Mutagen

<strong>Day 25 – 9:20 AM – Southern Gates, Central Business Park, Bay City</strong>

Twenty-five days after the outbreak started. The life within the Bay City was not really as luxurious compared to the days in the past but comparing the life inside and outside the settlement, the difference was heaven and earth for the survivors. Even the weaker people, even though they could not work, they could at least receive a bowl of porridge twice a day, one in the morning and one in the evening. For those capable, they had better. As long as they work within the settlement as much as they could, they could exchange their efforts for better food that they could share with their friends and families.

As for the soldiers and the people that were being dispatched outside to deal with missions, they had better treatment. Their lives were always at one foot to their graves every time they embarked on their missions and almost every mission would cost them one or more lives in order to complete. In the worst case, their failure would cost the lives of the whole group.

The new survivors coming into the settlement either on their own or being rescued by the soldiers and volunteer groups, still had not stopped though they drastically declined in quantity. These people were those who were extremely lucky to survive or those who were capable enough. Many of them were Evolvers while some were Mutators. The existence of these people slowly strengthened and bolstered the defense of the settlement.

Unfortunately, many of these capable people were being enticed to join the ranks of the government factions rather than the military. Even though all these factions had equal responsibility to defend the settlement, the government factions worked more to their benefit rather than the benefit of the whole settlement which worked against the intention of the military.

Constant attacks of infected hordes were still coming from time to time but none were as large as the wave that happened seven days after the apocalypse started. The only problem that the military faced now was that the research for cure was not going smoothly and the infected were getting stronger for every day that passed.

Fortunately, the research of mutated plants led by Prof. Chervil Sandoval made a breakthrough and he managed to discover a Mutagen enhanced variant of edible grains. It was similar to rice but had a grayish color and a corn like taste compared to the normal rice before. The best thing however was that the new variant of edible grain could be grown faster than normal rice that took four to five months to grow and to be harvested while the new grain was estimated to fully mature in two months only. Furthermore, it could supply more nutrients and energy to people compared to the past variants of lab researched grains. This trait of the new grain meant that only a smaller portion of it equaled to more than a single meal to normal people.

The new grain was named as E-rice or Energy Rice.

Due to the discovery of the grain, several green houses and in-house plantations were built. They high expectations that this new variant of grain would bolster their dwindling food supply in the next two or three months.

Aside from those events, the life in the settlement was rather mundane and boring. In the past, Philippines has been dubbed as the social media capital of the world as majority of Philippine population made social media and internet as a medium to pass time. Now however, there was no internet and even other kinds of entertainment. People could only work for survival and fear as they waited for the next attack of the infected.

Yes, life was really boring and most of the things inside the settlement were repetitive.

This morning however, about two hundred people composed of several squads of the military along with a portion of the government officials'"private personnel", some of the survivor groups inside the settlement were gathered at the southern gates of Central Business Park. Along with these people and their vehicles, a luxurious MB Sprinter parked away was too eye-catching along with the people gathered around the vehicle.

After all, this was the first time most of the people here saw the [Fairy Sniper] who was taking with the [Little Demoness]. Mei was outside talking with Paula. Together with her of course were Odelina, Abbygale and even Iola. Among the people around them were Nikky's group with the exception of Rollan and Daniel and Jason's group with the exception of Arvie. All of them here were both the Mutators and Evolvers with connection to Mark.

Something horrendous was spotted north of Bay City and everyone here was called to participate in attacking it. In the past week, it had been noticeable that the settlement were attacked by hordes of infected creatures that did not look human at all but rather, looked like bunch of flesh with arms and legs splattered all together in one body. Each horde was being led by a creature without skin and only with pure muscles and monstrous strength.

The attacks were all coming from the north that it alarmed the higher ups and sent men to investigate their tracts. Unexpectedly, it led them not far but just about three kilometers north from Bay City. The place was one of the most known hospitals in the Philippines, the Philippine General Hospital mostly called by the common populace as the PGH.

The hospital was not the same as before as it was one of the places most devastated by the outbreak. As a hospital, many infected and injured patients were brought here when the outbreak commenced. Due to that, the patients that became mutated infected along with Failed Mutators almost destroyed the place. The greatest victim there however were the normal patients admitted in the hospital at that time.

According to the reports of the investigation team which was composed of Evolvers and Mutators that specialized in stealth and speed, the hospital was now a breeding ground. When the photos, illustrations, videos and testimonies from the investigation team came out, the scientists said that more than just a breeding ground, it was rather a [Mutation Hive].

