Chapter 286: with translation of chapter title

Boom! Bang!

The car rampaged inside the restaurant.

Hiss—

Finally, the car's front jammed into the back kitchen entrance beside the front desk, putting an end to its reckless ramming and destruction.

After the disturbance settled.

Outside, passersby stopped to watch, while the diners who had been eating inside the restaurant gasped for breath, still shaken.

Next to the hole knocked out by the impact.

The male customer, who had been lying prone, slowly rose, helped the female server up, and asked:

"Are you feeling any discomfort? Or does anything feel wrong, Cuixi?"

"No… no." The flushed server lightly shook her head.

"All good then."

The male customer, whose complexion was normal, breathed a sigh of relief, then looked around, confirming that no one in the restaurant had been hurt by the car, and finally put his mind at ease.

Blond hair, side-parted, a car accident, and good luck with women.

Taken together, these factors point to the true identity of the male customer who was secretly relieved: the legendary Umbrella agent, Leon S. Kennedy.

The reason he is called 'former' is not because Umbrella 'fired' him……

Although Leon, during his missions, caused Umbrella to lose a Mammoth-class, twelve Warthog-class, and two Fisherman-class transport vehicles—countless losses—the company was not so stingy as to unilaterally fire this legendary figure of great merit.

In fact, Leon had already, thirty years prior—in 2056, per Sui Bian's transfer order—been moved from the Intelligence Department to the Extradimensional and Demon Management Department, where he became one of the supervisors of field agents.

He had been on vacation these past few days, so he stayed at his New York home, sleeping until after nine before waking naturally, and then breakfast was always had at this restaurant.

What Leon didn't expect was that, after just a few days, he would encounter a rare traffic accident in which a vehicle lost control, veered off the street, and crashed into the restaurant.

Whether it was due to his special physique or just pure coincidence……

"By the way, the boss is still in the back—boss? You okay?"

At that moment, the female server suddenly remembered the boss and hurried toward the back kitchen.

However, the bald boss, wearing a chef's uniform, climbed out of the back kitchen onto the car's hood and approached the right side of the vehicle.

He shook his head.

The boss looked into the car where the airbags had deployed, frowned at the dazed driver, and said, "Hey kid, what's got you in such a rush this early morning? Look, you've stomped the…"

He said.

Seeing that the customers were only startled and no one was injured, the bald boss immediately raised his voice:

"Today our shop encountered an accident; we're truly sorry, so as compensation we'll make the meal free for everyone."

Then, looking at the approaching server, he said, "Cuixi, take five days off to rest properly; after the shop is renovated I'll give you a raise—ha… cough cough, the police are here, I won't say more."

Having said that, the bald boss walked out through the hole the car had made in the shop.

Outside on the street, a sizable crowd of onlookers had already gathered.

The patrol craft of the New York Police Department, trauma unit, fire department, and other emergency agencies had also arrived.

Officers wearing simple armor and mechanical exoskeletons began to evacuate the crowd and block both sides of the one-way street, temporarily prohibiting ground vehicles from entering to avoid traffic congestion.

Firefighters and the trauma unit entered the restaurant, extracted the car's liquid hydrogen fuel, and then began rescuing the driver.

At that moment, two more officers entered the restaurant, guiding Leon, the server, and everyone else to leave the scene in an orderly manner.

They came outside.

Leon leaned against the seaside railing, watching as the unharmed driver was placed on a stretcher using some kind of levitation technology and taken into the patrol craft by the trauma team.

Seeing that.

Leon also couldn't help muttering, "Kid, hope your insurance coverage is enough."

If it was a vehicle quality issue, the driver could take it more easily; but if it was due to his own operation, Leon could only think to himself, "Good luck."

But no matter what, the restaurant owner would receive a substantial compensation, which is why the bald boss forced back laughter, offered a free meal, and gave the server a raise.

Just as Leon was about to find a fast‑food place to grab a quick brunch, the server named Cuixi approached him and bluntly asked:

"Mr. Kennedy… are you free tonight? I heard there's a highly rated steakhouse near the Museum of Natural History—would you like to go together…"

"Beep! Beep!"

However, the urgent ringing of the phone cut off the server's invitation.

Leon pulled out a slab‑style crystal phone, glanced at the screen, feigned a regretful expression, and politely declined:

"Sorry, the company has an urgent matter requiring a trip; let's talk when I get back."

