Chapter 23: Source of the Virus

Lin Yi stretched his body, feeling a wave of relaxation and ease.

He drew the Black Abyss Sword. The blade, which had originally felt slightly heavy, now seemed weightless, swinging as if he were playing with a plastic sword.

"Only 2 points of strength, and the change is this significant?" Lin Yi wondered privately, feeling a surge of surprise.

He attempted to move a sculpture placed in the room. The sculpture, which had previously possessed some weight to him, was now easily lifted above his head.

Not only that, but Lin Yi felt as though he possessed inexhaustible strength, and all his bodily functions had undergone a noticeable enhancement.

His movements were more agile, his thoughts clearer, and his entire being radiated a new vitality.

Lin Yi quickly adapted to his strengthened body, beginning to practice standing meditation in the room.

Years of training had made him intimately aware of his physical condition; Lin Yi knew exactly how to control every ounce of his strength.

In less than ten minutes, Lin Yi had completely adjusted to his enhanced physique.

After rinsing off and changing into a clean set of clothes, there was a sudden knock at the door.

He walked to the door and opened it to find the maid who had previously escorted him to the guest room standing respectfully outside.

"Mr. Lin, Head of House Takagi has returned. He wishes to see you," the maid said in a gentle and respectful voice, bowing her head as she awaited his response.

Lin Yi nodded slightly to acknowledge her.

He closed the door and followed the maid toward the third floor.

The maid's steps were light and steady, clearly the result of good training.

Soon, they arrived in front of a drawing room.

The maid stopped, gently pushed open the large doors of the drawing room, and made a gesturing motion, inviting Lin Yi to enter.

"The Head of House is waiting inside. Mr. Lin, please."

Lin Yi entered the drawing room while the maid remained outside the door.

As maids employed by the Takagi household, they were meticulously trained to know when to maintain silence and distance.

The drawing room was decorated in an elegant and solemn manner. Soichiro Takagi was already seated on the sofa, waiting for Lin Yi's arrival.

He looked up, his gaze steady, and signaled the butler beside him to pour tea for Lin Yi.

The maid immediately stepped forward, elegantly filling a cup with hot tea and handing it to Lin Yi.

Lin Yi took the teacup and took a light sip, feeling the fragrance of the tea spread through his mouth.

He raised his head, meeting Soichiro Takagi's gaze. For a moment, a wordless silence permeated the space between them.

Soichiro Takagi's voice was steady and powerful as he spoke: "Thank you for your help, Mr. Lin. I have already heard about what happened on the journey from my daughter."

However, the expression on Soichiro Takagi's face remained as composed as ever, without any unnecessary display of emotion.

This made Lin Yi find him somewhat inscrutable.

The surrounding servants seemed to sense this invisible pressure as well; they kept their heads lowered, not daring to show even the slightest lapse in discipline.

The atmosphere in the drawing room became exceptionally heavy, as if they were standing on the edge of a hundred-foot cliff, where a single misstep could send one plunging into a bottomless abyss.

After a few minutes, Soichiro Takagi finally broke the silence.

His eyes were piercing as he looked directly at Lin Yi, speaking slowly: "Mr. Lin, according to my daughter, you are an Interpol agent?"

Lin Yi smiled faintly, set down his teacup, and responded with composure, "And?"

Soichiro Takagi continued, "From what I understand, the Interpol headquarters fell three days ago. During this period, there shouldn't be any Interpol agents coming to Japan." His gaze betrayed his suspicion regarding Lin Yi's identity.

Lin Yi did not panic; instead, he gave a faint smile. "Does it matter whether I am an Interpol agent or not? In the current environment, as long as one is human, isn't that enough?"

Even after being called out by Soichiro Takagi, Lin Yi's expression did not change significantly; he continued to savor the tea in his hand.

Lin Yi did not care if his identity was exposed. If Soichiro Takagi dared to turn against him, at this distance, Lin Yi was confident he could take him out within a second. If he hadn't possessed sufficient strength, he would never have come to this "Hongmen Banquet" alone.

"Then, what exactly do you intend to do in Japan, Mr. Lin?" Soichiro Takagi's voice was steady and forceful, his eyes fixed intently on Lin Yi as if trying to see into his soul.

"I have only one purpose: where exactly is the source of the infection outbreak? I don't believe you don't know."

Lin Yi set down his teacup. Though his voice was not loud, it was something Soichiro Takagi could not ignore.

After a moment of silence, Soichiro Takagi waved his hand, signaling the butler behind him to bring something out.

The butler stepped forward quickly and placed a file folder in front of Lin Yi.

"Everything you want to know is in here. Read it if you wish," Soichiro Takagi's voice carried a strange, complex emotion.

Lin Yi picked up the folder from the table and opened it.

There weren't many documents inside—only a few sheets of A4 paper—but the amount of information contained within was staggering.

It was a series of communication logs, arranged by date.

[March 7th: The expedition team unexpectedly discovered traces of ancient ruins in Antarctica. We are excavating with extreme caution. Gradually, a massive and ancient complex of buildings has revealed itself before us. The decorations within the ruins are strange and mysterious; both the patterns and the style are completely inconsistent with any known dynasty in human history.]

[March 11th: As we delve deeper into the ruins, we have discovered some shocking traces. The interior of the ruins appears to have suffered an indescribable and violent attack. The cracks in the walls, the collapsed buildings, and the scattered debris all tell the story of that terrifying disaster. Could a rebellion have occurred within this mysterious dynasty, leading to its downfall?]

[March 13th: Deep within the ruins, the expedition team discovered an astonishing corpse. Despite the passage of vast amounts of time, the body has miraculously not decayed, maintaining a strange kind of vitality. It is simply unbelievable. Could the extreme cold of Antarctica be what preserved the body?]

[March 16th: Upon re-examining the corpse, researchers were shocked to find that it is actually still alive! Although its life signs are faint and eerie, the instruments show that it is indeed alive. Through testing for radioactive elements, it turns out this corpse has been alive for over 2,000 years. This is beyond the scope of human cognition. How can a living organism survive for such a long time?]

[March 22nd: During the in-depth study of this strange corpse, the expedition team discovered a virus never seen before. This virus is highly aggressive and can infect and destroy living organisms in an extremely short amount of time.]

[April 2nd: Disaster has suddenly struck. The laboratory on the ship has become our only refuge. Those researchers who were originally healthy have become unrecognizable under the virus's onslaught, turning into terrifying monsters. They are frantically slamming against the tempered glass, trying to break into the lab. DO NOT LET THIS SHIP DOCK!!!]

(End of Chapter)