"This isn't an ordinary encryption device," Qi Shan's voice was eerily calm, though her trembling fingers betrayed her unease. "The signals this device is picking up belong to the exclusive quantum communication frequency used by the Quantum Biology Laboratory of Tianhai Group."
All eyes turned to her. Under the locker room's bright lights, her expression was unusually grave. From her pocket, she retrieved a small, polished metal badge embossed with the emblem of Tianhai Group Southwest Research Institute.
Taking a deep breath, she explained, "I'm a researcher at Tianhai Group's Quantum Biology Lab. These codes…" She took the paper from Li Yi's hand, her fingers tracing over the characters swiftly.
"'47' is the lab code. '6C 61 62' translates to 'lab' in ASCII, and '17' refers to the experimental region number. This is a standardized emergency communication format," she said, her voice quickening. "But these signals should never have been transmitted unless…"
"Unless what?" Wang Wei pressed.
"Unless the worst-case scenario has happened," Qi Shan replied, her gaze fixed on the paper. "This is a warning signal. When we designed this communication system, we anticipated this possibility. If the quantum states of the nanorobots experience cascading failure…"
"Wait," Li Yi interrupted. "Are you saying the blue light in those infected is…"
"Yes," Qi Shan nodded grimly. "It's the electromagnetic field generated by the nanorobot swarms in their bodies. This is a catastrophic nanorobot malfunction."
"So, these zombies… are controlled by nanorobots?" Wang Wei asked incredulously.
"Seeing these codes, I'm almost certain," Qi Shan replied. "These nanorobots were originally developed as an advanced treatment for cancer. They work together through quantum entanglement, repairing damaged cells. This cutting-edge technology was independently developed by Tianhai Group and integrates findings from ancient Chinese texts."
"Ancient texts?" Wang Wei frowned. "What does that have to do with modern nanotechnology?"
Li Yi, ever the technophile, caught onto the anomaly. "Why would a modern research lab base its work on ancient techniques? That doesn't fit with standard scientific methods."
Qi Shan's expression grew distant, as though she were peering through time. "Have you heard of Professor Tu Youyou?" Her voice carried a note of reverence. "She discovered artemisinin by studying ancient Chinese medical texts. The wisdom of the ancients often surpasses our imagination."
"Tianhai Group's funding came from a mysterious organization that uncovered a peculiar phenomenon in ancient manuscripts—certain metallic particles seemed to follow patterns resembling the body's meridians. At first, we dismissed it as mystical pseudoscience, but under quantum-scale observation, we discovered similar structures."
Qi Shan's words baffled Wang Wei. He had assumed his girlfriend was just a lab technician at a routine medical facility. Now, he realized she was deeply enmeshed in cutting-edge—and dangerous—research.
"You're saying the ancients detected nanoscale phenomena with their naked eyes?" Li Yi asked, incredulous.
"No," Qi Shan corrected. "They observed macro effects that inspired our investigations. If we could replicate these self-organizing behaviors at the microscopic level, we could create nanorobots capable of autonomous operation and mutual coordination."
She let out a bitter laugh. "But we were too arrogant. We thought mastering quantum technology meant we could control the system entirely. We ignored the ancients' warnings. One text concluded with these words: 'When wandering dust loses order, nourishment turns to harm, and the body is overthrown.'"
"So, the nanorobots…" Wang Wei began.
"Yes," Qi Shan said with deep regret. "They're out of control and evolving. Every infected person becomes a living incubator, making the nanorobots more powerful."
She stopped, but the guttural growls echoing outside the locker room seemed to complete her sentence.
"Why did this outbreak happen in the stadium?" Zhang Lei voiced the question on everyone's mind.
Qi Shan hesitated. "I'm not sure. But from the code, it seems there was a leak in Experimental Zone 17. That area handles mass production testing of nanorobots. It's overseen by Professor Zhou… wait." Her voice trailed off, her face suddenly pale.
"What is it?" Wang Wei asked.
"I just remembered—he came to watch the game." Her voice was barely audible now. "Could it be that the nanorobots in his body malfunctioned?"
"I think so," Wang Wei said, recalling. "I saw the first infected man in Section E—a middle-aged man in a white shirt."
"That's him," Qi Shan nodded. "He always wears white shirts."
"This is insane," Zhang Lei said, his frustration boiling over. "Nanorobots, ancient techniques, quantum labs—none of this should fit together! And yet, here we are."
"What do we do now? Move forward or retreat? And to where?" Xu Peng asked.
Silence fell over the group. Jason translated the conversation into English for Jack, who sat wide-eyed, trying to process the surreal revelation.
Wang Wei took a moment to assess the group. Everyone here had a unique skill set: Xu Peng's knowledge of the building's structure, Zhang Lei's combat experience, Li Yi's expertise in technology, and Qi Shan's understanding of the crisis's core. Even Wang Wei himself had shown strong adaptability. Together, they had the potential to find a way out.
"We need to map out the situation," Wang Wei said, pointing at the locker room's floor plan. "Here's what we know: the military is systematically clearing the area, but they may not understand the infection's true nature. The infected are evolving and displaying collective intelligence. We're trapped here, but we're also closest to the source of the outbreak."
Xu Peng nodded. "The locker room has high security, but we can't stay here indefinitely. I suggest splitting into two teams: one to gather supplies and another to gather intelligence and look for an escape route."
"Agreed," Zhang Lei said. "And we need to figure out the military's plans. If we can link up with the operatives in the main hall, all the better."
"Be cautious," Wang Wei warned. "We don't know the military's orders. If they've been told to eliminate all potential threats…"
Qi Shan suddenly looked up. "Nanorobots are extremely sensitive to electromagnetic fields. That's why high-intensity light and heat weapons work against them. If we can find Professor Zhou, we might still stop this catastrophe."
At that moment, a violent tremor shook the building, the strongest yet. Dust rained from the ceiling as the emergency lights flickered erratically. For a few seconds, the main lighting system powered on, then dimmed again.
"We might lose power soon," Xu Peng warned.
"Let's move," Zhang Lei said decisively. "I'd rather take a chance than wait to die." The others nodded in agreement. In this infected-infested, military-sealed stadium, their only hope lay in confronting the truth and uncovering a solution to the disaster.
Tasks were assigned, routes were planned, and preparations began. Each of them knew the next steps would determine their fate. But for the first time, they felt like a team with a purpose, ready to face whatever horrors lay ahead.