This World Is Seriously Ill Chapter 25

However, police officer Jill wasn't so lucky. Behind the door, another monster of the same species had already clamped its closed mouthparts down hard.

Fortunately, Kevin's loud warning made Jill instinctively shift her body to the side, preventing her throat from being bitten off and killed instantly!

"Bastard!" The commander, snapping back to reality, immediately rolled on the ground, picked up his service pistol, and with a roar, fired three precise shots, blowing the chrysanthemum monster's head off and shattering half of its skull.

"How are you?"

Kevin limped towards the staircase, supporting Jill, whose body had gone somewhat limp, and reached out to pull a petal-shaped mouthpart embedded in her flesh from her shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'm not dead yet..."

Jill's face was pale. She knew the consequences of being bitten by these bio-monsters, but to avoid worrying Kevin, she easily put on a light smile.

Damn it! Here we go again!

The ear-grating climbing sound from above echoed once more. Kevin angrily punched the ground, then immediately helped the injured Jill up. They stumbled their way towards the hundredth floor.

It seemed all their bad luck had been used up on that floor. The two of them managed to reach the 99th floor without any further incidents.

Barely dragging their injured bodies to escape, the two, at their wit's end, could hardly stand.

Kevin chose a storage room that wasn't locked as a temporary resting place.

After sending out his location, he immediately unbuckled his backpack, took out a medical kit, and began bandaging Jill's profusely bleeding wound.

Carefully cutting away her clothes, the female officer's exposed shoulder was a bloody mess. Two sharp teeth were still embedded in Jill's flesh.

"Hold still!"

For some reason, a surge of anger welled up within Kevin. With a cold expression, he clumsily removed the foreign objects from her flesh, then, following procedure, cleaned and bandaged the wound of the gritting-toothed policewoman.

Finally, everything was done. The commander looked at the policewoman, whose face had turned somewhat ashen, and couldn't help but slap her on the head.

"Idiot! Trying to play hero without dealing with the threat behind you first!"

Jill merely rolled her eyes, not resisting, seeming to have a detached acceptance of death. She fumbled in her pocket for a pack of flattened cigarettes, put one in her mouth, and prepared to light up a few to relieve the stress.

"Didn't you say you needed to protect your leader first? Got a light? I want to smoke one before I die..."

Kevin angrily pulled the cigarette from Jill's mouth, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it a few more times, as if to vent his frustration.

"What's with the self-pity! You're not going to die!"

The commander's mouth twitched. He pulled out a green vial from the cooler in his backpack and loaded it into a syringe gun.

"Remember, you owe me your life!"

The needle pierced Jill's vein, and the liquid was slowly injected. The commander's inexplicably cold words, however, brought a pleasant surprise and a wave of warmth to Jill's heart.

The temporary peace made the exhausted policewoman's eyes narrow slightly, entering a semi-sleep state.

Meanwhile, Kevin, leaning against the wall in the corner, slowly pulled up his pant leg, his bloody and mangled calf casting a shadow over his eyes.

The barbs on the Licker's tongue had pierced through his clothing and deeply embedded themselves in his calf...

Woman, you truly owe me a life...

I hope there's still a chance to repay it...

ps: Sorry I got back after 10 pm tonight. I've written one chapter and will have another around 2 am. Normal double updates tomorrow.

Also, according to Book Guest's rules, from 6 am today to 6 am the next day is considered one day for an author to upload chapters.

So, I haven't broken my promise. Please forgive me.

Section 39 Chapter Thirty-Seven: Human Plant (Second Update)

Like most ordinary people, Kevin possessed a compassionate heart. As long as his own vital interests weren't harmed, he was willing to lend a hand.

Society, in general, was quite friendly towards "good people," and it served as a decent form of camouflage.

However, Kevin wasn't a purely good person. He didn't have the awareness to sacrifice himself for the greater good.

For example, he clearly had the T-Virus antidote but chose to keep it a secret, intending to use it as an insurance policy for himself when he ventured deep into The Hive.

