully, then bolted.
Li Yexing seized the moment, leaning out to unleash a barrage on the team. The strike was brutal—at least three went down. As they returned fire, he rolled off the building, landing steady. The gangs were closing in again after the scuffle. He needed a new perch to snipe toward the main street, where Lilith was headed.
BSAA hadn't pursued, likely pulling out. If he could help the gangs wipe out the security team, this first wave was done.
…
Chris, crouched in an alley, watched the silver-haired girl kick a hulking Black guy like a soda can. He flew, done for—half-dead at best.
He was certain: she was the mission's target BOW. But where was the merc from the intel?
Then, on a low-rise two buildings away, an Asian man in a vest flipped down, back to Chris's corner, sprinting toward the street.
"Found you," Chris muttered, taking a breath. Checking the coast was clear, he chased after. At the street's edge, he saw Li Yexing climb another building while the silver-haired BOW lifted a red sedan and hurled it at the security team.
"Insane strength…" Chris breathed. He crept up to Li Yexing's building. Up top, Li Yexing aimed at the security team, unaware. Chris approached quietly, pressing his gun to Li Yexing's head.
"Don't move. Hands up!" Chris ordered.
Li Yexing had to admit he'd underestimated Lilith's combat skills. That kick sending the Black guy flying and now lifting a car left him stunned. Watching her hammer the security team into a panicked retreat, he realized his tactics were off from the start.
He should've let Lilith go full Call of Duty F2A—she'd probably steamroll the security team and gangs alike.
But that led to another problem. Too caught up in her badassery, he'd let his guard down, and someone sneaked up on him.
"Don't move. Hands up!"
A commanding voice boomed as a cold barrel pressed against his skull. Li Yexing reacted instantly, spinning to grab the gun and shove it aside. It fired, the shot ringing his ears, but he didn't flinch. He kicked the man's gut, expecting him to drop. Instead, the guy staggered back two steps—tougher than expected. Li Yexing raised his gun, the man did the same, and they locked in a standoff.
Then Li Yexing froze. That chiseled face, explosive muscles, and BSAA uniform…
"Chris?!" he blurted.
Chris frowned, taken aback. "You know me?"
Know you? Hell yeah. Li Yexing wondered if he should say, "Chris, I'm your fan!" to gain an edge if this turned ugly.
Kidding. He knew Chris's combat stats were off the charts. Resident Evil's OG hero, fighting from 1998's Resident Evil to Resident Evil 7's "Not a Hero" DLC. Alongside that CIA agent torching Spanish villages, they were the Biohazard Duo. Even Neo, dodging bullets like Keanu Reeves, fell to Chris in Resident Evil 5. Li Yexing, now a hotheaded merc instead of a wage warrior, wouldn't last a round against him.
"You shouldn't get involved, Chris…" Li Yexing grinned. "O'Brien's out. No one's got your back."
Chris's confusion deepened. This merc knew too much.
Seeing that, Li Yexing relaxed slightly. He feared Chris might go hand-to-hand any second, so he needed to play mysterious and stall. Lilith didn't seem to need him yet, but he was the one in trouble now, hoping she'd come clutch.
"I know more than you think," Li Yexing said, smirking, lowering his gun. "We're not enemies."
Maybe trusting Resident Evil's hero, he'd gamble. Dropping his gun and acting open might keep Chris from suplexing him. But Chris wasn't buying it—Li Yexing's confidence looked like arrogance.
"Who are you? Who do you work for?" Chris demanded.
Rough. Li Yexing felt cornered. To stall and defuse, he had to choose his words carefully, avoiding too much plot-spoiling. Worldline shifts were a nightmare for a transmigrator like him who knew the lore.
"Just me, a guy living by guns and bullets. I don't work for anyone, just know a bit much from jobs," Li Yexing said, meeting Chris's gaze. "Don't look at me like that. I lowered my gun. If you want answers, show some trust. We can solve this peacefully."
Chris hesitated, then lowered his gun. "This good?"
Li Yexing grinned. Lucky it was Chris—straight-laced. If it was the other Biohazard hero, he'd be pinned the second he dropped his gun.
"Ask away, Chris. I'll tell all."
Like hell. I'm stalling for my girl to save me.
"You're Li Yexing, right?" Chris asked.
"Yup, that's me."
"You took our mission target during BSAA's op a few days ago, right?"
"Gotta be honest, yeah."
"Why?" Chris pressed, frowning. "Protecting your employer's asset? Selling the BOW on the black market? Or working for someone?"
"Would you believe me if I said it was for love?"
"Answer me!" Chris snapped, his gun twitching upward.
"I'm not lying! If I knew the job was transporting a BOW, I wouldn't have taken it," Li Yexing said, venting to Chris. "Your BSAA ambush was bad enough, but then I find two Tyrants in the convoy? I was floored. Then a girl falls out of the truck. I took pity and got her out. What's wrong with that? Isn't that what anyone with a shred of love and justice would do? Why am I the bad guy here?"
"Love and justice?" Chris laughed, incredulous. "A merc who kills for cash, preaching love and justice?"
"Well… you're not wrong. I planned to return her to the employer for cash at first…" Li Yexing's smile softened. "But she changed me. She said she liked me, and honestly, I like her too. So I changed my mind. I'm not handing her over."
Looking at Chris, he grinned. "I'm used to being alone, but having a partner's not bad."
Chris's face was like he'd seen a ghost. Logic told him Li Yexing was bullshitting, but that genuine, sappy smile said otherwise. This guy meant it.
This dude wants to date a BOW!
Chris vaguely recalled Rockfort Island years ago—a German incestuous sibling pair, the brother a cross-dressing psycho, the sister a BOW frozen for 15 years. At least they had history. This merc? Love at first sight with a BOW?!
Lunatic!
"Forget it… you're too straight-laced to get it," Li Yexing said, waving it off. "Look, Chris, you're not taking her today. We'll handle the security team. Just let us go, okay, BSAA hero?"
Clearing his head, Chris shook it. "No way. I can't let a dangerous BOW stay out there. She belongs with BSAA."
"And BSAA will do what? Dissect her? Destroy her?"
"No. I'll make sure that doesn't happen."
"Save it," Li Yexing scoffed. "I trust you, Chris, but not BSAA. Especially after O'Brien's exit. That NGO's just a violent machine now, no humanity left."
Chris wanted to argue but couldn't. Li Yexing's jab at BSAA stung.
Finally, Chris shook his head. "Sorry, no deal. She goes to BSAA. I'll push for humane treatment and visitation rights if you join us."
Li Yexing sighed. Only one card left.
"If we end this now, I'll tell you something you can't dig up yourself. About Wesker," he said, staring into Chris's eyes, each word deliberate.
Chris froze at the name.