Chapter 66: Nightmare Fluke, Disaster Sieve!

"Is this the true strength of Happy City?"

Cheng Ye was shocked when he saw the text scrolling on the defense communication!

Although he had raised his expectations for Happiness City several times in the past few days, it was only at this moment that he truly understood the foundation of Happiness City's dominance in Shi Province and becoming a super shelter city.

The substitute starfish, which can destroy a medium-sized shelter city at will, has been classified as A-level by the top management even though it has spread all over the place, instead of the more serious S-level.

What does it rely on?

It turns out that there are not only extraordinary strong men in the inner city, but also a protective network that has been set up in advance.

Roadblocks divide urban areas, blocking the flow paths of infected bodies like a chessboard, and preventing the possibility of a concentrated attack on a certain area.

The Happiness Line is the iron mesh barrier at the outermost edge of the buffer zone. 150 armored vehicles can be deployed at intervals of 200 meters, not to mention the minefields buried outside the city.

What we are trying to prevent is that when an infection breaks out internally, there will be mutant beasts, infected bodies, and other forces outside who will take the opportunity to attack and take advantage of the situation.

The combination of the three modules, the Medical Ark, the Energy Fortress and the Skynet Barrier, can prevent all possible accidents caused by the infection wave.

As for the Hedgehog Air Defense, let’s not talk about it. Cheng Ye felt his scalp tingling just by hearing the name.

Sky, periphery, interior.

All three have been deployed, and it feels less like they are dealing with infected bodies than conducting an internal coup.

Moreover, this is only the B-level defense mode. What about A-level and S-level?

He suddenly understood that the fact that Happiness City allowed the three factions in the inner city and the checkpoints to fight among themselves meant that it had the power to protect and support generations of people.

"Inspector Cheng?"

He found Cheng Ye standing there in a daze, with his facial expression changing from time to time, sometimes solemn, sometimes surprised, and sometimes shocked.

Miao Yangli skipped a beat and realized that something was wrong, considering the changes in the buffer zone over the past two days.

Could it be

"Director Miao, give me the identity badge."

"good."

Miao Yang hurriedly took out the badge, and Cheng Ye took it and swiped it on his defense pass.

bite.

Miao Yang's defense communication system immediately gave a prompt.

When he opened it, the face of this veteran who had been battling the wave of infection for more than ten years suddenly changed.

"Prosecutor Cheng, I'm afraid I have to leave now. My wife and children are still at home."

Miao Yang's voice trembled, and veins bulged in his hand as he gripped the defense pass.

"Let's go, let's go together."

Without saying a word, Cheng Ye picked up the backpack on the ground and rushed to the door.

After leaving the venue, he glanced at the defense communication system and saw that the time on the screen was just past six o'clock.

According to the outbreak time predicted by Xingfu City, the wave of infection will come in heavy rain at 11:41!

Now the first wave of information has been released only to those around the inspectors and key positions. It is obvious that Xingfu City is releasing information in stages.

Cheng Ye knew clearly that as time approached the outbreak point, the second and third waves of warnings would surely explode like thunder, dragging the entire city into the real center of the storm.

"Inspector Cheng, my bus is here."

Before he could finish his words, Cheng Ye pushed him through the back door: "Hurry up and leave!"

Before such a catastrophic disaster strikes, knowing the news ten minutes in advance could mean the difference between life and death.

If you can know five hours in advance, the probability of surviving safely will increase infinitely.

The bus slowly drove away in the strong wind.

Even through the blurry car window, Cheng Ye could still clearly see the emotions surging in Miao Yang's eyes.

Eight parts gratitude, two parts relief.

Perhaps at this moment, he was extremely grateful to himself for asking nervously "Can I do it?" that afternoon four days ago.

"Master Tian, I'm at the training grounds. Come here at full speed."

"What the hell are the regulations of the Public Works Department? If they have any problems, tell them to come to me!"

"Hurry up, there's no time to dawdle!"

More than ten kilometers away.

