Chapter 19: The Sealed Super Virus

On the orbit of FJ-III, inside a massive space station…

"Incredible, simply incredible. This is the first time I've encountered such a fascinating virus," muttered an elderly man standing in front of the quarantine chamber.

This unremarkable old man was none other than Dr. Liu Siqi, the Empire's chief virologist and biologist.

With unwavering focus, Dr. Liu used his mind-control interface to direct a robotic arm inside the isolation chamber. The robot carefully injected the virus into several separate petri dishes.

Standing beside him, Li Mingze, the Emperor, asked curiously, "Oh, Dr. Liu, what exactly makes this virus so special? Tell me about it."

"Your Majesty, this virus is capable of disguising itself by devouring healthy cells. It changes its appearance based on the cells it consumes. If I hadn't personally placed this virus in the petri dish, I wouldn't even know it was there. Moreover, its disguise is so perfect that our current detection equipment cannot identify its presence!"

As he spoke, the elderly scientist commanded the robot to release a swarm of nanomedical robots into the petri dish.

Nanomedical robots were a technological marvel used by both the Empire and the Parker Alliance. These microscopic machines could destroy harmful viruses, bacteria, and even cancer cells. They could also self-replicate to seal wounds and repair internal organs—making them an essential tool for both warfare and everyday medical care.

However, against this virus, the typically unstoppable nanomedical robots did nothing. They ignored the infected cells right beside them and aimlessly wandered through the petri dish.

"Observe, Your Majesty. This virus doesn't just disguise itself visually. It can also mimic healthy cells on an electromagnetic and radiation signature level, rendering medical devices completely ineffective. Now, let me show you something even more remarkable."

Dr. Liu then used the robotic arm to activate a miniature laser emitter attached to it. He aimed it at what appeared to be a healthy cell—one that had already been consumed by the virus.

A beam of light, invisible to the naked eye, struck the cell. Instantly, the cell was shattered into tiny fragments. However—before their very eyes—the cell began to reassemble itself. Within seconds, it was whole again, as if nothing had happened.

"This virus can regenerate!" exclaimed Li Mingze in shock.

"Precisely, Your Majesty. As long as the virus retains enough stored energy, it can regenerate indefinitely. However, once its internal energy supply is depleted, it will be completely eradicated."

"According to records from a long-extinct civilization, the virus has a three-month incubation period before it kills its host. And once infected, there is no cure! The only way to prevent infection is to preemptively inject a vaccine containing specific pheromones. These trick the virus into believing the host has already been infected, making it ignore them."

"Fortunately, this virus has an extremely short lifespan in nature—only ten days. Furthermore, its genetic structure is incredibly stable, meaning it does not mutate," Dr. Liu continued, still deeply fascinated by his research.

"Excellent! I want this virus weaponized as soon as possible. I intend to use it in the upcoming war," Li Mingze commanded, nodding in satisfaction before turning to leave the isolation chamber.

"As you wish, Your Majesty!" Dr. Liu replied enthusiastically.

The virus being studied was none other than the "Javon Plague," the same super virus that had annihilated the once-mighty Ireson Alliance. This ancient civilization had ruled a vast stretch of space, yet this virus had infected every last one of them, leaving no survivors. Even when they finally developed a vaccine, it was already too late.

This information gave Emperor Li Mingze a brilliant idea! He was no European knight, bound by archaic codes of honor. No! He had no intention of engaging in fair battles. He would fight dirty—biological warfare!

Determined to develop unconventional tactics, he secretly ordered the construction of this off-the-record space station. Officially, it was a research facility for household waste-processing bacteria. In reality, it housed the Empire's top biologists and virologists, who were tasked with studying the Javon Plague in depth.

Ever since discovering the Parker League, a neighboring superpower just twenty light-years away, Li Mingze had felt immense pressure. The League had numerous member states, vast territories, and a formidable fleet.

While the Empire had recently developed energy shields to counter the Alliance's powerful energy weapons, a direct fleet confrontation would be disastrous. Even if given another five to ten years to expand, the Empire's naval strength would still fall short.

Thus, Li Mingze chose an alternative path—to collapse the enemy from within.

To prevent any accidental outbreak within the Empire, he had already implemented strict precautions. Six months ago, every citizen, slave, and foreign auxiliary soldier had been vaccinated against the virus. Additionally, specialized detection devices and personal protective suits were distributed to every household.

Li Mingze was confident that this unconventional weapon would take his enemies by surprise!

A Few Days Later

Next to the FJ-III orbital space station, a large shipyard was under construction. This facility was tasked with building a special diplomatic vessel set to visit the Parker League in three months. Unlike standard warships, this ship had no weapon systems—its sole mission was to transport diplomats to the Alliance.

Through years of exploration, Li Mingze discovered that, unlike the direction of the Parker League, the opposite side of the galaxy was an uncharted wasteland. This newly-formed region of space was severely lacking in rare resources, and habitable planets were incredibly scarce. Of the 431 star systems explored by Imperial research vessels, only a handful contained life-bearing worlds—and none were suitable for human habitation.

With the Empire's current level of technology, terraforming these planets would take centuries, an investment of time that Li Mingze could not afford. While future advancements might extend his lifespan, he could not guarantee immortality. The Empire's golden age of expansion could not be wasted!

This meant that the Parker League was an unavoidable obstacle—one that had to be overcome.

Joining as a mere member state and being confined to a few star systems was unacceptable.

The barrier blocking the Empire's progress would be crushed beneath its war machine!

The upcoming diplomatic visit to the Parker League marked the beginning of the Empire's rise to galactic dominance.

This war would decide the Empire's fate!