Chapter 175: Plague? Mutation? It's biochemical transformation!

179. Chapter 179 Plague? Mutation? It's biochemical transformation!

No problem, go ahead with your work.

Someone voluntarily handled the logistical support for the research, and Lin Ke had no objection, readily agreeing.

Perfect, he could devote himself entirely to researching the fairy plague and mutation.

Old Man Murphy downloaded the comparative report from the public smart brain onto his portable smart brain, walking away thoughtfully.

This is a major matter; since it has been discovered, he cannot conceal it and must report upward.

The rear camp is nothing like the frontline battlefield.

It is highly important, but there are few strong individuals.

If a disturbance occurs, if not handled promptly and properly, it can easily undermine the entire army's morale.

Moreover, the existence of logistical support that could cause the frontline battlefield to lose stability, even becoming an isolated force, is possible.

Just thinking about this, Old Man Murphy's steps unconsciously quickened considerably.

Returning to the office, he locked the door from inside, checked for eavesdropping, activated anti-eavesdropping, and cast a soundproof sigil barrier.

After making all preparations, Old Man Murphy took out an encrypted communicator and sent a communication request.

There are many ways to report upward.

What Old Man Murphy adopted was a non-standard practice that served both public and private interests.

What's up?

A hoarse voice came from the other end of the communicator.

Find a convenient place to talk.

Old Man Murphy deliberately lowered his voice.

Wait a moment.

The other party hung up after finishing speaking.

After a while, the other side sent a communication request, apparently having found a place where they need not worry about the conversation being leaked.

What's the matter, being so cautious?

The hoarse voice asked doubtfully.

What's the matter?

Old Man Murphy no longer suppressed his emotions, raised his voice, and shouted, "This concerns your life! What the hell are you doing, making such a huge oversight?"

Speak.

The hoarse voice instantly became serious.

All the mutated fairy corpses and live fairies sent to the rear camp have been examined by your inspection team, confirmed to carry no plague and not to mutate, right?

Right, you didn't just take some from me today, did you? What, did you find some problem?

The hoarse voice first answered the question, then expressed concern and inquired further.

Hehe, what problem did you find?

Old Man Murphy's tone carried a hint of mockery: "The problem discovered is serious."

The live fairies you sent carry the plague and have already begun to mutate.

Fortunately, it was first discovered by my subordinates, and I came to tell you right away.

Otherwise, if someone else discovered it, they would directly report it to the Paro Wizard, and you'd be waiting for a reprimand.

If it were even worse, if something happened, you might not even get the chance to be reprimanded, your ashes would be scattered.

Damn! Old Man Murphy, don't scare me.

The hoarse voice was extremely shocked, somewhat unwilling to believe Old Man Murphy's words.

But he knows Old Man Murphy wouldn't joke about such a big matter.

So, there really has been a major oversight.

Hehe...

Old Man Murphy merely snorted coldly.

This attitude directly shattered the hoarse voice's hope for luck.

The hoarse voice immediately fell silent.

After a long while, he still couldn't resist hoping and asked, "Is there any evidence? I want to see the evidence."

Old Man Murphy had long known the other party wouldn't easily believe, so he downloaded that comparative report.

If it weren't for the fact that the other party had saved his life, he wouldn't bother wading into this muddy water.

He directly reported to the Paro Wizard.

How could he specially remind the other party to hurry and fix it?

Made it so troublesome.

However, Old Man Murphy did not directly send the comparative report over.

After all, this is Linke Grand's research achievement.

Using it for private matters is already highly inappropriate.

If it were leaked so easily, there would be no academic ethics left.

Everyone is knowledgeable; Old Man Murphy took out the comparative report, selected some key points, and orally stated several findings.

The other side immediately understood that Old Man Murphy was not deceiving him.

Their work indeed had a major oversight.

They must recall all mutated fairy corpses and live fairies sent to the rear camp before causing a scandal.

And investigate the previous testing procedures to determine whether this oversight was man-made or due to unreasonable, lax testing procedures.

I only hope it's the latter, not the former.

The hoarse voice cut off the communication, and he inwardly hoped for that.

Immediately, he took action, swift and decisive.

First, he suspended all testing of mutated fairy corpses and live fairies, had the staff surrender their weapons and seal their magic, and concentrated on guarding them.

A sudden change immediately caused a great commotion.

Afterward, he immediately issued a notice to recall all mutated fairy corpses and live fairies.

He informed the relevant agencies at the rear base to tightly guard the corpses and live fairies before the recall team arrived, raise the alert level, and prevent any accidents.

The Inspection Team's station is located at the eastern corner of the frontline headquarters.

But no matter how remote the corner, causing such a commotion will inevitably draw attention.

The Guard Team Captain in charge of the headquarters' security came over and asked, "Keer, what are you doing? You're making quite a fuss."

Inspection Team Leader Keer's voice was hoarse as he self-mockingly said, "A fuss? I don't want this fuss! My subordinates made a mistake; I'm fixing it. I just hope we don't cause a big disaster."

Upon hearing this, the captain frowned and immediately asked, "How serious is the problem? Do you need help?"

