Variant

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Variant
Original Term	异种
Type	Category of genetically mutated organisms, including fully transformed former human Mutants 9 41
Origin	An unknown energy that invaded the planet and triggered mutations in nonhuman organisms 41
Date of Emergence	Crystal Era 3912 41
Power Classification	Letter grades; Grade A marks the boundary between lower- and higher-tier Variants 17
First Appearance	The term “Advanced Variant” is introduced when Team 404 encounters Mu Yi’s electricity 2

Background / History

Variants emerged in Crystal Era 3912, when an unknown energy invaded the planet and altered the genes of nonhuman organisms. Most were highly infectious and could transform infected life-forms into bloodthirsty creatures of their own kind 41.

Humanity launched the Gene Fusion Plan in Crystal Era 3918, injecting processed Infection Sources to obtain mutation powers without losing sanity. After repeated sacrifices, the project achieved initial success in Crystal Era 3930, leading to the establishment of the Mutant Alliance 41.

By Crystal Era 3954, the human counteroffensive had reclaimed enough habitable territory to establish Safe Bases, including Crystal City. These settlements remained vulnerable to Variant infiltration and mass infection 35 41.

Classification

Variants, Mutants, and Infected

Category	Defining Features
Variant	Scan results include feeding drive and infection level fields. A feeding-drive reading need not be positive: the Zombie Fungus has no appetite 3 49.
Human Mutant	Has a mutation-level reading and an energy core. A Mutant who enters a fully mutated form is no longer considered human and becomes a Variant 3 9.
Infected	The Ghost Spiders are identified as Class C Infected and spread infection through physical contact and injection 32.

Mu Yi does not fit the standard categories. Despite his electrical abilities, scans detect neither Variant readings nor a Mutant’s mutation-level field or energy core. Team 404’s initial identification of him as an Advanced Variant is therefore contradicted by examination results 2 3 36.

Grades and Advancement

Grade / Designation	Documented Examples	Significance
F and E	Lesser Spine Celery	Members of a colony whose recorded infection levels are below 20% and which is classified as noninfectious 5.
B	Spine Celery colony leader	Leads the same colony; its attacks include emotion-altering red pollen 5 6.
A	Warthogs	The dividing line between lower- and higher-tier Variants. Grade A creatures have substantially greater damage output and defense 17.
S	Earth Slugs; Zombie Fungus	Associated with city-threatening outbreaks. The Zombie Fungus receives this rating for concealment and infection-spreading ability rather than aggression 45 49.
Advanced Variant	Team 404’s initial assessment of Mu Yi	Used when the team witnesses his electricity; no corresponding letter grade is specified 2.

• Further mutation is possible: Zhong warns that the Spine Celery may have undergone a second mutation and advanced since observations made two days earlier 5.
• Appearance can change progressively: Mutating organisms may eventually look nothing like their original species 10.
• Grade does not establish infectiousness by itself: The B-rank Spine Celery leader is recorded as noninfectious, while Grade A warthogs can transmit infection 5 17.

Abilities & Characteristics

Infection and Transformation

Most Variants are highly infectious, but their transmission methods differ by species 41.

• Contaminated matter: Grade A warthogs vomit infectious material that can enter through wounds 17.
• Spores: Zombie Fungus releases extremely fine spores that can disperse on the wind before containment measures take effect 45.
• Host control: Zombie Fungus quietly takes control of an infected person and uses the host to reach a location suitable for spreading spores 47.
• Noninfectious exceptions: The observed Spine Celery colony has infection levels below 20% and cannot transmit infection 5.

Physical Defenses and Attacks

Variants possess species-specific defenses and weapons; an effective attack against one creature may fail against another 7 17.

• Giant Ants: Hard shells provide electrical insulation and strong fire resistance. The joints between the waist and legs are vulnerable to cutting attacks 7 8.
• Grade A warthogs: Level-four and level-six Electric Flame barely affect them; level eight begins to overcome their defenses 17.
• Spine Celery: Concealed mouthparts deliver paralytic bites, while Petal Projection launches damaging volleys of sharp petals 5 6.

Mental and Emotional Effects

Some Variants attack mental stability rather than relying solely on physical injury 15 17.

• Hallucinogenic Mushrooms: Cause mental disturbances. Low Mental Value can leave a person vulnerable to infection and transformation into a Variant 15.
• Prismatic Mushroom: Produces dangerous illusions that make approaching it hazardous 25.
• Spine Celery: Red pollen causes uncontrollable emotional swings, including alternating laughter and sobbing 6.
• Warthogs: Their Quake Roar, also called Tremor Roar, weakens mental strength and causes irritability that can escalate into madness 17 18.

Feeding Behavior and Blood Attraction

Most Variants crave blood. Mu Yi’s blood has an especially strong, sweet scent to them, making exposed wounds and bloodstained clothing a risk outside safe zones 29.

