Notification

The director revealed a slightly meaningful smile beneath the brim of his black hat and said:

"That's exactly what I'm curious about. How could such a corrosive alien species be willing to coexist with you? When your body died, it could have gone in search of another host, but in the end, it was willing to expend its already limited life force to repair your body, even connecting your consciousness to its central nervous system... I have some guesses about the underlying reason, but it will require deeper research."

"Also, according to the information currently under my control, our country did not recover the core of the unknown plant organism. Nor was its core destroyed in the first 'antimatter missile' bombardment. There's a certain possibility that the plant organism hidden inside your body is precisely its core."

Yu Jing froze. Looking back, he had come to A-Class City after seeing suspicious news in the corner of a newspaper, hoping to earn three million for his mother's surgery. Yet somehow, he had become involved in an incident of such magnitude.

After standing stunned for roughly five seconds, Yu Jing gathered his thoughts and tried to adapt to the situation before asking, "What makes you think that?"

The director easily retrieved Yu Jing's detailed medical examination report from the special files at the city medical examination center. Within it, the item concerning the latent 'Kajimo virus' had been marked with special symbols by the director.

"It might be related to this new type of virus. At present, there is no worthwhile data on the 'Kajimo virus' anywhere in the world. The overt form of the Kajimo virus is actually a sign of degeneration, and with our current methods, it can be treated and repaired. But the latent virus belongs to a higher form, a barrier that biological research has found difficult to overcome."

From the director's words, Yu Jing realized that his survival might actually be related to the latent virus that should have killed him. How ironic. More importantly, however, Yu Jing also saw hope for saving his mother.

"The overt virus can be treated. My mother is infected with the overt virus. Could I trouble you?"

At this point, the director raised a hand to stop Yu Jing. "This is the second request you've made since coming to my research institute. In this society, everything is measured by 'equivalent exchange.' You and I have no substantive relationship, so why should I simply give you assistance?"

Yu Jing immediately replied, "I can agree to your conditions... If I'm not mistaken, you want to study my body and the plant organism inside it. As long as you can save my mother, I'm willing to agree to any research plan. If you want to extract this thing that doesn't originally belong to me from my body, I won't refuse that either."

The director smiled when he heard this and replied:

"I'm very impressed by your adaptability and reaction speed. Besides, why would I separate you from a host who is so highly compatible with an unknown foreign organism? Also, I do need you to willingly offer your body for research, but the research site won't be here. The research institute is state property, and the central government has the right to directly retrieve and access all the data here."

"Perhaps you still don't understand how important the foreign object in your body is. If the plant in your body were exposed, then, for the sake of national stability, you would be completely erased in less than half an hour. All information about you would be deleted, and everyone connected to you would forget you... Even I would be imprisoned for at least fifty years for 'sheltering a criminal.'"

"You must understand that the reason I didn't hand you over to the country immediately was because of a little selfishness on my part. It is precisely because of that selfishness that you can sit here and negotiate with me, and that you still have the right to continue living in this society."

Yu Jing had already analyzed his current situation. At the same time, he was certain that the director of the research institute had no reason to lie to him.

Yu Jing recalled the entire process of being discovered and asked, "Director, I have a question. Was the Men in Black who found me in the forest at the beginning from your research institute?"

"Of course. Anyone could expose your information. I never trust others."

"What do you want me to do? Since none of the facilities inside the research institute can be used, how am I supposed to cooperate with your research?"

Yu Jing had already prepared for the worst. He guessed that he might follow the director to another special administrative district, or even undergo inhumane experiments at a secret research institute established in the wilderness outside the city.

"It's simpler than you imagine. Your records say that you've just graduated this year, correct? Your usual test results were quite excellent, yet you ultimately failed to achieve your ideal score on the test... What I want you to do is attend an Ability Institute."

"Attend an Ability Institute?" For a moment, Yu Jing couldn't understand what the director meant.

"Not an ordinary Ability Institute, but a special one I've designated for you. Our research institute was originally established to select elite talents from society and send them to this Ability Institute. Whoever passes the test with the highest overall score will be sent there for advanced training. This is your 'notification.'"

The director took a finely made A3-sized envelope from his pocket.

"So the purpose of the test really was selection? I knew I wasn't wrong... May I open it and take a look?"

"Go ahead."

Yu Jing opened the envelope and found a pure-black notification inside. Large dark-gold characters were printed in the center.

--Dihua Ability Institute--

It was an imposing name. At the bottom, there was also a passage:

Disciple Yu Jing:

Our academy has decided to enroll you in the Gene Academy. Please report to the academy on September 1, 2139, with this notification.

A bank card slipped out along with the notification.

"This is every newcomer's 'Credit Card.' You'll naturally learn the details after entering the academy, so I won't waste time explaining them here. Outside the Ability Institute, this card is just an ordinary bank card. I've currently transferred three million five hundred thousand into it as a reward for passing the test."

The director's words shook Yu Jing to the core. Three million five hundred thousand meant that his mother would have the money for her surgery.

"Th... thank you." Although Yu Jing felt hatred toward the director, this money was far too important to him.

"You don't need to thank me. This is the exchange for your previous request for clothing. Also, I'm helping you with your mother's treatment. In return, you'll need to assist me with researching your body inside the Ability Institute. That Ability Institute has authority equal to that of the national government. Its information will be kept confidential internally and can never leak."

"The research will take place inside the Ability Institute? Could it be that you're...?" Yu Jing's reaction remained quick.

"I'm a specialist from the Gene Academy of the Dihua Ability Institute. You need to sign this provisional four-year agreement."

The director took out a special agreement. Yu Jing could already guess its contents: He would have to agree to accept any form of research the director conducted during his time studying at the Dihua Ability Institute, without refusing.

Considering everything, the other party was offering him the opportunity to attend the Ability Institute and save his mother. To Yu Jing, research on his body was completely insignificant. The fact that he had survived at all was already a blessing from heaven.

The moment he signed his name, Yu Jing suddenly felt as if something were watching him from the darkness...