Shenyang, Liaoning 8th Battalion | Time: 09:00 AM
A large black European car turned out of the manor, heading east through barbed-wire fences heavily guarded by soldiers. The deeper it went into the dense forest, the quieter and more shaded the atmosphere became—a sharp contrast to the tension inside the visitor's heart. The car drove past the training grounds and soldier barracks before coming to a complete stop in front of a high-roofed, rectangular research building painted in military camouflage, standing prominently amidst a grove of large trees.
“Shouzhang Hao!” The sentries snapped their heels in a salute the moment Moses stepped through the automatic sliding glass doors.
Inside, the building was lined with sterile glass rooms. Tangled wires and white vapor from boiling test tubes revealed the complexity of the secret project. Staff in white coats wearing gas masks hurried past one another.
The welcoming group of soldiers turned to follow the three men without delay, heading straight for the elevator and punching in the code for Floor B5: The Vaccine Experimental Zone.
The dim yellow electric lights made the basement look gloomy. The musty stench of sweat and excrement was so thick it was hard to breathe. The hallway was flanked by large holding cages, clearly separating men and women. Inside were detainees in a state somewhere between living humans and corpses—some sat with their knees pulled up, staring blankly, while others lay rolling on the damp, wet floor.
“Huuu!...” A raspy groan emerged from a throat, accompanied by a withered arm reaching out, clawing at the air.
“Ugh!” Moses recoiled as he noticed the dark brownish stains clinging to the edges of the bars. It wasn't rust; it was dried blood and crusted tissue from the people inside repeatedly trying to scramble out over many years.
“I’m gonna puke,” he muttered, turning his face away as the twisted smile of a first-generation prisoner—whose brain had been ravaged by the virus—pressed close against the bars.
Another group stood as still as wax figures, but their eyeballs darted rapidly, following the sound of his footsteps.
“Let’s get out of here, fast,” Moses ordered, walking briskly and swaying his body to dodge those reaching hands. The deeper they went, the more pungent the stench became, forcing him to tighten his face mask.
“Boss, are these prisoners? Why are they in such a mess? Shooting them would actually be doing them a favor.” His blonde subordinate looked at the pathetic sight of the people in the cages—emaciated and so thin their ribs were showing, their hair matted into filthy clumps, stripped of all humanity.
Further ahead, under the flickering dim lights, a female Lieutenant and two Sergeants stood waiting.
“Shouzhang Hao! Mr. President!” She snapped her heels in a salute, a perfect display of a professional soldier.
The group continued into a narrow passage. Lights flickered on and off all along the path as they turned past the long row of cages. The haunting atmosphere sent chills down their spines, mingled with the heart-wrenching sounds of agonizing wails.
The sound of the automatic glass door sliced a sharp divide between "Hell" and "Heaven."
For Moses, it was the sound that reaffirmed his superior power over life and death. But the most haunting sound—one that vibrated through the very air—was the rhythmic from the creatures outside. It was a collective drone, like the vibrating wings of a thousand beetles, the byproduct of nervous systems being devoured by the virus until nothing remained but primal, beastly instincts.
The Lieutenant led the way. One, two, three glass doors slid open and shut in quick succession, purging the group of the filth they had just witnessed. As they stepped past the final threshold, the world transformed. Brilliant, clinical light replaced the suffocating gloom, and the foul stench of decay vanished, replaced by an artificial freshness that allowed their lungs to expand once more.
“Phew!” Several men in the entourage exhaled in collective relief. Yet, the absolute, sterile silence of the white hall held a terror far deeper than the agonizing wails they had left behind.
Moses inhaled the scent of the air freshener—a sweetness so artificial it was nauseating. It was the smell of death, meticulously coated with the gloss of scientific progress. Above them, a towering domed ceiling was adorned with a luxurious chandelier that cast a deceptive warmth. Along the walls, curved glass observation rooms were labeled 1 through 5, standing as silent monuments to the experiments within.
