I Am Extraordinary Alone
Chapter 220 - 218 Language Contagion

Chapter 220: Chapter 218 Language Contagion

Zhao Ling and Wei Tianyang arrived at the VIP suite downstairs, where Fogen had been waiting for a long time, accompanied by a group of people—six in total, men and women, who were all sitting on the sofa, drinking and chatting.

Upon seeing Wei Tianyang and Zhao Ling walk in, everyone stood up. Fogen stepped forward and extended his hand to Wei Tianyang, saying, "Wei! We’ve been waiting for you!"

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone took their seats. Wei Tianyang and Zhao Ling sat together, while Fogen and two middle-aged individuals—a man and a woman—sat opposite them. Two other people moved chairs behind them and used laptops to take minutes of the meeting.

"If you wanted my help, you should have notified the United Council first. Does Helena Mina know about this?" Wei Tianyang was the first to speak.

Fogen shook his head and looked at Zhao Ling.

Wei Tianyang smiled and said, "This isn’t in line with the procedures you originally set. I thought I would be the first to break the rules."

Fogen shook his head again. "This situation is too urgent... and too sensitive."

Wei Tianyang said, "You didn’t lose two nuclear bombs... did you?"

Fogen glanced at the woman beside him and said, "Let me introduce them first... This lady is Xue Bi, my medical advisor."

Xue Bi nodded; she looked to be in her fifties, with a proper demeanor.

"This gentleman here is my Minister of National Defense, Banlangen," Fogen said, turning to the man beside him.

Banlangen said, "Hello." He was also around fifty, bald, with a hooked nose, brown skin, sporting a white goatee, physically strong, and with piercing eyes.

"Alright, what is the matter exactly?" asked Wei Tianyang.

"I’ll give you a brief overview," Fogen began.

A few months earlier, a series of strange events unfolded in the southern city of Lusimin in Libitelli.

Initially, about a dozen people in the city contracted the same strange disease, which progressed in three stages.

In the first stage, patients lost their ability to speak; despite having normal vocal cords, they could not utter a word. However, the patients were conscious, and their intelligence and cognitive abilities were not impaired—they could still express themselves through writing.

During the second stage, the symptoms closely resembled those of late-stage Alzheimer’s disease, with memory decline accompanied by severe cognitive impairment and aphasia.

Then came the most terrifying third stage.

After several weeks, the symptoms would heal completely, but the patients’ personalities underwent profound changes. They would then very rationally and logically persuade anyone they encountered to accompany them to a specific location.

Furthermore, these third-stage patients seemed to share the same personality, as if the same soul inhabited the bodies of all these individuals.

After Fogen finished his explanation, a silence fell over the group.

"This disease... it’s not native to Earth, is it?" Zhao Ling asked.

Fogen bowed his head in silent contemplation for a moment before answering candidly, "Indeed, the disease was caused by pollution from the manufacturing of Black Medicine. We’ve already had the pharma companies secure the related Heavenly Falling Objects."

"You said those in the third stage would persuade others to go to a certain place. Have you sent people to investigate?" Wei Tianyang inquired.

"Of course, we initially sent public security officers to investigate, but they did not return. Then we sent the bomb squad—still no return, and finally, the National Guard, regular troops... and then the Superpower Special Department," replied Fogen.

"We sent many people, but none returned. The location is in the northern part of Lusimin City, an area of woodland. Our satellites performed reconnaissance but only captured a black fog," added Banlangen.

"So they all died in there? It seems something in that forest is causing trouble," Wei Tianyang said.

He speculated that there was a living Heavenly Falling Object in the forest, like the spider at the bottom of the sea, devouring everyone.

"They’re not dead," Banlangen said.

"Not dead? How do you know?" Wei Tianyang raised an eyebrow and asked.

"Because our satellite can still receive footage from these soldiers’ tactical cameras. Until they completely run out of power, we can see live images... It’s precisely because of this that we know how serious the situation is. Almost half of the city has been infected. The military forces and Superpower Special Forces we sent in previous batches have all contracted the disease and become one of them," Banlangen replied.

"Infected?" Wei Tianyang was taken aback.

No way... if those patients just keep babbling incoherently, a 5.56mm bullet could shut them up, let alone the Superpower Special Forces... How did they manage that?

Xue Bi continued, "This disease is transmitted through language. As soon as you hear them speak, you will follow suit and ultimately join them, turning directly into the third stage... The city is now under lockdown. While my team was treating the patients, they also got infected. Many members of the medical teams have gone with them."

"Transmitted through language!" Wei Tianyang exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, once you hear their speech, it won’t be long before you’re assimilated. Their personalities are all the same, as if... there’s a person who has scattered their soul into the bodies of everyone in the city... constantly proselytizing to you," Fogen said.

"You guys are really lucky. If this disease could be transmitted through video, your entire current government would have been wiped out," Zhao Ling said.

Fogen smiled wryly, nodded, and said, "Yeah, we’re indeed lucky."

"Hold on! Months have passed; the entire Lusimin City must be infected by now, right?" Wei Tianyang asked.

"It’s still uncertain. We’ve locked down Lusimin City and used drones to broadcast from the air, trying to inform any survivors of how to resist them. For instance, by staying indoors and not leaving home, using headphones to block out their voices, at least the letters they write on boards don’t carry the infection," Fogen said.

"That’s also why we haven’t taken any further military action. We don’t know if there are any survivors left in the city, and we don’t want to carry out airstrikes on our own city," Banlangen said.

"A drone strike team could probably clear the area," Zhao Ling suggested.

"That’s not possible; we’ve tried. Drones can fly over the city, but as soon as they enter that patch of woods, they lose connection," Banlangen explained.

"What about the Superpower Special Forces? You have Trinity-level ones; can’t they handle it?" Zhao Ling pressed.

Fogen and the two ministers looked at each other and took a deep breath.

"We’ve already... lost one in there," he said.

The group fell silent.

"I think I understand..." Wei Tianyang said at this point.

"Put simply, there is something in your city capable of possession, and it now has hosts ranging from the most ordinary civilians to well-equipped military troops and a Trinity-level superpower user."

"Its main body might be hiding in the northern part of the city, in the mountains shrouded by black fog, which blocks radar and all electronic devices, right?" Wei Tianyang said.

"You’ve summarized it very comprehensively," Xue Bi nodded.

"Can this disease be cured?" Wei Tianyang asked again.

"So far, we have captured some third-stage patients from the outskirts of the city for research. But their condition is highly deceptive; after all... their minds are normal... We can’t discern their true condition from conversation alone, so progress is slow," Xue Bi said.

"Those people, even though they’re not quite right now, we believe there’s still a chance to cure them... So, for the time being, we don’t want to use lethal methods on them. Especially the Trinity superpower user from the Special Forces; he is our most valuable asset..." Banlangen said.

"So, what is my mission?" Wei Tianyang asked.

"You can teleport over long distances without relying on neutralizers for resupply, and your combat capabilities are also a match for the Trinity. You can enter that forest and find the instigator. If you could eliminate it, maybe everyone would regain their senses," Fogen said.

Wei Tianyang looked at Zhao Ling, then said, "Just in case, I mean, if I can’t find this ’instigator’ you’ve conjured up, or let’s say, I kill it, and these people still can’t regain their senses, what do you plan to do?"

Some things needed to be said upfront because in such dangerous circumstances, there was little time left for them to hold meetings and make decisions.

Fogen glanced at Banlangen and then at Xue Bi, his mood heavy.

"Then we’ll have to treat Lusimin... like Chicken Snake Country’s Wuliang City!"