Ye Yunhan felt that he did not dare gamble.
So he did not make a decision immediately. Instead, he asked Wei Lanshan, "Can the previous method be used again?"
"You mean increasing the dosage, confusing the viruses again, and imprisoning them once more?"
"Yes. Just two star years. By then, you should have results."
"I've never tried it, so I can't give you a definite answer. I can't estimate what side effects it might cause."
"What about a small amount?"
"General Ye, you can test that question yourself."
Ye Yunhan said nothing more. He considered its feasibility as Wei Lanshan's robot assistant led him next door.
After completing the necessary procedures for the examination and experiment, Ye Yunhan and his subordinates left Q68.
Before leaving, he did not seek out Wei Lanshan again. Their earlier conversation had already made her stance clear.
Ye Yunhan looked at the inconspicuous hill behind him, summoned the guard officer, and gave him several instructions. Then the eight of them returned along the way they had come, heading back to the wilderness where the airship was parked.
After Ye Yunhan left, Wei Lanshan gathered the five researchers he had assigned to her—Lin Zeyu, Wang Xingmeng, Jin Yuxi, Fei Qiming, and Song Wei—and told them her plan.
The others were all shocked after hearing it. Her plan violated the Alliance's highest child protection act, and the experiment itself went against humanity and the biological property rights law.
Wei Lanshan was the Alliance Chief in this field. She could not possibly be unaware of the experiment's danger and immorality.
The others were uncertain and alarmed. "You think it's too cruel?" Wei Lanshan asked.
Wei Lanshan knew how shocked they were, but she had no other choice.
Wei Lanshan said bluntly, "Live or die, choose for yourselves. This experiment must continue, and it can only succeed, never fail. Otherwise, none of you or I will live to see the sunrise over Tianning Star two star years from now, nor will we leave this underground laboratory."
Although Wei Lanshan herself had a way out, that might not be true for these researchers from the Tianning Star System. She thought she would help them if she could.
Fear and unease still filled their hearts, but they also understood that Wei Lanshan was telling the truth.
The supplies Ye Yunhan had delivered this time would only last them one star year. Together with what remained from before, they could barely hold out for a little over two star years.
If this experiment failed, they would likely be buried underground with this laboratory forever, reduced to ashes and dust.
No one would know what they had done or why they had died.
They all knew Ye Yunhan's methods. The Ye Family ruled Tianning Star. On Tianning Star, his word was law, and he was the only person from Tianning Star to hold the post of general in the Alliance.
More than a star year ago, when General Ye had secretly summoned them to the laboratory, they had all known it was for Ye Zhenwei, the little girl who had been recognized as a genius by all of Tianning Star from the moment she was born.
Her body had developed an exceptionally complex illness. A virus never before discovered in Alliance history had appeared in her genes—the M Virus.
No matter what methods they used, even genetic recombination, the virus still lingered like a ghost. Even with the Alliance's current advanced technology, it could not be overcome for the time being.
The M Virus not only halted physical growth, but also deprived its host of Mental Power. Even more terrifyingly, it could control both the body and the consciousness.
While under its control, the host had no awareness whatsoever and had no idea what she was doing.
They had seen the little girl during an episode. Her Mental Power ran wild, and the energy erupting from her five-year-old body was enough to destroy the massive laboratory where they were now.
This laboratory was three hundred meters underground. It had ten floors and covered more than fifty thousand square meters.
Although Ye Zhenwei possessed the highest registered Mental Power and physical ability in the entire Alliance so far, she suffered inhuman torment at such a young age.
They also felt terrible for Ye Zhenwei. They called themselves Tianning Star's most outstanding researchers and physicians, yet they could not ease a little girl's suffering.
Later, Wei Lanshan developed a controlling formula that temporarily imprisoned the virus within Ye Zhenwei's body.
Now, more than a year had passed. Ye Zhenwei's body had begun showing signs of agitation again, while their experiment still had made no progress.
When they had first been summoned, they had been filled with enthusiasm. If they solved this virus, their contribution ratings would rise by more than three tiers, and they could leave Tianning Star with a legend destined to amaze the galaxy.
Yet more than one star year had passed. Not only had they made no progress, but they now had to face a challenge from the depths of their souls.
To save one life, they were actually disregarding the Alliance's highest laws and humanity itself. Their hearts were being tested on every level.
But Wei Lanshan was right. This was their last stand, and they all understood the consequences of failure.
As they wrestled with themselves, Wei Lanshan's assistant, the robot Wu Yuan, knocked and entered. "Lord Lan, the experiment is ready."
The other five had long grown accustomed to Wu Yuan's appearance. They did not know why Wei Lanshan's robot assistant looked so different from the rest.
Alliance robots had long since become humanoid, and their materials were highly realistic. Unless one closely examined their wrists and the backs of their heads, they were difficult to distinguish from humans.
Wu Yuan, however, retained the appearance of a first-generation robot: a metal shell, mechanical eyes, a square face, and the sound of metal clashing whenever he moved.
Wei Lanshan glanced at the five before her. Lin Zeyu exchanged looks with the other four for five seconds, then the five of them made a difficult decision.
For Tianning Star's future, they comforted themselves inwardly. No one would know about this experiment.
Once the experiment succeeded, General Ye would certainly erase every trace. In public, people would only see that they had succeeded. No one would investigate how they had done it.
Seeing this, Wei Lanshan knew that they had ultimately made the same choice she had. She nodded to Wu Yuan. "Begin."
Wu Yuan led the way, and the six followed him out of the reception room into an exceptionally clean room decorated entirely in white.
It was filled with all kinds of instruments, glass containers, incubators, and an operating table. This room was a laboratory.
Wei Lanshan looked at the workstations that had already been prepared and slowly spoke. "I'll be responsible for Subject 99. The rest of you can choose your own assignments. I've already completed the data for the overall direction. Wu Yuan will copy it to your assistant robots shortly."
Wei Lanshan stared at the containers and continued giving instructions. "The laboratories and observation rooms are also ready. They are still in the eastern third section of this building. Each test subject gets one floor. My observation subject will be here. At all other times, communicate by video. Report whether there is progress or not.
"Unless necessary, you do not need to come here. Handle everything through video or holographic communication. Have your robots collect the supplies yourselves later."
Lin Zeyu and the others nodded. After being together for so long, they understood Wei Lanshan's personality well. She disliked wasting words and would never communicate face-to-face if video could solve the issue.
Wei Lanshan had prepared five groups of test subjects this time. She would only be responsible for one subject's observation report and did not intend to interfere with the rest.
All her energy had to be focused on Subject 99, ensuring that not the slightest problem arose.
If she succeeded this time, Lin Zeyu and the others would have hope of surviving. If the outcome was still the worst possible one, everyone in this underground laboratory would cease to exist.
As for herself, she needed to prepare in advance.
Little darlings can check the comments in the reader community first. The plot really is progressing slowly!
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