Chapter 116 – The Original Infectious Alien
The entire world was undergoing a prolonged bloodbath.
This night was destined to be one of unrest.
The next morning.
At dawn.
The gunfire had ceased for some time.
All the survivors were reassigned to their rooms, one person per room.
The news had reached the administration building.
The Federal Research Institute urgently dispatched a team to investigate the sudden mutations of the patients in the four buildings of the inpatient department.
Xie Xu was prominently part of the investigation team.
Tu Ran was asleep, leaning back on a lounge chair.
She was exhausted.
She had taken over from Ding Naiqing at midnight, browsed the federal news for a while, and didn’t fall asleep until almost two.
At four in the morning, she had to get up to deal with the aliens, so she had only slept for two hours.
When Xie Xu arrived on the floor, he immediately noticed her peculiar sleeping posture.
Her helmet was cradled in her arms, her hair was a mess like a bird’s nest, and because her head was tilted back, her mouth was slightly open. She was the type to sleep with her eyes partly open, exposing some of the whites.
She looked far from dignified.
Xie Xu averted his eyes.
Ding Naiqing saw the investigation team and quickly walked over to greet them.
They nodded to each other as a form of greeting.
No one was in the mood for pleasantries; they went straight to the point.
“What are the casualty figures from this morning?” asked a researcher holding a communicator for data recording.
Xie Xu and two other researchers proceeded to observe each room.
“This floor originally had twenty-six survivors. Early this morning, eleven of them mutated, and they subsequently infected seven others. Eighteen people in total were infected and all were shot. Now there are eight survivors left. We had six guards; three died in action,” Ding Naiqing said heavily.
These numbers were devastating.
However, what the recorder said next was even more harrowing.
“From what we can tell, your floor’s situation is the best. Many floors are completely wiped out, except for a few pioneers. Some floors even had their pioneers infected. Even where there are survivors, there are no more than five,” the recorder said.
In her sleep, Tu Ran furrowed her brows and opened her eyes.
She had heard them come in but was too tired to get up.
But these statistics were too shocking, instantly dispelling her drowsiness.
She stood up, holding her gun, and casually brushed her hair. Only then did she notice that Xie Xu was also there.
They exchanged a glance, and Tu Ran looked away, expressionless.
She walked over to Ding Naiqing and looked at the recorder, asking, “Have you found out the cause? Why did so many people mutate at four in the morning?”
The researcher replied, “From our current studies, the first peak of symptoms after infection occurs within an hour. The second peak is around thirty hours later. Four this morning was their second peak time.”
“So the second peak has passed. Do we still need to keep these people confined?”
This was a crucial point for her.
She had to guard them for as long as they were confined.
The researcher shook his head. “We haven’t confirmed it yet.”
Tu Ran frowned. Their institute’s efficiency was too low. With such advanced technology, they couldn’t figure out a virus?
Xie Xu’s voice came from behind.
“By eight this evening, if no one has mutated, they can be released.”
“Are you sure?” Tu Ran turned to look at him.
Xie Xu nodded. “The institute has reassessed the virus’s maximum incubation period. Forty-eight hours. If they haven’t mutated after forty-eight hours, it means they don’t have the virus.”
Tu Ran quickly calculated the time in her mind.
Twelve hours. She only needed to wait twelve more hours to be free.
She no longer needed to smell that nauseating stench of blood.
Her mood instantly improved.
After asking a few more questions, the investigation team left.
Tu Ran watched them leave and then sat back down on the lounge chair.
“Sister Ran, go back to the break room and sleep. They shouldn’t cause any more trouble, and I can handle it,” Ding Naiqing said, looking at her.
Her difficult sleeping posture made Ding Naiqing feel very guilty.
Tu Ran thought for a moment. The situation in this building had temporarily stabilized, and she was no longer needed.
“Alright, I’ll go sleep then.” Tu Ran stood up, picked up her helmet, slung the machine gun over her shoulder, and walked toward the rest room at the end of the hallway.
In the rest room, Zhao Yan was also lying down, along with another guard.
Tu Ran walked past them and went to her little corner.
Trying to relax, Tu Ran quickly fell asleep.
She slept very peacefully; there were no gunshots outside, and not even the entire building had any gunshots.
It seemed that all the humans infected with the virus had completely mutated by early morning.
The whole world miraculously became quiet and peaceful.
