Chapter 284: The Supervisory Department is About to Accept the New 'Employee

?

He heard the words.

D-1999 instinctively took the question as an auditory hallucination, after all, the childish voice resembled that of his little daughter.

But then;

"Hey! Quick look! There are still lots of ugly guys here!"

"Yeah, could they be aliens?"

"Don't touch it! Henry, don't you want your hand?"

He heard more noise, and also felt a dry hot breeze brush his cheeks, and even with his eyes closed, there were still bright 'light points'.

Thus D-1999 slowly opened his eyes.

First came into view an azure sky beyond compare, and the sun that should have been very familiar but now was strange.

Of course, D-1999 also saw a little girl half-squatting at his right side, wearing a pink dress, with scattered blond hair.

"Uncle, you're awake?" the girl said with an innocent smile, then turned her head to the side and asked: "What are you and your friends doing here?"

Friends?

D-1999 followed the girl's gaze and discovered that he was lying at the side of a slide in a community park.

Meanwhile, the Stalkers and Tyrants were lying beside the sand pit, swings, and seesaw, along with a group of children about the same age as the girl.

Even a bold boy tried to poke a Stalker with a stick, but was promptly stopped by his two companions.

Is this Earth?

D-1999, repressing his inner ferocity, looked confused, slowly rose to his feet, and gazed around with a blank expression.

Outside the community park were all low-rise houses no more than three stories high, with a familiar architectural style, a sweltering summer heat, and the occasional cicada chirping…

Everything made D-1999 dazedly recall the peaceful life before his imprisonment, when he was on leave from the army and spending time with his family.

!

At that moment, a number of airships passed through the aerial route above the park, arousing D-1999's curiosity and vigilance.

"Those are flying cars, no need to be nervous…" the girl explained, looking up at D-1999 with a smile.

And reaching out to touch the leg plating of the CMC Power Armor, she said: "Uncle, are you a soldier protecting us?"

"..."

D-1999 lowered his gaze to meet the girl's clear eyes, remained silent for several seconds, and still didn't know how to answer the question.

"Ah! They're awake! They're awake!"

"It… it's looking at me… help!"

The children's sudden screams interrupted D-1999's thoughts.

He looked around and saw that the Stalkers and Tyrants had ended their 'downtime' state, all rising to alert, ignoring the noisy children as they stood by.

Meanwhile, the somewhat intelligent Stalker bent slightly, faced the nearest few children, showed what he thought was a kind smile with his exposed gums, and spoke:

"Grr… you… good…"

!!!

"Ah!"

"Ghost!"

Several children were instantly frightened by the Stalker's 'smile' and collapsed to the ground sitting.

"Grr…"

Seeing the children terrified of him, the Stalker, realizing his good intentions had backfired, immediately stopped 'smiling', straightened up, stepped back a few paces, and moved away from those children.

"Haha~!" the girl couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh: "Uncle, your friends are so fun~!"

D-1999 was also 'infected' by the girl's laughter, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily rose slightly.

Although the Stalkers are Umbrella's bio-organic weapons, after fighting together in the Hellish plane for half a century, D-1999 has come to regard them as important partners.

In a sense, the Stalkers are indeed his friends.

Just then.

A black-painted, latest model Fisher-Ou VI of Umbrella disengaged its Optical Camouflage, swooped low over the community park, circled once, and selected a spacious, open football field for landing.

As the rear hatch opened, a group of 'soldiers' similarly equipped with the latest TPS Power Armor, holding custom laser rifles or Gauss machine guns, rushed out of the cabin in pairs, sealing off the community near the park.

This commotion also drew the residents' attention, as they stepped out of their houses to see what was happening.

"Everyone please stay indoors and do not move about randomly."

"Currently a military exercise is underway; for your safety, please stay at home."

This group of 'soldiers' used the speakers on their helmets, employing the 'exercise' as a pretext to calm the surrounding residents.

Afterward.

Several technicians wearing white lightweight Power Armor entered the park under the escort of three squads of 'soldiers', approaching D-1999 and company.

Approaching, the lead 'soldier' unfolded the helmet of his Power Armor.

Under the helmet was John Pulaise, wearing his signature fisherman's hat, sporting a beard, with a lit cigar clenched in his mouth.

