Li Hua received the notification from Elena and came to the underground base, where he saw Gwen next to Elena, and his eyes narrowed.
He frowned and said to Elena, "Why did you bring a student here?"
Elena wore a playful expression and winked, "Li, how can you not recognize her? She searched all the major hospitals in New York City just to find you."
Li Hua's face darkened when he heard this, and he glanced at Gwen: "She is just a student, she shouldn't be involved in our affairs, it's too dangerous."
Although he didn't know how this high school girl from Midtown High managed to find this place, Li Hua believed that the secret of Kamen Rider should not be easily revealed to a sixteen or seventeen-year-old student.
However, Gwen spoke with determined eyes: "My friend was infected with the Bugster Virus you mentioned and was taken away by the government people. I don't know what might happen to her.
That's why I came here to seek help."
Li Hua's expression became serious upon hearing this, and he glanced at Elena: "The actions of the government..."
"We will find a way, miss..."
Li Hua still wanted Gwen to go home. No matter what, a young girl who was still in high school should not be involved in something as dangerous as the Bugster Virus.
Gwen naturally understood Li Hua's underlying meaning, but she firmly shook her head.
Elena spread her hands: "Gwen insists on not going back to wait for news. I can't do anything about it..."
"It seems you two have a good relationship," Li Hua thought to himself, inadvertently glancing at the two of them.
"This matter is of great importance, we need to discuss it carefully."
As Li Hua spoke, he gave Elena a look, signaling that they should first let Gwen leave, and it would be best if the two of them did not contact Dan Kuroto or discuss the government's actions while Gwen was present.
"I already know the general situation." The central screen of the base suddenly lit up, and Dan Kuroto's image appeared.
"Mr. Dan," Li Hua was a little surprised.
When Gwen saw Dan Kuroto on the screen, a look of realization flashed in her eyes—the president of the Genm Corp.
Elena then smiled and said, "Before I brought Gwen to the base, of course, I consulted Dan's opinion first."
Li Hua was a little confused: "Why?"
Gwen also looked at Dan Kuroto with great curiosity.
Dan Kuroto smiled slightly: "Because Gwen has the same virus antibodies as you, and possesses the aptitude to use the Gamer Driver and the Gashats."
Elena nodded and said, "That means,Gwen can also transform into a Kamen Rider and become our comrade."
"But she's just a student..." Li Hua's expression was complex, a mixture of surprise, relief, and some internal struggle.
"The choice is entirely in her hands, not yours or mine to make for her.
However, I still have to give her this opportunity to choose, after all, personnel who possess the virus antibodies and can use the Rider System to fight the Bugster monsters are extremely rare, one in ten thousand is no exaggeration.
The number of Bugster monsters you will have to deal with next may be very large, and the battle will be very difficult," Dan Kuroto said, looking at Gwen.
Then, Elena introduced Gwen to the price of using the Rider System.
Gwen's mind trembled upon hearing this. After a moment of silence, she clenched her fists: "Mr. Dan, I've made my decision. I also want to become a Kamen Rider.
To defeat those monsters, and save Bianca, and all the patients infected with the virus."
Li Hua wanted to say something when he heard this, but in the end, he only sighed and said nothing more.
"Good. We just happen to have a basic Gashat left—Bakusou Bike.
From now on, you will be Kamen Rider Lazer," Dan Kuroto nodded with satisfaction.
"The government is gathering all patients suspected of being infected with the virus. What is their purpose?"
Since Gwen had made up her mind and Dan Kuroto had agreed, Li Hua no longer hesitated or struggled, directly treating Gwen as a comrade-in-arms.
"They probably want to research the Bugster Virus, right?" Elena guessed.
"They probably don't have the capability. The monsters born from the Bugster Virus are not something that ordinary weapons can deal with.
Tony Stark, even wearing the Iron Man suit, was helpless against the monster that appeared in Stark Tower," Li Hua said disdainfully.
"The problem now is that the government is concentrating all people with suspected symptoms. Some of them are indeed infected with the Bugster Virus, and some people definitely are not. But now they are all together, and they've been told they are infected with a dangerous virus.
This means that even people who were not infected with the Bugster Virus are very likely to generate huge mental stress because they know they are infected with some special virus, thus leading to being infected with the Bugster Virus."
If before this was only a possibility, then after Dan Kuroto decided to use this incident as the stage to create a story script, the occurrence of this situation naturally became inevitable.
Li Hua gasped when he heard this: "That means there might be many Bugster Virus infectees appearing then."
Elena's expression was also incredibly serious: "No wonder you said, Dan, that we will encounter many Bugster monsters next. This seems to have become very troublesome."
"Um, when the monsters appeared before, you were always able to rush to the scene in time. Shouldn't you be able to detect the Bugster Virus?" Gwen asked timidly.
