A Remarkable Body

Li Heng soon passed through a metal door and arrived at an even larger laboratory.

The huge transparent chamber on the left was surrounded by bulletproof glass made of composite materials. Inside stood all kinds of testing equipment, while on the right, numerous researchers operated various instruments, examined and analyzed data, and organized reports.

When they saw the hospital bed being brought in, everyone temporarily stopped what they were doing. Their supervisor had just informed them that Li Heng's physical examination was to be given top priority.

Zou Yi and the others followed inside. He said, "Everyone should have watched the footage report just now. This is an entirely new mutation unlike anything we have ever seen, so we must handle every step with caution."

After seeing everyone nod, Zou Yi continued, "We will now proceed according to the research protocol for new and unknown lifeforms. Begin."

Li Heng was wheeled into the glass chamber. From the inside, the glass walls around him were no longer transparent, but white.

A silver-white mechanical arm extended toward him, holding a small syringe. It was no longer an ordinary fine needle, but one made from specially engineered high-strength material.

"Prepare for blood draw." Zou Yi's voice sounded as the personnel outside operated the syringe and moved it toward Li Heng's arm.

Li Heng cooperatively relaxed the muscles in his hand. This time, the needle pierced his skin and drew a small tube of blood. The syringe was then sent outside for analysis.

Once the syringe was removed, no blood seeped from Li Heng's arm. His blood vessel instantly contracted and sealed itself, returning to normal within seconds. The mechanical arm that had been prepared to stop the bleeding halted its next movement, while the researchers outside recorded every detail.

Next, Li Heng underwent CT imaging of his entire body. Samples of his saliva, skin tissue, hair, and more were also taken and sent out for research and analysis.

The researchers in the outer laboratory had already descended into chaos. They had prepared themselves to examine a human with genetic mutations, but the results produced by the instruments were truly astonishing.

Looking at the results from the DNA sequencer, Zou Yi muttered, "I thought it was a genetic mutation. You've changed so much that you're not even human anymore."

Human genes had an 85% overlap with those of Little White Mouse and a 60% overlap with those of bananas. Yet Li Heng's genetic similarity to humans now fell somewhere between those two. Rather than calling him human, it would be more accurate to call him some unknown carbon-based intelligent lifeform that merely looked human.

Meanwhile, the researchers analyzing his blood cells also produced some abnormal data. These cells, which looked no different from ordinary human blood to the naked eye, were actually more like the electrocytes of electric eels—only dozens of times more powerful.

Through their asymmetric cell membrane structures, they could accumulate voltage, store energy, and release it, transporting energy throughout the body like batteries flowing through the blood vessels.

In addition, the resulting images and other test data showed that Li Heng's internal body structure was vastly different from that of an ordinary person.

A normal adult had a systolic blood pressure of 120 millimeters of mercury and a diastolic pressure of 80. The pressure inside Li Heng's blood vessels was already several times higher, yet his elastic and resilient blood vessels could easily withstand forces that would rupture an ordinary person's veins.

His muscular structure was also more complex. His muscle tissue formed countless tiny spring-like structures, granting him explosive power dozens of times greater than that of a human.

Beneath his skin was a tough membrane formed by countless cells into a dense mesh-like structure, capable of greatly weakening external impacts.

The researchers outside continuously compiled the data. Human genes were complex and precise; even a minor mutation could easily lead to severe consequences—random and disorderly mutations often meant terrifying pathological changes.

Yet Li Heng's genes had become completely unrecognizable, while the effects they displayed were almost entirely positive. It was simply inconceivable. Rather than a genetic mutation, it seemed more like an evolution carefully engineered by a Civilization beyond humanity.

One researcher looked at the strange data and quietly said, "So... is he an alien?"

The others could not help nodding. Given the current situation, that was a reasonable explanation.

Hearing them through the glass, Li Heng could not help twitching his lips. They were outright revoking his Earth citizenship.

The researchers had only just begun their analysis and still did not understand all of Li Heng's abilities. In truth, even through the glass, he could sense the vibrations of the people outside through the faint tremors in the ground, deciphering what they were saying and doing.

Just as the researchers were rushing about in a frenzy, a mechanical notification sounded throughout the institute. "Entry request received. Please verify."

Zou Yi looked up, snapping out of the mass of complicated genetic test data. After checking, he found that it was an application that had been scheduled several hours earlier.

After looking over the applicants and the project, he said strangely, "What a coincidence. Could they have known already?"

However, he did not dwell on it. It did not matter even if they knew. Li Heng's project was still only classified at Level Three. Wang Ziyun held Level Three clearance through his status as a Doctor of Medicine, while Wang Fantian had Level One clearance. No one could fault them for coming to inspect the research project.

Zou Yi issued an order to the institute's intelligence. A moment later, Wang Fantian and his son entered the laboratory.