“What are those things locked up out there?” Moses asked, his voice echoing in the vast hall as he turned to the stout Sergeant standing nearby.
“The ones in the cages by the elevator are the ones who failed the health screening, sir.” The fat Sergeant—the same man who had once calculated the efficiency of using human remains as animal feed—spoke with an eerie glint of pride. He looked at the data in his file as if he were managing inventory rather than souls.
“If we inject these people with the vaccine, they will die instantly because their bodies cannot withstand the resistance. Therefore, we must cull them to avoid wasting the vaccine unnecessarily.”
He paused for a moment of uncomfortable silence before adding, “We keep them as food for the experimental animals. As for those held before the glass doors, they are the first-generation test group from eight years ago. Their bodies are strong but completely devoid of feeling. Their nervous systems no longer function except for their hearing, because their brains are controlled by the OZC45-AX virus, which was developed from SARS.”
A thin-framed Sergeant stepped forward to join them and continued the report. “We used their blood to further develop the Coronavirus in 2019, and now we are researching a new biological weapon, ‘Disease X.’ If just one person is infected, the entire nest dies... it is nearly complete, sir.”
“We likely won’t be using Disease X anymore, because dead people are of no use to us... We need loyal people to work,” Moses stated in a flat voice, turning his face away from the genocide project report.
“In that case, let me report the overview of our most successful experiment. This way, please.” The thin Sergeant gestured and led the way toward Room Number 1. The extra-thick glass walls revealed the conditions inside. “This area is partitioned; beds are separated into male and female sides, with fifteen people on each side.”
Inside, the hall was a stark, clinical white, appearing unnaturally clean. However, the condition of the inhabitants was the polar opposite. Some were doubled over, retching violently; others sat with vacant, glassy eyes as if their souls had departed their bodies. Many more lay curled in a fetal position, shivering as if from a severe fever, their lips pale and bloodless—a sharp contrast to the new, high-quality clothing provided by the center.
“These subjects received the full vaccine ten days ago. Their health checks show they are strong and meet our criteria,” the thin Sergeant reported, scanning his file. “We administered the vaccine simultaneously at exactly nine o'clock. Their sensory perceptions are still functioning normally; however, the side effects include high fever and tremors. There has been only one fatality—a forty-year-old woman. This statistic clearly indicates that Tame 30 has become much more stable.”
The two Sergeants led the way past Rooms 2, 3, 4, and 5, reporting similar figures for each. The death of one or two lives in each room appeared to be nothing more than an insignificant fraction to them.
“These people... where did you gather them all from?” Moses gestured toward the lining of glass rooms. His curiosity was not born of mercy, but rather an evaluation of 'raw materials.'
“Every type, sir,” the thin Sergeant replied without looking up from the file in his hand. “From North Korean defectors, Falun Gong practitioners, political prisoners, radical students, corrupt officials, those with depleted social credit... even tourists who wandered off the path.”
Moses furrowed his brows, staring at the 'products' through the glass panes. The silence within the research room was crushed by his sharp gaze before he turned to the female Lieutenant, who stood as still as a statue behind him.
“The General ordered me to record video evidence to send to Jawn... Where are we filming? Is it with these people, Lieutenant?”
“This way, please!”
The female Lieutenant, in a form-fitting military uniform that accentuated her model-like proportions, turned back swiftly. The two Sergeants rushed ahead through the same door, leaving behind the aura of horror coated in cleanliness.
The four of them retraced their steps back into the hallway zone thick with the musty stench. The tragic sight of the cages still flanked them along every left and right turn, until they reached a secret room located at the deepest heart of the building.
The sounds of electrical and electronic equipment harmonized with the green and red lights flashing throughout the room. The fat Sergeant stood at his post in front of a massive metal control panel.
Past the elevator lay a line of gargantuan translucent pipes, with monitors displaying status as routes stretching across an underground network. Red lights pulsed rhythmically, like the heartbeat of a steel monster.