With Pulaise leading, the true identity of this group of 'soldiers' becomes clear: they are Umbrella's retained Mobile Special Task Force, the 141 Special Task Force, responsible for eliminating and controlling anomalies within Earth and the Solar System.

?

D-1999 froze.

He was not unfamiliar with Pulaise; on the contrary, the captain who had briefed them on the misty zone and mission objectives was none other than Pulaise.

What surprised D-1999 was that Pulaise was still alive?!

Most notably, his appearance had hardly changed compared to decades ago.

At this moment, Pulaise ordered: 'Disarm all the Tyrants' weapons, check their operational status, and also apply to the company for a transport ship to prepare to move them.'

"Alright." The technicians who received the order scattered in all directions.

Pulaise then took the cigar, stubbed it out, put it into the side‑waist compartment of his power armor, showing sufficient respect, walked up to D-1999, and in a low voice said:

"Welcome home, Sergeant Ketch."

——————

…

The next day.

Two black‑painted airships, one ahead of the other, headed toward the Umbrella Headquarters in downtown Raccoon City, finally landing on the large docking platform that protruded from the mid‑level of the building.

On the docking platform.

Zigler Ketch, clad in a white coat, stood with several uniformed security guards armed only with pistols at the entrance leading into the building.

She silently watched the two airships land one after another not far ahead.

Today is August 25, 2072; according to the original schedule, Zigler, BoKen and the other Peru researchers were to board a chartered plane at noon local time in Raccoon City to return to Peru.

The three‑day "Mother Nest Academic Exchange" had ended, and they had recorded the key points narrated by the memory storage unit, preparing to return to the Peru research center to further advance Umbrella's nanotechnology, aiming to free humanity completely from limits of lifespan and disease.

The ones who truly needed long‑term "collaboration" with the storage unit were Wang Zhaofeng and the company's senior researchers, to fully assimilate artificial stars and celestial‑scale architecture.

However, the current time was 13:24, long past Zigler's boarding time.

Because not long ago, after she had followed her colleagues out of the Mother Nest and arrived at the first‑floor lobby of the headquarters, intending to take the company shuttle to the airport, the smiling Sui Bian said to her:

"Zigler, two important guests will arrive in Raccoon City this afternoon; you will handle the reception."

Although she did not understand why Sui Bian made this arrangement, nor why the task of receiving dignitaries was given to her, an outsider, Zigler nevertheless accepted the promise.

She saw the airship's "door" open.

So Zigler, feeling both puzzled and curious, walked toward it, but when she saw the appearance of the two "guests," she became even more confused.

Stepping out of the airship were two people: a graceful middle‑aged woman, and a short‑haired woman who resembled Zigler.

"Mom? Sis? Why are you both here?" Zigler exclaimed in surprise.

"Eh? Didn't you ask me to come? You said there was something important to tell me and Mom," the woman replied, equally puzzled.

At that moment.

An armed security guard interrupted the Ketch family's unexpected reunion and said, "Dr. Ketch, please follow us."

After speaking, the guard raised his right hand and made a "please" gesture toward the woman and the other woman.

Seeing this.

Apparently having sensed something, Zigler also said to her two relatives, "Let's go; the company has important matters to share with our family."

"Alright... I understand," the woman nodded, then took the woman's arm and said, "Mom, let's go."

"Mm, okay."

Next.

The three members of the Ketch family followed several security guards off the docking platform, entered the building, and took an elevator down to the sixth floor.

They exited the elevator.

They turned into a corridor.

Here, Zigler saw the fully armed, on‑alert 141 Special Task Force, and also saw Pulaise and Xiaoqiang removing their helmets.

Seeing such a formation, the woman and the girl showed worry, since in ordinary life they would never encounter a unit like the 141 Special Task Force.

Before Zigler could speak to soothe her mother and elder sister, Pulaise and Xiaoqiang stepped in front of them and said:

"Dr. Ketch, yesterday at 11:23 Los Angeles time, we detected an unknown spatial distortion in the Lakewood district outside Los Angeles.

When we arrived on site, we found the long‑missing Sergeant Ketch and five of the company's B. O. W. s.

After a thorough company inspection and analysis, we confirmed that Sergeant Ketch, who is willing to cooperate with the company, is in a relatively stable mental state and carries no infectious microorganisms.

Accordingly, per company orders, our 141 will continue escorting Sergeant Ketch, arriving in Raccoon City at 12:45, where Dr. Ketch, your mother, and elder sister will make contact with Sergeant Ketch."

