40: A Psychic Attack on Joeya

Late night.

New York, Manhattan.

Near Pennsylvania Station.

Four days had passed since Alex Mercer shattered DX1118-C.

Which was the Blacklight Virus.

The entire area around Pennsylvania Station, including several streets, was now infected and cordoned off.

Hidden at the boundary of the blockaded area established by Blackwatch.

Joa carefully recalled the plot of Prototype.

In simple terms, it was a story of a viral Prototype saving the citizens of Manhattan.

Alex Mercer, a researcher at Gentek, a subsidiary of Blackwatch.

Before the higher-ups ordered the destruction of DX1118-C, the Blacklight Virus, which he and his team had secretly researched.

He decisively stole a virus sample and escaped.

However, upon reaching Pennsylvania Station, he was cornered by Blackwatch Agents.

With no way out, and with the thought of taking all of Manhattan down with him, Alex shattered the container holding the virus.

At the same time, he was shot dead.

Afterward, most of the virus was absorbed by Alex Mercer's corpse.

The virus consumed Alex and perfectly adapted, inheriting a small portion of his memories, believing itself to be Alex.

Then, under the pursuit of Blackwatch, it began to search for memories, seek the truth, and finally, carried a nuclear bomb away, saving Manhattan.

This game was one Joa played as a child, but he didn't care about the plot at all back then.

He skipped everything, launched the game, and just enjoyed it.

He only started to understand these plot details when he replayed it with nostalgia after growing up.

Looking at the vast expanse of infected individuals on the other side of the blockade, and the blockade established by Blackwatch.

Then turning his head to look at the city just one street away, bustling with traffic and still living a normal life.

Joa couldn't hide the excitement in his heart.

'Alex's infinite evolution and all-consuming ability, standing at the top of the food chain, is within reach!'

'As long as I perfectly fuse with the Blacklight Virus that has erupted on the other side of the blockade, I'll be soaring!'

'Raccoon City has a large number of zombies, and the Tyrant and Pursuer that are about to be deployed, and even William, the G-Virus mutant, waiting for me to devour.'

'After fusing with the Blacklight Virus, once I'm strong enough, I'll come back and devour Elizabeth and Alex.'

'I can then transform into a natural disaster, plundering all the worlds!'

The perfect adaptors of the Blacklight Virus, Elizabeth and Alex, each have their own characteristics and are very strong.

The original Blacklight DX1118-A was developed by artificially cultivating a new type of super virus discovered in nature.

Its perfect adaptor is Elizabeth Greene.

Her abilities were like a Zerg hive, a Queen.

She could, at any time and anywhere, use her own cells and blood to absorb energy from organic or inorganic matter.

Creating a new life form with independent consciousness and intelligence.

Though the intelligence was random, they were all under her control.

In the game, these creatures were called Hunters, a type of monster that also possessed the ability to devour and assimilate.

When Elizabeth had no commands, they would fight each other, seeking higher evolution.

Elizabeth was strong, but she also had a flaw: she didn't have the devouring and assimilation abilities of Alex Mercer or the Hunter.

This was also the reason Joa chose to transmigrate to this specific time and location.

Currently, the stronger Blacklight Virus developed by Alex had just broken out on a small scale.

Elizabeth had also not been devoured by him.

There were still more than thirteen days until the nuclear explosion.

Joa had ample time to fuse with the Blacklight Virus.

Taking a deep breath.

Looking at the Blackwatch troops near the blockade who prohibited citizens from approaching, and were constantly shooting infected individuals and survivors inside the infected zone.

Joa waited for an opportunity.

He was looking for a chance to sneak into the blockade zone.

'These Blackwatch troops are only slightly inferior to my Super Soldiers in terms of equipment and physical fitness.'

'I need to be careful; I can't withstand the indiscriminate bombing from helicopters and tanks right now.'

Arriving at a small alley, Joa looked up at the high-rise residential buildings on both sides.

After some deliberation, he leaped with all his might.

Only a 'bang!' was heard.

In the blink of an eye, Joa, who had shot up from the ground, reached a height of over 100 meters, which was more than 30 stories high.

'Me! Damn it!!'

Listening to the whistling wind in his ears and looking at the rooftops below, which were only about 20 stories high.

Joa himself couldn't help but be astonished.

He had never expected the Progenitor Virus to strengthen him to such an extent.

Alex Mercer, he might not even be as strong as him right now.

After all, he had only been infected with the Blacklight Virus for four days.

'I overdid it; I was even a bit unconfident just now, afraid I wouldn't jump high enough.'

Suppressing the joy in his heart about his true strength, Joa fell onto the rooftop.

Although he had a general idea of his strength before, he never had the chance to use his full power.

A smile tugged at the corner of Joa's mouth as he adapted to the power within him, constantly moving and leaping across the rooftops, heading towards the blockade zone.

Dodging Blackwatch troops.

Soon.

He entered the blockade zone, Pennsylvania Station, the initial outbreak location, and also where the most infected individuals were.

Currently, Blackwatch troops had not yet advanced to this location.

Joa could safely fuse with the Blacklight Virus here.

Standing on the rooftop of a building that had been infected by the Blacklight Virus, with black and red flesh crawling all over its walls.

Joa thought to himself.

'System, what should I do?'

'Don't tell me I have to eat those unknown flesh tissues clinging to the walls and ground!'

【As the host has perfectly fused with the Progenitor Virus, simply relying on the small amount of Blacklight Virus contained in the air to complete the fusion will take a very long time.】

【Please overcome your psychological barrier, Host, and eat the flesh tissues that contain a large amount of Blacklight Virus. This is the fastest way to fuse with the Blacklight Virus.】

'I...'

Looking at the spiderweb-like blood vessels spreading across the rooftop walls and ground, Joa's eyes went dark.

He hardened his heart.

'Eat! Can't I just eat it!'

'It's better than eating those infected individuals covered in pustules raw!'

With a poker face, he reached out and collected the flesh tissues from the nearby walls and ground, rolling them into a large ball of meat.

Joa swallowed with difficulty.

'System! Can this really be eaten? These things seem to be moving!'

【.....】

After waiting for a long time, he received no response from the system.

Joa took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

He quickly shoved the fist-sized meatball into his mouth.

He wanted to swallow it whole, but the meatball seemed to be too big because he was afraid the dose wouldn't be enough, so he couldn't swallow it.

To avoid suffering twice, Joa chewed with tears in his eyes, enduring the intense nausea, and forced the foul-smelling meatball down his throat.

"Hoo! Ah hoo! Ah hoo!"

Gasping for air rapidly, and constantly retching, Joa's face was covered in tears.

'I never want to experience this feeling again!'

This was not physical pain.

But a spiritual blow.