Chapter 46 – Desire of the Virus
Mia sat alone in his house, eating his breakfast with a solemn expression. He had learned a shocking truth, which was the reason behind the Milky Way Government's hysteria.
"The lost virus …"
*Mrrr?*
Tama and the egg monsters had been extinct since the end of World War 3, yet governments of the two worlds wanted to get a hold of it.
Grandmother Min had told him about a discovery of the previous century, which was kept as a top classified information. From a fossil which contained the dead virus, scientists found a connection that these viruses were the origin of human's psychic powers. Its gene structure was not only compatible with the human race, but they could enhance human neurological functions, immunity system, digestive system, and the muscular system.
Upon digging through the ancient records, they solved the mysteries about the yellow-eye rebels which humans wiped them out from the planet Earth in the world war 3.
These people were like Mia at the moment. They were infected with mutated hydra parasites, yet they were capable of reproducing with normal people while carrying the virus. And their offsprings also possessed the parasite from birth, which the lineage of the mutant race started from there.
Furthermore, the fractured pieces of proofs and broken records revealed a potential of the infected that they could have had longer life expectancy than the current humans in the 46th-century.
In this world, the average life expectancy of humans was over 500 years. With the technologies of brain cell regeneration, DNA modification, unlimited supplies of replaceable synthesized body organs, such as hearts, lungs, skeleton parts, or even androlization, which turned the ordinary human bodies into androids, humans had many ways to fight against death.
However, the fact that the mutant race in the 23rd-century could naturally live longer than 500 years was too stimulating for the dying old coots and nobles within the current governments.
As a result, MWG's big wigs funded more research projects if they could revive these viruses one way or another.
Then, the combination of Lilim Heritage Online and the exploitation of VRMMO was a fruit of one of their researches!
However, there were several parts that his grandmother did not bother to explain to Mia.
Why didn't they use their personnel to acquire the virus?
How does the transfer from the game to the real world work?
Why did they release this game to the elite students?
What will happen when someone logout with injuries in-game?
Why is this virus called "Hydra"?
What is Tama?
Though he had a lot of questions in his mind, he was not that stressful or worried about his future.
Mia took a deep breath after he finished his dishes. Because of his absentminded, he did not notice that his fork and spoon were partially melted.
He closed his eyes and chanted a skill name in his mind.
'Polymorph.'
Mia's body quivered and expanded. Within a minute, it transformed into his character in-game, Misha.
This was the perk of following his grandmother's suggestion, by picking the skill and transformed into himself before the logout.
From his grandmother's revelation, Mia could import his real skills into the character in the future. At the same time, he could use the skills he learned from the game in the real world, including the polymorph skill.
The condition to accomplish this was that the character in-game and his real body in the real world had to be exactly the same when he exited the game, even if it was transformed.
It gave Mia a cold sweat that he attempted to change his personal asset, which would have ruined his grandmother's plan. Fortunately, the game readjusted his look back to the default form, which saved him from the further complication.
Mia, or Misha at the moment, gazed at the mirror with a wry smile.
"This is sick. If I use [Acid Fluid], will I melt everything in the house?"
Misha used her tongue to lick the teeth in her mouth. As she figured, the long tongue of hers was still there.
*Mew*
Tama explored the body once again like a curious cat. Upon reaching a specific part, it cried again.
*Myaaaa!* (Wee-wee has become wu-wu!)
*Mrrr?* (What are you, a dual gender amoebas or a banana slug?)
Misha had the urge to drag Tama out of her body and give it a beating, even though she did not know why.
'Forget it. I have to go to school … if grandma and others allow it.'
Misha strolled into the bathroom while she was preparing to change back to the real body.
When she saw her naked body again, Misha paused and checked her body parts.
*Mew*
The curious cry of Tama woke her up from her dirty thought. Misha immediately transformed back to Mia and took a bath normally.
When it was the time to brush his teeth, Mia found another trouble.
His toothbrush was dissolved when it touched his saliva.
"Meh, do I have to use my finger to brush my teeth instead? Wait, my real body still has that long tongue?"
*Meh-Heh Mew!*
…
7 AM.
Mia finished his preparation to go to school despite the commotion in front of his house.
When he got out of the house with his usual flight suit, he found his grandmother, Tiffany, Dana, and five elderly men strangers gathered on his front yard. They seemed to have a long conversation before he had exited the house.
Many police's flying vehicles and tanks surrounded his house. Above his resort, a destroyer spaceship flew in the air while its shadow covered the entire neighborhood.
Everybody turned their attention to Mia.
An elder glanced at Mia and Min. He harrumphed.
"Fleet Admiral, I want to see the sterilized genes within a year. If you fail, we'll take the boy."
"One year is too short for developing a totally new working gene, and you want a sterilized version on top of that. I'll need at least 6 to 7 years to get what you need."
"How much do you want if we want it within a year?"
"Fifteen trillion MWD."
"Don't be overbearing! That's the entire annual budget of the government! How many star systems do you think we need this budget for!?"
"For the genes of immortality, this is considered cheap. If you want it cheaper, go find another carrier of the virus. The army has already spent a year into the alpha test, right? Yet, why haven't your men secured the virus out of the game? I don't understand the competency of your soldiers. See my grandson? He joined the game a few days ago, and he got the virus without us telling him anything. What should I call your soldiers, Supreme Commander Yingqin?"
Grandmother Min had the trolling crescent smile and her upward curving eyes. No matter how many times Mia looked at it, he still found it annoying.
The five old men glared at Min and Mia. They snorted and returned to their vehicles, leaving the house. As for Joan, she followed after the old men after she was rescued from the ocean.
Mia walked to his grandmother. He did not forget to greet Tiffany, who had the appearance of a blond beauty with Regal Ringlets hairstyle. However, Mia knew that it was a false appearance since her real look was something else.
His grandmother glanced at the flight suit of Mia and waved her hands, "You don't have to go to school today. I've told your school that you've won a scholarship to study on my battleship. Also, you are going to live with me from now on."
…
At school, all students moved to their new class, adjusted by the superintended and Professor Luckyaf.
In the newly created combat class, several students already knew each other from the game as they had too many free times during their quarantine after death.
The player of Big Crotch, Dawson.
The player of Pioneer King, Christopher.
The player of Dove, Donovan.
The three players and eight other students belonged in this class. There should have been more, but all of them decided to quit playing this combat class and joined the easier lifestyle class instead.
The list of all students was posted on the announcement board at the front of their school building along with other announcements. Moreover, their in-game names were added behind the name of all students.
Everyone could check who was who in the game now.
However, there was a name that did not contain the IGN.
Uriel Mia
His name was crossed with a red line as if he had passed away, or he had changed school.
Shurka, the girl that studied MBR from Mia, also noticed the red line. She immediately phoned her father.
"Dad, what's wrong with Mia of the combat class. Why is his name crossed with red line?"
Luckyaf was silent for a moment before he answered with vague information, "Something happened, and the MWG took him away."
Meanwhile, most of the students walked to the prepared lifestyle classes in a casual manner. All students who had logged out at the wrong time also returned to the school.
These returners chatted and laughed with their friends as if nothing had happened. When they were inquired about the incidents, they said they could not remember.
However, many of the students noticed the depth of their eyes. They were … unusually glossy.