It could be said that William's cooking skills had improved significantly during these days, and the phrase "Simple ingredients often only require the simplest…" frequently replayed in his mind.
!
As soon as William finished his sandwich, the phrase popped into his head again, and he quickly shook his head, downing the remaining glass of milk.
"Phew…" He caught his breath.
He immediately shifted his attention to the television, which was broadcasting the latest news, trying to forget that brainwashing phrase.
William, having rushed through breakfast, leaned back on the sofa, turning his head to look out the French window at the faint morning light emanating from the horizon over the sea.
His mood finally brightened considerably, and he chuckled softly, "Sigh, my wife is pregnant, but why do I feel like I'm having a nervous breakdown too?"
Completely sprawled on the sofa, William looked up at the ceiling, feeling lazy.
He was lost in thought for a moment.
"Crack! Crack!"
William stretched vigorously, his joints cracking audibly, finally waking up completely.
He turned off the TV, stood up, and carried the empty plate and glass to the kitchen counter.
After placing the cup and plate into the automatic dishwasher, William walked to the changing room on the first floor.
He took off his pajamas and changed into a white turtleneck sweater and jeans, grabbing a brown trench coat casually.
He walked through the villa's internal corridor to the garage.
He flicked the switch on the wall.
"Click~!" The echo reverberated through the garage.
The sudden glare of the incandescent lights was a bit dazzling, but it allowed William to see the neatly arranged assortment of sedans, sports cars, and SUVs.
There were… quite a few cars.
William spent a few seconds choosing a more discreet one, then took a pair of brown leather boots from the shoe rack beside him and walked down the stairs towards a black RS7.
He opened the car door, got in, started the engine, pressed the brake, and engaged the handbrake.
Then he tossed his trench coat onto the passenger seat, gripping the steering wheel with his left hand as he slowly drove the RS7 out of the garage.
He then drove through the estate-like roads towards the city center of Halfa.
Ever since Umbrella's business began to flourish, even expanding into a behemoth across various industries, William had commissioned an engineering team to renovate the villa slightly.
Previously, it was only reinforced and connected to Halfa's underground tunnel system, with no excessive exterior ornamentation.
Now, William had already acquired all the land adjacent to the sea-view villa, consolidating it into a tranquil estate, perfect for Halsey to rest during her pregnancy.
There were also many other houses within the estate for Hank and the Alphas to reside in.
As for today, William didn't feel like working out.
In fact, even if he indulged in laziness and delicious food every day, his Wesker-level physique would prevent him from gaining weight.
Working out was just a habit.
Driving out of the estate, William drove the RS7 onto the widened highway; Halfa was vastly different from when he first arrived in this world.
Halfa was a city built on 'mountains' and by the sea, and although it was known as Canada's second warmest city, it still received knee-deep snow in winter.
Winter meant snow shoveling, and summer meant road repairs.
Moreover, Halfa had a long history, and its roads were built according to last century's designs—narrow and with many one-way streets.
Coupled with the Western countries' unions and inherent laziness, renovating the entire city was incredibly difficult, and the cost would be astronomical.
But ever since Umbrella completely 'controlled' Halfa, all these problems were easily resolved.
With the engineering team's rapid construction and ample financial support, the city, where Umbrella originated, was completely transformed.
It was no longer what it used to be.
It was six o'clock in the morning, nearing April.
In the past, Halfa's mornings were dim and quiet, with a considerable number of homeless people or drunkards.
Now.
William looked out the car window at the streets on both sides, feeling as if Halfa had become like a near-future city from a sci-fi movie.
Pedestrian crossings had holographic guardrails, displaying faint yellow, scrolling warning messages; if someone jaywalked…
Police officers stationed at every street corner would immediately remind the offending pedestrians to return to their original positions and, depending on the severity, issue fines.
The Halfa City Police Department was also considered one of Umbrella's assets, possessing the best security equipment, and every officer was an unlisted personnel who had signed a confidentiality agreement.
Although Halfa's overall technological level couldn't compare to the Martian cities, it was the most economically and culturally developed city on Earth.
It was exactly six o'clock in the morning.
On both sides of the street, there were police officers on routine patrol, as well as young people dressed in various trendy clothes, their faces showing exhaustion and emptiness, as if they had just come from a nightclub.
Of course, even in cold and snowy conditions, there were still people in reflective gear going for morning runs.
Halfa seemed to have become a sleepless city, with people of different roles coming and going at all times.
William smiled slightly in the car.
Besides feeling satisfied, he also thought about driving the development of major cities worldwide, moving further into the future.
He drove to a Tim Hortons on the outskirts of the city and parked the RS7.
He picked up his trench coat from the passenger seat, got out of the car, locked it, and left the parking lot to enter the store.
He ordered a hot French vanilla coffee and a chocolate donut from the clerk.
These were all high-calorie and high-sugar foods that Halsey absolutely couldn't see, so William could only sneak out early to satisfy his craving.
This was a store he frequently visited.
And every morning at six-thirty…
"Boss, you're in the mood for coffee today."
Jame, also dressed in a trench coat, would also frequent this Tim Hortons.
Ever since Jame and Rebecca got their marriage certificate and he retired from his agent position, he had settled down in Halfa.
Umbrella was not stingy with this agent who had made outstanding contributions, directly giving him an apartment located next to the city center and assigning him to a clerical position in Halfa.
No longer a combat operative, Jame still maintained his habit of waking up at four or five in the morning and also liked to sneak 'junk food' behind Rebecca's back.
After all, the Phantom was permanently docked at Troy Base, so Rebecca's work location was temporarily transferred to the Hive, which meant she could often come home.
Jame hadn't expected Rebecca, who seemed so 'petite' before marriage, to be so controlling after they tied the knot.
So, these two like-minded…
No, these two married men with similar interests had long made this store their meeting spot.
Jame ordered a hot chocolate and a classic sandwich, then sat down next to William, asking with a smile:
"Boss, how's the doctor doing?"
"Hmm…" William glanced at the mechanical watch on his left wrist and said, "She's going to the hospital for labor this afternoon. Once she gives birth to the children, my leisurely vacation will be over."
As he spoke.
William asked in return, "By the way, you and Rebecca have been married for over half a year. So… have you considered having a little one?"
"Actually…" Jame took a sip of hot coffee, a smile unconsciously appearing on his face, "She's pregnant."
"That's great, congratulations."
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