Chapter 63: The Underground Conference

Dozens of meters underground, inside a heavily guarded conference room. The company's most elite field operatives had all been summoned. Among them were Ryoko and Akimoto, who had only recently returned to the underground base. Everyone sat upright, their expressions serious, their eyes fixed on the large screen in front of them. "This is a highly unique virus that reproduces at an extraordinary rate." The speaker was Professor Morikawa, an expert in the field of biological research. The company privately funded thousands of researchers worldwide, though their individual abilities varied greatly. Even within Japan, Professor Morikawa ranked among the top five in biological sciences and he was the youngest of them all. At such a young age, he had already entered the highest circles of academia and was widely regarded as a prodigy. The company had poured substantial resources into his work. Professor Morikawa exuded a sharp confidence, with a decisiveness that left no room for hesitation. His work ethic was famously relentless he tackled every issue head-on without delay. If a problem wasn't resolved today, he would remain in the lab, without rest, without food, until someone was forced to "threaten" him into eating to prevent contamination in the experimental environment. Only then would he grudgingly put down his work. Over time, he became one of the most trusted figures within the organization. Just before the large-scale zombie outbreak, the company had assigned personnel to escort Professor Morikawa and his family to the underground base, handing him the data from the initial failed experiments and telling him solemnly: humanity's survival now rests on these materials. As Morikawa read through the documents, his expression shifted from confusion to deep frowns, growing darker with each page. When he saw the horrific condition of the infected, his initial reaction was fear but soon after, a profound sense of responsibility ignited within him. He quickly drafted a list of capable scholars and experts, which he handed to the company. With the information in hand, he threw himself into the lab, meticulously studying the mysterious virus and combing through every detail of the prior experiments to find a method to suppress the virus's activity. The company immediately acted, assembling most of the people on his list to assist in overcoming this monumental challenge. With the combined efforts of the best minds, Professor Morikawa soon uncovered critical theoretical breakthroughs. "This virus is incredibly peculiar. Infected individuals are at their weakest during the onset stage. As the infection progresses, their bodies gradually weaken, and it's during this phase that they're easiest to kill. However, the unfortunate reality is that the virus has already spread on a massive scale. It's airborne, and I'm afraid I must tell you all everyone is already infected." The conference room erupted in shocked murmurs within the holographic projection. "Please, don't panic. Let me finish. Though everyone has been infected, there is a silver lining the virus has an extremely long incubation period. It only activates after death, invading the brain and taking over the body..." Professor Morikawa's voice was calm and steady, exuding the gravitas that drew everyone's attention. "If everyone is infected, then why do people who are bitten immediately turn into those monsters?" The interruption came from a bald man displayed in the holographic feed, his face marked by suspicion. He was the patriarch of an ancient European family, his wealth so immense that even its numbers were reduced to abbreviated forms. Professor Morikawa wasn't the least bit annoyed. Having climbed from humble beginnings, he understood the delicate art of social dynamics as well as he understood science. "That's precisely the genius of this virus it undergoes a unique form of mutation." He smiled slightly. "Here's my theory: once the virus fully takes control of a dead body, it mutates. The mutated virus, transmitted through a bite, enters the body of someone in the incubation stage. The immune system immediately identifies it as a foreign threat. As we all know, the immune system is designed to recognize and eliminate foreign invaders, as well as harmful mutations within the body. This is how the immune system maintains human health through self-tolerance and immune regulation." The conference room fell completely silent, save for Professor Morikawa's voice echoing through the chamber, his words captivating every listener. "But have you considered what happens if the virus reproduces too quickly for the immune system to handle?" His tone sharpened. "What are you suggesting?" Everyone in the room, though they weren't necessarily immunologists, had enough scientific literacy to grasp the implications. Many of them were already beginning to connect the dots. "At that point, the immune system would overreact, launching an all-out assault against the invading virus. The body wouldn't be able to withstand such an aggressive response. In simpler terms, to protect the greater population, the immune system sacrifices the infected individual. In other words those who are bitten are essentially killed by their own immune response. Once dead, the virus, having fully mutated, invades the brain and seizes control of the corpse. That's why the only way to truly kill a zombie is to destroy the brain." The room descended into chaos, faces twisted in shock. "Is this real? How can a virus behave like that?" "Are you sure this isn't fearmongering?" "This doesn't make any sense!" The holographic projections buzzed with disbelief as the world's most powerful and wealthy elites struggled to accept this horrific reality. Professor Morikawa didn't attempt to stop them. He simply watched, calm and composed, as the panic played out. Slowly, under his steady gaze, the uproar began to subside. Silence returned to the room. In another part of the facility, Ryoko furrowed her brow, her thoughts a mystery. Beside her, Akimoto was dozing off, his head bobbing as he drifted in and out of sleep. Once the crowd had finally settled, Professor Morikawa resumed, his voice low but firm. "I know this is difficult to accept, but it is the truth. I must remind you all if this virus continues to spread unchecked, societal order will collapse. Our world will soon be overrun by zombies. Humanity will follow the fate of the dinosaurs wiped out, not by meteorites, volcanoes, or tsunamis, but by this virus." (Note 1) Field Operatives: A general term for those within the organization who are tasked with external, mission-based assignments. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oh, you like the story? Wow, who knew. Go ahead, drop a review and throw some power stones maybe I'll be motivated to keep going. The story's already ahead on Patron. Go there if you want to catch up faster! [email protected]/_theon Change @ to "a"