Billy didn't bother to introduce himself. Instead, he gave Max a serious look and ordered calmly, "It's dangerous here. I advise you to leave quickly."
His tone was measured, and his expression carried a hint of cynicism—likely the result of a troubled past.
After speaking, Billy turned to leave. However, Max, sensing the man's intentions, called out to stop him.
"Wait a minute!"
Billy frowned, his brow furrowing as he responded solemnly, "What?"
Max hesitated but decided to strike up a conversation. He had just made up his mind to follow this man, hoping to learn from him and perhaps rely on him for survival.
It would have been better to find Rebecca first, but fate had brought him to Billy—a man who seemed accustomed to solitude and whose demeanour kept others at arm's length.
"Can you tell me what happened on this train? There's blood everywhere in the compartments, and… those things are walking around," Max said, trying to sound like a concerned and afraid citizen while subtly establishing rapport.
Billy paused, then shook his head. "I don't know much, but it seems the passengers have turned into man-eating monsters."
Perhaps Max's identity as a researcher made Billy drop his guard slightly, or maybe he just didn't find Max threatening enough to warrant caution.
Being a sane human might have also added to the reason—in this situation, where most others wanted to bite your face off, Max wasn't that bad.
"Oh," Max reacted, nodding thoughtfully as if absorbing the grim information. Then, as if realizing something, he added,"Ah, I don't think I got your name. I'm John—pretty sure I mentioned it already."
He chuckled nervously and extended his hand for a handshake.
Billy hesitated for a moment, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. Eventually, he gave his name, revealing he was an ex-soldier but offering no further details. He ignored Max's outstretched hand entirely.
Awkwardly, Max withdrew his hand and chuckled to himself. 'This is going to be harder than I thought.' He sighed, glancing around the bloodied compartments of the train.
In another part of the train, not far away…
Rebecca was also searching through the eerily silent coach. After being separated from her team, she stumbled upon the train, where every inch screamed trouble.
In the dimly lit dining car, she noticed an elderly gentleman in a suit sitting motionless.
Approaching cautiously, she was about to speak to him when the man revealed the horrors of Resident Evil.
The eerie quiet shattered as his head suddenly fell to the floor. Before she could process what was happening, his body broke apart into a swarm of leeches that writhed and pulsed, gradually reforming into a grotesque humanoid shape.
Rebecca froze in terror, the sight shaking her to her very core. Desperately, she raised her gun and began firing.
Bullet after bullet hit its mark, but the creature didn't even flinch. Her magazine emptied with a hollow click, and still, the monstrous being stood unfazed.
Rebecca turned to flee, but her heart sank as the swarm of leeches closed in, encircling her and trapping her in the car. Panic surged through her as she realized she was utterly cornered.
Back in the compartment where Max and Billy stood...
Sudden gunshots and Rebecca's terrified screams shattered the tense silence. Both men froze for a moment, unsettled by the sound.
Billy quickly recovered, his instincts kicking in, and rushed toward the source of the commotion. Max, recognizing this as a pivotal moment in the game's plot, followed closely, albeit with more hesitation.
When they opened the door, they were greeted by a horrifying sight: countless leeches had swarmed Rebecca, trapping her in a writhing, sticky mass as they attempted to overpower her.
Without a moment's hesitation, Billy drew his gun and began firing, his shots precise and decisive as he tried to free Rebecca from the monstrous creatures.
Max instinctively reached for his weapon but hesitated. He was all too aware of his lack of marksmanship and feared that a stray bullet might hit Rebecca—or worse, provoke Billy into assuming he was a liability or a threat.
If Billy decided to take him out, it would be the biggest joke of his life—and possibly the system's too.
'Worse transmigrator of all time!' Such a tragic comedy.
The compartment echoed with several sharp gunshots as Billy continued firing, carefully targeting the leeches that clung to Rebecca. Gradually, the swarm began to scatter under the relentless onslaught.
However, Billy didn't immediately approach Rebecca. He scanned the surroundings warily, knowing the leeches were swift, slippery, and capable of launching another attack at any moment.
Max, on the other hand, knew from the plot that the immediate threat was over—at least for now. This was supposed to be the point where the two protagonists finally met.
Even so, he glanced at Billy for confirmation before stepping forward.
Billy noticed Max's cautious gaze and gave him a brief nod, signalling it was safe to approach. Max sighed in relief and moved to help Rebecca.
"Miss, are you alright?" Max asked, extending his hand to her.
Rebecca took his hand and steadied herself. "I'm fine, but—"
Before she could finish, another round of gunshots rang out, cutting through the tense moment like a knife.
Both Max and Rebecca turned to see Billy firing at a cluster of leeches that had regrouped and were now lunging at him from the shadowy corner of the coach.
Max froze, stunned by this sudden turn of events. He didn't remember the leeches being this aggressive in the original plot and assumed it was just a momentary resurgence.
But the chaos unfolding in front of him made his stomach churn with unease.
Billy, however, wasn't as fortunate as Max hoped. While he managed to fend off several of the creatures, another swarm of leeches suddenly ambushed him from behind.
They struck with ferocity, swarming over him and clinging to his body.
"Damn it!" Billy yelled, shooting at the creatures while trying to shake them off. But just as he began to regain control, his gun clicked empty.
In the split second it took for him to realize he was out of ammo, the leeches took advantage, latching onto his dominant arm.
Their collective force tore into him, leaving his arm bloodied and mangled. The pain forced him to drop his weapon.
With his free hand, Billy swatted furiously at the leeches, smashing some underfoot, but the damage was done.
Rebecca, watching the severity of the situation, raised her weapon after changing the magazine and began shooting at the swarm.
Max, however, stood stunned in place, paralyzed by the unexpected chaos. His mind raced as he tried to process the rapidly spiralling situation.
'What the hell is happening? No! No! How? Why…' he screamed internally, his nerves threatening to collapse under the pressure.
Rebecca's efforts eventually drove the leeches away, scattering the remnants of the swarm. At that moment, the room fell eerily quiet again, save for Billy's heavy breathing as he clutched his injured arm.
Max, still reeling, took a step back, his thoughts a chaotic mess. 'This wasn't supposed to happen...'
Billy yelled in frustration, kicking at the leeches still writhing on the ground as blood dripped from his wounded arm. His movements were frantic, driven by pain and anger, and it was clear he was reaching his limit.
Rebecca, alarmed, stepped forward, intending to help. But before she could approach, Max grabbed her arm, holding her back.
She frowned her expression a mix of confusion and irritation, and was about to question him. But then, to her shock, Max raised his gun and aimed directly at Billy.
Both Billy and Rebecca froze in place, their eyes wide in disbelief.
"Hey, what are you—" Rebecca began, but before she could finish, Max fired.
Bang!
The sound of the gunshot echoed in the confined space.
Billy stumbled, his chest blooming with blood where the bullet had struck. His eyes, wide and bloodshot, locked onto Max with a mixture of rage and incomprehension.
"You basta—" Billy started to curse, but Max fired again with cold expression.
Bang! Bang!
One bullet tore into Billy's shoulder, and the other hit him in the eye. He staggered, his body swaying under the assault, but before Max could fire another round, Rebecca screamed, "No!" and lunged at him, shoving him back with her weight.
The damage, however, was already done.
Billy collapsed to the floor, his breaths shallow and ragged. His heavy eyelids fluttered as blood pooled beneath him, his strength fading with each passing second. His lips moved as if to speak, but no words came out.
He died without understanding why he'd been betrayed so suddenly, the question burning in his fading consciousness until the very end.
….
patreon.com/Vks_sh