"..."
"Okay, I'm pressing it..."
Hearing Javier's lack of concern, Rebecca helplessly shook her head and reached out to press the button on the control panel.
"Click!"
"Buzz—!!!"
The moment the button was pressed, the red alarm sounded throughout the entire training ground. The buzzing alarm echoed, and from the ceiling, several metal transport capsules suddenly dropped, crashing heavily onto the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust. As the capsules split open, a tall, dark figure emerged from the rolling dust.
Seeing the transport capsules crash to the ground, Javier, Rebecca, and Billy all stared intently at the figure below. What kind of B.O.W. was the Umbrella Corporation secretly researching?
The trio was undeniably curious. Rebecca and Billy, however, were also incredibly tense, gripping their handgun and shotgun tightly, ready to pull the trigger at any moment.
"Hiss..."
A low hiss slowly filled the air.
As the dust settled, the dark figure's true form was revealed. Its back was curved and hunched, and its entire body was covered in hard, green scales, like a standing lizard-man. It had orange-yellow eyes, a mouth full of fangs, and huge arms. The claws on its hands were as sharp as five sickles. This was a lizard-like creature created by the Umbrella Corporation.
In the corporation's files, this lizard-man was designated as a Hunter!
Hunters were organic life-form bio-weapons created by Umbrella. They were a species born from the genetic modification of humans, with the T-Virus acting as a binding agent. They were produced by transplanting reptilian donor DNA onto a fertilized human embryo, with the exception of the Hunter γ, which was created by transplanting human DNA onto a fertilized amphibian egg.
The use of fertilized embryos for modification was a testament to the Umbrella Corporation's cruelty. Imagine the brutal process required to create a Hunter. Even an artificially fertilized embryo is a life. To arbitrarily alter human genes and fuse them with the genes of other creatures was a crime against the natural laws of creation.
The Umbrella Corporation's attempt to play God and create a new species was not only a violation of nature but also a crime against human ethics. These two points alone were enough for Umbrella to be punished by the heavens, not to mention that they used Hunters as tools to kill. It was simply unforgivable!
The Hunter in front of them was an original, alpha model.
The Hunter was one of Umbrella's most successful and oldest products, having entered production in the 1980s. After the fall of the Umbrella Corporation, other bio-weapon manufacturers utilized the research data to create new Hunter species; the "Injured" being one of the more recent variants.
The Hunter's primary attack method was to use its steel-like claws to tear enemies to shreds. Combined with its massive strength, high-burst speed, and the durability of its scales, it was far superior to a regular soldier. The Hunter also possessed a degree of intelligence, making it controllable. This B.O.W. was indeed one of Umbrella's proudest initial creations.
Umbrella had already conducted countless experiments in this training ground to gather combat data on the Hunter.
"What kind of monster is that?"
"Is it a lizard-man? Or what?"
Upon seeing the Hunter below them, Rebecca and Billy were stunned. They could handle the Eliminator apes and Plague Crawlers, but what was this lizard-man? Compared to the apes and crawlers, the Hunter was the real monster.
"Roar!"
While Javier and the others were in a daze, the Hunter below suddenly roared. Its yellow eyes locked onto the trio in the control room. The Hunter's leg muscles tensed, and with a slight push, it leaped onto the staircase on the side of the wall with ghost-like speed, charging towards the trio!
"Quick, close the door!"
Javier was startled by the monster's incredible speed. He took a large stride forward, gripped the handle of the control room's iron door, and slammed it shut with all his might. With a loud bang, the heavy door closed, sealing the control room.
However, just as the door closed, the Hunter's body slammed against it. Staring at the trio through the glass, the Hunter's yellow eyes burned with killing intent. It raised its sharp steel claws and smashed them against the door, trying to tear through it.
"Hiss—!"
"Thud—!!!"
A heavy thud echoed as the sharp steel claws struck the door. Unfortunately for the Hunter, the control room's door was made of bulletproof glass. The surrounding frame was reinforced with steel, and the transparent glass itself was high-grade bulletproof material that could withstand even assault rifle fire.
Even its sharp claws, which could tear apart prey in an instant, only managed to leave a dent. The outer layer of the bulletproof glass was shattered, but it was not completely broken. A very thick layer remained to block the attack.
The bulletproof glass was made by sandwiching layers of Plexiglas and special plastic fibers. This meant the glass wasn't made from sand, but rather from hardened transparent plastic, with layer upon layer of carbon fiber added. When the thickness reached several centimeters, it could withstand extremely powerful impacts.
Don't underestimate that thickness. The layers could number in the hundreds, even thousands, like steel refined many times over. Just as two books with their pages interlaced can withstand tons of force, this glass could easily withstand the attacks of a mere Hunter!
"..."
"This thing must have forgotten this is bulletproof glass. Mere brute force isn't going to get it through. While it's distracted... Rebecca, you stay in the control room and keep its attention. Don't worry, it absolutely cannot get in. The researchers at the facility wouldn't joke around with shoddy glass when their own safety is at stake."
"Billy, let's go around from the other side and flank this Hunter. A pincer attack should make it easy to take down."
