+5.


    "No," Maeve said, puzzled. "Didn''t the source of Xasia wipe out a few years ago? How could I stille into contact with it?" Except for the virus that remained dormant in those who had indirect contact with it, it had already disappeared. However, there was no danger as long as the dormant virus in those individuals did not activate. That was why Maeve and Theo had been safe all these years.


    Jaylen''s expression became even uglier. "Your pulse is too strange. It''s very simr to those infected back then."


    Maeve was stunned. "Is that so?"


    "I hope I''m overthinking. But to be safe, let''s return to my vi now. I have a special device in theboratory to check your blood."


    After saying that, Jaylen asked Daryl to settle the discharge procedure. In less than half an hour, the car arrived at the residence.


    Jaylen took half a tube of Maeve''s blood and left her to wait for the test results in a room by herself. Maeve, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, absentmindedly swiping through her phone, her mind in turmoil.


    ''It shouldn''t be. The Xasia virus only had a small outbreak in Erancia. Theo and I just happened to live nearby and had indirect contact with infected individuals. While there''s a possibility of infection, we''ve been fine since the virus waspletely eradicated. It''s been years; there''s no way we would be so unlucky. No, it can''t be. There''s a way to treat it even if it happens,'' Maeve thought. Maeve''s gaze paused on Byron''s name, and her finger hovering over the dial button hesitated for a long time, but she did not click on it.


    ''He''s made it clear that we shouldn''t meet for the time being, so why bother him? Just like what Bonnie has said, getting involved emotionally hurts. ''Maybe... Byron doesn''t like me as much as I''ve thought. Perhaps I''ve overestimated myself,'' Maeve thought.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Maeve slowly exhaled, and suddenly, she heard the soft click of the door opening behind her. She turned her head to see Daryl pushing Jaylen in. Jaylen''s hands gripped the armrests of the wheelchair tightly, his eyes darker than usual, filled with a brooding intensity and a hint of unspoken pain. When Maeve saw them both wearing masks, she immediately sensed something. "The results aren''t good, are they?"


    Tears soon welled up in Daryl''s eyes as he turned his head away, unable to bring himself to answer. ''How could someone as good as Ms. Reese be harmed by a virus that had long since disappeared? God is unfair!''


    Jaylen looked at Maeve, his throat so dry that he could not utter a sound. After a long pause, he said, "The initial diagnosis is the mutant variant of Xasia, but we''ll need to test further to confirm."


    Any virus carried the word "mutant" immediately signaled trouble. The special medication developed back then for Xasia was ineffective against this mutated strain. Maeve''s heart