Visiting Scott

When I arrived in the infirmary room, I witnessed Scott sitting on the bed with the infusion tube taped to his left arm. Around the room were Axel, Christine, Joshua, and Veronica, who were sitting around his bedside.

Suddenly, I heard Scott's voice reverberate as he stubbornly retorted. Which gives me a slight jolt.

"I told you I'm fine!"

But then Joshua pushed him down into the bed, his breath hot on the back of his neck.

"No, no, and no! You'll kill yourself later on! Lay down for a couple days until the doctor confirms you're fully recovered!"

Scott stubbornly replied again, his voice rising with each word.

"Come on, man! The doctor and the nurse already confirmed that I'm not infected, and I still can-"

All of a sudden, Veronica cut him short by slowly reaching her hand toward his infusions and asserting herself with a sadistic stare as her red eyes menacingly glowed toward Scott.

"How about if I take off this infusion by force and let you walk to hell by yourself?"

Her assertion was like a sawed-off whip, lashing out and bleeding Scott into silence. Then, with a sinister cackle like a murderous hyena, she stroked Scott's chin and added a sinister smirk.

"Also, why don't you prove that you are such a good boy by barking for me?"

Scott couldn't help but helplessly whine as he looked away in fear of Veronica's psychotic and sadistic nature.

"Uhhhh… Please don't kill me."

I walked up to them and hurriedly spoke.

"Sorry to interrupt your trash talks, guys."

Everyone glanced at me as Axel stood up from the chair and greeted my arrival. Even Scott glanced at me in confusion as he put forth his query.

"Tsuyuki, you came here too?"

"Yes, I wanted to check Scott's condition. Whether it's getting better or worse."

In response, Scott replied with a sense of conviction.

"What do you mean by that? It's getting better with each hour. Even the doctor officially stated that I'm fine and allowed to leave the next day!"

I then questioned them, my voice brimming with curiosity due to their constant screaming.

"Can someone please explain what's going on here?"

Veronica's eyes met mine as she explained.

"We've injected him with the dope-disinfectant serum to calm down his virus and put him to sleep. If you're nervous during the exposure, a scorching virus can cause instant damage to your body. Henceforth, the medical teams swiftly took him to the ICU after our arrival."

"However, when the medical teams examined his body, they found that everything had disappeared. But we still have to double-check his body's insides to see if he is genuinely fine or not. This is due to the potential for the virus to conceal itself within his body."

Joshua gave Scott a scolding after tugging on his right shoulder.

"It makes sense for a dumbass like him! Letting his guard down is the silliest mistake he's ever made."

He was so frustrated that he could hardly keep his voice from shaking as he stubbornly argued back.

"Bro, come on! I can still fight normally! Even the doctor and the nurse-"

Joshua abruptly cut his argument short, pointing a fork from the apple plate menacingly toward Scott's face.

"I will send you to Jesus for being stubborn as hell!"

Axel stood up from his chair, his hands held out as if to physically stop the quarrel. Christine spoke in a gentle voice, advising him on his next steps.

"Scott, you still haven't fully recovered yet. Your health is way more precious than anything else."

All Scott could do was cross his arms, pout, and turn away in frustration.

"Ugh, fine…"

But there were countless questions floating in my head about his condition, which I had to put forth.

"If I may ask, has this virus exposed your body before?"

Scott glanced at me in confusion as he inquired while raising his left eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

I then gave him context by pointing at him with my right finger.

"I mean, has this virus exposed your body before you joined Minerva?"

After he nodded in understanding, he then narrated his experience.

"Umm, not really. In my third year at Minerva, we had to launch a massive operation to repel a tidal wave of Gorusian forces backed by infected androids under their control. Regrettably, an unknown infected android injured me, exposing me to this infection."

Suddenly, he looked down and continued with a trace of sadness in his voice.

"But it is so unfortunate that my previous companions died protecting me. I was dying and lost in the middle of the war-torn city."

