Chapter 100

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When the dungeon first appeared, everyone just watched from a distance. However, as the news spread that treasures could be obtained by defeating monsters, the general public, ignoring the government's warnings, actively armed themselves and rushed to the dungeon. The government was unable to control this movement and could not bring the situation under control.

As a result, a terrible situation occurred across the African continent.

In the presidential office, the exhausted president was receiving a report from his aide.

"How many dungeons are under military control?"

"Unfortunately, only slightly more than half of the dungeons that have appeared."

"Half... So the rest are left unchecked?"

"Yes. Due to budget and personnel shortages, we cannot explore all the dungeons that have appeared in the country. We are suppressing the dungeons near densely populated areas with the military and police, but it is currently impossible to control the dungeons that have appeared in the savanna and deep jungle."

"...So this is the result."

The president, with a despondent look, picked up the documents on the desk. The documents contained a rough map of the entire African continent, with numerous red and yellow areas spreading across many borders.

"The spread of pathogens, including Ebola, leading to a pandemic."

"...Yes. Unfortunately, there is no end in sight to the situation."

"...Damn it! This is all because of those accursed dungeons!"

The president, enraged, slammed his fist on the desk.

The aide, looking at the president with a pained expression, began to bitterly explain the cause of the pandemic.

"Because the government focused on controlling the dungeons near densely populated areas, we allowed those seeking profit from the dungeons to venture into the deep jungle. We didn't expect them to enter such undeveloped and dangerous areas..."

"...Yes. Of all places, they entered the deep regions known as the breeding grounds of pathogens..."

"But, once we failed to control the situation, it was only a matter of time before something like this happened..."

"...Don't say it."

The president bitterly cut off the aide's weak complaint.

"Once something has happened, there's no point in regretting it. Now, the priority is to stop the spread of the pandemic and calm the situation. ...What is the current status?"

"...It's not good. The international medical teams from the WHO are doing their best, but there are not enough medical personnel to treat the patients. Additionally, due to the appearance of dungeons worldwide, the supply of volunteer doctors and medical supplies is also delayed."

"Damn it! It's causing trouble everywhere!"

The president, frustrated, spat out the words in response to the aide's report.

During the previous pandemic, the situation was brought under control thanks to the support from various countries. However, this time, due to the chaos caused by the appearance of the dungeons, the necessary support for controlling the situation is unlikely to be obtained. The support received in the past was possible only because the world situation was stable at that time.

The appearance of the dungeons caused the pandemic, and the appearance of the dungeons is also preventing adequate support from being received... For the countries of Africa, the dungeons are truly the embodiment of evil.

"...However, Mr. President, there is one piece of good news. According to the report from the medical team, the recovery potions produced by the dungeons are effective in treatment."

"...What?"

The president, who had been looking down, raised his head at the aide's words.

"Of course, they are not a specific cure for the pathogens. The report states that the recovery potions are effective as symptomatic treatment."

"I understand. How are they effective in treatment?"

"Recovery potions... they are drugs that improve physical deficiencies caused by external factors. For example, cuts will heal, and broken bones will mend."

"..."

The president listened silently to the aide's explanation, his eyes conveying the message to get to the point.

"Healing wounds... that means, internal injuries caused by the virus, such as internal bleeding, can be healed to a certain extent with recovery potions."

"...!?"

"Of course, recovery potions can only heal wounds. They do not have the effect of eliminating viruses that have entered the body. However, they can provide time for the patient's own immune system to recover. This is the report from the medical team."

The president, who heard the report, showed an expression of finding a way out, and the aide took a breath before continuing to read the report.

"According to the medical team, if a patient is in the early stages of infection, taking a recovery potion once a day can lead to recovery within a few weeks."

"...So, the effect can only be expected in the early stages of infection?"

"Yes. According to the medical team, the effect of recovery potions can be expected in patients in the early and mid-early stages of infection. However, for patients in the mid-late and late stages of infection, the internal injuries are too severe, and recovery with recovery potions is not possible, and natural recovery cannot be expected."

"...I see."

The president showed a momentarily disappointed expression at the aide's report but quickly regained his composure and looked straight at the aide.

"What is the current amount of recovery potions we have secured? Can we provide a stable supply to infected patients?"

"...A stable supply is impossible, Mr. President. The recovery potions we have secured are less than 100, which were obtained as samples by the military during the initial exploration of the dungeons."

"...What? Then, can we purchase and secure the recovery potions that have entered the market?"

"...It is impossible to secure the number needed for the currently confirmed infected patients. If we were to secure them, we would need to allocate a large portion of the national budget to the purchase of recovery potions."

"..."

The glimmer of hope for controlling the pandemic was blocked by the walls of insufficient stock and budget.

"Is it possible to send the military into the dungeons currently under government control to secure recovery potions?"

"That... is possible. However, it is unclear if the military alone can secure the necessary amount. It is also unclear if the monsters will drop items every time they are defeated, and even if they do, it is not guaranteed that the items will be recovery potions."

"I see... I understand."

The president fell silent after hearing the aide's response and stared at the documents on the desk for a while.

Then, he made a decision.

"Send the military and police into the dungeons to secure recovery potions. At the same time, secure as many recovery potions as possible from the market within the budget."

"Understood."

