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The roar of an engine, growing louder from the distance, was like a stone thrown into a newly calmed lake that had just survived a catastrophe.
Noah's body reacted in an instant.
He instinctively took a step forward, placing his tall frame in front of Claire and Sherry like a solid wall. His right hand rested silently on the holster at his waist; the cold metal grip gave him a negligible sense of security.
Claire also pulled Sherry tightly behind her, lowering her body slightly into a defensive stance, ready for anything. Only Sherry poked her small head out from behind Claire's arm, her beautiful large eyes filled with a hint of curiosity as she looked toward the source of the sound.
A black, rugged off-road vehicle slowly emerged from behind a junction in the highway, like a giant steel beast waking up from the forest. It didn't show any aggression; its speed was slow, and it eventually came to a steady stop about a dozen meters away from the trio.
The engine went quiet.
For a moment, the eerie silence returned, broken only by the rustling of leaves and the sound of their tense heartbeats. Leon's brow furrowed tightly. He stared fixedly at the outline of the vehicle; an indescribable sense of familiarity swirled in his mind.
This car... it felt like he had seen it somewhere before.
Just then, a soft click broke the stalemate. The passenger door of the off-road vehicle was pushed open. A foot wearing a sneaker stepped onto the gravel. Immediately after, a familiar figure stepped out of the car.
The moment she saw that face clearly, Claire felt as if her heart had been gripped by an invisible hand; even her breathing stopped. He looked tired, with a bit of dust on his face and a tattered jacket, but he was standing there, completely intact.
Noah stood in the cool morning air, his gaze passing over Leon's wary shoulder and landing directly on Claire's face.
Claire's body froze. She was unable to move, unable to make a sound. Is it a hallucination? Am I so tired that I'm seeing ghosts?
Noah felt a pang of heartache seeing her dazed expression. He didn't walk over immediately, but instead raised his right hand. His finger quickly and clearly drew a symbol in the air.
It was the promise that belonged only to the two of them.
"If you draw a lightning bolt, I'll add the clouds beside it..."
Claire's head buzzed. All her reason and all her strong pretenses collapsed the moment she saw that symbol. In the next second, she violently pushed aside Leon and, like an out-of-control fawn, charged toward that figure.
She slammed into Noah's arms, the force so great he had to take a half-step back. She threw her arms around his neck, buried her face into his shoulder, and bit down hard.
"Ugh!" Noah let out a muffled groan as a piercing pain shot from his shoulder. Warm blood immediately soaked his clothes.
But he didn't push her away. He didn't even frown. Noah simply raised his arms and, with equal force—and a hint of trembling—held the girl tightly in his embrace.
"You... bastard!!" Claire's voice was muffled by her teeth; every word was squeezed out, carrying a heavy sob. "How could you... make me believe... I really thought you were..."
She couldn't go on; her words were drowned out by surging tears. Warm tears slid down her cheeks, mixing with the faint taste of blood, both salty and bitter. Finally, she released her teeth but still didn't look up. Like a wounded little animal that had finally found a safe harbor, she leaned weakly in Noah's arms, her shoulders shaking as she wept aloud.
After a long time, the crying subsided. Claire looked up slightly, seeing the wound she had bitten into Noah's shoulder. Blood had stained a large patch of his clothes.
"I'm sorry..." Her voice was raspy. "I... I didn't mean to..."
Noah lowered his head and gently wiped away the tear tracks and bloodstains from her face, his movements as tender as if he were handling a priceless treasure.
"No," he looked into her eyes, his voice deep and firm. "I'm the one who should say sorry, honey. I made you worry."
Standing to the side, Leon watched the two embracing, and the heart that had been in suspense finally settled back into his chest. He let out a long sigh of relief. Noah was alive; that was wonderful. For Claire, this was more important than anything else.
However, just as he was about to say something to break the atmosphere, the driver's side door of the vehicle opened. A splash of bright red stepped out. It was a tight-fitting qipao, outlining a body curve that could be called perfect. In the midst of such ruins, her appearance was like a bewitching red rose blooming on a battlefield.
