Gene Analysis

Several middle-aged men who looked like officials stood on the shore, their expressions anxious.

"Why aren't they back yet?"

"Didn't they say the Merfolk could only operate for one daylight period?"

"Could it be..."

"It's fine, it'll definitely be fine. How could something designed and built by Chen Zhao possibly have a problem?"

"Should we call him and try to get in touch?"

"There aren't any signal towers in the sea!"

"Just try calling!"

One of the officials took out his phone and dialed Chen Zhao's number.

The prompt came almost immediately: out of service area.

"There really is no signal underwater." The official scratched his bald head.

Everyone was anxious. Besides the officials, a large crowd had gathered along the dock, staring out at the sea. There were workers who had built the Merfolk, family members of the operators, and all kinds of dock personnel.

There were no reporters. The Merfolk was a top-secret project and could not yet be made public. This launch test had been kept strictly confidential, and everyone present had signed nondisclosure agreements.

When would the Merfolk return?

Was it safe?

Had the experiment succeeded?

Finally, someone shouted:

"It's coming!"

Everyone rose onto their tiptoes at once, stretching their necks as far as they could to look.

More than ten seconds passed before most people could make it out. At the point where sea met sky in the distance, a tiny black dot was bouncing toward them!

Someone raised binoculars, focused on it, and cried out excitedly, "It's back! It's the Merfolk!"

Smiles appeared on everyone's faces, especially the operators' family members, who could barely contain their excitement. A few even burst into tears.

The black dot grew larger and larger, charging toward them like a giant missile skipping across water. Gradually, the skipping stopped.