Starting from Prototype to Immortality

Chapter 7: Starting Trouble

Since Chang Wei wasn't flying very high and his heat signature didn't match that of an engine or exhaust system, he naturally avoided detection by radar.

He soon noticed that the nearby infected areas seemed to have increased significantly, and the air was now thick with the Blacklight Virus.

"Looks like Mercer has found Elizabeth Greene…"

Perched on a rooftop, Chang Wei's two-meter-long wings stretched out behind him, exuding both awe and beauty.

Having learned to use the Blacklight Virus to mimic clothing, Chang Wei hadn't worn actual clothes in a long time. Instead, he crafted for himself a black priest outfit—not the kind worn by real-world priests, but a stylish, anime-inspired design. To religious devotees, it would seem entirely blasphemous, a garment deserving of the stake.

Chang Wei mused that he could switch to an all-white version when making a grand entrance—a pure white priest's robe paired with devilish bat wings behind him. The spectacle would be striking.

"But first, I need to find Elizabeth Greene. The Redlight Virus…"

Chang Wei began to move. His super-virus system allowed him to devour and integrate multiple viruses. The Redlight Virus was essentially the ancestor of the Blacklight Virus. Though it hadn't been weaponized or optimized for combat like the Blacklight Virus, it had its own unique strengths.

The Redlight Virus was exceptionally potent, boasting incredible reproductive and assimilation capabilities, perfect disintegration of materials, and the ability to convert them into its own power.

Unlike the Blacklight Virus, which required a host with immense physical and mental fortitude to merge successfully, the Redlight Virus had a highly self-aware nature that made it formidable.

However, finding Elizabeth Greene wasn't easy. For one, Manhattan was much larger than it appeared in the game, and even locating Mercer's safe house was a challenge.

On the other hand, Chang Wei noticed he was being watched. After devouring an infected individual, he discovered from their memories that the military had begun tracking him. Though he appeared far less frequently in their sights than Alex Mercer, they had still designated him as "Prototype B."

Many infected individuals' memories revealed that they had been Blackwatch soldiers before being infected by Elizabeth Greene. This confirmed that Greene had already escaped.

Unfortunately, none of these memories revealed Greene's whereabouts.

Chang Wei could only bide his time, steadily accumulating strength.

At this point, Chang Wei wasn't entirely sure of his own power level. In his base form, he still couldn't take down a Hunter with one punch, leaving him unsatisfied.

He aspired to reach a level where he could overpower a Hunter even in his normal state—that would truly be impressive.

Unlike Alex Mercer, who had a ceiling to his abilities, Chang Wei's system allowed him to continually enhance the Blacklight Virus as long as he had genetic points.

After three evolutions, his Blacklight Virus had already surpassed Mercer's. If the two were to face off and attempt to devour each other, Chang Wei was confident he would emerge victorious.

"Feels like I've been too laid-back lately. Should I start causing some trouble?"

Disguising himself as a normal person, Chang Wei adopted the appearance of an infected individual to avoid being recognized. Since his photo had been exposed, this seemed like the safest option for now.

From a distance, he observed Blackwatch soldiers battling infected individuals. The sight stirred a desire to act.

"I need to upgrade my eyes and senses next, develop some super senses like Superman's."

Chang Wei picked up a nearby car with his bare hands and hurled it at a group of five Blackwatch soldiers.

They hadn't anticipated this move, and by the time they reacted, it was too late—the car had already crushed them into pulp.

Chang Wei quickly picked up their weapons and aimed at the remaining Blackwatch soldiers.

Their response was far faster than in the game, with some already calling for air support. But since Chang Wei had resolved to stir up trouble, he wasn't concerned.

"Bang!"

The first shot was on full auto. By the time the clip was emptied, all the soldiers were dead.

Among the infected he had absorbed were former Blackwatch soldiers, some of whom were elite warriors. Combined with Chang Wei's enhanced reflexes and precise control, he could empty a fully automatic clip and still guarantee every bullet hit its mark.

In the game, Chang Wei loved picking up Blackwatch weapons to fight Blackwatch soldiers—high accuracy and headshots galore. Who wouldn't enjoy that?

In reality, the effect was terrifying. With automatic weapons capable of firing dozens of rounds per second, the soldiers didn't stand a chance. In the blink of an eye, they were all dead, each with a bullet to the head.

With the Blackwatch soldiers eliminated, the infected surged through the broken defenses. But just then, two helicopters arrived.