MOTD Side Story 2.10

Side Story: Return Chapter 10

[Nice to meet you. I am Eden Jung, and I will be serving as the temporary commander for this ‘Cyan-Yellow’ mission.]

He scribbled the letters of his name across a corner of the chalkboard.

[I’ll skip the formalities and get straight to the point. Here is a brief overview of ‘Cyan-Yellow.’ Four days from now, at the time the ‘Night of the Returnees’ event takes place, you will infiltrate the SVRF—a special virus research laboratory, a joint venture between the WHO and AB Bio. The mission will be divided into three main teams.]

A brief memo was then added to the center.

Blue 1: Locate illegal captures and control the area.

Blue 2: Recover all ‘Cyan-Yellow’ secondary vaccines and virus samples.

Blue 3: Capture all AB Bio researchers alive.

[Once each team’s mission is complete, signal the operations headquarters, and backup personnel waiting outside will support you. I have randomly assigned team members based on their profiles, so if you have any additional opinions regarding this, please speak up now.]

Eden boldly scribbled the names of the team members next to the operation names. The unit members, who had been lounging carelessly on the sofas, began to speak up one by one.

[I’m good with this.]

[The team composition is fine!]

[Which unit is providing the backup?]

Eden answered, tossing the water-based pen onto the whiteboard tray with a clink.

[The 75th Ranger Regiment will be providing backup. They are a team skilled in large-scale operations and top-tier in aerial assaults, so we’ll leave the rear to them.]

At those words, Matthew, who had been drinking beer refreshingly, suddenly clenched his fist with a tense expression. As it was a large-scale joint operation, the weight of their mission as the vanguard seemed to hit him anew.

Just then, someone raised their hand and asked.

[Why is this operation so important? Are we simply attempting to close the lab to prevent a virus leak accident? Also, I’m curious why the US government is involved.]

[Good question. The reason I gathered you all here today was precisely to resolve that doubt. Before I explain the roadmap for Operation ‘Cyan-Yellow,’ let’s discuss the significance of this mission.]

As if the time had come, Eden shifted his gaze and looked down at the doctor’s face. John Cobelt stood up, his face still unable to shake off the tension. Standing before the whiteboard, he cleared his throat once.

[Thank you all for being here despite your busy schedules. I am Doctor John Cobelt, participating as the advisor for this secret operation.]

The doctor gave a stiff introduction, like a presenter at an academic conference. Someone responded with a half-hearted whistle—”Whew!”—but he [Read on Read BL Novels]ignored it, simply pushing up Read on Read BL Novelshis [Read on Read BL Novels]sliding navy-blue horn-rimmed glasses with his index finger.

Taking a deep breath as if to soothe his nerves, John Cobelt finally spoke in a clear voice.

[The significance of this operation lies not merely in closing the laboratory, but in preventing a second Zombie virus outbreak. It is no exaggeration to say that the survival of humanity rests in your hands.]

With the sudden declaration, the cluttered atmosphere instantly settled.

[To start with the conclusion, the Zombie virus has naturally dissipated, and even if it were to recur, it would never possess the same potency as before.]

The doctor cited the Spanish flu and Ebola virus, which had claimed nearly 200 million human lives in the past.

[The Spanish flu returned to us 100 years later in the form of the swine flu, but it didn’t cause such a massive problem. The reason is simple. Microbial pathogens that cause epidemics tend to choose symbiosis with the host for their own survival, and as a result, they evolve into traits that are less lethal to the host. The Ebola virus also gradually weakened after its initial outbreak.]

[…….]

[The microbes that caused the Zombie virus showed similar patterns during the dissipation process. Over time, they chose symbiosis with humans to survive. In a sense, it can be seen as complete extinction.]

Clang. Soon, the sound of a beer bottle colliding with a glass table echoed through the quiet space. Eden glanced at the unit member responsible for the noise before turning his gaze back to the doctor.

He asked.

[But weren’t there signs that the virus evolved to be more lethal? Like cases where they could Read on Read BL Novelsspeak or [unauthorized copy]run faster even after becoming zombies.]

The doctor’s eyes sparkled, as if he welcomed the skeptical point.

[A very good question. Have you perhaps heard about the fate of the last human bitten by a zombie?]

[…….]

[Fortunately, that person did not die. The bitten arm necrosed, but even after a week, they did not become a zombie. The Zombie virus slowly adapted in a way that the host would not die, in order to coexist with humans.]

Eden held his breath for a moment. The doctor added.

[You can view the speaking zombies as another example of the microbes’ ‘adaptation’ process. To coexist with the human host, the microbes adapted by gradually reviving some of the body’s functions.]