"Also, through the United Nations, negotiate with other countries to exchange other items for the recovery potions they possess. Prepare for the negotiations as soon as possible."

"Yes, I will do so immediately."

"And... one more thing."

The president quickly issued instructions to the aide.

After a brief pause, he hesitantly gave another instruction.

"Announce to the public that using recovery potions can suppress the disease and allow for natural recovery."

"! Mr. President, that...!"

"I understand. I know what kind of reaction the suffering public will show if we make such an announcement..."

"...Then, why?"

"Is there any other way? The government alone cannot secure the necessary recovery potions to help the infected. Even if negotiations with other countries for the exchange of recovery potions are successful, it will take several months for the recovery potions to arrive, considering the preparation period. During that time, how many people will die from the disease..."

The aide could not say anything in response to the president's extremely reluctant and bitter attitude.

"Anyway, securing the necessary number of recovery potions is the top priority. Please arrange it as soon as possible."

"...Understood."

Given the current situation, the aide reluctantly agreed to the president's proposal and proceeded with the work, as there was no better solution.

Ironically, this decision, made with the priority of saving lives, would become the trigger for further tragedy.

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The news that recovery potions were effective against the disease spread quickly among the public thanks to the government's arrangements. Citizens with sick family members gathered at the dungeons to obtain recovery potions, but the dungeons near the cities managed by the government were being explored by the military to secure recovery potions, making it difficult for ordinary citizens to enter. The supply of recovery potions in the market was also far from meeting the demand of the public.

As a result, ordinary citizens rushed to the dungeons in undeveloped areas, leading to an excessive influx of people into the dungeons and conflicts over recovery potions breaking out everywhere.

"Huh? If you want it, I'll give it to you. It's not that expensive. Here."

"Damn it! Taking advantage of people like that!"

"If you don't want it, I'll just sell it to someone else. See ya."

"Wait! I'll pay, I'll pay whatever you ask, just give me the recovery potion!"

Even at extortionate prices, negotiations were still relatively peaceful.

However, some...

"Hand over that recovery potion!"

"Are you kidding me! I worked hard to get this! Who's going to give it to you!"

"I need it to cure my illness!"

"I need it too!"

Those who could not afford to buy recovery potions due to poverty attacked those who had them in the dungeons and tried to take them by force. Some succeeded, while others failed and were defeated.

And...

"Ugh... Damn it..."

"Hehe. You could have avoided death if you had handed it over peacefully."

"..."

"See ya."

Some even committed murder to obtain recovery potions. In the dungeons not managed by the government and not explored by the military, the law of the jungle prevailed.

However, the biggest problem was that some of those who entered the dungeons were already infected with the pathogen. Early-stage infected patients, who had secured a few doses of recovery potions but ran out of funds, entered the dungeons to secure more. Thanks to the recovery potions, they could move around, but the pathogens they carried were not eliminated. Normally, infected individuals are immobilized by severe symptoms and do not become carriers of the pathogen, but the existence of the recovery potions created active carriers. As a result, many people in the same dungeon were infected with the pathogen. The worst chain reaction was born when people entered the dungeons to obtain recovery potions to cure their illnesses and ended up being infected with the pathogen in the dungeons they entered.

This trend continued until a large number of recovery potions were delivered as aid from other countries, leading to a pandemic on a scale larger than the initial outbreak.

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The signs of the pandemic's end began to appear about a year after the dungeons appeared. Thanks to the recovery potions transported from other countries and those secured by the military from the dungeons, the necessary number of recovery potions for treating the known infected patients was secured.

"It seems we can bring the pandemic under control."

"Yes. We have secured the necessary number of recovery potions at this stage. However, this is based on the assumption that no new infections will occur and the pandemic will not expand again..."

"...We cannot be too optimistic."

"Yes. The measures we took, though necessary, have contributed to the expansion of the pandemic. We cannot afford any more mistakes..."

The aide's bitter remark made the president close his eyes and grimace. The policy he had taken with the aim of respecting human life had, in the end, led to the mistake of expanding the infection. Even though the unexpected appearance of active pathogen carriers was a factor, the president sighed deeply, unable to fully regret his decision.

"I understand. We must avoid any more mistakes at all costs."

"Yes."

"Then, what is the current stock of recovery potions? Can we handle another expansion of the pandemic?"

"We have secured a certain amount of stock, but it is somewhat insufficient. If we use the imported recovery potions for treatment and allocate the recovery potions secured by the military to the stock, we should be able to handle a pandemic on the scale of the initial outbreak within half a year."

The aide quickly responded to the president's question after a quick calculation of the recovery potion supply.

"I see... Then, please arrange it that way. To avoid repeating the same mistake, we must be prepared for emergencies."

"Yes, I will take care of it."

The president and the aide, seeing the end of the pandemic in sight, finally showed a relieved expression, feeling that they could finally see a future.

However, a few days later, their plans for the future were shattered by the resumption of conflict in the Middle East. Countries that had started stockpiling recovery potions in preparation for emergencies began to reduce their aid. With no recovery potions left for stockpiling, they could not afford to talk about the future and had to work hard again to secure the necessary recovery potions to end the pandemic.

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A major trouble has occurred in Africa!

It's dangerous to enter undeveloped areas carelessly, isn't it?

Since it's a holiday, I will post again tomorrow.