Reaching the building used as both a clinic and a research lab, Alex finally let go of Ustanak’s leg, which he had been dragging behind him. Before going inside, he paused for a second, casting a glance at the fallen mutant. Alex narrowed his eyes suspiciously— in this world, even a headless corpse could suddenly get back up. Not wanting to take any chances, he lifted his foot and stomped down hard on Ustanak’s chest. A dull crunch echoed out— as if every bone in the creature’s body snapped at once.

Jake and Sherry flinched at the sharp sound and turned around immediately.

“Was that really necessary? I thought he was dead. Or do you, by any chance, have some strange fetishes?” Jake asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Fetishes? Calm down. Just a precaution in case your girlfriend decides to go for round two,” Alex smirked, glancing at him.

“Whatever you say, boss,” Jake shrugged.

Alex gave Ustanak’s body one last look. Satisfied that not a single muscle twitched, he headed for the clinic door and gestured for Sherry and Jake to follow him.

Stepping inside, Alex was pleasantly surprised. Although the building had originally been an old, half-collapsed clinic, it now looked almost like a modern medical facility. The full renovation had clearly paid off. There was even a reception desk—albeit more symbolic than functional. Alex chuckled—who was he to judge someone’s design choices?

Sherry and Jake couldn’t hide their amazement. Looking at the clean walls, bright hallways, and even artificial plants in the corner, they once again felt like the apocalypse had somehow skipped this place entirely.

Alex walked up to the reception and pressed a small bell. Its chime rang through the room. A moment later, approaching footsteps could be heard.

“Who got hurt again? I told you all to stop knocking each other’s brains out during sparring!” came an irritated female voice from deeper inside the clinic.

Alex raised an eyebrow and saw Marie emerging from the hallway. One look at her face was enough to know her day wasn’t going well.

He barely suppressed a laugh—he knew her irritation wasn’t just from being tired. It was always the same few idiots, especially the martial artists, who pushed themselves to the brink during training. And Kensei—eternal patient number one. Alex pictured him peeking at the girls again, only to get a well-deserved punch to the jaw from Mistress Ma. The scene alone was enough to bring a grin to his face.

“Alex? What is it this time?” Marie asked, calmer now, though irritation still lingered in her voice.

“Found this pair in the forest. Brought them here for you to check out. They look… well, like beaten-up strays. See for yourself,” he said, nodding toward Sherry and Jake standing behind him.

Marie turned her gaze to the newcomers and gave them a professional once-over, head to toe. Her expression was cold, evaluating. What Alex said turned out to be spot-on—both of them looked like they’d been through a meat grinder. And who knows what condition they were in on the inside.

“Alright. You two—follow me,” she said, turning and gesturing for Sherry and Jake to come with her.

Marie headed down the corridor, disappearing from sight again. Alex glanced back at Sherry and Jake, nodded, and followed. Sherry and Jake exchanged a look, shrugged, and went after him. Alex quickly caught up to Marie and walked beside her. The irritation on her face hadn’t gone anywhere.

“So, who are your ‘frequent flyers’ around here?” Alex asked with amused curiosity, raising an eyebrow.

“You know damn well who. Those three idiots—Ken, Ryu, and Jin,” Marie muttered, rolling her eyes and shooting Alex a dry glance.

“This happen a lot?” Sherry asked as she caught up to them.

“We’ve only been here a week, but even when we just arrived, Ken and Ryu were already in the med bay nearly every day,” Marie sighed, opening the door to the examination room.

Alex, Sherry, and Jake stepped in after her. Marie put on a medical coat and pointed to the chairs for Sherry and Jake.

“Have a seat, I’ll get everything ready.”

Alex sat down on an empty chair, turning it around to rest his arms on the backrest while he waited for Sherry and Jake to be examined. Mari started with Sherry, taking her behind a privacy screen so the men couldn’t peek. Alex rolled his eyes. He understood — it made sense, it was proper. After all, he and Jake were men, and asking Sherry to undress in front of them would have been plain inappropriate.

“You said you traveled half the world before ending up here. How did you even manage that?” Jake asked, glancing at Alex.

