“We need to make fine adjustments according to the injection ratio.
What works for mice may not work for us humans.”
Madeline said seriously as she looked at the machine in front of her that was measuring the life data of the mice.
“I know, I know, the natural world is truly magical.
Look,
If this tiny upper respiratory tract infection virus is in the human body,
It will devour the more aggressive white blood cells of the human immune system.
If a patient is infected with scarlet sting, the virus will prioritize the more aggressive scarlet sting and neutralize it.
I wonder why it does this?"
Jack held a few sheets of paper filled with data in his hands and marveled at this phenomenon.
“I think the reason is simple.
This new type of virus needs to infect humans as a host, and the host is the breeding ground for it.
Think of this virus as an invader with a sense of territory. In order to protect this small piece of land, it will kill those powerful indigenous guards in order to conquer this land.
Before it could complete its conquest, it encountered another powerful enemy, the Scarlet Sting.
The virus sees the invasive nature of the scarlet sting as part of the immune system, so it treats the scarlet sting as an enemy and destroys it.”
Madeline ventured a guess.
“No, your theory is not entirely correct.
The scarlet sting was not eliminated, more like... neutralized.
Yes, the word "neutralization" is more suitable for the current situation.
The scarlet stings that had previously been like a soldier armed to the teeth, now were just ordinary civilians with all their equipment removed, no longer aggressive.
At the same time, this tiny virus also came at a certain price.
While defending their territory, they lose their reproductive and offensive activity, like wounded soldiers no longer able to fight."
Jack sighed as he looked at the small piece of peace under the microscope.
"Well, if you put it that way, can we not just use Melo's blood to prepare the antidote? Instead, we need to cultivate a new batch of organisms that have this virus as raw materials?"
Madeline suddenly realized the importance of Jack's casual remark and pointed it out sharply.
“That makes sense, but I’m afraid mice may not be able to carry this new type of virus on their own.
After the mice were fully infected, they quickly entered a stage of lung failure, and we did not have enough time to extract active virus strains from them."
Jack frowned, looking at the corpses of mice that died in the experiment, and murmured softly.
"Bat! How about bat?"
Madeline slapped her head and excitedly pointed at the bats hanging upside down in the cages.
"Madeline, you are a genius!"
Jack patted Madeline's shoulder excitedly and hugged her tightly.
“Bats are mammals like us humans, but they also have a super metabolism!
The bats we breed here have an average lifespan of thirty years and can withstand all kinds of body damage!
Reactive oxygen species and gene replication errors, which are enough to kill humans, can be automatically repaired in bats! "
"Oh, Mr. Jack, you hurt me,"
Madeline exclaimed.
"However, bats carry many virus strains, such as rabies virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, astrovirus, etc. It would be a very troublesome task to separate them."
“It’s just a hassle. Isn’t facing challenges what we do best
Just come on!"
Jack rubbed his hands together and said this, then immediately threw himself into the experiment.
——
“Remember, I want simple things.
In the deepest part of Merlin's treasure house, there is a rag doll, and that is what I need."
These words echoed in Jobtran's mind. When he came to his senses, he found that he was no longer on that playing field.
What I saw when I opened my eyes was an unfamiliar environment.
Everywhere was pure white, the air was filled with the stench of disinfectant, and the machines that sustained my life were making shrill dripping sounds around me.
"Oh, thank the Light, you're finally awake."
Sitting beside Joet Brown's bed was a very friendly face that he hadn't seen for a long time.
"Master, why are you here? Aren't you in the demon cave?"
Jobtran asked weakly.
"Haha, it's such a big deal, how can I leave you alone.
Forgive me for being late."
Arnold reached out, held Joet Brown's hand full of catheters and said softly,
“Arthur is dead, and your wish is fulfilled.
However, our current situation is not optimistic.”
Joe Butran was about to speak, but a sharp pain came from his brow, making him unable to speak.
Seeing this, Arnold immediately used the Holy Light spell to help Joet Brown relieve the pain at this time, and said softly,
"Don't force yourself. Just listen and don't say anything."
Jobtran stretched out his finger and tapped Arnold's hand, indicating his agreement.
Arnold saw this and said,
“The situation may be worse than you think.
The substance Arthur released, named Scarlet Sting by Professor Robert, was extremely contagious.
The mode of transmission is currently believed to be contact transmission, but many people have already been infected.
