"The GOD Virus is actually a virus from ancient organisms?" "How did the ancient people survive then?" Wang Linchi, looking at the related information stored in the computer, quickly found the source of the GOD Virus. "Oh, it wasn’t initially contagious, but they coveted its capacity for immortality, and experiments led to the virus mutating." The GOD Virus originally existed in a plant called Tianshin Grass. If a person consumed it and survived the toxicity, they could gain a powerful Physique, derive greater longevity from it, and most importantly, achieve spiritual development. This name... sounds like something straight out of a cultivation novel. The prototype of the GOD Virus was contained within Tianshin Grass. It wasn’t as virulent as it is now, turning people into zombies; at worst, failing to overcome the toxicity meant death. However, this greatly intrigued some high-ranking individuals. They craved both longevity and power but were unwilling to take risks. Those who reached high positions were typically in their forties or fifties, if not their seventies or eighties, and their bodily functions had significantly declined. A young person might have a chance to withstand it, but these individuals had virtually no chance at all. Therefore, the Dawn Watch Company stepped forward, claiming they could achieve this. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Dawn Watch Company continuously expanded. Before the GOD Virus was created, they used Tianshin Grass as a raw material and did indeed produce numerous potions to enhance Physique and extend life. However, these were ultimately flawed, artificially produced items with numerous defects, the most serious being drug resistance and insufficient efficacy. The increase in Physique wasn’t permanent like that from Tianshin Grass; unless maintained with intensive training, it would regress. Lifespan could only be extended by one or two years, and the specific duration depended on an individual’s Physique; those in poor health might not even gain a full year. Moreover, it could only be taken once, making it a tantalizing yet unattainable temptation. So, the Dawn Watch Company planned to go for a complete solution: remove the toxicity of Tianshin Grass. Even if it didn’t enhance the original abilities, their priority was to appease these important figures. The results proved they were successful: zombies possessed powerful Physiques and near-immortality. Of course, the toxicity of Tianshin Grass was not the GOD Virus itself. In fact, the abilities to enhance Physique, extend longevity, and grant Superpowers were the true capabilities of the GOD Virus. They had thrown out the baby and raised the placenta. As for the inherent abilities of Tianshin Grass itself, Wang Linchi wasn’t sure. It could have been an ordinary weed, a highly toxic herb, or perhaps it truly possessed some special abilities. In any case, the Dawn Watch Company’s GOD Virus laboratory hadn’t figured it out yet. Their research on Tianshin Grass had, in fact, already been largely shelved as they shifted their focus to the GOD Virus. By this point, the GOD Virus and Tianshin Grass were essentially two different concepts. After extracting the GOD Virus from Tianshin Grass, they naturally subjected it to various modifications and enhancements. After all, in their eyes, this was a symbol of immortality and power. Following the zombie outbreak, this project became even more critical, not only for their own benefit but also to resolve the zombie crisis. Currently, within the entire Secret Realm, the Dawn Watch Company was likely the most powerful. If they could solve the zombie problem, they would become the supreme rulers. This further added ’power’ to the GOD Virus’s allure, prompting the Dawn Watch Company to invest even more resources into this project without reservation. As Wang Linchi browsed, he recorded a vast amount of data. In fact, the researchers had already found some clues. For example, considering the principle of mutual promotion and inhibition, the GOD Virus was not contagious when present in Tianshin Grass. This suggested that if they could extract the corresponding substances from Tianshin Grass, they might be able to resolve the zombie catastrophe. This was also why the Tianshin Grass project was largely shelved. The reasons for it being largely shelved might not just be these; there’s also the issue of yield. This stuff is very delicate. Wang Linchi discovered that the Tianshin Grass cultivation area was on the twelfth basement level. So what could be on the thirteenth basement level that’s even more valuable than Tianshin Grass? Wang Linchi muttered to himself, continuously searching the computer System. [Insufficient Permissions. Please perform identity card verification and provide iris, fingerprint, and voiceprint comparison.] He clicked on it, only to find it was locked. Wang Linchi had no way to bypass it. The main issue was his inclination towards the mystical arts; playing hacker was genuinely a bit much for him. It was too