“Well, to start from the beginning — when all this started, the dead rising, the panic and everything — my family and I had just arrived in Japan for vacation. And then the apocalypse hit. Long story short: we took a ferry to Okinawa, then hijacked a U.S. military carrier through a base… and traveled the world on it until we got to Alaska,” Alex replied, pulling a cigarette from his pack.

“Damn. You really got out in one piece. Just don’t tell me you were a regular college student. I’m not buying that crap. Save it for bedtime stories,” Jake scoffed.

“Don’t smoke in here,” Mari’s voice snapped from behind the screen — sharp as a whip crack.

“Sorry,” Alex replied and slipped the cigarette back into the pack. “To make it short, I was a mercenary. Not like you, with ranks and discipline — more like a private contractor. The jobs varied, but they paid well. Probably better than what you got.”

Jake nodded, as if to say he believed it. Yeah, Alex didn’t seem like the soldier type. Everything about him spoke of someone freer, more flexible.

Alex decided to chat a bit with Jake. He was curious how much the guy knew about his origins — if he had any idea who his father was. As they talked, Alex realized Jake’s story didn’t differ much from the original. He didn’t know who his father was and sincerely hated him. His mother had been seriously ill, and Jake had to work from a young age to afford her medication — that’s how he ended up as a mercenary.

But the events in Edonia had played out differently in this world. Here, it had been a normal civil war, without any C-virus. No bioterrorism or mutants — just a zombie apocalypse slowly swallowing the entire planet.

“Jake, would you want to know who your father is?” Alex asked suddenly, his gaze sharp and focused on the young man.

“Not really,” Jake replied, lying back on the medical couch and folding his hands behind his head. “If he ran off, what good would it do? Even if I find him — he might already be some monster’s dinner.”

Alex smirked slightly, his eyes gleaming.

“And what if I told you I know who your father is?”

He didn’t look away, and his voice carried a strange mix of seriousness and challenge.

Jake, lazily sprawled out on the examination couch, immediately sat up when he heard Alex’s words. His eyes narrowed as he stared at him intently. There wasn’t a trace of humor in his gaze — only focus and tension. Alex didn’t look like he was joking. Jake would’ve been lying if he said he wasn’t at least a little curious. Inside, two feelings clashed: bitterness over his mother’s death and being abandoned by his father, and a burning curiosity — the need to know the truth.

Alex waited patiently in silence, watching Jake from the corner of his eye. Behind the privacy screen, he noticed Sherry flinch. He understood immediately—Sherry still hadn’t told Jake the truth. And that could become a crack in their friendship: she knew, and she kept it from him. Alex sighed quietly. He didn’t blame Sherry, but he knew how hard it would be to explain it to Jake.

“Alright, spill it,” Jake muttered with a grim expression. “I want to know who that bastard is—the one who left me and my mom.”

Alex looked at him calmly.

“Before I tell you, remember: it doesn’t matter who he was. It doesn’t matter what he did. Those were his choices, not yours. You are who you are. And he… made his choice long ago.”

“Yeah, I get it. Stop speaking in riddles and just say it already,” Jake grumbled, clicking his tongue in irritation.

“His name was Albert Wesker,” Alex said in an even tone. “And, you could say, part of what’s happened to this world is his fault. These demonic undead, all this horror… he was there at the very beginning. He wasn’t just throwing shit at the fan—he brought a shovel.”

“You’re kidding…” Jake muttered, but when he saw Alex’s face, he fell silent. “Shit. One of the bastards who destroyed the world… didn’t see that coming. So that’s why all this…” He covered his face with his hands and let out a heavy sigh.

“I told you—don’t blame yourself,” Alex reminded him, raising a finger. “The sins of the father aren’t the fault of the child. You’ve been working your ass off since you were a kid to get your mom the medicine she needed. You took a path Wesker wouldn’t even dream of walking. You’re his complete opposite. And that’s your strength.”

“If you say so…” Jake muttered, then looked up. “Where is he now?”

“I killed him,” Alex replied calmly. “Remember that secret island I mentioned? He was in charge there. Tried to carve out a piece of this broken world for himself.”

