Virus King [Translation]

The man before them was in his thirties, tall and muscular, standing over 1.9 meters. His body was imposing, but his face now showed a grotesque web of bulging blood vessels, like writhing worms beneath his skin.

His fever had spiked to 40 degrees, and he teetered on the edge of unconsciousness. His nails had already started to turn a sickly gray.

Novak took one glance and knew. Without intervention, this man had about ten minutes left—ten minutes before death claimed him. Then, ten minutes more before he rose again, joining the ranks of the undead, just like the zombies they had only recently slaughtered.

Such was the terrifying infectious power of the zombie virus.

Unperturbed, Novak turned to Nicole. "Did you bring the zombie blood?"

"Yes!" Nicole quickly ran out and returned with a large gasoline barrel. The other bodyguards recoiled from it, treating it as if it were a poisonous snake or scorpion. The barrel emitted a foul stench from the thick, black blood inside. 

Thankfully, they had secured it in such a short time.

Daphne watched Novak expectantly. The man before her, who had spent the night securing her loyalty through his sheer strength and overwhelming abilities, was now someone she obeyed instinctively.

What is he going to do now?

Noticing Daphne's curious gaze, Novak let a faint smile cross his lips. With a flick of his wrist, another piece of parchment appeared. Unlike some of his other items, this one had no limitations—it didn't matter that Daphne wasn't yet an evolutionary. Even if she couldn't wield more advanced equipment, this tool was still usable.

When Novak handed the parchment to her, Daphne blinked in surprise.

"Take it," Novak instructed, "and think about using it. Aim the parchment at the zombie blood."

That's it?

Daphne's heart raced. The mysterious world that had been opening up to her seemed to reveal even more. The powerful businesswoman—who had spent years controlling both the legitimate and illegitimate sectors of De M-anila—took a deep breath. Like a child trying out a new toy for the first time, she followed Novak's instructions, aiming the parchment at the barrel of black and red blood.

Nicole and the other bodyguards looked on in shock as a ray of light emerged from the parchment.

Then, in Daphne's hands, something no larger than a fingernail slowly materialized—a concentrated pill, dark red and black. The gasoline barrel, now visibly less full, exuded an icy chill.

Novak nodded, satisfied. "Give it to him."

Daphne handed the pill to Nicole, who gently supported the barely conscious man and placed it in his mouth.

Time ticked by.

In just three minutes, the writhing blood vessels on the man's face and arms began to settle. His gray nails returned to their normal color. The fever that had been burning through him broke, and soon after, the man—who had been moments away from death and zombification—opened his eyes.

Nicole and the other bodyguards stared in disbelief. Though his eyes were still bloodshot, there was no trace of the madness or bloodlust typical of zombies. He was saved!

Even Daphne, who had anticipated some result, found herself wide-eyed with shock, much like the others. She had thought she was prepared, but witnessing the cure firsthand was different.

Her mind raced back to what the Song family's top biomedical experts had told her: with current technology, there was no way to cure the zombie virus. Unless the virus hadn't fully spread through the bloodstream, the only solution was amputation.

But now, in her hands, she held the impossible—a reversal of fate.

She stared down at the sheepskin parchment in awe. Words were scrawled across it: Zombie Virus Serum.

How could something so complex—like the creation of a serum—be reduced to this? How could it be produced so simply, using only a blueprint and raw materials?

This defied all logic.

And yet, here it was, in her hands.

Daphne was dazed. Aaron, the man she had just saved, seemed to comprehend the magnitude of the moment. He fell to his knees before her.

"Thank you, Madam, for saving my life!" he cried.

Daphne's bodyguards, who had been with her through the recent upheavals, were equally shaken. They had seen the horrors of zombies firsthand, felt the terror of their overwhelming presence. And now, to witness the zombie virus cured right in front of them—it was world-altering.

None of them were fools.

They quickly realized that having this cure meant their lives were now infinitely more valuable. In a world where even the smallest scratch could spell doom, being under the protection of someone who could produce such a cure made all the difference.

Aaron wasn't the only one kneeling. Nicole and the other bodyguards—all those whom Daphne trusted—had the same look of reverence in their eyes. It wasn't just a professional allegiance anymore, tainted by transactional interests. No, this was something deeper. This was true submission, a sense of awe and loyalty.

Daphne, an expert in the art of leadership, knew exactly what she was seeing.

This serum was more than just a cure—it was a tool of absolute control. It had the power to bind these people to her in ways mere money or status never could.

Yet, as Daphne basked in the power of the moment, she was acutely aware that this miracle, this ability to save lives, wasn't hers. It came from the young man beside her—a man no older than her own daughter.

This realization sent a wave of emotion through her. The thrill of the power she wielded overwhelmed her, and as she glanced at Novak, her eyes shimmered with unspoken emotions.