Mutagen

<strong>Day 60 - 2:12 PM - Parking Area, Military Workshop, North District, Pasay City, Metro Manila</strong>

After lunch, Mark was here at the parking area of the workshop, once more. Like before, the parking area he was working at was surrounded by a black wall. It was for nothing else but to obscure what was happening inside.

To the military, they already knew that he could use blood to make the metal he used for his vehicle. Still, the exact method was unknown. If anyone else aside from his group knew about the [Blood Children] being capable of that, it could spell trouble.

He would never want for the little critters to be the target of the eyes of people with ulterior motives.

As for Mark's current goal, it was to build the [Exceed: Disintegrator Fortress]. This day, he wanted to start the transformation of the Lorry. Of course, the remaining half of the day would not be enough since he spent a whole day just modifying the external appearance of the [Exceed: Personnel Carrier]. If needed, he would spend an all-nighter to finish this. And probably, the whole day tomorrow.

There was also the need for another vehicle for Edward's group. He would also modify Rollan and Nikky's Jeep to some extent.

As Mark and the [Blood Children] started their work, he began to ponder about other things.

Mark already asked his friends for the final time to decide who would leave with him. At first, he planned to take just Mei, the little girls, and Odelina's family, but his base needed more trustworthy people. It would be good if they all came.

However, it seemed that only a few of them had positive feedback with their mental fluctuations.

First was Monique's group. Since her daughter had unique circumstances, it would be better to stay near Mark, who managed to tame Janette. Unlike Janette, Patricia did not show any improvement from her state.

Next was Nikky, Rollan, Daniel, Dorothy, and Mara. Their group would disband soon because two of them, Vincent and Delia, wanted to stay.

Carlo, his sister, Anna, and Sundra were also going. There would be nothing else for them to stay here. They were also tired of the tension always happening here in this settlement. If possible, they wanted peace and quiet. To forget everything that happened in the past.

Arvie's group would also go. Every one of them. They were good combatants that made them very welcome.

For the new ones, Edward and Phillip decided to follow bringing Emi with them. And since Karlene was with Mark, Analynn would also follow. Terence, on the other hand, was still reconsidering his thoughts.

As for the others, some were reconsidering while some did not want to go.

Well, they still had a few days. Mark just wished that they would settle things sooner since the vehicles and supplies they needed for the travel had to be considered and prepared.

Other than planning their leave, Mark had another headache. Those people that wanted to invite him before were personally coming to visit instead. It started yesterday afternoon at the time he was asleep.

The trigger of this was his open display at the battle yesterday. At first, they wanted to invite Mark and meet him. Now, however, they decided to pay respects to him instead. Of course, Mark denied them. Nevertheless, they would not stop. It was as if they could not even understand that Mark did not want to have any business with them.

As for Mei's family, they were unusually silent. They did not bother him, Mei, or even the General. Mark could not understand what was going on with their minds.

"Hah..." Mark sighed. "I have a lot of things in mind. It's tiring."

In the least, he had one thing addressed. It was the request of Professor Isaach Co to let him study the [King Type], at least until Mark and his group leave Bay City Settlement.

Mark agreed as it would lessen his work. In exchange for allowing them to study the [King Type], they would give him a copy of the results. Lastly, they would not damage the Infected King any further. The General had no reason to disagree with the conditions and assured him.

***

<strong>Day 60 - 2:39 PM - Testing Room, Military Laboratory, North District, Pasay City, Metro Manila</strong>

Professor Isaach Co, Nia, and Allen were currently studying the [King Type] together with other scientists. General Miguel Perez was also in attendance.

They had received Mark's approval to study the [King Type] about two hours ago. Nevertheless, the Professor already started the tests with great enthusiasm.

General Perez was here to ensure that the Professor would not go too far in his experiments. If Professor Isaach damaged the [King Type] due to his enthusiasm, it would be grave as he was the one who assured Mark. Being here also served as his rest as the General had been busy all this time.

Unfortunately, even if it was crucial, they could not get a claim for the [King Type] even for the sake of research. Since the military started to collect [Mutagen Stones], it had been a rule that the one who killed or defeated the infected had a claim for it. Of course, it was to lessen the conflict among survivor groups that participated during defense battles and missions while also making them eager to help.

***

The current room used for the experiment was large. It was because aside from the [King Type], they also had several infected inside the room.

At the center of the room, they strapped the limbless [King Type] in an operating table. The [King Type] had different kinds of apparatus sticking on its body, especially on its head.

The scientist checked different things like pulse, brainwaves and also took a tissue, blood, and saliva samples, to put under tests.

"Interesting..."

Professor Isaach muttered as he checked the vital signs of the [King Type].

From what he had seen, aside from the symptoms of anemia due to loss of blood, the other things were completely normal. It was as if the Infected King was a standard human.