Yet, despite all his calculations, he wouldn't get to use that last dose of antidote himself.

No choice. Seeing this foolish woman willing to risk her life for the promise of a piece of candy, Kevin had to admit, he was damn moved.

But now, he had another reason to risk his life and save Raccoon City, because this woman was now completely tied to the sinking ship that was Raccoon City.

There were still 4 hours until 8 pm, which was enough time!

The commander leaned against the wall of the storage room, closing his eyes to rest, waiting for his teammates to arrive.

I hope these guys I dragged down with me can survive a little longer...

Soft murmurs flowed silently from his lips.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the lower levels of The Hive.

RPD officer Barry and Umbrella Squad captain James, with the underpowered Indian researcher sandwiched between them, provided some protection.

Although this "Indian brother" was trash in terms of combat effectiveness, his successful escape to the upper levels of The Hive proved he had some merit in survival.

Along the way, Barry and James had managed to avoid dangers multiple times thanks to this "Indian brother's" familiarity with The Hive.

"I seem to recall this being the botanical garden where Dr. Isaacs often conducted secret research. There might be valuable data stored here..."

"Right, and the Antidote! If we have that, we'll have extra insurance!"

Following the Indian researcher's suggestion, Barry and James hesitated for a moment before deciding to break open the gate and search.

Fortunately, although bullets were scarce, Barry still had two C4 charges in his backpack, which were convenient for demolition.

This is...

The moment Barry blasted open the gate, the three of them stared at the scene before them, utterly stunned.

It was a dense botanical paradise, with lush vines intertwined, covering almost every corner of the hall.

Even more incredible was that in the center of the hall, dozens of standing human husks were covered in tendrils of vines.

They burrowed into the bodies through their orifices, using blood vessels and muscles as soil, growing lushly, turning the deceased into a terrifying and eerie garden art.

And on the most conspicuous stone platform, a plant with thick, bloody-red petals was cultivated in black soil.

But for some reason, this plant had withered, most of its petals having fallen.

"Aishwarya..."

The Indian researcher scanned the surroundings and, upon spotting a "Human Plant" wearing a white lab coat and a red agate necklace around its neck, his expression trembled. He suddenly rushed forward and embraced "her," weeping.

"You know something, don't you?"

Commander James, a Black man, his pupils contracted, immediately distanced himself from the Indian researcher and aimed his gun at the grieving man.

The Indian researcher, whose actions were somewhat unusual, first carefully removed the red agate necklace from the "Human Plant." Then, wiping away his tears, he turned to explain to the other two.

"She's my sister..."

"When the Red Queen's network went down, those of us who were still alive prepared to escape The Hive together..."

"But we were separated halfway through when we were attacked by bio-monsters and had to evacuate in different directions..."

"Aishwarya and I were split up then. I never expected to see her here..."

Facing the grieving Indian researcher, James didn't want to push too hard. After exchanging a look with Barry, they decided to believe everything he said for the time being.

The Indian researcher seemed to realize his actions were inappropriate. To regain the trust of these two "bodyguards," he immediately began searching diligently for data.

Finally, in the hands of a "Human Plant," he discovered some tattered manuscripts.

"We found it! The raw material Dr. Charles used to develop the T-Virus – the Sun Stair!"

"This strange flower comes from the Ndipaya Tribe in Western Asia. It contains an RNA-form viral substance that can enhance human abilities (including physical strength, mobility, etc.) and prolong human life, but it is highly toxic."

"And the Ndipaya Tribe are indigenous tribes scattered across West Africa. People know of the Ndipaya Tribe because the local tribes possess advanced architectural and heritage preservation skills."

"What people don't know is that beneath the current Ndipaya settlement lies the vast ruins of the ancient Ndipaya Empire!"

As the three of them gradually deciphered the manuscripts, they gained a general understanding of the withered, scarlet monstrous flower before them.

Ancient West Africa was ruled by the Ndipaya Empire. The empire's king held absolute authority and was revered by his subjects as a deity "closest to the Sun God."

