A disease called 'Filth' is spreading on this deserted island.
For those affected, a black ash will appear on the limbs and body. This ash will spread along the skin, constantly infecting new skin with the same ash.
What’s even more frightening is that this black ash can even spread towards the inside of the body. Originally, these black ash only infected the surface of the skin, but as time passed, they not only spread to the surroundings, but also continued to spread deep into the skin. .
Muscles, blood vessels, tendons, and even bones...
As more and more teams successfully lit up the signal tower and returned, there was no longer any joy on everyone's faces, because the volunteers responsible for lighting up the signal tower were all surrounded by this black ashes. .
For some volunteers, the black ash was located on the elbow, and now it had spread to most of the arm. The black ash continued to fall off, leaving only a dry bone in the volunteer's right arm...
Some volunteers had black ash on their ankles. After walking for just a few hours, their ankles were completely broken and they were forced to carry them back.
In some volunteers, the blackness and gray began to appear on their faces. At this time, they had become completely blind. Most of their faces were corroded, and the brain tissue in their skulls could almost be seen.
At this time, everyone in the safe zone faced such a scene.
"These thirty people have basically lost the ability to take care of themselves."
Looking at the hell-like scene on the screen, Yagamiji turned around and looked back at the stunned researchers, "Everyone, this is what we are going to study on this trip..."
"So, what exactly is the 'curse' you are talking about? Is it a bacteria? A virus? A biochemical weapon?"
Adenauer and Ericsson both looked at Samuel. After all, in the entire team, only Samuel was a real biologist.
Of course, Samuel was also confused at this time. He looked at the people who were looking at him and had to smile bitterly and said, "Consultant Ye Shen, please don't show off. What is that curse? I'm afraid the entire laboratory Only you know, right?"
"Don't get me wrong. This curse has nothing to do with biological weapons. You can rest assured."
Yagamiji affirmed, "After all, this kind of curse is much more powerful than a biochemical weapon. Putting the lethality of a biochemical weapon in front of it is like putting a firecracker in front of a nuclear bomb."
"What!"
When they heard Yagamiji saying that this curse had nothing to do with biological weapons, everyone's expressions softened, but they almost jumped after hearing the next sentence.
"I think you all have heard of the term 'meme'."
Yagamiji continued, "The word originally came from the book "The Selfish Gene" written by the famous British scientist Richard Dawkins. Its meaning refers to 'in such things as language, concepts, beliefs, behaviors, etc.' In the process of transmission, it is similar to the role that genes play in the process of biological evolution, or it can be considered that it is a basic unit of information, just like genes, it also has heritability, variability and selectivity. "
"I know."
"I know too."
When talking about this, Erikson and Adenauer nodded. After all, they are practitioners of psychology and sociology, and they have heard of the term meme.
"Now that you know it, it's easy to understand."
Yagamiji nodded, then raised his head and said, "X-112, you can print the information. Please print a few more copies of the information."
"clear!"
In the laboratory, a female electronic synthesized voice came.
"Who are you talking to?"
"That was the control computer in the laboratory just now? Where is her main computer?"
"Oh my god, can it understand such abstract language?"
Everyone was surprised again when they heard this.
"She is indeed the control computer of the laboratory, and you have actually seen her host computer before."
Yagamiji pointed to the dark and towering spire on the screen, "This is her host. Her name is X-112. Currently, I am the only one authorized."
"Are you kidding?" Ericson didn't believe it at all. "How could the computer host be that huge black spire?"
"It is what it is."
Yagamiji did not explain, but took out the printed information from the printer and distributed it to everyone.
Samuel took the information dubiously, but found that the first page of the information turned out to be a strange pattern.
This is a pattern that can cause people physical discomfort, because in Samuel's opinion, this picture seems to use some kind of psychological suggestion, making the messy pictures look like thousands of rotting corpses stacked up. It looks extremely bloody and cruel.
But when he looked carefully, he found that the painting was just meaningless graffiti composed of irregular and disorganized lines and color blocks.
Moreover, the four corners of this pattern were smeared out by something black. At first glance, Samuel seemed to have a regret, a regret that he did not see the complete pattern.
"Okay, let's get back to the topic."
At this time, Yashenji officially explained, "What you are seeing now is a meme called 'Filthy'. It is a meme that uses patterns as a carrier and communication channel. As long as you see this Picture it and your body will be reduced to ashes in a day, just like this group of people.”
Hearing this, the materials in the hands of the three professors and the assistants all trembled, even the calm Samuel was no exception.
"Professor Erikson, didn't you ask me before how information kills people?"
Yagamiji turned his head and looked at the silent Erikson, "Now I can tell you the answer. This message with a pattern as a carrier can make the viewer's whole body turn into ashes and die. This is it. Way to kill!"
"You mean this group of people became like this just because they saw this picture? Then we..."
Among the crowd, some researchers could no longer sit still.
"Don't worry, this kind of picture will only trigger the effect when you watch the full version. You don't have to worry now."
Yagamiji replied, "After all, the pictures you see are deleted."
Everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"But what is the reason..."
Erikson was still hesitant, "Why would a picture have such an effect? A mental virus?"
"Memes are not viruses."
Yagamiji shook his head, "If there are transmission substances and transmission media, it can indeed be regarded as a mental virus. The virus must be spread by the virus itself and various transmission media such as air and blood, but 'dirty' Where’s the pattern? There’s nothing there.”
"There is no source of transmission, no medium of transmission. If I have to say it, the pattern itself is the source of transmission, and the medium of transmission is 'sight' and 'eyes'. As long as it is seen by humans, it will be infected with 'filth'. This That’s the medium of its transmission!”