Although Javier was taken out, the matter wasn't over yet, because there were still a large number of infected people in the town of Sena. However, that was no longer Aiden and the others' concern.
"We've already contacted the higher-ups and reported the situation here to them." In a farm not far from Sena Town, Leon said to Aiden.
"They'll soon send people over to cooperate with the local government to clean up the infected here."
As Leon spoke, he glanced again at Manuela leaning against Aiden, then looked at Krauser standing not far away. He approached and said in a low voice, "But you'd better take her and leave here quickly. The orders from above are for me to take her to Country M."
"What about you?" Aiden looked at his friend with concern.
"That's not your concern. Just say Manuela ran away. After all, she counts as a virus adapter, very powerful." Leon said casually, "Even American agents have things they can't handle, right?"
Aiden nodded, smiled, and patted his shoulder. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Leon waved his hand.
However, although Leon wanted Aiden to quickly take Manuela and leave here, he himself couldn't leave yet because he still had some matters to handle.
After chatting with Leon for a while, Aiden brought Manuela into a room in the farmhouse, then went straight into the bedroom.
Inside the bedroom, Revy and the two maids were all there. They stood in front of the bed, looking at Garcia lying on it.
"Aiden." Seeing Aiden come in, Garcia tried to sit up but was too weak due to being infected by the virus.
When they met Revy and the others in Sena Town, he had already been scratched by a Licker that had killed his father.
Although when he reunited with Garcia, Aiden had already noticed something was wrong and quickly redeemed a T-virus antibody from the system store to inject into him, because Garcia had been infected too long, the antibody had no effect at all.
"I'm really sorry. If I hadn't come, maybe none of this would have happened." Ignoring Revy's attempt to stop him, Aiden sat beside Garcia.
"It's not your fault." Garcia shook his head, and a carefree expression appeared on his immature face. "There were already those monsters near the manor long ago, right? They were there before you came, which is why we couldn't hire anyone. Even my dad said that lunatic would make a move on us sooner or later, so this isn't your fault."
The more Garcia said this, the more guilty Aiden felt. But to be honest, he hadn't expected Lovelace' manor to be so close to Javier's forces.
"You don't need to feel guilty, Aiden." Seeing the guilt on Aiden's face, Garcia shook his head again.
Then he looked toward Roberta and Fabiola and continued speaking to Aiden, "Right now I only worry about one thing. The family is gone, what about Roberta and Fabiola? They used to be under my father's protection. But father..."
At this point, Garcia paused, then looked at Aiden with a hopeful expression, "Aiden, can you help me take care of them? They're maids, they can help you with housework. You just need to give them a place to stay."
"This..."
If Aiden said he wasn't willing, that'd be a lie. But because of him, the Lovelace family had been wiped out, so he hesitated a little.
Seeing Aiden's expression, Garcia's eyes dimmed, thinking he had refused.
"If it's too difficult..."
"No, I promise you." Aiden reached out and touched Garcia's head. "I'll take good care of them."
"Thank you." Garcia said with a smile. Then, he closed his eyes peacefully.
Seeing Garcia close his eyes, Aiden called to him a few times but got no response. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart, then stood up and drew his pistol, aiming it at Garcia.
"Aiden, let me do it." At this time, Roberta pressed down his hand.
Aiden looked at her, thought for a moment, then handed the gun to her.
Roberta aimed the gun at Garcia. She had hardly ever cried, yet her eyes were filled with tears. Then, she pulled the trigger.
Aiden wrapped Garcia's corpse in a bedsheet, carried it to the car parked outside the farmhouse, then brought the two maids and Manuela, along with Revy and the others, and drove to the Lovelace manor. He planned to cremate Garcia there and bury him on the spot, so that he could guard his family land forever, and then leave the rainforest.
Watching their convoy leave, Krauser felt a bit dissatisfied. He still remembered that when they came, Leon had told him the mission also included taking Manuela away.
"How are you going to explain this to Mr. President?" Krauser stared at Leon.
"Just say she ran away." Leon said indifferently.
"Ran away? You clearly let her go." Krauser shouted.
"You can pretend you didn't see it, Krauser. It's not a big deal. She's just an ordinary girl who lost her parents in a single day." Leon patted Krauser's shoulder.
"But..."
Leon immediately interrupted Krauser, "But what? Do you really think we could keep her? Do you think she'd willingly go with us? And Aiden wouldn't agree to let us take her to Country M either. You know what kind of people are in Congress, right? What kind of treatment do you think she'd get after arriving in Country M?"
