61: The city is preparing for war and building a defense line, but vaccine development is encountering bottlenecks.

Chapter Sixty-Three: The Whole City Prepares for Battle, Building a Defense Line; Vaccine Research Hits a Bottleneck

The alarms of Dawn City echoed through the sky in the first rays of the morning sun.

The ear-piercing sirens pierced through the streets and alleys, waking survivors still in their dreams. Doors and windows of every household opened one after another, people's faces showing a bit of panic, yet without the despair seen in the early days of the apocalypse—having experienced crisis after crisis, the people of Dawn City had long since grown accustomed to standing tall amidst the wind and rain.

On the streets, soldiers wearing Bone Armor Power Armor ran in formation, their footsteps uniform, making the ground tremble slightly. The transport convoy, fully loaded with ammunition and supplies, sped towards the city walls, wheels rolling over the road and kicking up clouds of dust.

On the top floor of the Command Center, Lin Zhou stood before the tactical sand table, his gaze sweeping over the dense red marks on it—those were the areas where the Serpent Skeleton Research Institute might deploy Mutants. Wang Hu, Chen Hao, and the captains of various squads stood around the sand table with solemn expressions.

"According to Omega-07's confession, the Serpent Skeleton Research Institute's deployment time is set for midnight three days from now," Lin Zhou's voice was steady and powerful. "They will use aircraft to drop thousands of Mutant larvae onto the outskirts of Dawn City, Jincheng, and Yucheng. These larvae have an evolution level between 30%-40%, are extremely aggressive, and will actively move towards human settlements."

He raised his hand, pointing at Dawn City's walls on the sand table: "The first line of defense will be set in the hilly area three kilometers outside the city. Wang Hu, take the First and Second Armored Squads to station at the hills and construct sonic resonance defense positions. Remember, sonic weapons have a restraining effect on Mutants; concentrate your firepower to first deal with the Scale-Wing Species and the Frenzied Fur Species—these two types of Mutants are fast and pose the greatest threat."

"Yes!" Wang Hu stood tall and saluted, a flash of battle intent in his eyes. "Guaranteed to complete the mission!"

"Chen Hao." Lin Zhou turned to Chen Hao. "Your Reconnaissance Squad will be divided into three groups to monitor the airspace of Dawn City, Jincheng, and Yucheng respectively. Once the Skeleton Serpent's aircraft are spotted, report immediately, and use jamming shells to force them to stop, intercepting the Mutant larvae as much as possible."

Chen Hao nodded: "Don't worry, I will set up sonic traps in the airspace to ensure their aircraft never return."

Lin Zhou then looked at the Logistics Minister: "The evacuation of survivors must be completed before tonight. All elderly, weak, women, and children are to be moved to Underground Shelters. Able-bodied laborers will be incorporated into the Militia to assist in moving supplies and repairing walls. Also, stockpile enough drinking water and compressed biscuits to last at least a week."

"Understood!"

Order after order was transmitted from the Command Center, like a tight net covering the entire Dawn City.

On the city walls, soldiers were installing the newly developed Scale Armor Defense Shields. These shields, made of second-level Mutant bone armor mixed with Dark Energy Alloy, could withstand the claws and bone spurs of Mutants. Rows of heavy machine guns were set up at the battlements, barrels pointed outside the city, ready to fire at any moment.

In the Underground Shelter, volunteers were distributing supplies. Chen Yang held the little girl rescued from North Mountain and handed her a piece of chocolate. The little girl took it timidly, took a bite, and a long-lost smile appeared on her face.

"Don't be afraid." Chen Yang patted her head. "Dawn City is very safe. We will defeat those monsters."

The little girl nodded, seemingly understanding, and looked at the busy crowd outside the shelter, a faint glimmer in her eyes.

Unlike the bustling activity of the city defenses, the atmosphere in the Scientific Research Zone was so oppressive it made it hard to breathe.

In the lab, the Research Team Leader looked at the test report in front of him, his brow furrowed into a deep frown. Before him was a sample of the Mutant virus taken from Omega-07. The sample in the petri dish appeared a bizarre dark green, devouring surrounding cells at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Lin Zhou stood behind him, his face grim.

"How is it? Any progress on the vaccine research?"

The Research Team Leader sighed and shook his head: "Commander, this virus is too unique. It was artificially synthesized by the Serpent Skeleton Research Institute, fusing genes from multiple Mutants, and possesses extremely high mutability and infectivity. We've tried various serums, but none could inhibit its activity."

He pointed at the virus in the petri dish: "What's more troublesome is that this virus evolves along with the Mutant's evolution. Even if the vaccine we're developing now succeeds, it can only target the current larval virus. Once the larvae evolve into their mature stage, the vaccine will become ineffective."

Lin Zhou's heart sank to the bottom.

Without a vaccine, it meant that once a Mutant broke through the defense line and entered the interior of Dawn City, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Is there really no other way?" Lin Zhou's voice carried a hint of imperceptible fatigue.

The Research Team Leader was silent for a moment, then suddenly seemed to remember something, his eyes lighting up: "There is! But... it requires a special raw material."

"What material?" Lin Zhou immediately pressed.

"A third-level crystal core!" The Research Team Leader's voice carried a hint of excitement. "Omega-07 said that the Mutants of the Serpent Skeleton Research Institute evolve by absorbing crystal core energy. The core energy source of this synthetic virus is highly similar in frequency to the energy of a third-level crystal core. If we can use the energy of a third-level crystal core to create an 'Energy Suppressor,' we might be able to interfere with the virus's activity, or even... stall the Mutant's evolution!"

Lin Zhou was stunned.

A third-level crystal core.

But that third-level crystal core obtained from the Scale-Winged Commander had already been snatched away by the Men in Black from the Serpent Skeleton Research Institute.

"We don't have a third-level crystal core..." Lin Zhou said in a low voice.

The Research Team Leader's eyes dimmed.

The laboratory fell into a deathly silence. Only the virus in the petri dish was still sizzling, devouring cells as if silently mocking everyone's efforts.

Just then, a researcher suddenly ran in, holding a test report with an expression of disbelief on his face: "Leader! Commander! We have a discovery!"

He handed the report to the two of them, pointing at a line of data: "In the Mutant remains we brought back from North Mountain, we detected a trace of residual third-level crystal core energy! Although it's very faint, it's enough for us to conduct a small-scale experiment!"

Lin Zhou and the Research Team Leader both looked down at the data on the report.

On the screen, a line of red text was particularly striking: Residual energy frequency match, extractable amount: 0.3%.

0.3%, though pitifully small, was at least a glimmer of hope.

"Extract it immediately!" Light flared in Lin Zhou's eyes again. "Even if it's only 0.3%, we must try!"

"Yes!"

The researchers immediately got busy. The instruments in the lab once again emitted a humming sound of operation.

Lin Zhou stood by the window, looking at the busy Dawn City outside. Sunlight spilled onto the city walls, plating the cold metal armor with a layer of warm gold.

He knew that this 0.3% hope was the lifeblood of everyone in Dawn City.

The great battle at midnight three days from now was not just a defensive war, but a massive gamble.

Gambling with the future of Dawn City, gambling with the hope of humanity.

Meanwhile, in the Skeleton Serpent Base deep in the valley, the Doctor wearing a golden mask was looking at Dawn City on the screen. He toyed with the purple third-level crystal core in his hand, a cruel smile curling at the corners of his mouth.