Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 54 The Substitute Starfish: A Terrifying Method of Spread!

Defense Connect is a special communication tool developed by Happiness City.

It resembles a mobile phone, is made of stable and exceptionally sturdy materials, and has some of the functions of a modern smartphone. It can also be used as a protective gear in critical moments, and can withstand three impacts of about 400 joules each.

And most importantly, Defense Connect is free!
Residents who have been a member of Happiness City for more than 60 days can register and receive the gift at the designated location.

Of course, the reason for being so generous is that once the Defense Phone leaves the Happiness City area, it will immediately become unusable, unable to make calls and all internal functions will be locked.

Even when making calls between the buffer zone, inner city, and industrial zone of Happiness City, special permissions are required, and these permissions are extremely limited, basically only allocated to public accounts for communication.

Even though Liu Bi is a fourth-term prosecutor, and even if there are special circumstances, he still has to go back to the checkpoint to apply for authorization first.

"He Fei was infected by a special maternal source, which had already spread and parasitized the guards around him when he died."

"what?"

Cheng Ye's heart sank suddenly, and he almost instinctively reached for the pistol placed on the bedside table.

But when he turned around and saw the brand-new security door, his tension subsided a little.

"Brother B, aren't you in the industrial area? How did you know?"

"That's precisely why the problem is so big."

Liu Bi's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping, "The unknown source of infection that infected He Fei has been named by the research institute, codenamed 'Substitute Starfish.' It is an extremely bizarre and terrifying animal-like hydrophilic source of infection. Currently, it has been determined that it can be transmitted through both bodily fluids and contact!"

"Ah, contact?"

Cheng Ye was deeply shaken.

In the prosecutor's manual, contact-related sources of infection can be considered the most terrifying sources of infection.

If it is not detected and dealt with in time, the virus will spread rapidly like wildfire.

Many safe havens collapsed overnight, all because of the devastation caused by these infected creatures!

“That’s right.” Liu Bi spoke quickly. “The same source of infection appeared in the industrial zone this afternoon. After investigation, it was found that the infected person in the industrial zone had only had brief contact with the infected person in the buffer zone. The Crusader immediately sealed off the workers who had been in contact with the infected person.”

"Through induced testing, only three out of the nineteen people were infected, but workers who had been in contact with these three individuals also tested positive for new infections."

"The industrial zone is currently under martial law and undergoing a comprehensive investigation, but since the news has managed to reach here, you should understand the situation in the buffer zone."

Of course I understand.

With such exponential transmission, it wouldn't be surprising if the entire city were already teeming with infected individuals.

Cheng Ye took a deep breath, his gaze falling on his injured leg and the still unopened nutrient solution box at the foot of the bed.

"Can we still hold out?"

"can!"

Surprisingly, Liu Bi gave a resolute answer: "The more contagious the source of infection, the more stringent the conditions for an outbreak, and the more likely it is to be eliminated before an outbreak. Current measurements show that when the humidity around the infected body exceeds 98%, the substitute starfish will be activated. Only after maintaining this state for more than 30 minutes will it enter the second stage of outbreak. If the humidity is below the threshold, it will continue to spread latently."

"Theoretically, if the host lives in an arid region, the infection may not be triggered throughout its entire life cycle."

"And the area around our city will not see rain for the next three days, which is a matter of life and death!"

"The infection source research institute is working around the clock to study a solution to eliminate and kill the 'substitute starfish.' Based on past efficiency, the results should be available by tomorrow night or the morning after tomorrow at the latest, at which time a city-wide lockdown will be launched."

At this point, Liu Bi's tone suddenly became serious, "But you must remember that too many shelter cities have achieved the ultimate prevention and control, even with preparation time exceeding thirty days, yet not a single shelter city has been able to completely eradicate the source of infection."

"Don't take any chances. An outbreak is inevitable, and the timing will be the next rainfall!"

Rainfall?

Cheng Ye quickly switched to the weather module in the defense communication device, and unsurprisingly, the weather module had already been turned off.

"Can't you predict the next rainfall?"

"It's impossible. We don't have weather satellites. All our cloud image data comes from the transmission of the Xinhuo Shelter City. This year, the atmosphere is unusually chaotic. At most, we can only confirm that there will be no rain for three days. After that, it may rain at any time."