The fat Sergeant expertly pressed a red button on the control panel and gave a nod. The thin Sergeant, who was standing by, moved in response as a long line of teardrop-shaped capsules, each containing a single seat, glided into place to wait.
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“What exactly is this?” Moses’s subordinate asked in a skeptical tone while staring at the innovation before him.
“Hyper Loop, powered by electromagnetic force. Top speed of 1,000 kilometers per hour,” the female Lieutenant answered with a flat voice, her sharp gaze fixed straight ahead without wavering.
“Please, sir,” the thin Sergeant said, bowing slightly as he gestured for Moses and his entourage to enter the capsules one by one. Once everyone was in position, the fat Sergeant at the control panel initiated the operation. The curved covers smoothly slid shut with a soft as the air pressure equilibrated.
Inside the capsules, small soft-toned lights from above provided clear visibility in the cramped space. Everyone had to adjust their seats to a semi-reclined position with legs extended to handle the G-force. The moment the machine departed, it surged forward at an unbelievable speed, yet remained perfectly still without a single vibration. Only a slight pressure on the chest indicated the supersonic velocity. After a mere ten minutes, the hatches opened to reveal a grand destination station.
All five stepped out of the capsules and immediately headed toward the elevator on the left. The thin Sergeant punched in the code to take them to the 5th floor. The moment the elevator doors opened, a circular plaza atop a high dome came into view.
Before them was a landscape in total contrast to the underground laboratory. Dark gray mountain ranges stretched far into the distance. Closer in were post-harvest rice fields, with golden-yellow stubble arranged in rectangular grid patterns as far as the eye could see. And standing prominently nearby was a village designed as massive greenhouses. The lower structures were open, revealing a vast number of people organized to live and sleep there… as part of the largest living laboratory in existence.
“This is the masterpiece that Natalie and I co-developed...” the Lieutenant reported, chest puffed out with a cold sense of pride, while Moses walked over to lean against the balcony to catch the breeze atop the dome.
“After injecting Tame 30 into the test group, everything yielded incredible results according to plan... However, once the third month passed, their bodies began to decay and rot from the inside out. Natalie may have made a catastrophic error, or perhaps... she did it by design. Regardless, our first step is considered a success. Are you ready to witness this miracle?”
“I’m dying to see it. Francois! Film every single second, don’t miss a thing!” Moses ordered sternly.
The female Lieutenant grabbed a small silver whistle hanging around her neck and blew into it.
The whistle emitted a high-frequency wave that was chilling to the bone, resembling the faint, fluttering sound of a flute on the wind, yet it echoed strangely throughout the entire valley.
The moment the whistle died down, the dead silence was ripped apart by a thunderous shout that harmonized until the very earth shook.
“Messiah! Messiah! Messiah! Messiah! Messiah!”
It was a violent, tumultuous noise, as if the world were about to collapse. The tower they stood upon even swayed perceptibly. Thick dust swirled up from the ground below, accompanied by agonizing shrieks piercing through from every direction around the greenhouse village.
“Lieutenant! What on earth is that sound?” Moses gasped, recoiling until his back hit the edge of the railing. His once-arrogant face was now deathly pale, his eyes wide with terror at the storm of madness he was facing.
“Timer 30!” the female Lieutenant replied, standing tall with a sharp, confident voice, full of pride in the work unfolding below.
“Timer 30? You have conducted experiments on this many people?” Moses stood frozen in utter shock as the image emerged through the settling dust: a massive throng of people surging and crowding until the vast plaza below was completely filled.
The test subjects poured out from the greenhouses like a breached dam. They jostled and fought for space, desperate to get as close to the tower as possible. Each individual appeared manic, like someone who had lost their mind. Many raised both arms, clawing at the air, tears streaming down their faces, yet their faces were adorned with smiles so wide they looked unnatural. It was a scene reminiscent of a group of fanatical fans at a concert, finally coming face-to-face with an artist they worshiped more than life itself.
