Chapter 280: Outbreak

“Larry, there sure have been a lot of cargo planes from Japan today,” remarked the company commander Lieutenant Larry, stationed next to a sentry post at the Guam airport. He was busy counting the C-5 cargo planes landing one after another.

Upon hearing his friend Jack’s exclamation, he retorted, “This is the third expeditionary force from Japan, more than 17,000 people. Only a small batch came over yesterday, today’s the main group.”

Jack, puzzled, asked, “Why don’t these guys just pull out back to the country directly?”

“Don’t you get it? Without Japan, we’re the frontline facing Tang country. If they all pulled back, we wouldn’t be able to defend this place on our own.”

“Ah, how could the Japanese archipelago sink? Could the scientists have misunderstood something?”

“Who knows? The country of Japan is very strange… Hey, what’s wrong with those people?”

While Larry was talking, he kept his eyes on the landing cargo planes. Already, many had stopped at the tarmac, their cargo doors open, and batches of marines began disembarking. However, he noticed near two of the planes, someone had fallen to the ground while others were bent over, coughing.

More people began to scatter in panic.

Larry was about to run over to check when suddenly he found himself being held back by his friend.

“Jack, what the hell?”

“Larry, don’t go. We best stay away from there. They must’ve caught a virus. You forgot about the super virus spreading in Japan, didn’t you?”

Larry instantly remembered the news that had spread around the world. He had discussed this with others; the virus was said to be contained in Tokyo. And now it seemed to have infected the troops from Japan. Wrong, now it had even reached Guam!

As he thought about this, the airport alarm rang out.

A soldier on sentry duty shouted to Larry, “Sir, it’s a call from the Major.”

Larry hurried into the sentry post and picked up the phone.

“Larry, assemble the company immediately, get protective suits from the warehouse, and then completely lock down the airport. We can’t let this group from the third expeditionary force scatter about.”

“Understood, I’m on it.”

The alarm at the U.S. military base in Guam blared continuously, and many base officers and soldiers donned protective suits and sealed the exits.

They used loudspeakers to order the officers and soldiers who had disembarked from the transport planes to stay put and wait for medical checks.

However, the situation rapidly worsened as more and more of the newly arrived servicemen fell dead on the tarmac.

This filled the living with indescribable fear. They did not want to stay at the airport near the bodies. A group gathered, ready to run towards other parts of the base.

This led to a conflict with the base troops. A gun was accidentally discharged, and the scene erupted with gunfire.

The third expeditionary force servicemen, fully armed, wouldn’t go down without a fight, and chaos ensued. With the limited military presence at the base pitted against the large number from the airport, they were quickly overpowered.

The third expeditionary force broke out of the base.

Unnoticed, a number of C-5 cargo planes re-entered the runway and took off.

…

…

Six hours later at the Pentagon.

With a “bang,” Curtis slammed his palm on the table.

“Nonsense! Why wasn’t there a medical observation at the base in Japan to make sure there were no issues before boarding?

178 died in the firefight, an unprecedented disgrace for our military!

Rockwell, prepare to be accountable at the military court!”

The aide reported, “General Rockwell has been infected with the virus too, currently in emergency care.”

Curtis was momentarily speechless.

“What’s the situation in Guam now? How did Rockwell get infected?”

The aide continued, “In a telegram, the base commander Major General Sickerton explained that General Rockwell was probably infected in Japan and fell ill just before landing.

Fortunately, Major General Sickerton timely issued protective suits to everyone, which calmed down the third force on the airport.

Still, many ran out of the base and scattered across the island, causing panic among residents.

Sickerton has announced that Guam has closed all entry and exit channels.

However, it’s said that at the time a few cargo planes took off after refueling.

According to satellite positioning, these planes flew south to the Darwin base in Australia. According to reports from the airport staff there, a total of 823 people disembarked.

Out of these, 48 have already left the base for the city.”

“Damn!” Curtis swore, the more he heard, the angrier he got. He then ordered, “Get a message to the command in Australia to catch those 48 deserters!”

“Yes.”

“Inform the generals for an immediate emergency meeting!”

“Yes.”

…

…

“Gentlemen, you all know the situation now. Clearly, the virus spreads faster than we imagined, and our troops in Japan are not spared.

We must immediately stop the evacuation and first isolate for observation on site to ensure there are no issues before arranging the troop withdrawal,” stated Curtis.

Vandiatte frowned and asked, “General Curtis, if our forces have been infected, the situation in Japan may be worse.

A lot of expatriates have been evacuated, are there any carriers among them? Or have any fallen ill?

Moreover, we’ve allowed refugees from Japan who have entered and probably scattered all over the country.”

“We have called in virus expert Colonel Freet to explain how this super virus is transmitted.”

Curtis turned to the colonel wearing glasses and said, “Colonel Freet, please.”

Colonel Freet nodded slightly, and then said, “This virus is a bio-weapon type, modified by the Japanese from a previous pneumonia virus. It’s highly contagious with almost no incubation period. Once the disease onset occurs, one can die within 10 hours.

Its main transmission route is airborne, but other routes are equally effective.

The Japanese have produced vaccines, but they haven’t been clinically tested yet; however, they’ve already vaccinated the Self-Defense Forces.

I fear that some vaccines were ineffective, or the efficacy wasn’t sufficient. After these Self-Defense Forces officers were infected, due to the vaccines’ limited effect which was not sufficient to resist the virus – but yet somewhat effective – it instead led to an incubation period and prolonged the time of onset.

The infection of our forces in Japan is likely caused by this batch of officers.

In other words, the virus may have mutated; it previously had no incubation period, now there is one.”

General Harris asked, “Do we have a cure? Didn’t we develop a specific drug against the super virus?”

“Yes.” Freet nodded.

“That’s great.” Harris’ face suddenly lit up with a smile.

Freet looked apologetically at Harris and continued, “But, it must be administered at the very onset of the disease; otherwise, it will be too late. After all, the virus completely destroys the body in just 10 hours, sometimes even less.”

Harris’s smile froze.

“I have arranged for the specific drug to be sent to Japan, South Korea, Guam, and the Darwin base in Australia, and all observed individuals will be given the drug immediately upon any symptoms,” said Curtis.

Vandiatte asked, “So you mean, at least those who entered our country from Japan before did not have the virus.

But those who were infected later and may have an incubation period could have entered our country without showing symptoms and might have already spread the virus inside.

So, how do we deal with it now?”

Freet responded, “All medical units must be ready to treat and find these people as quickly as possible for isolation and observation; otherwise, the outbreak will surely happen.”

Curtis said, “I have notified the President, he should be consulting with the CDC for a prevention system. We are here to discuss the military situation only.”

“I suggest the entire military enters a level-one biochemical combat state!” proposed General Harris.