Master Tian, who was still waiting for five passengers, suddenly changed his expression. He walked straight to the back door and said to the two passengers who had just boarded the bus, "Sir, the bus has closed early. Please take the next one."

"Is class over?"

The two men got out of the car from the back door with confused faces, and they were still struggling to find their feet.

The bus behind him rushed out like a wild beast, its tires skidding wildly on the ground, making an extremely shrill whistling sound.

What the hell?

Can the bus still be driven like this?

It turns out that there are no slow cars, only drivers who are afraid to step on the accelerator.

The route that usually takes more than 20 minutes to run took less than 4 minutes at this moment, and it suddenly stopped in front of Cheng Ye with a sharp brake sound.

"Take me back to the main city, and then go home."

"Also, bring me your ID badge."

Within the buffer zone, every resident with a formal job has a corresponding identity badge.

After taking Master Tian's badge and swiping it, the defense communication system sounded a reminder again.

"Fuck him!"

Master Tian glanced at it and was so shocked that he almost bit his tongue. "Is it going to explode tonight?"

"Hurry up, there are still five hours left, enough time for you to go back and prepare."

In fact, Cheng Ye didn't need to urge him much. Master Tian was shocked for a moment, then immediately stepped on the accelerator and the car rushed out.

"Prosecutor Cheng, thank you!!!"

Unlike before, this thank you contains a lot.

"Don't thank me, just survive and repay my favor."

Hearing the complexity in Master Tian's tone, Cheng Ye responded without raising his head, and quickly called Luo Xiaoxue.

After being busy for more than ten seconds, the other party finally answered.

"Sister Luo?"

"Cheng Ye, I received the notification. My home is safe. Please take care of yourself."

"Well, call me anytime if you need anything."

"good!"

Before the wave of infection breaks out, perhaps there are still thousands of words I want to say.

But at this moment, chaos is about to happen, and everyone will lose all other thoughts.

There is only one thought left, to live, to live to see the sun rise the next day!

When we reached the main urban area, the bus began to slow down.

Checkpoints were set up at every intersection, and Cheng Ye saw the so-called steel-teeth roadblocks.

It is a bit similar to the retractable fence at the gate of the compound, but much thicker. Each outer fence is more than 40 centimeters in diameter, and the bottom is fixed in a special way and is deeply embedded two meters into the ground.

The movable pile in the middle has not been driven in yet, and the space left is just enough for a bus to enter.

"formalities?"

Armed guards came up and stopped the bus.

Master Tian said nothing, turned to look at Cheng Ye, and then handed him a badge.

After verification, the guard will let you pass without saying a word, and at the same time enter the license plate number into the system through the terminal, which will be directly synchronized to the guard defense system at other checkpoints.

What is privilege?

It's not about respect, nor is it about unspoken rules.

But being able to ignore any rules even at such an extremely critical moment is what can be called privilege!

bite.

The defense communication sounded again.

This time it was not a message from the main broadcasting station, but a public message from the checkpoint.

[Happiness City Checkpoint-Ding Yishan]

Dear Inspectors, this is a matter of life and death for Happiness City and the Buffer Zone. As the stationmaster, I know you are all worried, but please believe that we still have enough strength to resist this wave of infection.

[Now, as the chief webmaster, I will issue the following orders to you]

1. All inspectors must return home immediately. Do not leave without permission before receiving instructions from the inspection station. Please ensure your own absolute safety before considering rescuing others. (Inspectors in the central outbreak areas of A1-A17, B1-B17, and C1-C12 are strictly prohibited from leaving for any reason.)

2. Immediately check reserves and prioritize 72-hour survival needs. If any shortage occurs, please report to the checkpoint immediately. The checkpoint will activate the emergency deployment plan and prioritize the supply of protective equipment and basic supplies.

3. All communication equipment will be on standby 24 hours a day. A dedicated channel will be opened within the checkpoint's internal communication system to synchronize infection trends and response strategies in real time.