On the photos, the hospital was covered with web like flesh membrane along with pod like protrusions on the walls. One video even caught one of the pods exploding and a monster like infected with disgusting pus filled tumors on its body came out. A bacteriologist in the laboratory even stated that the mutated monster could have been a patient of MRSA or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus due to its appearance.

With the threat that the [Mutation Hive] could bring to the settlement, the people gathered at the southern gate was gathered to deal with it. Of course, it was not without a price. Those that did not belong to the military and the government were promised of compensation whether the mission was a success or not. After all, the threat around the hospital was nothing to joke at.

The people here would move out at ten-thirty but was gathered here for the final briefing of the mission. Now, the leaders of the groups were called unto a room where General Miguel Perez and other military officers sat on the chairs to the side. A female soldier, who was one of the secretaries of General Perez, stood at the front while everyone else sat at the rows of chairs in the middle of the room. In front was a projector where the plans, illustrations and the pictures regarding the mission were being shown.

"That is brief summary of the plan." The secretary, 1st Lieutenant Zanna Dela Cruz, said. "Is there any questions?"

"PGH is to the north right? Why are going out from the southern gate?"

One of the survivor leaders asked when he was called after raising his hand.

"You people might not know but the northern gate is currently on a lockdown." 1st Lieutenant Dela Cruz replied. "There is also quite a number of those mutated infected from the hospital straggling at the north and according to the scientists, it is likely that they are mentally connected or have some means to communicate with their leaders. If that is really the case, it will be likely that we will receive a great resistance from those infected if we use the north gate. In this mission, we will try to avoid being detected and we will attack from the east of the hospital as I briefed earlier."

Questions and answers flew back and forth and the discussion was informative. That was until one of the Mutators that led a group and was under one of the "Private Personnel" of a senator.

"I want to ask why there are women here." The man was obviously talking about Mei, Odelina, Nikky and Paula who were grouped together. "Isn't it fine to leave this work to men like us and leave the house sitting to the women? They even brought children with them."

Unexpectedly, Mei's group did not react to him. The secretary on the other hand hearing his question ignored him and proceeded to call another person who wanted to ask a question before. It made him lose face as he could hear some of the group leaders snickering behind him.

"Hey! I'm still asking my question!"

He bellowed which finally made the secretary look at him.

Sighing, Zanna replied.

"To be frank, you're the one not needed here. Your ability and even the members of your group had been evaluated by us already. No, all people that was requested for help was already evaluated which in fact, all of you here. In terms of ability, experience and combat capability, your group was much lower than the "women" you are talking about. Just where did you get the confidence to ask your question?"

Zanna's reply was combined with her cold looking eyes which obviously stated her contempt for the man.

"What?! I don't believe it. What's your basis for that?!" He shouted. "Then what about the children they brought? We don't need baggage in this mission right?!"

"It's not your concern isn't it?" Zanna crossed her arms. She was starting to feel annoyed. "You can also bring children if you want but of course, their wellbeing in this mission is your responsibility."

At this time, Zanna stepped back as General Perez stood up and walked in front. When the General steeped in the center of the room, the people became quiet. His imposing aura was not something that could easily be disregarded even by Mutators and Evolvers that were just common people before the outbreak.

"As you all know, we called unto your groups for this mission and it included all of your members as long as they could fight and have to ability to. It was not age restricted but in the least, we only reminded that it was better for normal people to stay behind and did not restrict it. As long as anyone would not drag the whole mission to fail, it was fine to join this mission. It included children that have the ability to fight."

General Perez roamed his eyes on everyone before stopping on the man who asked which made the man gulp his saliva.

"I'll confirm what my secretary said. In terms of ability, your group cannot match the group of women and children you are talking about. In truth, one of those two children could wipe your whole group single handedly." At that moment, General Perez' eyes turned stern. "I know your group is under Senator Dela Vega. Don't think that we don't know that he had been harassing people from a group under our protection which is the same as what you are doing. If you don't stop this, then, it's better if you pack up with your group now and leave. Don't participate in this mission anymore."

With that, the man became as quiet as a mute and sat down. Almost everyone around him was now looking at him with contempt hearing what the General said. The man wanted to leave already but the merits in this mission was too good to pass by and was also the reason why many people participated.

On time, the people gathered at the south gate left to deal with the threat looming at the Philippine General Hospital.