Chapter 223 - 223 - Unknown Sounds...

"I was the one who convinced the government to shoot down the asteroids.....He was against it right from the beginning. I should have listened to him..... but I convinced them that with enough samples we can produce super crops we can cure cancer we can even grow amputated body parts...."

"What?" Yue peered at him, waiting for him to tell him that it was all a joke. But Prisitsky... he looked like he was on the verge of tears. "You're telling the truth...."

Prisitsky wordlessly glanced at him. A single drop of tear dripped down. "the first samples of the B virus, or what you call the mutant virus, was found 100 feet deep in permafrost in a small village in greenland. No one expected it... it was different. It was fascinating..... we tested the subjects with it,"

Yue grabbed the blanket under him tightly. He could definitely see where this story was going. But all he needed to know was just one thing.

"Why?"

"The test results were stellar. Amputated body parts grew, diseased cells rejuvenated. It was a potential cure for cancer. We even set up a human trial.. but... we ran out of the original virus samples... we needed more,"

"Doesn't the virus spread in living thing's body. You could have used that. You didn't have to shoot down a fucking asteroid," Yue took a deep breath.

"Every time the virus enters a host body, it mutates. The original virus specimens get changed, altered... we did not want an altered virus. We wanted the original ones," Prisitsky sighed and placed the glasses over his bony nose. "It's a mistake I made and I will change it."

Yue peered at him wordlessly. He was very familiar with the look in this young man's eyes. It was desperation.

This man was desperate.

Desperate to undo the curse.

Desperate to save lives.

Yue silently hugged him. He stiffened up visibly.

"w-what are you doing? You're not trying to kill me by squeezing out my inners, are you? It's a gruesome death... can you just slice my throat?"

"shh.. You don't deserve to die. Yes, you made a mistake and you have to fix that. But... for that you need to stay alive,"

Yue let go of him. "I feel nothing but bones on you Prisitsky. If you die, who is going to solve this issue?"

"I swear I won't leave before I find a solution to this."

"For that, you need sleep and food and some good music." Yue gently tugged the microscope and the notebook out of his hands and placed the blanket over his shoulders. "It's okay, Prisitsky, It's okay,"

The man started to tear up silently. "yes.. I will.. I will live to undo this.. I will," he laid down and placed the blanket over his face. "I have to inform you I have insomnia so I'm not sure how I'm going to sleep without any meds? Can you help me?"

"Help you with what?" Yue was thoroughly confused.

"well, you can karate chop the back of my neck or press my pressure points until I go unconscious. your sister threatened me with that all night. I was slightly tempted to try it. so please.." he bared his neck to him.

Yue blinked at him. "I'll get my sister. Just lie down now, okay?"

"Okay...." he suddenly grabbed his hand. "You're a good kid Yue," Prisitsky mumbled with a small smile.

"You're a good man too..." Yue closed the tent flap and walked over to Fan.

Fan Xui had already started a fire and was heating up some water. He poured a small packet of soup mix and added a few pre-packed dumplings.

"Add a noodle pack as well," Yue whispered softly.

"He slept?"

"hmm..... the poor guy is beating himself up"

"About?"

"He said that he was the one who helped shoot down the asteroid,"

Fan Xui tilted his head slightly. "Qian was also one."

"Wait what?"

"Qian was also working on the virus before all this happened. He's frustrated and annoyed as well... but thankfully his boyfriend is there to calm him down," he mumbled, breaking and tossing two packs of noodles inside. "Prisitsky must be working on it earlier, but Qian said he failed to give them results, so the project was given to him."

Yue was too stunned at that moment. "ohh... I did not know that."

Even when he lived in the settlement for almost five years yet he did not get this information from anyone. It must have been a well-kept secret.

Because if people found that the one who's helping them fight the virus is the reason the world fell apart they will definitely riot against him.

'qian has achieved so much... was it all because of guilt... that poor guy must have been in the same situation as Prisitsky.'

In his last life he had caught glimpses of Qian. he looked like he had a healthy weight but his under eyes bags were always so dark and heavy.

Back then he thought it was because he was a scientist that he looked that way...

But now... now he knew the real reason he couldn't help but worry.

"Fan, did you meet with Qian before we left?"

"no, I didn't have much time. I woke up late," he sheepishly scratched at his hair. Suddenly he glanced at him piercingly. "I love your hairstyle. It looks good short,"

Yue tugged at the small length. It was only up to his shoulders now. He can easily put it up in a small bun. It did not disturb him in the least.

"I need a hair wash," one of the soldiers came out of their tent and mumbled. "Sorry I just overheard. Is it okay if we can take a bath in the river? I mean zombies can't swim."

"But others creatures can," Yue shook his head. "No swimming allowed. There might be mutated fishes in there. We can't risk it,"

The soldier sighed and sat down opposite them. "That's too bad... oh by the way, I'm Rai,"

"I'm Yue," Yue shook his hands.

"I've heard a lot about you from our captain," he sheepily grinned at him.

"oh....i see,"

"so, what are we having for breakfast?"

"soup dumplings with noodles," Yue scooped a bowl from him. The others were still asleep. It was better they ate the hot soup now and kept a portion for them.

Yue scooped up the soup and three dumplings inside a small bowl and ate it with relish.

But a sudden dripping sound made him pause.

He hurriedly took his sword and ran into the plant searching for the location of the sound.

The dripping sound stopped.

"Yue!" Fan Xui grabbed his hand. "What is it?"

"I keep hearing dripping sounds." Yue froze. On the ground, there were subtle watermarks.... "Wake the others up. Something's here,"