Facing the public's questioning, the government didn't dare take things lightly — after all, they still needed the people's votes, and naturally had to work hard to serve them.
So they immediately announced the formation of a task force to investigate the situation and find out what was really going on.
But the public wasn't about to let it go that easily.
In some regions, a wave of panic buying began as people, gripped by fear, rushed to purchase all kinds of essential supplies.
First protect yourself, then worry about everything else.
Of course, the government still held significant power, and they quickly got to the bottom of the situation.
And what they found left them scratching their heads.
Good grief — people actually believed the plot of a video game was real.
That said, the game's lore and narrative logic were tight and well-crafted. If they hadn't already known the truth, even the officials might've been a little spooked, wondering whether a real-life "Umbrella Corporation" could exist.
...
...
Once they understood the root of the panic, the authorities quickly held a press conference to calm public fears. Thankfully, they managed to prevent the situation from spiraling further out of control.
"All the rumors stem from a video game and a vague news report. There are no real-world cases of a biohazard outbreak. Please remain calm and avoid unnecessary panic."
After the press conference, most of the public felt reassured. But the more stubborn "doomsday preppers" weren't about to be pacified with a few official statements.
They were still bitter — they'd spent so much effort stockpiling supplies, and now if the apocalypse didn't happen, they'd look like fools.
In fact, some of them even wished the end of the world would come, just to prove themselves right.
A few of the more radical types began digging into international pharmaceutical companies, looking for suspicious reports or links to viral research.
Some even organized trips to visit factories and research facilities owned by these pharma giants, trying to investigate in secret.
Roughly two weeks later, they caused another stir.
By this point, Resident Evil had already been debunked by the government and dismissed as "just a game," and public attention had largely moved on.
But in the span of two weeks, these doomsday preppers uncovered news reports of pollution and chemical leaks near several pharmaceutical plants.
Although the reports had been downplayed, some of the incidents had led to increased rates of illness in nearby communities — including potentially life-long health effects or impacts on future generations.
And the troubling part? These problems weren't going away — in fact, they seemed to be getting worse.
These stories had no major outlet to reach the public.
But now, a group of zealous preppers brought them to light.
They began publishing everything they found online, claiming that even if there wasn't a "real" Resident Evil apocalypse, these pharmaceutical companies still had the power to affect the entire world.
Some even speculated that these corporations were secretly researching a biohazard-style virus — just like in the game — but the truth was still hidden.
This once again sent shockwaves through the internet.
Public opinion, which had just begun to settle, was once again stirred up.
"Wait… these companies are really that shady?"
People were stunned — especially those who had taken medications from these very companies.
As these claims spread, more and more people joined in.
Some even said they'd experienced strange side effects from certain drugs, and joked (or perhaps not) that they were afraid they'd turn into zombies — begging for someone to save them.
Of course, most of these were people chasing clout — but they were still surprisingly convincing.
Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical companies were completely confused.
They had no idea how things had gotten so out of hand.
Sure, they'd done some shady things — that's practically a given when it comes to capitalism. But they always had their ways of protecting themselves.
Now, out of nowhere, they were being blamed for potentially ending the world?
Some online posts even claimed they were capable of plunging humanity into a full-on apocalypse.
If they actually had that kind of power, the government would've already shut them down.
They were just pharma companies — not all-powerful. Their job was to sell medicine, not bring about the end times.
And if they really created a zombie virus, how would they even make money anymore?
Who would buy their products if everyone lost their minds?How would their executives live in mansions if society collapsed?
It made no sense — yet people still believed it.
It was baffling.
Fortunately, this kind of farce doesn't usually last too long.
The pharmaceutical companies had their own ways of managing PR, and the government, not wanting mass panic, also stepped in with damage control.
But in the process, the term "Resident Evil" became deeply embedded in the public consciousness.
And more people became curious about the game itself.
Suddenly, just as sales of Resident Evil and the GS1 console had started to slow… they skyrocketed again in the U.S.
The panic-fueled frenzy lasted about a month — during which time Resident Evil became a hot topic across various platforms.
In just one month, Resident Evil sold an additional two million copies, and GS1 console sales increased by over one million units.
Many families who'd never owned a console before were now being introduced to gaming — all thanks to this bizarre series of events.
On the other side of the Pacific, there was one more person who was completely dumbfounded: Takayuki.
"What the hell…?"
He couldn't believe it.
Americans really knew how to stir things up.
He had only made a game, yet they somehow turned it into an entire global conspiracy, complete with doomsday scenarios and zombie outbreaks.
The chances of this happening were probably lower than a comet wiping out all life on Earth.
And yet… they actually believed it.
Still, this reminded Takayuki of an odd bit of trivia from his past life:
In the U.S., the government really did set up a special department tasked with handling potential zombie outbreaks — inspired by Resident Evil and similar media.
The CDC even published a Zombie Survival Guide as part of their public education campaign.
So in the end, maybe this parallel world wasn't all that ridiculous.
After all, the real one wasn't much different.