~Yokohama, Secret Base~
A solitary island stood in the distance, its abandoned watchtower looming over rusted steel structures, overgrown weeds, and crumbling walls draped in cobwebs...
The collapsed walls and load-bearing pillars formed a desolate ruin blanketed in thick dust, as if untouched by human footsteps for years.
This place had once been a supply station for passing ships, destroyed in an earthquake years prior. The government had no interest in funding its restoration, and as ports and industrial zones sprouted along the coast, this location was gradually forgotten.
A ferry docked at the shore...
Dr. Green, who had temporarily left the Yashida estate, stepped off the boat. The alluring private physician had flaxen shoulder-length curls, a green bodysuit beneath her beige coat, and long slender legs that exuded an intoxicating charm.
In the distance, the sea and sky merged into a single line. Dark clouds hung low, and white waves crashed against jagged reefs, shattering into sprays of fine droplets. The rhythmic sound of the tide washing ashore played on repeat, monotonous and unchanging...
Under the overcast sky, the private doctor of a prestigious family appearing on this desolate island was nothing short of eerie. She hardly looked like an outdoor enthusiast.
Dr. Green strode into the watchtower, her high heels clicking against the floor. The interior reeked of decay.
Standing in the center, she waited for no more than ten seconds before the tiles beneath her feet suddenly sank with a dull rumbling noise.
After a brief moment of darkness, blinding light flooded in from above...
Who would have guessed that beneath this long-abandoned watchtower lay a Hydra secret laboratory?
The illuminated steel structure bustled with researchers in white lab coats.
Dr. Green moved unimpeded, as if her status granted her unrestricted access. The alloy doors separating different zones slid open automatically, as though no clearance was required.
Standing on the upper levels, she gazed down at the subterranean lab, which operated like a well-oiled machine, "Progress report?"
"Dr. Marcus has combined leech gene fragments with the Progenitor Virus, isolating an entirely new strain. It primarily enhances the ability to recombine genetic factors..." A lab manager clutching a research log replied respectfully.
'Dr. Green' was merely an identity she used with the Yashida family. This seductive woman's real name was Ophelia Sarkissian, a high-ranking Hydra operative known as 'Madame Hydra', a master of toxins, immune to poisons herself, and a skilled spy and infiltration expert.
The renowned Madame Hydra waved her hand dismissively, "Show me the test subjects directly."
She had no interest in complex research data. She wanted to see the infected subjects with her own eyes.
The manager nodded obediently, leading her via elevator to the third level.
Behind reinforced glass partitions, humanoid creatures roamed and roared. They had lost all semblance of humanity... their skin appeared rotten and peeled away, exposing raw muscle fibers and internal organs.
Their powerful bodies radiated strength, with red-and-white sinews coiled like steel cables. Veins bulged like tangled blue snakes, and their arms had evolved into sharp, bony claws.
Just their appearance alone was intimidating.
"These are Tyrants," Dr. Marcus, the lab's lead researcher, proudly announced, "My magnum opus! While most organisms can't adapt to this new virus's mutations, those that do undergo unprecedented physical transformations!"
"...The virus accelerates their metabolism. We've tested them... even under machine gun fire or grenade explosions, Tyrants can survive and slowly regenerate. Their strength and endurance are vastly enhanced! They are perfect bioweapon!" Dr. Marcus preened, subtly glancing at the Hydra executive, hoping for lavish praise.
"Good. Keep improving them." But Madame Hydra barely acknowledged him, her tone indifferent.
Her gaze fixated on the crimson-eyed, frenzied test subjects...
Compared to the previous inferior products, zombies, these Tyrants were far more formidable. Yet flaws remained.
Hydra wanted an army of fearless bioweapons, not a world-ending viral plague. If they couldn't obey orders like super-soldiers or coordinate effectively, these Progenitor Virus-derived creatures were only cannon fodder.
And worse, they weren't even cheap. A 0.01% survival rate meant exorbitant costs.
"Have the escaped first-generation specimens been recaptured?"
Feeling Madame Hydra's cold stare, Dr. Marcus trembled.
He knew all too well what had happened to his predecessor... negligence had allowed three first-gen Progenitor variants to escape, earning him a gruesome fate of being thrown into the zombie containment chamber as live feed.
The agonized screams as he was torn apart still haunted Marcus's nightmares...
"We're tracking them! They resemble humans, sharing the same appearance and emotional capacity, but with infectious abilities. Once they blend into society, they're nearly impossible to identify." Sweat dripped down Marcus's forehead.
Those three escaped specimens, dubbed 'Ghouls', were monsters born from Progenitor Virus mutations.
Unlike mindless zombies, they retained human forms, cognitive abilities, and emotions, alongside infectious traits.
Their only similarity to zombies? Ghouls also fed on human flesh and had evolved specialized predatory organs...
"Capture them. At any cost." Madame Hydra's voice was steel.
Compared to Tyrants and zombies, Ghouls held far greater value. They retained basic human intellect and learning capacity, with enhanced physical attributes across the board.
With proper training, they could form a formidable army overnight.
"Monsters can never fully mimic humans. They'll expose themselves through hunting and feeding... These traits are etched into their DNA. No amount of hiding will change that."
Madame Hydra's lips curled into a venomous smile as she regarded Dr. Marcus, like a serpent flicking its tongue:
"Tokyo is now a vast hunting ground. The Ghouls won't remain hidden for long. Have those useless police pinpoint high-frequency cannibalism zones. Like animals, these first-gens each claim their own hunting territories. They'll slip up soon enough."
Dr. Marcus nodded.
Hydra operatives embedded in Japan's upper echelons had already established a special unit, 'C.C.G.', to hunt the Ghouls.
Those escaped first-gens possessed infectious capabilities. Left unchecked, all of Tokyo could become a playground for monsters...