The Plan

However, compared with projects like Gu-Malaria Parasite Type 1, Li Qingye was much more interested in another kind of biological modification.

Sector A3 of the Research Base.

A tank was filled with specially formulated nutrient solution, in which a coral was being cultivated.

Coral was not a plant, but an animal. From a taxonomic perspective, corals were actually close relatives of jellyfish.

He removed a piece of coral crystal and used a microtome to cut it into slices just 200 nanometers thick.

Under the microscope, the surfaces of the coral crystal slices were densely covered with all kinds of lattices. They were extremely orderly and arranged according to a certain pattern.

This was no naturally occurring coral crystal. Using Gene Recombination Technology, Li Qingye had inserted gene sequences for generating silica crystals from hexactinellid sponges, gene sequences for generating pigment sensory cells from brittle stars, gene sequences for generating skeletal cells from brittle stars, and more.

The silica crystals of hexactinellid sponges had a structure known as Venus' flower basket. They transmitted light with extreme precision, making them even better than fiber optics.

The two gene sequences from brittle stars also had significant applications and advantages in light sensing and transmission.

Finally, he had inserted a gene from abalone, allowing the coral to generate a multi-layered composite nanostructure.

Although it was still far from perfect, the first-generation photon coral could already produce large quantities of imitation chip structures. Unlike the electrical signal transmission used by electronic computers, photon coral combined photonic transmission with electronic signals.

The current problems with this technology lay in the precision of the chip structures and the external supporting equipment. Li Qingye also still needed to work out the software and other components, one by one.

Photon coral's advantages were its three-dimensional layering and photonic transmission. It could also repair itself, was highly resistant to external interference, consumed very little energy, and was biocompatible.

However, as a first-generation experimental product, it was not yet suitable for mass production.

He was not researching it for its computing power, but so he could implant it in test subjects and control them more easily.

After examining the nanostructures in the coral slices, he recorded some flaws to serve as a reference for improving the next generation of photon coral.

Li Qingye put down his ballpoint pen and rubbed his temples, thinking to himself, I need to improve our internal surveillance as soon as possible. Otherwise, the enemy will infiltrate us sooner or later.

Human greed knew no bounds when self-interest was at stake.

It wasn't just company employees. Even fathers and sons, or brothers, could turn against one another for personal gain.

Never trust human nature.

And never put it to the test.

The parasite plan was imperative, but relying on malaria parasites alone clearly had shortcomings and loopholes. It could easily backfire.

Li Qingye understood this very well. Given the current situation, he needed a group of genuinely loyal followers.

But who would be truly loyal to him?

Even subordinates raised from childhood could betray him. As long as people had desires, it was difficult to make them completely loyal.

Loyalty that wasn't absolute was no loyalty at all.

But following this line of thought, Li Qingye remembered a medical technique that had fallen out of use in the last century: the prefrontal lobotomy.

Once the prefrontal lobe was removed, people lost their emotions and desires, becoming "half-vegetative" beings who could do nothing but breathe.

Cliffs could stand a thousand fathoms tall; without desire, one could stand firm.

A person without emotions or desires couldn't be tempted. As long as he solved the problem of control, this would undoubtedly be an excellent way to mass-produce loyal followers.

He wouldn't even need to perform surgery. By combining CRISPR sequences with the Jianmu Factor, he could turn the human gene sequences associated with the prefrontal lobe into pseudogenes, completely transforming a person into a "living weapon."

As for how to control these soldiers, he turned his gaze to the photon coral. This highly biocompatible biological chip could easily be implanted in the brain.

Many biological activities were, in essence, driven by emotions and desires. These then triggered hormones and pheromones in the body, which in turn drove its functions.

Moreover, emotions and desires, as well as hormones and pheromones, could influence one another.

For instance, sex hormones could cause a creature to feel impulses, affection, and similar emotions.

Once the prefrontal lobe was gone, the soldiers would be left with only their memories and biological instincts. That would actually make them easier to control using hormones and pheromones.

For example, the soldiers could be made to produce dopamine rapidly whenever they saw Li Qingye, making them yearn to see him.

Once this conditioned response took hold, the soldiers would be very obedient to his commands.

Li Qingye narrowed his eyes as he considered the plan. It seemed highly feasible, but where could he find the first batch of test subjects for his soldiers?

Ordinary people were out of the question.

For one thing, Li Qingye still had some boundaries he wouldn't cross.

For another, ordinary people would certainly have family and friends. Any unusual behavior could easily expose them.

After mulling it over, he soon thought of a place.

After lunch, he stopped Chen Jianxiong, who was about to go on patrol.

"Jian Xiong, I need you to put in a little extra work lately. I had a relative who went missing here in Luzon, and his family came to me for help. I couldn't exactly turn them away."

Chen Jianxiong asked in confusion, "Boss, do you want me to send people out to look for him?"

Li Qingye set down his teacup. "No. His parents said the kid joined a local gang. You know what Luzon's been like these past couple of years."

"A gang?" Chen Jianxiong's brow furrowed even more. Luzon had been cracking down on drugs over the past two years. If this involved that kind of business, Homo sapiens Company's security team of just over twenty people would clearly be out of its depth.

"I don't need you to go looking for him. For now, just gather information on gangs across Luzon. The more detailed, the better. Leave the rest to me."

Hearing what he was being asked to do, Chen Jianxiong breathed a sigh of relief. "No problem. I'll look into it as soon as possible."

Li Qingye continued, "Have Old Fang give you five hundred thousand US dollars. Keep things as discreet as you can. I don't want to provoke those gangsters."

"Understood. I'll be careful." Chen Jianxiong had no desire to provoke the local gangsters either.

Chen Jianxiong hurried off and began assigning people to gather information on gangs across Luzon. As for Li Qingye's supposed relative, all he knew was the man's name and what was supposedly a photograph of him.

Chen Jianxiong had no idea that the man was actually someone Li Qingye had made up. Even the photograph was a digital fabrication.

Li Qingye didn't need Chen Jianxiong to find anyone. He only needed information on the local gangs in Luzon to prepare for the next step.

Back at his small villa,

he turned on his computer and used online sources to gather intelligence on local gangs in Luzon. Thanks to his Eidetic Memory, Li Qingye quickly absorbed a considerable amount of information.

The gang members might not openly identify themselves online, but modern technology could screen data on a massive scale and recognize faces.

Using servers belonging to several private companies, he gathered information on 36,000 suspected gang members and 263 gangs of various sizes.

He had even created a mind-map-style network of connections between them.

All he had to do now was wait for Chen Jianxiong's intelligence. Combining the two sources would give him a fairly clear picture of the gangs across Luzon.

At the same time, he needed to make other preparations. He had no intention of going into a fight unprepared. He had to account for every possible surprise and ensure that nothing could go wrong.