At that time, Su Wu planned to adjust the in-game currency system, linking it to puzzle-solving and challenge levels that could generate spirituality.
This would likely produce only positive feedback.
"If the results are good in the future, I can further allow players to exchange game currency for food, daily supplies, and so on."
Compared to the value of spirituality, offering some cheap industrial products for free wouldn't be a significant issue. In fact, if the spirituality production was abundant enough, Su Wu wouldn't mind directly supporting them.
At the same time, on the surface, the torrential rain continued as usual, masking everything under the loud noise of the downpour.
In the East District of Jianghe City, on the outskirts of the **Owen Shelter**, underground in the first level, **Sun Yaoyang** hurriedly pushed past a staff member who was blocking his way and burst into the ground control room. He slammed the door shut with a loud bang and locked it from the inside.
"Supervisor, are you okay?"
Li Weiqiang, the duty officer, saw his superior looking disheveled and immediately ran over to help him sit on a nearby sofa.
"Don't worry about me, go to the storage room and grab the expanding agent. Block the gaps in the door." Sun Yaoyang urgently instructed.
"What are we doing with that?" Li Weiqiang was momentarily confused.
"Hurry up!" Sun Yaoyang's expression darkened, and he looked fierce.
Li Weiqiang, startled, didn't dare hesitate any longer. He immediately ran to the storage room connected to the control room and retrieved a can of expanding agent.
This expanding agent was a waterproof sealing material, which had been brought in from the shelter's warehouse after a leakage issue had occurred in the restroom.
He sprayed the expanding agent along the edges of the door, quickly sealing the gaps tightly.
At that moment, a knock sounded from outside the door. The voice of the person who had been knocked aside by Sun Yaoyang earlier came through.
"Why is the door locked?"
"Open it quickly!"
Li Weiqiang paused, recognizing the voice of his colleague **Ji Hong**, who had gone out to fetch some documents.
"Supervisor, it's Ji Hong."
"According to the rules, he shouldn't be away from his post for too long."
"Should I open the door and let him in?"
"It's my call now."
Sun Yaoyang's expression darkened, and there was a dangerous look in his eyes. He forced himself to stand up with great effort, signaling Li Weiqiang to step aside. He walked to the door.
"You go rest for the day."
"The control room is undergoing an emergency inspection."
"No outsiders are allowed to enter."
Sun Yaoyang said coldly, addressing the door.
"Inspection?"
"But I didn't hear any notification about this."
Ji Hong outside sounded puzzled. After all, if there was truly an inspection, he should have been informed in advance.
"I said it's an inspection."
"Now, get lost!"
Sun Yaoyang could barely contain his fury, growling in a low voice.
Outside, Ji Hong, after hearing his supervisor's reprimand, didn't dare to argue. He could only leave awkwardly.
Soon after Ji Hong returned to his dorm, a large amount of red blood suddenly poured from his nose and ears.
"What's going on?" Ji Hong panicked, trying to cover his face, but it was futile.
As the blood loss continued, his head began to grow heavy, and eventually, he collapsed to the floor with a thud, his body lifeless.
---
Meanwhile, inside the ground control room, after sending Ji Hong away, Sun Yaoyang made his way to his desk. He poured himself a glass of water and drank half of it in one gulp, exhaling as if relieved.
"Supervisor, what happened outside?" Li Weiqiang asked in a low voice.
Sun Yaoyang's unusual behavior was too obvious. Li Weiqiang wasn't dumb; he could tell something was wrong.
"The outside... is finished." Sun Yaoyang's voice carried a deep sense of fear.
"Finished?" Li Weiqiang didn't understand at first, but after repeating the words, his confusion turned into disbelief.
"You mean—?" Li Weiqiang's voice trembled as he couldn't bring himself to say more.
"The laboratory built by the chairman on the lowest level of the shelter had a leakage incident," Sun Yaoyang answered with dread.
"I was just with a team inspecting the internal surveillance system, and I saw the people on the lower floors falling one after another."
"From the speed the virus is spreading, it should be reaching us soon."
Perhaps because he had narrowly escaped, Sun Yaoyang finally shared the details.
"What... what do we do?"
"We're stuck here without food. We'll just wait to die."
Li Weiqiang sounded panicked, but Sun Yaoyang remained calm. Clearly, he had considered their next steps before coming here.
"I remember there are some diving equipment in the storage room, and the oxygen tanks are just about full."
Now that the entire **Owen Shelter** was flooded, going outside without diving equipment would be impossible. This was why he insisted on coming here.
After Sun Yaoyang's reminder, Li Weiqiang also recalled.
"That's right, I was the one who filled the compressed air tanks."
"Good."
"Get the equipment."
"Let's change and leave now."
Sun Yaoyang directed firmly.
"But didn't you say the virus is already spreading?"
Li Weiqiang hesitated, fear showing in his eyes.
"It's airborne."
"Putting on the oxygen mask and leaving is better than waiting here to die."
Since it was just the two of them, Sun Yaoyang didn't lose his temper. Instead, he explained patiently.
Li Weiqiang, seeing the sense in this, had no further objections. He retrieved two sets of diving gear and handed one to Sun Yaoyang. They quickly changed into them.
They exited the control room.
Outside, Li Weiqiang was shocked to see that in just a matter of minutes, everything had changed.
The once-bustling hallways were eerily silent, with several bodies lying motionless on the ground, blood pouring from their ears and noses.
Instinctively, Li Weiqiang quickened his pace.
At the guard post near the shelter exit, the guards had also been affected by the virus, and there was no sound or movement.
Sun Yaoyang used his identity card to unlock the electronic lock. A low sound echoed, and the sealed door leading to the outside isolation area opened.
The two of them stepped inside.
Moments later, the outermost metal gate opened, and the floodwaters began to enter the isolation area.
Li Weiqiang breathed a sigh of relief.
But at that moment, he suddenly noticed that his superior was acting strangely.
Blood poured from his face mask, and Li Weiqiang recoiled, stepping back in shock.
His heartbeat quickened as he saw a streak of blood inside his own mask.
---
**Note on Virus Origin:** The virus originates from the dinosaur era, 65 million years ago. This shelter merely discovered it, not created it. The outbreak would have occurred regardless of its discovery. Additionally, after the apocalypse, the upper levels of shelters lived comfortably, and power became increasingly concentrated. If research on the virus could lead to immortality or similar benefits, it was not surprising that they would take the risk.
(End of Chapter)