Developments Beyond

In the Southern Region's villa district, dew dotted the blades of grass on an autumn morning, and many of the brightly colored flowers and plants had already begun to wither.

Wang Fantian was in his study with Zhuge Hao, looking over the research findings from various institutes on cells taken from Li Heng's body.

Once removed from the body, Li Heng's internal organ tissues did not produce large numbers of new cells. After absorbing nutrients, they merely maintained their original shape instead of dividing to regenerate an entirely new organ. This meant that only a few places on his body could provide tissue samples for study.

The cells that regenerated fastest in Li Heng's body were the red blood cells in his blood. With enough nutrients, they could divide and regenerate almost without end.

His platelets, on the other hand, remained in a low-activity state when stored at low temperatures. Once supplied with nutrients, they were stimulated, changed shape, and became more adhesive, clumping together.

They formed tiny coagulated threads around the multiplying red blood cells, eventually turning into tissue resembling blood vessels and becoming a gelatinous mass like a ball of red velvet.

As a result, the amount of Li Heng's blood now in storage was hundreds of times greater than what had been taken from him. It had been distributed among the major research institutes for in-depth study.

A diagram of Li Heng's red blood cells floated before Wang Fantian, while Zhuge Hao's projection hovered farther away. Pointing at the indented red disc, Wang Fantian said:

"His red blood cells have two states. When it's cold and external nutrients are scarce, they take on an enlarged form, with fewer cells per unit of volume, much like animals during hibernation. Red blood cells in mammals are about 4–8 micrometers in diameter. His enlarged cells are around 30 micrometers."

He lightly tapped the air with his right hand. A sufficient supply of nutrients, including glucose and amino acids, appeared around the giant red blood cell. The enormous disc absorbed the nearby nutrients, then split into two smaller discs a moment later.

As they absorbed more nutrients, they grew smaller and more numerous, eventually becoming hundreds of tiny disc-shaped cells only 4 micrometers across.

Wang Fantian explained, "When the energy supply outside the cell is insufficient, the cells aggregate into a larger form, reducing their surface-area-to-volume ratio and slowing the exchange of substances with their surroundings. When the energy supply is sufficient, they divide and shrink, allowing more substances to be transported in a given amount of time."

Wang Fantian then removed the nutrients around the newly divided discs and lowered the temperature. They spontaneously clumped together, returning to their original form: one large red disc.

Next, he enlarged the disc. Inside, layers upon layers of smaller discs were visible. He zoomed in further, revealing the internal structure of the smaller discs. Pointing at the long, slender structure that occupied most of each disc, Wang Fantian said:

"We believe his red blood cells retain such a high degree of organization even after being removed from his body because of the mitochondria inside them."

"Ordinary mammals' red blood cells have neither nuclei nor mitochondria, but every differentiated cell in his body has these mitochondria. We believe this super mitochondrion is at the heart of his mutation. It has changed how his body absorbs and transfers energy."

"The genetic information inside these mitochondria allows his cells to remain highly organized and sustain stable self-proliferation even after being removed from his body. They're also a kind of super biological battery, with a higher energy density than our latest energy-storage materials."

Looking at the super mitochondria, so different from those found in humans, Zhuge Hao thought for a moment before asking, "Have there been any results from the attempt we discussed earlier to transfer some of his cellular gene fragments into Little White Mouse?"

Wang Fantian shook his head and brought up another video report. It showed a Little White Mouse that had been injected with a small number of gene fragments using genetic editing.

Inside a transparent glass enclosure, the modified Little White Mouse looked quiet and docile. Then a researcher in a protective suit put food inside. The seemingly harmless Little White Mouse suddenly unleashed a terrifying burst of strength, slamming into the reinforced glass with a tremendous crash.

It ravenously devoured the food, swallowing an amount greater than its own body weight until its belly bulged.

Then the Little White Mouse, its belly swollen into a sphere, began to swell all over. Its multiplying muscles burst through its skin, and its exposed flesh seeped blood. The once-docile Little White Mouse became a blood-soaked mass of muscle.

It grew frantic with pain and repeatedly rammed its head against the walls of the enclosure. The box rocked across the table with each impact.

Several minutes later, it broke its own neck. The bloodied Little White Mouse collapsed limply, lifeless.

Beneath the brim of his red baseball cap, Zhuge Hao narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched. "What terrifying genes. Even a tiny fragment caused such a drastic mutation."

The footage continued. The researchers tried editing other fragments, but not one Little White Mouse survived.

They all turned into blood-soaked monsters. Even when restrained, they soon died of massive bleeding caused by ruptured blood vessels throughout their bodies.

Wang Fantian summarized, "These edits were all made using gene fragments from the mitochondria inside the red blood cells. The Little White Mouse's blood cells displayed a similar ability for Infinity division, and its muscle strength increased several times over. But this chaotic, uncontrolled growth only caused the creature's body to collapse and die."

Zhuge Hao said, "The progress is too slow. Speed up the experiments, and try this in other organisms as well. Different organisms may react differently."

Even with the Immortal Cells right before them, unraveling their secrets through human effort was a difficult and tortuous process.

After three months, Googol Tech had little useful to show for its efforts. This had inevitably discouraged some researchers, who had started out full of confidence.

