They studied viruses not to create biochemical weapons, but to dedicate themselves to eradicating them completely.

According to experimental logs and other records, Libra Company invested tens of billions of US dollars to establish research centers around the world, aimed at studying how to resist and eliminate various diseases.

The research center beneath Li Ang and his team's feet had, many years ago and with the strong support of Libra Company, developed ARV anti-retroviral drugs. These drugs could stop the replication and spread of the HIV virus in various ways. With the help of the World Health Organization, the drug was sold at an extremely low price, successfully reducing the annual global number of new HIV cases to 10% of its previous level.

Such benevolent acts were numerous, addressing diseases from tuberculosis and anthrax to cholera and measles. The research departments of Libra Company made a huge contribution to the cause of eradicating diseases for all humankind. Alphonse Anderson, who spared no expense and fully promoted these projects, was also held in high esteem by all sectors of society.

This was a bit different from what the players had anticipated. Everyone thought that Alphonse was either a mad scientist pursuing truth or a capitalist exploiting science for fame and profit; unexpectedly, he also had a side to him as a great philanthropist.

"Before the records were interrupted, the research personnel here had been studying small molecule non-immunogenic hydrophobic proteins, also known as prions. There's no record of mutated pathogens here..."

Stonemason put down the files in his hand and said in a deep voice, "Either the records have been destroyed, or the laboratory researching the pathogen is not located here."

Li Ang shook his head. "It's also possible that the mutated pathogen is in the core laboratory on this level, but there is no paper documentation. I want to go into the core laboratory and take a look."

Staying in the hallway, staff restrooms, or auxiliary rooms was a completely different concept from walking directly into the core laboratory area. The protective rating of the biohazard suits worn by the players was still too low. In case of infection by the mutated pathogen, the only option would be to immediately drink a bottle of Life Potion.

Although the players were members of secret organizations, the number of Life Potions they could obtain was also very limited. It truly pained them to waste one searching the core laboratory.

Since Li Rising was willing to sacrifice himself for the team, the others naturally had no objections.

Li Ang took out another protective suit from his inventory. After putting it on, he opened the valve under his companions' watchful eyes and walked into the circular corridor, moving from the clean air zone to the core laboratory, which was enclosed by a steel framework and stainless steel panels.

Layers of steel blocked the other players' view. Li Ang, holding a flashlight, quickly searched through many partitioned rooms, including the animal dissecting room, the sterilization room, and the cell laboratory, but did not find the mutated pathogen. Other deadly viruses that were originally stored in the core laboratory had also been deliberately destroyed before the power outage.

"What's going on here?" Li Ang wondered aloud, completely bewildered. He slapped his forehead, a classic 'I'm utterly baffled' expression crossing his face.

Not finding the mutated pathogen did not mean there were no findings at all. Li Ang packed all the equipment in the core laboratory—including the biological safety cabinet, ultra-low temperature freezer, centrifuge, electrothermal cell culture cabinet, microscope, and experimental table—into his inventory. Luckily, he had cleaned out his backpack beforehand and put most of his items into the Alchemist's Magic Box; otherwise, he really couldn't have carried all these items.

After scavenging, he exited the core laboratory and told his companions from a distance that he hadn't discovered the mutated pathogen.

Just as everyone was puzzled, Black Holy Son's expression suddenly changed dramatically. He raised a hand and turned to look back down the corridor.

The others instantly closed their mouths and, together with Black Holy Son, turned off their flashlights.

The corridor returned to a deathlike silence.

In the stillness, it seemed as if footsteps, sometimes light, sometimes heavy, were approaching from the distance.

Lame, about 1.8 meters tall, weighing around 80 kilograms, walking barefoot.

In Li Ang's mind, an image of the person making the footsteps took shape. A living person? Or a mutant?

HUFF... HUFF...

A ragged breathing sound, as if from a torn windpipe, echoed through the corridor. The owner of the footsteps lingered for a while, seemingly having found the damaged elevator doors, before turning and running towards the other end of the corridor.

"Chase!"

Stonemason commanded in a deep voice. The six of them turned on their flashlights and chased down the corridor.

After rounding several corners, the beams from their flashlights found the source of the footsteps. It was a deformed and ugly humanoid creature. Its skin was a sickly yellow-green, covered in huge pustules that dangled from its body like countless heavy, water-filled bags.

He was barefoot, draped in tattered cloth that, upon closer inspection, could be vaguely identified as a suit and trousers.

He had been clumsily and slowly running down the corridor on his swollen, elephantine legs. But upon realizing he was caught in the artificial light, he abruptly turned around, his mushroom-like, deformed face filled with surprise. "People! People! You're alive!"

He shouted inarticulately, flailing his arms desperately to signal he meant no harm.

The six players abruptly halted, their weapons aimed at the creature.

"Don't come any closer!"

Stonemason took a half step back and shouted, "Stay there! Don't move!" Visit My Virtual Library Empire (*) for more.

The mutated creature obediently stopped. Tears streamed from its swollen eyes, compressed by the pustules, as it muttered to itself, "I knew it... I knew there would be survivors..."

Li Ang and Wanli Fengdao exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them: things were never that simple. The mutated creature before them still possessed its own consciousness and, judging by its tone, seemed to have survived since the very beginning of the disaster.

Taking a deep breath, Stonemason demanded of the humanoid mutant, "Your name?"

"My name?"

The mutated creature managed an expression that was probably a bitter smile and said, "You might have heard of me... My name is Alphonse Anderson."

Alphonse Anderson—a prime suspect in the mutation disaster, one of their mission targets, a character who seemed destined to be a major boss—how had he suddenly appeared before Li Ang and the others, and in such a pitiable, powerless state?

Stonemason's mind raced, but his face remained expressionless.

"Did you come from above ground? How many survivors are left up there? Have you rebuilt civilization?"

The mutated creature, or rather, Alphonse Anderson, asked eagerly, "How did you break through the blockade of those mutated monsters above? Are you here to destroy..."

"Answer my questions first!"

Stonemason abruptly raised his voice. He looked coldly at Alphonse Anderson and demanded, "What exactly is this disaster all about?"