Chapter 174: Anomalous Phenomena Control Center

Lockford Island.

After August 21, 1998, the island returned to Umbrella under Sui Bian's control, and the Engineering Department rebuilt it, making it a center for containing, controlling, and researching anomalous phenomena.

The Crane Ostrich Vessel, following the tower's guidance, landed on the airport in the island's central region, came to a stop, and opened its rear cargo doors.

Thirty members of the Olympus Spear were the first to exit the cabin, followed by the shipboard technicians attached to DawnGuardian who used Mechanical exoskeletons to transport the "Humanoid Entity Containment Box," and finally the Glory Iron Fist led by Rog.

This Crane Ostrich Vessel, capable of carrying a fully armed MTF of 160 personnel, is actually an aircraft carrier‑borne craft of DawnGuardian.

After receiving Leon's support request and determining that the anomalous incident Leon was involved in was related to hell and demons, the nearest DawnGuardian provided the corresponding assistance.

The Glory Iron Fist squad, long stationed on DawnGuardian, boarded Astate's dedicated five‑person airdrop pod and launched a direct skyward raid, which explains why the support arrived within fifteen minutes.

The "Humanoid Entity Containment Box" the technicians carried is a temporary container forged from α‑type titanium alloy, specifically for containing and transferring anomalous humanoid entities.

The white‑clad woman whose body is being used as a shell by the spider leader is currently inside that containment box.

The group escorted the containment box into the nearby building complex and took the lift down to the underground control center.

The lift descended to the sixth underground level, came to a stop, and opened the gate.

Rog, standing at the front with the Storm Tooth already attached to the back of his powered armor, stepped out of the lift, followed closely by the others.

The sixth‑level lobby is tidy and bright, spacious, and the central floor tiles still bear Umbrella's red‑and‑white umbrella emblem.

The most conspicuous feature is the wall on the lobby's right side, printed with "Small Entity Anomalous Phenomena Containment Zone" and a holographic screen displaying dense, pertinent regulations and notices.

When everyone had left the lift, a "hard man" who had been waiting for a long time, wearing a black beret, led four armed security guards forward and addressed Rog and the others:

"I am the security chief of the Small Entity Anomalous Containment Zone, Jack·Claude. Please follow me."

Rog gave a slight nod without comment, continued escorting the containment box with the group, and followed Claude and the four security guards deeper into the sixth level.

Jack·Claude.

He formerly served in the U. S. Army's Red Berets, distinguished for extraordinary combat prowess and exceptional physical condition, and is a professional soldier who strictly obeys orders.

After the Red Queen infiltrated the U. S. military network, Claude entered Umbrella's recruitment list.

In March 2000, the Red Queen, under a senior military order, dispatched Claude and several Red Beret comrades to Umbrella's African base in Kenya to assist Umbrella's armed security in dealing with Ugandan rebels on the Kenyan border.

Subsequently, due to his habit of obeying orders and subtle influence, Claude eventually became the security chief here.

In fact, had Umbrella not been under Sui Bian's control, Claude would have become a member of the U. S. President's secret unit, meeting Leon and traveling together to South America.

During the South American operation, he would have been struck by Leon's "Three Light" effect, his left arm rendered completely crippled, his military career hopelessly derailed, injected with LasPlagas parasites, and then killed by Leon and Ada.

But now Claude has not gone astray; he dutifully guards the control center, protecting the researchers working there.

The group followed Claude out of the lobby, moving through a corridor bathed in brighter light, with numerous black "discs" mounted on both sides.

【7】 Although the corridor has no official company name, Claude and the stationed security guards refer to it as the "Eradication Corridor."

Although this corridor passageway had not been officially named by the company, it was called the 'Erasure Corridor' by Claude and the security guards stationed here.

Each level of the control center possesses an "Eradication Corridor" as one of the fail‑safe measures for loss of control.

If control fails and armed security cannot stabilize the situation, the Red Queen, who monitors everything remotely, will command the numerous "discs" on both sides of the corridor to pair up, drawing continuous power from a surface‑based fusion plant to emit energy beams comparable to an energy wrist‑blade.

Since the control center's establishment, a few minor incidents have occurred, but security has resolved them all, so the "Eradication Corridor" has not yet had a chance to activate successfully.

Claude and the security guards also do not wish it to activate, as that would signify a total loss of control.

The group arrived at the end of the corridor.

A massive metal gate blocked the way.

Claude approached the terminal on the right side of the metal gate, removed the Class A employee magnetic card from his chest, inserted it into the terminal, completed iris, fingerprint, and voice verification, and after entering today's password…

"Boom…Swoosh—…" the metal gate slowly opened.

Before the company formed a partnership and alliance with the Celtic and Lone Wolf Ironblood clan, this type of metal gate was made of α‑type titanium alloy armor.

After the alliance, it was made of the same material as the Storm Tooth.

When Rog and the others followed Claude into the interior of the containment area, the metal gate behind them slowly closed with a "thud," completely isolating them from the outside world.

Rog walked while observing the surroundings.

He found the passages here intricate; near the metal gate were the security monitoring room and armed armory, followed by the sleeping quarters for security and researchers, and a relaxation and dining lounge.

Further inside lay the laboratory where researchers conduct analysis and testing.

After passing two smaller metal gates, Rog saw the cell units that house the anomalous phenomena.

The lighting here was even brighter, with abundant surveillance equipment, numerous hidden gun turrets, and heavily guarded security, unlike the dimness of a traditional prison.

When passing the cell units, Rog would occasionally glance casually at the cell doors.

Each dark‑gray metal cell door bore a white number, corresponding to the small entity anomalous phenomena detained inside.

When Rog's gaze passed over a matching number, his powered armor's helmet automatically scanned and displayed the relevant file on the right side of the helmet screen for his review.

For example;

Project ID: AP-1011.

Alias: Six‑tailed Red Fox.

Level: Nix class (Second).

Description:

The subject is a canid red fox, 77 cm in body length, but unlike ordinary red foxes, it possesses six tails each 110–130 cm long.

It can also transform into the appearance of various animals or humans.

However, when disguised as other animals or humans, it still retains slight red‑fox traits such as fox ears, sharp claws, and its six tails.

Typically, it adopts the guise of a seductive human female.

The subject harbors considerable hostility toward human males, using disguise to lure them; once a male is successfully enticed and follows the subject away from the crowd, he is killed.

It violently extracts the heart, liver, and kidneys of the deceased male for consumption.

Given its traits, the company classified it as Nix class.

(End of Chapter)