Rapid-Fire Debate

"So you're saying criminals could forcibly imprison people and extract their cells to create embryos?" Song He asked.

"That's right. I'm afraid it would worsen kidnapping-related crimes, turning this technology into a source of chaos." Lou Jinghui's tone was calm.

"A knife can be used to cut vegetables, but it can also be used to stab people. As knife manufacturers, our original intention is to provide kitchenware, not weapons." Song He said, "Someone misusing the technology isn't our responsibility."

"Even without Infant Incubation Pod technology, crimes of this kind already exist extensively around the world. There are even so many that they've become effectively legal, forming a black industry based on mutual consent. Take the Womb of Europe in Second Hairy Country, for example. Tens of thousands of impoverished girls make money by bearing children for Europeans." Lou Jinghui said.

"Infant Incubation Pods would absolutely increase the frequency of such crimes, indirectly causing large numbers of impoverished women around the world to suffer."

"Besides, criminal groups would only need to repeat the method used in the Norway terrorist attack: randomly grab people by the roadside, knock them unconscious, and forcibly extract their cells. They could succeed very quickly. It would be like roadside robbery, except ordinary roadside robbers steal phones and wallets, while these robbers would steal eggs."

"If someone's phone or wallet was stolen, obediently handing it over might let them escape unharmed. But having one's eggs stolen would inevitably cause physical trauma. If the criminal gang failed to maintain hygiene and reused the egg retrieval instruments, they might even spread AIDS."

The entire laboratory fell silent as everyone listened quietly to Lou Jinghui's analysis.

"Boss, you just used a knife as an analogy. I have an even better one: a gun!" Lou Jinghui continued.

"If someone used a knife to stab people, they might only be able to kill two or three. If the victims ran fast enough, they might even escape."

"But if someone used a Rapid-Fire Weapon to spray bullets into a densely packed crowd, it would be easy to cause casualties in the two- or three-digit range. There'd be no escaping by running."

"We can't casually say that we're only responsible for making guns while turning a blind eye to the consequences of gun proliferation. Once someone possesses a deadly weapon, murderous intent can arise. The birth of a new technology will change the profitability of crime and inevitably lead to more innocent victims."

Lou Jinghui finished speaking and quietly gazed at Song He.

Song He's head was throbbing. Lou Jinghui's argument was indeed extremely sharp.

"Wait, Jinghui." Xiang Xiaotong suddenly asked with a smile, "When we voted by a show of hands just now, you supported making Infant Incubation Pods. Why are you now arguing so vigorously about their risks?"

Lou Jinghui thought for a moment. "There's an old joke. A reporter asked a boy, 'Which province are you from?' The boy thought about it and said, 'The province my mother gave birth in.'"

Laughter rang through the laboratory, making the atmosphere somewhat livelier, but it immediately turned serious again.

"My mother had a difficult labor when she gave birth to me. Maybe my head was too big. She suffered terribly before finally delivering me and nearly lost her life." Lou Jinghui said.

"When I think about how hard it was for my mother to give birth to me, I feel sad. So emotionally, I support Infant Incubation Pods. If this technology had existed back then, my mother wouldn't have had to suffer."

Heads throughout the laboratory bobbed vigorously. Whenever mothers were mentioned, everyone shared the same feeling.

"The boss told us to come up with arguments against making Infant Incubation Pods so he could refute them one by one. So I brought out my arguments!" Lou Jinghui said with a smile. "Even if the boss can't refute my arguments and still insists on making Infant Incubation Pods, I absolutely won't object. I'll just follow the boss and get it done!"

Laughter broke out in the laboratory. Team Leader Lou proclaiming his loyalty was a regular feature, with blind obedience to Song He as the main attraction.

"Old Lou, your argument is very good. It would alleviate some people's suffering, but cause chaos and crime on an even larger scale. We have to consider that." Song He nodded.

"However, I have some simple ways to prevent the situation you described, with babies being mass-produced in basements."

