abcnovels
Chapter 697: 432: Next Time for Sure?3700 words?_1
Chapter 697: 432: Next Time for Sure?3700 words?_1
Chapter 697: Chapter 432: Next Time for Sure?3700 words?_1
From then on, the war entered its second major phase.
Since 2540, the war had lasted a full eighteen years by 2558.
In the early days, humans strictly carried out isolation measures.
However, after 2542, the policy changed.
Although life in space with the help of the quantum network already had a considerable degree of social distancing, most people had a conditioned fear of bacteria and tried their best to reduce social interaction. However, it still persisted for more than ten years, and ten years is just too long.
During these long ten years, the ZS bacteria quietly lurked and spread, never stopping.
By now, the number of infected people had reached an uncontrollable level, at least exceeding one-third of the total population.
With the power of quantum intelligence, it was possible to trace the source of infection quickly and accurately.
The Supreme Intelligent Brain Star needed less than 0.1 seconds to pinpoint each suspected infected individual and notify their smart assistive wristbands.
However, it was too late. It no longer mattered.
The insidious cruelty of the Z bacteria goes without saying, and the ZS bacteria were even more ruthless.
Lurking, infiltrating, strengthening infiltration, leading up to the massive outbreak in July 2558. It was all one fluid process.
This was a familiar pattern for humans, but the object affected had changed from animals to themselves, and the level of threat was entirely different.
ZS Humans retained their original memories and intelligence, and even their personality did not change much. However, the perspective from which they thought about problems did change.
No matter which angle they made decisions from, the ultimate goal shifted from maintaining human survival to eradicating humans from the Solar System.
The front-line soldiers were almost wiped out, completely assimilated, their values altered, and their thoughts controlled.
Other major fields, especially the middle and upper levels in the scientific field, also suffered heavy losses.
As a result, humanity’s technological advantage was completely gone, and the war was utterly dominated by the side controlling the bacteria.
Next, Harrison Clark slowly “flipped” through the historical materials page by page.
Although he only used his thoughts to command Vivian to turn pages and switch videos, Harrison Clark still felt a sense of exertion.
He had already learned the general outline from Sergey’s projected narration and had imagined many tragic scenarios.
He thought he was already psychologically prepared and should be emotionally numb from constant annihilation.
However, when he really took a close look, he found that even though he had participated in countless annihilation wars, his imagination was weak. Seeing the reality still hurt.
Defeat after defeat, until extinction.
These eight simple words can sum up the entire history from 2558 to 2589.
However, in this process, countless vivid details were embedded.
There were many stages of retreat.
The first stage occurred when the ZS Humans tore off their disguise and turned their butcher’s knives towards their former comrades in the instant that the Star determined the results of the infected population.
All those who had contact with ZS Humans were listed as infected by the Star, but their bodies still contained insufficient ZS bacteria for reproduction, and they could still maintain independent thinking. In an instant, they faced the same choice.
Death or life?
Most people’s decisions were like Sergey’s order to kill their own Maxwell Owen.
However, the decision-making speed was slightly different.
Those determined, like Maxwell Owen, first consulted Willian through personal connections as soon as they received the news.
At that time, Maxwell Owen asked Willian, “Are there any methods to treat this kind of bacteria?”
Willian: “Not for now.”
“How long will it take to develop a treatment?”
“I don’t know.”
You’ve been studying the control of the bacteria for many years, haven’t you?”
“Yes, I have not slackened since 2540.”
“So how long do you estimate we can remain lucid?”
Willian: “I don’t know. The control bacteria are different from the past. They have intelligence. They can lurk in our bodies for more than ten years without any movement, but they can also actively increase their activity, reproduce rapidly and scale up. So, your thoughts could be taken over at any time.”
“Can we destroy our bodies and rebuild them to recover?”
“No, the main attachment location of the control bacteria is our brain, where they integrate deeply with our neuron cells in a unique way. The brain cannot be rebuilt.”
Maxwell Owen nodded in pain, tears streaming down his face.
After a long while, he first talked to Willian, “I’m sorry, Willian. I should have supported you.”
Willian: “It’s okay, Mr. Owen, you have your own opinions.”
The two ended the call, and Maxwell Owen called all the infected people of the High Energy Physics Research Institute to the square. Then, facing Sergey and many security personnel who were baffled with their evaporating particle guns ten meters away, he yelled, “From today, Sergey, you are the director of the High Energy Physics Research Institute! Sergey, you have an unprecedented gift. You can become the ultimate master and pioneer! I have high hopes for you. I believe that our death will not be the end. You can, and you must continue! Fire! Kill us! Don’t hesitate, fire!”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Some people struggled for two or three days in pain and hesitation. After witnessing the ferocity of ZS Humans and the increasing number of marked infected individuals suddenly going out of control, these indecisive individuals broke down and made their decisions one after another.
Some left the space station and floated lifelessly in space.