Inside Rollins Air Force Base, Dichen faced off with Quinn, a senior intelligence chief. Standing beside them was Bryce Williams, from the CIA, who merely smirked.
"You claim you were the only one who entered the container?" Bryce asked coldly.
"Yes!" Dichen answered bitterly.
"Then let me ask you this… weren't you the one who locked the container? Didn't you pilot the chopper that delivered it?"
"I tried to change plans and reroute the container," Dichen stammered, "but the damn thing was already under military custody before I could act."
Bryce sneered. "You were too slow."
With a wave of Bryce's hand, military personnel moved in, handcuffing Dichen without further warning.
A colonel spoke gravely, "Everyone knows the reputation of the Water Virus. We need cooperation from Homeland. Someone here stole it—and we have reason to suspect it's one of you."
All agencies nodded solemnly. No one dared argue with the military.
Meanwhile, back at the Rose Motel, Rian calmly entered a hidden room.
From within a secure compartment, he pulled out the actual Water Virus sample—a sleek metal cylinder containing six doses in stabilized solution.
He had taken the real virus long ago.
Unsealing the capsule, Rian extracted one vial and stashed the rest safely away.
This strain had been bioengineered to be compatible with most human ethnic groups, boasting a 99.9999% transmission efficiency. Rian smirked as he began analyzing its features.
"If I let this spread uncontrolled, the Futang government would be forced to act. A bio-crisis would elevate my value."
"They'd have no choice but to recruit me—or beg for a cure. After all, I'd be holding the only vaccine source."
He theorized how the virus worked:
Stage 1: Initial infection silently spreads through fluids, air, and even skin contact. No immediate symptoms.
Stage 2: It invades the genetic system, targeting reproductive cells.
Stage 3: The virus quietly mutates within the host, affecting hormone balance and nervous function.
Stage 4: Infected hosts show signs of madness—violent, irrational behavior, similar to rabies. Delirium and suicide follow.
Final stage: Total systemic failure. The virus targets the brain, turning victims into feral wrecks.
"Even if the gods came down, they couldn't cure it. That's the genius of it."
Rian poured the virus into a glass tube for a final synthesis. It reacted with greenish materials, forming a black, oily compound—hyperdense and alive.
He mused again:
"This tech traces back to the Nazis and Soviets. It's been researched for a century by secret organizations. Do they think I'd believe they just handed this to the Prometheus Group by accident?"
"In my hands, it will only be used strategically."
He considered options. Using the virus in Lac Thanh (his current city) would be inefficient—too slow to spread. But if he traveled to Futang (a fictional East Asian superpower), the dense population would ensure an outbreak.
Pulling up a digital ticket, he booked a flight under an alias.
"Only 13 hours... I'll be in Futang before they even realize what's missing."
"Plus, I still have 3,000 doses of Jinling extract—perfect for fast travel and identity masking."
Before leaving, Rian checked his system.
Base Skill Upgrade Cards: 10
He used all of them to boost his Iron Body Technique to Level 4.
As the energy coursed through him, Rian collapsed to the floor. His muscles twitched, transformed, and restructured at a cellular level.
When he stood back up, his body had achieved absolute control:
He could manipulate muscle density at will.
Accelerate or slow his heartbeat consciously.
Contract every muscle group like a conductor orchestrating a symphony.
New Skill Unlocked: Muscle Control (Advanced)
"With this... I can truly match elite national-level soldiers. No... surpass them."