But Zhuge Hao didn't mind. He still had more than a decade to wait. If they couldn't uncover the secrets of the Immortal Cells even after a decade, then perhaps it was simply fate.

Just as millions of people around the world had died over those three months, before humanity's immortality had arrived. Besides, even if they did discover the secret to immortality, how many people would live to enjoy the results?

Zhuge Hao ended the connection, and the old man's floating image disappeared.

Wang Fantian looked at the strange mitochondrial structure before him, sighed softly, and left the study.

Ever since Li Heng had appeared, the Southern Region, which Wang Fantian had gradually brought under his control, had become increasingly unstable. It had the best genetic scientists in the entire Hong Alliance and was arguably the greatest hope of unlocking the secret of immortality. Countless people wanted a piece of the action.

Friends and relatives, teachers and students, tangled family ties and social relationships—all formed a vast web that ensnared everyone.

Many people could already see the end of their lives approaching. Even if some of the higher-ups were still fairly young, their elderly parents and relatives didn't have much time left to wait.

Partings and death—the most helpless things in life.

The mere possibility of immortality had made the entire Hong Alliance set aside its other affairs, pouring most of its resources into Project Immortality.

Wang Fantian was no exception. His parents had both passed away, but the old leaders who had helped him in the military, and the elders who had paved the way for him when he returned to Googol Tech, didn't have much time left to wait.

Wang Fantian sat on the sofa in the living room, contemplating the situation in the Southern Region.

In the past, he had always followed a moderate, conservative approach. Even as artificial intelligence had dealt a tremendous blow to ordinary workers, he had still refused to let automated machines replace workers on a large scale.

As a result, the Southern Region had several times as many people involved in the workforce as the Eastern Region, yet its overall work efficiency was no higher.

On the contrary, with so many mid-level managers, departments often clashed, and even minor matters could take a long time to resolve.

Now, Project Immortality had placed the region at the center of a maelstrom. Many staff members brazenly leaked information about the experiments, and even the movements of certain vital raw materials had been disclosed. The risk of further leaks had risen considerably.

There wasn't much time left. Extraordinary times called for extraordinary measures. They had to put an end to this chaotic, inefficient way of working and consolidate the scattered power once more.

Wang Fantian said, "Connect me to Mi Yue."

A moment later, Mi Yue's image appeared before Wang Fantian. She still wore a white shirt and black-rimmed glasses, but she had dyed her long black hair burgundy.

She looked down at her report without lifting her head. "Well, if it isn't our CEO Wang. What's up? You actually have time to call me today. Did you get some good news?"

Wang Fantian didn't mind her casual attitude. After years of working together, they didn't need to waste time on formalities. They could get straight to the point.

He said, "The experiments aren't going well. We've made almost no progress in analyzing Li Heng's gene fragments."

Mi Yue looked up at him and rolled her eyes. "Then shouldn't you get back to work? What are you calling me for?"

"I'm planning to lay off a batch of corporate managers and replace them with artificial intelligence. The research is moving too slowly. I need to consolidate the resources of the entire Southern Region and speed up the experiments."

Mi Yue stared at Wang Fantian. His stern, square, bronze-colored face was as familiar as ever.

In the past, he had never agreed with her efficiency-first system. He thought she had cast aside too much of the compassion people ought to have.

She believed that anyone who couldn't keep up with progress should be laid off, leaving only essential personnel with irreplaceable skills. Any work that could be automated should be handed over to more efficient intelligent machines.

In Mi Yue's eyes, the strong should shoulder greater social responsibilities and naturally receive a greater share of the benefits of progress.

Replacing repetitive jobs with intelligent machines that were more efficient and less costly would boost productivity enough to let laid-off ordinary people live carefree lives at home.

Wang Fantian, on the other hand, had insisted on preserving ordinary people's opportunities to work. The result was that even when artificial intelligence could do the job more efficiently, people were still made to do it.

Mi Yue smiled at Wang Fantian. "What, finally come around? You've realized it's time to get rid of the dead weight?"

Wang Fantian shook his head. "No, I still think your idea is wrong. It isn't the fault of ordinary people of modest ability that they're left behind. It's our fault."

"Some people are born into good families, free from financial worries. They develop the habit of studying from an early age, so naturally they can keep learning and improving themselves."

"Others come from families that are struggling to make ends meet, or are even born with certain disadvantages. After completing compulsory education and graduating from high school, they have no choice but to work and support their families. They can't afford the high cost of tuition. That isn't their fault."

Mi Yue frowned. "So what are you proposing?"

Wang Fantian brought up a video. It showed a department manager at one of Googol's subsidiary companies. He was a director's nephew.

In the video, he was abusing his position to pressure a female subordinate into accompanying him on a business trip, making no secret of what he wanted. The woman agreed because the job was easy and paid well.

Wang Fantian said coldly, "I want ordinary people who can't keep up with the times because of circumstances beyond their control to have a chance to pursue their dreams, instead of being abandoned by society and giving up on themselves."

"In the past, pressure from various quarters made me turn a blind eye to these situations. They weren't breaking the law, so I let them be."

"But now, there isn't much time left, and I've run out of patience. With Project Immortality at stake, opposition from every quarter will be pushed to a minimum. Then some people will naturally have to be swept onto the scrap heap."