In early summer, the once-beautiful flowers have withered, leaving only the green fruit hanging from the branches, making the children who pass by clap their hands and his parents have to explain why they can't be plucked now.

And these scenes that exude the breath of life are completely invisible from the special isolation ward of the CDC.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is a non-profit institution organized by the government to implement national disease control and public health technology management and services.

Its role is to establish a national public health surveillance system to deal with major outbreaks, public health emergencies, and vaccine research and distribution for corresponding diseases.

And the patients who can be deliberately isolated by this institution are basically the first infected people of a particular disease, or patient zero.

At this time, the short-haired girl who was lying on her side on the hospital bed and looking out from the completely sealed window was such a "patient zero".

"How are you feeling today?" A clear male voice came from the wall.

There is nothing in this spacious room except for the bed and the bedside table, and even the walls are made of a special soft material, which can ensure that even if the patient suddenly can't open it, it won't be broken.

"I don't feel it." The girl withdrew her gaze and looked up at the small hole where the voice came from.

Her voice was soft and a little hoarse, as if she hadn't spoken for a long time, and her slightly yellowed hair obscured her right eye as she tilted her head, but instead set off her left eye brighter.

Although her complexion was acceptable, the empty hospital gown and the slender wrists peeking out from the cuffs indicated that she was severely malnourished.

"Really? That's good, if there's anything out of the ordinary—"

"Just press the blue button on the head of the bed, you know."

The girl interrupted with a wave of her hand, then pointed around: "Here, here, and here, a group of heavily armed doctors and nurses and security guards will rush in at once." ”

The male voice was silent for a moment before re-speaking.

"You know, you're infected with a supervirus that you've never seen before," he said, "and it could mutate into any other form, even the horrible disease that has long been extinct." ”

"I already knew." The girl had a little smile on her face, as if she was deliberately dismantling his platform: "PAX-200." ”

"Moreover, it also has a special 'traceability' property, after mutation, if it is found that the external environment is not suitable, it will degenerate back into its original harmless form," the male voice continued, "However, this process will consume your physical strength. ”

"So I'm going to keep eating and exercising so as not to be sucked dry by it—" The girl sat up, hung down her two equally slender calves and began to look for her shoes, "Why are you going to repeat all the things we all know today?" ”

“…… FURTHERMORE, IF YOU COME INTO CONTACT WITH ANOTHER INFECTED PERSON AFTER IT MUTATES, THE OTHERWISE HARMLESS 'PAX-200' ON THAT INFECTED PERSON WILL IMMEDIATELY MUTATE INTO THE SAME DISEASE AS YOU. ”

"Hmm...... Think about it. The girl stepped on the sick slippers and walked to the wall where the voice sounded, tilting her head to look at the wall, as if looking at the person opposite: "You suddenly told me a lot, is it because you can't find a solution and plan to destroy me humanely?" ”

"You know I'm not going to let them do that, [Patient Zero]." The voice on the intercom suddenly became firm.

"Whatever you say, Mr. [Monitor]," the girl, or Patient Zero, walked around the room and returned to bed, "you must have done something that would have made me unlucky today, anyway. ”

The "......" monitor fell silent.

"I'll see." Patient Zero raised her hand to play with the air in front of her, where there was a translucent panel that no one could see but her, on which a hint had just been refreshed.

[Note: The antidote to 'PAX-200' has been developed and is being distributed to countries around the world.] 】

"Ah, I see, you've developed an antidote, but because the source of the mutation is with me, you'll treat me last, right?" The girl waved her hand to make the panel disappear, and looked back with a smile: "Well, you don't have to feel guilty, this is normal, if you cure me first, what if the 'root' runs to someone else?" ”

"While the elimination of other viruses will cause the virus to mutate in your body to increase, it is not 100 percent ......," the monitor said remedially.

"No, no, no, don't comfort me, I thought of this when I took the initiative to 'turn myself in' to you, and I was not surprised at all." The girl waved her hand: "But I hope you can cure my parents, mother, and brother first." ”

"They're the first to be vaccinated," the monitor said a little more relaxed, "and after this batch of vaccines is widely available, 'PAX-200' will not be able to mutate and become part of the body's probiotics - although they don't benefit at all, hehe." ”

"I hope so......" the girl yawned, "Alright, your job of calming patient zero' is done, and if it's all right, I'm going to sleep." ”

"Actually, there is." After the sound of something turned off from the speaker, the monitor continued in the girl's puzzled expression: "I expect to vaccinate you next week, can you - uh......

"Huh? Can it be anything? Patient Zero showed a sly smile: "Don't worry, I won't complain about you." ”

"Huh? What to complain about? The monitor, who had been interrupted from his train of thought, asked suspiciously.

"I complained that you often change shifts with your colleagues, but fortunately you came to talk to me when I was awake." The girl turned her head to look out the window.

"Hey, that's not ...... Yes. ”

"What's not?" Although she couldn't see anyone, the girl continued to tease each other.

"Whew—I mean!" Mr. Monitor breathed a long sigh of relief and said loudly as if he had made up his mind, "Please be my girlfriend after you are discharged from the hospital!" ”

"My answer is-" Just as the girl was about to continue to say something, the "panel" that she had waved aside suddenly appeared in front of her and flickered wildly:

[Hint: 'PAX-200' evolved 'paralysis' successfully]

[Hint: 'PAX-200' evolved 'leukemia' successfully]

[Hint: 'PAX-200' has successfully evolved into 'malignant tumor']

[Hint: 'PAX-200' has successfully evolved 'heart palsy']

[Hint: When the 'Lethal Combo' is achieved, the remaining infected will die instantly.] 】

"Ah, sure ......," she sighed lowly, barely reaching for the emergency call button.

"-What's wrong with you?!" The inspector, who was waiting for an answer, suddenly realized that something was wrong and shouted loudly.

"I mean...... It's a pleasure...... Can you like me......" The girl, who was already unable to move, pressed down the emergency call with her own weight.

Piercing sirens rang out inside and outside the room at the same time.

I hope that the next time we meet, you won't call me "Patient Zero".

On the translucent panel, which is invisible to everyone, the handwriting silently emerges line by line.

[Hint: The antidote to 'PAX-200' has been distributed around the world,]

[Hint: 'PAX-200' has been eradicated, the world is safe]

[Number of infected people: 7.053 billion, death number: 1]

【Game End】