Chapter 1608

They reentered another elevator, which began to descend. This surprised Lily; she'd thought the research base extended far underground, not expecting further levels. After a while, the elevator stopped. Dr. Blanc exited, followed by Lily and Dr. Morris.

This floor was sparsely populated, with few machines or people. An unsettling atmosphere hung in the air. After a few steps, Lily heard a faint moan, then it seemed to vanish, like a hallucination. However, after disinfection, she was certain; it wasn't an illusion. She heard not only groans, but suppressed cries, coughs, and gasps—sounds emanating from multiple individuals. The cacophony was deeply unsettling.

Noticing Lily's solemn expression, Dr. Blanc checked to see if she was recoiling from the sounds. Seeing she wasn't, he nodded, gesturing for them to proceed.

A corridor, lined with rooms on either side, lay near the elevator. Each door was firmly shut.

Lily paused, taking in the scene. "Comparatively speaking, the number of people here isn't massive, but it's significant. To prevent the disease's spread, we must take extreme isolation measures," Dr. Morris explained. "Each person has a separate ward with professional staff providing care and treatment to prevent cross-infection."

Lily felt relieved. As a professional, she recognized this as the optimal approach. Each room had a window. Though she didn't enter, peering in, she saw a simple design: a hospital bed, a small divider (presumably a bathroom), and a patient curled in a ball under a blanket, attached to an IV drip. The dismal atmosphere was palpable, even from outside.

"Shall I go in and examine them?" Lily asked Dr. Blanc, explaining that her purpose was to assess the infected, noting pulse differences and viral variations.

"What's the use? You won't learn anything without taking their pulses," Dr. Morris retorted, his earlier restraint breaking. He wanted to emphasize that everyone was infected but carefully contained. As a traditional doctor, Lily's pulse diagnosis was essential; but if she became infected…

"Morris!" Dr. Blanc scolded, frowning.

Lily smiled. "Dr. Morris is right. I need to take their pulses, but that doesn't automatically mean infection," she replied. "Besides, if the virus is so contagious, shouldn't all the staff be infected already? This virus poses a risk to everyone; you needn't take special precautions with me." She shook her head, reassuring them.