Only after the two of them sat down and took a sip of coffee did Zheng Zha murmur, "Zhan Lan, do you think I did the right thing this time? I've needlessly introduced a variable. Although I always say we should strive to earn as many reward points and subplots as possible, encouraging us to complete these subplot missions so our team can close the gap with the Devil Reincarnation Squad, I might have been too rash this time…" Zhan Lan was staring blankly into her coffee. Only when Zheng Zha asked her a second time did the girl put down her cup and stick out her tongue.

She laughed, "It's hardly rash, really. After all, your reasoning was sound. Being able to glean extra intelligence from the plot characters—whether it's about subplot missions or our current infiltration—that information could certainly prevent our team from falling into a difficult situation. That certainly shouldn't be called rash.

Besides, being able to coexist peacefully with the plot characters, obtaining information and aid from them—isn't that precisely what sets us apart from the Devil Reincarnation Squad?" Zheng Zha nodded. "That may be true, but the purpose of us coming to the Resident Evil world was to obtain TBD! With that main objective in mind, to then go and provoke another subplot mission... Fortunately, this subplot we encountered didn't conflict with our primary goal of stealing the TBD raw liquid. Otherwise, to save time, we would have had to either abandon the TBD heist or split the team in two to complete both tasks.

Doing that would cause our team's combat effectiveness to plummet, potentially leading to casualties during the mission... Perhaps this is why Chu Xuan didn't want me interacting with Carlos. The timing was wrong, the location was wrong, and the resulting variables would have impacted the team too heavily..." Zhan Lan gave a light smile and said nothing more. At that moment, an extremely soothing ballad was playing in the café.

Zhan Lan seemed utterly absorbed in the soft melody. Even as Zheng Zha spoke about serious matters, her expression remained gentle, maintaining a soft, faint smile as she listened to him recount the gains and losses of the current situation.

"...Zheng Zha, have you ever sat with me like this, quietly sipping coffee?" When Zheng Zha finally paused, Zhan Lan suddenly murmured.

Zheng Zha blinked. He had been deeply concerned with matters of the team's survival, and this sudden shift to a sentiment so delicate and feminine caught him completely off guard.

Only after several seconds did he grasp the meaning behind Zhan Lan's words, and the man let out a wry, bitter smile.

With no other recourse, he picked up his coffee and took a sip to diffuse the sudden awkwardness.

Zhan Lan also smiled slightly and took a sip. She murmured, "Since entering this horrific reincarnation world, it's been so long since I've sat down quietly like this for a drink... especially sitting down quietly for a drink with you. Heh, suddenly it feels like we’re back in the real world, not at all like we're inside a horror movie..." "If there were no TBD, no Resident Evil, this place would be their reality."

Zheng Zha agreed with a sigh, sensing the calm, peaceful atmosphere around them, which also brought a measure of peace to his own heart.

Zhan Lan smiled faintly and remained silent, sitting opposite Zheng Zha, listening to the incomparably soothing music drifting from the café.

She appeared utterly content.

Zheng Zha had initially intended to discuss the implications of triggering the subplot again, but seeing the girl's tranquil expression, he tried to speak several times. The words formed on his lips but refused to come out. In the end, he could only sit silently, accompanying Zhan Lan in listening to the music.

Time slipped by slowly in their quiet communion. As it neared four in the afternoon, Zhan Lan suddenly smiled. "Zheng Zha, he's coming down from the building. Should we contact him now?" Zheng Zha had indulged in his lethargy long enough this afternoon. He had intended to discuss the team's future with Zhan Lan, but when she exhibited that quiet, almost girlish sentiment, he felt compelled to sit with her. Only now did he suddenly stand up. "Connect my consciousness to his."

Carlos was just emerging from the building. He had barely managed to approach the plaza when Zheng Zha’s voice echoed directly within his mind.

This time, the man was clearly prepared. As the voice sounded, his body only trembled slightly.

He then resumed walking with an entirely normal gait.

When the two finally met in an alleyway, a moment of mutual emotion passed between them.

Carlos had intended to talk about what happened after they separated in that town during the initial Resident Evil outbreak.

