A wallet starts as CLEAN. If it meets the protocol requirements, another holder can infect it through the dedicated INFECT function. The infection action transmits exactly 1 VRL to the target wallet and creates a new on-chain infection record. A normal VRL transfer does not create an infection — only the protocol’s infection function does.
When the infection is created, the host receives its own strain snapshot. That infection stores its direct infector, strain code, generation, reward cut, creation point, and expiration point. These parameters are fixed for that specific infection, even if the global VIRAL genome mutates later.
The relationship is always direct.
A infects B
B infects C
C infects D