Rain could fall at any moment?

Now Cheng Ye only has two paths left: either pack his bags and flee into the wilderness immediately, or stay and fight Happiness City to the end.

However, without prior preparation, where can one run to? One might end up plunging into the infected's lair!

Damn it, after this, we have to start working on setting up a refuge outside the city.

"If it breaks out, how should we deal with it?"

Without hesitation, Cheng Ye immediately asked.

As soon as he finished speaking, a sigh could be clearly heard from the other end of the microphone, filled with vicissitudes and感慨 (gǎnkǎi - deep feelings of sorrow and reflection).

"Brother B?"

“You can’t talk to people in the industrial zone and the buffer zone, especially at times like this, but do you know why I was able to call back?”

"Ok?"

"Ding Yishan called me. He wants me to come back and protect you!"

?

An eerie silence fell over both ends of the microphone.

Ding Yishan?
In an instant, Cheng Ye thought of three or four possibilities, but he never expected the answer to be these three words.

"why?"

"you ask me?"

What Liu Bi said seemed somewhat self-evident.

As the sound came through the microphone, a classic GIF suddenly popped into Cheng Ye's mind.

'Go and get rid of Tang Sanzang and his disciples.jpg'

Asking Brother B, who is far away at the hydroelectric power station, about this kind of thing seems a bit unreasonable.
"Can you come back?"

"Well, wait a moment while I check the situation."

On the other end of the microphone, inside the communications room at the highest point of the hydroelectric power station, Liu Bi first glanced at the eight soldiers guarding the door, then peeked out and looked down.

In Industrial Zone B, no fewer than a hundred heavy armored infantry fighting vehicles were patrolling back and forth, their bright headlights sweeping across the area, creating a dense and impenetrable network of light.

In the distance, more than twenty bright yellow tanks were stationed at key checkpoints, their cannons aimed at the entrances and exits, to prevent any infected creatures from sabotaging the hydroelectric power station.

Looking up, a swarm of drones streaked across the sky like locusts, their fuselages flashing red lights. Each drone was equipped with a powerful tranquilizer gun, enough to render an adult black bear unconscious within five seconds.

Further away, there seemed to be more than a dozen helicopters shuttling back and forth, their searchlight beams like silver chains falling from the sky, sweeping swaying light trails across the ground.

"Cheng Ye?"

"Brother B, you go ahead."

"I feel like I might not be able to get out."

Liu Bi lowered his voice, "The defenses at the hydroelectric power station are a little bit tight. How about I ask if I can send you here?"

Grass!
Brother B is truly a genius!

How come I didn't think of that?

However, before Cheng Ye could inquire about the possibility, a strange voice came from the other end of the microphone.
“Prosecutor Liu, although we would like to pretend we can’t hear anything, your voice is “a little” loud. We… well, we’re not deaf.”

The man emphasized the word "little bit".

"I'm sorry, but we have received orders from the inner city that the hydroelectric power station has been placed under S-level alert. Now, whether it is you or the person you are talking to, anyone who appears within the hydroelectric power station's cordon area will be immediately killed."

"Even a checkpoint certificate isn't enough?" Liu Bi asked, unwilling to give up.

"Even if Station Chief Ding comes here, do you see those twenty-eight Rhino tanks parked in the passage? I heard that one shot won't hurt too much!"

"Oh, right, all eighteen of the Shadow helicopters on patrol are equipped with A-3 30mm chain guns. These things seem to be magical artifacts for exorcising evil spirits."

An eerie silence fell over both ends of the microphone.

half an hour.

"Brother B?"

Cheng Ye swallowed hard. "What do you mean by twenty-eight Rhino tanks? Eighteen Shadow helicopters?"

"Is it the 'little bit' I understand it to be?"

"Uh"

Liu Bi hesitated for a moment, then changed the subject as if he had lost his memory, "Don't worry about these things. After all, the hydroelectric power station is the most important facility in our Happiness City. The key question now is what you're going to do?"

Where is Sister Luo?

"Home is safe, and it's in the suburbs where there aren't many people. As long as I don't go out, I'm safe from starfish infections."

