Chapter 46: The Great Battle Approaches

Outside the hotel, the street lay in utter silence. The dim yellow light illuminated only a small patch, while the vast majority remained swallowed by darkness. This neighborhood was so old and rundown that there were scarcely any street lamps, and the few that existed were broken and left unrepaired. At three o’clock in the dead of night, it was rare to see any household lights still on.

James scanned his surroundings with a wary gaze, paying particular attention to the dark corners—those shadowy nooks where people could easily hide. Some might be concealed inside nearby homes, but identifying them there would be far more difficult. So, he focused his attention on those dusky recesses.

“Strange. Why don’t I sense anything?” James’s mind brimmed with suspicion. His eyesight wasn’t strong enough to pierce the darkness directly, but as a seasoned veteran, his perception was keen. Whenever a gaze fell upon him—especially one laced with malice—he could feel it immediately. It was almost like a sixth sense.

Yet just now, that sense seemed to fail him. He detected no hostile intent lurking in the shadows. Turning to his companion, Ryan, who possessed similarly extraordinary abilities to sense malice—sometimes even more acute than his own—James sought confirmation. Ryan caught James’s look and shook his head, signaling that he too perceived no threat.

“This is truly odd,” James muttered with furrowed brows. “Could Umbrella Corporation have sent no one to watch over them?” This seemed completely out of character for the corporation.

But the problem was, James genuinely sensed no malignant eyes in the darkness. Even if his own sense was compromised, it was inconceivable that Ryan’s would fail as well.

“Maybe Umbrella is tied up with something far more important, and they don’t have the resources to focus on us right now,” James speculated. That was the only plausible explanation. For Umbrella to abandon surveillance, something more critical must have drawn their attention—even though James had no idea what that might be.

Meanwhile, in the unseen dark corners, lifeless bodies lay slumped on the ground, unconscious and breathless. Their last shared awareness had been a sudden glimmer of light.

“Ding!”
“Host shows kindness to others; immeasurable merit!”
“Event merit points +1!”

...

“Ding!”
“Host shows kindness to others; immeasurable merit!”
“Event merit points +1!”

...

Event merit points: 16.

In a short span, Yu Fei had eradicated eight spies around them through psychic power. Along with the three inside the hotel, there were eleven watchers in total. The extent of Umbrella Corporation’s attention to them was plainly evident.

“What do we do now? Should we move somewhere else to hide?” James approached Yu Fei quietly.

Though unsure of Umbrella’s current situation, James knew this turn of events was advantageous. They only needed to find a concealed spot. With Umbrella stuck in a quagmire, it was unlikely they had the energy to pursue them further. Survive the crucial first three days, and it would all be over.

Even as he spoke, James was already pondering safe places.

Yu Fei said nothing, eyes closed, his spirit drifting several kilometers away.

...

This was an abandoned old factory district. Originally, it belonged to Umbrella Corporation’s holdings, but after some changes, it had been deserted. Though abandoned, since it was still under Umbrella’s domain, no one dared trespass casually.

But today—

Groups of gangsters arrived in droves. Among them were rival factions who bitterly hated one another, often fighting to the death over territory, nearly beating each other senseless at times. Normally, they would clash within minutes of meeting.

Yet now, they all coexisted peacefully. Though their eyes were sharp and filled with hatred, as if ready to devour the other, their actions were restrained—none dared to make a move. Even the leaders greeted each other with smiles, albeit forced and insincere.

Such a scene was baffling. Had these men gone mad? Forgotten their blood feuds entirely?

Of course not.

There was only one reason for this change—Umbrella Corporation.

Standing at the forefront of all these gangs was a five-member assault squad, expressionless as they watched everyone.

Though small in number, their presence overwhelmed over a thousand gangsters. These usually vicious criminals were surprisingly docile before this squad, showing no arrogance or defiance.

They could easily have overwhelmed the five by sheer numbers, but the Umbrella insignia on the squad members’ backs weighed like a mountain on every gangster’s heart.

In the city of Raccoon, no one truly knew how great Umbrella’s authority was after all these years. A mere umbrella symbol compelled thousands of ruthless gangsters to obey without question.

One squad member stepped forward. The previous noisy chatter quickly fell silent.

Karnet felt satisfaction at this, but frowned when he saw how sloppily the gangsters stood.

Their quality... was abysmal. If he had a choice, he wouldn’t use these people.

Unfortunately, they had no choice.

Karnet fixed his gaze on the dozens of gang leaders at the front and spoke coldly, “Are all your men here?”

“All have arrived!”
“Basically all here!”

The gang leaders eagerly responded as if any delay would cost them dearly.

Karnet frowned once more but quickly composed himself.

“Since everyone’s here, then...” He gestured to a squad member beside him, who immediately opened the large truck door behind them.

“Hiss!”

The moment the contents of the truck were revealed, over a thousand gangsters gasped in unison.