A legend circulated among the Ndipaya Tribe: their king possessed a lifespan of several hundred years, was brave and fearless, and impervious to weapons.

However, becoming the king of the Ndipaya Empire was an arduous path. The succession to the throne was not based on blood relations; they maintained the traditional tribal method of selection.

The chosen leader had to pass a trial by the Sun God to become king, and this trial was the "Sun Stair" ritual.

Once, when Dr. Charles was young and searching for a cure for his family's hereditary disease, he traveled far and wide.

Later, he was invited to team up with archaeologist Richard Crawford and visited Western Asia. The two of them inadvertently discovered a tomb of the Ndipaya Empire, and in the underground core area, they found a flowerbed.

Planted in the flowerbed was the sacred artifact of the Ndipaya – the "Sun Stair" flower!

This was a flower with a highly toxic substance, and only a select few, recognized by the gods, could survive after consuming it. To become king, eating the flower was an inevitable trial.

The flower would bestow upon the new king a long life and immense power. Therefore, Dr. Charles, disregarding his friend's advice, privately took some samples of the "Sun Stair" from the "sacred site."

Ultimately, the T-Virus was born, but it still had significant flaws, and the progress of its pharmaceutical development repeatedly stalled.

Driven by profit, this drug, originally intended to overcome diseases and enhance human physical functions, was eventually applied in the field of genetic weapons.

The original purpose of the T-Virus was actually healing and evolution?

Having uncovered part of the truth, the three of them sighed with emotion at the Umbrella Corporation's current path of deviation.

"The divine staircase to the sun..." Has Dr. Isaacs found a way to unlock the true efficacy of the Sun Stair flower?

A thought flashed through the Indian researcher's mind. As he was about to convey his idea to the two beside him, Barry and James suddenly jumped back, as if they saw something terrifying on him.

"Don't come near! Look at your hands!"

Barry's scalp tingled. He fired a shot at the Indian researcher's feet, a strong warning.

The Indian researcher instinctively looked down at his arm, only to find small plant sprouts growing from his skin.

Even on his neck, chest, and face, there was a maddening tingling sensation. Even when he tried to pull them out by hand, only a ghastly green sap would flow. He seemed to be turning into a plant!

"Save me!" The Indian researcher's eyes widened in terror.

ps0: The information on the Sun Stair flower is a story created by the author by combining elements from the game and the movie.

Also, there's a small Easter egg. I wonder if anyone noticed it. Hint: Archaeologist.

ps1: Finally caught up, no broken promises, update will be completed on the 15th.

Two updates today, expected to be done this afternoon. Thank you all for your trust and support. Also, it's heartwarming to see over 20 readers checking in.

It's a very happy thing when one's work is anticipated and recognized by others.

Section 40: Chapter Thirty-Eight: We Will Eventually Be Gods!

"Save... me..."

The Indian researcher stumbled forward, his movements gradually slowing and stiffening as dense plant vines extended from his flesh and deeply rooted into the ground.

"Pfft!" As two thick vines burst from the "third brother's" eye sockets, this "Human Plant" was fully formed.

The eyeball that rolled to their feet shriveled from dehydration, its unfocused pupils staring blankly at the two of them.

Barry and James felt their scalps tingle and immediately prepared to turn and flee. However, without them realizing it, the passage they had entered through was already completely sealed by green vines.

Their continuous gunfire couldn't do much against the wildly growing plants.

With no other option, Barry threw a C4 bomb into the plant cluster blocking the sealed door and detonated it remotely.

But to their utter astonishment, the green vine net, which had been temporarily blown open, rewove itself in less than two minutes.

As for why they didn't rush out during those two minutes, seeing the tragic state of the "third brother," they knew with their backsides that these plants and the "human gardening" were most likely carrying parasitic spores.

If they hadn't been cautious and avoided contact with these plants initially, they too would have ended up with a primitive forest growing on their bodies, just like the "third brother."

Immediately after, the plants seemed to be enraged by their resistance. As the vines rustled and shook, several "Human Plants" retracted their roots and lurched unsteadily towards the two men.