Another Proliferation

"File: R-Type Virus"

"R-Type Virus? Isn't that what the newspapers were talking about before?"

She steadied herself and opened the first page of the file.

"R-Type Virus is a special neurological virus. Those infected often believe they retain healthy consciousness and normal communication abilities. However, in the eyes of healthy people, their communication is incoherent, their thoughts fragmented and frequently disjointed."

"Patients do not notice their own abnormalities. As the infection deepens, we gradually become unable to understand what they are saying. More than two hours after onset, the fatal characteristics of R-Type Virus emerge. They manifest as... full-body ulceration, intense persecutory delusions, attacks against every healthy person they see, and the belief that healthy people attacked them first. They emit meaningless roars and are hostile toward all non-infected individuals."

"Some infected individuals have used weapons to attack ordinary civilians. Sometimes, they attack the air and display tremendous hostility toward it. The medical team believes the virus damages their brains, causing hallucinations. Interestingly, patients seem able to communicate with one another, and do so quite harmoniously."

"Two weeks ago, there was news of infected individuals attempting to seize a nuclear missile launch facility. I became interested in the mechanism of this type of virus. Unfortunately, even after thorough research, I still do not understand how it spreads."

After briefly scanning the file, Ye Xin could not help frowning.

"It matches."

She returned to the third-floor ward with the document, just as the other two came back as well.

Ye Xin placed the file on the table. "This."

The two took turns reading it, then looked at each other.

"So according to this, we're the lunatics?" Xuan Ya said with a helpless laugh.

"Take a look at what I found." Shi Wenshan took out a piece of paper.

There were only two lines on it.

The antidote for R-Type Virus has been made and hidden within one of the hospital walls. Unfortunately, I am too badly injured to retrieve it alone. Whoever finds this note, if you are still sane, try looking for it.

"Even if the antidote is here, there's no time to search for it." Shi Wenshan sounded helpless.

Xuan Ya: "..."

Ye Xin stood up. "There's a water dispenser next door. Go get some water. I'll purify it, then have all the patients—and us—drink it."

There was very little time left. This was their final chance.

"Alright." Both teammates nodded at the same time.

A few minutes later, everyone held a cup of water.

"I'll count to three. Everyone drinks together."

The patients were somewhat confused as they nervously raised their cups.

"Three, two, one... drink."

Gulp, gulp—

Everyone drank.

After the water entered their stomachs, everyone waited anxiously.

More than ten seconds passed...

Everything around them underwent subtle changes.

Countless pustules and wounds appeared on nearly everyone's faces, making them look utterly disgusting.

But...

A notification had already appeared before the three of them.

"Source of Evil" killed.

Rating: A

Reward obtained: 200 Exchange Points, 100 Life Energy.

Additional reward: 20 Exchange Points

Main quest completed. Preparing to leave this world.

"The mission's complete."

Xuan Ya relaxed completely.

"So the so-called Source of Evil wasn't a person, but the virus. I suppose we owe this to Ye Xin's ability. Otherwise, there was no way we could have completed the mission." Shi Wenshan looked rather pale. "We killed so many so-called patients, but they were all innocent people who hadn't been infected. It turns out we were the ones who had truly gone mad."

"Yeah." Ye Xin's feelings were complicated as well.

Xuan Ya fell silent.

In the patients' eyes, every normal person was a lunatic. The lunatics attacked them without warning, so they were forced to fight back. Yet how could they have known that the normal people had actually done nothing?

But in those normal people's eyes, it was the patients who had launched the attacks first.

Amid the eerie silence, the scene twisted.

At the very last moment, Shi Wenshan's voice faintly reached them. "Don't you think that R-Type Virus is a bit like a zombie virus?"

"Hm?"

Just as Ye Xin was about to speak, she found herself back home.

"..."

Proliferation Once Again

A zombie virus?

"That's true. Their whole bodies festered, and every normal person they saw was filled with hostility."

