Raccoon City.

  Lucian Bckthorn gnced down at his police uniform and couldn’t help but crack a smile. A decade had passed since he first crossed into this world, and climbing to this position hadn’t been a walk in the park.

  This pce was a dangerous, biohazard-filled world known as Resident Evil. When he first crossed over, he had a system ready to go, only to find it was in an "unactivated" state.

  He was so pissed off he wanted to scream; he had never seen anything so damn frustrating.

  Over the past decade, using his wits, Lucian managed to hustle his way into a position as a patrol officer through a mix of bribery and shady deals with local gangs.

  The chaos here was far worse than he had imagined. Without money and power, there was no respect. To make a name for himself, he needed to be resourceful.

  Staring at the grayed-out system interface, Lucian still couldn’t figure out what the hell he needed to do to activate it.

  The car door opened with a thud as a young man plopped into the passenger seat. “Hey, Lucian, mind giving me a lift? Baker Street,” said the man.

  It was Chris, a member of the city’s Special Tactics and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.)—a unit that sounded like a big deal and definitely wasn’t your average police squad. The team had been restructured just st month and was funded by the Umbrel Corporation, offering excellent benefits including a single apartment, free meals, and a high sary.

  “Sure, I’ve got nothing else going on right now,” Lucian replied with a smile. He knew Chris well and had a good retionship with him, although he often avoided going on missions together.

  The reason? Chris had a reputation for being a "teammate killer," and Lucian didn’t want to end up being one of his "victims." So, keeping a safe distance seemed like a wise choice.

  The door opened again, and a waft of perfume filled the car. A short-haired, attractive female officer slid into the back seat. Her refined looks and sharp features made her a sight to behold—a striking, confident, and sexy woman who left a sting impression.

  “Hey, Jill. Good to see you again. You look stunning as always,” Lucian called out. He couldn’t help but feel a certain part of his anatomy stiffen at the sight of Jill. His "capital" was quite impressive indeed.

  Jill gave a smile, her eyes catching a glimpse of Lucian’s "bulge" through his pants. She felt a mix of pride and disgust. “Yeah, we’re working on a case. Mind if we hitch a ride?”

  “Of course. If you solve the case, let’s have dinner tonight. It’s been a while since I’ve had dinner with your task force. My treat,” Lucian said generously. He was indeed quite skilled at socializing.

  His money didn’t come from legitimate sources; only a fool would try to make an honest living here. Yet, despite not having activated his system, Lucian was a master at networking.

  He often treated his colleagues to meals. At first, they saw him as a sucker, but over time, their impressions changed. “You scratch my back, I scratch yours” was the norm here, so they turned a blind eye to his actions and considered him a friend.

  “Sounds good. A free meal is always a win,” Chris agreed with a grin.

  Jill narrowed her eyes slightly. “Sure, sounds great.”

  Lucian stepped on the gas and the police car zipped through traffic until they reached Baker Street. This area was a slum, not the best part of town.

  “Good luck out there. I need to take care of some business. Call me if you need anything.” Lucian gestured like he was holding a phone to his ear.

  “Got it,” Chris and Jill replied as they got out of the car and met up with other team members outside a factory.

  Meanwhile, Lucian made his way to a bar on the edge of the slum. It was a pce where the slum met the residential area, so the security situation was neither good nor bad.

  The bar was one that Lucian controlled, housing an underground casino where you could also buy some contraband. Anything from controlled firearms to other "goodies" could be procured here if you had the cash.

  “What’s going on at the West Street warehouse?” Lucian asked as he sat down at a table and pced a gss of whiskey in front of a woman he had picked up from the bar.

  She was a beautiful blonde woman with a red business suit and a smooth, short hairstyle that covered her right eye, giving her a mysterious air. Her fair face was striking, her eyes filled with a sense of determination, making her a captivating, business-like beauty.

  “How should I know? Aren’t you a patrol officer?” Alyssa didn’t even look up as she continued writing her article. She seemed quite familiar with Lucian.

  And Lucian was well acquainted with her. She was a character from the Resident Evil series, not some obscure one but one who stayed under the radar. Only hardcore fans would recognize her.

  Alyssa was a pyable character in the Outbreak series, a civilian character and one of the survivors of Raccoon City. She even made an appearance in Resident Evil 7.

  This made Lucian pay close attention to her, even though Alyssa wasn’t fond of him. She saw him as a scoundrel, a vilin who dabbled in illegal activities and ran a gang.

  Nevertheless, they had a working retionship. Lucian provided her with dirt on rival gangs and insider information about Raccoon City, which gave Alyssa enough material for her news articles. In return, Alyssa shared her own intel with Lucian.

  Their partnership was mutually beneficial. Alyssa’s reports helped Lucian take down rival gangs, while she got what she needed from him. It was a win-win situation.

  “I wouldn’t be asking if I knew. Also, stay put here for the next few days. Buckaroo is looking for trouble with you. You’re safer here,” Lucian said softly. This was one of the reasons he had come here.

  Being an ordinary person and having a harem seemed like a dream come true. But in the beginning, winning over women wasn’t easy, especially since his system wasn’t activated. The only way was the old-fashioned one—using emotions to win them over.

  “I’m not afraid of them,” Alyssa snorted. As a war reporter, making enemies came with the territory. Fame and making enemies often went hand in hand.

  “You’re not afraid, but I am. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt. Protecting you is my responsibility,” Lucian said with a sincere look in his eyes.

  Alyssa wasn’t a naive girl. She gnced up at Lucian. “I appreciate your concern.”

  “Listen to me this time. The situation is serious,” Lucian cut her off, his gaze fixed on her beautiful face. “I like you, so I want to protect you.”