After the African soldier left, the African Commander turned to his guards and ordered:
"After those idiots are injected with the virus, you immediately withdraw with the other brothers. It wouldn't be good if you were accidentally injured."
Apparently, he hadn't told the African soldier about the consequences of a failed virus injection, and these virus injectors weren't purchased by him at a high price from the black market, but rather were experimental samples given to him for free.
However, he didn't care about the final effect of injecting this virus.
As long as it could help him win this war, it was a good virus.
Otherwise… he wouldn't have any losses!
What?
You mean those African soldiers who injected the virus?
Please, in this turbulent land, countless civilians and soldiers die every day.
As long as he still had 'money,' even if all his soldiers died, he could still raise a new army in the most chaotic times to continue burning, killing, and looting.
People being like weeds in troubled times isn't just a casual saying.
…
A few minutes later, the African soldier from before arrived at the rear of the battle line, carrying the briefcase.
He secretly called over six soldiers with whom he had a good relationship, and whispered, "You guys, come here quickly! I brought back something good from the General!"
The six African soldiers immediately gathered around, asking excitedly, "Galka, what good stuff is in the box? Cigars or U.S. dollars?"
"It's this."
The African soldier named Galka opened the briefcase, pointed to the virus injectors inside, and said proudly:
"I'm telling you, these serums were bought by the General at a high price. It's said that injecting them can give people extraordinary power…"
"Extraordinary power?" A African soldier's eyes immediately lit up as he asked, "Can it make me a superhero like the Avengers?"
The others also cast eager gazes at Galka.
"That's… of course."
Galka's tone gradually became firmer from uncertainty. He reached into the box and took out a virus injector, saying excitedly:
"Brothers, our chance has finally come! As long as we inject this serum and help the General defeat the ZF army, once he becomes President, he naturally won't treat us, his meritorious subjects, unfairly…"
"By then, money, power, and beautiful women—we'll have whatever we want!"
With that, he was the first to plunge the virus injector into his carotid artery.
"Let's do it!"
"For money, for beautiful women, let's do it…"
The other six were also stirred by Galka's words. They stepped forward, each taking a virus injector from the box, and imitating him, plunged them into their carotid arteries.
However, what they didn't know was that dozens of meters directly above them, a drone was quietly observing everything below.
And it was transmitting the footage in real-time back to a building several blocks away that was completely untouched by the war.
In front of the building's main entrance, several military Humvees were parked diagonally on both sides of the road, and several heavily armed mercenaries used the Humvees as cover, maintaining high vigilance of the surroundings.
And in the top-floor office, a White woman with a golden miniskirt, fair skin, and a tall figure, wearing expensive jewelry on her wrists and neck, was holding a wine glass filled with red wine, smiling as she admired the scene on the large screen.
Her name was Excella Gionne, the head of Trasel Pharmaceutical's Africa branch, and also Ricardo Elvin's behind-the-scenes supporter in selling bio-weapons.
"The experiment is finally about to begin. My patience was almost exhausted by these unevolved savage animals…"
Excella Gionne swirled the wine glass in her hand. The red wine rotated back and forth on the smooth glass walls as it swayed, emitting a fruity aroma and the mellow taste of oak.
Excella Gionne took a small sip of red wine, a hint of excitement appearing between her brows. She turned to the tall man sitting silently beside her, wearing sunglasses and as cold as a machine, and said:
"Wesker, I don't quite understand why you insist on conducting live experiments on these soldiers? We clearly have so many experimental subjects available in our laboratory…"
That's right, the man sitting next to the woman at this moment was none other than Albert Wesker, who had been missing for two years.
Although Albert Wesker's appearance and physique hadn't changed much compared to before he went missing, the aura around him was now vastly different.
Just sitting there, he subtly gave off a powerful and suffocating sense of oppression, as if a fierce beast that could erupt at any moment, causing a continuous feeling of dread.
"Hmph, what do you know?"
Before the other party could finish speaking, Albert Wesker coldly interrupted:
"The physical conditions of those experimental subjects in the laboratory are uneven, and they simply cannot withstand the power of 'evolution' brought by the Ouroboros Virus, greatly reducing the probability of an 'Adapter' appearing."
"However, these soldiers who constantly fight and kill on the battlefield are different. Both their will and physique are impeccable. They can be said to be the best experimental material…"
"An Adapter for the Ouroboros Virus?" Excella Gionne's eyes lit up upon hearing this. She parted her red lips again, smiling like a flower as she said:
"Wesker, if the upcoming experiment passes the test smoothly, can we leave this dreadful place as soon as possible and return to Europe?"
Albert Wesker did not speak in response to Excella Gionne's question, continuing to silently stare at the large screen.
"Tsk."
Excella Gionne seemed long accustomed to his arrogance and coldness, and continued nonchalantly:
"You know, I was quite surprised that you managed to successfully cultivate the Second-Generation Plaga Parasite and achieve such successful experimental results in just two years…"
"When you first fled to Africa, I was actually quite skeptical about whether you could deliver on the promises you made to the higher-ups."
"Fortunately, you didn't disappoint me. Not only did you complete the Second-Generation Plaga Parasite project, but now even the Ouroboros Virus project has been initially completed…"
Albert Wesker seemed to have grown weary of her incessant chatter, and interrupted with a cold voice: "Excella, I warn you, you'd best not harbor such excessive ambitions. I have already fulfilled my promise."