• Red Weasels have an unusually intense craving for blood and are also called Blood Weasels 29.
• Predator scent can deter smaller creatures: Zhong gives Mu Yi his hair to discourage Red Weasels from approaching 26.
• Hunger is not universal: Zombie Fungus has neither appetite nor attack desire, yet remains a Grade S infection threat 49.

Documented Varieties

Variety	Distinguishing Features
Hallucinogenic / Prismatic Mushroom	A glowing, multicolored mushroom with facial features and long legs. Releases spores and is pursued as a research specimen 1 2 36.
Spine Celery	A newly discovered plant colony with paralytic bites, projectile petals, and emotion-altering pollen. Its rhizomes have sedative properties 5 6 10.
Giant Ants	Approximately two meters tall, with hard black shells, powerful mandibles, and painful formic acid 7 8.
Grade A warthogs	Tough, infectious creatures whose roar damages mental stability 17.
Red / Blood Weasels	Small, elongated creatures around the Ruined City’s gates; become frenzied by blood 26 29.
Rare Snow Leopard	Supplied the single Infection Source used to give Zhong his snow-leopard traits. Hunting teams have found no trace of snow leopards for decades, and Zhong believes they may be extinct 9.
S-rank Earth Slugs	Caused a mass-infection outbreak in Crystal City fourteen years before the current crisis 45.
Zombie Fungus	A mutated cordyceps strain that parasitizes hosts, evades detection, and continuously releases infectious spores 47 49.

Not every mutated organism is hostile. Zhong shelters organisms with negligible infection levels and no feeding or attack desire, while small mutated creatures perform cleaning tasks in his home 38.

Harvested Materials and Uses

Material	Source	Documented Use / Properties
Shard crystals	Harvested from defeated creatures	Supply energy to Mutants. Higher grades contain more energy and fewer impurities; Grades B and C make up most of Team 404’s reserves 6 11 47.
Formic acid	Giant Ant venom glands	Used in research, medicine, weapons, trade, or direct sale 9.
Rhizomes	Spine Celery	Have sedative properties and are collected for practical use 10 11.
Spider silk	Giant-Bellied Colorful Spider	Tough, lustrous, multicolored material suitable for sewing and weaving 14.
Infection Sources	Mutated creatures	Processed for the Gene Fusion Plan to grant humans mutation powers, with risks including death and eventual loss of sanity 9 41.

Collecting these materials can be costly. Grade A and higher creatures are difficult enough to obtain that few Hunting Teams deliberately target them to build ordinary energy reserves 47.

Major Outbreaks

Earth Slug Invasion

Fourteen years before the Zombie Fungus crisis, a swarm of S-rank Earth Slug Variants invaded Crystal City and caused mass infection, killing or injuring countless residents 45.

Professor Yin Xiangtong was among the infected. According to a volunteer’s recollection, she received no treatment and killed herself before Variant genes could completely consume her. The newcomer handbook records her death in Crystal Era 4006, aged forty-six 41 45.

Zombie Fungus Crisis

Team 403’s healer was infected while the teams searched the mushroom forest for Hallucinogenic Mushrooms. His increasingly rigid, vacant behavior initially drew suspicion, but his basic safety readings remained normal 23 47.

The infection became visible in Central Park when a blood-covered mushroom emerged from his back. Zhong’s bracelet identified an unknown S-rank target with 100% infection, despite zero feeding and attack desires, prompting a citywide emergency alarm 44.

• Zhong froze the fungus and its host with White Frost, while Feng raised barriers; some spores had already escaped on the wind 45.
• Crystal City sealed all entry and exit routes, imposed strict isolation, and increased resources for research and medical facilities 45.
• Researchers identified the organism as Zombie Fungus. Undetected hosts could mature and release enough spores to devastate the city within days 47.
• In containment, the fungus remained fused to the healer’s corpse and continued growing and releasing spores 49.

Detection and Containment

• Identity Bracelets: Scan Variant-related readings and allow Mutants to monitor one another for dangerous mutation values or newly appearing feeding-urge and infection-level fields 3 23.
• Detection limitations: Zombie Fungus concealed its infection while its host’s safety readings appeared normal, preventing reliable comprehensive screening during the outbreak 23 44 45.
• Entry screening: Crystal City uses security checks to prevent infected people from entering. Irreversibly infected individuals are killed to prevent outbreaks, regardless of age 35.
• Emergency protection: Responders use protective suits, isolation facilities, barriers, and containment tanks 45 48 49.
• Bioelectric observation: Mu Yi sees a crimson bioelectric network inside Zombie Fungus. A portable sensor displays a much sparser, uniformly green image and fails to distinguish a scarlet patch he sees on an institute assistant’s back 49 50.