"It's not serious yet."

Keer thought carefully and said, "If possible, please be sure to guard the teleportation gate."

The Guard Team Captain's brow furrowed even tighter.

Guard the teleportation gate?

That suggestion is by no means simple.

This means the Inspection Team's mistake is not minor; the estimated worst-case outcome would actually affect the teleportation gate.

In that case, the nature of the matter would be completely different.

It would no longer be just an internal matter of the Inspection Team.

But rather, it concerns the safety of the entire frontline headquarters and the entire legion.

His face turned slightly cold and hard; the captain advised, "Keer, hurry and report to Paro Wizard, don't delay."

Saying that, the captain secretly made preparations.

If he follows the advice, then speak kindly.

If he doesn't listen, then it will shift from friendly advice to forced orders.

Bearing the heavy responsibility of the headquarters' station security, the Guard Team Captain has the authority to do so.

"Hmm, I'll go now."

Keer himself had intended to do so, and had already arranged all his work accordingly.

He then immediately set out, heading straight with the Guard Team Captain to the tent where Paro Wizard was located.

Paro Wizard is the supreme leader of the Wizard Legion.

The place he occupies is the core of the entire frontline headquarters, and indeed of the entire legion.

Personnel from different departments come and go, reporting work, giving feedback, submitting applications, giving performance reports……

Each has their own demands.

What Paro Wizard needs to do is, under the staff department's staff, make various decisions.

Naturally, the security work for the legion's supreme leader is no child's play.

Moreover, it's not something just anyone who wants to see can see.

One must first pass security, then apply.

Even if the Guard Team Captain who devised the security plan came in person, the guards still meticulously carried out eight security check procedures before letting them through. As the two approached the tent, they were stopped again, registered their application, and waited for clearance.

After the report, after waiting a few minutes, the Guard Team Captain and Inspection Team Leader Keer were finally allowed to enter.

"What's going on?"

Paro Wizard looked at the holographic map of the known boundaries of the fairy world, pondering how to advance and proceed in the third campaign, and without raising his head, he asked directly.

The Guard Team Captain remained silent.

Inspection Team Leader Keer dared not conceal the truth and spoke it out.

However, he only said he received a tip-off, concealing the existence of Old Man Mo Fei.

Paro Wizard listened, paced a few steps, as if thinking of something pleasant, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth—a smile the Guard Team Captain hadn't seen in a long while—and he said:

He paused, gathered his smile, fixed his eyes on Keer, and slowly said, "This leak is truly elementary; as the Inspection Team Leader, how did you let it slip? You actually needed someone else to remind you."

Keer's lips moved a few words, but he dared not mention that he had been wholly focused these days on solving the 'prohibited drug' problem, neglecting his management of the Inspection Team.

He could only lower his head, admit fault, and present himself as ready to accept any scolding or punishment.

"Alright, go back and conduct a thorough self-examination and correction, then write a review and post it on the legion's internal network. Don't cause such an embarrassing incident again!"

Paro Wizard saw this, immediately lost his good mood, and issued a punishment.

He waved his hand, indicating that the Guard Team Captain and Keer should leave, with no intention to pursue the matter further.

At present, he lacks sufficient trustworthy personnel, faces strong enemies outside and spies within, and should not weaken his own forces.

In employing people, one should use their strengths and tolerate their shortcomings.

One should not completely abandon someone just because they made a mistake.

After punishment, give them a chance to observe the aftermath.

Believe that after this lesson, similar leaks will not happen again.

I believe that after this lesson, there will be no similar omissions in the future.

Having escaped disaster, Keer was overjoyed, took a great sigh of relief, and then loudly responded.

The Guard Team Captain merely stood silent and performed a salute.

The guard captain merely performed a salute in silence.

The two withdrew from the tent, walked a distance, and stopped at a somewhat farther place.

The guard captain looked at the delighted Ke Er and warned in a low voice: "Handle the beginning and end promptly; be absolutely sure no further problems arise. Otherwise, the Pa Luo wizard may spare you once, but not a second time."

"Yeah, I will, thanks for the reminder."

Ke Er wiped the sweat from his forehead that didn't actually exist.

Unable to help it, he imagined what would happen if this leak weren't discovered, the eventual outbreak scene, and his heart kept feeling faint.

After bidding farewell to the guard captain, Ke Er returned to the inspection team and began a more thorough new round of screening.

He was determined to find the problematic link and its cause.

Lin Ke Grand was unaware of the uproar caused by the frontline command due to his discovery and a comparative report.

He was busy investigating the effects and mechanisms of how the mutation influences the elves' innate abilities.

First, he gave the two remaining rainforest elves from the first batch a comprehensive examination and test.

The results showed:

The rainforest elves that ate normally had milder illness, with the mutation hardly noticeable;

The starving rainforest elves had more severe illness, the mutation quite evident, the three dots in their pupils enlarged, clearly discernible from appearance.

Thus, it could be inferred that the speed and extent of the mutation are strongly linked to vitality.

Next, he performed physical examinations and biochemical tests on the six elves of different clans sent in the later batch.