Tu Ran slept for six hours.
She got up to relieve Ding Naiqing.
She also ate on the way.
The food delivered was still nutrient solution, along with a protein compressed biscuit for each person.
Bland and tasteless.
But very nutritious.
Pioneers always carried large quantities of these protein compressed biscuits when they ventured to the Threshold.
With the chicken monster’s ability, Tu Ran could now taste some delightful flavors in these compressed biscuits.
Ding Naiqing, who found the biscuits hard to swallow, was particularly astonished. It was the first time he had seen someone enjoy eating compressed biscuits.
By eight in the evening, all four buildings remained peaceful.
The news from the Federation confirmed it.
All survivors were cleared of any possible infection and were free to leave the inpatient department.
Those with minor injuries were picked up by their families and taken home, while those with severe injuries were transferred to the medical department for treatment in nutrient pods.
Meng Fancheng and his two colleagues also returned to their respective posts.
Before leaving, he stopped Tu Ran to thank her specifically. He would always remember her life-saving deed.
Tu Ran didn’t think much of it; she had only acted out of convenience.
If something had happened to him, she would have been punished as well.
Just like Ding Naiqing.
The doctor he was responsible for had been bitten to death by an alien, and he was scolded by Li Wenchuan and had his salary docked.
Tu Ran didn’t care about being scolded by Li Wenchuan, but docking her salary was unacceptable.
In summary, she saved Meng Fancheng’s life, making him admire her even more. He would tell everyone that she was his goddess and life-saver.
Of course, Tu Ran was unaware of this.
All she knew was that she could go home.
She could take a bath.
As soon as the notice came, Tu Ran left with her gun.
Breathing in the long-missed fresh air outside, she felt refreshed.
She first returned to the administration building to return her equipment and changed into her regular clothes. Then, she took the train, got off at Dawn Station, and went back to her neighborhood.
Upon entering her home, Tu Ran immediately took off her clothes and went into the bathroom for a relaxing bath.
The warm water soothed her body. Although it wasn’t as comfortable as a nutrient pod, it was enough to relieve her body, which had been tense for two days.
In the bathtub, she idly browsed today’s news.
It was exactly as she had expected.
The Federal Government claimed that the virus outbreak was under control, all infected individuals had been eliminated, and the virus would no longer spread. People were encouraged to go out without worry.
They also stated that they had isolated the antigen and developed a corresponding vaccine. Even if someone got infected, they could get vaccinated in time and wouldn’t mutate.
“A vaccine?” Tu Ran swiped the screen and laughed out loud.
She didn’t believe it for a second.
If they had truly developed a vaccine, the Federal Government would have ensured that each of the survivors received a dose before allowing them to leave today.
After all, these survivors were the most high-risk group.
If the virus in their bodies wasn’t completely eradicated, they would be the biggest source of infection.
So, if a vaccine existed, why not first ensure the elimination of the sources of infection?
Tu Ran shook her head as she read these uniformly misleading news reports.
This was the usual tactic of the Federal Government.
Using the media to deceive the public.
Who could know if an effective vaccine had really been produced?
In any case, this batch of infectious aliens had been completely eliminated.
The vaccine was no longer necessary.
No one knew if it was true or not.
Tu Ran deeply understood the darkness of this world from the original memories she had.
She had been in this world for some time now, experienced a lot, and gradually saw the true face of the Federation.
The lives of ordinary people didn’t matter.
Her life didn’t count for much.
The lives of all pioneers didn’t count for much.
The lives of ordinary citizens didn’t count for much.
Even the lives of people in the Executive Department, the Medical Department, and the Research Institute didn’t count for much.
In the eyes of the Federal Government, only interests mattered.
They would stop at nothing to achieve their goals if there was profit to be made.
Just like how they formed the Pioneer Team to explore the Threshold.
No matter how many pioneers died, the Federal Government wouldn’t care.
What they cared about was how much valuable information the surviving pioneers brought back.
The only true humans in the Federation were the plutocratic families behind the Federal Government.
Those upper-class people were far beyond Tu Ran’s reach.
She didn’t even have a chance to see them.
She was just one of the countless humble ants struggling to survive in this world.
An ordinary one.
Tu Ran leaned her head back against the edge of the bathtub. On the pure white ceiling, she vaguely saw a cloud of mist.
Behind the mist, scenes from the future seemed to be hidden.
What were those scenes?