"Luckily, the Minerva medical crews came across me while I was unconscious in the alley and rushed me to headquarters for urgent treatment."

"Despite the fact that this virus exposed me when I was ready to become infected, the medical teams during my emergency treatment were unable to identify a single virus cell inside my body, as if it were hiding there and remained undetected, despite their warning that this virus would soon undermine my immunity."

"Yet, I will never forget that agony, as if it will repeatedly occur."

I nodded in understanding as he described his tragic agony to everyone.

"Given his past encounter with the virus, I believe it may have hidden within him, assimilating into his system."

Everyone nodded in understanding prior to my explanation. Suddenly, Scott queried me.

"Where did you get that theory?"

"I made the hell up by discussing it together with Dr. Hubert and other online specialists."

They listened to my explanation with nods of agreement across the room. Christine's voice cut through the stillness as she solemnly spoke.

"Sounds reasonable. However, an infected person may not have contracted the infection directly; it could have been a result of a hereditary infection."

"And fortunately, the genetic mutation they inherited wasn't as contagious as the original strain."

Scott spoke quickly, his tone carrying a hint of sadness as he relived his melancholy experience.

"You're right. It's likely that my grandpa contracted this virus while working in the dangerous conditions of Jamalika's nuclear facility on the northwest coast of Monaka Island."

"Unfortunately, the Cleanser Squadron executed all employees, including him, during the Great Purge operation."

Just as I was about to inquire about the Great Purge operation, Veronica's hushed whisper pierced the silence.

"Shhh! Guys, Commander Darrell is coming!"

Boots clicked on the tile floor as Commander Darrell entered Scott's infirmary room. When he came up to us, we all bowed our heads in unison to demonstrate our reverence. On noticing ourselves, Commander Darrell replied with a low, authoritative voice.

"It's alright. You can sit down."

He then explained after everyone had settled into their seats.

"By the way, the doctor told us that Scott is perfectly healthy and able to continue his duty in the Red Cheetah Squadron to take part in any mission."

Commander Darrell's remarks regarding the doctor's confirmation brought Scott a sudden burst of happiness, and he yelled and punched the air in celebration.

"YOSSSHAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!"

His sudden outburst of enthusiasm jolted all of us by surprise, as Joshua responded by harshly punching Scott's right arm and retorting.

"MEIN GUTT, DU VERDAMTEN SCHEISE!!!"

While Scott was going to whine about his discomfort, Joshua quickly shot back with a pointed remark.

"YOU SCARED ME TO DEATH, AND I SWEAR THAT I'LL FUCK YOUR HEAD INTO THE TOILET AND MAKE YOU EAT YOUR OWN SHIT AFTER THAT!!!"

Unexpectedly, Commander Darrell slammed his right foot with a resounding thud that halted the quarrel in its tracks. There was complete silence as we all realized how foolish it was to engage in such petty bickering and felt an overwhelming sense of shame.

He sternly lectured us with a stern look on his face.

"Gentlemen! If you want a fight, do it in the gym instead."

After hearing Commander Darrel's stern reprimand, Joshua froze as his muscles tightened. After a brief glance at the floor, he stood up and conceded in regret.

Commander Darrell suddenly spoke in a calm tone as the commotion died down.

"Also, I've got plenty of information about her that Tsuyuki wanted to find out recently."

"You mean, about Onigashi?"

But Commander Darrell suddenly nodded as an answer to my brief question.

"Probably. And you can find the person in the next-door infirmary room."

I got up from the chair, inhaled the clean air of the hospital room, and then left. But the commanding voice of Commander Darrell suddenly interrupted my thoughts.

"Just in case, the source of this information may not be as trustworthy as you think they are. Research further after that."

I took a deep breath, sighed, and answered with my right palm holding the door handle.

"I'm always doing everything on my own."

As soon as I heard the squeak of the door of Scott's infirmary closing behind me, I did not waste any time investigating the next-door patient, who seemed to have Onigashi knowledge.