As expected, all six elves carried the plague pathogen.

Perhaps because they had just been captured, the six elves' physical and mental conditions were quite good.

Throughout the examination, they continually tried to resist.

Yet their behavior showed nothing beastly; they were typical of an intelligent race.

Through physical examination and observation, Lin Ke Grand made several rough discoveries and inferences:

First, it is indeed possible to judge via the pupils whether an elf is infected, how severe the infection is, and how extensive the mutation is;

Second, the plague's transmission route is not a conventional one like air or bodily fluids, but based on some kind of supernatural mutagen;

As for the specific mechanism, Lin Ke Grand hasn't yet fully figured it out, but preliminarily thinks it resembles gene mutation under radiation;

Lastly, from the fact that the six new elves showed no fear of the already-mutated rainforest elves, and even seemed to anticipate it, we can boldly infer that they appear to have willingly accepted the plague infection.

Considering that the elf world is under the conquest of the Pa Luo wizard, completely on the defensive, losing cities and lands, with heavy casualties.

Out of resistance, to defend their homeland and ensure its continuation.

It is entirely possible that within the elf world a faction has arisen hoping to strengthen combat power through biochemical means to turn the tide of war.

Moreover, it is entirely possible for warriors willing to sacrifice themselves for the survival of their race, serving as test subjects, to appear.

The zombie-like mutation might be a toxic side effect.

Enhancing the innate abilities is the true purpose of the "plague."

At this moment, Lin Ke Grand suddenly realized he had been misled by the wording of the frontline medical department.

The term "plague" is merely the wizards' definition of large-scale mutation among the elves.

Once the train of thought cleared, Lin Ke Grand immediately changed his research approach.

He intended to actively trigger an elf "mutation," observe the entire process, and compare the extent of change before and after the mutation?

To ensure the research proceeds smoothly, Lin Ke Grand decided to first rally personnel.

"What's up?"

Mo Fei Lao Tou received Lin Ke Grand's request for help and immediately rushed over.

"I want to record the data on an elf's combat power and innate abilities before and after mutation. I need your assistance and care."

Lin Ke Grand voiced his request.

The upper limit for elves is level 5, but that does not mean there exist elves equivalent to a level‑5 sage.

Most adult elves are equivalent to third‑tier wizard apprentices; a minority with exceptional talent have combat power close to that of a first‑tier wizard; an extremely small fraction approach second‑tier wizard level; a tiny minority approach third‑tier wizard level.

Only one elf in the entire elf world can rival a fourth‑tier sage, and he has been wounded by the Pa Luo wizard.

Among the eight elves confined in the isolation cell, none possesses combat power near that of a first‑tier wizard.

Logically, even if a riot occurred, Lin Ke Grand could easily suppress it without needing aid.

However, a gentleman does not stand beneath a dangerous wall.

Since there is a powerful external ally willing to help, why not make full use of him?

Mo Fei Lao Tou did not refuse, and earnestly stood by to escort and protect Lin Ke Grand.

Lin Ke Grand picked the healthiest elf and threw him into the wizardry lab.

First, he fully replenished the elf's vitality, restoring him to peak condition,

then sprayed a mood‑stirring potion to provoke the elf's anger, prompting him to launch a full‑force attack.

Various facilities and equipment seized the opportunity to collect data, recording every aspect of the elf.

After confirming that the data on the normal state had been fully gathered,

he also made a backup.

Lin Ke Grand continued the procedure.

First, he supplied the elf with excess vitality, replenishing it as it was consumed, as long as the elf could endure.

Then he angered the elf once more to provoke an attack.

An alternative elf "mutation" took place right under the noses of Lin Ke Grand and Mo Fei Lao Tou.

This verified Lin Ke Grand's conjecture that the speed and extent of the mutation are strongly linked to vitality.

The reason it is called an "alternative mutation" is

because the elf's vitality was promptly and fully replenished, causing the mutation to occur extremely quickly yet with only a minimal extent.

The appearance still underwent typical zombie-like changes, except the body didn't become emaciated, and the intellect wasn't lost much.

Instead, the innate ability was greatly enhanced.

After the Aberration, combat power leapt from the level of a third-rank wizard apprentice before the Aberration directly to a strength considered strong even among first-rank wizards.

Therefore, it is truly not a plague, and should not be called an Aberration.

This is a biogenetic modification and enhancement attempt in the Fairy World that has not yet succeeded and is still ongoing.

Moreover, they are infinitely close to success.

As long as the vitality lacking in the Aberration process is replenished and the loss of intellect is resolved, it can be called perfect.

By then, the Wizard Legion will face countless enhanced fairies possessing the combat power of first-rank wizards.

Old Man Mo Fei watched the whole process, breaking out in a cold sweat.

If the Fairy World produced a genius like Linke Grand, this campaign might still win, but would definitely suffer heavy losses.

Having been here only a few days, they have studied the Fairy World's plague and Aberration this deeply.

They have even faintly found the key point to solving the Aberration's drawbacks.

Thinking this, Old Man Mo Fei's gaze toward Lin Ke suddenly changed.

Like looking at a monster.