A/N: For those who want to read ahead of the Webnovel schedule, you can read up to Chapter 122 on my Patreon.
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"Hey, White Queen — can you tell me what that thing is?" Luke asked, eyes narrowing at the monster wearing his face — a face he really didn't like.
"It is Umbrella's new research project," the White Queen's voice came calmly from his wrist device. "Based on your D.N.A."
Luke blinked once. "My D.N.A.? Where the hell did they even get that?"
"In Detroit," the White Queen replied. "From the hotel room you previously occupied. Umbrella recovered a strand of your hair and extracted your genetic material."
Luke frowned, squinting at the creature. "Figures. Should've vacuumed the damn room."
He tilted his head slightly. "But the cloning doesn't look successful to me."
"Correct," said the White Queen. "That specimen was unstable. To counteract the degradation, Dr. Isaacs combined your D.N.A. with the T-Virus strain to force cell regeneration. The result is… that."
Luke's eyes flickered back toward the hulking figure. "And let me guess — before dying, Isaacs released it, didn't he?"
"Yes,"
As if on cue, the monster threw its head back and roared. The sound rattled the walls — a guttural, bone-deep noise that made even Jill flinch. Chunks of concrete rained from the ceiling.
Then it charged.
"Here we go," Luke muttered.
The monster swung its fist — a massive, flesh-covered hammer aiming straight for his face.
BOOM!
Before the blow could connect, an invisible wall of force shimmered into existence. The impact detonated outward in a violent shockwave — dust and debris blasted through the hall, light fixtures bursting overhead.
The creature's arm stopped dead, muscles bulging against the unseen pressure that held it in place. Veins popped along its neck as it pushed harder, growling like a cornered animal.
Luke tilted his head slightly, unimpressed. "Hmm… not bad. You've got strength, I'll give you that."
A faint hum filled the air, followed by a sharp crack of displaced pressure. The monster's body jerked violently — limbs twisting at impossible angles — and then, with a wet rip, it came apart.
SPLAT!
Chunks of flesh and bone hit the ground, splattering the walls in crimson streaks. What was once a nine-foot tank of muscle was now a heap of meat and smoke.
Luke exhaled slowly. "That should take care of it."
But then he froze.
A faint, sticky sound broke through the silence — squelch… squelch…
On the floor, a severed arm twitched. Then a hand. Then the rest — pieces dragging, pulsing, inching toward each other like they were alive.
It was regenerating.
Luke sighed, his expression flat. "Oh, come on. You've got to be kidding me."
He watched the twitching mass pull itself together, skin bubbling and reforming like melted wax. "Tch… looks like it inherited some of my DNA all right. Guess that explains the freakish healing."
A faint orange light flickered in his eyes. "Burning should solve the problem."
In the next instant, the air around him shimmered.
FOOM!
A wall of fire erupted outward, sweeping across the room like a living inferno. The flames devoured everything — flesh, debris, and whatever was left of the clone.
When the fire faded, only glowing ash and black smoke remained.
Luke exhaled, lowering his hand. "Yeah. That should take care of it."
"Now we should go get Al—" Luke's words caught halfway in his mouth.
Before he could finish, Jill shifted slightly in his arms — and then her hands slid behind his neck, pulling him down.
She kissed him.
For a second, Luke just froze, still holding her in the princess carry. His eyes widened, and his body tensed — not out of fear, but pure surprise.
When they finally pulled apart, Jill rested her forehead lightly against his chest. Her breath was warm, soft against him, steadying as the silence settled.
"You damn idiot," she said, her voice low but teasing. "You always save me, and you expect me not to fall for you? Take responsibility."
Luke blinked, still processing. "Uh… okay?" he managed, a small, awkward smile tugging at his lips.
Jill tilted her head slightly, eyes gleaming with that familiar spark. "That's more like it," she murmured, her fingers tracing lightly along his shoulder.
Luke let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "You really pick the worst times for this, you know that?"