Chapter Four: The Crisis Behind the Scenes

From the moment Ye Hai transmigrated to the Zombie Star, a gene engineering system had already been activated. Every module in this system was rather “sinister”—it not only included the complete suite of viral technologies from the “Umbrella” Corporation in Resident Evil, but also featured cultivation techniques for “Xenomorphs,” zombie creation methods from Left 4 Dead, monster breeding from Silent Hill, and the monstrous horrors of the Cabin in the Woods. More than that, it even contained advanced civilization technology: Zerg cultivation, drawn straight from the interstellar Zerg that once suffocated the Terrans and Protoss in Starcraft.

The power of the Zerg in that game was absolute, representing the pinnacle of great galactic civilizations—far beyond planetary, extra-planetary, stellar, or even galactic levels. But Ye Hai was still light years away from unlocking the Zerg module. Virus, gene, mutation, and monstrous abominations—these revolting, nightmarish elements formed the very heart of the gene engineering system.

Ever since this system had fallen into Ye Hai’s hands, it had doomed him to a lifetime entwined with nauseating slime and filth. And yet, the system was formidable: it granted him full mastery over bioengineering, the viruses it produced were completely harmless and controllable for Ye Hai, and any bioweapons he created were utterly loyal to his command.

But it could also be called pathetic: aside from the initial gift of a certain amount of the “Progenitor Virus” from Resident Evil’s “Stairway to the Sun,” Ye Hai received no other resources. Ten years had passed, and only the Resident Evil module was lit up in the gene engineering system; all other modules remained greyed out and unusable. Ye Hai had found not the slightest clue to unlock any further modules. Even within the Resident Evil module, only the T-virus branch was activated. As for the G-virus, C-virus, Nemesis, Veronica, Abyss, and other powerful viral technologies or parasite techniques from the Resident Evil universe, Ye Hai could not yet access them.

But even with just the T-virus, Ye Hai had already secured his foothold on Zombie Star. And there was an accompanying bio-energy technology module as well—the source of Ye Hai’s bio-energy technology. Unfortunately, the planet’s scarcity of resources made it impossible to mass-produce the machinery needed for bio-energy, or surely Ye Hai, with command over the planet’s energy supply, would have become the undisputed energy king of Zombie Star.

Imagine if a camel possessed the military might of a mighty eagle—what a shift in the world’s balance that would be… The T-virus, cultivated from the Progenitor Virus and leech genes, completely overwhelmed most of the zombie viruses on this world. All bioengineering here was built upon the foundation of zombie viruses, making Ye Hai nearly immune to any derivative of such viruses, including the Queen Ant virus. Given that the viruses in Resident Evil were all created by combining the Progenitor Virus with genes from Earth’s native species, finding such original organisms here, in the environment of the Zombie Star, was an almost insurmountable task for Ye Hai.

Perhaps before the outbreak of the zombie virus, many species similar to those on Earth could have been found here. But by the time Ye Hai arrived, the entire planet had been overrun—its creatures either mutated by the zombie virus or wiped out entirely.

In order to cultivate the T-virus, Ye Hai had once hired black market traders from Chaos Star to capture a few “leeches” from the foulest ditches of distant Seawolf Star at the edge of the system. The price he paid for those bloodsucking creatures could have bought him a house in the core region of Chaos Star. Truly, an “alien monk” reads the best scriptures—leeches from another planet were worth a fortune here.

But now, the Queen Ant virus strain within Lianna’s body gave Ye Hai hope of unlocking the Veronica Virus module. In the Resident Evil game, the B.O.W. “Veronica Composite” created with the Veronica Virus could, in just forty-eight hours, infect sixty percent of the Amazon rainforest—an area equal to one third of all of China’s vast territory. Within the Veronica ecosystem established by this infection, the B.O.W. Veronica Composite would reign supreme, like a true queen ant ruling over her realm.

If Ye Hai could possess such a terrifying weapon, even if he could not become the absolute “King” of Zombie Star, he would certainly become a powerful warlord with his own fiefdom. In his memory, the potent T-Veronica Virus was cultivated by combining the Progenitor Virus with the genes of an ancient queen ant. If he could isolate the queen ant gene from the Queen Ant virus, he might be able to unlock a new module and gain the Veronica Virus cultivation technology.

At this moment, were it not for the need to maintain his “cruel and ferocious” image, Ye Hai might have leapt up and embraced Lianna, calling out affectionately, “My treasure!” In the blink of an eye, Lianna’s value in Ye Hai’s heart soared to the highest level—she was now someone he could not allow to be harmed in the slightest.

Perhaps, this was what they called love.

In that very instant, an excited Ye Hai found a song playing in his mind: “De de yi de de, what a sin…” How fitting!

A night of passion—such things are not for outsiders to know.

…

At dawn, Ye Hai, feeling utterly refreshed, donned a loose robe and settled early onto a deck chair on the second-floor terrace, leisurely enjoying his breakfast. A zombie crow perched on the armrest, occasionally snatching a bloodied piece of beef from Ye Hai’s plate and swallowing it whole, all the while uttering harsh, grating calls as if reporting something to Ye Hai.

Ye Hai sipped his milk and nodded. “When I discovered the Queen Ant virus in Lianna’s body, I already guessed what Zera was thinking. As expected…”

“Caw…” The zombie crow’s next cry made Ye Hai pause, his brow furrowing deeply.

“You mean… someone’s hunting Zera? Zera’s team was fifty strong, and now only three remain?”

“Caw!” With confirmation from the zombie crow, Ye Hai fell into contemplation. Zera, as one of the five forbidden figures of the Plati Black Market, commanded a slaver squad equipped by the powerful Underflow organization. As far as he knew, even the other forbidden figures could not easily best Zera—let alone annihilate a fifty-strong slaver team with ease. No local force near the Plati Black Market had the qualification to challenge a forbidden figure.

That left only one possibility—outsiders from another planet.

It’s well known that, aside from a few lawless traders seeking black market deals, most would never set foot on Zombie Star. The air itself, thick with the zombie virus, was lethal to anyone who hadn’t been inoculated with the serum. Only the surviving natives, all immune to the virus, could endure it.

Moreover, the ever-mutating birds, transformed by the virus, had made Zombie Star’s skies into a deadly no-fly zone; every spaceship landing risked a savage attack by these zombie birds.

“It can’t be Chaos Star. If they’d made a move, the intelligence dealers would’ve rushed here first thing to sell the information for a fortune…”

“Could it be one of the armed forces from the other five Order Stars? The top forces of a planetary-level, inner-system civilization… terrifying!” Ye Hai’s heart pounded. “I seem to have been dragged into a deadly hunt, where a single misstep spells total annihilation… I wonder if it’s too late to regret now.”

Perhaps Zera had heard his thoughts. With a heavy kick, she flung open the bedroom door. Startled by the noise, three snow-white bodies curled deeper into the bed’s embrace. Zera’s eyes flickered with amusement, her lips quirking up in a faint smile.

Then, with her two subordinates in tow, she strode out onto the terrace and addressed the languid Ye Hai.

“Brother Ye Hai… it’s time to hit the road!”