Chapter 17: The Birth of the Tyrant

"Boss!"

Fang Qi wore an expression of sheer gloom, wondering if he really ought to hire a net cafe administrator. He had only just sat down before being summoned away once more.

Under the highly curious gazes of the newcomers, Fang Qi demonstrated how to operate the computer games.

"To think that one can experience such an immersive effect through something called virtual reality?!"

"Didn't the boss mention something about bio-organic zombies and a Resident Evil just now? I'm certain this is exactly what Song Qingfeng and his lot were discussing!"

"Such a novel thing actually exists! I'm playing first!"

"This game is incredible! Too thrilling!"

Yet not everyone was having the time of their lives; the two girls who had tagged along still lacked the courage to play: "The monsters in here look so terrifying, and they just won't die... We should probably just watch for now..."

Wang Tai was not particularly late today, having run straight over the moment class ended, eager to test the method of substitution Fang Qi had taught him.

After some time, Song Qingfeng, Lin Shao, and Xu Luo arrived as well.

Stepping through the door, they took a look around.

They found that while a good number of new machines had indeed been added to the internet cafe today, the problem was that nearly all of them were occupied, and there were even two girls standing behind the seats!

"Boss?" Song Qingfeng asked hurriedly. "Why are there so many people today?"

Fang Qi was equally mystified: "I have no idea either. I was just playing games in the shop today, and they all just drifted in on their own."

"..." Song Qingfeng amusedly replied, "Boss, you really take the cake when it comes to running a business!"

Playing games in the shop and disregarding everything else, yet the place was nearly full just from customers drifting in on their own?!

This was simply absurd!

Yet the reality of it was unfolding right before his eyes!

Song Qingfeng truly found himself at a loss for words.

To one side, Shen Qingqing was watching Xu Zixin play Resident Evil 1. Although Jill possessed innate marksmanship, Xu Zixin was genuinely unaccustomed to such modern weaponry.

Before her eyes stood two zombie dogs.

Unlike the original game, where the plot dictated that the two protagonists cleared the game unscathed—meaning a scratch would not result in infection—in this virtual reality game, even a tiny nick of a wound would cause infection!

The speed of infection depended on the severity of the injury, which meant that before finding a serum, one had to remain completely unscathed!

The two zombie dogs were exceptionally fast, and Xu Zixin was clearly deeply wary of them; combined with her rather mediocre marksmanship, not every shot found its mark, leaving her in a rather miserable struggle.

"They're just two monstrous dogs, Zixin, how can you not even beat them?" Shen Qingqing could not help but complain. "And you talked about becoming the protagonist of a biographical novel; look at you, does this look like a protagonist at all? It's not exciting in the least."

On the other side, Liang Shi was clearly playing with a great deal of hesitation, drawing a prompt lecture from Wu Shan: "This thing looks like it has some tricks up its sleeve, but Brother Liang, if you let me handle it, I guarantee a single axe blow would split them all clean in two!"

"..." Liang Shi instantly felt his pride taking a blow and explained, "Brother Wu, the claws of these zombies carry a lethal poison. Just a touch, and you'll turn into one of them! It's incredibly formidable!"

"Boring, boring! Being so cautious against a few lackeys! It's genuinely dull to watch!"

"..."

After a night of rest, and having just slain a considerable number of minor mobs, Fang Qi was currently in excellent condition.

Of course, in the process of killing so many minor mobs, remaining entirely unscathed was impossible; on the screen, the medic Rebecca could be seen tending to his wounds, which was precisely why Fang Qi had the leisure to chat.

"Boss... how about letting us have a seat?" Lin Shao rubbed his hands and smiled. "Why don't you let us play for a bit right now!"

"Brother Lin! Have you forgotten what we came here to do today?" Before Fang Qi could answer, Song Qingfeng dissuaded Lin Shao and spoke to Fang Qi, "Boss, you go ahead and play, we'll just watch."

"True enough." Realization dawned upon Lin Shao, and he chuckled, "Boss, we're still waiting for you to clear the game, so it's better if you play first, elder sir."

Fang Qi smiled and said, "You're all waiting for that?"

Song Qingfeng replied, "We're waiting to see the plot! If we were to play through it ourselves, who knows how long it would take. We'll watch yours first."

"Alright then." Fang Qi laughed in spite of himself, not expecting that they would actually care about the storyline.

While clearing out the minor mobs, Fang Qi casually mentioned a few details regarding the plot of Resident Evil 1.

Explaining certain concepts of Resident Evil 1 to people of this era was indeed a difficult task, but since they already possessed a baseline concept of Resident Evil, some simple and fundamental matters were no longer so difficult to comprehend.

"I imagine you have not yet grasped the significance of the name 'Resident Evil'." Fang Qi pulled several documents from his inventory, one of which clearly bore the title "A Researcher's Will."

Fang Qi explained, "You all should have found these researchers' files; many of them mention terms like 'bio-chemical' and 'virus', which can be understood as a natural science that studies life..."

Listening to one unfamiliar term after another, the group felt as though the gates to a whole new world were slowly turning open before them.

"What a wondrous world..."

"Oh! Isn't that Song Qingfeng and his group?" The two young maidens seemed to have discovered something, their pairs of beautiful eyes turning over in unison.

"Are they watching the boss play this?"

