"My dear Yuan, try this potion I've just developed," a middle-aged man in white, his face filled with fanaticism, said to the little girl locked in a cage.
The girl timidly raised her head, a pleading smile gracing her delicate face. She obediently took the potion and drank it.
The man stroked the girl's head, a look of satisfaction with his creation on his face. It was indeed his life's work, developed over decades. Once she fully matured, this world would belong to him.
More than a decade later, the girl had grown up.
She, too, wore white, her expression serene as she gazed at the experimental bench before her, as if nothing could stir her emotions.
Bi Cheng'e was very pleased with Xing Yuan's demeanor. For years, he had considered himself her father. While his creation was somewhat emotionally detached, she possessed many advantages, such as a brain development far exceeding that of ordinary people; she could remember anything after seeing it just a few times.
One day, Bi Cheng'e developed a masterpiece, and on that day, the entire world was irrevocably changed.
The once azure sky gradually turned blood-red, with a blood moon hanging high in the heavens. The animals in the city, as if sensing disaster, became agitated and restless.
Rain of blood began to fall from the sky, not by divine will, but by human hands.
Bi Cheng'e stepped out first, reveling in what he considered his life's greatest creation, his smile growing wider. His masterpiece, after all, could not remain unknown; it should be shared with the entire world!
Xing Yuan stood silently indoors, observing Bi Cheng'e's peculiar actions with an unperturbed heart. Although he claimed to be her father, it was merely an insignificant blood relation. She had always had a weak perception of emotions and did not care for this so-called biological father.
Thus, Xing Yuan returned to her seat, continuing the experiment she had not yet completed.
The blood rain lasted for a day and a night. Those who were drenched by it began to exhibit different changes. Some developed red spots on their bodies, while others grew strange appendages.
Bi Cheng'e, observing several large swellings on his own body, felt a flicker of unease for the first time.
No, his experiment was a success. This was done precisely according to the records in the manual. How could there be a problem?
But within days, Bi Cheng'e clearly felt his consciousness fading, replaced by an insatiable craving for blood.
Gazing at the others in the laboratory, Bi Cheng'e felt an urge to tear open their throats and consume their blood. He had utterly transformed into a monster.
Xing Yuan was the first to notice the change in her "father." She tied him to the experimental bench, meticulously recording the changes in his bodily data.
"Father, you always said I was gifted. But now, your body is even stronger than mine. Your experiment may have succeeded. Although the expected outcome hasn't been fully achieved, it's very close," Xing Yuan's eyes gleamed with fervor, her voice barely concealing her excitement.
"Let me go! You lunatic. I am your real father." As the creator of this experiment, no one understood this individual better than Bi Cheng'e. She was truly capable of dissecting him.
"Didn't Father say that dedicating oneself to an experiment was your lifelong wish? Daughter is now fulfilling your wish! You say such things, and it truly saddens me!" Xing Yuan's scalpel glided lightly over Bi Cheng'e's body, a smile on her face.
"Let's talk calmly. I'm not the only test subject. Yuan can find someone else. Father can help you. We, father and daughter, can create a new world together," Bi Cheng'e softened his tone, attempting to persuade her.
"But, Father's body was the first to mutate! You always said time is life. As your daughter, I naturally wouldn't disappoint you," Xing Yuan looked at him with an innocent expression, as if genuinely confused by his words.
"Don't worry! It will be over soon. If Yuan completes her research, I will send incense to inform you."
As soon as she finished speaking, Xing Yuan, fully equipped, stood before the experimental bench, her sharp scalpel slicing into Bi Cheng'e's skin.
She ignored Bi Cheng'e's pained screams, focusing intently on observing the changes in his blood and organs. She occasionally reached for nearby instruments to record data.
Bi Cheng'e bled to death. Xing Yuan only discovered this after her observations, merely expressing a faint regret, "So, Father was also merely mortal, only able to endure for so long!"
Xing Yuan watched as Bi Cheng'e's skin began to heal on its own. With a placid expression, she carefully cut off a piece, placed it under a microscope for detailed observation, and then slowly removed her gloves and washed her hands.
"Professor! Something's happened!" a voice approached from a distance.
The person hesitated before walking over, only to see the professor's corpse lying on the experimental bench. Their legs buckled, and they collapsed to the ground.
At that moment, Xing Yuan, her clean white coat stained with blood, emerged, looking at the newcomer with a half-smile.
The person's expression faltered, then they reacted swiftly, scrambling and crawling away while shouting, "Someone's dead! Someone's been murdered here!"
Xing Yuan silently watched their actions, with no intention of stopping them. She could tell the person was afraid, but she didn't understand what they were afraid of.
The principle instilled in her since childhood was that anyone could be sacrificed if they held value, and this naturally included her father.
Xing Yuan lowered her gaze to her blood-stained clothes, a look of distaste on her face. She went into the inner room to change into an identical white garment.
She loved beautiful things the most and detested anything dirty.
Outside the laboratory, chaos had already erupted. Strange-looking monsters began appearing in various locations. They felt no pain and feared no death, resembling the legendary zombies.
Panic spread outside, and an atmosphere of unease permeated the laboratory. The professor was dead on the experimental bench, and their small laboratory harbored a murderer.
Some risked escape, while others banded together to stay. Leaving meant having nowhere to go. Although there was a murderer among them, if they could kill this person, the laboratory would belong to them, and the supplies within would be enough to sustain them for some time.
With this thought, these dozen or so individuals reached a consensus.
They were all grown men; surely they couldn't be defeated by a woman?
As it turned out, they were indeed no match. When they were knocked down and then tied up, they were still questioning their reality.
This woman, who usually appeared so delicate, how could she fight so fiercely? She had nearly beaten them to death.
Xing Yuan stretched her limbs, looking at these frail individuals, a flicker of boredom in her eyes. She couldn't fathom where they got the confidence to confront her.
Although she had never received systematic training, certain fighting techniques seemed ingrained in her very bones. With mere subconscious movements, she had subdued them all.
"Miss Xing, spare us! We won't dare again. Please let us go!" one person cried, tears streaming down their face, begging for mercy.
"Why are you crying? I never said I would kill you." Xing Yuan frowned irritably. So noisy, like mosquitoes.
"You won't kill us?" someone's eyes lit up.
"What benefit would killing you bring me?" Xing Yuan's expression was hesitant, as if contemplating. She was so lazy and didn't want to do thankless tasks.
"None! None! We are all ordinary people. Killing us would get you nothing," one person shrewdly replied.
"Hmm! But you are quite bothersome, and I don't want to deal with you. So, you will stay here obediently! I will release you after I finish my experiments." Xing Yuan stated bluntly.
"No!" one person extended an outstretched hand, but it was entirely ineffective in stopping Xing Yuan's advance.
Her father's previous research seemed to have a minor flaw, and she intended to perfect it. Experiments should be flawless; how could there be imperfections?
Xing Yuan remained there for three full days, drinking a little glucose solution when she felt hungry.
Three days later, Xing Yuan gazed at the blood-red potion in her hand, a satisfied smile gracing her face.
It was finally successful. Who should she find to test the potion on?
Xing Yuan thought of the people she had tied up, but when she arrived there, she discovered something important: those people had already escaped.