Chapter 44: Antarctica? Pyramid?

The bridge of the Wave Cold Winter.

Sui Bian, seated in the captain's seat, has his right leg crossed over his left (leg‑crossed), his right hand lightly pinching his chin, his brows slightly furrowed as he looks out the port window at the polar night scenery, as if waiting for something.

"Sir!" At that moment, the communications officer loudly reports: "The Caron Task Force has discovered a hibernation chamber hidden in the Antarctic Research Institute and confirmed that a woman of unknown identity is inside."

"Oh?" Hearing the report, Sui Bian immediately uncrosses his legs and says: "Tell Captain Ma Lini to transport the hibernation chamber and related equipment intact to the Wave Cold Winter."

"Yes, sir." The crew member, having received the order, relays Sui Bian's command to Ma Lini, Chris and others.

About an hour later.

A CH‑53 appears once again in everyone's view and soon hovers above the Wave Cold Winter.

Adjusting its fuselage angle, and guided by ground crew holding glow sticks, the CH‑53 slowly lands on the ship's flight deck.

Opening the rear hatch of the aircraft, the long‑awaited technicians walk into the cabin, assisting the Caron Task Force in moving the hibernation chamber and related equipment out of the aircraft and into the cargo hold beneath the Wave Cold Winter.

After placement, Sui Bian stations twenty elite security personnel in shifts to ensure no errors occur during the voyage.

Just after issuing the security deployment order, the system's voice sounds beside his ear:

【Detected host successfully controlling Alekxia Asifort, who remains in hibernation; therefore this system judges the host has completed the challenge mission, awarding the host 500 points. Host's current points total 1,060.】

"Hmm, the wallet finally has some surplus."

Hearing the system say he completed the mission, Sui Bian feels steadier; first, his points are back in the four‑digit range, and second, he has successfully retrieved the hibernating Alekxia.

He feels content.

Next, accompanied by Chris, Ji Er and others, Sui Bian logs into the CH‑53 and personally heads to the Antarctic Research Institute.

Upon arriving at the institute, Sui Bian, in the name of the board of directors, soothes the staff, dispensing some inspirational talk while also giving them tangible rewards—

money.

He raises base salaries, increases benefits and holidays, to motivate employees who have long been forgotten by the company.

Since Alekxia's feigned death, the Antarctic Research Institute has been cut off from research on the Primordial Virus and T‑virus, and has had to shift its focus to genetics, safe human cryogenic revival technology, and gene programming.

Even without strong corporate backing, the institute's achievements in those fields remain considerable, and its potential is still present.

After completing the usual incentives and tours, Sui Bian, under the pretext of exchange, takes a group of researchers away, and finally, citing the need to bolster defenses, leaves behind fifty elite security personnel.

Sui Bian does this to ensure the Antarctic is firmly in his hands.

Nice words are fine, but when it comes to deeds one cannot be a good person, otherwise "the good horse gets ridden, the good person gets bullied."

August 31.

After two days in Antarctica, Sui Bian's party begins the return voyage, preparing to bring Alekxia back to the Raccoon City mother base.

However…

03:32.

Wave Cold Winter, Sui Bian's single cabin.

The cabin is small; on the left side of the hatch is a fixed single bed, and Sui Bian, covered with a comforter, is sleeping on it.

Beside the bed is a fixed desk and chair; the laptop on the desk remains on standby, not shut down by Sui Bian.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Suddenly, the black screen lights up and emits a loud alert tone.

"Um…" Hearing the sound, Sui Bian's body tenses, then he strains to open his right eye a sliver.

"Whoa~!" Seeing the computer screen light up, Sui Bian closes his eyes again, stretches lazily, and lets out a yawn.

He relaxes a bit.

Only then does Sui Bian fully open his eyes, pull back the comforter, leave the warm bed, first put on thermal pants and a jacket, sit at the desk, stare at the screen, and, hoarsely, ask:

"Hong Hou, any emergency?"

"Sir." Hong Hou, still emotionless, reports: "Two minutes and thirty seconds ago I used the company's four spy satellites to conduct a routine global scan."

"Since you are currently within the Antarctic Circle, I directed one satellite to focus on your area, but it detected an anomaly."

After speaking, Hong Hou displays the anomaly on the computer screen.

?

Hearing this, Sui Bian rubs his slightly gritty eyes, then carefully examines the anomaly Hong Hou described.

The screen shows a satellite overhead view of Antarctica, and a region marked with a red circle appears about 600 km from the Wave Cold Winter on the continent.

Using the fairly responsive touchpad, he double‑clicks to zoom into the red‑circled area.

Zooming in, Sui Bian discovers it is a city‑like layout map.

A city on Antarctica?

Before Sui Bian can ask, Hong Hou promptly clarifies: "Sir, I detected a sudden surge of underground heat, which produced the planar map you see on the screen."

"Through thermal mapping, I generated a 3‑D schematic; please take a look."

As the voice ends, Hong Hou switches the screen to display the 3‑D model of the 'city.'

Seeing it, he realizes it is not a city at all, but a pyramid of an unknown style.

Wait?

Antarctica?

Pyramid?

"Whoa… let me think, this scene feels familiar."

【Detected time‑limited challenge mission.】 Sui Bian, just sensing something off, hears the system, which spoke moments ago, say again beside his ear:

【Mission: Investigate the anomaly discovered by the AI Hong Hou, and attempt to control or mitigate the anomaly.】

【Reward: One lottery chance.】

【Time limit: 2 days.】

【If the host exceeds the time limit, this system will withdraw the mission and reward, but will not punish the host.】

"."

He originally couldn't quite recall, but after the system did this, Sui Bian finally remembered why this scene felt familiar.

Xenomorph vs. Predator

Again, Antarctica and the pyramid.

However, Sui Bian cannot be certain whether the pyramid Hong Hou discovered is the one imprisoning the Xenomorph queen, nor can he be sure what exactly is there.

"Sir." Seeing that Sui Bian remained silent, Hong Hou tried in an emotionless voice to ask, "May I have your orders…?"

"Hmm…" After regaining his composure, Sui Bian murmured, "Notify the two captains to adjust their courses, getting as close as possible to that pyramid."

"Yes, sir." Hong Hou replied, then immediately contacted the icebreaker and the captain of the Wave Cold Winter.

"Whether it's a Xenomorph or a Predator, Umbrella must go to investigate at once."

(End of chapter)