The Ultimate Evolution

Inside E.S consortium’s secret underground laboratory, warnings suddenly sounded from the device connected to Sheyan.

“Warning: The patient’s noninvasive blood pressure is fluctuating violently. The current nibp is 140/200 and is showing an upward trend.”

“Warning: The patient’s breathing and heartbeat are fluctuating violently. They’re currently 50% above the normal level and are showing an upward trend.”

“Warning: The bispectral index of the patient’s brain wave is fluctuating violently….”

Suddenly, a burst of smoke and electrical sparks came out of the device which cost 180,000 Euros, and a small explosion occurred. Mechanical parts like screws and gears flew out of the device.

A clacking noise then came from it. Closer inspection revealed that it was the sound of Sheyan’s teeth chattering from being clenched too hard! His chest rose and fell dramatically, his fists were clenched tight, and the veins all over his body protruded out of his skin like he had just performed intense exercises.

Sanzi anxiously tried to rush forward to pull Sheyan out of the device, but Zi stopped him and said in a grave voice, “Don’t. It doesn’t look like the virus is running out of control. Rather, it looks like he’s mentally triggered. I don’t know what’s the cause, but if you get close to him now, you might get hurt.”

It must be said that Zi possessed the combination of a woman’s unique attention to details and a consortium leader’s broad outlook, and it was very precious. She could always see through many things to discover the truth at once. Hearing her words, Sanzi calmed down and took a few steps back.

Zi frowned, then said to the frightened medical staff beside them, “Get out, right now.”

“But…” the professor seemed dumbfounded.

“I don’t like to repeat myself,” scowling, Zi uttered in a stern tone.

The domineering aura of the beautiful director instantly took control over the room. The doctors and nurses all stepped out in a hurry. Sheyan’s abnormal condition lasted for about five minutes before it slowly subsided. Suddenly, Sheyan punched the disinfection chamber.

The disinfection chamber was built to prevent biochemical contamination. It was almost as tough as bullet-proof glasses. However, Sheyan’s current Strength was no joke. With just a single punch, the chamber already started cracking. He added another punch, and transparent glass fragments scattered onto the floor. Sheyan’s furious fist, veins bulging, stood upright in the air.

His gruff, heavy breathing sounded like the violent noise from a 10,000-horsepower steam engine in full operation.

After a long time…his heavy breathing finally subsided. Sheyan opened his eyes slowly, and the blood-red colour in his eyes rapidly faded, regaining their clarity. He stared at the white ceiling above him for a while, then heaved a long breath. He then turned his head to Zi and Sanzi.

“Sorry, I lost it.”

***

The disease was still wantonly sweeping over Sheyan, but it was nothing too serious for him. Three hours later, the notifications from the Nightmare Imprint finally came.

[ The A-Virus’ replication is successful! ]

[ You have successfully activated the ultimate disease in the ‘Airborne Diseases’ branch of the ‘Pestilence Monarch’ skill tree, ‘Atypical Pneumonia (SARS)’. ]

[ You can activate the rest of the ‘Pestilence Monarch’ skill tree to make yourself stronger. Activating the rest of the ‘Pestilence Monarch’ skill tree requires 80 achievement points! ]

[ Ultimate Ability: ‘Atypical Pneumonia’ (yet to be activated) — Enable the SARS virus to rapidly multiply in the enemies. The enemies’ respiratory systems will rapidly collapse like dominoes, until they can adapt to this severe pain. ]

[ Activating this ability requires 30 achievement points. You will transmit the SARS virus to all nearby enemies. The virus is transmitted through air and droplets, so it takes only three seconds for the onset. ]

[ The virus can cause serious damage to creatures hostile to you at the instant of onset. When the SARS virus kills the enemy’s immune cells, it causes severe pain, stunning them for three seconds. At the same time, they will be damaged by 5% of their maximum HP (this damage cannot be higher than 300 points when used on a contestant). ]

[ Every 10 seconds afterwards, there is a 75% chance of the enemy being affected by the SARS virus tentacles, thus gaining one of the three negative statuses of ‘SARS Chest Pain’, ‘SARS Asphyxia’ and ‘SARS High Fever’, as well as suffering the special effect of the disease worsening. ]

[ ‘SARS Chest Pain’: The SARS virus spreads to the enemy’s lungs, causing severe pain. This effect lasts for three seconds, during which the enemy will not be able to perform any attacks, movements and casting actions. The enemy will also suffer a damage equivalent to 100 + the sum value of all the caster’s attributes. ]

