Chapter 218: In Hell and

Set up the base station.

On the helmets of all D-class personnel, a holographic screen automatically unfolds, displaying their detailed status, basic information about the surrounding environment, and their main mission for this operation—

Explore the vicinity, search for, and investigate anything noteworthy.

Thus, the D-class personnel scattered around Hell's Gate, following the task displayed in the upper right corner of their screens, carefully observed this desert that made them feel extremely uncomfortable.

Thanks to the unfinished vaccine of the Plague Doctor, they were temporarily immune to the wailing and whispering that could affect the mind, but the special environment of Hell still made them feel chest tightness and slight dizziness.

They looked around.

What would most likely catch the D-class personnel's attention should be the Stone Forest located at the twelve o'clock direction of Hell's Gate, as well as the looming mountain peak faintly visible deep within the Stone Forest.

The D-class personnel who discovered this situation looked at each other.

"Guys… do we really have to go there?" a D-class personnel trembled uncontrollably.

"What if we don't go?" the D-class personnel appointed as leader by Umbrella officialdom pointed to the T-106 Tyrant not far ahead of him and said in a firm tone:

"Either I ask for a quick death, being beaten to death by these big guys, or I go investigate that side! Anyway, I want to give it a shot; if you want to wait for death, I don't care, but don't drag me and those who also want to survive down."

Having said that, the leader proceeded toward that Stone Forest,

"Go… otherwise, die, roar…!"

The Stalker, possessing a certain intelligence, also let out a low growl at the right moment, raising the rotary machine gun mounted on its right hand and aiming it at the hesitating D-class crowd.

"I refuse to be a resentful ghost!"

"I also don't want my head crushed by them."

D-class personnel who shared the leader's idea immediately caught up with the leader who had not gone far.

"Hey, let's go…"

Faced with the option of being executed on the spot or heading to the Stone Forest, which might not mean death and could even buy extra time, even the most indecisive D-class personnel made a choice.

Because they had harmed the lives of their fellow beings, they understood the value of life better than anyone, and they feared death more than anyone.

While others were purely representatives of antisocial and brutal tendencies, they would stop at nothing to seize any chance to live.

Like D-13367, who was appointed leader of this group of D-class personnel, after repeatedly being denied promotion, he erupted in violence, killing his superior and colleagues with whom he had conflicts.

During the trial, D-13367 insisted that the superior and colleagues he killed had brought it upon themselves.

However, according to the investigation, the superior had refused D-13367's promotion request for legitimate reasons, and the so-called conflict with colleagues was merely an inadvertent bump.

Most of these D-class personnel have files and resumes even more "colorful" than D-13367's.

Next.

The D-class personnel split into more than ten small teams, with the Stalker and six Tyrants on the outermost perimeter, vigilant of nearby movements, together heading toward the Stone Forest directly ahead of Hell's Gate.

Soon, they reached the edge of the Stone Forest.

Only upon close observation did they discover that these "stones" resembling trees were not short; measurement via the helmet screens showed the stone trees' average height to be about 18 meters.

Moreover, these stone trees were not completely lifeless; when the D-class personnel entered the interior of the Stone Forest and got closer to them, the stone trees would perform eerie, stiff twisting motions.

Upon seeing these stone trees that defied common sense, the D-class personnel merely exclaimed, "Damn! This thing moves?" and "Better stay away from them."

Having witnessed too many abnormalities, they unconsciously greatly increased their tolerance for anomalies.

It was merely moving stone trees; it was hardly enough to cause panic.

What they saw and observed was also transmitted via the wired base station from Hell, letting Umbrella understand Hell's true appearance.

As they continued deeper, the squad also saw many "native creatures."

For example, flying skulls with red light emanating from their eyes, or large hounds with three heads and reddish skin, and more were emaciated, skin-and-bones humanoid creatures.

Cover provided by the stone trees allowed them to observe from a distance in darkness.

The D-class personnel discovered that these bizarre Hell creatures seemed to be advancing toward the mountain peak, but during their advance they would engage in mutual slaughter.

When the weaker side collapsed unable to rise, the stronger side would open its bloody maw and devour the flesh and blood of the fallen entirely.

Even the D-class personnel hiding far away could clearly see that the feeding side's muscles and physique were undergoing visible changes as they ate.

Seeing this.

Even those who were not biology experts could guess that the creatures living in Hell likewise obeyed the rule of "survival of the fittest," choosing to mercilessly devour their own kind to become stronger.

"Roar!!"

Just then.

A demon with a human body, bull head, and bull hooves roared, brandishing a bone hammer clenched in its right hand, attempting to drive away the Hell creatures that were slaughtering each other.

"Ooo… ooo…"

A gluttonous three-headed dog was struck squarely by the bone hammer, its body flying several meters away and slamming heavily to the ground, half-dead and letting out a mournful howl.

Immediately afterward, the approaching bull-headed demon, with no intention to eat, continued swinging the bone hammer, crushing the three-headed dog completely into meat paste.

This action instantly intimidated all the Hell creatures, frightening them into immediately running toward the mountain peak side.

"Heh… heh…!"

The bull-headed demon let out a satisfied laugh, hoisted the bone hammer onto its shoulder, and continued forward; it appeared to be deliberately driving the Hell creatures to gather at the mountain peak.

After observing this, the D-class personnel hiding in the dark fell into hesitation again, because the mountain peak side surely had large numbers of demons and Hell creatures.

One of them even opened the comms and said to everyone, "Guys, should we keep moving forward? About time…"

But before he could finish speaking, the task displayed in the upper right corner of the helmet screen switched to "Approach the mountain peak to obtain more intelligence."

Having received the new order, all D-class personnel couldn't help but mentally "give a friendly greeting" to Umbrella, yet unable to resist, they had no choice but to continue moving through the Stone Forest.

The deeper they went, the denser the demon creatures became, and the squad also came into contact and clashed with them; fortunately, the threats were swiftly dealt with by the six Tyrants, so there was no need for the Stalker to use its rotary machine gun.

Upon reaching the limit point, the D-class personnel finally got to see the situation on this side of the mountain peak.

All they saw was that at the mountain base stood a magnificent palace building; on the open ground and plaza gathered endless demon armies, and there were also beings of enormous size, over a hundred meters tall, like the titanic beasts of myth.

!

Witnessing this scene, many D-class personnel couldn't help but sigh softly, while others wondered whether a nuclear bomb could wipe out this horde of demons.

However, what was shocking was not just the demon army.

They, positioned at the edge of the stone forest, actually saw a 'human' wielding a metal spear, clad in damaged armor and clothing, battling the demons in the square...

Or rather, it was a one-sided slaughter of the demons.

(End of chapter)