Biohazard Crisis

Despite Bearded Jack's interruptions, Luo Shu quickly formulated a plan.

"Surveillance confirmed SCP-049 isn't inside Site-19 anymore—it must've escaped. Based on this morning's events, we can pinpoint its disappearance to between 0400 and 0500, during SCP-096's breach."

His analysis was methodical, and even the Site Director listened intently.

"During that window, SCP-096 was active in Site-19, so external surveillance footage wouldn't have captured it."

The Director caught on immediately. "Understood. I'll have the perimeter footage reviewed. Jack, bring Luo Shu to my office in the meantime."

The Smiling Plague Doctor

When Luo Shu and Bearded Jack arrived, the Director was carefully scrubbing through street camera feeds around Site-19's exterior.

At the 0453 timestamp, a familiar—yet horrifying—figure appeared.

Black robes. A white mask.

It was the Plague Doctor.

"Pause! Zoom in!" Luo Shu ordered.

The Director hesitated but complied.

All three men froze.

The mask wasn't SCP-049's signature plague-beak.

It was a grinning face.

SCP-035 ("The Possessive Mask").

The Director lost it.

He grabbed the phone and roared: "CHECK SUBLEVEL-5 NOW! IS SCP-035 ALSO GONE?!"

Luo Shu's mind reeled.

"The 'God' made the Plague Doctor wear 035? Is he trying to end the world?!"

"Is the 'God' actually a Chaos Insurgency mole?!"

But the footage showed no sign of the "God."

And logically, if the "God" wanted an XK-class apocalypse, he wouldn't need to involve Site-19 or choose today.

That old bastard's powers are insane. He could've teleported into any containment unit anytime.

This makes no sense.

Dwelling on the "God's" motives was a waste of time. Finding SCP-049 was the priority.

Luo Shu refocused on the footage.

After leaving Site-19, SCP-049 entered a waiting car—meaning it had outside help.

The driver was skilled, weaving through streets before vanishing into a blind-spot alleyway.

Dead end.

Luo Shu made a snap decision. "We need to search that area. Nearby shops or homes might have private cameras."

Both Level-4s agreed.

While the Foundation controlled most public surveillance, off-grid private cameras were beyond their reach.

The Coming Storm

The entire MTF Nine-Tailed Fox squad mobilized.

A rogue Plague Doctor loose in the city?

Disaster was inevitable.

The New World Continent had already suffered a devastating plague over the past year:

30 million infected.

500,000 dead.

Thousands dying daily.

If SCP-049 sensed this ocean of pestilence, it would lose all restraint.

And now, fused with SCP-035's corruptive influence?

No one could predict the horror.

The team theorized: "049 is likely hiding somewhere, mass-producing SCP-049-2 instances."

It was now 0900—four hours since the breach.

Enough time to create dozens of zombies.

As their convoy sped through the capital's morning rush, Luo Shu watched the oblivious crowds with dread.

The calm before the storm.

The Director had already requested O5-level reinforcements—hundreds of MTF units were en route.

Nine-Tailed Fox's mission: Find SCP-049 before the outbreak escalates.

Combat? No one was ready.

The quieter the streets seemed now, the more catastrophic the explosion would be.

Ground Zero

The team reached the last known location—the blind-spot alley.

Luo Shu immediately targeted a 24-hour convenience store.

"Their cameras might've caught something."

But as he approached, a bloodcurdling scream erupted inside.

A blood-soaked woman stumbled out, her flesh mangled by bite wounds.

Behind her, a shambling man with blue-black necrotic skin chewed on something unidentifiable.

Luo Shu's mind flashed:

"Biohazard Crisis."

SCP-049's reanimated corpses + SCP-035's accelerated decay = ZOMBIES.

He backpedaled, yelling: "Restrain that woman! Don't let her leave!"

The critical question: Were these zombies infectious?

Only one way to find out—contain and observe.

Bearded Jack barked orders. Two operatives grappled the bleeding woman, while another put a bullet in the zombie's skull.

(Standard protocol for SCP-049-2 instances.)

Under heavy guard, Luo Shu entered the store and accessed its security feed.

Rewinding to 0507, the footage showed:

SCP-049—wearing SCP-035's grinning mask—glaring into the camera.

"YOU LIED!" it screeched. "THIS WORLD MUST BE PURIFIED!"