Resident evil : Rise of a Monster english

Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Easier Than Expected



As Tintin and I finished securing the research center, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor. I looked up, intrigued, and saw Chris entering the main room, followed by Sophie and around thirty surviving soldiers. They looked visibly worn from the events, with torn uniforms and minor injuries, but they were here—armed and ready to fight despite everything.

"And there you go, boss. Mission accomplished," Chris announced as he approached me with a tired grin. "About thirty soldiers still able to stand, and Sophie did a great job convincing them to follow us."

Sophie, standing beside Chris, nodded, a shy smile on her face. "It was thanks to your order and the badge. They realized that sticking with Chris and me was their best option."

I nodded, satisfied. "Good work, both of you." I then turned to Tintin, who was silently observing the room.

"Tintin," I called, catching his attention. "You'll stay here and look after the survivors. Make sure everyone is safe and start organizing a defense in case those creatures come back."

Tintin placed a hand on his rifle and nodded with exemplary seriousness. "Understood, sir. No monsters will get past me."

I placed a hand on his massive shoulder. "I'm counting on you."

Turning back to Chris, I noticed a faint flicker of hesitation in his eyes. His gaze briefly shifted to Sophie, who was discussing plans with a group of soldiers. She didn't seem to notice his attention, fully engrossed in her role as coordinator. I cleared my throat softly, snapping Chris out of his thoughts.

"Chris," I said with a smirk. "You're coming with me. We still have business to settle at the mansion."

He straightened up quickly and nodded. "Of course, Gérald." He cast one last glance at Sophie, who gave him a distracted smile, unaware of the exchange. Then he turned to me, ready to move on.

As we carefully made our way toward the mansion, checking every corner to avoid surprises, I glanced at Chris and noticed his slightly distracted expression. An amused smile crept across my face.

"So, Chris," I began teasingly, "has Miss Sophie caught the eye of our dear hero?"

Chris groaned, clearly caught off guard. "Gérald… Seriously? Focus on the mission."

I couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Come on, don't be shy. You know as well as I do that we can handle Alexia with what we've got. So relax a bit and talk to me. If you want, I can arrange a little meet-up for you two."

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head slightly, but I saw a faint smile appear on his face. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"Absolutely not," I replied with a laugh, before shooting out a hidden camera tucked into the corner of the wall. The camera exploded in a shower of sparks.

Chris took the opportunity to destroy another camera further ahead with a precise shot from his sidearm. "I see you haven't lost your old habits, Gérald. Always taking out anything that watches us."

I shrugged with a sly grin. "You never know. But back to you and Sophie—are you really planning to wait?"

Chris sighed, but his tone was lighter this time. "Alright, fine. I admit it. I like her. She's smart, brave, and she has a kindness I haven't seen in many people lately. But… now's not the time. We're in the middle of a mission, and I'd like to see her again in a less… apocalyptic setting."

I gave him a friendly pat on the back. "That's all I wanted to hear, my friend. Let's finish this mission, and I'll make sure she gets invited to our next gathering, in a much calmer setting."

Chris nodded with a sincere smile. "Thanks, Gérald. Alright, let's focus. Alexia's probably having a good laugh in there, but she has no idea what's coming."

Aside from a few unfortunate infected souls and some zombie dogs, nothing of particular interest caught my attention as we made our way to the mansion.

The Ashford Manor stood before us, an imposing and austere structure dominated by gothic architecture. The gray stones were marred by time, and carved gargoyles perched on the cornices, adding a sinister touch to the place. The air was heavy and dusty, a mix of mold and cold stone.

As we entered the main hall, our footsteps echoed on the cracked marble floor. Portraits of the Ashford family lined the walls, their aristocratic faces staring into the void with chilling detachment. The place, though dilapidated, retained a sinister grandeur, a testament to the family's faded glory. A large broken clock stood in the center of the room, and a dusty chandelier hung from the ceiling, swaying slightly in an inexplicable draft.

I sighed, glancing at the portraits, more out of curiosity than genuine interest. "I wonder if Alexia has some new type of virus that could help me regain some of the abilities I used to have."

Chris gave me an amused look, a sly grin tugging at his lips. "For your sake, I hope so, Gérald. You've upgraded all of us so much, it's a bit unfair that you're the weakest now."

