Meanwhile, across the ocean, in America.
The flow of intelligence did not stagnate in the era of the Main God Game; instead, it became more covert and rapid due to various special abilities and channels.
The news that the Apocalypse Organization had, in a short time, ruthlessly unified a City and maintained extraordinary stability spread rapidly across America.
More crucially, there was that faintly discernible rumor circulating in intelligence circles—behind Apocalypse stood a Hunter with an SSS-Level Talent.
Although the specific talent was unknown, the mere three letters'SSS' were enough to make any faction or powerful individual take notice.
On the West Coast, atop a relatively intact high-rise apartment building within the ruins of a large City similarly carved up by several Reincarnator factions, a man of mixed Asian and Caucasian features stood on the balcony.
He was tall and slender with a straight posture, wearing a well-fitted tactical trench coat. His gaze was as sharp as an eagle's as he looked towards the southeast—the general direction of Apocalypse's City.
His codename was Eagle Eye, possessing the SS-Level Talent [Dynamic Vision and Trajectory Prediction]. He was one of the few lone powerhouses in this City capable of navigating between major factions, maintaining independence, and earning respect.
"Apocalypse... SSS-Level..."
He murmured to himself, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the grip of a customized pistol at his waist.
In the City where he resided, chaos was the dominant theme. Factions large and small fought endlessly over points, resources, and territory.
Betrayal, ambushes, and oppression were commonplace.
A powerful loner might be able to protect themselves, but obtaining stable, substantial resources and a safe environment for rest and recuperation was nearly impossible.
Because here, one had to be on guard against a stab in the back at every moment. This constant drain was utterly exhausting, both physically and mentally.
The Apocalypse model presented a completely different kind of order, even if that order was built upon bloody conquest and the deterrence of absolute power.
But for many who had struggled to survive in the chaos for so long, a place where one could sleep peacefully between Dungeons without worrying about being stabbed in the back by an ally was practically heaven.
"Swift and decisive action, clear objectives, efficient integration. A leader—or rather, that SSS-Level entity—with such boldness and methods likely possesses a mindset and strength far surpassing the ordinary."
"If nothing unexpected happens, their next step will inevitably be to look towards the surrounding cities. Resources and manpower are indispensable for the growth and development of any faction."
Eagle Eye weighed his options internally. He possessed an SS-Level Talent and considerable strength; he could live comfortably anywhere.
But the Main God Game was a brutal marathon with no end in sight.
Individual power would ultimately seem frail in the face of increasingly terrifying world scenarios and ever-stronger collective forces.
The chasm between SS-Level and SSS-Level was probably even greater than imagined.
In such an era, if that SSS-Level Talent holder behind Apocalypse truly was a formidable figure with the mental acuity and methods to control a vast faction, and not just a brute with raw strength... then boarding the ship early to become part of the core was far wiser than being annexed or marginalized later.
He even felt a flicker of curiosity and anticipation towards that mysterious Hunter.
What kind of existence could integrate such a behemoth within the current system?
After all, America championed freedom—a dilemma all factions faced before any grand unification.
Ruling a City was nothing like being a mayor before the game descended.
For Reincarnators wielding power, achieving true unification, at least in a short time and planning such a scheme, was extremely difficult.
"Unfortunately, the countdown for the next Movie World is about to end."
Eagle Eye glanced at the flickering countdown timer on his arm.
"There's not enough time to set off now. However, after I return from this trip, it might be time to make a choice."
He turned and walked back inside, beginning his final equipment check.
The rise of Apocalypse was like a massive rock thrown into stagnant water; the ripples it stirred were altering many people's choices.
Hunters like Eagle Eye were just one example. Most were watching, observing Apocalypse's development.
And after the next Movie World concluded, it would be the moment to witness whether Apocalypse was worthy of their allegiance... Meanwhile, at the Cave entrance, a massive creature descended from the sky. The thick scent of blood drew her towards a mountain of meat—a pile of beef, a vast quantity of beef.
Currently, Lilith had an astonishing appetite. Just for normal daily consumption, she required several tons of meat.
Therefore, besides the Electric Eels delivered daily, William also had people slaughter fresh beef and transport it to Lilith for her meals.
Opening her cavernous maw, revealing rows of sharp Fangs, Lilith began to feast heartily.
Hard cow bones crunched like brittle cartilage in Lilith's mouth, shattering with a snap before being swallowed whole.
Now, her wingspan had reached nineteen meters. Her seventeen-meter streamlined Torso radiated a sense of power; every subtle movement mobilized immense strength.
Being in her juvenile stage, Lilith was essentially growing non-stop. The abundant food supply had allowed her wingspan and body length to each increase by two meters over the past month since her return.
The growth in size also meant growth in strength and constitution. Lilith's current strength and constitution had both broken through the one-hundred mark.
Ordinary bombs could no longer penetrate her defense or cause her any harm.
After savoring the delicious beef, Lilith summoned the blue light screen and looked at the countdown displayed on it.
There were only ten minutes left until the next Movie World.
Ten minutes was not long for Lilith.
Soon, the third Movie Dungeon commenced. Lilith's figure vanished from the Cave entrance, reappearing once more in that blank space.
In front of the blank space, the massive blue light screen displayed the information for this Movie Dungeon.
[World Loading Confirmed]
[Game World: Resident Evil 2 – Raccoon City]
[Mission Objective: Escape Raccoon City before the nuclear strike arrives and obtain the g-virus]
[Mission Time Limit: 3 Days]
[Plot Participants: 12 People]
[Enter Immediately?]
"Yes!"
As the word fell, the white space dissipated. Damp, chilly air mixed with the faint, distant stench of decay instantly flooded her nostrils.
Lilith's massive form now stood atop the roof of a high-rise building. Cold rain pelted her silver-white Exoskeleton, splattering into fine mist.
Below lay Raccoon City, submerged in a rainy night of death.
Most neon lights were extinguished. Only scattered emergency lighting and burning fires outlined the City's shattered silhouette.
On the streets, figures shuffled along, moving slowly and stiffly, walking aimlessly.
In some places, roars and screams could even be heard, their sounds cutting through the heavy rain, clearly audible in the rainy night.
Lilith's four crimson vertical pupils slowly scanned through the curtain of rain, taking in the entire vista of this apocalyptic City.
Game World... It seemed this wasn't the derivative movie Resident Evil 2, but the vast game world with its expansive setting.
Lilith looked at the clearly stated mission on the blue screen: survive, escape, seize the g-virus.
Time: only three days.
Lilith hesitated not at all, not even bothering to search for so-called safe routes or plot characters.
For her at this moment, all the zombies wandering this City were merely food and genetic fragments.
She needed to collect t-virus genes as quickly as possible, then complete an evolution.
And that... was her first objective...