"Besides, even if you wanted to take her by force, could you take them all on? Krauser, we're comrades. Help me out just this once, okay?" Leon said in a pleading tone.
Listening to the series of rhetorical questions, Krauser fell silent, feeling extremely conflicted. But after thinking carefully, he still nodded.
After all, this mission was carried out by him and Leon together. They failed to bring Manuela back, no matter the reason, he shared responsibility. It was better to follow Leon's suggestion and just report to the higher-ups that Manuela escaped on her own.
And most importantly, deep down, he didn't want Manuela to be taken to Country M either. Just like Leon said, many in Congress were scum.
"Just this once, Leon." Although he agreed, Krauser still said coldly.
"Of course." Leon breathed a sigh of relief, patting Krauser's shoulder. "When we get back, drinks on me."
"The best brandy." Krauser licked his lips and said.
———
As for Aiden's side, after nearly two hours of driving, they arrived at the Lovelace family manor.
Although it had only been a day, things had already changed. Aiden couldn't help but sigh with emotion. Then he carried Garcia's corpse down from the car.
Roberta and Fabiola silently walked into the manor. Since they were going to cremate, they planned to burn some of Garcia and Diego's clothes and belongings together.
Revy and the others didn't just stand around either. Although they hadn't met Diego, they had spent some time with Garcia, so they joined in to help.
Very soon, a small hill was piled up at the manor entrance.
Aiden placed Garcia's body on the top, then lit the firewood at the bottom with a torch.
As Garcia was consumed by the flames, Fabiola and Roberta once again shed tears.
"Aiden, where are you planning to go next?" Balalaika came close and asked Aiden.
Revy and Koko, hearing Balalaika ask this, quickly perked up their ears. They didn't feel much about Garcia's death.
"Return to my country." Aiden looked at the two maids and Manuela and said, "I want to go home and rest for a while, and let them rest too."
Of course, here "returning to the country" meant going back to the real world.
"Not coming with us to Roanapur?" Balalaika frowned.
"I'll go later." Aiden shook his head.
"Alright then." Balalaika sighed, then asked, "Can we travel together? Koko has a ship going to your country. You can transfer there."
Aiden thought for a moment, didn't immediately agree, and instead asked the system.
'Can I stay a while longer?'
[Of course, my respected host.] The system replied.
'Then when I return this time, can I bring people with me?' Aiden asked again.
[Yes, in fact, as long as the people you want to bring are willing to go with you, you can bring them all.] The system replied.
'So simple? No other conditions?' Aiden was surprised. That meant he could bring four or five people back at once?
[None, my host.]
'You're amazing.' Aiden couldn't help but give the system a thumbs-up in his heart.
[Thank you for your praise, host,] said the system. [Any other questions?]
'No.' Aiden slightly shook his head.
[Wish you a pleasant journey.]
Seeing Aiden frozen in place, Balalaika waved her hand in front of his eyes, "Aiden, what's wrong? What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing." Aiden shook his head.
"Then do you agree with what I just said?" Balalaika asked.
"Go to my country together? Of course." Aiden said, "It's just right to take a boat and let them relax."
"That's great."
Not only Balalaika, but Revy and Koko were also a little surprised. But because Roberta and Fabiola were still in grief, they didn't dare to show it too obviously.
Because there was too much stuff, the flames burned for several hours before going out. Aiden and the others waited another hour before collecting Garcia's ashes from the ashes.
After burying Garcia's ashes on a slope not far from the estate, Aiden and the others left the estate and drove to a port in Colombia.
Two days later, they arrived at the city of Barranquilla, where a large cargo ship was already waiting for them.
And then came a month-long journey.
———
A month later, the cargo ship arrived at Roanapur. Aiden and Revy said their goodbyes, and then he took the two maids and Manuela into the car Koko had prepared for them.
When he drove the car onto a deserted road, a white light enveloped them.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
[Beep, story experience complete. Beginning return to the real world.]
[Host's story participation rate being calculated...]
[Calculation complete..."]
[Beginning to mark story world progress. Time in the story world will be frozen until host re-enters.]
(A/N: Host can use reward entries to enter this world at any time.)
[Beep, starting to issue rewards...]
[Beep, host's daily point gain has increased...]
[Beep, host's body has been repaired...]
[Beep, added memories to Roberta, Fabiola, and Manuela regarding the process of entering the real world...]
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
(A/N: Feels like the system tasks are optional, mainly to give the protagonist rewards and explain some unreasonable situations. Also, the next story also involves many beautiful female characters.)
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