Jake frowned and stared at Alex, who sighed deeply and continued—this time in detail. He told him everything he knew: about the “Wesker Project,” about how they searched the world for children with exceptional traits, and how, after brutal experimentation, only three survived—Albert himself, his “sister” Alex, and one more participant. The rest—over a hundred children—died.

He explained Wesker’s connection to Spencer, how Albert inherited the old man’s worst traits—his megalomania, his obsession with immortality, and his willingness to betray anyone for his goals. Jake listened in silence, his face dark. Behind the screen, both Marie and Sherry had gone quiet.

“Hmph…” Jake finally exhaled, resting his elbows on his knees. “As a kid, I wanted to know who my father was and why he left us. Now I’m actually glad he never came back. A guy like that… I don’t need him.”

“At least you don’t want to shoot me for killing him,” Alex said with a faint smile.

“Trust me, if you’d just told me you shot him without explaining everything… I probably would’ve tried,” Jake replied with a smirk. “But after hearing all that… I’d have put a bullet in that bastard myself.”

“Even if you tried,” Marie’s voice came from behind the screen, “it wouldn’t have worked. You’d just end up knocked out and lying on one of our cots in minutes. Now enough chit-chat. Get behind the screen—you need to be checked. You look worse than Sherry.”

“Not sure which of us would actually end up in the hospital bed,” Jake scoffed, getting up from the cot.

“Trust me, it wouldn’t be you,” Marie said with a grin, pushing Jake behind the screen. “Ask anyone in the settlement—they’d just beat you down.”

Sherry sat down on the hospital cot where Jake had just been sitting and looked at Alex. He returned her gaze with a warm smile. However, behind that smile lay a truth he still wasn’t ready to voice—he had killed William, her father. Alex didn’t know whether Sherry was aware of his death, as it had happened in the original timeline, or if she still believed her father was alive. According to the archived records, William and Annette Birkin were listed as deceased.

At that moment, Rebecca Chambers entered the room, breaking the silence with her voice:

“Alex, what’s that thing lying by the entrance? Where did you drag it from?”

“Hey, Rebecca,” he replied with a smile. “Ghost, Johnny, and I were checking the traps we set and came across torn-up animal carcasses. We decided to find out who was behind it. In the end, I ran into these two”—he nodded toward Sherry and Jake—”and that thing was chasing them. Judging by its appearance, it’s a carrier of a different virus. I thought you and the scientists might find the sample useful, so I brought it.”

“Hm… If you’re right, this could indeed be helpful,” Rebecca said thoughtfully, nodding.

“How’s the progress on the anti-demon serum project? Or is it still as dead as a crypt?” Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.

“We’re at a dead end for now. We lack new data… or a couple of specimens for testing,” she said, giving him a meaningful look.

Alex smirked.

“Judging by your eyes, you want me to catch a couple of demons for you. Am I right?”

“You got it. Will you bring them?” Rebecca asked hopefully, looking at him with puppy eyes.

“Ah… it’s hard to say no when you look at me like that. But which one of the girls spilled that it works on me? Let me guess… Shizuka?”

“Yeah. Thanks, Alex. And yes, you guessed right—Shizuka blabbed. But not just her. The others kept fueling the fire too,” Rebecca said, hugging him.

Alex shook his head, accepting the hug, then let go and asked where Shizuka and Claire had gone. Rebecca explained that there had been an accident during the construction of the new house, and she went there with Claire and Shizuka. She had only come back to grab some medical supplies. After a quick goodbye to Alex and Marie, Rebecca grabbed her bag and hurried back.

Meanwhile, Marie finished examining Jake. He was fine—except for a few scrapes and bruises.

“Well, since you’re both intact, you need to eat and change. Marie, thanks as always for the help. I owe you one,” Alex said, looking at Sherry and Jake, then smiling at Marie.

“No problem. Just buy me coffee next time,” she replied with a smile.

“Will do. Now, let’s get you cleaned up,” Alex said, leaving the office.

