Bell awoke from his bed, his body aching in every joint. How many days had it been since the dragon attack? Three? The disease was progressing, albeit slower than he had anticipated. His nose bled easily now, and his cough had worsened with each passing day. Nausea had become a constant companion, and his breath grew shorter, almost to the point of panting. The doctor had attributed it to tachypnea caused by the infection.

Quickly dressing and donning his NBC gear, Bell left his apartment. He headed north, where tons of dirt had been moved by bulldozers to create mass graves. Approaching the site, he was confronted with a grim sight – multiple lifeless bodies lay in the mass grave. Some were beyond recognition, while those that could be identified were mostly children and adults who had succumbed to the virus.

People in NBC gear surrounded the mass graves, grieving for their lost loved ones. Bell couldn't hold back tears as he looked upon the rows of bodies in the grave. They had to be buried swiftly, whether they liked it or not. The population's situation had taken a dire turn. In just three days, the number of casualties had exceeded two hundred, with 80% of them being children and infants.

Hemorrhagic stroke was the leading cause of death, while adults suffered from total organ failure. Currently, the elven soldiers took the lead in managing the disease within the base, thanks to the virus being asymptomatic for elves and similar beings. Anger and sorrow hung heavily in the air. The loss of four hundred people from the dragon attacks had been unbearable, but the addition of this tragedy was almost too much to bear. Even the number of children under the age of ten in the base could be counted on one's fingers.

A man in a gas mask approached Bell, his voice muffled by the mask. "Sad, isn't it?" he remarked.

Bell nodded and replied, "No doubt, Lukas."

Lukas added with a sense of concern, "It's going to be difficult if we are going to draft a peace plan with the Southern Coalition later on."

Bell let out a heavy sigh, his frustration evident. "The mood among the people is one of vengeance, Lukas. How do we negotiate peace under such circumstances? The people of the Federation want nothing but retribution for this tragedy. I may want to reduce them to the stone age, but can we really stoop that low?"

Lukas shared a similar sentiment, saying, "It won't be easy, Bell. The people seek justice, and rightfully so. But we need to think about the long-term. Our primary focus must be on rebuilding and ensuring that such tragedies never happen again. The RAA is working tirelessly to uncover the mastermind behind this atrocity."

"Yeah, I know," Bell said, his voice trembling. As he finished speaking, he coughed again. "How much longer do I have?"

Lukas attempted to lighten the somber mood with a touch of humor, saying, "Not too long, really. At least you're not urinating blood yet." He knew that kidney failure was a sign that the end was near. "Anyway, you might want to hear this out? Can we move somewhere more discreet?" Lukas gestured to an empty road across from the mass grave.

Bell nodded, and the two of them crossed the street to ensure their conversation wouldn't be overheard.

"What have you found?" Bell inquired.

Lukas retrieved his phone from his pocket and handed it over to Bell. He had a PDF file open, with an image of the virus as its cover, titled "Intel Report - AA0001 - Operation Pathfinder." The first page displayed an image of Fort Kruger, which Bell identified as a fort located in the northern province of the empire, not far from the border to the northern continent and likely hundreds of kilometers from their current location. The picture seemed to be taken from a helicopter, and the images suggested that the fort was still occupied.

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"Fort Kruger?" Bell confirmed, realizing that the Southern Coalition had taken control of the fort.

"Exactly. This is the closest command center from our position that was occupied by humans. We suspect that the mastermind behind this whole situation might be there," Lukas explained.

Bell agreed, "Most likely not the virus developer, that's for sure."

Lukas smirked and continued, "Nevertheless, we might get closer to the source, or rather, the one who gave the idea to spread the virus could also be there, don't you think?"

Bell raised an eyebrow and asked, "What are you planning? As much as I want to launch an assault on that fort, the logistical means to hold it would be non-existent."

Lukas, sensing Bell's contemplation, presented his idea further. "We don't necessarily need to hold the fort, Bell. A surgical strike might be all we need – get in, gather intelligence, and get out before they even realize what hit them."

Bell carefully weighed the proposal. A surgical strike had its risks, especially given their current precarious state, but the potential rewards were significant. "A surgical strike... It could work. But it has to be swift and precise. We can't afford to get entangled in a prolonged engagement. However, what gives you such confidence that we, the demons teetering on the brink of death, can mount an effective response?"

Lukas grinned and replied, "Guts? I mean, the RAA-POO are all healthy. Heck, they flew the helicopter to that zone alone."

Bell nodded in agreement but ultimately decided, "Let's postpone the plan for now. I don't want a stroke of bad luck to cost us our finest assets, such as the dragons. We'll wait until this crisis is resolved, and then we can consider our next move. To be honest, I don't think they hold the cure for this virus either."

Lukas acknowledged, "Fair point, sir. If that's all, I need to go."

Bell nodded again and said, "Sure thing."

Lukas made his way to a parked Hilux and drove away from the empty street. The bulldozer continued to lower the dirt into the mass grave in front of Bell. The eerie silence hung heavy in the air.

In times like this, Bell would have typically received comments from Lisa about the progression of the disease or how it affected demons. Her absence left a void, and Bell felt a deep sense of loneliness. Even the EPs they had couldn't buy back the lives they had lost.

Bell headed towards the hospital to assess the progress of the treatments being administered to the infected. Despite his deteriorating health, he needed to witness firsthand how his people were coping. As he reached the entrance to the ER, he encountered a scene of organized chaos. Medics and doctors tirelessly tended to patients and conducted research on the virus and its effects.

The field testing of the MK-1 drug had commenced, yielding limited results thus far. It was still considered unsafe for children, owing to certain issues that Bell didn't fully comprehend. Six patients in the ICU had volunteered for the drug trial, with only one showing signs of improvement. The other five had not responded to the treatment, and one had even experienced an adverse allergic reaction. An elf doctor promptly administered a solution to counter the allergic response, which subsided.

Bell couldn't help but think of how Lisa would have been able to explain the intricate details of the drug being injected and how it functioned. Her extensive knowledge of human physiology and medicine was unmatched, making her an invaluable source of information.

As he contemplated the grim situation, an elf doctor tried to offer some reassurance. "Don't worry, we'll find the cure sooner or later," she said.

Bell appreciated the sentiment and asked, "I hope so, and with whom am I speaking?"

The doctor introduced herself, saying, "I'm Doctor Marina, sir, the chief of the medical staff from the elven village. I've been relocated here to help deal with the... circumstances."

Bell nodded and inquired further, "So, Doctor, how long do we have?"

Marina responded, "We estimate about ten days. The vaccine for the virus is in its final stages and ready to be administered to the healthy population. However, we haven't yet found a cure for LIHV."

Bell considered his options and mentioned, "I'm thinking of using the medical pod in the facility..."

Marina interrupted, "Nanomeds are out of the question, sir, as they've been depleted trying to cure you, according to Amelia and Harris."

Bell nodded, acknowledging the limitation. He then asked, "What else do you have to share?"

Marina continued, "The scientists in our facility have figured out how to use Project SOMA and ANIMA. For our first participant, we unanimously agreed that Dr. Elenhard would be the most suitable candidate for the project. Right now, as we speak, she is being airlifted to The Facility."

Bell's faint smile reflected his approval of the decision.