I rolled my eyes and flipped him off without a word, which sent him into fits of laughter.

Suddenly, a mechanical rumble echoed through the hall, and a wall to our right began to slide open, revealing a hidden passage. A massive shadow loomed in the opening, and an imposing creature emerged. It was a first-generation Tyrant, but modified. Its hulking body was covered in scars and protrusions, and its hands had been replaced with enormous bony clubs, ready to crush anything in their path.

I sighed, casting a disinterested glance at the creature advancing toward us, its heavy steps resonating through the hall. "Seriously?"

Chris shrugged, a mocking smile on his lips. "Looks like Alexia doesn't have much new to offer. Recycling old models—how pathetic."

I focused on the creature, quickly assessing it. "So, do you want to handle it physically, or should we gun it down together?"

Chris yawned dramatically and leaned against a wall, feigning relaxation. "Go ahead and take it out with your magnum. If anything unexpected happens, I'll step in."

I rolled my eyes. "Lazy," I muttered with a laugh, drawing my magnum. I aimed for its exposed heart and fired, the bullet piercing the flesh with a dull thud. But instead of falling, the Tyrant staggered slightly, and a plant-like growth sprouted from its chest, shielding its heart from further shots. Blood sprayed from its wounds, briefly igniting and illuminating the room with a sinister glow.

My smile widened. "Well, maybe this model has some potential after all."

The creature began charging, swinging its massive bony clubs with brutal force. I narrowly dodged, its blows shattering the floor and sending shards of marble flying in all directions. With each dodge, I fired another shot, aiming for any weak points I could spot, but the growths continued to shield its heart.

The Tyrant swung one of its clubs at me, and I dove to the side, rolling to avoid the impact. The spot where I had been seconds earlier was now a smoldering crater. "Could you stop destroying the hall?" I yelled at the creature, more to myself than to it.

After several minutes of a tense fight, during which the Tyrant proved more resilient than I had expected, I chained together a series of well-placed shots at its joints, forcing it to slow down. Finally, it collapsed heavily to the ground, its body torn apart but still alive.

I approached cautiously, fired one last round into its arm to ensure it couldn't retaliate, and then touched it to capture it into my factory.

Standing up, I wiped the sweat from my forehead and looked over at Chris, who was still leaning against the wall, an amused smile on his face. "There, problem solved. And a new model for our science team to analyze."

Chris nodded, impressed despite himself. "Well, at least that fight gave you a bit of a workout."

We quickly swept through the ground floor without finding anything noteworthy, though the oppressive atmosphere of the mansion made every step feel heavier. Eventually, we ascended the grand staircase to the upper floor. At the top, a defunct reception desk stood before us, with a corridor leading to a richly decorated office.

As Tintin and I finished securing the research center, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor. I looked up curiously to see Chris entering the main hall, followed by Sophie and about thirty surviving soldiers. They were battered and bruised, their clothing torn and dirty, but they were alive and armed, despite the toll the events had taken on them.

"Mission accomplished, boss," Chris said, making his way toward me with a tired smile. "Thirty soldiers still standing, and Sophie here did a great job convincing them to follow us."

Sophie, standing near Chris, nodded, a shy smile on her face. "It was thanks to your order and the badge. They realized following Chris and me was their best option."

I nodded, satisfied. "Good work, both of you." Then, turning toward Tintin, who was silently keeping watch over the room, I issued new orders.

"Tintin," I called, catching his attention. "You'll stay here and keep an eye on the survivors. Make sure everyone stays safe and start organizing a defense in case those creatures return."

Tintin rested a hand on his rifle and nodded solemnly. "Understood, sir. No monsters will get past me."

I placed a hand on his massive shoulder. "I'm counting on you."

Turning back to Chris, I noticed a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. His gaze briefly drifted toward Sophie, who was busy coordinating with the soldiers. She seemed oblivious to his attention, absorbed in her role. I cleared my throat lightly, snapping Chris out of his thoughts.

"Chris," I said with a teasing smile, "is Miss Sophie catching the eye of our heroic soldier?"

Chris groaned, clearly caught off guard. "Gérald… Seriously? Focus on the mission."

I couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Come on, don't be shy. You know as well as I do that we can handle Alexia with what we've got. So, relax a little and tell me. If you'd like, I can arrange a little meeting for you two."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head slightly, but I saw a faint smile cross his face. "You're never going to let this go, are you?"