She strained her eyes, trying to see clearly.
But it remained a blurry mess.
The vision dissipated in less than ten seconds.
Tu Ran looked away.
Forget it. Even if she saw it, it wouldn’t change anything except her mood.
Tu Ran stood up from the bathtub, wrapped herself in a towel, and left the bathroom.
She sprawled out on the bed.
Still tired.
Even though she had slept for six hours in the morning, she was still exhausted.
She wanted to sleep.
But the communicator by her pillow beeped.
That communicator was for contacting Xie Xu.
Tu Ran opened the screen and saw the latest message from Xie Xu.
[The original infectious alien has been captured. Your guess was correct.]
The infectious alien was hiding in the little girl’s body.
[I’m curious how you knew.] Xie Xu sent another message.
Tu Ran thought for a moment and typed a few words.
[I believe you will find out soon enough.]
The capture traps in Reigaken State were nearly completed.
Countless aliens would be captured.
Some of them would surely have inner cores in their bodies.
Once sent to the research institute, they would be dissected and studied inch by inch.
It was only a matter of time before the inner cores were discovered.
Xie Xu, being a senior member of the institute, would be among the first to know.
Through severe interrogation of the aliens, the purpose of the inner cores would be revealed.
Tu Ran had already anticipated that day wouldn’t be too far off.
After her reply, Xie Xu didn’t say anything more.
Perhaps he thought she was being perfunctory.
Tu Ran didn’t care; she just wanted to sleep.
But things didn’t go her way.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, the doorbell rang.
Tu Ran glanced at the time. It was eleven at night.
Who would come to her house at this hour?
She quickly put on some clothes, retrieved a handgun from under her pillow, and cautiously peered through the peephole.
This was an old neighborhood, and Tu Ran and Xi Chun Zhi had only moved in less than a year ago. Neither of them had time to install surveillance cameras, so she could only observe through the peephole.
The visitor was a woman, wearing clothes that looked very familiar to Tu Ran.
On her first night in this world, the staff member who brought her work communicator wore a similar black uniform with a perfectly neat hairstyle.
Tu Ran also noticed she seemed to be holding something.
It must be a delivery for her.
Tu Ran tucked the gun into her waistband and opened the door.
“Hello, Pioneer Tu Ran. This is a reward from the Federal Government for your outstanding performance on the Q4245 suspended train.”
Tu Ran looked down and saw two fruit baskets.
They were filled with a variety of fruits, piled high.
She could already faintly smell the aroma of the fruits.
These fruits were definitely not artificial!
“Didn’t I already receive a reward of a free use of the nutrient pod?” Tu Ran asked uncertainly.
Could there be a mistake?
If it was a mistake, she would be very disappointed.
Because she really wanted these fruit baskets.
“No mistake. The free use of the nutrient pod was a reward from your Pioneer team commander, Xie Zhao. These fruits are from the Federal Government.”
Then they must be for her.
Tu Ran immediately reached out to take them.
When the weight of the fruits settled in her hands, Tu Ran realized that they were indeed all for her.
Although fruits had been insignificant to her in the past, since coming to this world, Tu Ran deeply understood how rare and precious they were.
This generous reward of two full baskets of fruits was exceptionally lavish.
After bringing the two baskets inside, Tu Ran took all the fruits out and placed them on the table one by one.
There were mostly apples, only two pears and peaches per basket, and one each of dragon fruit, melon, and other fruits, along with three small boxes containing various berries.
Overall, it was a very abundant assortment.
Tu Ran grabbed an apple and started munching on it while sorting the rest of the fruits.
From the original owner’s memories, she knew that Xi Chunzhi liked to eat melons.
Tu Ran found a bag and put the two melons in it, then added half of each type of fruit to the bag.
She carried the bag to Xi Chunzhi’s door.
Tu Ran knew the door code from the original owner’s memories.
Entering the code, she pushed the door open and headed straight for the fridge.
Inside the fridge, the shelves were filled with rows of beer.
Xi Chunzhi loved drinking; it helped her think more clearly.
Tu Ran made space on one shelf and stuffed all the fruits from the bag into the fridge.
Closing the fridge door, she turned and left.
By the time she got back, the apple was almost completely eaten.
Tu Ran tossed the core into the trash can.
After putting the remaining fruits in her fridge, Tu Ran collapsed onto her bed and fell into a deep sleep.
