ATDIWR Chapter 30
by VolareJi An took out the jade and the core experimental data and gave them to Wu Youyang. “Here, take this. Give the core data to the student you trust the most, and let the remaining scraps be completed by the other students.”
“How can this be? This is core data!” Wu Youyang was excited. He didn’t expect to touch core data as soon as he arrived; he thought he would have to wait a long time.
Ji An said nonchalantly, “My path still has a long way to go. Space technology is not the end of my experiments, but just the beginning. In the future, it will only become a tiny, insignificant achievement on my scientific research path. There’s nothing worth hiding or keeping secret. Moreover, my next research topic is completely different. I don’t want to waste time on scientific research that already has mature results.”
Wu Youyang was still cautious. “How about this, I will oversee the core data, and give the rest to the students.”
Ji An said, “I need to research other things. You’ll be assisting me.”
Wu Youyang didn’t expect to be so highly valued as soon as he defected. For a moment, his heart surged, and he wished he could devote himself completely to Ji An. “Boss, how about you plant a mental suggestion on me? I will absolutely never betray you.”
“No need,” Ji An smiled and shook his head. “I have already collaborated with our Base Commanders on the spatial storage items. Anyone who is blind enough to try anything, let them try and see if the four Base Commanders will let them know what it’s like to be better off dead.”
Thinking of the four killing gods at the base, Wu Youyang shivered. Ji An seemed to trust him completely, but in reality, he had put an invisible collar around his neck. If anyone was blind enough to touch the private property of the four Base Commanders, then those eyes were useless anyway and should just be gouged out and thrown away.
“How about this? I’ll go into the lab with you. Rong Fan and I will be responsible for the core technology here. Although he is currently a student learning from me, he has good talent and is willing to work hard. I believe he can complete the task perfectly.”
“Okay, make the arrangements, then come into the lab with me.” After giving the instructions, Ji An went into the lab first to prepare.
When Wu Youyang gave the scraps of data to the students, they couldn’t believe it. They never dreamed they would be able to touch such important data after coming here.
Wu Youyang’s tone was serious, calming down the overly excited students. “You have all signed the contract and know what leaking data means. Besides, this is the private property of the four Base Commanders. Don’t take the wrong path, or I won’t be able to protect you.”
“Yes,” the students quickly agreed, expressing their loyalty.
Only then did Wu Youyang soften his tone. “We are also lucky. Boss Ji is short of hands here, otherwise, how could it be your turn, students? But this is also your opportunity. I hope you can seize it.”
Wu Youyang felt that as long as these students could seize this opportunity, they would soar in the future.
“We definitely will, and live up to Professor’s expectations,” Rong Fan replied loudly.
Wu Youyang took a deep look at Rong Fan. This student of his had talent, opportunity, and extremely good luck. He was probably going to go much further than him in the future.
“Rong Fan, as the team leader, first lead them to do these tasks. I will have other tasks for you later.”
“Okay, Professor,” Rong Fan was excited, knowing that Wu Youyang was going to greatly value him.
After giving the instructions, Wu Youyang left.
The students, however, were overjoyed. They were so excited they couldn’t control themselves, cheering and jumping with joy.
One student said, “Professor entrusted us with such an important matter. Is Boss Ji starting a new research project?”
“Definitely. He doesn’t have time to manage this side. It’s just, I wonder what the new research direction is?”
“It must be something like a vaccine. Isn’t Professor Han’s side mainly focused on that?”
“Not necessarily. I always feel that our Boss Ji is different from them. He might be heading towards a direction that has never existed before.”
“What could that be? I can’t imagine at all.”
“It’s right that you can’t imagine it! That’s Boss Ji! The person who brought cultivation into reality!”
When Wu Youyang walked into the laboratory, Ji An had already changed into a lab coat and was sitting in front of the experimental bench, concentrating on his research.
A small mountain of food was piled next to him.
Wu Youyang was completely bewildered. He had a rough understanding of Ji An’s experimental style, knowing that he was a workaholic who would eat, drink, live, and work inside the laboratory once he entered, never leaving.
But there was no need to pile so much food here. Anyway, he had space, and he could just take it out to eat when he was hungry.
Wu Youyang did not comment on Ji An’s strange little habit but asked, “Boss, what is our research direction this time, and what is the theme of the project?”
Ji An finally looked up from his experiment, but he was not looking at Wu Youyang, but at a certain point in the void, as if from that point, he had traveled through time and space and seen something from the past.
“Nutrition agent.”
The idea of the nutrition agent was not something Ji An had only after meeting Little Stone; he had had it very early on, specifically dating back to when he was alive in his previous life.