"Not a chance," I replied with a laugh before shooting a hidden camera in the corner of the wall. The camera shattered in a spray of sparks.

Chris, taking the opportunity, destroyed another camera farther down the hall with a precise shot from his sidearm. "I see you haven't lost your habit of destroying surveillance equipment, Gérald."

I shrugged with a smirk. "You never know. But back to you and Sophie. Are you really planning to wait?"

Chris sighed, though his tone was lighter this time. "Alright, I admit it. I like her. She's smart, brave, and she has a gentleness I haven't seen in a long time. But… this isn't the time. We're in the middle of a mission, and I'd rather see her again in a less… apocalyptic setting."

I gave him a friendly pat on the back. "That's all I needed to hear, old friend. We'll finish this mission, and I'll make sure she's invited to our next meeting in a much calmer setting."

Chris nodded with a sincere smile. "Thanks, Gérald. Alright, let's focus. Alexia must be having a good laugh in there, but she has no idea what's coming."

The dark wood paneling, luxurious carpet, and gold-framed paintings oozed the opulence and pretentiousness of the Ashfords. A large window overlooked an exterior structure perched like a fortress above the manor.

"Looks like there's another level to explore," I said, eyeing the computer on the desk. My gaze landed on a discreet button embedded in its surface. Out of curiosity, I pressed it, and immediately, a massive grandfather clock in the corner of the room slid aside, revealing a secret passage.

Chris sighed and crossed his arms. "Seriously? Another secret passage? What's with Umbrella and their obsession with secret passages? Every mansion, every lab… secret passages everywhere."

I shrugged with a mocking smile. "Umbrella execs. They have to compensate for their lack of personality with dramatic flair."

Chris burst out laughing, his grin widening as he asked provocatively, "By the way, Gérald, do you have one? In your company office? A secret room?"

I shot him a mischievous look, letting a silence linger just long enough to pique his curiosity. "Of course. A very special secret room. I take Jill there, obviously."

Chris turned bright red, his expression shifting rapidly from disbelief to palpable embarrassment. "You're serious?" he stammered, scratching the back of his head.

I laughed heartily, enjoying his reaction. "Relax, Redfield. I'm joking… mostly."

I ended the teasing by affirming it was just a joke—mostly.

The narrow, dark passage led us toward the structure visible from the window. Through gaps in the walls, I could see Alexia's silhouette framed against the light inside. Her rigid posture and expression, even from a distance, betrayed an obvious fear.

Pointing to the window, I smirked. "Looks like we've managed to terrify our host."

Inside the building, Alexia greeted us in a way that caught us both off guard. She slowly raised her hands in the air, a clear sign of surrender. Her features, usually marked by arrogance, now showed fear and desperation.

"Please," she begged, her voice trembling as her eyes searched mine for a hint of compassion. "I know I tried to kill you… but please, don't take this island from me. I need time to heal my brother. That's all I ask."

I crossed my arms, letting my words drop like a blade. "Heal your brother? Like you took care of your father?" I said, my voice filled with reproach. "I know what he became. Nosferatu. An abomination. And I put him down."

My words hit like a slap. She stepped back slightly, her eyes flashing with a mix of rage and pain. "No, that's not true!" she screamed, her voice wavering between anger and despair. "Father was a mistake, a genetic failure that never should have existed. He tarnished the Ashford name and didn't deserve to live!"

I raised a hand to interrupt, my voice firmer. "Alexia, calm down. I'm not interested in your family drama, as monstrous as it may be." My gaze hardened as I stepped closer. "But this island, its resources, everything on it… it all belongs to me now."

She backed away a step, but I continued advancing. "That said, I'm not heartless. If your brother is alive, I can heal him. But he will live under my supervision. You too, for that matter."

Her anger turned to panic, and I saw her skin begin to take on a greenish tint—a stress-induced reaction. Before she could make a move, my vines shot out from my body, wrapping around her waist and arms to immobilize her.

"Don't struggle, Alexia," I said softly but firmly, my eyes locked onto hers. "I mean you no harm. But you and your brother need my care as much as this island needs renewal. Let me help."

