Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Returning to the matter at hand, I will tell you the story of the zoo from the beginning.

It began eight years ago. Our organization received word that a zoo had appeared out of thin air in the suburbs, and many people who entered never came out. The organization took the report extremely seriously and sent the five of us to investigate.

Back then, the zoo was not nearly as large as it is now. It covered roughly the area enclosed by the dotted line on the map, so investigating it was fairly easy.

We soon encountered “It.” Through a series of tests, the clever Old Chen quickly discovered the truth: “It” used memetic contamination to transform humans who wandered inside into various animals.

We also discovered that without containment, the zoo would gradually expand and might someday engulf our city. “It” would also grow stronger until the entire world could become “Its” playground.

After learning this, we hurriedly contacted the organization and applied for substantial funding. For humanity’s future, we resolved to destroy “It”!

Old Chen devised the first plan. Since “Its” method was memetic contamination, we would follow that logic. We expanded the zoo and brought in every kind of animal to attract large numbers of visitors, hoping the visitors would exhaust “Its” energy.

But that made visitor safety paramount. If visitors were completely contaminated and transformed into animals, they would not weaken “It” at all. Instead, they would increase the number of “Its” accomplices.

After many days of observation, however, we fully grasped “Its” behavioral patterns and cognition.

Using that information, we created extremely safe Zoo Visitor Rules. As long as visitors followed the rules, they were certain to leave the zoo safely. To guard against accidents, we also recruited many employees with exceptionally generous benefits. The Employee Rules gave visitors a second layer of protection.

That way, even if some visitors ignored the Zoo Visitor Rules and fell into danger, staff members could arrive in time to save them.

For the first five years, events unfolded exactly as we expected. Every visitor remained safe.

Even those unfortunate enough to fall victim escaped the zoo safely with help from the staff.

Afterward, contact with normal people soon restored them completely. They suffered no lasting effects.

But in the sixth year, that balance was utterly shattered.

After five years of constantly weakening “It,” we believed victory was close. Reality struck us brutally across the face.

“Its” power had not diminished. It had grown stronger.

We could not understand which part had gone wrong or why things had turned out this way.

July 23, 20XV. I will remember that day forever.

That day, I witnessed a sight I will never forget.

Old Zhang and I were patrolling the Elephant Enclosure when disaster struck. A strange elephant appeared from nowhere among the herd and stood out conspicuously.

Its snow-white body, long rabbit ears, and crimson eyes shocked me so deeply that my cognition nearly collapsed.

The normal elephants panicked and ran everywhere as if the bizarre elephant were a carnivorous beast.

There were many visitors in the enclosure. They froze in terror, failing to notice the frightened elephants charging toward them.

At the critical moment, Old Zhang recovered first. Using his ability, he transformed into a giant elephant and charged at the frightened herd and the bizarre elephant.

After a bitter struggle, Old Chen narrowly won. Every elephant calmed down, and the bizarre elephant vanished after it was killed.

Just as Old Chen was about to transform back, a child’s scream erupted beside us.

Old Chen’s body then vanished into thin air. I was horrified and hurriedly contacted Old Chen and the others. They were equally shocked and immediately arranged a search.

That night, we finally found Old Zhang’s body. He remained in elephant form, floating inside the Whale Exhibit in the Aquarium.

From the state of his corpse, we could tell he had suffered terribly before dying.

At the sight, Old Zhao could no longer suppress his rage. He exploded and argued fiercely with us, cursing that Old Zhang had died because of Old Chen! We should have listened to him and gathered all our strength to destroy “It.” Had we done so, Old Zhang would never have died such a miserable, humiliating death!

The argument resolved nothing. Furious, Old Zhao slammed the door as he stormed out. That night, lion roars shook the entire zoo.

But Old Zhao also failed. “It” was not killed.

From then on, the zoo had a white lion enclosure, an area “It” did not dare enter.

That could be considered Old Zhao’s legacy to us.

Over the following days, I reported the incident to the organization, but it had no personnel to spare.

Supernatural incidents were multiplying elsewhere, and the organization was stretched beyond its limits.

The news filled us with despair. For a time, we even gave up on ourselves.

In the end, Old Chen stepped forward again.

He took all authority into his own hands, established the position of zoo director, and shouldered every responsibility alone.

He then began telling all employees the truth. He knew the three of us could no longer defeat the enemy by ourselves.

After learning the truth, many employees chose to leave, but even more chose to stay.

At that moment, my confidence returned. We were not alone.

No matter the danger, humanity would always hold on to hope, step forward one after another, and courageously sacrifice itself.

Unity, courage, and unwavering loyalty are humanity’s greatest virtues!

The situation gradually improved, and once again we used rules to contain “It.”

Just as we prepared to celebrate victory, reality slapped us in the face again.

We had been too naive. Once more, we underestimated “Its” power.

But we could not understand why “It” had grown stronger after so many years of attrition.

July 23, 20XW.

On the same date as the previous year’s mutation, “It” broke free of the rules again.

“It” no longer relied solely on memetic contamination. “It” began distorting the rules.

Without their knowledge, the Zoo Visitor Rules held by every visitor were altered.

Not one visitor escaped the zoo that day.

Every one of them died!

By the time we learned the news, it was too late. All the visitors had become animals.

Old Chen suffered an emotional breakdown. Years of pressure erupted at once, and he believed everything was his fault.

If he had followed Old Zhao’s advice and concentrated our strength for a decisive battle earlier, perhaps none of the later tragedies would have occurred.

With reddened eyes, Old Chen handed me the director’s badge.

Then he left the director’s office, with Old Li following him.

Before leaving, Old Li patted my shoulder and said helplessly, “Old Zhou, don’t follow us. You’re our final hope. I still believe Old Chen’s method is sound. If we fail, you must do everything you can to protect this zoo!”

I said nothing. I merely watched in a daze as their figures disappeared into the night.

That night, lion roars split the sky again. In those furious roars, I heard Old Chen’s unwillingness to accept defeat.

The next day, two more white lions appeared in the Lion Enclosure.

We had failed again.