I think you have witnessed the fate of the infected."
Arnold paused.
“I’m so sorry, Choate Brown.
Rob taught him and died."
Hearing this, Joet Brown endured the pain and sat up all of a sudden.
"What?!"
He squeezed Arnold's hand so nervously that it hurt, but Arnold did not blame Joe Buter Brown. Instead, he gently hugged Joe Buter Brown into his arms.
"Professor Robert is a great man.
He fought to the very end in his own way."
Arnold patted Jobtran's back gently and whispered soothing words.
Joet Brown felt lost for a long time. After biting his dry lips, he asked in a low voice,
“What about the others
Colombia
Howard
Fok
Old man
“They’re all fine, they’re just busy right now.
I am the only one who is by your side, waiting for you to wake up.
Don't worry about others first. You don't even know how serious your injuries are.
Just lie down."
Arnold pretended to swear harshly, but in fact he gently supported Jobtran's back with his hands and let him lie flat on his back.
Just because he stood up just now, the wounds on Joet Brown's body opened up a lot, and the bandages tied on his body turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Arnold continued to use the healing spell to help Joet Brown repair his body, and shouted,
"Nurse, please come in and change the bandage."
A voice came from the ward not far away.
"Director Arnold, I'm sorry, I'm afraid I can't help you."
It was a soft voice, a girl's voice.
Arnold pulled open the curtain and saw the area where the sound came from. The curtain there had been pulled closed from the inside.
"What's going on?"
Arnold asked doubtfully.
A small head popped out from behind the curtain, it was a girl with delicate features.
The girl's face was covered by protective clothing, but her clear eyes revealed obvious sadness.
“Director Arnold, I have already notified the higher-ups.
We are now on the isolation floor.
I'm sorry, please keep the Holy Light Protection and other spells for a long time."
After saying that, the young nurse pulled up her sleeves, revealing spots of scarlet on her originally fair and slender arms.
"...I understand. Don't give up, little one."
Seeing this, Arnold could only sigh softly and then say some comforting words.
"Now that the situation has become so bad, I can't just keep lying there."
While Arnold wasn't paying attention behind him, Joe Butran had already struggled to get up from the hospital bed.
"No, you can't get up now!"
Arnold immediately turned around and scolded him when he heard this.
“I was just a piece of shit lying in bed, waiting for someone to save me.
Only if I stand up can I truly overcome all the devastating consequences brought about by Arthur.
This battle is not over yet!"
Jobtran pulled at the patient's clothing, ripping it into strips, and then wrapped it tighter around the blood-stained bandages.
“This will buy me some time, Master, please follow me.
This is my battle.
It started with me, and it should end with me."
Jobtrand's realization was touching, but it was not enough to make Arnold relent.
“No, if you insist on going out, you will be exposed to the scarlet sting outside.
Only by being with me can you survive."
Arnold said confidently.
Upon hearing this, Joe Butran shook his head slightly.
“To be infected, I’m already infected.
I believe you also saw the battle in the arena.
I don't know why I have a certain degree of immunity. If I don't go, who can end this
Is it Merlin who is maintaining the magic circle, or the three fools who are peeking outside the ward?"
Joe Butran pointed outside the ward. Three huddled little heads just flashed past the glass window.
Joe Butran smiled unhappily and shook his head slightly.
"Master, just take good care of them.
This is my mission.”
"...Okay, but remember, it's easy to make a decision, but it's hard to bear the consequences.
You must not regret it."
“Regret is never an option for me.”
Joet Brown left Arnold with a weathered back, but that injured body was filled with infinite power.
He walked out of the ward and patted Columbia, who was trying to hide behind the door but had half of his butt exposed.
"You should lose weight."
"Are you okay?"
"Very good, take me to Jack. I believe it is Jack who will take over the research now."
"Okay, if you need us next time, just ask."
"I need a wheelchair."
"Okay, what else do you need?"
"Stop talking nonsense, push me to Jack's side, and bring the other two guys who are hiding and dare not speak out to help."
Joet Brown leaned against the wall and pointed to the door hidden in the storage room and the half-open toilet door.
"Hey, okay, come out, idiots."
Columbia clapped his hands with a grin on his face, and the two of them peeked out from behind the door stealthily, only to be met with Joe Butran's contemptuous look.
"Okay, thank you.
You can be sad when you need to be sad, don't force it.
