Alyssa fell silent for a moment. She didn't like Cain—not at least not being seen with a criminal.
"A group of strange outsiders has appeared at the West Street warehouse. They stole something from the Umbrella Corporation. Not only are Umbrella's people chasing them, but they've also drawn the attention of the tactical rescue team."
"Stolen documents?" Cain stroked his chin, his gut telling him something was off—and not just any problem, a major one. He felt he should check it out.
"I'm not sure about the details, but you should go investigate. After all, you're the top dog here." Alyssa gave a thin smile that hardly conveyed any warmth.
Seeing her smile, Cain maintained a composed exterior, though inwardly he was already displeased. They had been working together for two years, yet she still refused to accept him.
Well, he thought, if she won't accept him, then a few underhanded tactics might be in order.
"I'll go check it out," Cain said, standing up and leaving.
As he passed the bar, a hand reached out and caressed the curvy backside of one of the bartenders. "Cindy, is your father's condition any better?"
Cindy was also a character from this world—a rather unlucky one. Her father had fallen ill, and treatment in the States came with a price that was astronomical.
With few options left, she had been seeking help everywhere until she met Cain. Generously, he lent her money and offered her a job at his bar to help repay the debt.
Half a million dollars was an astronomical sum for most people; Cindy couldn't afford to repay it quickly, so she had no choice but to work off the debt gradually.
Faced with Cain's occasional leering advances, Cindy pretended not to notice. Since he never went too far, she had grown accustomed to it.
"My father is doing much better now, thanks, boss."
"Don't mention it—it's just business. Just be careful and keep an eye on the place while I step out for a bit." Cain grinned broadly.
Being a real scoundrel was far more popular than being a sanctimonious hypocrite.
Cindy's expression was complicated. She didn't hate Cain—there was even a trace of gratitude there—but falling in love with him was out of the question. "I know what to do, boss."
With the new intel in hand, Cain got back into his car and returned to the factory warehouse. He barely arrived when gunfire broke out.
Boom! A massive explosion shook the warehouse. This was no ordinary case—such scale of destruction pointed to extreme criminal activity!
Cain drew his sidearm and went to provide backup. As he passed through a narrow alley, he spotted two figures speeding toward him.
They were dressed in bizarre attire—one in clothing reminiscent of traditional robes and the other in medieval-style armor.
Taking cover behind a wall, Cain pulled out a grenade. After switching off the safety and waiting a moment, he lobbed it without hesitation.
"Watch out!"
Boom! The explosion instantly killed the robed man. The armored man managed to dodge death, but not without consequence; the blast's shockwave slammed him against the wall. Even with armor, the close-range detonation rattled his insides.
Cain didn't rush over immediately. Instead, he drew his handgun and aimed at the armored man's exposed head, firing two shots that ended his life before moving in.
Cain had survived the underground gang warfare by being cautious and ruthless.
Looking at the bodies of the two men, Cain noted they appeared indistinguishable. Then, in the next moment, both figures vanished into thin air—leaving behind only two wristbands, seemingly decorative pieces meant to be worn on the arm.
Cain picked up one of the wristbands. Instantly, a pleasant chime sounded: "Ding, system activation initiated. Charging in progress!"
Hearing this, Cain quickly grabbed the other wristband and moved to a corner of a nearby warehouse to wait for the system to charge. One wristband wasn't enough; the system required both to complete the charging process.
"Infinite system activated, binding host and commencing operation."
"Host: Cain, Age: 20. Skills: Basic Shooting, Basic Combat. Identity: Raccoon City Patrol Officer."
"This system can charge itself by scavenging resources from infinite worlds and can exchange those for items. The host can engage in reincarnation challenges, earning points upon success."
"Is this some sort of one-way infinite loop?" Cain wondered aloud.
"After three reincarnation challenges, the Passage to the Dying World will be unlocked. Complete the tasks to scavenge world resources, and the host can operate this world as their primary domain."
"That does sound interesting. How do I earn points?"
Cain stroked his chin thoughtfully. If he could enhance his abilities, he might be able to survive in this perilous world; otherwise, he'd eventually turn into one of the undead.
"Newbie mission initiated: Eliminate the reincarnators who invaded this world. Destroy all for a reward of 3,000 points. For every escapee, subtract one point. Mission failure will result in system destruction. Total targets: five; remaining: two."
The mission caught him off guard, leaving him no time to complain.
Drawing his handgun once again, he set off in the direction of the gunfire. Along the way, he passed by the bodies of Major Crimes Unit members. This time, it was a joint operation with the tactical team—clearly a formidable challenge.
Continuing onward, he even encountered chaotic knife wounds, as if someone had been slashed to death with a blade.
Ahead at the warehouse, Chris and Jill were engaged in a firefight with a burly man clad in leather armor. Elsewhere, a figure in a black trench coat was trying to escape but had been ensnared by the Major Crimes Unit.
Entering the factory, Cain discovered that only a watch remained where someone had once stood. It appeared that the invading reincarnators numbered five in total, and he had already dispatched two.
Another watch was found here, leaving only two targets near the back exit!
Cain picked up the watch and pressed forward. Taking cover behind a column, he spotted a man in black who wasn't charging past the perimeter—instead, he was retreating, heading back in Cain's direction, apparently attempting to break out from the opposite side.
Bang! Just as the trench-coated man dashed toward the main entrance, another explosion rang out.
Boom! The shockwave sent the trench-coated man flying into the air. For a moment, he hadn't died completely—shrouded in a strange black mist.
Bang! The trench-coated man crashed to the ground, the black mist dissipating. Although he wasn't dead yet, he was severely wounded and gasping for breath.
Bang! Cain drew his samurai blade and fired continuously, shredding the trench-coated man to pieces. He emptied ten bullets, leaving three bullet holes in the man's forehead.