43: Chapter 43 A Night of Peace

Weber put down the internal comms; the last thing from the receiver was John's brief and steady "Understood."

Silence returned to the study, leaving only the rhythmic ticking of the old-fashioned clock.

He didn't look at the slaughter nearing its end on the surveillance screen. Instead, he picked up the now-lukewarm chamomile tea and took a small sip. It was as if ordering the erasure of a life not on the list was as casual as deciding to add an extra dish to dinner.

Time passed amidst the ticking.

An hour later, the internal comms rang again. This time, Weber pressed the connect button before the second ring.

"Sir," John's voice came through, steady as ever, devoid of any emotion. "Everything has been handled."

"The list," Weber said only two words.

"Richard Weber, confirmed dead. Catherine Weber, confirmed dead. Aiden Weber, confirmed dead. Sophia Weber, confirmed dead." John's voice sounded like he was reading a manifest. "Catherine's husband was handled on his way back to Long Island, ruled as a single-vehicle accident caused by drunk driving. Richard's wife, Monica, was robbed outside her apartment on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and 'accidentally' shot, dying on the spot. The gunman 'committed suicide' as planned."

John paused and continued his report: "Richard's private driver, handled in the garage. A maid who witnessed B-03's activities, also handled. And the one you added at the end... the temporary overnight guest on the third floor. A total of nine people, all eliminated, without omission."

After hearing this, Weber's face remained expressionless. He pulled out a heavy titanium alloy safe from the bottom drawer of his desk, opening it with a key and password.

The safe was empty except for a folded piece of letter paper.

He unfolded the paper, which had nine names handwritten in pen. He picked up a red ink pen from the desk and crossed out each name one by one from top to bottom. His movements were steady and unhurried; each red mark looked as if drawn with a ruler.

Richard Weber.

Catherine Weber.

...

When the last name was crossed out, he looked at the list covered in red crosses with satisfaction, as if admiring a perfect work of art. He refolded the paper, put it back in the safe, locked it, and pushed it back into the drawer.

"Cleanup protocol," Weber ordered into the communicator.

"In progress. B-03 has been recalled to the metal crate. The crate will be sealed in two hours and transported to the designated location along with all biological remains to await pickup by Umbrella Corporation personnel. The cleanup of physical traces within the manor and the restoration of surveillance equipment are expected to be completed before dawn."

"Public statement."

"Mr. Richard Weber was in a 'foul mood' tonight and went out to sea alone, where he encountered a storm and was ruled missing. Catherine Weber's family, as originally planned, will head to the Caribbean for a 'vacation' tomorrow and encounter a capsizing accident en route. The two incidents occurred at different times and locations, executed by different teams, and will not be linked."

"Very good." Weber hung up.

He stood up, his gaunt body appearing somewhat unsteady under his oversized robe. He didn't take the elevator but leaned on his black ebony cane, walking down the spiral staircase step by step.

The Weber Manor at 2:00 AM was terrifyingly quiet.

The floor of the first-floor hall was as clean as new, clearly reflecting the magnificent crystal chandelier on the ceiling. A faint scent of disinfectant lingered in the air, masking all traces of blood.

A massive metal crate sat in the center of the hall, its lid open. Two Lickers lay quietly inside, like two hounds awaiting their master's command. One of them had a bullet graze on the side of its head; the bleeding had stopped, and the muscle tissue around the wound was writhing and healing at a visible speed.

Weber slowly walked to the crate and stopped.

He reached out his hand, covered in age spots and wrinkled like tree bark. Ignoring the nauseating slime and exposed muscle, he gently—one might even say tenderly—stroked the head of the injured Licker.

The monster's body instinctively tensed, but it made no aggressive move.

"Heh..." Weber let out a very soft, self-deprecating chuckle. "Much more obedient than those children of mine."

He withdrew his hand, unhurriedly wiped it with a silk handkerchief from his pocket, then turned and walked back upstairs to the study without looking back. It was as if those two monsters from hell downstairs were no different from the antique vases in the living room.

Returning to the study, Weber didn't touch the tea again. He picked up the tablet on the corner of the desk and unlocked the screen.

An email lay quietly in the inbox; the sender was his private lawyer, Green.

The content was an intelligence briefing.

[To Mr. W:]

[FBI, National Security Department, Agent James Ford, formally submitted an application to the Department of Justice at 4:00 PM today to open an investigation into 'Umbrella Biotechnology Corporation.']

[Reasons for application: 1. Suspected of conducting high-risk genetic engineering research without the approval of DARPA. 2. Suspected of transferring sensitive biotechnology to a foreign government (Hua Federation) without reporting to the State Department and the Department of Commerce.]

[Additionally, Senator Robert Cross, although under internal FBI investigation for political donation issues and unable to look after himself, the Congressional hearing process he initiated before the investigation is still running automatically. Capitol Hill has confirmed that a closed-door hearing will be held within two weeks regarding whether 'Umbrella Corporation's biotechnology development poses a national security threat to the U Federation.']

[Attachment: James Ford's personal file and operational history.]

[Green]

Weber read the briefing word for word. The ticking of the pendulum in the study felt exceptionally clear at this moment.

In his cloudy eyes, the original calm and indifference were gradually replaced by a cold emotion, like a deep-sea cold current.

Cleaning out those blood relatives coveting his assets was just a family matter.

But the FBI's intervention, the Congressional hearing... these threats from the state machinery could directly touch Umbrella Corporation's underground laboratories.

Touch his "Eternal" project.

Touch the only glimmer of hope for survival he had traded his entire fortune and power for!

Anyone or anything trying to stop him from living must be crushed.

Weber expressionlessly picked up a black, unmarked phone from the desk and dialed a number etched into his memory.

The call was answered quickly.

"It's me," Weber's voice was steady but carried an unquestionable weight.

On the other end, Chen Feng in Los Angeles had just hung up a goodnight call with Sarah, his mood fluctuating slightly.

"Mr. Weber?"

"Kid, the family matters on my end have been cleaned up," Weber spoke flatly, as if mentioning a triviality. "But on your end, there's trouble."

Chen Feng raised an eyebrow.

"The federal dogs have caught the scent." Weber's voice turned cold. "The FBI and Congress are both watching you. I'm coming to Los Angeles to find you tomorrow; there are things we need to discuss in person. Don't worry, I still have a few old friends at The Pentagon; they owe me more favors than you can imagine."

After hanging up, the relaxed ease on Chen Feng's face vanished.

He knew what Weber meant by "family matters," and he understood that the "trouble" the old man spoke of was definitely not small. FBI? Congress?

These people were moving even faster than he had anticipated.

At the moment he was considering a counter-strategy, a bright red virtual light screen unfolded before his eyes without warning.

The system's cold mechanical voice carried a hint of urgent warning for the first time.

[Warning! External threat level elevation detected!]

[Threat Source: U Federation National Agencies]

[Threat Assessment: Federal-level investigation initiated, high-risk!]

[System Recommendation: Immediately transfer all high-risk experimental subjects and core data backups! Immediately initiate the highest-level counter-surveillance protocol!]