At this point, Liu Bi suddenly remembered, "Wait, I forgot to tell you about the characteristics of the stand-in starfish!"

“What I’m about to say is very important. I’ve written down the key points that the industrial zone has summarized on paper, and I’ll read them to you now. Press the record button.”

"it is good!"

Cheng Ye immediately perked up and pressed the function button on the side of the defense communication device.

"The infected body of the substitute starfish is also divided into three stages: stage one is parasitism, stage two is outbreak, and stage three is fusion."

"As I mentioned before, during the parasitic period, there are no obvious symptoms. It can only be identified when the surrounding humidity increases. A faint starfish mark will form on the forehead."

"During the outbreak, the mark will rapidly deteriorate into a sarcoma-like form. Human consciousness will be sealed into the sarcoma, and the body will be controlled by the source of infection, manifesting as: an extreme craving for food, and a significant increase in aggression and bloodlust."

Craving food?

Starfish are carnivores; if an outbreak occurs, what can be considered carnivorous?

Cheng Ye couldn't help but glance in the direction of the Big Meat Canteen. It's a pity that the scale of the twin tails' breeding operation probably can't feed the tens of thousands of starfish infected.

"Because they are infected through bodily fluids and contact, crave meat and become more aggressive, their behavior during outbreaks is similar to that of the S-1 series of zombies."

"During the fusion period, the substitute starfish will provide the host with extremely strong defense and digestive recovery capabilities. The current defense test results are: it can completely withstand kinetic energy impacts below 300J; the digestive recovery capability test results are: if the host has fewer than 7 fatal wounds, eating about 50kg of meat can fully restore the host's health; if the host has more than 7 fatal wounds, the host will die."

300j?

A typical police pistol, using 9mm ammunition, has a kinetic energy of approximately 300-400 kJ/min.

The kinetic energy of the Bison fighting pistol is around 570.

It seems that this kind of contact-infected entity is indeed not strong. Barrett was only in its burst phase before, and it withstood a whole magazine without any problems. The strength of Starfish, the Stand in its fusion phase, is not even as strong as the burst phase of Rotten Ivy.

Cheng Ye breathed a slight sigh of relief, then secretly marveled at how powerful Happiness City's system truly was.

In a typical settlement or shelter, how could anyone possibly gather so much crucial data in less than a day when faced with an unknown infected entity?

"You borrowed 100 contribution points before, you shouldn't have used them all yet, right?"

"Ok?"

Cheng Ye was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized what he meant and whispered, "I haven't had a chance to use it yet. I've been busy reinforcing the door and replacing it with a security door these past two days."

"That's good. I was just about to remind you to change the door!"

Liu Bi said urgently, "To avoid panic, news will be blocked for the next three days. The station will not provide defensive equipment, and you will have to buy all the supplies yourself. Of course, you can submit a reimbursement application afterward. The amount for three installments or less is 150 contribution points. Don't feel bad about not spending money."

"It's late now. Tomorrow morning, go to the Giant Wall Turbulence Equipment Shop immediately to order equipment. Use the code: 'Rise Again,' which is our Eastern Inspector's urgent code. Remember these:"

"First, a protective suit that fits you well can prevent the substitute starfish from spreading the virus through contact."

"Secondly, a dedicated backpack-style isolation box can contain the source of infection and prevent secondary infection."

"Third, a long gun, rifle or shotgun, it's up to you!"

"Also..." Liu Bi paused, lowering his voice so much that even with Cheng Ye on speakerphone, he had to lean close to his ear to hear.

"The military armored vehicle your father left behind, which runs on gasoline, is hidden in an abandoned underground garage in the chemical plant's staff quarters. It's equipped with two heavy machine guns with automatic fire control and enough supplies to last for half a year. Remember, it can only be used if the buffer zone is completely lost. Otherwise, you will be considered a defector and will never be allowed to enter Happiness City again!"

"After we leave the city, your sister Luo knows where it's safe. She will take you to the hiding place I set up in the ruins, and you can hide until... this disaster is over!"

　P.S.: Here's 3.6k votes! I'm begging for votes, let's see if I can reach 2000, hehe~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)