Chapter 896: Virus Research

896. Virus Research

Half an hour later, Scarlatti also woke up. The three of them sat around the electric heater, drinking freshly brewed milk tea.

"So what do we do next?"

Lin Ye had limited knowledge of the Dream World and didn't know how to end this dream.

"Escape like last time?"

Little Guardian offered a suggestion.

"It could be extremely dangerous out there. Besides, where would we even escape to?"

Lin Ye recalled the scene he had witnessed at the end of the last dream.

"I think we should rest for a while first, at least until we're back to a normal state."

Scarlatti was wrapped in several heavy coats, her face deathly pale, looking incredibly frail.

"Then let's rest for now. I also need to examine those serums and specimens."

Although their condition was relatively stable at the moment, Lin Ye didn't believe that a single injection could solve their problems.

They knew nothing about this virus, only that the symptoms of infection resembled the flu.

"Then I'll leave that to you. I can't make heads or tails of that stuff."

Scarlatti took a bite of bread. She planned to search the nearby laboratory for supplies later.

Lin Ye began examining the biological specimens stored in the transparent containers. Without access to mental energy and no research materials, he could only make educated guesses about the virus based on the condition of the specimens.

After some time, Lin Ye finished reviewing all the specimens left in the cold storage. He now had a preliminary understanding of the virus.

"I searched the nearby laboratories and found some supplies, but I couldn't find any paper research records. Without electricity, those instruments can't be powered on either."

Scarlatti entered the cold storage and handed the supplies she'd found to Little Guardian.

"...You said you've encountered this kind of virus before? What were the circumstances back then?"

Lin Ye opened a transparent container and dripped a few drops of serum into it.

"That wasn't the exact same virus. I'd say it was only similar in essence. There's some information I simply can't disclose... Did you discover something?"

Scarlatti looked at the transparent container. The biological sample inside seemed to be undergoing some kind of change.

"This 'virus' appears to transform an individual into a collective, like those eyeballs up above. That's just my hypothesis though. With limited resources, I can't confirm it."

A pair of biological samples appeared in the glass container, except the two samples were different in size, like a mother and her child.

"...Huh? Are you saying we could turn into two, or even many?"

Scarlatti felt deeply unsettled. She absolutely did not want to see another version of herself standing before her.

"It won't turn out like that. This transformation is highly unstable. The virus might only transform a specific organ inside your body. This laboratory seems to be researching a more stable transformation virus."

Lin Ye didn't want to transform into a horde of Lin Yes either. This probably wasn't about replicating new individuals, but rather transforming an individual life form into a collective one, which would also shift their ideology.

"Then let's get the hell out of here fast."

Scarlatti would rather take her chances out in the wild than stay in this place.

"We're already infected. Even if we leave, it won't make much difference. That serum temporarily suppressed the virus's activity, but after a while, it will flare up again. This place probably only has inhibitors, not a cure that can kill the virus."

Through his testing, Lin Ye had roughly determined the functions of those serums. This virus was far more troublesome than he had imagined.

"So that's how it is. No wonder I was the only one who didn't run a fever."

Little Guardian seemed to have been classified by the virus as a collective life form, which was why she hadn't developed a fever.

She didn't actually mind being transformed into a collective, since she was already that kind of existence to begin with.

"Then what do we do? I really don't want dozens of hearts growing inside my belly."

Scarlatti somewhat regretted tasting that serum together with Lin Ye.

This was the first time she had encountered such a troublesome Dream World.

"Don't worry. Even if your entire body were transformed, it couldn't produce that many hearts. Those eyeballs up there and those bugs were probably the result of some kind of accident. What we need to worry about now is whether this virus has spread to the outside world."

The moment Lin Ye thought about those horrible things outside being transformed into collective life forms, he really didn't feel like venturing beyond the base.

"...Is this your nightmare? Can you stop thinking about all this troublesome stuff?"

Scarlatti let out a sigh. The Dream World, the Civilization Tower, Lin Ye, the enemies of the Civilization Tower... mix all those factors together, and you got the current situation.

She couldn't imagine a more troublesome scenario than this.

"None of that has anything to do with me. I never thought about any of this. It's entirely the Civilization Tower's fault."

Lin Ye also found it extremely troublesome. The inhibitor's effect was wearing off. If the virus erupted one more time, they would be transformed into something bizarre.

"I don't want to sit here waiting to die. I'm going outside to check the situation."

Scarlatti wasn't giving up. Even if the outside was crawling with monsters, she would carve a path of survival right through them.

"I'll go with you. There are three inhibitors left here. You take two. If something feels wrong, inject yourself immediately."

Lin Ye handed two syringes to Scarlatti.

"...Try your best to hold on. When we make a run for it, I'll carry you along... even if you've transformed into a pile of human organs."

Scarlatti accepted the inhibitors and tucked them inside her coat.

"Don't worry about me. Even if I become a collective life form, I can hold out for a while."

Lin Ye began packing up their things. The electric heater was a must-bring; the outside was certain to be even colder than the interior of the base.

"We can make a stop at the armory first and look for some usable weapons and equipment."

Lin Ye had located the armory earlier, but at the time they'd needed to inject the antiviral serum and hadn't had time to search it for weapons.

"Good. Hopefully it hasn't been cleaned out."

If she could find a pistol, Scarlatti would feel a bit more at ease.

After packing everything up, Lin Ye led the way with the electric heater strapped to his back, Little Guardian provided illumination with a flashlight, and Scarlatti was responsible for handling any sudden emergencies.

The three of them made it back to the first floor of the base without incident. They didn't encounter anything along the way, as if the entire military base were occupied by only the three of them.

"Wait. There's a slight vibration in the ground. Something's coming."

Scarlatti pulled Lin Ye and Little Guardian into a nearby restroom. Clamorous footsteps soon echoed through the corridor.

It sounded like dozens of burly men were passing through the hallway.

The footsteps faded away at the other end of the corridor. The three left the restroom and continued moving toward the armory.

"There's movement up ahead. Sounds like the voices of living people."

Scarlatti suddenly spoke up.

"The armory is just ahead. There might be some survivors hiding in there."

Recalling the men who had barged into the office earlier, Lin Ye silently drew out his crowbar, ready for a fight.