Corruption is a sub-branch of Malice. It is rarely found in concentrations higher than 0.01 parts per billion.
Corruption is most present on the ocean floor. It appears as purplish rectangles that are always flat. They are usually only around 1-2 cm by 1-2 cm in length and width.
Unlike regular Malice, Corruption spreads a lot less quickly and the concentration that spreads is concealed in a fourth dimension that humans can't see, known as the "rift." While it cannot be seen, it can be felt with slight vibrations that get more intense. The "rift" contains ~90-99% of all the Corruption in a given area. "Rifts" usually cover an area of about 100 m2 and only expand by about 10 m2 every year, as compared to the rapid expansion that Malice has when consuming living things. Considering living things, Corruption requires a high concentration ingested or inhaled in order to have an effect on living beings, around 100 parts per million in humans.
However, Corruption also has its strengths. For one, and possibly most importantly, Corruption is waterproof, unlike Malice that rips apart in water. Additionally, those infected will not be transformed into raw Corruption and are used to gather more creatures for possession. Although there do exist deformities, they do not progress beyond the few that are formed. On top of this, since Corruption can stretch into an invisble fourth dimension, victims won't even realize it until they get possessed. Some deformities may include:
But one of Corruption's true secrets is that it has a second form: a glowing, color-cycling fluid that is omnipresent near the rift. The color of the fluid depends on the concentration, with clear being the lowest, progressing to purple, blue, cyan, then turquoise at the highest concentration. This fluid is what vibrates those that are near the rift, because it is trying to wrap around a victim until they are engulfed in a gigantic orb of turquoise Corruption fluid. From here, the victim gets infected and possessed. Deformities are instantaneous, but the deformities and victims can be fixed by dense solid weapons.
Currently, no rift has been photographed, but that may change with the Underwater Living Quarters Research Institution.