"Oh…" the server said regretfully, "Then you go ahead and get busy, Mr. Kennedy."

"You enjoy your vacation too; let's catch up another day."

Leon said this while walking forward, then made a left turn to completely leave the one‑way street and began carefully reading the message sent by the company.

But the content was simple and clear:

Please, Director Kennedy, head to the New York branch by 14:00; the colony needs an investigation by the Management Department.

——2086/08/14/10:37.

"Sigh…" Leon, having seen the content, locked his phone and slipped it back into his pocket, couldn't help but lament:

"Vacations are always so short… oh well, eating is the main goal right now."

He quickly adjusted his mindset, muttered to himself, and prepared to deal with his hunger.

After grabbing brunch at a fried‑chicken fast‑food joint, Leon took the aerial‑rail train to Manhattan's East Side and returned to his home in the Megastructure Apartments.

He unlocked the door and entered.

He slipped into his slippers.

Leon first went to the wardrobe, changed into a brown, loose‑fitting waterproof long‑sleeve shirt, and black multi‑pocket utility pants.

He then took a black travel bag filled with clothing to the west side of the living room, entered the password into the terminal, performed a biometric scan, and only then entered the tightly sealed "Storage Room".

He turned on the lights.

Inside the orderly "Storage Room", the walls on both sides and opposite the door were lined with a dazzling array of firearms, grenades, lightweight armor, and various cutting‑edge Umbrella weapons and gear.

He removed the belt equipped with a quick‑draw holster, pistol magazine pouch, and small tactical pack, fastened it, selected a custom‑made laser pistol for the holster, placed the battery magazine and corresponding tools into the magazine pouch and tactical pack, then covered them with an undershirt.

He then packed some grenades, magazines and other gear into the travel bag, tidied everything up, and left precisely at 1:30 p. m.

He boarded a pre‑booked air taxi, flew over the skyscraper‑filled bustling district, and after less than ten minutes arrived at the Empire Building, which had long been purchased by Umbrella and converted into the New York branch.

———————

…

The mid‑level area of the New York branch building.

Leon, who handed the travel bag to the staff, walked to the end of the corridor and entered a combat briefing room.

The automatic doors just opened.

While discussing with colleagues, the agents in casual attire, some seated on folding chairs, rose and saluted Leon, saying:

"Supervisor Kennedy."

"Mm." Leon raised his hand in return, lowered his hand and said, "No need to be formal."

"Yes, supervisor."

Upon receiving the order, the agents resumed their duties, but their conversation volume was noticeably lower than before.

After all, despite Leon's youthful and seemingly "unreliable" appearance, he remained a senior supervisor, equivalent to a brigadier‑general or major‑general rank.

Leon paid no mind to the youngsters' thoughts, walked straight to the front of the briefing room, and sat down waiting.

Soon, the room fell silent.

At exactly two o'clock, the holographic device installed in the room projected a live image of Hong Hou at the front.

She glanced over Leon and all the agents, her cold, striking face speaking in a low tone: "Everyone, this emergency gathering is because the Border Fortress Star Zone lacks intelligence officers and regulatory agents; we need your support for an investigative operation."

Hearing this,

Slightly frowning, Leon asked, "Investigative operation? Is it about other dimensions and demons?"

Hong Hou shook her head lightly and said, "Insufficient data; we cannot confirm whether it involves other dimensions."

She then waved her left hand, projecting a holographic star map of humanity's current territories beside her.

Compared with more than a decade ago, the territorial extent has not changed much, but the number of star systems developed and colonized within it has increased significantly.

Moreover, the territory is divided into seven zones, with the Solar System at the very center standing out prominently.

At this point, Hong Hou adjusted and enlarged the map, focusing on the "Border Fortress" Star Zone that includes Harvest Star, encompassing thirty‑two colonized planets as well as numerous asteroid colonies and mines.

The edge of the star map displayed brief data, for example:

Population: about 22.3 billion.

Diameter: about 98 light‑years.

Regional capital: Apus VIII system, Harvest Star.

Garrison forces: Umbrella Second Corps, Sparta Corps.

UNSC side: Fleets 5, 9, 017, and 026.