The smile on Leon's face instantly froze. His pupils contracted sharply the moment he saw her. His mouth opened slightly, his Adam's apple bobbing as he spat out a name in a tone mixed with shock and disbelief.
"Ada!"
She leaned against the car door with her arms crossed. Hearing Leon's voice, she turned her gaze over, her eyes carrying a faint smile. She didn't answer immediately but reached into the car, took out a set of keys, and tossed them toward him.
Leon caught them. He looked down; the familiar Ford logo and the small cactus keychain left him stunned. These were his car keys.
"You seem to have left your car at the coffee shop," Ada's voice came over, lazy and teasing. "Make sure to remember next time, rookie officer."
Leon felt his cheeks burn, and his mind turned into a mess. Why was she here? How was she with Noah? Ada saw his dazed look, and the smile at the corners of her mouth deepened. She gave a captivating smile and turned around gracefully, seemingly intending to leave.
"Wait!" Leon blurted out.
A burst of courage broke through his hesitation. He lunged forward and grabbed her slender arm. Ada stopped.
"Come with us... together."
Leon's voice was dry, but his gaze was serious. He could feel the warmth beneath his palm; his heart was beating so fast it felt like it would jump out of his chest.
Ada didn't turn around. She lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes casting a shadow. She pursed her lips hard. A few seconds later, she let out a soft sigh. Then she suddenly turned around.
Before Leon could react, she took a step forward, hooked her arms around his neck, and stood on her tiptoes. Her soft body pressed into his embrace. Then, a fiery, aggressive softness was pressed firmly onto his lips.
Leon's brain went completely blank. The world disappeared. He was completely lost in this sudden, domineering ocean.
"Mmm..."
Standing not far away, Sherry instinctively covered her eyes with her small hands. However, a large gap opened between her fingers. Behind the gap, those large blue eyes blinked, full of excitement, as she watched the adults.
Claire also saw Sherry's 'ostrich-like' behavior. Her cheeks flushed bright red; she immediately pushed Noah away, tidied her messy hair, and spoke incoherently.
"Sherry... Sherry saw..."
Noah turned toward the little one and playfully winked. Seeing his gesture, Sherry's smile grew even brighter and she giggled out loud.
On the other side, the kiss finally ended. Ada pulled back and looked at Leon, her eyes returning to their usual calm.
"I have things to do, I'm leaving now."
Leon still looked at her with a silly grin, his eyes unable to focus, as he muttered. "Then... then we'll... see you next time... take care on the road..."
"Pfft..."
Noah, Claire, and Sherry, in a synchronized movement, all reached out to cover their eyes. Leon's performance was simply unbearable to watch.
Just then, the roar of rotors came from the distant sky. They saw an all-black military helicopter flying over the forest. Even more striking was the huge, container-like metal box suspended beneath it.
The helicopter hovered over a clearing. A figure wrapped in heavy tactical gear—Hunk—appeared at the doorway and threw down a rope ladder.
Ada gave Leon one last deep look. Then, she waved to everyone as a farewell. She turned and strode toward the helicopter. Her movements were elegant; she leaped and accurately caught the swaying rungs.
As the helicopter climbed, she pulled herself up, boarding the aircraft with agile moves. Hunk and Ada disappeared into the cabin. The helicopter turned and roared toward the deeper parts of the forest, soon turning into a small black dot.
Everything returned to peace.
Leon still stared blankly in the direction the helicopter had vanished. He jiggled the car keys in his hand, letting out a crisp clinking sound to confirm this wasn't a dream. He turned to look at Noah, Claire, and Sherry, a smile on his face.
"Let's go. I'll take you home."
Everyone got into the car. Noah sat in the passenger seat. Claire took Sherry and sat in the back row. The off-road vehicle's engine let out a low growl, and on this empty highway, it sped off into the distance.
The next day, a missile streaked across the sky and flew toward Raccoon City.
A helicopter carrying three survivors flew out of this living hell.
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