Chapter 204 – Active Vaccines
I combed through alien information for several days.
Various civilizations, their mutated infectious agents, and records of combat.
Putting it all together, I came to one conclusion.
“It might be worth a try.”
‘Since extraterrestrial civilizations possess overwhelming technological power over humans on Earth, they will have military power in direct proportion to that.’
‘If such people are defeated, then of course humanity’s military power is no answer.’
It is completely natural to reason like this.
However, the records handed over by Solaver made us realize that we had evaluated the alien world too much by human standards.
Did you say that it is not the strong who survive, but the survivors that are strong?
There is no civilization that fits this statement as much as humanity. Earthlings were a species that thrived in the harshest conditions and with the poorest bodies.
Other civilizations didn’t have much need to be as stubborn as us.
The given environmental conditions are abundant.
Excellent natural physical ability.
Racial tendency is leisurely.
Sensitive to the destruction of nature, reluctant to industrialize.
Various other reasons that make civilization leisurely.
With the addition of the editor’s intervention, technological development took place peacefully and widely.
On the other hand, what about humanity?
A narrow and harsh planet.
Weak body.
They have no qualms about destroying nature.
Selfishness burning with infinite greed.
It was a bizarre case of humanity, whose war technology was alone in advancing into the distance and driving the development of other technologies.
Thanks to this, there is significant variation in war-fighting capabilities within the Space Federation.
For example, a race like the orca-like Kryx is not helpful in war, even though its cultural contribution to the union is great.
That’s because with that body structure, you can’t handle weapons or operate a ship.
Unable to dig a hole and hide, they were chased down and killed one after another by Leviathan-class infections.
On the other hand, civilizations with a combative nature fought steadfastly.
For example, there is the Kuraz, a dwarf tribe who rebelled after living as slaves to the Hamar giants.
They lived as slaves and were exploited until they rebelled, and the giants frequently committed cruel acts to monitor and set an example.
For example, in a place where dozens of people are farming, one person is picked up at random and eaten alive.
A colleague who had just been pulling weeds together gets chewed up and eaten with his bones in the air.
There are terrible sounds and blood pouring out, but no one is allowed to look up. If that happens, it will become your next meal.
I just had to continue working with my head down, trembling and mourning.
It is said that there was even a merciful(?) Case where a person was given away after only eating one arm. The purpose is to remember and spread that fear for the rest of our lives.
“It’s so barbaric.”
Artemis frowning.
This is definitely an embarrassing level to compare to Sparta and Halo Tie.
After living with mistreatment for such a long time, the evil of the race was no less than that of mankind.
If the editor’s discovery and intervention had been a little late, the Kuraz would have wiped out the giants.
The Kuraz, who engage in mobile warfare armed with weapons effective in guerrilla warfare, have made great achievements in many battles of the Space Alliance.
But unfortunately, the number was too small.
This is because only a few who were dispatched to space were able to carry out the war, and the majority who remained on their home planet were instantly annihilated.
Kuraz’s hometown is entirely jungle. It was a great help when rebelling against the giants, but once the infection spread, we found ourselves surrounded by tens of billions of infected wild animals.
Kuraz was recorded as the case where the main city was destroyed in the shortest period of time among land civilizations.
There were quite a few other civilizations that fought well, but there were many more that were unhelpful.
“I don’t know about an all-out war, but if it’s a special war, I can probably break through.”
The alien infectious agents differ greatly depending on the species they are based on, but they are opponents against whom Earth’s weapons can work effectively.
We don’t even need to deal with all enemies in the first place. The goal is not an extermination operation, but a takeover operation.
And the target of the takeover is very attractive.
Vaccine against infectious agents.
What was completed at the final base is a vaccine in words, but in reality it is no different from a biochemical weapon.
“Jinsu, you know about the self-destruction experiments I’m conducting on infectious agents, right?”
“Infected cells have instructions inserted into them to mutate, and if those instructions can be disrupted, they will self-destruct. This is it.”
Her research is a highlight of her anti-infectious disease research.
“That’s right. No matter how powerful the means of combat are, there is no fundamental solution.”
Infections are also occurring in wild animals and insects, and even mutant plants with the ability to reproduce have been discovered.
It would be a heavy burden to physically catch and kill them one by one. It’s no different from trying to exterminate mosquitoes with a fly swatter.
Artemis believed that infection could be eradicated only through chemical methods.
The problem is that the genetic code is different depending on the infected organism. A ‘source’ code common to all mutations was needed.
No matter how much Artemis I am, my research is sluggish as I head to the ground.
However, they were able to research with the code and achieved results.
“This is a video of testing the completed vaccine on captured infectious agents.”
Hope.
The scene unfolding in the video could be condensed into that one word.
Solaver is a tumor that kills tumors. It was called ‘an infectious agent that infects infectious agents.’ It was an extremely accurate expression.
‘Mutate the cells.’
This is the core command of the Infectious Agent. This command turns native creatures into monsters.
The vaccine distorts this command and causes infected cells to undergo new mutations.
It breaks the bonds between cells, and the symptoms are similar to high-concentration radiation exposure.
At first, there was no change in appearance, but as time passed, their skin turned red and bleeding occurred in various places.