"This boss plays so incredibly well! The zombies are slain with casual ease!" The two murmured to each other, "And how come the zombies the boss kills don't seem to resurrect at all?"

Killing zombies at Fang Qi's current level of skill was naturally akin to chopping vegetables; only the Hunters and Chimeras required a modicum of caution.

As he continuously slew these highly powerful minor mobs, his level rose, and his mastery over Chris's combat techniques grew increasingly instinctual.

Lin Shao noticed the two girls as well and whispered, "It's Xi Xiaoyun and her friend; it looks like Xi Qi and his lot have come as well."

"Ignore them," Song Qingfeng said. "The boss's shop is right here; they're bound to find out sooner or later."

On Fang Qi's screen, he had already arrived at the final elevator.

"Time to see the boss." He stretched his limbs slightly inside the elevator.

"Bo... Boss?" Song Qingfeng and the others listened in utter confusion.

"BOSS, a term used in games," Fang Qi explained. "It means their leader."

"So fast?!" The group gasped in astonishment. "It's only been a few days! Is the boss already about to face the mastermind behind this mansion?"

"The mastermind?" Fang Qi chuckled. "Half of it, perhaps. This matter isn't resolved quite so easily."

The puzzles and mechanisms of Resident Evil 1 were rather time-consuming, but for Fang Qi, who was thoroughly well-versed in them, they posed no real challenge!

For the grand scope of Resident Evil, the main plot of the first game was not overly complex, consisting of a simple search-and-rescue and an escape.

Yet it contained a wealth of information beyond the main thread, such as bio-chemical viruses, zombies, and the conspiracies of Umbrella; all of this held monumental significance for the subsequent generations of Resident Evil.

It was because the secrets of this mist-shrouded mansion were unveiled one by one that the subsequent series of events was gradually set in motion! It also drew open an epic curtain for all Resident Evil players and the entire Resident Evil universe!

Likewise, this ancient mansion was precisely the birthplace of the most classic and domineering boss of the Resident Evil series—the Tyrant!

Controlling Chris, Fang Qi stepped out of the elevator and entered a research laboratory filled with various apparatuses.

The moment had finally arrived!

Wesker stood before the main control console of the laboratory, his hands flying as he rapidly input data.

"Wesker?" The group stared at the screen in perplexity; they were thoroughly familiar with this cool, sunglasses-wearing captain of Alpha Team, who had forged ahead alone, leaving them plenty of ammunition along the way and offering several hints, embodying the perfect image of a dutiful captain.

"Chris, I'm truly proud of you." Wesker had clearly sensed Fang Qi's arrival, speaking even as he typed data on the keyboard.

Fang Qi let out a low scoff, shrugged, and offered no reply.

Knowing the truth all along, there was absolutely no need for him to exchange pleasantries with Wesker.

Suddenly, Wesker swiftly drew his handgun and pointed it straight at Fang Qi!

"How can this be?!"

"Could the mastermind behind all this really be Wesker?!"

"He actually has the capability to engineer this many monsters?!"

"Umbrella... is that the name of the organization behind the scenes?!"

The group was thoroughly shaken!

They suddenly recalled the Alpha Team coming to investigate the disappearances, only to be led into the mansion by Wesker.

If Wesker was the mastermind, then wasn't this entire ordeal a complete and utter conspiracy?!

Beneath what seemed like a straightforward sequence of events, such a massive conspiracy lay hidden?!

And to think that not a single one of them had noticed a thing?!

Just the thought of it sent a cold shiver running down their spines!

They watched as Wesker pressed a button on the console beside him, and immediately afterward, the creature submerged entirely in a cyan fluid behind him began to slowly emerge!

It was a humanoid monstrosity standing well over two meters tall, possessing an exceptionally imposing physique!

Its muscles were incredibly powerful, and its claws were even thicker and sturdier than those of a Hunter, their sharp edges gleaming with a cold, metallic luster!

Such a formidable and tyrannical appearance sent an overwhelming sensation of power and dread crashing over them, even through the screen!

"What kind of ungodly thing is that?!" The group had never laid eyes on a monster so terrifying!

"The Tyrant, the final boss," Fang Qi remarked, his expression growing somewhat solemn.

Without a doubt, the most formidable and imposing biological weapon in the entire Resident Evil series was none other than the "Tyrant"—a masterpiece forged by the hands of the fiercely ambitious!

They watched as the Tyrant behind him suddenly snapped its eyes open, and with a single tear of its massive claw, shattered the tempered glass before it into smithereens! Even Wesker, standing just outside, was skewered clean through by the strike!

Vibrant crimson blood flowed down the massive claw, sending a violent shockwave through everyone present!

"What kind of demon is this?!" Unbeknownst to them, several more people had gathered behind Fang Qi.

"It feels like the monster the boss is fighting is way tougher than what anyone else is facing!"

"Tyrant? What a powerful name," Shen Qingqing remarked, her eyes drawn over in curiosity. "It really looks like a major villain..."

"Tyrant? What an incredibly arrogant title!" Wu Shan scoffed as he looked over, eager to see what kind of absurd creature dared to adopt such a name.

Yet, the moment his eyes fell upon the hideous, two-meter-tall behemoth that was the Tyrant itself on Fang Qi's screen, his heart skipped a beat.

This was undeniably a terrifying, heartless demon!