Ji An liked to do research. He liked it when he was in the orphanage as a child, but he was too young then, and the things he came up with were just toys for children, not very profound. Most of them were things that could be bought on the market, so no one took his research seriously.
Later, Ji An went to university, working part-time and studying. He had the opportunity to access laboratories and became even more engrossed in research. He even created a decent small invention and sold the patent rights.
Then came the apocalypse. Ji An wanted to continue his research, but conditions did not allow it. He had to run around with Chen Chen, searching for his family.
Finally, they settled down at the Third Base. Although it was stable, Chen Chen was not the commander of the Third Base at the time, and they had to work hard to make a living. A large amount of fighting occupied their lives, and Ji An had no energy to think about anything else.
In the fourth year of the apocalypse, Chen Chen finally became the commander. Life became comfortable, and Ji An had the energy to do research, but he found he didn’t have the financial resources. All equipment related to experiments was outrageously expensive, and the Third Base couldn’t afford it.
Ji An still couldn’t do research.
But he loved research too much. Without experimental equipment, he used his brain and a pen on paper to calculate and deduce.
Perhaps it was because he had awakened his mental ability, his brain became quick-witted, and his memory also became very good, almost photographic. All calculations could be deduced and calculated in his mind; his brain was comparable to the most advanced supercomputer.
At that time, the first thing Ji An thought of was the nutrition agent. He calculated countless times in his mind, deduced countless times, and simulated experiments countless times in his mind. Finally, he confirmed that as long as there was experimental equipment, it would be feasible. Only then did he seal the data for the nutrition agent, store it in a corner of his brain, and continue thinking about the next research project.
However, before the next project could be initiated in his mind, he was murdered.
After becoming a ghost, he stayed in the bedroom every day watching Chen Chen and Tang Tang’s intimate moments. He would either go completely mad and become a vengeful spirit, or he would find something to distract himself.
Ji An chose the latter. Chen Chen and Tang Tang were still living well; he didn’t want to become a vengeful spirit, so he started doing experiments in his mind again.
It seemed that without the heavy burden of his body, his brain became lighter and its speed faster. At that time, Ji An felt that even the most advanced supercomputer in the world couldn’t compare to his brain.
He conducted one experiment and research project after another in his mind, and it was these experiments that saved him from becoming a vengeful spirit. During his most obsessive period, while Chen Chen and Tang Tang were intimate in bed, Ji An could still be doing one experiment after another in his mind, and he was so focused that he didn’t even know the two of them were intimate.
So now, his brain is essentially a computer, storing countless things that are far beyond the current technological level of this world.
What Ji An had to do now was to extract that data from his brain and turn it into something real.
This was one of the reasons why the spatial storage item was developed so quickly. He just had to follow the script, completing it step by step according to the data he had stored in his mind before.
The nutrition agent was the same now.
“Nu-nutrition agent?” This was another thing that was both familiar and unfamiliar. It was familiar because even he, an old man who didn’t like watching movies or reading novels, knew it was a type of food that existed in sci-fi movies. It was said that after eating it, you could not be hungry for a day or even several days, and it could also maintain the nutrients the body needed.
It was unfamiliar because wasn’t this something that only existed in sci-fi movies?
Then Wu Youyang thought of the spatial storage item. Wasn’t that something that, before being brought into reality, also only existed in cultivation novels?
Thinking of this, Wu Youyang couldn’t help but get excited, and the blood in his body seemed to boil. This time, he seemed to be about to witness the birth of another miracle.
“Boss, is this nutrition agent the one I’m imagining?” Wu Youyang asked, trying to suppress his excitement.
“If you’re thinking of the one from sci-fi movies, where eating one can keep you from eating or drinking for several days while also ensuring the body’s most basic nutritional needs, then yes.”
Wu Youyang’s eyes were frighteningly bright. If it were night, there would be no need to turn on the lights; he could be used directly as a light bulb.
Ji An said, “You can call your family or send a message. My research habit is not to leave the lab until there is progress, so we don’t know how long we’ll be immersed in the lab. Don’t make your family worry if they can’t reach you.”
“No problem,” Wu Youyang quickly said. “I’ve already called. I often used to go into the lab for a long time and not go home; they’re already used to it.”
“That’s good,” Ji An nodded. “Then let’s begin. There is food over there; you can take any of it. We need to analyze and extract its nutritional components, then try to compress these nutritional components. After that, it’s best to improve the conversion rate to over seventy percent…”
Analyzing and extracting nutritional components was something Wu Youyang was skilled at; he could guarantee completing the task with his eyes closed.