He led Sherry and Jake to his home—where he kept spare clothes and food. As they left the clinic, they saw a group of scientists examining Ustanak’s body, taking samples, and taking photos. Alex realized that before leaving, Rebecca had likely gone upstairs and informed the team about their “guest.”

Without disturbing the scientists at work, Alex lit a cigarette and, after taking a puff, offered one to Jake. He didn’t refuse. When they reached the house, the first thing that caught Jake’s eye was the motorcycle parked by the entrance.

“Damn, where did you get this beauty?” he exclaimed admiringly, inspecting the bike.

“I built it myself. Like I said — they paid me more than they paid you,” Alex laughed.

“Judging by the bike, they paid you way more. If I’d known you could make that kind of cash, I’d have gone private myself,” Jake grumbled, looking at the machine with envy.

“Boys… all you ever think about are motorcycles and guns,” Sherry sighed.

“You’re right there, Sherry. Can’t deny it,” Alex smirked. “Now, come inside. You need to eat. I can tell by your face you’re hungry. And Jake looks like he is too.”

Alex gestured for Sherry and Jake to follow him into the house. As he opened the door, he immediately took off his blue coat and hung it on the rack. Jake and Sherry stepped inside and again couldn’t hide their surprise at what they saw. The same thought flashed through both their minds: Looks like the apocalypse really did skip this place.

Before they could take it all in, Namiyo came out of the dining room wearing a kitchen apron.

“You’re early today… and you brought guests. Who are they?” she asked, looking at Jake and Sherry.

“These are Jake and Sherry. I met them in the forest—they were running from a mutant. So, I brought them here,” Alex answered, approaching Namiyo.

“They must be hungry. I’ll make something quick,” she said with a warm smile.

“Thank you for your hospitality… and for the food, too,” Sherry said, nodding lightly with a gentle smile.

“Don’t worry, dear. Make yourselves comfortable; I’ll prepare something hot,” Namiyo replied, waving her hand and returning to the kitchen.

Alex escorted the guests to the dining room and then headed to the kitchen while they settled in. Once inside, he wrapped his arms around Namiyo’s waist and kissed her softly on the cheek. But she gently pushed his face away with a light laugh, not wanting him to get in the way of cooking. Seeing Alex pout, she smiled, leaned in, and kissed him on the lips before returning to her cooking.

Alex chuckled, grabbed several drinks from the fridge, and headed back to the dining room. Placing the bottles in front of Sherry and Jake, he then went upstairs to get fresh clothes for the guests.

On the way, he thought,

“Better create new clothes with magic so I don’t get complaints later about giving them someone else’s stuff. Although, I’m sure no one would mind…”

After making suitable outfits, he came back downstairs. On the way, he stopped in the bathroom and quickly changed its appearance—replacing the luxurious bathtub with a regular shower cabin. It was important not to raise any unnecessary questions from guests about the odd amenities in this “apocalyptic” house.

Returning to Jake and Sherry, he placed two neatly folded sets of clothes on the table.

“Here’s some clothes for you. After dinner, you can take a shower and change out of those rags. Honestly, it’s painful to look at you—like two beggars,” Alex said with a smirk.

“Wow, you’ve got the full service here: food, clothes, and even a shower. A real resort, not some apocalypse shelter,” Jake chuckled as he took his set.

“Thanks for the clothes. I hope the girl you took them from won’t mind?” Sherry asked, a hint of doubt in her voice.

“Of course not. Even in the middle of an apocalypse, girls have more than enough clothes to spare,” Alex replied with a smile.

Sherry just nodded, and to pass the time, Alex started a conversation. He was genuinely interested in who Sherry’s handler was—there was a chance they might be playing for the other side. While they talked, Namiyo returned with a tray of food and carefully set the plates in front of Jake and Sherry. She handed Alex a mug of freshly brewed coffee, kissed him lightly on the cheek, and slipped back into the kitchen to start preparing lunch.

Alex didn’t interfere with the guests eating—he simply leaned back in his chair, sipping his coffee slowly while studying Sherry’s dossier on his phone. He already knew her mission but still wanted to uncover the identity of her handler—it was better to see for himself than to try to extract the information.

