“What’s going on? Contamination disease?”

“How come there wasn’t any sign at all? That was way too sudden!”

“I still have to go on a business trip tomorrow!”

For the vast majority of people, contamination disease was just a plague that happened abroad.

At first, everyone was a bit panicked. After all, no one wanted to turn into a monster. But in the past two or three years, there had been daily reports about contamination disease, and people gradually realized that this illness wasn’t completely untreatable. Instead, the fear lessened.

They just never expected that one day, contamination would happen right around them.

In the neighborhood group chat, the property management made a statement: “Residents, please rest assured. We have already received the notice. Although we can’t go out, the property management will still serve all residents. If you need to purchase daily necessities, you can make a list and give it to me. We will definitely get through this difficult time together!”

Meanwhile, in Adam Carter’s colleagues’ group chat, a bunch of doctors were also discussing this outbreak of contamination disease non-stop.

“Contamination disease isn’t part of the traditional medical system. Will we doctors be requisitioned?”

“Sigh, I have a patient who’s about to undergo a tumor removal surgery. Now I can’t go out, and can’t go to the hospital either. What am I supposed to do?”

“Why do even doctors have to quarantine at home?!”

Although contamination disease was often reported, and some doctors were curious about it,

But… it was only because of their profession that they knew a bit more than ordinary people.

At the very least, the management of contamination disease was no longer within the realm of medicine.

This world-upending contamination disease, in most people’s minds, was still just a troublesome infectious disease like the flu or AIDS. At first, the research institute thought so too.

Everyone was optimistic, believing that humanity would conquer contamination disease just like it conquered smallpox.

Only Adam Carter, staring at the message on the screen, looked grim. He thought of the fish eggs he saw during yesterday’s surgery.

David Harris said there wouldn’t be secondary contamination, but Kevin Thompson had already started to mutate.

In the morning, he called Mr. Parker. The director told him he was already on a plane back to his hometown.

The director hadn’t shown any symptoms of contamination.

During the surgery, only Kevin Thompson had come into contact with the ruptured fish eggs.

Bodily fluids… transmission?

*

This time, the lockdown was especially strict.

The next morning, Adam Carter stood by the window, as usual, looking outside. His bedroom window faced the main gate of the neighborhood, giving him a good view.

A military armored vehicle was parked at the gate, and several armed officers got out.

No one knew how many people had been transferred from various garrisons to K City to handle this sudden incident.

Not only was the main gate of the neighborhood sealed, but even the building entrances were locked. Every day, the doors would only open briefly when groceries were delivered.

Many residents were anxious, but there was nothing they could do.

On the second night of the lockdown, Adam Carter was sleeping when he suddenly heard a gunshot in the distance.

The electric scooters parked in the neighborhood started wailing, “Wuwuwu.”

Adam Carter got up and carefully pulled the curtain open a crack to look outside.

A moment later, he saw a familiar square metal box being carried out of the neighborhood by someone.

The patient who had been sent to the hospital before had also used the same kind of metal pod.

In the morning, this incident inevitably came up in the residents’ group chat.

The property management immediately explained: “I asked about it. Last night, a thief tried to break in and steal something. The soldier on guard fired a warning shot in a moment of panic. It’s fine. The thief has already been sent to the police station.”

Adam Carter glanced at it and put down his phone.

He decided to wash an apple for breakfast to calm his nerves.

Just as Adam Carter’s hand touched the faucet, the system finally let out a beep.

[I advise you not to use tap water today.]

[You know, these disgusting parasitic fish eggs are transparent when they haven’t parasitized anything.]

Adam Carter withdrew his hand, thinking that maybe eating the apple without washing it wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

He watched the news, ate his apple, and listened to the system’s detailed explanation in his ear.

[In the first stage of mutation, the fish eggs will burrow into your stomach, hatch, and then reproduce asexually in large numbers inside your stomach. This stage can last for two weeks.]

[In the second stage, the fish eggs will travel through your bloodstream, settle in areas with more fat to absorb nutrients, and gradually become visible under your skin.]

[In the third stage, the fish eggs will cover every part of your body. At this point, you’ll become the lowest-level contaminant! Usually, you’ll hatch into a fish-man.] The system’s voice sounded inexplicably cheerful.

[This is the life of the despised parasitic fish eggs.]

Adam Carter picked up his phone and sent a message in every group chat and forum, urging everyone to stock up on bottled water.

Then he conveniently searched for the phone number of K City’s Contamination Disease Prevention and Control Center.

He felt that he should at least do his duty to warn others.

[If I were you, I wouldn’t call that number.] The system suddenly spoke up.

[Host, not all apocalyptics will be sent to the research institute, but you definitely will, because you’re Matthew Carter’s son and you have me as your talent. Back then, missing out on Matthew Carter made the research institute regret it to this day. Besides, the research institute’s research on contamination goes deeper than you think. I advise you not to worry about it.]