Watching the Hunter still furiously smashing its claws against the bulletproof glass, Javier suddenly had an idea. He quickly explained his plan to Rebecca and Billy. It was a simple flanking maneuver: leave one person in the safety of the control room to act as bait, while the other two snuck out to ambush the creature.
The role of bait... would be Rebecca.
After all, Rebecca was a woman and a medic. It would be too risky to send her out alone; it would be bad if she got hurt. So, the flanking maneuver had to be done by Javier and Billy.
Rebecca didn't express any dissatisfaction with the plan. She knew that as long as she wasn't a liability, that was enough. The monster outside was incredibly fast, and with her mediocre aim, she would likely be easily caught. Since that was the case, it was better to leave the fighting to Billy and Javier.
With the plan decided in a few words, Javier took off his tactical backpack.
He reloaded his M500 revolver and Desert Eagle and gave Billy a knowing look. Billy nodded in return. The two of them quietly snuck out the back of the control room. The back of the control room led to the weapons storage room, which also had a back door. They could slip out undetected and flank the Hunter from the side.
Meanwhile—
Rebecca held her M1897 shotgun and began poking at the Hunter outside the bulletproof glass. Although she couldn't actually touch it, her actions infuriated the creature, drawing its full attention. This was her job, after all.
"Roar, roar, roar—!!!!"
When the Hunter noticed Rebecca's provocation, its hissing grew even more piercing. It began swinging its two muscular arms like giant blades, slamming them furiously against the bulletproof glass. The resounding clangs grew louder, and the cracks on the glass became more prominent.
It looked like the glass was about to break.
Rebecca was startled. Could this monster really shatter the bulletproof glass? That was ridiculous! The provocative movements of her hand slowed down. She was afraid the monster would actually break the glass and jump in.
In reality, it was just Rebecca's illusion. The bulletproof glass had hundreds, if not thousands, of layers. The Hunter had only broken through a part of it. The outer cracks on the glass looked significant, leading her to mistakenly believe it was about to give way.
"Pitter-patter..."
"Pitter-patter..."
Meanwhile, Javier and Billy had quietly snuck out. They had successfully escaped the control room through the back of the weapons storage room and were now on the training ground floor. The Hunter had not noticed them at all. While Hunters possessed a degree of intelligence, it didn't mean their minds were complex. Their intelligence was similar to that of a smart wild animal. With one prey provoking it directly, it wouldn't notice two others escaping.
And so—
Just like that, Javier and Billy safely made it to opposite sides of the training ground, getting into position without the Hunter's knowledge. They both raised their weapons. Javier gripped his Desert Eagle with both hands, steadying his aim on the Hunter's head. The distance was about thirty meters, which was not difficult for a shooting prodigy like him. In fact, it was easy.
Billy Coen, on the other side, also raised his 9mm handgun. As a former Marine Corps lieutenant, this distance was also no problem for him.
The next second, the two men acted as one.
They nodded slightly and pulled their triggers at the exact same moment!
"Bang bang—!!!"
"Bang bang—!!!"
Two gunshots rang out simultaneously. One was powerful, the other weaker, but both were aimed at the Hunter's head. They flew towards their target with incredible speed. In theory, no living creature could react quickly enough to this kind of pincer attack. They were certain to be hit. But this "impossible" situation led to a development that stunned both Javier and Billy.
"Whoosh—!"
"Clang, clang, clang...!"
Just as Javier and Billy thought their flanking plan had succeeded, the Hunter's next move took them by surprise. Upon hearing the two deafening gunshots, its yellow eyes narrowed. As if it had anticipated the danger, it suddenly bent down and crouched to the ground.
This momentary crouch was a pure, instinctual dodge.
It unbelievably avoided both of their attacks. The bullets flew past and hit the walls of the training ground, sending sparks flying. This maneuver left both Javier and Billy speechless. What was that? Pure luck or instinct?
"Roar!"
But before they could react, the Hunter seized the moment the bullets missed and launched a counterattack. It leaped up from the ground, its yellow eyes immediately locking onto Javier. Its instinct told it that the shot from this side was more dangerous, and he needed to be dealt with immediately!
Its instinct was not wrong. Javier, with his Desert Eagle and M500 revolver, certainly had the power to end the Hunter's life in an instant. In contrast, Billy, armed with a 9mm pistol and an antique shotgun, could hardly inflict a fatal wound. So, the Hunter targeting Javier was the optimal choice.
It truly was a killer... its instinctive choices were incredibly decisive and correct!
"..."
"Shit, it's targeted me?!"
The moment the Hunter's yellow eyes locked onto him, the surge of killing intent made Javier curse. He quickly switched weapons, aiming his loaded M500 revolver at the approaching Hunter. He locked onto the target in half a second and immediately pulled the trigger!
"Bang—!"
"Boom—!!!"
A massive gunshot echoed. A thick, orange-yellow bullet shot out. The power! If it hit the Hunter's head, it would undoubtedly blow it off in an instant, and it would be a very easy shot.
But—
Javier had underestimated the monster's instinct. After all, it was a creature born from a modified human embryo. While its intelligence couldn't compare to a real human, the instinct to sever its own arm to survive was something the Hunter could certainly do...!