Chapter 430: A Warning from the Mutated Zombies
Without interference and dead weight, Shen Wencheng threw himself back into his research.
The entire experimental base was bustling day and night, lights burning bright throughout. Hundreds of staff members slept directly in the labs, with their first action upon waking being to check data and inspect equipment.
In contrast to the calm yet busy environment inside the base, the outside world was descending into chaos.
The number of mutated zombies was increasing rapidly. In Dongyang City, they even discovered a recently mutated zombie—an infected father of a family of five.
Fortunately, Dongyang City was under Taoyang’s protection. At the slightest sign of trouble, Su Tao was immediately aware. Upon detecting the abnormality, she swiftly detained the mutated father.
If they had been even a little late, the mindless father would have devoured his wife, children, and elderly parents.
This incident cast a dark psychological shadow over the people of Dongyang. Families with disabled or sick relatives grew anxious, and a wave of paranoia spread through the city.
Fear gave way to prejudice—many began to view disabled individuals and those with chronic illnesses as potential threats. Across various regions, these vulnerable groups were being shunned, expelled, and abandoned.
Several bases even issued formal decrees banning disabled people and the chronically ill from entering. Those already residing within were forcibly expelled.
This cruel discrimination only facilitated the spread of the mutated zombie threat.
Among all the regions, Dongyang and Taoyang fared the best. Under Su Tao and the old commander’s strict orders, no vulnerable members of society were abandoned. With Taoyang’s powerful protection, the people remained relatively calm—after all, any mutations would be detected and contained immediately.
In contrast, the situation in Shou’an was dire. Despite barely surviving a previous disaster, they now faced multiple mutated zombie outbreaks, leading to significant casualties, including the deaths of two of Shou’an’s major officers. The city teetered on the brink of collapse.
Tensions ran high as angry citizens blamed the military for their suffering. Protests erupted in the streets, and the unrest even resulted in fatalities.
The city’s leadership was in turmoil—juggling the suppression of protests while desperately trying to identify hidden mutants among their own ranks. Paranoia was so intense that many high-ranking officials stopped showing up for work, fearing they might be devoured by their own colleagues.
Some in Shou’an regretted not accepting Taoyang’s help earlier—especially the detection serum. If they had, there would be no need to blindly guess who was infected.
Stubborn pride had come at a steep price.
Left with no alternative, Governor Ge Haibin of Shou’an swallowed his pride and reached out to Taoyang for help, requesting a supply of the detection serum.
When Zhuang Wan took the call, she couldn’t resist taunting him with thinly veiled sarcasm, relishing the moment. Ge Haibin, humiliated but desperate, had no choice but to endure the mockery.
Su Tao remained practical. “Give them two vials, but in exchange, they must trade weapons. Let Grandma Yu pick the ones she wants—if she doesn’t approve, we won’t accept them.”
If only Shou’an had been less arrogant earlier, lives could have been saved. Now, they had no choice but to pay the price.
Although it pained him, Ge Haibin agreed to the trade. But he cursed his luck—Grandma Yu had a sharp eye and only took the best weapons.
After Shou’an, bases in Yuncang and Wutai followed suit, pleading for detection serum. Unlike Taoyang, they had no protective barriers—every new mutation resulted in a wave of death. With their morgues overflowing, they couldn’t endure the losses any longer.
Su Tao wasn’t being stingy—the truth was, there simply wasn’t enough serum to go around. Every available resource was focused on developing a cure to eliminate mutated zombies, leaving no manpower to mass-produce detection serums.
Still, she couldn’t bear to stand by and watch more people die. So, she proposed a new solution—any base that wanted the serum had to send their best researchers to Taoyang. In exchange for their labor, they would receive the technology to produce the serum themselves.
There were no restrictions—whether they were from large bases, small settlements, or even former enemies, all were welcome. Taoyang extended a hand to all survivors, without harboring grudges.
Moreover, researchers who joined Taoyang would enjoy low living costs and the ability to rent housing in nearby Dongyang.
This act of generosity shocked the other bases. Many had assumed Taoyang would abandon them entirely.
Even Ling Tianji, the former leader of Xindu Base, was left speechless upon hearing the news.
While other bases had schemed to suppress Taoyang’s rise, Su Tao and her team prioritized saving lives. The realization of their pettiness and short-sightedness left them deeply ashamed.
Within a week, over four thousand researchers had flocked to Taoyang. When the base ran out of accommodations, they allowed people to settle in nearby Dongyang.
These new arrivals understood the gravity of their mission. They worked tirelessly and caused no trouble.
Yet despite the increased production of detection serums, the number of mutated zombies continued to grow.
Thanks to Minister Xu’s intelligence network and Shi Zijin’s uncanny detection abilities, Su Tao captured an increasing number of these dangerous mutants. So many, in fact, that they had to construct underground cells to hold them. Above ground, research continued; below ground, the monsters were locked away.
Her constant disruptions thwarted the Siren’s plans to gather an army, which only fueled its rage. Without enough mutants, its goal of launching a large-scale assault was impossible.
The Siren decided it was time to send Taoyang a message—a blood-soaked warning.
Su Tao suspected she had become a prime target for the mutated zombies. While she was confident in her own safety, she worried about her friends and tenants. As a precaution, she imposed strict travel restrictions—no one was allowed to leave Taoyang without an urgent reason.
Despite the rules, some residents still begged to leave, desperate to visit injured or dying loved ones. Su Tao, understanding their pain, granted permission.
But those who left never returned.
One day, Su Tao received news of a grisly discovery—three mutilated corpses hanging from a dead tree less than three miles from Taoyang.
Among them was a thirteen-year-old girl. Her face was disfigured, her nose gouged out, leaving a blackened, bloody cavity. Her body was torn apart, and her wide-open eyes stared lifelessly into the void.
Zhuang Wan, trembling with tears, recognized them immediately. “It’s the Qi family from Building Three… Their daughter… She was such a sweet, polite girl…”
Xu Qi, furious and heartbroken, swore through gritted teeth, “Those bastards!”
The message was clear—this was a warning from the mutated zombies. A blood-stained declaration of war.
Su Tao’s fists clenched in rage. They wanted to intimidate her into stopping the captures?
Not a chance. From now on, no mutant would escape her grasp.