Elena gave a bitter smile and shook her head, explaining to Gwen that only the intense reaction produced when the virus fully erupts and the Bugster monster is born can be observed.
Gwen's expression was also disappointed upon hearing this. She had thought there might be a special way here to find the base where Bianca and the other patients were housed by the government.
"Then what should we do? Do we have to wait until the virus erupts?" Gwen looked at Elena, her eyes filled with expectation.
"Perhaps, we can ask that playboy, Tony Stark, for help," Elena's eyes darted around, and she said.
"It's difficult for us to track the whereabouts of those government personnel, but Mr. Stark, who is rich, powerful, and technologically advanced, is different."
Dan Kuroto nodded: "I will contact Stark, but..."
"What is it?" Li Hua and Elena asked in confusion, seeing Dan Kuroto suddenly stop.
Dan Kuroto laughed sheepishly: "It's truly a coincidence. Stark came looking for me before I could look for him."
Yes, it was indeed a communication from Tony Stark. This was truly not arranged by Dan Kuroto; after all, he couldn't control Stark's thoughts. It just goes to show that it was quite a coincidence.
"Is something the matter, Mr. Stark?" Dan Kuroto answered the call.
"Some of the idiots in the government have started their stupid actions again," Tony said, somewhat exasperated.
"They've gathered and taken away all the people with suspected Bugster Virus symptoms, wanting to capture and research the Bugster monsters.
They simply don't know how difficult the monsters born from the Bugster Virus are to deal with.
Gathering so many people together and even telling them they are infected with a special, new type of virus, requiring quarantine and treatment.
This definitely puts enormous mental stress on the people who were taken away. If any of these people are truly carriers of the virus, then a large number of people are highly likely to be infected with the Bugster Virus.
When many monsters are born then, I'd like to see how they handle the situation!"
"So, Mr. Stark, have you found the base where the government is housing the patients?" Elena asked impatiently.
Tony heard the voice, recognized it as Elena, whom he had met once, and raised an eyebrow: "Of course. Such a small matter can't stump the great Tony Stark."
"Since we know the location, shouldn't we go and rescue those patients?" Gwen said, somewhat eager.
"No way!" Tony Stark's tone was rare and serious: "All those people have been placed by the government in a military base, guarded by military forces.
If we directly force our way in, it would be equivalent to attacking an American military base.
And even if we could quietly rescue the people inside, how to settle these people is also a problem?
Send them home? The government would be able to find them immediately."
"By the way, Dan, you have a new friend over there. From the voice, it sounds like a young girl?" Tony distinguished from the voice that there was an additional person he didn't recognize.
Dan Kuroto smiled slightly: "We have a new comrade."
"Then what should we do now? We know the patients' location but cannot take action?" Li Hua frowned.
"We can't directly break into the military base from the outside, and quietly rescuing people is only a temporary solution. It would be best if the people inside could break out," Tony hinted.
"What do you mean? Those people are just ordinary people. How could they break out of a heavily guarded military base?" Elena said, incredulously.
Dan Kuroto, however, had a slight movement in his eyes: "Mr. Stark means the monsters born from the Bugster Virus?"
Tony nodded: "Instead of letting the Bugster Virus infect more people and then giving birth to more monsters, it would be better if the virus erupted early.
If there are fewer monsters, and you have an extra person on your side, you should be able to handle it.
It would also let the government's military personnel see the power of the Bugster monsters and drop their unwarranted ideas and petty actions.
So, now that you know the location.
Dan, can you directly trigger the Bugster Virus to erupt?
Breaking directly into the military base is certainly not feasible, but if monsters escape from the base, it's naturally fine for us to go and deal with the monsters."
Dan Kuroto's mind stirred, and he nodded: "Theoretically, it shouldn't be a problem, but I will need some time to manufacture a device that can trigger the Bugster Virus eruption."
Tony's plan was indeed very good, but if it went that smoothly, the script designed by Dan Kuroto would not achieve its purpose.
With only two or three Bugster monsters, the scene wouldn't be big enough. How could it inflict sufficiently painful losses on the American military? How could it make them deeply realize their own helplessness?
If the atmosphere isn't built up enough, how can the subsequent story be advanced?
Tony's plan could proceed, but it certainly wouldn't be smooth.
Speaking of which, the curtain of the story is just rising; how can it be allowed to fall after only being half-raised?
After arranging things with Tony, Dan Kuroto handed the Gamer Driver and Gashat to Gwen, asking Elena and Li Hua to perform the adaptability surgery on her and instruct her on how to use and familiarize herself with the Rider System.
He, meanwhile, would 'develop' the item that could trigger the Bugster Virus eruption.
(End of this chapter)