At that moment, Alcina entered the dining room, drawing attention with her imposing height and posture.

“Damn… she’s huge,” Jake muttered, stunned by her appearance.

“Watch your tongue, man thing. Or I’ll rip it out,” Alcina snapped sharply, her voice cold and icy.

“Well, well, Alcina, calm down. He didn’t mean it. I was just as shocked the first time I saw how tall you are,” Alex intervened with a conciliatory smile.

“Hmph. And I see you’ve already taken up charity work? Feeding everyone you meet?” she sneered, looking at Alex.

“Maybe so. Allow me to introduce these two. Jake Mueller and Sherry Birkin. And this is…”

“I know. Lady Alcina Dimitrescu,” Sherry cut in. “There was a dossier on her at headquarters… and the Mother Miranda cult. Didn’t know she was here.”

“Birkin? You’re the daughter of that bastard William Birkin,” Alcina said, narrowing her eyes.

“You knew my father?” Sherry asked, surprised, looking at her.

“You better ask Alex. He’s the one who killed your father,” Alcina said coldly, waving her hand toward Alex.

“That’s impossible… I was only twelve when my parents died… so many years have passed since then…” Sherry tried to object, but her voice trembled.

“That’s not my concern anymore. All questions go to the one who knows,” Alcina said and left for the kitchen, leaving a heavy silence behind her.

Alex looked at Alcina with an empty, disappointed gaze—all because she had shattered his carefully laid plans. He had wanted to approach the conversation about William Birkin’s death gently, cautiously, but now that was out of the question. Alcina ignored his look and silently headed to the kitchen.

Alex shifted his gaze to Sherry—she didn’t look away, drilling into him with an almost scorching stare, as if trying to burn a hole through him. Jake smirked, watching the scene unfold, waiting to see how Alex would handle the fallout. But even he was somewhat surprised to learn that Alex had killed not only Albert Wesker but also Sherry’s father—William Birkin.

Alex sighed heavily and nodded, indicating he was ready to answer any questions.

“How could you kill my father if he’s been dead for a long time?” Sherry asked in a blunt, cold tone.

“To be honest, I thought he was dead too. After all, he was the one responsible for developing the G-virus. But it turned out the Live Corporation had lured him over and faked his death. Although… to be precise, it wasn’t the corporation, but Wesker. He and your father were something like… half-friends. William staged his death and followed Wesker, working for him. Eventually, my team and I found him on one of the Evil Corporation’s secret islands.”

Alex paused for a second, recalling what he had seen, then continued:

“And I’ll be straightforward—he did a lot of terrible things. If Wesker was the one who threw him under the bus, your father was the one who set the bus in motion. You can’t explain it in just a few words. He conducted experiments… on children. I think it’s better if you don’t know all the details. It was truly horrific.”

Alex sighed again, the distorted bodies of children in glass jars flashing before his eyes once more.

“Was it really that bad in that lab?” Sherry asked, never taking her eyes off him.

Alex pulled his phone from his pocket and placed it on the table. After a few taps on the screen, he activated a holographic video recording. GIR and MIMI recorded everything they saw and stored the data on Alex’s personal server, so it was always at hand.

Images appeared in the hologram—Sherry and Jake peered at the footage. When the video reached the laboratory, Sherry paled, her eyes widening in horror. Jake grimaced, shaking his head in disgust. No words were needed—the bodies in the jars were children’s. Sherry understood immediately.

Alex saw the horror and disbelief on her face. He turned off the recording and pocketed the phone.

“Even if I hadn’t done it, someone else would have—those we saved. Like I told Jake: don’t blame yourself. There was nothing you could have changed—neither you nor your mother, Annette. Your father made his choice. Now he’s roasting in hell, and you, on the other hand, are trying to cleanse this world of its filth. And that’s your choice,” Alex said in a calm, confident voice, looking Sherry in the eyes.

Sherry simply nodded silently, lowered her head, and continued eating. Alex sighed. Conversations like this were inevitable when your parents were involved in the world’s destruction. Sherry needed time to digest it all. Not every day do you learn that your father not only faked his death but also continued to conduct monstrous experiments.