But Zheng Zha immediately steered the conversation elsewhere. He had already forfeited hundreds of reward points last time; if this continued, he would eventually end up with negative points and be erased.

"Jill and the others are all in this city. They would be thrilled to know you guys are safe," Carlos said cheerfully.

Zheng Zha and Zhan Lan exchanged a knowing smile. He then said, "How about this: my teammates are also in this city. We need to break into the Umbrella Corporation's bio-research facility to find something, but we aren't very familiar with the layout.

Why don't you call Jill and the others over, and we can all discuss our next steps together... and also plan the rescue of Alice."

Carlos readily agreed. He also warned Zheng Zha about the presence of Umbrella Corporation spies within the city. After all, the city center was the declared headquarters for Umbrella, so it wasn't surprising to find numerous Umbrella intelligence personnel stationed there.

Perhaps the seemingly ordinary person on the street, the beautiful waitress in the coffee shop, or the patrolling police officer—perhaps even the owner of the hotel where they were staying could be an Umbrella operative.

"It's probably not that extreme, but you all need to be careful. According to the intel we have, Umbrella is extremely wary of anyone who knows the precise timeline of the bio-hazard outbreak. If they discover such a person, they will undoubtedly be taken back to the base for reprogramming or even injected with TBD. Inside that research facility... there are probably over a hundred Pursuers by now," Carlos sighed before walking away from the alley.

Zheng Zha hadn't been concerned initially, but the few words Carlos dropped before leaving made his brow furrow deeply. After a few dozen seconds, he started nervously running his hands through his hair.

Zhan Lan asked curiously, "What is it? Did something happen? Is Carlos an Umbrella spy?"

"No."

Zheng Zha was currently simulating the unlocking process of the third level of the Genetic Lock. He mimicked Xiao Honglu's thought process: "No, it’s not Carlos who’s the problem; it’s Chu Xuan who’s the problem... Damn it, simulating someone else's thought process always leads to this delayed realization. If it were Xiao Honglu, he would have known what Chu Xuan was planning in advance, or at least I wouldn't have to suffer through this every time, constantly being schemed against by Chu Xuan while helping him count the profits..." This time, Zhan Lan was genuinely confused. She asked curiously, "What exactly is it? Chu Xuan hasn't seemed to do anything particularly noteworthy. Even when we intercepted the code in the building, Chu Xuan didn't do anything else special, did he?"

"It’s precisely because he didn't do anything special that proves he has ulterior motives," Zheng Zha said, rubbing his forehead with a bitter smile. "I more or less understand his plan now, thanks to Carlos's reminder. Yes, once they discover someone who knows about the initial outbreak, they immediately capture them and send them to the base—either for brainwashing or TBD injection. In any case, the person ends up inside the base, right? That’s Chu Xuan’s plan. He wants me to use myself as bait to infiltrate the base so that I can retrieve the TBD raw liquid inside. And here I am, still helping him count his money."

Zhan Lan exclaimed in surprise, "Surely not? If Chu Xuan truly intended that, why didn't he give you more hints? After you deliberately exposed yourself in the building, he instead warned you not to contact Carlos and the others, saying it would prevent too many variables. I don't think Chu Xuan would go that far, would he?"

Zheng Zha waved his hand dismissively. "If he didn't do that, he wouldn't be Chu Xuan. Scheming against his own people—that's Chu Xuan's favorite style of operation. Think about it: aside from me, wasn't Zhao Yingkong better suited for the mission to intercept the code? In terms of stealth or familiarity with computers, she was actually the optimal choice for that task..."

The two had already left the alley. Zheng Zha flagged down a taxi on the street. Once inside, he communicated with Zhan Lan via their mental link: "But Zhao Yingkong couldn't be spared to work on this mission because her computer skills are necessary for Chu Xuan. So this task had to fall to me, ensuring I would be exposed to the company’s surveillance footage.

"He must remember that time I mentioned to him during Resident Evil 2 when I claimed to be a GBD carrier... Umbrella Corporation must desperately want to capture me alive. Chu Xuan knows that, too..."