[Crrrrut.
Some high-level mutant species that retained their senses went crazy from the terrible pain of having their skin shed alive.
The difference with radiation exposure is that radiation causes only as much damage as you are honestly exposed to, but this vaccine multiplies on its own.
In theory, if just one animal is exposed, it can infect the entire colony.
“What’s interesting is that the vaccine makes its own decisions. “It’s like wild animals that regulate their estrus and refrain from breeding on an individual basis when food dwindles.”
Artemis’ voice was filled with admiration. Because it was the ultimate version of her solution that she had been working on for so long.
“I guess he didn’t say it was an active treatment for nothing.”
This vaccine constantly checks the external environment using the sense organs of the infectious agent.
If there are no infectious agents nearby, the vaccine manipulates the host to stop self-destruction and go in search of other infectious agents.
This is because it cannot spread effectively if the host dies.
“I think I saw something similar in a documentary. “I don’t remember what it was.”
“Cordyceps sinensis, Toxoplasma gondii, Spear fluke, Ant nematode, Leucochloridium paradoxsum. There are countless examples of parasites controlling their hosts.”
Artemis immediately gave several examples.
“Of course parasites exist in alien ecosystems. “It’s not strange that civilizations with excellent scientific power utilize that mechanism.”
“Alien parasites, that sounds really creepy.”
When I was deployed, I saw a mercenary who was infected with the Medina bug and suffered greatly. Even after treatment, his legs still had many scars that looked like burned earthworms had crawled on them.
“The infectious agent itself is no different from an alien parasite.”
“Well.”
The completed vaccine was a target that we must obtain.
“However, the efficiency of actual spraying in a planetary ecosystem may vary. That experiment video was made with a limited number of infectious agents in a closed place. “It’s an extremely controlled experiment.”
It’s just as she said. Killing mosquitoes by spraying Fquilla in a closed room and exterminating mosquitoes in African forests. These two are on a different level. Of course, the vaccine is much more powerful than Fkilla.
“Look at our situation.”
A 3D map of the Korean Peninsula appeared on the central control room screen. They are color coded according to the degree of infection.
The safe zone is green.
Areas where there is a risk of infectious agents but are not areas where survival is impossible are yellow.
Areas that are dangerous but can be operated to some extent if thoroughly prepared are colored red.
Colonies that are too young and cannot survive for even a few minutes are black.
The color is green only in some parts of the southern region, including Jeju Island, and it turns yellow beyond the central part of Jeollanam-do.
When it reaches Jeollabuk-do, it becomes dangerous, almost orange, with red areas here and there like a skin rash. The only thing that remains yellow is the Honam Plain area pioneered by the Mokpo garrison.
From Chungcheong-do and Gyeongsang-do, the color is almost red, except for some parts of the south. There are also black areas in between.
And Gyeonggi-do. From here on, it is painted dark red like rotten blood. There are black spots like blood clots scattered everywhere. Each one of them is a colony.
There are so many different things that a colony with tens of thousands of walkers is the weakest place.
Only around the shelter near the West Sea. Only a very small area remains green.
Should we call it the eye of a typhoon or a ray of leaves that bloomed from a corpse?
“We have eliminated countless infectious agents during external operations, but their size has actually increased.”
Artemis floated another map and placed it side by side. That is a record from 6 months ago.
When comparing the two sides, the change is clearly visible.
The green color around the shelter has increased compared to six months ago, and the green and yellow colors in the southern area have been developed.
However, the red and black colors in the central region are becoming more intense. New colonies are created.
“The survivors outside may think they have adapted to the war and are pushing back the infections little by little. In reality, it’s not like that at all. It is true that their territory has shrunk somewhat, but their concentration has become more concentrated.”
“I guess they are also evolving as we progress.”
I know this because I receive battle reports every day.
We are ahead in terms of growth, but infectious agents are not staying still. Both quantitatively and qualitatively.
The only thing that is stagnant are the survivors outside.
“Colonies in the Gyeonggi-do area are slowly moving south.”
Several maps overlapped on a monthly basis to show the changes.
As green and yellow increased from the south upward, black and red colors increased from the north downward.
If the two collide, it is obvious who will be pushed out.
“It’s only a matter of time before we reach the survivors. It would be like the seawater rushing in on the rats on the edge of a sinking ship.”
Artemis declared.
No matter how powerful our military is, it cannot stop all the infectious agents pouring in.
Then, I have two options left.
Will we retrieve the completed vaccine to win the war against infectious agents and prevent the planned massacre?
Or are we just going to stay safely in the shelter and just try to survive?
Morally, it would be right to recall the vaccine, but there was one huge problem.
Like Operation Enterprise, I can’t just send a robot; I have to take action myself.
‘The last planet where the vaccine was researched is an area with the highest level of security. Only high-ranking members of the Space Federation can warp there. I can appoint you by my own authority.’
This was the reason why he said it was ‘God’s guidance’ after looking at my career as a veteran soldier and engineer among the people of Earth.
Upon learning of the situation, Artemis went on a rampage and tried to chase Solaver away, but was barely able to calm down after I desperately tried to stop her.
Then he declared that he would somehow find a way to get around it without letting me go.
But honestly, I don’t think it’s possible.
