3. A Life-Apocalyse

"What's going on here?" Jansen asked softly.

In front of him now, Jansen witnessed a residential scene of abandoned two-story buildings. Many trees, broken cars, and building debris were scattered everywhere.

People looked shabby and frightened. There were several tents of makeshift health posts. Some people carried family members and friends, while others were busy treating people infected with the virus.

"As you can see. This is how people live now," said Matthew beside Jansen.

After a brief encounter with the monsters a few moments ago, Jansen was escorted by Matthew to the neighborhood. But Jansen did not expect that the living situation of the townspeople was this bad.

"They live in these abandoned buildings?" Jansen looked around.  

"Yes. There is no security. They only rely on logs to block the door to hide. Every night, some monsters will start arriving," Matthew replied.

Jansen sighed heavily. He felt furious remembering what the Parasitic Creature Eradication Organization had done to make the city live like this in the future.

"Since when?" asked Jansen.

"Twenty years ago. The Parasitic Creature Eradication Organization didn't give out the antidote for free. When the virus spread fast enough, they made people pay ten million dollars."

Jansen glared in surprise. "What? How come... wait, twenty years ago a cure for the virus was found?"

Matthew nodded his head. "Yes. I heard my parents say that Mr. Frank discovered it. He's now the leader of the Parasitic Creature Eradication Organization."

"Frank?" Jansen said in surprise.

Matthew frowned with a surprised expression.

"You know him? Why are you calling him a million names? You're still young," Matthew reprimanded.

Jansen immediately remembered that he was in the future. Frank had automatically aged, while he had not aged at all.

"I mean, Mr. Frank. Yes... I've read about him," Jansen had to lie. He couldn't possibly admit that he was the leader of the Parasitic Creature Eradication Organization.

Matthew let out a long sigh, and then continued walking.

"Ah. I didn't expect that since one of the CEOs of the chemical company that owns the largest laboratory disappeared, the organization would become chaotic. Even though it was the CEO who promised to give the virus antidote for free."

Hearing Matthew's words, Jansen immediately felt guilty. If only Matthew knew that he was the CEO he was talking about-who promised to give the virus antidote for free.

"Hey, what if I told you I was the CEO who disappeared?" asked Jansen hesitantly.

Matthew's steps stopped again. He looked at Jansen so intensely, as if he was scanning Jansen's entire body.

Then Matthew let out a mocking laugh.

"What are you talking about?" Matthew asked. "Don't be delusional. You even scream and run when faced with monsters. You don't look very smart."

Jansen held back his irritation after hearing Matthew's words. But he couldn't be completely angry. He had already guessed that Matthew wouldn't believe his words.

"That's right. You wouldn't believe such a ridiculous thing," Jansen replied with a nod.

"No one knows where the missing CEO is. At first the citizens were still hoping that he would be found so that they could distribute the virus vaccine for free, or perhaps sell it at a low price..."

Jansen looked at Matthew who looked haggard as he stopped his words for a moment.

"...but he didn't come back. The search for the CEO was eventually stopped. Then more and more people lived their lives as usual without expecting the CEO to come.

"But they suffered because the spread of the parasitic virus made some residents turn into monsters. The organization didn't vaccinate against the virus, but instead killed both transformed and newly infected humans."

"The situation must have been very chaotic at the time," Jansen said softly.

"Of course it was. Moreover, in the end, a boundary was built between the poor, the middle class, and the conglomerate. There was an artificial modern city where only the rich lived."

"While they let the poor and the middle class live with the spread of viruses, hunger, and disease?" asked Jansen.

"Yes. They only come every two months to provide food and medicine. If the infection gets out of hand, they arrest them and take them to the Training Center," said Matthew.

"Training center?" Jansen was confused because he had never heard the term.

"You don't know?" Matthew asked with astonishment.

Before Jansen could answer, he heard the sound of wood slamming. Jansen looked over with Matthew and saw three men starting to surround a woman.

"Argghh! I'm not infected! I told you I was healthy! Let go of my hand!" The woman screamed as she struggled, trying to get her hands free.

The three men around her were still holding her hand. They tried hard to force her to stand up.

"What happened?" asked Jansen.

"Someone's infected!" Matthew answered Jansen in a panicked tone.  

Before Jansen could say anything, Matthew ran straight into the crowd. 

Jansen was still stunned where he stood. He remembered that before coming to this future, when he was the CEO of a chemical company, he had handled someone who was infected with a virus. 

[Do you remember anything, Jansen?] 

The voice echoed. 

Jansen froze and looked around, but no one was talking to him. Everyone seemed preoccupied with the worry of seeing someone infected. 

[The me speaking is your system. You've already faced something like this, right?]

"Wait, what do you mean?" asked Jansen with a worried look on his face. 

A split second later, a blue holographic screen appeared in front of Jansen's face. He gasped in surprise, walking back two steps. 

The screen beam displayed some text. 

[NEW MISSION ALERT!] 

[MISSION: Take control of the infected person!] 

[Reward: 250 level points+] 

"Do I have to jump into action now?!" Jansen grumbled silently at his system. "How do I..." 

Shortly, another text appeared on the system screen. 

[If you need help, say 'Help'. Then the system menu will display the help you need] 

Jansen bit his lip in hesitation. While thinking about what to do, he watched Matthew and a man hold the infected woman's hands behind her back. While the other two men were confusedly looking for tools to calm the woman down. 

"Help!" Jansen said emphatically but quietly. 

[MISSION HELP] 

[WHAT DO YOU NEED, JANSEN?]

[HOW TO KILL SOMEONE INFECTED]

[HOW TO CONTROL THE INFECTED ONE] 

[HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM INFECTED-PERSON] 

"I can't possibly escape or kill the infected person," Jansen said, his breathing labored. 

"Give me 'How to control the infected one'!" Jansen continued to say. 

The system screen changed again. Now, more text filled the screen. 

[HOW TO CONTROL THE INFECTED ONE]

[FIRST STEP: USE 'PARASITE VIRUS TYPE DETECTOR' TO DETERMINE WHAT YOU NEED]