"Wait... wait a moment..."

After hearing Pulaise's long explanation, Zigler's mind was almost blank; she staggered backward until her mother and sister caught her.

Even though she sensed that the company's arrangement might involve her father, Zigler could not believe that her father himself would appear inside the headquarters building!

"Ketch... Sergeant?"

The elder sister, having also heard Pulaise's words, reacted and said to their mother, "Mom, I remember Dad's rank was also Sergeant; could it be..."

At that point, the sister could not continue, because the thought that "Dad not only didn't die, but is alive and well" was too far‑fetched.

"This officer..." the mother, her voice trembling, asked Pulaise, "May I ask which Ketch Sergeant you are referring to…"

"Please follow me, Mrs. Ketch."

Pulaise did not answer directly, but led the mother, Zigler, and the elder sister to the doorway of a meeting room.

When the metal door fully opened, they saw the "man" sitting on the living‑room sofa.

It was D-1999, dressed in a black Umbrella training uniform, his stubble and short hair neatly groomed, no longer looking disheveled.

"Dad!"

With herself mentally prepared, Zigler could no longer hold back her tears, shouting as she lunged toward D-1999.

Though D-1999 was a bit stunned, his kindly expression—and the shout of "Dad"—prompted him to instinctively pull Zigler into his arms.

The sister walked slowly toward D-1999, still unable to speak plainly: "Is it really... Dad?"

She had a thousand words she wanted to say.

In the end, D-1999 glanced at the crying Zigler in his arms, then looked at the elder sister apologetically and said, "Dad came back late."

"Dad!"

Recognizing the long‑missed voice, the elder sister could not restrain her emotions, throwing herself into a loud, tearful cry as she rushed toward D-1999.

As the mother approached.

He who once slaughtered demons and evil gods until they wailed, who single‑handedly destroyed Hell, like the eternally raging D‑1999, now shows a strikingly gentle expression and proactively says to his wife:

"Natalie… I kind of miss the lasagna you make."

Outside the reception room.

Pulaise, being quite considerate, closed the metal door, walked to the end of the corridor, lit the cigar he carried, and placed it in his mouth.

"Sir," Xiaoqiang, who was beside him, turned to glance at the reception room and reminded:

"Our mission also includes ensuring the safety of Dr. Zigler Ketchi and her family."

"Huh~!" Pulaise exhaled a cloud of white smoke and said, "Just maintain normal vigilance; although I am reluctant to believe that a father who chose to go to Hell to protect his family would harm his daughter, if such a possibility exists…

With our power, we cannot move Sergeant Ketchi by even a fraction.

However, with the Chairman present, this possibility would be snuffed out in the cradle.

Meanwhile, inside the reception room.

Releasing long‑suppressed emotions, the Ketchi family sat on the guest sofa.

The elder sister, with obvious tear stains on her cheek, asked in confusion, "Dad, where have you been all these years? Did you also get nanorobots injected? You look a bit younger than Mom."

Speaking so, the elder sister then looked at Zigler and asked, "Little sister, you're a senior employee of Umbrella, do you know any inside information?"

Upon hearing the question.

Before Zigler could answer, D‑1999, as if recalling something important, smiled at the sister and said, "Anqi, first tell dad about your family."

Then, D‑1999's tone unintentionally grew a bit heavier as it said, "Especially how you and that little… your husband actually entered the marriage hall? Dad is very interested."

———————

…

At the same time.

The top‑floor office of the Headquarters Building.

Sui Bian, having removed his uniform jacket and tie, stood by the floor‑to‑ceiling window, "returning to his old trade," overlooking Raccoon City, which melds past, future and present, and using Spiritual Perception to gauge the residents' emotions.

He remained silent for a moment.

Looking at the pedestrians on the street, Sui Bian instructed the Red Queen, "Add that Stalker that returned from the Hell Plane into the supervision department.

Although it is the company's B. O. W., I believe its combat data against Hell and demons… or rather its experience, can also be applied to hunting demons in the Other Dimension."

"Understood," the Red Queen replied.

"Chairman," the White Queen also suggested proactively, "Based on D‑1999's capabilities, it can also be placed under the Other Dimension and Demon supervision department, or under the Grey Knight overseen by Artemis."

(End of chapter)