Treatment Effect

As the sun set in the west, Li Daniu drove back alone to Robert’s place.

“What good things did you find today?” Anna, having heard the sound of the car engine, came out of the house to greet him.

“How about this bag of toys?” Li Daniu pulled a backpack from the car and handed it to Ethan, who was following behind Anna.

“Aren’t you always collecting jewelry and diamonds? What made you want to look for toys today?” Anna laughed when she saw how happy Ethan was with the toys. For children like him, this world was truly unfortunate.

“I happened to pass by a toy store. I thought Ethan could use some toys.” Li Daniu picked up another backpack and said to Anna, “These are the diamonds and jewelry I found today. Would you like to pick some?”

“Thank you,” Anna smiled. “But I don’t need those things. Carrying them would only make me less agile.”

Less agile? Li Daniu sighed inwardly. In the apocalypse, even a woman’s penchant for jewelry could be changed—how incredible.

Ethan, clutching the backpack, thanked him and ran back into the house. It had been a long time since he’d received any toys.

After helping Li Daniu bring in the day’s haul, Anna and he went down to the underground laboratory.

These days, Robert had been holed up in the lab, constantly monitoring the two Night Demons and working on improving the vaccine. As for daily life, he was no longer alone—with Anna and Li Daniu’s help, he could focus more on his research.

“Tarek, you’re back. Let me guess—you’ve brought back another bag of diamonds and jewels?” Robert teased when he saw Li Daniu come down. He had grown used to Li Daniu going out on his own.

“That’s right. I’m planning to cover your bed with all the diamonds and jewels I’ve collected today.”

Li Daniu walked over to the two Night Demons. After days of treatment, their appearance had completely reverted to that of humans, except for their extremely high muscle mass. Both the male and female Night Demons were nothing but muscle.

“I have no need for those things. If you could find me some edible bacon, I’d be much more interested than in all the diamonds.” Robert smacked his lips at the thought of bacon.

“Are you part bloodhound?” Li Daniu chuckled. “I did find some bacon today.”

“Really? That’s fantastic! Anna, why aren’t you making dinner yet?” Robert exclaimed with excitement.

“Do you really think I’m your servant?” Anna frowned. She’d found these past days hard to get used to—life was almost like it had been three years ago, before the disaster.

Waking up each morning, cleaning the house, cooking, doing laundry, copying music, books, and movies onto hard drives—there was no need to worry about food, nor about Night Demons attacking at night.

Although Anna had dreamed of such a life over the past three years, the sudden shift from living on the edge to this comfort was difficult to adjust to.

“No, no, how could you think that?” Robert hurried to explain. “I think of you as my wife.”

Li Daniu laughed at the side. Robert had been openly courting Anna these past few days, but it was hard to get any response.

“I think all this vaccine research has addled your brain,” Anna shot Robert a look before leaving the lab to prepare dinner.

“Tarek, you should give me some advice. I really don’t understand why she’s so cold to me.” Robert looked at Anna’s retreating figure, his face forlorn as he turned to Li Daniu for help.

Me—give advice? Li Daniu was instantly embarrassed. He’d failed to woo even the village belle after decades of singlehood, and now someone wanted him to teach them how to pursue a woman?

“Don’t worry. You’ve only known each other for three days.”

“All right, I won’t rush!” Robert shrugged and turned his attention to the Night Demons on the beds.

“How much longer until they wake up?” Li Daniu asked. Although he had over ten days before he would show signs of zombification, the sooner he could solve his own infection, the sooner he could focus on amassing wealth.

“They could wake up at any time,” Robert replied. “What’s strange is, the male Night Demon received the vaccine a day later than the female, but his recovery has already surpassed hers. His infection rate is down to 0.4 percent—almost negligible—while the female’s is still at 1.6 percent.”

“Could it be because the male Night Demon is more intelligent?” Li Daniu speculated. “The female we captured was no different from other Night Demons—pure instinct. But the male had already developed a certain level of intelligence.”

“It’s very possible,” Robert nodded. “Human evolution began with learning to use tools. This male Night Demon was able to learn my trap-setting techniques and even turned the tables, using them to catch me. It shows his intelligence is far beyond that of an ordinary Night Demon.”

“I think he caught you because you’re just too dumb,” Li Daniu teased, then asked, “It doesn’t look like their muscle tissue has changed.”

“That’s right. Just like that rat whose virus was gone but still had a gigantic body, the virus’s enhancement of their physiology didn’t disappear when the vaccine killed the virus.”

“That’s great news. In the future, people won’t need to work out—just catch a Night Demon, get bitten, then get the vaccine after your body’s been enhanced, and you’re all set. Sounds like a business opportunity to me—sure to make a fortune,” Li Daniu mused.

“You’re oversimplifying. We have no idea whether their brains have been damaged by the virus. If their brains are impaired, they could lose their memories or become less intelligent. Would they still be themselves then?”

“Uh, that’s a problem…” Li Daniu was wondering whether Robert could optimize the virus and vaccine so that human bodies could be enhanced without damaging the brain, when Robert suddenly cried out in surprise.

“Tarek, look!”

Li Daniu followed Robert’s gaze and saw the male Night Demon open his eyes, staring at them in utter bewilderment.