The players’ death efficiency is directly proportional to their speed of dying.

People arrive in the morning, and when they leave, it’s usually around breakfast time.

Indeed, Atomic City is much larger than the maps in Crossfire, but the problem is, the mutated ’Undead’ are increasing in number, far beyond what players can handle.

Moreover, players gradually discover that the ’Undead’ are even more difficult to deal with than ’robot NPCs’.

After all, NPCs only operate in a fixed range, and if you can’t beat them, you can run away; however, these ’Undead’ are different. They were players in life, and after death, their ’thought processes’ remain the same, with ambushes and sneaky tactics exactly like when they were alive.

What’s even more disgusting is that these ’Undead’ cannot be killed, as their Life Value has turned into the Durability of their Prosthetic Equipment, and only by destroying the equipment can they truly be defeated.

As a result, players display two entirely different attitudes online and offline.

In Atomic City, players quickly form alliances, with friendships rapidly increasing, reminiscent of squads in biochemical movies, struggling to survive. Aside from lacking the protagonist halo, they enjoy similar treatment to the main characters.

On the forums, however, the atmosphere shifts—

’Damn it, I painstakingly implanted my ’Dense Skeleton’, if anyone dismantles me, I’ll hunt them until the account is deleted!’

’My Tier 1 Advanced Pistol, whoever picked it up, please return it to me!’

’People online are inhuman, attacking even their own!’

’A bunch of garbage, try doing quests, destroying our equipment isn’t impressive!’

’Damn, you think I want to attack? I’m almost being chased to jump off a building by this crowd of corpse monsters!’ Infinite Walker

’Is it our fault then?’

’If you guys cooperated, we wouldn’t die so quickly!’

’Selling out teammates, bastard!’

’Damn, you bunch of wastes—’ This player named ’Infinite Walker’ curses in the forum while battling in the game.

However, in less than three minutes, ’Infinite Walker’ changes tone.

’Brothers, I one hundred percent agree with your opinions, if you’re brothers, don’t take it out on someone else’s equipment!’

’Uh, dude, what happened to you? Wrong meds?’

’No, I’m dead.’

Meanwhile, as players are engaged in battles both online and offline, a large amount of experimental data is simultaneously uploaded to the orbital spaceship, and the ’Metal Virus’ begins evolving once again.

Yet, evolution does not always go smoothly; soon, new ’virus samples’ appeared with flaws. On specialized testing equipment, the ’Metal Virus’ exhibited ’mechanical leakage’.

"What is mechanical leakage?" Gao Gong asked.

"Simply put, it hasn’t perfectly integrated into the Mechanical Body; instead, it infiltrates and then gradually fades with time."

"Like being neutralized by an antigen?"

"Yes, it’s likely affected by certain metallic factors, but a true virus wouldn’t be this weak."

"I see, in simple terms, it’s about strengthening Life Force—"

For NPCs, coming up with a means to enhance the virus in a short time isn’t feasible, but for Gao Gong, it’s quite the opposite.

The more knowledge, the more ways to adapt accordingly.

Open the Alliance Panel and look at the array of system knowledge—

Enhance Life Force, well, [Cell Tuning], [Biological Code].

Related to Mechanical Life, let’s add [Electronic Information Engineering].

What’s missing? Oh right, since it’s a virus, [Information Frenzy] should do, a must-have knowledge for Turing Sect to create Religious Virus.

lv10 [Cell Tuning] + lv10 [Biological Code] + lv10 [Electronic Information Engineering] + lv10 [Information Frenzy]

[Fusion successful, you have researched Level 5 Electronic Biological Blueprint [Biochemical Giant Arm]]

Giant Arm?

[Fusion successful, you have researched Level 4 Mechanical Blueprint [High-speed Sorter]]

Isn’t this a part of the logistic section of the Dyson Sphere, what a coincidence.

[Fusion successful, you have researched Level 5 Biological Blueprint [Biological Code Box]]

[Fusion failed]

[Fusion successful, you have researched Level 5 Biological Blueprint [Biological Stimulator]]

[Fusion successful, you have researched Level 6 Biological Blueprint [Y-Type Biological Virus]]

Getting closer.

Finally, after gambling nearly forty blueprints, Gao Gong finally got what he wanted.

[Fusion successful, you have researched Level 7 Biological Blueprint [Highly Adhesive DNA]]

Highly Adhesive DNA: A very special deoxyribonucleic acid, capable of integrating into metal materials, referred to as biomaterial molecules, widely used in the active architecture of Tier 3 Carbon-Based Civilization.

Gao Gong swept his gaze over Mas Sharpness’s researchers and suddenly ’hmm’ sounded, saying, "Headquarters has sent me information back, saying that they have already developed a corresponding measure, which is to create a ’Highly Adhesive DNA’, and here is the specific information on it."

"..."

Miao Miaomiao took the memory card handed over by Gao Gong in a daze and passed it to a researcher, very soon, the researcher, which is the ’Boss Ma’, exclaimed in delight:

"It’s true! With this large DNA molecule, the virus can mutate into the third generation!"

Miao Miaomiao looked incredulously at a certain person, she knew Du Gao Technology was strong in Biotechnology, but how could it be this strong? How long has it been?

"We have no choice, as a small enterprise, our strength lies in our perseverance," Gao Gong said humbly.

Miao Miaomiao was silent for a moment, then said, "Proceed with the DNA modification immediately, within two days, I need to conduct a third-generation spread."

She then turned and said, "Since it was developed by you, name this generation of virus."

Gao Gong stared at the transparent particles, appearing intermittently in the test instruments, and after thinking for a moment, said: "Based on its nature, let’s call it ’Phantom’."

...

"Gentlemen, cooperation, cooperation!"

At this moment, Baozi finally cornered an old acquaintance, ingratiatingly wearing a pleasing smile.

"Why, are your Money Power troops not effective anymore?" Sister Ji sized him up and sneered.

"Oh, don’t mention it, seven out of nine mercenary teams are down, I don’t even know how much I have to compensate, all money hard-earned from surgeries—"

"Five free prosthetic surgeries," Sister Ji interrupted, directly stating.

"Damn! You might as well rob me!" Baozi widened his eyes.

"Then what do you think I’m doing now?" Sister Ji retorted.

"No way, at most two times!"

"Three times or no deal."

Baozi puffed up his cheeks, then exhaled a long breath, "Fine, three, just three." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

He looked at Rainy Night with a Knife and No Umbrella, "Brother Umbrella, what have you got now?"

"We have four virus sources. According to ’Dr. Xie’, we need to go to the largest biopharmaceutical center in Atomic City to formulate the antidote."

"Antidote!? Is it for that disgusting biochemical zombie drug?" Baozi’s spirit lifted.

"Theoretically, yes."

...

Just as players unknowingly maneuvered by a certain behind-the-scenes figure, back in the Outer City District of what was once Nightless City, at the location of Hanging Street, a middle-aged man appeared on the street.

This middle-aged man possessed a beauty reminiscent of Ancient Greek sculptures, every move naturally flawless, yet as he walked down the street’s center, no one could perceive his presence. He stopped in front of a former Prosthetic Body shop, talking to himself.

"The owner of this place is my friend."

"Since that’s the case, I know what to do."

With a breeze blowing, this burly man dispersed like sand.

Someone might have forgotten that in Twin City, when trying to persuade a rebellious Mechanical Main Brain, he once lied claiming to be a friend of someone.

And this person is named A, Bionic A.