A somewhat harsh electronic sound suddenly rang out, followed by a series of muffled noises outside, as if some intact gates were being closed. Although computer technology in this era is not advanced, the algorithms are quite special, because Su Ziyu had heard about artificial intelligence from others. From a hardware perspective, it's extremely difficult for AI to be born in this era, yet somehow they managed to illuminate this black technology.
"Ignore it."
"Continue cracking the program. Let's go out and take a look." Pasha picked up a gun and signaled to Su Ziyu, and the two of them headed out the door.
Fifteen meters away, a heavy iron gate had already descended.
It's unclear who triggered the alarm, whether it was someone on Su Ziyu's side or other people acting separately.
"Got it!" A slightly hoarse female voice came.
Pasha quickly walked in and urgently asked, "Did you find the potion's formula? Where is it? Let me see!"
"It's here. No! This isn't the antiradiation potion's formula!..." The woman's voice shifted from joy to confusion, and then with a hint of tremble, she said, "What is this?... Did you trick me?..."
"Damn!"
"What you guys want are these ghostly things!..."
When Su Ziyu sensed something was amiss and walked in, the woman was already pointing a gun at Pasha's head. The computer monitor displayed some shocking images, seemingly related to experimental data about the Corpse Ghost. These old computers didn't have high clarity, but Su Ziyu could still see the slightly bloody and horrific images clearly.
"Calm down! Something seems off outside!" Su Ziyu's voice sounded, and he aimed his gun at the woman in front, saying, "Did you hear that? Put the gun down first!"
Ah!...
Faint screams were heard.
But because the gate had fallen, it was hard to hear clearly. It seemed that others had encountered something dangerous, and within this short time, five consecutive screams were heard.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I am very sure that my mission is to find the antiradiation potion's formula, not to look for experimental data." Pasha's expression was very calm at this point, and she slowly said, "Put the gun down first. At least let me know exactly what's going on in here."
The woman hesitated and took two steps back, but the gun remained pointed at Pasha, her gaze occasionally landing on Su Ziyu, full of vigilance.
At this moment, Su Ziyu also saw what was displayed on the computer. It documented the process of how an ordinary person turned into a Corpse Ghost, with a lot of data Su Ziyu couldn't understand. However, within the experimental records, the term 'drug resistance' was continuously mentioned, followed by notes on some mutation processes. It seemed that when drug resistance reached a certain level, exposure to radiation sources would turn ordinary people into Corpse Ghosts or even something more dangerous. Some of the data and images seemed to be missing, but as Pasha looked, her face grew pale, and her whole spirit seemed a bit hazy.
Drug resistance? Corpse Ghost?
Wait!
A spiritual light flashed through Su Ziyu's mind. He reached out and switched the images on the computer, quickly comprehending what the experimental data expressed.
It indeed did not contain the formula for the antiradiation potion.
But it recorded various reactions after using the antiradiation potion. Initially, the ordinary people used for the experiments had no issues. However, as they used the antiradiation potion more frequently, their bodies gradually accumulated drug resistance. At this point, the potion's ability to eliminate radiation pollution diminished, and as the drug resistance kept building, these people began to undergo uncontrollable changes even when using the potion. The subsequent group of photos documented the mutations that occurred when individuals with a certain level of drug resistance encountered radiation sources.
It was a monster with skin peeled away revealing dark red muscle tissue, much like the one Su Ziyu had seen near the sewers that day.
—"Living Corpse Ghost."
The latter part of the experimental data seemed to have changed hands, no longer using the term [drug resistance], instead replacing it with [pollution value].
It seemed like part of the data was missing.
The research focus seemed to have shifted to a new goal. They no longer tested on ordinary humans but continuously studied the radiation-induced mutations caused by the so-called pollution value. The Corpse Ghosts in these images were just one type of common monster; Su Ziyu also saw some more terrifying things, some were humans, others were different creatures, and some looked like some kind of aggregate of flesh.
They all shared a common trait, having a large size and very noticeable radiation mutation organs on their bodies.
Su Ziyu continued flipping through the data.
The subsequent research direction seemed to have shifted slightly again, with the lab focusing on how to eliminate pollution values and changing the research emphasis to prolonging life and suppressing mutations—specifically how to control the pollution value inside one's body and suppress oneself from undergoing radiation mutations while inevitably using the antiradiation potion.
These experimental data seemed to span across a long period of time.
The further it went, the more chaotic it became, as if something went wrong in the lab, leaving behind mostly just gibberish in the end.
"We were all deceived..." Pasha raised her pale face, muttering, "The potion formula we painstakingly searched for isn't a cure at all... It's just a poison keeping us barely alive... In the end, it will turn all of us into those neither human nor ghostly monsters..."
"No wonder the financial tycoons' influence firmly controls the supply of the potion!... They knew all along!..."
"They were keeping us in the dark all along!..."
Many of the doubts of the past were answered.
Su Ziyu also felt a bit oppressed internally at this moment, and he was a bit worried because he had also used the antiradiation potion. According to the experimental records' data, he should also have that thing named [pollution value] in his body. Pasha mentioned that the potion formula contained a genetically synthesized substance that had never been deciphered, and it might be the source of the pollution value, but Su Ziyu didn't know from where it was extracted and synthesized. After seeing so many gruesome images, Su Ziyu felt there was a significant secret within the antiradiation potion's formula.
Bang.
A dull thudding sound came from the gate area.
Initially, gunfire could be heard, but now there was only silence.
Su Ziyu glanced at the somewhat disoriented Pasha in front of him, raised a hand to grab a gun beside him and threw it over, saying in a deep voice, "No matter what, surviving comes first!"
"Can you still fight?"
Pasha looked up at Su Ziyu standing before her, bit her lip, caught the gun, and said, "Yes!"
Good.
That's more like a real woman!
.........