Plague (22): System Warning

According to normal procedures, it takes a long time for a vaccine to go from development to market. However, the mortality rate of the infectious disease was extremely high, and the citizens who were already infected couldn’t wait, nor could the continuously increasing number of new infections.

In special circumstances, after the vaccine was successfully tested on animals like mice, a small-scale production was initiated the next day. After obtaining the patients’ consent and signing a relative compensation agreement, the vaccine was quickly tested on critically ill patients.

“Aunt Zhao,” due to her unique health data, was among the patients being consulted. He strained to make a sound like a broken accordion with his voice: “No, I don’t… I want to wait a bit longer.”

Everyone knew it was a (fake) vaccine, and the rewards were so generous. Who knew what might happen after getting the shot.

It was only the twenty-second day of the game. Just hold on for eight more days, and they’ll pass quickly. If he died, all the suffering he endured before would be in vain.

However, Wang Mingming quickly regretted it: After the vaccination, those patients who looked critically ill were rapidly recovering at a speed visible to the naked eye. The abscesses disappeared, and their pale faces regained a healthy color.

Some complications caused by diseases were irreversible, but through examinations, it could be observed that the affected organs had stopped deteriorating. If they rested well, their lives could be saved!

Wang Mingming regretted it so much that he felt like his intestines had turned green. If he had agreed, the side mission would have been easily completed. But now it was too late, because some patients who had been observing the situation saw the obvious changes in their cohabitants and also submitted applications: “I’m very sick too, I want the vaccine! Save me first!”

The vaccine supply was limited, and even if produced, it must be based on the severity of the illness. Patients like him, who refused to cooperate the first time, would have their priority greatly pushed back. He might not even get it after the phase ends!

“Great, the vaccine really worked!”

This meant the research team’s work had reached a milestone. They no longer needed to be as tense as before. What they needed to do next was to continue optimizing the vaccine, study its side effects, and find ways to increase its mass production.

The entire hospital was in high spirits: “Everyone can take a break. Once the vaccine is officially put into production, our hospital can lift the restrictions.”

At this moment, Nie Cheng issued an order that left everyone somewhat bewildered: “That’s enough, no more vaccinations for patients for now. The vaccine should undergo a longer period of testing to ensure its safety. All patients who have already received the vaccine should be moved from their original wards to a specially designated isolation ward for observation.”

The so-called isolation ward was a single room built under Nie Cheng’s initial orders, with the toilet and bed fixed to the floor.

The experience was no different from being in prison, with no sense of privacy and no freedom.

If these patients were lying in bed unable to move, it would be one thing, but their condition improved significantly after receiving the vaccine—they could move and walk, so naturally, they didn’t want to be confined.

His strong and cold attitude led some medical staff to protest: “General Nie, you can’t ignore the patients’ needs like this.”

“Yes, the patients are very agitated; they’re banging against the glass walls. During this period of treatment, patients are already particularly vulnerable, and this is only exacerbating their emotions, which is not conducive to their recovery.”

The agitated medical staff had a cold, dark gun barrel pressed against their forehead and quietly closed their mouths.

Nie Cheng looked like a demon from hell, cruel and merciless: “Are you done talking? If you’re done, then follow my orders.”

Even though the vaccine had already been developed, Nie Cheng strictly controlled its production and refused large-scale testing.

This caused many people to be dissatisfied with Nie Cheng: “It was understandable to shoot attackers before, but being so cruel to patients now is just too much!”

“Nie Cheng is just a military genius. What does a general who only knows how to fight know about medicine! He’s just giving blind orders, creating chaos. Nie Cheng is the sinner of City S and deserves to be judged!”

“Yeah, he’s been in this position for too long, stubborn and too arrogant. Public opinion is very important; we can’t let him continue to act so autocratically!”

On the twenty-fourth day in the instance, which was originally the day the game was supposed to produce the vaccine, a small squad that was denouncing Nie Cheng gathered together, plotting to use public opinion to incite soldiers again, teaming up with Nie Cheng’s deputy to push him off the stage.

As their denouncement meeting was halfway through, the office door was pushed open from the outside, and soldiers loyal to Nie Cheng surrounded the office with weapons raised: “Gentlemen, General Nie invites you to visit Huaxi Hospital for a few days.”

With countless reincarnation memories, Nie Cheng knew his enemies like the back of his hand. To ensure his absolute control over City S, he solved the problem of these troublesome individuals three days early this time, using the simplest and most brutal method.

In these few days, he also arranged for people to constantly monitor high-ranking officials, easily identifying the players among them.

Since human resources were precious, he didn’t directly deal with these players under the espionage law. Instead, he brought them all to Huaxi Hospital and injected them with the X1-T0 vaccine.

As for the officials who were not players, Nie Cheng locked them all in the glass room opposite. Didn’t these officials want a reason? He gave them a reason.

