In 2045, Yongsheng Biotech made a breakthrough in anti-aging research: a compound called “Telomerase Activation Factor-9” (TAF-9) reversed telomeres in animal trials, extending the lifespans of laboratory mice by 230%.
The discovery sent shockwaves through the global scientific community and financial markets. Yongsheng Pharmaceuticals' market capitalization soared to $800 billion, and the global market for anti-aging drugs was clamoring for the new compound.
However, lead researcher Fang Henian concealed a fatal flaw: while TAF-9 extended the lifespan of cells, it also disrupted the mechanism of apoptosis. In other words, cells became “immortal.” In vitro, some cells began dividing and proliferating uncontrollably, completely ignoring normal apoptosis signals. This directly triggered the massive outbreak of the Z virus.
The Z virus has an extremely high rate of mutation. Over time, “evolved variants” will continue to emerge among ordinary zombie hordes. Zombies accelerate their evolution by “devouring” one another: higher-level zombies consume the crystal cores of their kind.
After infection with the Z virus, 99.99% of humanity will have their brains destroyed and become zombies. But a tiny fraction of people, about one in ten thousand, have a special “suppressor” in their genome: a “junk gene” that has never been activated in the course of evolution.
By a twist of fate, the protagonist Jiang Chen leads a group of immune survivors into the fight for survival, battling zombies together and building a refuge.
A very good one