Chapter 100: Departure

While Ma Jun and his group easily dispatched the zombies blocking their path and prepared to leave the Hive with their substantial haul, Alice and the others continued to struggle against the undead.

Without prior combat experience, it was extremely difficult to break out of such cramped quarters when faced with hundreds of zombies. This was especially true since the most seasoned mercenaries in Alice's team had been slaughtered by the Red Queen in the laser corridor. The remaining survivors—a female mercenary, a bystander, and a computer expert—were not particularly adept at combat, and their ammunition was running low. Fortunately, Alice finally began to recover fragments of her memory, demonstrating formidable skill as she led the wounded and weary survivors through the gauntlet. Although Ma Jun knew that, according to the original plot, only Alice and Matt were likely to survive, he decided against intervening.

Upon returning to the manor, Ma Jun received calls from Qian Lao Er and Qian Lao San. Their communication equipment was a private setup located in the town of Stoneville, not far from Raccoon City.

"Boss, the Umbrella Corporation has arrived, and they have tightly surrounded the manor. Should we eliminate them?" Qian Lao Er asked over the communicator from a small forest further away from the estate.

"They are here to clean up the mess! I suspect they are also after the research data inside the Hive," Ma Jun replied, unfazed. "How many people did they bring?"

"Five transport trucks, three military jeeps, ten researchers, fifty combat personnel, and twenty-three support staff," Qian Lao Er reported meticulously.

"Bring out our armored vehicle and come to extract me," Ma Jun said after a moment's thought. "Remember, the main goal is extraction, not killing. I am still counting on them to capture Alice so they can produce results."

"Understood!" Qian Yaoduo replied. He glanced at Qian Boduo, who was holding a tablet projecting a 3D map of the manor. "Boss, we will arrive at the northwest side of the manor in three minutes. Please break out from that point."

"Very well."

Ma Jun nodded in satisfaction and led his ten subordinates to the designated location. By now, the sky outside had plunged into total darkness. Through the windows, one could see the Umbrella Corporation operatives busy setting up their equipment.

The ten low-level cyborgs stood guard with their weapons raised, shielding Ma Jun in the center. Qian Xuduo was fully armed and produced a set of clothing from his spatial ring. "Boss, although you possess exceptional martial arts and formidable strength, bullets have no eyes. If you were to be accidentally injured, it would be quite troublesome. For safety's sake, please put on this bulletproof vest."

"No," Ma Jun refused. Dressed in simple sportswear and carrying no weapons, he stood out starkly against his fully armed subordinates. While Qian Xuduo’s point was valid, Ma Jun had full confidence in his men and his own abilities.

Failing to flatter the boss, Qian Xuduo looked disappointed and put the gear away. A moment later, he said, "Boss, they are here!"

Outside the manor, the Umbrella Corporation team was busy setting up defensive measures. They were still unaware that the T-virus had mutated to spread through blood, so they remained extremely cautious. They had received some information about the situation inside the Hive, but rather than feeling frustrated, they were somewhat pleased. Although the leak had cost them money and manpower, it had effectively served as a valuable live-combat experiment. The initial team sent to shut down the Red Queen had been expendable; the personnel arriving now were the real cleanup crew.

An Umbrella executive had even arrived in person, nervously waiting for his team to enter the Hive, when suddenly, lights and noise appeared in the distance.

A subordinate ran over. "Mr. Cless, a vehicle is charging toward us. The situation is unclear."

"The company did not authorize any follow-up personnel!" Cless frowned and barked, "Stop them immediately! Capture everyone in the vehicle. If they resist with force, you are authorized to open fire. Try to take them alive, though!"

"Yes!"

The Umbrella elites quickly fanned out, deploying interception barriers. However, the armored vehicle driven by Qian Yaoduo was custom-built, reinforced with superconducting ore capable of withstanding small-caliber artillery. It had no tires, operating instead on an anti-gravity system. It plowed through the defenses with unstoppable force.

The Umbrella combatants stared in shock. "Fire! Take them out!"

Dozens of soldiers opened fire, tongues of flame flickering in the night as they unleashed a hail of lead and grenades. Yet, the armored vehicle remained completely unaffected.

Inside the manor, Ma Jun observed the situation. Seeing the vehicle approach, he ordered, "Move out! Break through now!"

At his command, the ten cyborg soldiers blew through the wall. Protected by a cloud of smoke, they escorted Ma Jun as they charged.

"Damn it! There are enemies inside the manor!" Cless roared in surprise and anger. "Kill them! That armored vehicle is there to extract them!"

"Who are they? How do they know about the Hive? Have they already been inside? Is it the government or a private entity trying to oppose Umbrella?" While issuing orders, Cless felt a sense of trepidation and suspicion. He quickly picked up his communicator to report the situation to company headquarters.

As Ma Jun's group charged, the Umbrella soldiers swung their weapons to intercept them. The low-level cyborgs were wearing specially modified sportswear that acted as armor; it was bulletproof, capable of absorbing the impact of rounds, and provided full coverage, even protecting their faces and hands. Coupled with the inherent strength of the cyborgs, the bullets felt like pebbles being tossed from a distance; they caused no damage at all.

Ma Jun remained in the center of the tight formation, which left no gaps and blocked every shot, ensuring his safety. Although he remained composed, he stayed focused. While he did not participate in the counter-attack, he kept a close watch on the situation, ready to dodge if any stray bullets managed to penetrate the perimeter. For a master of internal martial arts, evading conventional gunfire was not a problem.

As the group moved rapidly, the cyborgs would occasionally fire a single shot whenever they spotted concentrated enemy fire, neutralizing the threat. Soon, they reached the armored vehicle. The rear door pushed open, and Ma Jun’s party leapt inside in an orderly fashion. Qian Yaoduo then maneuvered the vehicle around and sped off, leaving a trail of dust in their wake.

"Damn it, you bunch of useless fools!" Cless cursed, furious that his men had failed their mission and allowed these mysterious interlopers to escape. He glared at the bodies of his fallen men, consumed by rage.

"Mr. Cless, shall we pursue them?"

"They have superior equipment! Are you trying to get yourselves killed by chasing them?" Cless snapped. "I have already reported this to the company; they will handle it. Our primary task is to enter the Hive and see what’s inside!"

The Umbrella staff prepared their protective gear, setting up a containment shield at the entrance. A team of researchers and combatants, fully suited in hazmat gear, pushed the doors open, only to find Alice and Matt standing directly in their path.

Without a word, they immediately seized the two of them and led them away.