Checking it physically, its muscles and body composition was the same. They even found out that it was physically weaker than a normal infected, which they think was strange.

The oddest thing, however, was its brainwaves. From their monitoring device, it was extremely chaotic. The graph they saw told how restless its brainwave was. It might not even be wrong if there were several brains inside its head. However, there was only one.

Furthermore, the [King Type] was remarkably sensitive to pain. When they took a blood sample using an injection, its brainwaves spiked, and its vital signs showed signs of agitation.

The Infected King roared. As that happened, the Infected shackled and caged inside the room reacted violently. Firsthand, they saw how the [King Type] could affect the other infected around it.

Despite its chaotic brainwaves, it was as intelligent as a child. It could even recognize the one that took its blood sample all this while. The poor scientist could not properly focus on his work as the [King Type]'s killing intent was directed on him. Of course, the scientist was oblivious to it while only feeling distraction on his mind and body.

General Perez, Nia, and Allen noticed that killing intent and suggested for the scientist to take a break. Once that scientist left, the killing intent inside the room lessened. Of course, it had not completely disappeared as the [King Type] wanted to slaughter everyone here if he could.

Then, another scientist came in. He was holding on a clipboard with several papers attached to it.

"Professor, the other samples are not done testing yet, but the results for the Salivaomics is already here."

The scientist said to Professor Isaach.

"Good, give it to me."

The Professor immediately took the clipboard and checked it. Aside from the printed report, there were also pictures clipped in between.

"Is this true?"

After getting to a point in the report, Professor Isaach turned to the scientist and asked skeptically.

"Professor, I know it might be unbelievable. However, that is what we found out initially. We are also surprised by the result. So if you will allow us, we want to take another saliva sample and test it again to be sure."

Hearing that, the Professor nodded sternly.

"Go. Take another sample immediately."

"Yes, Professor."

As he got permission, the scientist took some equipment and began extracting saliva from the [King Type]. For standard subjects, taking their saliva would be easy. For the Infected, they needed more caution and specialized equipment.

"Isaach, what does it say for the need to repeat the initial test?"

General Perez approached the Professor in curiosity.

Professor Isaach flipped the papers and examined the pictures once more before handing the clipboard to the General. He specifically opened the report on an exact page.

"This..."

The General was also surprised.

"Get it now?" Professor Isaach turned his head on the [King Type] at the center of the room. "An infected with no unstable strain on its saliva. It is the first we encountered."

"Does this mean that it can't infect others through his bite?"

The General frowned. Until a further test proved this, this could either be a good or a bad thing. If the [King Type] could not infect others, it might be the best scenario. However, what if it had other methods of spreading the infection to people aside from its saliva? They needed to be careful about it until they finalized the results. Other areas also required testing.

"Isaach, we need to be sure about this. Can we make use of one of those subjects?"

Isaach asked.

"Are you talking about the prisoners?"

The General replied with another question.

"Are there other things I call experimental subjects?"

"I guess. There's none."

The General shrugged.

Those prisoners were not just ordinary criminals but those that the military apprehended after the apocalypse. Furthermore, they committed crimes far from anyone would be able to accept. Now, they had a purpose for being kept by the military.

That purpose, to be used in the military's testing and experiments.

It might be called inhumane and unethical. However, it was for the sake of knowing more about Mutagen.

Furthermore, what these people did was far more inhumane.

It was already good that they still lived and were not killed on the spot. Probably, even getting killed over and over was not enough for them to atone for their sins.

Not following the law after when the apocalypse came was one thing, abandoning their humanity was another.

Now, to be used for the sake of what they abandoned, that was their purpose.

"How many do you need?"

"About five will do. I have sorts of things to test."

Hearing that, the General called upon one of the soldiers guarding the experiment.

Professor Isaach also called for Nia.

"Nia, you file a request for the subjects."

"Yes, Professor."

Nia and the soldier left. Even though the Professor and the General were the highest people here, they still needed to follow the formal procedures.

While observing the experiment, Professor Isaach and General Miguel talked.

"It's really a pity that Mark doesn't allow us to test those lasses."

The Professor talked about Janette, Patricia, and Aimee.

"You should be content for what you are given. Those girls you are talking about are their precious to them."

"I know that. But who would not want to study two docile infected and a mutated infected that had human memories? Just the thought of them existing is just insane."

"That's true, but there's nothing we can do."

"Yeah. There's nothing. The worst part of it is just how they are all in one group. They even had a dragon and several unknown creatures. The research results we received from Quezon is just not enough!"

Hearing Professor Isaach raising his voice and throwing a tantrum like a child, everyone in the room either shrugged their shoulders or sighed. They have been used to this.

Probably, he would only stop until the result of the next test came out.