But compressing nutritional components? He understood and comprehended every single one of those words, but how to do it, he had no direction at all; he was completely bewildered.
Wu Youyang was not someone who pretended to understand when he didn’t. He was also afraid of delaying Ji An’s experimental progress. Although he was a little embarrassed, he still mustered the courage to ask, “Boss, about that, compressing nutritional components, could you explain this to me in detail? I have no idea at all.”
“Of course,” Ji An explained his ideas to Wu Youyang bit by bit.
Wu Youyang listened to Ji An’s guidance, and as he listened, he became engrossed…
The two of them worked intensely, day and night. Half a month later, the first finished nutrition agent was placed on the experimental bench.
Wu Youyang was so excited that a reddish flush appeared on his cheeks, and his expression was fanatic, like the most devout believer who had finally seen his deity, wishing he could kneel on the ground and kiss His toes. “Boss, it seems we’ve really made it?”
“There’s no doubt. This is the finished nutrition agent.” Ji An was also very happy. His eyes shone with brilliance, like rippling autumn water, reflecting the myriad stars. From now on, the countless people in this world could be free from hunger. “Now all that’s left is the clinical trial. As long as the clinical trial passes, the nutrition agent can be officially put into production and sold, and everyone will be able to eat their fill from now on.”
Wu Youyang excitedly said, “Boss, I have a feeling our clinical trial will definitely be successful.”
Ji An asked, “Why do you say that?”
Wu Youyang almost jumped up. “I advanced! I advanced a small tier! I’m now Tier 4 mid-stage!”
“Boss, it was indeed right to follow you. I’ve been stuck at the early stage for so long.”
Ji An was stunned for a moment. He had been so focused on the experiment that he had forgotten about this. Now, feeling it again, he found that he had also advanced a small tier and was now Tier 3 mid-stage.
It had only been this long since he arrived at the Jing Shi Base. As expected, the fastest and most correct way for mental ability users to advance is through conducting experiments.
“Boss, should we hurry up and recruit volunteers?” Wu Youyang couldn’t wait. He wished time would accelerate at this very moment and quickly slide to the day the clinical trial was completed.
“Don’t disclose the specific experimental content, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble. You can offer more volunteer compensation,” Ji An instructed.
“Understood.” Wu Youyang excitedly left the lab with the experimental data.
Outside, only Rong Fan was working diligently; everyone else was gone.
“Professor, you’re out?” Rong Fan asked in surprise when he saw Wu Youyang.
“Yes. Where are they?” Wu Youyang was happy today and wasn’t angry that he didn’t see the diligent young men when he came out.
Rong Fan quickly explained, fearing that Wu Youyang would misunderstand. “They went for lunch. I wanted to finish my work early, so I just grabbed a quick bite.”
“Professor, was the experiment successful?”
Wu Youyang maintained a mysterious smile, but the excitement in his eyes still gave him away. “Sort of. If this clinical trial has no side effects, then your teacher, I, will be awesome! Absolutely a proper person who will go down in history! A model of a groundbreaking figure! Future generations will sing my praises for generations! Hahaha! Even if Boss Ji is the main figure in the future, my teacher’s name will definitely occupy a place! When people talk about you then, they will envy you and say, ‘Ah, that Rong Fan, he’s so lucky, he’s Mr. Wu Youyang’s student! Ah! I also really want to be Mr.’s student!'”
Rong Fan’s mouth twitched involuntarily. Was this his professor? Was this the upright, meticulous Professor Wu Youyang who was so afraid of messing up his hair that he wished he could glue every strand to his scalp with super glue?
Could he have been possessed by some mischievous evil spirit, deliberately ruining the professor’s image?
Of course, if the professor wasn’t possessed but was this crazy, then it could only mean that thing was really, really important, and extremely significant! Perhaps it even concerned the survival of humanity.
Thinking of this, Rong Fan’s breathing couldn’t help but become heavy. If it was really what he suspected, then no matter how crazy the professor became, it wouldn’t be excessive. Even if he went crazy on the spot and ended up in a mental hospital, Rong Fan could understand.
“Professor, what kind of experiment is it? More awesome than the spatial storage item?” Rong Fan couldn’t help but ask.
“Two directions, two meanings; they cannot be compared.”
It was another completely new direction, and Rong Fan was dumbfounded.
Wu Youyang hummed an old song from who knows which decade, his mood soaring as he walked out of the lab carrying a pile of folders.
On the way, he met an old colleague, Shi Jun. The two of them had entered Na Boyu’s lab at the same time, were of similar age, and even lived in the same neighborhood before. Both were excellent from a young age and were often compared to each other. Unfortunately, although Wu Youyang was excellent himself, when compared to Shi Jun, he was always slightly inferior.