late to learn on the fly. Even if he took notes, he’d have to study it, and true mastery would take even longer. So, he decisively gave up. The information he could access was quite limited; much of the more in-depth data was beyond his reach. He didn’t even know what was on the thirteenth basement level; the security clearance required was extremely high. I need to find a ’kind soul’ to help me out, someone with enough authority to let me see all the data. Wang Linchi’s gaze soon fell upon a bald, middle-aged man in a white lab coat; he was the director of the GOD Virus laboratory. There probably isn’t anyone here with higher clearance than you. Wang Linchi thought, considering using the man’s identity. The ID card itself wasn’t an issue; Wang Linchi could steal one. But simulating the iris, fingerprint, and voiceprint would be challenging. The difficulty lay with the fingerprint and voiceprint. Wang Linchi didn’t know which finger the man used for the scanner—a one-in-ten chance... That doesn’t sound too low, does it? Then there was the voiceprint. It definitely wouldn’t be just any random words but a specific passphrase. An incorrect passphrase would likely result in a failed unlock attempt. He was worried that a failed validation would trigger the alarm System; after all, with such high-level confidentiality, the security measures were undoubtedly top-notch. As for getting the lab director to cooperate, that wasn’t out of the question either. The issue was, he could transform himself, so there was no need to stir up unnecessary trouble. Having formed an idea, Wang Linchi stood aside, continuously observing the lab director. Collecting the fingerprint and voice data went smoothly, and Wang Linchi easily simulated them. The iris scan was the simplest part. Wang Linchi effortlessly collected the necessary data. Time ticked by, and nine o’clock arrived in a flash. After finishing their late-night snacks, the researchers quickly clocked out and left. Seeing this, Wang Linchi naturally planned to make his move, such as acquiring the lab director’s ID card. However, he then discovered that after the lab director saw everyone off, he didn’t leave! Looking quite pleased with himself, he sat back down at his computer. The man expertly swiped his card and passed the biometric verifications, leaving Wang Linchi momentarily stunned. He’d still been wondering how to tackle the voiceprint and fingerprint issue, and here the director was, practically serving up the solution. He then produced a small portable hard drive and began copying data. Wang Linchi’s eyes narrowed. This guy’s a mole, isn’t he? "Zombies have evolved a reproductive system. These beasts are slowly evolving into true life forms." "This means the GOD Virus’s power isn’t limited to its initially discovered functions. It’s the key to evolution! The ultimate goal isn’t some trivial extension of lifespan, but godhood—true godhood!" "If even corpses can attain such might, then humanity’s evolution is destined to be a smooth path!" The man’s face was contorted with a savage and fanatical expression. Wang Linchi was speechless; he couldn’t shake the feeling that this guy had been thoroughly bamboozled. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝙣𝙚𝙩 Wang Linchi examined the portable hard drive closely. It seemed capable not only of copying but also of transmitting data instantly. Base Number Seven? Listening to the man’s muttering, Wang Linchi quickly understood which faction he belonged to. Wang Linchi knew of this base. It was the experimental facility originally responsible for the GOD Virus project and also the source of the initial virus leak. He had found all this information on the computers in the GOD Virus laboratory. So, people there didn’t all die. Wang Linchi was somewhat surprised. The Dawn Watch Company had previously sent teams to investigate Base Number Seven, intending to recover research findings, relevant samples, and so on, but all the security personnel dispatched had been wiped out. Therefore, in the company’s eyes, Base Number Seven was considered completely annihilated, possibly having even spawned extremely powerful mutated zombies. As the origin point of the virus, such mutations were only to be expected. So, they had decisively abandoned further exploration and turned to conducting their own research instead. Now it seemed that not only had Base Number Seven survived, but they had also turned the tables and infiltrated the Dawn Watch Company. Interesting. Seeing this, Wang Linchi gave a slight smirk. The lab director quickly transferred the data to Base Number Seven and skillfully erased the access records from the System log to ensure he couldn’t be traced. As for the surveillance cameras, another group of moles had already taken care of them. Once the director left, Wang Linchi followed, preparing to have this ’helpful’ director assist him a little. Someone had just demonstrated the entire process for him. If he couldn’t even copy that, he might as well give up this line of work.