4. Exclusive medical wards for inspectors have been set up at the following locations. If you experience symptoms of infection or require urgent medical care, please go there immediately.

[5. Unauthorized departure from the zone is strictly prohibited. Before the alert is lifted, any departure from the buffer zone will be considered desertion, and Xingfu City will issue an indefinite A-level hunting order.]

Two documents were attached at the end of the message.

The first one was a more detailed report on the infected body. Cheng Ye opened it and took a look, and his scalp suddenly felt numb.

The value of what Brother B said is still increasing.

The development and attack methods of the infected body will not evolve as humans expect.

As the sample data continues to increase, there are now substitute starfish infected bodies that have evolved two new attack methods.

Spewing body fluids and extending the arms and legs.

The former's spray range can reach about six meters and is moderately corrosive.

The latter is similar to Doctor Octopus, and will generate tentacles on its back for movement and attack.

"The infected will all mutate, so what about the fused ones?"

Cheng Ye's heart sank suddenly, and he once again glimpsed the great horror hidden beneath this wasteland.

It is no wonder that an independent supernatural faction has emerged among the top leaders of Happiness City. In the face of these monsters, humans are struggling with the technology that has been almost stagnant for decades.

Unless a new industrial revolution breaks out to promote technological leaps, the voice of the extraordinary faction will only become more and more important!

Open the second file, which is the latest deduction result of Happiness Supercomputing based on the current situation.

Clearly lists the areas and buildings within the buffer zone where infection may break out.

Cheng Ye quickly located the B-7 area where the electronics factory community was located, and discovered that the nearest outbreak point was 450 meters away from the community in a straight line. It was the five-story Tianyuan Shopping Mall where Chu Yunfeng had worked before.

Its interior area is about 10,000 square meters, crammed with nearly 4,000 people.

It is not difficult to imagine how many infected people will emerge after the outbreak and the disease will spread from person to person.

Close the defense channel.

Cheng Ye glanced out the window worriedly. On the street, panicked faces were queuing up to receive the starfish anti-epidemic powder.

The distribution of anti-epidemic powder in the buffer zone was bumpy and not smooth.

Because the "mortality rate" is too high, at least nearly two thousand people have been evacuated in the past few days.

Of course, many of them are infected bodies that have been infected for more than 48 hours. The source of infection has been deeply parasitic. While the anti-epidemic powder kills the source of infection, it also gives AOE to the host.

However, its serious side effects cannot be ignored. Anyone with a low immune system or currently ill will be almost deadly after taking it.

However, as the outbreak approached, more and more people sensed the impending storm, and with the thought that "it's better to get it than not to get it", long queues formed at every distribution point.

But this will invisibly increase the probability of contact infection. Every meter that the team winds along is paving a breeding ground for the spread of substitute starfish.

"Inspector Cheng."

Master Tian noticed that Cheng Ye was staring at the roadside food stall in a daze and called out to him softly.

"Um?"

"Do you still remember the wave of infection in 2013?"

"13 years ago?"

Cheng Ye was stunned for a moment, then shook his head.

The original body is only 19 years old now, and was just a 6-year-old child 13 years ago.

There are fragments of memory left in my mind. Everyone in the inner city was huddled in their rooms. Every day someone would place supplies in a contactless area at regular intervals, and I had to wait six hours before I could pick them up.

It was not until more than two months later that Xingfu City announced the lifting of martial law and life quickly returned to normal. As for what happened during that period, no one knew anything.

“Is there any connection between now and 13 years ago?”

"As for the connection, there is a little bit. Thirteen years ago, there was also a contact infection source named 'nightmare fluke'."

At the mention of this name, Master Tian's knuckles turned white from the effort he put into gripping the steering wheel. "If you sleep for more than three hours, the source of infection will activate. If you don't wake up at this point, you'll be trapped in an endless nightmare and eventually become a walking corpse. But if you can hold out for 28 days, sleeping no more than three hours a day, the source of infection will deactivate on its own."