Shi Jun was like Wu Youyang’s nemesis. Even when the two of them entered Na Boyu’s lab together, Shi Jun was more favored by Na Boyu.
This was one of the reasons why Wu Youyang left that side and moved to Ji An’s side.
Shi Jun had already walked past but then realized that the person who had brushed past him just now was Wu Youyang, and he was in a very good mood. He turned back around.
“Oh, isn’t this Researcher Wu Youyang? I thought you were crying yourself dizzy in the restroom because you jumped ship only to find out that your new boss was a flowery embroidered pillow who didn’t understand anything! You’re so happy now, excited like you’re about to fly, radiant and flushed. Did that student Ji An give you the core spatial data?”
Shi Jun thought that his experimental team had been completely stumped on space technology for so long, without any clues, which put him in a bad mood. And Wu Youyang, who had been suppressed by him since birth, had actually gotten in touch with space technology and likely already mastered the core spatial technology. His heart was sour, and it inevitably showed in his words.
“Shi Jun, I warn you not to mention Ji An in that tone again, otherwise don’t blame me for being impolite!”
Wu Youyang didn’t care how Shi Jun ridiculed him, but this person couldn’t mention the name Ji An with such a dismissive tone. Ji An was his deity, a god who saved countless people!
Shi Jun was stunned for a moment. Wu Youyang’s expression was too serious, so serious that if he dared to say one more word, he would really fight him.
“What kind of charm does Ji An have to turn you into this after just a few days?” Shi Jun was puzzled. “You admired Na Boyu so much before, but I never saw you defending him like a believer?”
Wu Youyang scoffed, “What do you know? Ji An is a god!”
“What exactly happened? Even if he gave you the core spatial technology, you wouldn’t be this fanatical? Could it be that he’s come up with some new field of scientific research?” Shi Jun stroked his chin, somewhat suspicious.
Wu Youyang’s eyes flickered. “You’ll know in the future. By then, you’ll understand how much Boss Ji is worthy of respect. He deserves the respect of people all over the world!”
Wu Youyang finished speaking and left. He had a lot of things to busy himself with: the core spatial technology, recruiting volunteers, and clinical trials. Completing the experiment a day earlier might save a life!
Shi Jun looked at Wu Youyang’s spirited back, and a sense of unease suddenly welled up in his heart. It seemed that from now on, his and Wu Youyang’s situations would be reversed. It would no longer be Wu Youyang looking at his spirited achievements with envy, but him looking on forlornly as Wu Youyang built his high platform step by step!
Could it be that Wu Youyang’s choice this time was correct? No! It definitely wouldn’t be. Ji An was just a student who didn’t understand anything. He dropped out of university; what real skills could he have?
Shi Jun didn’t deny space technology, but he figured it couldn’t be that profound, otherwise, it wouldn’t be possible for a college dropout to figure it out. Perhaps they were just stuck in a mental trap, and they just needed to break free from it.
Now that Wu Youyang was so happy, it must be because of the core spatial technology, or perhaps Ji An had promised him something. But if Ji An couldn’t research anything else in the future, then those promises would just be empty talk, just a pie in the sky.
One day, Wu Youyang would regret it so much his intestines would turn green, while he, following the learned and knowledgeable Researcher Han Yaokun and learning the most advanced scientific technology, would be the one who laughed last.
But the unease in his heart couldn’t be shaken off. Shi Jun could only comfort himself that it was his personal reason, perhaps he was too afraid of being surpassed by his former defeated opponent.
Wu Youyang had already started recruiting volunteers. This time, they recruited a total of one hundred people, fifty males and fifty females, with half of each gender being power users.
The conditions were that food and accommodation were provided, and after the experiment was completed, the volunteer compensation was 100,000 per person.
Recruitment notices were posted throughout the Jing Shi Base.
Things were fine in West City, where the rich lived, but East City was going crazy.
How many homeless people were wandering the streets of East City, starving and dying? These people would sell their souls, their bodies, and everything they could sell for a bite to eat.
As soon as this notice was posted, those homeless people flocked to it.
“I, I, I volunteer…”
“Choose me, I don’t need money, just give me something to eat, and I’ll do anything.”
“You can use me for human experiments. I only ask that you give me the money first; my child is seriously ill, and I don’t have money to treat him. I can accept any experiment.”
Of course, there were also some ordinary people who were tempted but whose lives were still relatively manageable; they hadn’t reached the point of fighting for their lives. These people were hesitant and didn’t move forward.
“Sir, I’d like to ask what kind of experiment I’ll be participating in. Is it dangerous?”