Her body tensed one last time before going limp, her breathing slowing as she lost consciousness. I held her for a moment, then stored her in my factory, confident she'd be under Marcus and the other scientists' strict supervision.

Chris, who had stayed back until now, shook his head, a sarcastic smile on his lips. "Sneaky, Gérald. Really sneaky."

I stood straight, adjusting my torn shirt, and responded with a sly grin. "I prefer to call it precaution. You know as well as I do she would've tried something else. I just removed that option."

Chris raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "And her brother? Do you really plan to heal him? Or is this just a way to show you're… less monstrous than she is?"

My smile softened slightly, and I placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not a monster, Chris. If I can save them and bring them back to a normal existence, I will. But under my rules. If I'm building a better world, no one gets left behind—not even those who've lost their way."

Chris nodded slowly, a tacit respect in his gaze. "You might be right. But be careful. With people like her, you never know."

"That ends the moment she entered the factory. You know my power is worse than a cult when it comes to converting people," I said, climbing the stairs with a playful smile.

Chris burst out laughing, shaking his head. "The worst thing about your power is that people don't even lose their free will. They're just… more inclined to obey you. But honestly, maybe it's because I've never seen you give an unreasonable order so far."

A mischievous grin spread across his face.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "You know I'm not like that. I'd much prefer a normal relationship to all this control nonsense."

We arrived at the door to a richly decorated room, likely Alfred's bedroom. Entering, I immediately noticed a medical bed in the center of the room. Alfred Ashford lay on it, connected to various intensive care machines: IV drips, a respirator, and several monitors displaying extremely weak vital signs. His complexion was pallid, almost translucent, and his body appeared emaciated, as if life had been drained from him over the years.

Chris whistled softly, taking in the young man's condition. "That's bad… What's your plan? Your blood?"

I nodded silently, pulling a transfusion bag from my inventory. I quickly connected it to an IV already in place, watching the vibrant red liquid slowly flow into his veins.

For several minutes, we remained silent, listening to the steady beeping of the monitors. The atmosphere in the room was heavy, as if everything hinged on this act. Then, gradually, a change occurred.

Alfred's complexion shifted from a sickly gray to a more vibrant tone. His sunken cheeks filled out slightly, and his labored breathing grew steadier. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, revealing a sharp, alert gaze.

Chris took a step back reflexively, surprised. "Damn… It worked. He's alive."

I approached the bed, my eyes meeting Alfred's. "You're awake, Alfred. How do you feel?"

He tried to speak, but his voice was hoarse and weak. "Where… where's my sister? Alexia…" he murmured, panic setting in as he realized she wasn't there.

"She's safe," I said calmly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "She's receiving care in a place where she'll be secure and can recover. But you, Alfred… you need to stay calm. You've just come back to life."

But Alfred wasn't hearing reason. He began thrashing, his movements growing increasingly erratic. "Take me to her! I have to see her!" he shouted, trying to rise despite the wires still connected to his body.

Chris stepped in, placing a firm hand on Alfred's chest to keep him on the bed. "Hey, calm down. You just got out of hell. Don't waste what your brother just did for you."

"You don't understand! She needs me as much as I need her!" Alfred screamed, his tone bordering on hysteria.

I frowned, realizing his obsessive attachment to Alexia hadn't diminished, even after his resurrection. "Listen to me, Alfred," I said firmly, crossing my arms. "I'll send you to her. But if you keep acting like this, you'll only hurt yourself more. So calm down. Now."

He stared at me, defiance burning in his eyes. But the icy tone of my voice seemed to reach him. He slumped back onto the bed, breathing heavily.

I nodded, satisfied. "That's better. Now rest. I'll send you to her. But on one condition: you must stay calm. Otherwise, it's over for you."

Alfred closed his eyes, seeming to weigh my words. After a long moment, he murmured, "Alright… I'll do what you say."

With a sigh, I transported Alfred to join his sister in the factory. Chris watched me in silence before muttering, "You might not be a monster, but you're damn intimidating."

I smiled faintly, crossing my arms. "Intimidating, maybe. But necessary."

(Author's Note: Here's a long chapter for you. I consider Alexia and Alfred to be nothing more than children left to their own devices, which is why I wrapped up the combat arc early. I'll likely include some discovery and slice-of-life chapters before diving into RE4.)

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