The laboratory had freed up quite a few personnel since the vaccine development had reached a certain stage. Nie Cheng ordered a few researchers to be brought over and locked all the high-ranking officials in a room.

The effects of a single vaccine were not yet obvious, so twelve hours later, this group of people was forced to receive another vaccination.

All the contact methods of the officials who attempted to oust Nie Cheng were cut off. They were forced to go without food or water for twelve hours and could only stare at the patients in the glass room across from them in a state of anxiety.

Now it was the twenty-fifth day of the game world, and Nie Cheng accelerated the vaccine testing process.

Within half an hour of receiving the second vaccine, a large bump suddenly appeared on the forehead of someone who had previously shown no health issues.

This startled some high-ranking officials who live in comfort: “What’s going on?”

A doctor said, “It could be an allergic reaction. Regardless of the vaccine, some people will have allergic reactions, so usually, when getting vaccinated, a history of allergies is inquired about, and observation is kept for more than half an hour.”

Professor Zhu, with a serious expression, adjusted his glasses: “Moreover, normally, the vaccine dosage is one shot. Even though there is a 12-hour interval, the vaccine hasn’t been completely metabolized. We can’t ensure that an overdose won’t cause severe side effects.”

He harbored immense dissatisfaction towards Nie Cheng, as this general’s approach was too rigid. Previously, he had forcibly moved all the researchers to the research building of Huaxi Hospital.

He was so furious at Nie Cheng’s rough and reckless actions that his face turned red and his neck strained: “Letting someone who knows nothing about medicine command the experts is simply absurd!”

The person with the swollen lump suddenly broke out in a rash all over his face.

The politicians who were forced to stay were taken aback: “Is there something wrong with this vaccine?”

“It can’t be the vaccine’s fault!” The doctors involved in the study defended their success, explaining, “Cardiac arrest, dizziness, vomiting, hives—these are all common allergic reactions. This patient is likely experiencing hives.”

“Are you sure it’s hives?”

Nie Cheng, dressed in military uniform and exuding an intimidating aura, appeared before everyone. A group of people stood up, their spirits high.

“Nie Cheng, how dare you come here!”

Nie Cheng gestured for his subordinates to lower their raised guns: “It’s nothing.”

His gaze shifted to the row of glass rooms across from him: “I don’t think it’s hives; it’s an outbreak.”

Following his gaze, one could see a patient with welts on his face. The welts on his body began to swell, and he started scratching desperately. Then his eyes turned red, and he uncontrollably attacked the other patients in the same environment.

The scene was extremely gruesome. The mild patients who were bitten and scratched by him quickly developed welts… Then, right before everyone’s eyes, the initially affected patient exploded into a mist of blood.

“Help, help! Let us out!”

There were ten people locked in this compartment, desperately banging on the glass window, trying to break it with their fists, but how could bulletproof glass be opened with bare hands?

Several officials standing opposite Nie Cheng were horrified. Those who had previously shouted about human rights were now covered in goosebumps. Seeing the people with blood-red eyes, they quickly waved their hands, “No, no, absolutely not, we can’t let them out.”

The patients who were splattered with blood all developed identical blisters on their faces, and their eyes turned blood-red, looking like terrifying monsters.

Perhaps stimulated by this small compartment, some patients in the adjacent rooms who had only received one vaccine dose also mutated.

The chubby-cheeked mayor of City S plopped down on the sofa and stammered, “Is this, is this a bioweapon crisis? Zombie mutations?”

These days, everyone had seen at least one or two zombie apocalypse films or shows. At this point, he wasn’t just talking about Nie Qing being cold-blooded; if it really was a zombie crisis, they should eliminate all the infected people!

He angrily glared at Professor Zhu, “What are you people researching, a virus that turns people into zombies?”

Dr. Zhu fell to the ground, helplessly shaking his head, “No, no, we are researching a special vaccine for curing diseases.”

Nie Cheng shook his head, “It’s not a zombie mutation, it’s just the symptoms of that special infectious disease reaching its final stage…”

He paused, “The existence of the vaccine developed by the research institute only catalyzed the evolution of this infectious disease. It accelerated the mutation speed, causing all infected individuals to quickly turn into flesh-and-blood monsters, exhibiting high levels of aggression. The infected would soon burst, leaving no corpses and no further evolution.”

Nie Qing’s tone was calm and cold: “The only way to bring peace to City S is to eliminate all the currently infected individuals.”

Of course, that group of outsiders who treated City S as their playground must all die!

He thought, perhaps the vaccine’s change three days in advance was what made him make this decision.

At the moment Nie Qing finished speaking, some people present suddenly shuddered.

As a player, they received a warning from the game: [Warning, warning, the special NPC Nie Cheng’s corruption level has reached 100%, the dungeon difficulty has been upgraded from easy to hell level! The main mission will soon be changed]

TN: Happy new year!