The second-generation virus had given the infected mastery of secondary elemental energy, a giant leap over the first generation, but the third-generation virus Adam envisioned would produce no such qualitative change. It would simply make every infected body valuable — in 'life' and after 'death.'
The current infected could devour the corpses of other infected to replenish their own stamina, an ability drawn from abyssal creatures. A truly complete abyssal creature could devour all energy to drive its own evolution; Adam's present means could not yet replicate that, but he could magnify the shallowest expression of the ability.
That research was what Adam had to finish next — mutual devouring among the infected.