After Sherry and Jake finished eating, Alex cleared their plates and took them to the kitchen. Casting a indifferent glance at Alcina, he saw her roll her eyes and continue chatting with Namiyo. Alex placed the plates in the sink and returned to the dining room.

He beckoned Sherry and Jake, then led Sherry to the shower— a hot shower would help her clear her mind a bit. Pointing out where everything was, Alex stepped out and closed the door behind him.

“Let’s go have a smoke while she’s in there,” he suggested to Jake.

They went outside and sat down on the porch steps.

“I didn’t expect things to take this turn, honestly,” Jake said, twisting a cigarette between his fingers.

“Life is full of surprises in general. Like a wise turtle once said: coincidences aren’t coincidences. Funny how the children of those who destroyed the world are now trying to save it. Irony of fate,” Alex said, exhaling smoke.

“Hey, I’m no hero. They pay me for this,” Jake scoffed, glancing at Alex.

“How much do they pay you? Don’t tell me it’s money. Those paper things haven’t been worth anything for ages,” Alex smirked.

“Heh, true. Looks like my advance has already evaporated… Eh…” Jake groaned in frustration.

“Yeah, you’re a mercenary through and through. How much did you ask for?”

“One and a half million for 200 milliliters of blood.”

“Hm. Seems you have special blood. But I don’t want to burst your bubble — with that viral cocktail inside the zombies’ bodies, your blood probably won’t help. It’s not just one virus, but a mix of dozens.”

“What difference does it make now… You said yourself that a group of scientists from the settlement already developed an antivirus. So my millions are gone,” Jake muttered, clicking his tongue.

Alex grinned and patted Jake on the shoulder — whether as support or mockery was unclear. Jake gave him an empty look, and Alex just replied with the same smug grin.

“You said you killed my father but didn’t say how exactly. Care to share?” Jake asked, swatting his hand away.

“No problem, just watch your jaw so it doesn’t drop,” Alex answered cheerfully, as if telling a joke.

Jake raised an eyebrow, not understanding what Alex was getting at. Alex took out his phone, connected to his server, and opened one of the folders created by GIR and MIMI. It contained all the recordings of his fights. He found the right video — the final battle with Wesker, who by that time had already turned into a true demon.

Alex handed the phone to Jake.

“Watch, you’ll see it for yourself.”

Jake took the device and started the playback. The video began with Wesker flying out of the destroyed complex and crashing onto the beach. Jake looked at Alex in surprise, but Alex just nodded toward the screen — like, keep watching.

The fight grew more intense: Wesker mutated, sprouting wings and unnatural strength. Then Alex, using the Night Moth technique, transformed into a crimson dragon and destroyed the entire island — Wesker included.

Jake swallowed hard, watching the enormous fiery figure slam into the island, triggering a massive explosion. He was stunned — not so much by his father becoming a monster, but by the scale of the destruction.

“You’ve got to be kidding me… You destroyed a whole island! That’s not just breaking a stool — that’s a damn huge island! Who the hell are you?!” Jake breathed out, never taking his eyes off Alex.

“I’m a ninja,” Alex replied calmly. “I did warn you about your jaw. Talk to the locals — you’ll learn more about me.”

“Go to hell… What could be crazier than destroying a damn island?” Jake smirked.

“Who knows… Maybe I’ll tell you later,” Alex answered, taking back the phone.

“What are you two talking about?” came Sherry’s voice as she stepped out of the house, wrapped loosely in a towel.

“About destroying islands. You better get back inside — or you’ll catch a cold,” Alex said, looking at her with the same expressionless face.

Sherry silently nodded and disappeared inside.

“Go take a shower,” Alex told Jake. “You stink.”

Jake rolled his eyes, sniffed himself… and indeed grimaced.

“Alright, you talked me into it.”

They went back inside. Sherry sat in a chair, drying her hair with a towel. Alex decided to wait for the other girls — they needed to head out soon to scout nearby towns. He also thought it was about time to get Sherry and Jake involved in work — let them earn their food, clothes, and hot water.

To be continued…

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep