Chapter 4

A month before the accident, in a luxurious and cozy dental clinic in District 19, a tall and slender female dentist admired Dr. James's new regrown teeth.

She genuinely praised,"The stem cell implant technology has truly surpassed any artificial teeth. They look so natural and healthy, they could be our clinic's tooth model!"

Dr. James was also very satisfied with his white and neat teeth. Suddenly, he noticed the holographic TV program in the room and couldn't help but sit up.

"Doctor, could you turn up the TV volume?"

"Certainly, Dr. James." The female dentist turned towards the TV wall and softly said,"Increase the volume."

The screen showed worried citizens outside the new city bio-lab protesting with banners. Some cheered for the rumored breakthrough medical advances in development, while others questioned the risks of such dangerous facilities near homes. Rumors of biohazard risks and unauthorized experiments had already quietly spread through society.

Half an hour later, Dr. James irritably tossed away his coffee cup and returned to the lab. Through the bright isolation glass, he operated a robotic arm to remove a tissue sample from the cadaver of a dire wolf on the dissection table and carefully placed it into a petri dish.(Ref Pubang's books series 1"The night of hunting games")

The large glass in front of him transformed into a huge screen, displaying a magnified view of spores floating in the liquid in the petri dish. They appeared to be some form of life awakening. His breathing quickened, and his eyes reflected a blend of excitement and deep longing for something big.

He ran a hand over his thinning hairline and pulled up an old photo on his phone. It was taken ten years ago at a college reunion, where everyone else seemed to have achieved success—some had become top researchers at renowned companies, while others were chief scientists in prestigious labs. In contrast, James Reed was just a struggling, unknown researcher in a second-rate lab.

Ever since, he had found every excuse to skip reunions, unable to face the well-meaning yet pitying questions of his classmates—especially his wife Catherine's mocking remark:"You're just afraid of being embarrassed, can't stand seeing others do better than you."

"Embarrassed…"

James repeated softly before slamming his fist on the desk. It wasn't that he hadn't tried; his research never yielded a breakthrough. His grant proposals were either rejected or severely underfunded, and his workbench was cluttered with outdated equipment scavenged from other labs. Deep down, he knew his time was running out. Without significant results, he risked being sidelined completely—or even losing his job.

A month ago, he managed to obtain a sample from a rural village that was slated for destruction (reference"Series 1, The Night of Hunting Games"). It was a dead animal—a direwolf's body, carrying a special fungus called"black flower fungus."

Lab rules clearly stated that such high-risk samples were not suitable for his lab, but James felt his heart race. A wild thought struck him: if this fungus could truly alter the host's genes and behavior as rumored, its value would be immeasurable!

"This is my chance!"

James' palms were sweaty. He knew the risks but understood that only by seizing this chance could he make everyone take notice. He hid the sample in his research box and secretly altered the lab records to ensure no one would notice what the sample was.

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The next morning, James began his secret experiment at the lab bench. His movements were very careful, but he felt an excitement he had never felt before. When the black flower fungus first appeared under the microscope, showing their strange patterns, he felt like he was part of an epic discovery. Those tiny black lines seemed like unknown life codes, telling him some indescribable secret.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Dr. Monica walked in. She was James' assistant, young but very talented, often coming up with impressive ideas in the details. Though she had only been working for two years, everyone in the lab said that if she kept it up, she would soon be a superstar in science.

"Dr. James," Monica glanced at his nervous face, frowning,"What are you researching? This isn't... from the disaster outbreak area, is it? I thought they were all supposed to be destroyed."

James' heart sank but he quickly adjusted his expression, forcing a smile:"Monica, you know, sometimes we have to be a bit... flexible. Science requires risks, don't you understand?"

Monica's expression turned cold, and she whispered,"James, this is too dangerous! We know nothing about this fungus. If it really causes genetic mutations, it could threaten not just the lab but the whole city! This must be reported immediately!"

James gripped Monica's shoulder, his voice low but firm,"Monica, I know you're cautious and principled. But you must understand, we're all struggling in this lab. I know you also want better opportunities, to work in bigger labs, right?"

He looked at her hesitant face and continued,"Let me tell you in advance, I just received a call from a major benefactor. They're going to provide us with a substantial amount of funding for this project. This benefactor is someone even the mayor wouldn't dare to cross.

This discovery could get us on the cover of Nature, make us the envy of everyone. If we succeed, your name will go down in history with mine. Monica, you're still young, you need to seize this chance."

Monica lowered her eyes, not answering immediately.

James' gaze turned cold,"Of course, if you want to switch sides, I don't mind. But remember, every new employer will need my recommendation."

Monica looked at James in shock. He was right. Her family wasn't wealthy, and her parents were heavily in debt for her tuition. If she could take this chance to advance her career, everything would change. But... she still felt uneasy.

"Dr. James," Monica took a deep breath,"Are you sure we can control this fungus?"

"Of course we can!" James replied firmly, his eyes burning with a madness Monica had never seen before,"I've observed it. These spores need a host to reproduce, and once the host dies, they stop. We can control them."

However, the accident was like a storm hidden beneath calm waters.

Not long after Dr. James and Dr. Monica became famous, one day, Dr. Monica nervously approached Dr. James,"Doctor, look, the spores' reproductive activity seems to be increasing, but their numbers are dropping significantly."

Enjoying his delicious coffee, Dr. James jokingly said,"Unless they've gotten a free pass."

But Dr. James's expression grew more uneasy,"This isn't right... wait, what's going on with the fan's data?" He spilled a large amount of coffee on the floor. But it was too late, the spores had already started to escape, dancing in the city's air like released spirits.

Sirens blared, and red lights began flashing.

Dr. Monica collapsed weakly into a chair, her eyes vacant. She made the sign of the cross and weakly murmured,"Oh God, is this mysterious force your punishment on this world, or a gift from Satan to humanity?"

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