The doctor led the way, with Jiang Xiao and the others closely following, passing through the bustling hospital lobby and heading deeper into the building.

The long corridor was filled with the busy figures of medical staff hustling back and forth, the tense and hurried atmosphere almost freezing the air.

Along the way, from every ward they passed, they could hear the moans of patients and the anxious conversations of their families.

Finally, they arrived in front of a ward at the far end of the hospital.

The door of this ward was unusual, adorned with seven or eight heavy locks, each glinting coldly as if warning outsiders of its peculiarity.

A skull warning label was stuck on the door, with isolation tape set up around it, clearly indicating that the patient inside was different from typical cases.

Jiang Xiao frowned slightly, sensing an ominous aura.

The atmosphere here was entirely different from the rest of the hospital, chilling and oppressive.

It was as if a demon lurked inside, ready to break through the door and unleash terror upon the outside world at any moment.

The doctor noticed Jiang Xiao and the others' expressions and explained softly.

"The patient here has a very peculiar condition. We had no choice but to take extreme isolation measures. His symptoms are completely different from others, and we are almost certain it is the result of that 'god's' manipulation."

As he spoke, the doctor took out a set of keys, unlocking the locks one by one.

As the last lock clicked open, the heavy door creaked slowly open, and a cold wind gusted out from within the ward, sending shivers down their spines.

Jiang Xiao was the first to step into the ward.

The setup inside the ward wasn't much different from others, but the patient lying on the bed was astonishing.

The patient's body seemed to be constantly twisting and deforming, with strange patterns emerging on the skin, resembling ancient runes.

Moreover, his eyes had turned completely black, with no whites or pupils.

The patient seemed to sense the presence of others, beginning to moan painfully. The sound was eerie, more like a wail from the depths of hell than a human cry.

No...

At first, it sounded like the 'hrrr hrrr' of a zombie, but on closer listening, it also resembled the 'gurgle gurgle' of a fish gasping on land.

Niu Jieshi and Wang Dayong involuntarily stepped back, while Shi Shi clutched tightly onto Jiang Xiao's arm.

Jiang Xiao, however, remained calm, walking to the bedside to closely observe the patient's condition.

He could feel a weak... but very strange power stirring within the patient.

This power was indeed unlike the herpes virus they encountered before; it seemed more like a manifestation of some consciousness, trying to express some intention through the patient's body.

"What is this 'god' trying to convey through him?"

Jiang Xiao murmured to himself, a gleam of curiosity in his eyes.

"This patient is in the early stages of the illness, come and take a look at this."

The doctor said as he pulled back the white sheet covering the patient's body.

The doctor's movements were extremely cautious, as if afraid of disturbing something; his hands trembled as he finally lifted a corner of the sheet, revealing the patient beneath.

For a moment, it seemed as though the air in the ward had turned to ice.

The state of the patient's body left everyone present in shock.

His skin was also covered in bizarre patterns, but more astonishing was his elbow joint.

"Is... is this still a human body?"

Niu Jieshi's voice trembled as his eyes were locked onto the smooth joint.

The patient's elbow had completely vanished, the skin there as smooth as if no joint had ever existed, without any bumps or curves.

This was beyond what any virus could explain...

This was human modification!

Jiang Xiao stared at the scene, his brow furrowed tightly.

He reached out to gently touch the smooth skin, trying to feel the strange power within.

The patient's body trembled slightly under his touch, and the twisted agony seemed to become clearer under Jiang Xiao's probing.

"What kind of game is this 'god' playing?"

Jiang Xiao's voice was deep, filled with dissatisfaction and doubt.

Shi Shi clung tightly to Jiang Xiao's arm, her face full of fear and anxiety.

"These patients... can they return to normal?"

Jiang Xiao didn't answer, his gaze still fixed on the patient as if he were searching for clues.

The doctor, on the other hand, wore an expression of helplessness and despair as he shook his head.

"We've tried every treatment method, but this condition... we've never seen it before and don't know where to start."

The doctor confessed.

At first, they thought it was a deformity, but it wasn't. The original joint seemed nonexistent. To make him normal, amputation was the only option.

"What exactly does that so-called 'god' want? Is it simply to torture humans?"

Jiang Xiao remained silent for a moment, then slowly raised his head, his eyes shining with determination.

"Whatever it wants, we cannot let it succeed. We must oppose it, or who knows what might happen in the end?"

He turned to the doctor.

"Have you kept a record of all the circumstances before and after these patients fell ill? Any detail could be crucial."

The doctor nodded, quickly picking up a stack of thick medical records from the table and handing them to Jiang Xiao.

Jiang Xiao took the records and began to review them carefully, not missing a single page.

Jiang Xiao started flipping through the medical files one by one, searching for a way to solve the mystery.

He noticed that, in the initial stages of hospitalization, the patient only complained about back and arm aches, discomfort when standing, and a lack of strength to lift heavy objects.

These symptoms might be seen as mere fatigue by ordinary people, but Jiang Xiao knew there was something more to it.

The hospital's initial diagnosis seemed quite routine as well.

They assumed the patient suffered from muscle fatigue and skeletal issues due to a lack of trace elements and prescribed vitamin supplements as treatment.

Yet, this approach clearly didn't address the core issue.

As time went on, the patient's condition not only failed to improve but showed signs of deterioration.

His body began to manifest inexplicable changes; from initial aches to an inability to stand, the patient's muscles and joints seemed beyond his control.

He eventually collapsed onto the bed, with even the simplest movements becoming a luxury.

Spine?

"So, apart from his elbows disappearing, his back also has an issue?"

"Yes." The doctor's face darkened, nodding: "His spine... it's very soft, the bones have become like gel, unable to support the weight of an adult's flesh and blood."

Jiang Xiao pulled the entire white sheet away from the patient, allowing a more direct view.

Huh?

Everyone's pupils shrank.

The patient's legs also showed signs of mutation, with both thighs seemingly wanting to fuse together.

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