Chapter 293: Mutated Meteorite, Nuclear War

Chapter 293: Chapter 293: Mutated Meteorite, Nuclear War

At first.

Seraphina Sullivan assumed the object embedded in the center of the dome, the one emitting a dim and constant glimmer, was just some strange lamp or fluorescent ore used for light.

However, when the information from[Item Identification]clearly materialized in her mind, Seraphina Sullivan was stunned, her pupils contracting slightly.

[Name: Mutated Meteorite Fragment]

[Description: A special meteorite fragment from outer space, which itself contains an extremely intense and unique radioactive Energy Field.

Prolonged exposure to its radiation will cause the genetic chains of adult organisms to become unstable or even break down, leading to radiation sickness.

However, exposure to its specific radiation wavelengths during embryonic development, early childhood, or pregnancy has an extremely high probability of inducing targeted genetic mutations in newborns, awakening a special kind of muscle enhancement. Note: This mutation comes at the cost of draining one’s life potential, leading to a drastically shortened lifespan. Individuals rarely live past thirty.]

’So... this is the truth behind the Holy Spirit Clan’s so-called "powerful physique" and "curse of a short life"!’

And the source of their radiation sickness was also this [Mutated Meteorite]. ℴℴ𝘮

Understanding dawned on Seraphina, and a chill crept up her spine to the back of her head.

The source of it all, it all pointed back to this seemingly insignificant meteorite fragment!

It was like a wicked double-edged sword. On one hand, it granted the Holy Spirit Clan Power beyond ordinary people, allowing them to survive and even establish a foothold in this cruel world.

On the other hand, it was like the most vicious of curses, fundamentally robbing them of the possibility of a long life and firmly branding this short-lived gene into their bloodline through radiation.

They captured women from the Crypt Folk not just for procreation, but to use the [Strong Pregnancy] Talent and the radiation from this [Mutated Meteorite] in an attempt to "cultivate" "superior offspring" that might break the lifespan limitation!

’What a crazed and desperate attempt!’

But they didn’t have Seraphina’s [Item Identification] ability.

And Seraphina understood that this kind of ’cultivation’ was an impossible endeavor.

No matter how many children they had, they would never overcome the affliction of radiation sickness.

This was the price they paid for their powerful physiques.

Aside from this [Mutated Meteorite] hanging high above like a Sword of Damocles...

Seraphina’s [Item Identification] didn’t scan any other noteworthy materials that fit the definition of a "resource point."

A clear conclusion formed in her mind.

’Could it be... the so-called "resource points" marked on Simon Holt’s map don’t refer to conventional material treasures at all, but to these... [Mutated Meteorites]?’

This conjecture gave Seraphina mixed feelings.

If this meteorite fragment was marked as a "resource" point on Simon Holt’s map...

...Seraphina thought this thing was more like the "Radiation Source" from [Side Quest Two].

’But how should I deal with it?’

’Destroy it? Take it with me?’

’I should get the intel I want first. Gather information about this world, then decide.’

Seraphina suppressed her impulse and decided to stick to her original plan.

The Invisibility Sticker and Silent Sticker were also time-limited.

She had to finish quickly, or she’d have to use up a few more stickers.

The stickers were consumables, after all.

Seraphina didn’t want to burn through these resources so quickly.

While invisible, she silently materialized several doses of [Anesthetic].

In order not to cause unnecessary panic and commotion...

...and also to avoid harming these women of the Crypt Folk, who were already suffering so much...

She chose a relatively gentle method.

Using the Anesthetic to make them fall asleep without them even realizing it.

One by one, the women who had been sitting numbly or sobbing quietly began to look dazed.

Then, their heads tilted to one side, and they fell into a deep sleep, even the heavily pregnant ones.

Tex had been struggling furiously, fighting against the cold chains, but as time passed, she keenly sensed that her surroundings had become unusually quiet.

Before, there had been faint sobs and the rattling of chains, but now it was terrifyingly silent.

"What’s wrong? Everyone... what happened to you?" she called out softly, uneasy, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart.

Before she could react further, a faint breeze carrying a strange, sweet fragrance brushed past her nose.

Tex’s mind went into a daze. The scene before her began to spin and blur, her will to resist crumbled rapidly, and her eyes instantly became vacant and dull.

Seraphina confirmed that she had entered a state of being controlled by [Sweet Fragrance]. She walked up to Tex and began to question her in a low, clear voice:

"Tell me, what was the cause of this disaster, of what happened to this world?"

"How long... has the disaster been going on?"

"What is the source of the mutations affecting living creatures?"

Under the influence of the Control, Tex began to speak intermittently. Her voice was hollow and steady, as if she were reciting an epic that was etched into her very bones, one she was reluctant to recall.

Seraphina listened intently, combining the fragmented information she had previously heard from the Holy Spirit Clan. In her mind, she gradually pieced together the origin and truth of the cataclysm that had created the world of [Aberrant Radiation].

The source of it all began with a "meteor shower" of unprecedented scale.

Countless meteorites from outer space streaked across the sky, scattering to every corner of the planet.

At first, it was regarded as a spectacle.

But soon, people noticed something was wrong.

In the areas where these meteorites had fallen, both plants and animals began to undergo bizarre mutations.

Plants grew uncontrollably or twisted into strange shapes.

Animals grew enormous in size and ferocious in temperament, some even developing entirely new traits that defied all logic.

Some scientists detected a never-before-seen Energy radiation from the meteorites, which they dubbed the "Power of Evolution."

These scientists fanatically believed it was a gift from God, a key to ushering humanity into a new era.

Thus, secret research centered on these strange meteorites began all around the world.

The ultimate goal was to decipher its Power, achieve "directed Evolution" for humanity, and create a so-called "new human race."

However, human greed and blind confidence in their own power ultimately led to bitter consequences.

Certain powerful nations arbitrarily concluded that they had mastered this Power.

They even attempted to combine the Energy properties of the meteorites with nuclear weapons technology to create an "ultimate weapon"—one that could intimidate the entire world and secure their dominance.

Once the chain of suspicion was forged, it could not be broken.

The international situation grew tense, frictions escalated, and finally... the button for nuclear war was pushed.

But this was no ordinary nuclear war.

The nuclear warheads, modified with "meteorite Energy," didn’t just release devastating shock waves and intense heat upon detonation.

They also spread nuclear radiation, the unique Aberrant Radiation of the meteorites, and an unknown, terrifying hybrid radiation—a combination of the two—to every corner of the planet.

The apocalypse had arrived.