[ ‘SARS Asphyxia’: The SARS virus spreads to the enemy’s respiratory tract, causing asphyxiation. The enemy will immediately suffer 100 points of true damage. Besides that, the enemy’s movement speed will immediately drop by 50%, and the enemy’s hit rate will immediately drop to 0%. These stats will slowly recover to their original values in the next 10 seconds. ]

[ ‘SARS High Fever’: The SARS virus will raise the enemy’s body temperature from the normal 37 degrees Celsius to an astonishing 41 degrees Celsius (105.8 F) in an instant. Under this condition, the enemy’s MP consumption will increase by 400%! The fever will gradually subside within 30 seconds, and MP consumption will decrease accordingly until it finally returns to normal (for example, after 10 seconds of high fever, body temperature will drop to around 39.5 degrees Celsius, and the MP consumption penalty will drop to around 200%). ]

[ Every time a negative status effect is triggered, it will worsen the effect of the disease on the enemy’s body. When the disease-worsening effect stacks to seven layers, the SARS infection will become critical. Under the critical effect, the enemy will suffer from all three negative statuses of ‘SARS Chest Pain’, ‘SARS Asphyxia’ and ‘SARS High Fever’ at the same time, and the duration of all negative statuses will be prolonged by 200%. The damage inflicted on the enemy will increase by 20%. 33% of the damage inflicted on the enemy during the critical period will be converted into healing effects that will heal all nearby allies. Each ally cannot receive a healing amount of more than 33% of their maximum HP. ]

[ The critical period lasts for 10 seconds. At the end of this period, the disease-worsening effect will be cleared from the enemy’s body. ]

[ This branch ability can coexist with certain viral-type branch abilities.” ]

[ Please invest achievement points in this branch ability and open up the remaining branches in the ‘Pestilence Monarch’ skill tree! ]

***

SARS was as formidable as they had expected, and its damage was also significantly higher compared to the simple negative effects of other diseases. The 5% damage at the moment of outbreak could not be underestimated. It may be mediocre against contestants, but remember the monsters on Pandora? The HP of those monsters were in the hundreds of thousands, even millions. 5% of HP meant tens of thousands of damage!

Sheyan bitterly smiled when he saw the data.

“Maybe I really should put the promotion to Major General on hold for the time being?”

Zi and Sanzi both stared at him with great interest.

“What are you guys doing?” asked Sheyan, perplexed.

“We’re waiting for your explanation, of course!” Sanzi spread his arms and smiled sneakily. “Why did you suddenly go berserk in the disinfection chamber? Zi was worried to death….AAHH!!”

Sanzi was knocked flying and embedded into the wall in a weird posture. The power of ‘Force.Collision Wall’ was naturally very formidable.

Zi announced nonchalantly, “I still have some business to take care of. Now that you’re alright, I’ll be leaving.”

“Hey, Zi!” Looking at the graceful figure of the leaving Zi, Sheyan suddenly stopped her with a serious expression. After a momentary silence, he said, “How ’bout we do it on the grass next time?”

Zi stumbled as if he had been hit by a bullet. Her figure looked like she was coughing up blood. She then ran away in a hurry while holding onto the wall. Her graceful and calm temperament had vanished in an instant. Looking at Zi’s retreating back, Sheyan’s smile slowly vanished. His eyes right now contained unspeakable pain and uncertainty.

“I wish I could tell you everything…but our team is far from being able to handle such a secret!”

***

Sheyan was seriously weakened by the SARS infection this time, unlike his previous experiences in contracting flus where he could just stand up and leave immediately after. He recuperated for a period of time with nutrient transfusions and antibiotics and what not. Unfortunately, they did not have much of an effect. A little exercise, and he would cough so hard that it felt like his lungs would fall out.

Sheyan could only accept his identity as a patient and take his time to slowly recover, all while silently enduring the suffering brought by the disease. He managed to hang on until it was time to return to the Realm. He could hardly wait and was already waiting by the stairs ahead of time.

As soon as Sheyan entered the Realm, before he even requested for a repair, the Realm already notified him that there were functional defects on his body. This was a pretty general term; for example, the inability to walk was also a functional defect, the inability to get an erection was also a functional defect, the inability to speak was also a functional defect. In his case, his condition was so serious that he was almost disabled.

After an examination, it was found that Sheyan’s left lung seemed normal on the outside, but the inside was completely rotten! Meanwhile, his right lung was only one third functional! After paying an expensive amount of utility points, Sheyan finally regained his health.

He sat on the chair in his room and took a few deep breaths. He then saw the box on his desk, the one with the words “Imperial Quartermaster Express Delivery” on it. Sheyan now had amassed enough energy to deal with it. When he opened it, his face suddenly turned grave.

Inside the box was a blood red dispatch!