I appreciate your kindness."
Joe Butron sighed and exposed the three people's poor performance.
They were equally sad in their hearts, but they just put on such a farce to comfort themselves.
As soon as he finished speaking, Columbia knelt on the ground like a child, hugged Joet Brown's thighs and cried.
“Ahh, when Professor Robert was dying, I was outside the third ward!!!
But I can’t do anything...”
And Fok clenched his fists tightly, with tears in his eyes, but he tried hard not to let the tears fall.
"Boss Bass, he's a hero, right? Joe Butran, what do you think?"
Howard, who has always been a coward, hid aside, leaned his head against the wall, and banged it again and again.
Joe Butran waited quietly without saying a word. After a few minutes, the suppressed emotions of the three people were finally completely released.
"Okay, okay, compared to the dead, everything about the living is more worthy of our attention."
Although Joe Butran said this and comforted them, his own eyes were already wet.
He is always the one who bears the most.
"Let's go."
——
"Centrifuge ready."
"Serum analyzer ready."
"Operation begins."
The roar of the machine gradually died down, and liquid emitting white smoke slowly flowed out of the opening at the bottom and entered the test tube through the catheter.
"Mr. Jack, is this tube our future?"
"I don't know, theoretically it's safe, but we need to do more experiments."
"We have passed the animal tests, right? Aren't we still going to carry out the final human tests?"
Faced with Madeline's question, Jack hesitated.
He had a question in his mind, which would involve the essence of whether this vaccine would be effective.
Is it a vaccination in the nature of a vaccine, or an antidote that can eliminate the symptoms
How will someone who has not yet been infected with scarlet sting react after the injection
Will patients who have already been infected with scarlet sting be able to recover after the injection
Following the first question, various subsequent questions followed.
Just as Jack was struggling, Madeline snatched the test tube from Jack's hand, pulled it out with a syringe, pointed it at her arm, and was about to stab it.
"etc."
There was the sound of a wheelchair coming out of the door. Joet Brown sat in the wheelchair and was pushed in by Columbia.
"Don't rush to do the experiment on yourself. Use me as your first experimental subject."
Madeline slowed down her hand as she was about to give the injection and looked at Joet Brown.
"You? You can't."
Madeline said angrily.
"Oh? Why?"
Joet Brown asked in confusion.
"Demir died because of you. If you died from the vaccine, I wouldn't be able to avenge Demir."
Madeline said with gnashing teeth.
"...Can I?"
Columbia, who was standing behind Joe Butran and pushing the wheelchair, asked.
“Look, you and Mr. Jack are the ones who developed this thing and are most familiar with it. If something goes wrong, you still have a way to save me.
Mr. Joet Brown is now seriously injured and he cannot withstand any complications.
I am healthy and have not been infected with scarlet stings so far. Although I am a little fat, I think I am a good experimental material. "
What Columbia said was well-reasoned and it was difficult for everyone to refute him for a while.
Human experiments require volunteers to participate, and Columbia is also taking a stance of living in the face of death.
The upper arm was simply disinfected and the needle was inserted. Everyone could only wait quietly for the final experimental results.
Five minutes passed, then ten minutes passed.
Apart from the ticking of the clock on the wall and the sound of the machines operating, it was a boring wait.
Suddenly, Columbia acted as if in pain after the injection, holding his head with both hands, grabbing his hair hard, and the blood vessels in his throat bulged!
"The injection site shows some bruising, but soldiers shouldn't have this kind of complication!"
Jack took one look and immediately shouted.
"I have morphine ready and can administer anesthesia anytime!"
Madeline also began to panic and seemed a little flustered.
Only Joet Brown narrowed his eyes, watching Columbia's struggle, and then shouted cheerfully,
"Okay, stop acting."
"Uh, this isn't boring... You guys are all silent, it's scary."
Columbia muttered and scratched his head sheepishly.
"Can I kill him?"
Madeline wiped the cold sweat from her palms and raised the scalpel in her hand while sharpening it.
"No, leave it to me to kill."
Jack pulled out more scalpels and threw them one by one.
“Okay, stop messing around.
It turns out that what you are studying is harmless to uninfected people.
The next highlight has just begun.
That is the domain of the infected.”
Joe Butran turned around, looked at the isolated area, and said profoundly.
"Azathoth, what do you want with that doll..."
No one heard this whisper.