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For several days in a row, Sherry seemed to have taken up permanent residence in Rebecca's Research Institute.
In the dead of night, when other Researchers at the BSAA North America Division had long since finished work and gone home, leaving only a few project teams working overtime, the lights in the molecular biology laboratory remained on.
Precision instruments emitted a low hum as they operated, and the air was thick with the distinct scent of a mixture of disinfectant and culture media.
Rebecca Chambers took off her goggles and pinched the bridge of her aching nose.
She glanced at the wall clock; the hour hand already pointed to eleven.
She turned her head to look at the young girl not far away, who was staring intently into a microscope.
Sherry was wearing a white lab coat, and her short blonde hair was neatly tucked away under a sterile cap, with only a few stray locks peeking out.
Her incredibly exquisite face was filled with a level of focus that belied her age.
"Sherry," Rebecca said softly, afraid of interrupting her train of thought, "it's very late. You haven't gone home for several days; Claire will be worried."
Sherry's shoulders moved slightly, but her eyes never left the eyepiece.
While skillfully adjusting the focal length, she replied without looking up, "It's fine, I've already told Claire. The experimental data from these past few days is critical."
"Besides..." A hint of playful mischief suddenly entered her voice, "I'm giving them some time alone together."
Rebecca was stunned for a moment before realizing what she meant, a look of understanding appearing on her face.
She shook her head with a chuckle: "You little rascal."
"Hehe," Sherry finally looked up, her azure eyes sparkling under the lights, "Big Brother Noah is back after being away for over two years. I can't be a third wheel."
Rebecca was thoroughly amused by her acting like a little adult.
She walked over and ruffled Sherry's hair: "Alright, that's a good reason. But sleeping on a cot in the break room every night isn't good for your body."
"Don't worry, Sister Rebecca," Sherry waved her hand dismissively, "You know my body. I can recover quickly even if I sleep on the floor."
Looking at the confident smile on the girl's face, Rebecca felt both gratified and an indescribable sense of emotion.
The little girl whom Noah and Claire had fought so hard to rescue from the Hell of Raccoon City had truly grown up... Leisurely time always flies by.
In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.
It was a weekend afternoon, and the sunlight was just right.
Noah and Claire's villa had shed its former coldness and was now filled with the warmth of daily life.
Claire was humming a song while preparing afternoon tea snacks in the open kitchen, the sweet aroma of butter and flour wafting from the oven.
Sherry sat cross-legged on the living room rug, cradling her little white mouse, Snowball, in her arms. Spread out before her was a thick tome on genetic engineering that she was reading with great interest.
As for Noah, having just finished a set of bone-relaxing fist forms, he was lying lazily on the sofa, enjoying this hard-earned peace and tranquility.
Sunlight streamed through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, plating him in a layer of warm gold. This was the epitome of a peaceful life.
Just then, a crisp doorbell rang, breaking the silence of the house.
"Ding-dong—"
Sherry looked up and exchanged a glance with Claire in the kitchen.
"Who could it be?" Claire wiped the flour from her hands and walked out, looking somewhat puzzled.
Their community had tight security; door-to-door salesmen almost never appeared.
And when friends visited, they usually called ahead.
Noah also sat up from the sofa, casting his gaze toward the door.
Claire walked to the foyer and checked the video intercom on the door.
An unfamiliar Eastern face appeared on the screen.
It was a woman who looked to be in her twenties, her long black hair efficiently tied back.
Her features were beautiful, but what left the deepest impression were her eyes.
Calm and deep, like two ancient wells, they were unruffled yet seemed capable of seeing through everything.
She wore a well-tailored dark gray women's suit and stood straight at the door without any unnecessary movements, exuding a unique temperament that was a mix of a soldier and a high-level civil servant.
A trace of wariness inexplicably rose in Claire's heart.
She knew all of Noah's relatives back in his home country—at least she had seen them in photos and videos—but this woman was definitely not among them.
She also wasn't from the BSAA or any official agency Claire was familiar with.
This woman gave off a very different feeling.
Taking a deep breath, she pressed the talk button and asked calmly, "Hello, who are you looking for?"
The woman outside seemed to look through the camera, her gaze landing on Claire.
She nodded slightly, a polite smile touching the corners of her mouth.
"Hello, are you Ms. Claire Redfield? I am looking for Noah." Her English pronunciation was standard, with a clear, well-enunciated quality.
She was looking for Noah directly.
Claire's brow furrowed imperceptibly.
"You're looking for him... regarding what?" she pressed.
The woman's expression didn't change as she spoke slowly, as if stating a fact: "My name is Feng Ling, and I belong to the Huaxia Ministry of State Security."
"..."
For an instant, Claire felt her breath hitch for half a second.
Huaxia, Ministry of State Security.
This term instantly dispelled all the warmth and laziness in the living room.
She understood immediately.
This wasn't a BSAA mission, nor was it some plot by Wesker; this was from Noah's homeland, a matter of a sort she could not touch.
She didn't ask another word and opened the door directly, then turned around and called out to Noah in the living room.
"Noah, someone is here for you."
Noah had already heard their conversation and was now standing up.
He saw Feng Ling enter and noticed the slightly solemn expression on Claire's face, already understanding the situation.
"You two talk, Sherry and I will step out for a bit," Claire said, being very understanding.
Sherry also immediately hopped up from the rug, put Snowball back into its nest, and ran to the foyer to change her shoes.
"Right, right! Claire, let's go to the supermarket and buy ingredients for dinner! I want to eat the lasagna Big Brother Noah makes tonight!" The girl's voice was crisp and loud, as if she were deliberately trying to lighten the mood.
Claire smiled dotingly and played along: "Alright, whatever you say."
The two quickly finished changing their shoes. Before leaving, Claire looked back at Noah, her eyes filled with a trace of inquiry and concern.
Noah nodded to her, giving her a reassuring smile.
The door closed with a click, leaving only Noah and Feng Ling in the large living room.
The space that had been full of the breath of life moments ago now felt subtle and solemn.
Feng Ling's gaze swept inconspicuously around the living room before finally landing on Noah.
She spoke first, no longer using English, but pure and fluent Mandarin.
"Hello, Comrade Lin Yuan."
This long-lost term, "Comrade," made Noah feel a bit dazed.
He looked at the valiant woman before him, a smile appearing on his face as he responded in Mandarin, "Hello, Comrade Feng Ling."
"Please, have a seat." Noah pointed to the sofa in the living room.
Feng Ling nodded and sat down as requested.
Her sitting posture was still impeccable, with her back straight and hands resting flat on her knees, without the slightest hint of relaxation.
Noah turned to the kitchen and, after a moment, returned carrying two cups of steaming clear tea.
He placed one of them gently on the coffee table in front of Feng Ling.
The misty fragrance of tea filled the air, slightly softening the invisible tension.
He sat on the sofa opposite Feng Ling and got straight to the point without beating around the bush.
"Your visit this time..."
Feng Ling picked up the teacup but didn't drink, instead just feeling the warmth from the cup with her fingertips.
"I have come to convey the intentions from above." Her voice was calm and steady.
Noah nodded and leaned back slightly on the sofa, adopting a listening posture.
Feng Ling set down the teacup and looked Noah directly in the eyes.
"After careful consideration, the state has decided to provide full support for your actions in the future."
"We hope that you can become the head of the BSAA Asia-Pacific Region..."
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