"First, I conducted a basic technical assessment. Given current technological conditions, even if an Infant Incubation Pod succeeded, it would be enormous. It wouldn't be an aquarium-sized device. Its size would be closer to that of a wardrobe."

"Understood." Lou Jinghui nodded.

"A wardrobe-sized device would be difficult to install without attracting attention. It would be nearly impossible for individuals to secretly install dozens of Infant Incubation Pods in one place." Song He said. "That would prevent artificial-baby factories from springing up everywhere."

"Second, the liquid environment required for embryonic development is extremely delicate and must contain certain rare, special ingredients. We can classify those ingredients as controlled drugs, allowing their use only in major hospitals under strict procedures. Outside hospitals, we can crack down on them as severely as we crack down on narcotics."

"That way, anyone who wants to use an Infant Incubation Pod to have a child would have to go to a legitimate major hospital. Ordinary people wouldn't be able to secretly install an incubation pod, nor would they easily obtain the necessary drugs. Double insurance!"

After Song He finished speaking, he looked seriously at Lou Jinghui and waited for his response.

Lou Jinghui wore a strange expression. "Boss, quite a few countries in the West are practically covered in Fly Leaf."

Song He's face stiffened as he suddenly remembered that point.

"When I was studying at the Lighthouse, there were local agencies specifically responsible for collecting discarded needles from public places. A single city could gather fifty or sixty thousand needles a year, and those were only the ones thrown on the ground in public areas." Lou Jinghui said.

"The Lighthouse also had plenty of opium dens. They called themselves Overdose Prevention Centers, or OPCs. They claimed to help addicts quit, but they were really just places for making money."

"So the controlled-drug safeguard only works domestically. In many places overseas, it's useless. All kinds of banned drugs and toxic substances can circulate freely there. It probably wouldn't be difficult to circulate some of the drugs needed for Infant Incubation Pods."

Song He awkwardly scratched his head. "That makes sense. You've really stumped me this time."

Laughter rang through the laboratory.

Antonio sighed helplessly. "Once it becomes widespread, we won't be able to do anything. If a few hundred people in a city use Fly Leaf, they can be sent to rehab centers. But if hundreds of thousands of people in a city use Fly Leaf, where would we find enough rehab centers?"

Song He rubbed his face and suddenly thought of something. "I've got it!"

"If we can't control it overseas, then we simply won't sell them incubation pods!"

"We can establish specialized childcare hospitals domestically and put all the Infant Incubation Pods in hospitals. If foreigners want to use the pods, they can fly over clutching their money, then return home clutching their own children. Wouldn't that prevent the crime caused by the proliferation of overseas incubation pods?"

"And it could bring in foreign currency!" Xiang Xiaotong said with a laugh.

"Exactly! It would become a huge industry!" Song He clapped his hands. "We'd control the risks and make money from the whole world!"

"What about nationality?" Antonio asked.

"What do you mean?" Song He didn't understand.

"Our laws over there say that anyone born within the country automatically counts as a citizen of the Lighthouse and receives their documents directly. But someone born overseas doesn't. Even if they later become a citizen, they still can't run for president." Antonio said.

"Oh, right. I've heard of that. That's a bit troublesome." Song He frowned. "We can't decide something like that. We can only see how each country writes its laws. They might amend them."

"Just set up connected hospitals." Xiang Xiaotong said casually. "It's simple."

Song He suddenly understood. "You mean, for example, we establish a childcare hospital in Jinghai City and an affiliated hospital in Honolulu. Couples from Honolulu can fly to the Jinghai hospital, form the embryo, and then have the Infant Incubation Pod air-freighted to the affiliated hospital in Honolulu?"

"Exactly. Back and forth, the process would be like a bathing crab." Xiang Xiaotong said.

"Good! Lou Jinghui's argument about the crime rate has been solved!" Song He said in relief. "All right, who else has any ideas? Anyone opposed to Infant Incubation Pods?"

Fan Tao raised her hand and said hesitantly, "I have an idea. It might be a little absurd."