“Messiah! Messiah! Messiah! Messiah! Messiah!”
The rhythmic chanting echoed like a personal anthem. They screamed the name over and over without exhaustion, every pair of eyes gazing up at the top of the tower with a level of supreme loyalty that was utterly nauseating.
“Are these people truly in full possession of their senses like normal people?” Moses asked, struggling to keep his voice from trembling.
“They remain in full possession of their senses like normal people. However, if they do not see the whistle-blower or receive a specific command to act, they will simply follow one another—and they are ready to become as fierce as wild animals at any moment.”
“Test their response to a command for me... let’s see if there’s even a hint of resistance.”
The female Lieutenant did not offer a verbal reply. Instead, she snatched up a megaphone and gripped it firmly. Her tongue flicked across her lips briefly before she projected her voice, booming across the entire plaza.
“Messiah! Everyone, pair up... and show me a kiss!”
As soon as Lieutenant Zhang’s command ended, a new wave of chaotic commotion erupted instantly. A thunderous roar responded to the order one last time before transforming into a terrifying silence.
“Messiah! Messiah! Messiah!”
The sight below was a manifestation of loyalty so twisted it violently defied all humanity. Everyone wore saccharine smiles, and eyes that were once vacant now sparkled with a profound, doting luster. They turned toward one another as if pulled by magnets and began to kiss passionately, regardless of gender, age, or appearance. It was a kiss so deep it seemed as if they would devour one another in love. None of it was born of lust, but from a loyalty embedded deep within their brain cells. Not a single person showed a hint of disgust or resistance.
“Why did you order them to kiss, Lieutenant?” Moses’s subordinate asked, his voice trembling as he stared in horror at the scene of commanded intimacy below.
Moses reached out and lightly patted his subordinate’s shoulder before letting out a smirk filled with immense satisfaction. His gaze remained fixed on the crowd that was sacrificing their "self" in exchange for a false happiness.
“Ordering someone to kill is too easy... but ordering someone to kiss an enemy or a total stranger with that kind of willingness, that is the true proof that they have a new master of their lives,” Moses said in a cold voice.
“Natalie didn’t just create slaves; she created disciples ready to love or die on command at any moment.”
Lieutenant Zhang watched the scene of passionate kissing below with an expressionless gaze before speaking in a steady voice.
“Because a kiss is the most honest measure of love and trust... Just observe couples: when they are first infatuated, they can kiss for hours. But as time passes and feelings fade, even touching lips becomes a difficult task.”
“And how does that relate to this experiment?” Francois rubbed his head, letting out a dry, awkward laugh like someone who couldn't keep up with the game.
Lieutenant Zhang didn’t answer immediately. She turned to stare at Francois with a gaze that sent a chill down his spine… “Ask yourself, Francois... If I ordered you to kiss a total stranger you didn’t know at all—someone elderly with wrinkled skin, missing teeth, and saliva oozing from their mouth—could you do it?”
“What!” Francois’s face fell instantly. “Don't even joke, Lieutenant! Just hearing that makes me want to retch up my lunch. I couldn’t do it... No way!” He shuddered, his body visibly recoiling with undisguised revulsion.
“That is the answer to your question,” Moses said with a satisfied smirk, his cold gaze fixed back on the crowd below. “For these people, disgust no longer has any effect... because Tame 30 has already transformed a 'command' into a 'desire.'”
Below them, the Tame 30 crowd remained immersed in the commanded intimacy. They paired up and kissed feverishly with twisted, blissful smiles. The sounds of suction and the clashing of tongues echoed nauseatingly. Clear saliva dripped and smeared over chins and collars, stretching into long strings. Everyone’s eyes were glazed and doting, as if they were lost in a trance of forced love. The filth unfolding in the center of the vast plaza was more sickening and stomach-turning than anything one could imagine.
