Chapter 59 Gwen and Elivise—The Eve of the Outbreak

Gwen Stacy carried a distinctly girlish pink backpack and held a notebook as she followed the long line of students.

They were visiting the Biological Research Institute at Empire State University.

The institute was jointly funded by Umbrella Corporation and Oscorp Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Oscorp Industries.

As a result, both its scale and security classification were exceptionally high.

For the students of Midtown School of Science and Technology, an affiliated school of Empire State University, being allowed to tour the institute was a rare opportunity for practical learning.

While Gwen and her classmates were examining a species of silver spider, she suddenly heard a scream from Peter Parker, the bookish student beside her who had been carefully writing his report.

Kindhearted as always, Gwen approached him.

“Peter? What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine. I think something bit me.”

The moment he finished speaking, Gwen saw a tiny silver-white spider resembling a ghost leap onto her hand.

She screamed in fright.

The student group immediately descended into chaos.

A sharp, wrenching pain shot through the back of Gwen’s right hand. When she looked down, the area was already red and swollen, bringing tears to her eyes.

“What happened here?”

A pleasant, clear female voice came from nearby.

Gwen looked up and saw a female researcher approaching in a white lab coat and red-framed glasses.

“Uh, something seems to have bitten Gwen,” one of the students explained.

For some reason, Peter didn’t mention that something appeared to have bitten him as well.

The researcher examined Gwen for a moment.

“Your hand is badly swollen. We should have it checked. I’ll take you to the infirmary.”

Without waiting for Gwen to respond, she took her hand and led her away.

Before long, Gwen found herself sitting anxiously inside the infirmary.

The pain in the back of her hand hadn’t subsided, nor had the inflammation shown any sign of improving.

Noticing her nervousness, the researcher gently reassured her.

“It isn’t anything serious. We have anti-inflammatory medication here. Some topical antibiotics should take care of it.”

“Try to relax. You can call me Dr. Elivise. What’s your name?”

“Gwen… Gwen Stacy.”

“All right, Gwen. Take this anti-inflammatory pill first.”

Gwen didn’t think much of it.

She accepted the pill from Dr. Elivise and swallowed it.

Almost immediately, her head began to feel heavy.

“I feel really dizzy. Am I all right, Dr. Elivise?”

“You’re fine. That’s a normal reaction.”

The corners of Elivise’s lips rose slightly.

She discreetly slipped a small white case containing an injector into Gwen’s backpack.

Elivise then glanced at the second injector she still carried and breathed a sigh of relief.

Afterward, she carefully examined Gwen’s student ID.

Midtown School of Science and Technology.

Eleventh Grade, Class A.

Once she had memorized the information, Elivise gave the backpack one last meaningful look.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, Gwen gradually emerged from her dazed state.

When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Elivise’s beautiful face.

The charming older woman touched Gwen’s forehead with apparent concern.

“How are you feeling? I was worried that you might have been bitten by a dangerous insect and could develop severe inflammation, so I gave you a special medication.”

Still somewhat disoriented, Gwen nodded.

“I feel better, Dr. Elivise.”

“Rest for a little longer, and then you can leave. Your group’s tour is almost over.”

“Thank you, Dr. Elivise. I’m already feeling much better.”

Thirty minutes later, Elivise watched Gwen rejoin the tour group.

She quickly removed her lab coat and changed into a black hooded sweatshirt and a pleated skirt.

After taking off her glasses, she tied back her long hair, which faded from black into dark red.

“This time, I have to expose them.”

Elivise drew a deep breath and made a call.

“This is K. Meet me at the agreed location!”

After ending the call, she hurried out of the infirmary and headed for the research institute’s exit.

What she failed to notice was that the moment she left, her every movement was captured by surveillance cameras.

Fifteen minutes later, Elivise arrived at the agreed meeting place—a dark alley near Empire State University.

No one was there.

Alarm bells immediately went off in her mind.

Then she noticed two figures concealed in the shadows.

“Dr. Elivise, I believe you understand what happens to those who betray us. You made a foolish decision.”

Elivise snorted coldly.

“Any researcher with a conscience would make the same choice after seeing what you’ve done.”

“A conscience? Dr. Elivise, you participated in every experiment. There’s no less blood on your hands than there is on mine.”

“That’s exactly why I need to atone!”

“What are you planning? Where is Miss Catherine, the reporter? What have you done to her?”

“You’ll be joining her soon, Dr. Elivise.”

Flashes of fire erupted from the pockets of the two men.

In just over ten seconds, a pair of Glock 18 pistols fired thirty-six rounds into the helpless researcher.

No one noticed that one of the bullets had pierced the injector hidden inside her pocket.

Elivise collapsed into a pool of blood.

Her pupils gradually dilated as she stared through blurring vision into the merciless eyes before her. Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.

“Target eliminated. Prepare to erase the other witnesses.”

“Drag her back to the laboratory and dispose of her body in the morgue.”

“Tsk. What a waste. She was such a beautiful woman, yet she did something this stupid. I don’t understand these researchers. She participated in every stage of the project.”

“Who knows what she was thinking?”

One of the men suddenly looked down.

“Damn it, what’s this?”

“Shit. It looks like she smuggled something out, and one of the bullets hit it. We have a leak.”

“Ignore it and pretend you didn’t see anything. If our superiors learn we caused a mess like this, we’ll be in serious trouble.”

“Call the cleaners and have them sterilize the area with disinfectant.”

“They won’t leave any traces behind.”