Data such as Sparta Corps reserves, or Krig, UNSC ground defense forces, etc., Hong Hou did not list for the group.

She displayed the Border Fortress Star Zone.

Hong Hou continued, "Half a month ago this zone was harassed by numerous remnants of the Covenant Empire; detailed information will be sent to your personal devices."

At the same time, certain Kira‑hani individuals emitted what appeared to be Spiritual Energy when killed.

To determine whether it is linked to other dimensions, each of you must rush to the Border Fortress Star Zone for a covert investigation.

If needed, local staff and defensive forces will be notified to assist as much as possible; if necessary, the Sparta Corps and Grey Knights will respond to your support requests.

"Any other questions?"

As the words faded, Leon and all the agents remained silent, indicating they had no questions.

Then Hong Hou fixed her gaze on Leon and relayed, "According to the Chairman's order, Supervisor Kennedy will handle the specific allocations."

"Understood." Leon nodded in response.

"Then I wish you all good luck."

After speaking, Hong Hou voluntarily dispersed her hologram, leaving the star map behind.

Leon immediately stood, used the star map to pull up brief data on all colonies within the zone, skimmed them, and then, based on his knowledge of his subordinates, ordered the agents present:

"Huo Yi Te, Gosen, Lin Jieyu, the three of you will investigate Harvest Star."

"Ai Jia, Kalisto, that's yours; Li Ran, you'll handle Sea Rock Star; Zeldo…"

"The rest."

The agents were assigned by Leon in pairs, trios, or solo, distributed evenly among the Border Fortress's colonized planets and asteroid colonies.

Leon chose the outermost former Covenant Empire territory, now human "land," Puerdon, as his investigation target.

After assigning each task.

Leon gave his final reminder: "Remember to carry Moonwater with you to avoid demonic corruption and decay.

I don't want, when the mission ends and I'm ready to enjoy a vacation, to hear that any of you died from carelessness. Got that?"

"Heard loud and clear!" the agents replied in unison.

"Very well, time is of the essence, let's go."

"Yes."

The meeting adjourned.

The group left the briefing room, collected their temporary luggage, boarded company vehicles or airships to the Star Port south of Manhattan, then used their agent clearance to board corporate vessels heading to their respective mission objectives.

This time, Leon did not practice the "frugality" spread among intelligence officers and agents; he likewise took the transportation provided by the company.

———————

…

Fourteen hours later.

A cargo ship roughly eight hundred meters long, resembling a precursor-type engineering vessel in appearance, was swiftly navigating within the rift space.

The cargo ship bore red-and-white umbrella markings on both sides, along with the words "Silent Mary".

In a sleeping cabin of the ship's upper residential area, Leon, having taken off his shirt and wearing a black sleeveless undershirt and work pants, lay with his hands clasped behind his head, staring blankly at the fixed single bed.

It looked like he had just taken a nap and had only recently woken up.

Leon's appearance was almost unchanged from the 2042 Arcadia incident; he still looked about twenty-eight or twenty-nine.

Injecting life‑extension drugs was one factor; the nanotechnology spearheaded by BoKen and Zigler was actually still being continually refined and improved.

Even the general populace that had no access to blood man flowers or life‑extension drugs saw their average lifespan rise to 205–225 years thanks to nanomedicine.

The age brackets of "young and middle‑aged" and "elderly" underwent major shifts, mortality plummeted, and the total population had reached 174.5 billion.

With seven star sectors, each averaging about 24.9 billion people, the Solar System—the mother star system—alone held nearly 42 billion, while the frontier fortress star sector lay below the average.

As for the societal "happiness index," it did not decline despite population growth.

Since humanity was no longer bound by gravity and confined to a "tiny" blue Earth, people no longer needed to worry or fret over purchasing homes.

Building on the existing technological foundation, they also absorbed the technology of the Holy Covenant Empire, causing the cost of civilian—and even private—interstellar travel to drop year by year.

Developing unexplored star systems, mining mineral resources, and the number of job positions became countless.

Of course, the vast majority of things have two sides.

The reduction in interstellar travel costs also allowed what had once been confined to land and sea—the "piracy business"—to develop into outer space.

Remote star sectors' asteroid colonies,

smaller‑scale space stations,

ships that had just emerged from the rift space faced a certain probability of encountering "pirates" composed of opportunists.

(End of chapter)