But viewed that way, R-Type Virus was rather interesting. Because in the infected people's eyes, normal people were the zombies.

"We can investigate that later if we get the chance. First, let's check our final spoils."

Exchange Points: 430

Life Energy: 395

"That's quite a lot."

After thinking for a moment, Ye Qian made her decision.

Spend 170 Life Energy to raise the main body to LV7.

Spend 120 points to raise Ye Xin to level 6.

"There are 105 points left. I'll spend some of them and let Ye Xin proliferate."

That was right. The main body was ruined, so naturally, she could only rely on clones for a new body.

She raised her hand. Flesh and blood began to peel away and writhe, soon condensing upon the floor.

Proliferating...

Body separation complete. Quality: Green

Initial LV: 2

Ability gene inheritance failed. Original talent not obtained.

Superior mutation occurred. Talent ability obtained: Empathy (Green)

Intermediate Rank mutation occurred. Talent ability obtained: Sword Intuition (Universal, White)

More than ten seconds later, a tiny girl with loose golden hair and fair skin appeared before her.

Rather than tiny, though, this girl was simply a little loli.

Their vision was instantly shared.

From Ye Xin's perspective, she saw the girl before her, who was likely only one meter forty tall, and could not help staring blankly.

"Blonde hair?"

Wasn't this mutation a little too absurd?

Still, her initial level was actually LV2. Was that because she had used more Life Energy?

Controlling the new clone, she closed her eyes. Knowledge surfaced in her mind.

Empathy was a remarkably magical ability.

Its effect was to share senses with a nearby creature, synchronizing the target's sight, hearing, smell, and touch while exerting a certain degree of influence. If the target was more than three kilometers away, the ability would fail.

The effect of this ability depended on the target's mental strength. The higher their mental strength, the worse the effect.

"This is an excellent scouting ability."

Sword Intuition was simpler. It meant possessing a certain talent for swordsmanship. Even without any training, she would have combat strength equivalent to mastering basic sword techniques.

The ability's name revealed the defining trait of this talent—intuition! There was no need for individual moves or forms. She simply had to follow her instincts.

Best of all, this ability was universal across all bodies. Since all of Ye Qian's bodies were controlled by one will, things like "knowledge, habits, and intuition" were naturally shared as well.

Seeing the adorable blonde girl standing before her, Ye Xin could not help reaching out to pat her head.

The little blonde girl blushed.

"Emmmm... why am I blushing?"

Ye Xin thought awkwardly, but she still extended her evil claws and pinched the new body's little cheeks.

"She's so cute. I can't help wanting to kiss her."

So she could have a loli-type body too.

But after splitting, Ye Xin's head indeed began to feel dizzy again.

This side effect was ridiculous.

Just like the main body, she would need at least two or three days to recover.

Still, her physical condition was there, so it was not unbearably uncomfortable.

"Perfect. Now that there's a new body, I can try using Empathy too."

She first glanced at this body's status.

Body: Unnamed

LV: 2

Experience: 0/20

Attributes: Strength 1, Constitution 0.9, Agility 0.8, Mental 1.2, Intelligence 1, Resistance 0.5

Skills: None

Talent Abilities: Empathy (Green), Sword Intuition (White)

"Her basic attributes are even higher than my main body's. Well, that makes sense. She's Green-quality, after all."

Ye Qian thought about the image of Westerners before finally choosing a name.

"Alice!"

A common and simple Western name.

Her golden hair also matched a certain magician named Alice from her previous life.

"If she can inherit Ye Xin's Spirit Thread, then the name will really fit."

With that thought, Alice changed into a blue dress and walked out of the house.

Her gaze swept toward the nearby alleys, and she quickly noticed a yellow stray dog.

"A dog?"

Let's give it a try.

She closed her eyes, and her mind fell silent.

The next instant, Alice's consciousness descended upon the little dog.

"Wow, so this is what the world looks like through a dog's eyes?"

It was not as brilliantly colorful as humans saw it. Instead, the colors were much duller.