“If they can do this, we no longer need to doubt any other commands,” the Lieutenant reported in a flat voice while looking at her handiwork. “For a human being... ordering them to go die is easier than ordering them to love a stranger.”
Moses nodded with the utmost satisfaction, his eyes gleaming as he beheld the army that would never betray him standing right before his eyes.
The Lieutenant raised the megaphone once more. The late morning sunlight coating the top of the dome caused her shadow to stretch down below, making her appear like a god.
“Messiah! STOP!!” As the command bellowed through the microphone, it was as if someone had pressed a stop button on a machine. The crowd below pulled apart instantly without a single hint of lingering affection. In unison, they tilted their heads up toward the tower and chanted their call even louder than before, until the very earth trembled.
“Messiah! Messiah! Messiah! Messiah! Messiah!”
“Messiah! SILENCE!” With just that one short word escaping the speakers... the entire world below fell deathly silent in that exact second. There was no sound of breathing, no sound of movement. Even the saliva still smearing their faces went uniped. Everyone stood frozen like soulless statues, thousands of pairs of eyes staring intently at a single point.
“..................”
The sudden silence was even more bone-chilling than the agonizing wails in the basement cells. It was the silence of something that could no longer be called "human."
“How does your whistle work?” Moses asked, staring at the small device that had just performed a miracle of silence.
“Tame 30 can only seize control of the brain for 30 minutes at a time. After that, the nervous system will shut down and must undergo a recovery period, becoming 'Soulless' for another 12 hours before a new command can be issued.”
Lieutenant Anna Zhang stood tall, reporting with sharp clarity. The sunlight glinted off the golden nameplate on her chest, clearly engraving her name. She was a female officer with a tall, slender figure, appearing elegant in her tight-fitting uniform that accentuated the curves of her waist and hips—looking both strong and alluring at the same time.
“Have these subjects been trained to work yet?” Moses smiled with satisfaction.
“Everything is ready. They have been trained to follow basic commands and perform manual labor excellently. No slacking, no talking, no questioning. Even their eating schedules are perfectly organized... they are easier to train than cats, sir,” Anna reported in a clear voice, her demeanor brimming with confidence in her 'herd.'
“Wait a moment, Lieutenant...” Moses suddenly furrowed his brows as if a crucial thought had struck him. “Is the vaccine being tested here the exact same one we are distributing abroad?”
“Yes, it is!” Anna gave a slight smile, subtly raising her file to mask the lower half of her face with a sense of intrigue.
“If that’s the case... then this whistle can control the entire world,” Moses muttered, glancing at the whistle on her chest with a gaze of pure greed.
“Theoretically, yes. But in practice, we would be killing those people for nothing. If the goal is genocide, this vaccine is already peerless. However, if we want sustainable 'labor,' we must first solve the issue of the body decaying and rotting from within after three months... I will likely have to find an opportunity to meet Natalie once more.”
“Can’t you fix it yourself? Since you said you developed it together.”
“Er...!” Anna froze for a moment. She averted her eyes from Moses, looking down at the ground below. “The biological control aspect is Natalie’s responsibility. I handle the voice command signal transmissions... But do not worry, Mr. President. Natalie would never refuse me.”
“I don’t think that’s possible anymore,” Moses let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders sagging.
“Natalie has always been my underdog... No matter what, she will have to surrender to me,” Anna insisted with a firm voice.
“That girl has secretly developed Aeon 30—the one and only antidote!”
“What...!” Anna exclaimed, her face turning pale. “Aeon 30? An antidote? That’s impossible! Where would she find the time to...?”
“She succeeded, and she fled with it from the company in Wuhan last night!”
“Hah!”
Anna fell into a stunned silence. Her sharp eyes looked down at the Tame 30 crowd below, who were beginning to look more like a burden than a weapon. The resentment toward the researcher she used to look down upon began to erupt.
“I will hunt her down myself...”
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