"Isn't that easy to deal with?"

Cheng Ye frowned. The celestial phenomena cannot be controlled by humans, but sleep can be completely controlled by humans.

Three hours a day is enough for humans to recover some of their energy, and it should not be difficult to persist for 28 days.

"Yes, it's easy to deal with."

Master Tian forced a stiff laugh. "But even with such an easy-to-deal-with source of infection, 170,000 people died in the buffer zone, and another 80,000 took advantage of the chaos to escape. It eventually turned into a plague-level infection, completely wiping out a small nearby city of refuge."

"Um?"

Cheng Ye was stunned. He instinctively didn't believe it, but would Master Tian fool him about such a thing?

"On the first day after learning about the outbreak pattern of the nightmare fluke, everyone was optimistic and felt they could easily get through it."

"However, the emotional fluctuations caused by lack of sleep accumulate. A normally friendly neighbor might suddenly turn on a gun over a minor conflict after ten days of poor sleep. A security guard on duty might also lose control of his emotions and become increasingly hostile to residents, exacerbating various conflicts."

"The closer we get to the 28-day deadline, the harder it gets. What's even more troublesome is that everyone's infected in different batches. Some people make it through 28 days, while others are just infected, only to be infected again and have to start the 28-day count all over again."

Master Tian sighed, "Prosecutor Cheng, you can probably guess what's going to happen next, right?"

actually.

Before Master Tian finished speaking, Cheng Ye was stunned with shock.

When he heard the words "second infection" and "repeated for 28 days", goose bumps suddenly appeared on his arms.

No wonder this source of infection is named 'nightmare fluke'.

As long as everyone cannot keep up with the same progress, this nightmare will continue endlessly.

A cycle of 28 days begins, a cycle of 28 days ends, and a new cycle begins.

If you can only sleep 3 hours a day, even the strongest person can’t last more than half a year.

"And what was the result?"

"The result was a chaotic fight. Those who had survived the 28-day quarantine opened fire on those who had just been infected. Those who were about to complete their 28-day quarantine desperately tried to delay the outbreak. The buffer zone became a complete battlefield, with everyone hiding behind buildings and shooting at each other."

"Because they could only sleep three hours a day, the infected couldn't withstand the energy of the recovered. They were exhausted after just three days. Ultimately, they had no choice but to accept the forced quarantine proposed by the inner city. One by one, they entered the isolation wards. Only when everyone was confirmed to have completed 28 days did the disaster come to an end."

Master Tian chuckled self-deprecatingly. "I know you want to know why everyone initially refused to accept forced quarantine. The truth is, in such a vast wasteland, not everyone is willing to contribute to the collective. There are always those pests who crave the collective's blood. I was one of those forced into quarantine back then, so I know all too well what those people think."

"Some people don't want the nightmare fluke to end. They want this disaster to continue. I remember there was something that only sold for 5 happiness coins, and it was almost sold out. What was it called? Yes, it's a powerful sleeping pill. Once you drink it, you can enter a deep sleep within minutes and quickly restore your energy."

"The nightmare fluke outbreak is clearly about to end, but two days later, a new group of infected people inexplicably appear, triggering a new outbreak. Isn't that strange?"

"Until the final chaos broke out, everyone stopped caring and preferred death to relying on sleep spirits to get by every day. The nightmare flukes suddenly disappeared, and only those who resisted were willing to live in the isolation chamber."

"Inspector Cheng, I'm telling you this to make you understand. Don't try to fight the tide of events on your own. This isn't your fault, inspector. It's the inevitable result of Sanctuary City's development. Even if you truly have the ability to end this disaster prematurely, if you don't address the pest problem at its root, the next wave of internal infection will only come faster."

"Well, it's like a sieve, filtering out the pests for Happy City every few years."

"Only after they are all screened out can our buffer zone and our Happy City usher in a new round of development!"

"And you don't have to worry too much about this disaster. We all have to get through this together. There will definitely be many people standing with you!"

"Including me!"