"Now you have solidified your position in Trasel Pharmaceutical with the Second-Generation Plaga Parasite and have successfully gained a foothold among the high-level executives of the Trasel Group…"
"So, you'd best not set your sights on the Ouroboros Virus. My original intention for developing the Ouroboros Virus was not to sell it to terrorists for profit!"
"Oh, dear Wesker, don't be angry, you're right."
Excella Gionne directly ignored his warning, immediately smiled charmingly, placed her wine glass on the table, then slowly stood up and walked behind Albert Wesker. Her two fair hands gently caressed his shoulders, and with a seductive tone, she chuckled and said:
"But now my appetite has been fed even more by you… The reason I support you unconditionally like this is because I see your potential."
"I naturally know that the Ouroboros Virus, which you painstakingly developed by fusing the Progenitor Virus with other viruses, is not for selling to terrorists for profit."
"But if you want to achieve that great goal… to create a new World specially screened by you, how long will it take if you rely solely on your own efforts?"
"So, you need a partner, one who has a clever mind, controls vast financial resources, and is a true partner suitable for your 'New World.'"
"And I, precisely, am the best candidate right now, isn't that right?"
Seeing that the man in front of her didn't speak, she directly pressed her ample chest against Albert Wesker's back without reservation, while her fair hands shamelessly moved towards an indescribable part of his body, and with a slightly fawning expression, she continued:
"I believe that my numerous decisions before, and my repeated unconditional support for you, have already proven my value to you… Am I right?!"
However, Albert Wesker remained like a steel-straight man; facing her various attempts to please him, neither his head nor his 'little head' showed the slightest change, and he replied with an equally cold voice:
"Perhaps, but the true outcome will depend on whether you can pass the Ouroboros Virus's screening then."
"Tsk tsk, you really are a… cold-blooded man."
Excella Gionne pouted, but chose not to quibble, because she knew how talented and ruthless this man was.
It was precisely because of this that she didn't find his plan to use the Ouroboros Virus to filter out all "genetically inferior" humans in the World, leaving only those excellent, perfect humans who passed the screening, to be absurd or impossible to achieve.
So she secretly placed her bets on Albert Wesker, behind the backs of the Trasel Group's executives, and used her power to help him acquire everything needed for the development of the Ouroboros Virus.
Whether it was money, experimental equipment, or experimental samples (people), she spared no effort to provide whatever Albert Wesker needed.
"Oh, look, those idiots have already started injecting the Ouroboros Virus," Excella Gionne said excitedly, pointing at the big screen.
On the screen, the bodies of the seven African soldiers, including Galka, immediately reacted after being injected with the still-developing Ouroboros Virus.
Six of them began to convulse violently, and their skin began to ripple underneath.
Immediately, dozens of black, tentacle-like substances emerged from beneath their skin, quickly coiling around their forms.
Once the Ouroboros Virus infects a living organism, it immediately attempts to fuse with it.
Those who fail to fuse will begin to expand outwards under the control of the Ouroboros Virus. Their cells will be completely replaced by the virus, continuously producing infected tissue and forming large amounts of undifferentiated tentacles within their bodies, constantly absorbing the infected person's body and any organic matter they can come into contact with.
"Oh, what a pity!"
Excella Gionne shook her head regretfully, "I originally thought that high pressure could effectively promote fusion, but now it seems that these soldiers' DNA is not suitable as a host for the Ouroboros Virus… Or perhaps, your formula still needs further improvement."
"Only those who are truly chosen can gain the qualification to enter the 'New World,'" Albert Wesker said in a cold voice:
"The Ouroboros Virus is the touchstone for this coming 'evolutionary frenzy.' It will actively select hosts with excellent DNA, and then help them evolve to a new stage…"
"Yes."
Excella Gionne quickly leaned close to his ear and said sweetly:
"Your wild imagination has perfectly combined with the Ouroboros Virus. I believe it won't be long before your great dream is realized."
As they spoke, both had shifted their attention to the only person on the scene who hadn't mutated, who was none other than Galka, the first to inject the Ouroboros Virus.
Although his body also trembled like the others, no black tentacles emerged from beneath his skin, and his pupils quickly turned into golden vertical slits.
"Oh yeah, we are incredibly lucky this time! A 'Subject' who has successfully completed initial adaptation has actually appeared!"
Excella Gionne pointed at the large screen, exclaiming with delight:
"Although the number is far less than expected, at least it shows that your… ah no, I should say our experimental direction is correct."
Albert Wesker did not speak; he simply stood up and walked out.
Since an Adapter had successfully appeared, his next step was to capture him and bring him back to the Base for research, in order to improve the Ouroboros Virus to a more perfect state.
"Tsk."
Seeing him ignore her again, Excella Gionne pouted with some dissatisfaction.
However, just after Albert Wesker left, Excella Gionne, who was drinking red wine and enjoying the sight of the six Humanoid Ouroboros on the large screen—whose bodies had mutated due to failed genetic matching, with their internal substances transforming into black tentacle-like virus vesicles that continuously expelled from their bodies, and who were almost unilaterally devouring and killing soldiers in the ZF army—was suddenly interrupted by a phone call.
"What, say that again, what happened there…"
Upon hearing the report from her subordinate on the other end of the line, Excella Gionne's expression immediately turned grim.
…
Ten minutes later.
When Albert Wesker returned to the building with the initially adapted subject, he encountered Excella Gionne, who had been waiting for a long time, in front of the car downstairs.
"The BSAA Organization is pursuing us, and the Kijuju Autonomous Region's underground laboratory has completely lost contact…"