Not evolution, but adaptation.

Though only one word had changed, John Cobelt’s theory was flawlessly perfect. Eden let out a hollow laugh and leaned back against the sofa.

‘Hyung.’

The decayed lips of Jun-seok, who had called out for Ha-jin, were still vivid in his mind. But Ha-jin’s younger brother had not been “alive.” According to the doctor’s theory, he had merely been assisting the process of adaptation as a host for the microbes.

Along with a sense of futility, a lingering piece of guilt unauthorized copystirred within him, [unauthorized copy]pressing [Read on Read BL Novels]down on his chest. With a hardened expression, Eden looked back at the doctor.

John Cobelt was now explaining with a serious demeanor, completely different from the timid man who had blushed earlier.

[In that microbes also strive for survival, they can be seen as being on the same side as humans. This is precisely the first fatal mistake that AB Bio overlooked. Humanity can never avoid or prevent pathogens; rather, we are destined to coexist with them.]

The doctor brought the water-based pen over the memo Eden had written in the center of the board. Soon, the words ‘Locate illegal captures’ were colored in red.

Blue 1: Locate illegal captures and control the area.

[Currently, AB Bio is illegally capturing test subjects. Not just mammals, but reptiles, amphibians, birds… according to sources, they have recently been ruthlessly capturing animals of all species inhabiting the Korean Peninsula. They are essentially forcing the creation and study of the virus just to sell additional vaccines. And they are doing it to innocent living creatures.]

Perhaps out of breath from the long explanation, John Cobelt picked up a water bottle from the glass table and gulped it down. Even during that brief moment, the room remained silent, without a single breath being heard.

As if indignant, the doctor crumpled the water bottle. Then, he added more red to the board.

Blue 2: Recover all ‘Cyan-Yellow’ secondary vaccines and virus samples.

[Beyond illegal captures, the abuse of vaccines can also be a problem. When one attempts to completely kill bacteria with antibiotics, the bacteria frequently create mutations to survive. We call this ‘antibiotic-resistant bacteria.’]

The doctor tapped the board with a gloomy expression.

[Tuberculosis, which seemed treatable, and Staphylococcus, which was easily cured, have now transformed into bacteria that unauthorized copycannot be treated with existing antibiotics. visit our siteThis is the result of humans abusing vaccines. Simply put, vaccine research to prevent the Zombie virus could also create a new mutant virus.]

[Are you saying that if vaccine research continues, there is a high possibility that humans will actually create the next virus themselves?]

At someone’s question, the doctor slowly nodded.

[Correct.]

Finally, he stained the writing on the whiteboard red.

Blue 3: Capture all AB Bio researchers alive.

[I believe you have understood well enough why AB Bio’s commercial pursuits are wrong without further explanation. There is much more I wish to say… but if the explanation is too long, it might get boring, so I shall end here.]

Eden, who had been sitting with his legs crossed, looked at the Special Forces members and added.

[Blue 3 only needs to capture the researchers on duty within the virus lab. The remaining researchers have been invited to the ‘Night of the Returnees’ event, so the 75th Ranger Regiment will infiltrate the venue and arrest them.]

Matthew spoke up cautiously.

[But why is this happening in Korea of all places? Why is the US government getting involved?]

[Of course, this isn’t only happening in Korea. It’s just that because the informant is a Korean affiliated with the virus lab, this location was chosen as a unauthorized copydefinitive operational [Read on Read BL Novels]site. If this operation [unauthorized copy]succeeds, the WHO and AB Bio’s special virus research laboratory will be disbanded, and the US government will be able to legally part ways with the WHO using this as an opportunity. That is the reason the US is involved in this operation.]

The US government had been dissatisfied with the WHO’s failure in the initial response to the virus and was complaining about the excessive financial support compared to other nations. While considering withdrawing from the WHO, they discovered the evil reality of the private company AB Bio and joined this operation using the WHO’s negligence and cooperation with them as a pretext.

It was a secret operation with quite complex interests intertwined, but the goal was simpler than expected: to punish and formalize the atrocities of a wicked pharmaceutical company. Thereby preventing a potential second pandemic.

After that, various opinions on the execution of the operation were exchanged. Although there were occasional loud arguments between team members, morale actually became more heightened. Advisor John Cobelt, who had been sitting blankly like a sack of barley the whole time, gradually began to be inspired by their passion.

[Let’s call it a day.]

At the end of the long meeting, Eden spoke, looking at the exhausted doctor and team members.

[The next meeting will be held here in two days at 5 PM with the commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment, so make sure your schedules are clear.]

[Yes, understood!]

[Good work, everyone.]