“The experimental content cannot be disclosed. What we can tell you is that it is not a human experiment. The risk is unknown; death or other permanent harm are possible. However, if there is death or other harm, the maximum compensation can reach one million. If the experiment causes other physical injury, we will cover the treatment until it is healed.”
This made many ordinary people eager to try. They couldn’t earn a million in their lifetime. If they died, they could at least leave their families a huge amount of property, ensuring their livelihood for the rest of their lives.
Ji An’s public recruitment of one hundred people was quite a large affair, and it inevitably alerted the research institute and the command center.
In the research institute, everyone was discussing it again, with Ji An still the central figure.
“That side is up to new tricks again.” Now, mentioning Ji An was like mentioning a taboo; they used “that side” to refer to him.
“I don’t know, I can’t find out anything, but they need a lot of volunteers, a hundred people.”
“Do you think it could be a zombie virus vaccine? Only a zombie virus vaccine would need so many people?”
“Impossible. My teacher has been working on the zombie virus vaccine for so long and hasn’t solved that problem. I heard there was a breakthrough a few days ago, but it can’t guarantee that you won’t be infected. It only says it can reduce the chance of infection, and it’s not certain.”
“I heard that the vaccine is actually useless; if you get infected, you’ll still be infected.”
Recently, everyone in the research institute heard about Ji An’s recruitment of volunteers. Zhao Zhen also heard about it himself.
Ji An was already ahead of them in one research area, the spatial technology, and they still hadn’t made any progress. If he got ahead of them again and developed the zombie virus vaccine, wouldn’t all the attention be stolen by Ji An? What position would he and his teacher have in the Jing Shi Base in the future!
“Professor, that side has been causing such a stir recently. Could the zombie virus vaccine have been researched?” Zhao Zhen asked anxiously.
Han Yaokun pursed his lips tightly. His pressure was no less than Zhao Zhen’s. If Ji An really got ahead this time, what face would he have to continue sitting in the position of general leader?
Zhao Zhen saw Han Yaokun’s pressure and, with a cruel glint in his eyes, said, “Professor, why don’t we also announce the zombie virus vaccine!”
“No!” Han Yaokun refused sternly and resolutely.
Zhao Zhen was unwilling. “But if we let them get ahead, where will we, master and disciple, have a place in this entire Jing Shi Base!”
“No, don’t mention this, absolutely not!” Han Yaokun’s tone was beyond reproach. Looking at his former beloved disciple, Han Yaokun softened his tone after all. “The zombie virus vaccine is not mature yet, and the infection rate is unpredictable. What if it is put into the market and those who have been vaccinated think they have foolproof protection and are carelessly infected? What then? Those are human lives!”
Zhao Zhen was unconvinced. “But Professor, the zombie virus vaccine is not a panacea anyway. It’s not guaranteed that you won’t be infected if you get vaccinated; it can only reduce the infection rate.”
“Zhao Zhen, do you think you can exploit a loophole here? The power users are not fools; they will do statistics. After getting the zombie virus vaccine, whether or not you get infected, and how much the infection rate is reduced compared to not getting it, these cannot be faked. When that time comes and it’s found out, you and I will truly have no place to stay.”
“Professor, then we just have to watch that side steal all the limelight, helpless?”
Han Yaokun looked in the direction of Ji An’s laboratory, his gaze complex. “If that side can really develop a zombie virus vaccine, I can only say it is also a good thing beneficial to the country and the people. It means my skills are inferior. But I will not admit defeat; I will definitely catch up to that side’s pace as soon as possible.”
Zhao Zhen was still unconvinced, but seeing that Han Yaokun had made up his mind, he didn’t dare to say anything more.
The command center was also discussing this matter, guessing whether it was the zombie virus vaccine.
Unlike Han Yaokun’s side, where specific experimental projects had to be approved by the command center, Ji An’s laboratory was his personal one, and the projects were privately funded. The command center had no right to interfere at all, so they had no idea what Ji An’s specific experimental project was.
If it were other experiments, Gu Jinsheng wouldn’t even ask, but if it concerned the zombie virus vaccine, Gu Jinsheng couldn’t just stand by and watch.
Gu Jinsheng, along with Kong Zhongcheng and Wan Xueying, found Ji An.
Gu Jinsheng didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly, “Is it the zombie virus vaccine?”
Ji An was already used to Gu Jinsheng’s concise language and could accurately understand what he meant. “No.”
After receiving a negative answer, Gu Jinsheng didn’t want to ask any more questions. As agreed earlier, he would absolutely not interfere excessively.
But Ji An told him directly, “It’s a nutrition agent.”