When Zou Yi saw them, he went forward to greet them. He had already removed the helmet he had been wearing. After shaking hands with Wang Fantian, he said, "President Wang, you came today for Li Heng, correct? We have already conducted a preliminary examination and analysis of his body. The results are astonishing."

Wang Fantian froze when he heard that. He had originally planned to let Wang Ziyun come to the research center alone while he stayed at the university with his wife and daughter. After all, Li Heng was merely an acquaintance of his son.

Yet Wang Ziyun had firmly insisted that he come along, which was why he had followed him to the institute. Hearing Zou Yi's words now, he understood the key to the situation in an instant.

Wang Fantian turned to look at his son, whose expression had not changed. He did not expose him and simply nodded. "That's right. Show me the current research data first."

Zou Yi said, "No. 2237, display the model."

A transparent blue projection of a human body appeared before the three of them. The brain, internal organs, blood vessels, and more glowed red and could be seen clearly.

Pointing at the heart, Zou Yi said, "An ordinary adult's heart beats around seventy times per minute and pumps approximately five liters of blood per minute. His heart can push dozens of liters of blood through his entire body every minute. With a single beat, it pumps about ten times as much blood as an ordinary person's."

The human model promptly displayed the beating heart and blood flowing through the vessels. Zou Yi continued, "The greater volume of blood creates greater pressure on the walls of blood vessels throughout the body. An ordinary person would have died from ruptured vessels long ago, but the strength of his vascular walls is extraordinarily high. They can easily withstand the pressure brought by such a massive volume of blood. That means the muscles throughout his body can receive more nutrients within the same amount of time."

Zou Yi then pointed to the kidneys lower down on the model. They were red with a dark blue tint. A string of data appeared, and he explained, "There are many highly efficient energy-storage tissues around his kidneys. They can store a large amount of bioelectric energy. We speculate that not only can he obtain calories from ordinary food and convert them into stored electricity, but he can also directly connect to an external current and obtain the energy needed for survival."

Zou Yi pointed at the bones in the model. "His bones show signs of metallization and possess certain metallic properties. Their yield strength exceeds 600 megapascals, and they can endure greater deformation without fracturing. Their strength surpasses that of conventional steel. Based on the electric current his body can withstand, he may even possess a small magnetic field that he can control freely."

Finally, Zou Yi revealed the most important discovery. "In the past, we studied many cancer cells capable of infinite division. The most important among them were HeLa cells. Unlike ordinary human cells, this cell line does not age and die, and can continue dividing indefinitely."

Taking a deep breath, he said, "Every cell in Li Heng's body possesses this characteristic of infinite division. Blood cells, skin cells, oral epithelial cells. So long as they have a suitable culture environment, they can continue dividing indefinitely in cell culture medium."

Wang Fantian stared silently at the human model before him. Wang Ziyun, standing beside him, finally understood why Li Heng had wanted him to bring his father.

Those complex bodily mutations from before seemed impressive, but in truth, they only made him a special abnormal individual. Even during the age of dinosaurs hundreds of millions of years ago, there had been many creatures stronger than him.

But stable, orderly cells capable of infinite division represented one of humanity's ultimate dreams—immortality.

Not immortality like the Immortal Jellyfish, which was akin to "returning to youth," nor the chaotic tissue of endlessly dividing cancer cells. This was immortality in which an intelligent lifeform with a human appearance retained its sense of self and endured in the world forever.

Wang Ziyun recalled the first time he had met Li Heng. After seeing what Wang Ziyun was doing, Li Heng had asked about his dream, and Wang Ziyun had asked him the same question. Li Heng's answer at the time had been:

"An individual life is short and narrow. Even if you are a peerless genius and command the world, in the end, you will become nothing more than a handful of dust."

"All lofty ambitions, love, hatred, and grudges return to nothing before death. An individual's dreams are merely self-consolation during a brief lifetime."

Thinking of this, Wang Ziyun could not help smiling. Li Heng probably had never imagined that the brief life he spoke of would one day change from less than a century into an endless lifespan. He wondered whether Li Heng now had dreams of his own.

"Hah..." Wang Fantian let out a long breath. He had not expected today's visit to yield such a result. As a middle-aged man who had already lived through most of his life, he could not help feeling shaken when a truly immortal intelligent lifeform appeared before him without warning.

At the same time, he understood the thoughts of the person named Li Heng—he would still call him human for now, since he looked like an ordinary human from the outside.

The emergence of an immortal human would cause enormous upheaval within the Hong Alliance. If the news leaked, it would also draw the Free Business Alliance into a struggle for him.

Compared to the upper ranks of the Hong Alliance, the conglomerates controlling the Commercial Alliance had a far stronger desire for immortality. To seize the immortal human from the Hong Alliance, they might not hesitate to start a nuclear war.

If it truly came to that, no one knew how many of Earth's nearly ten billion people would remain in the end.

Without further delay, Wang Fantian immediately made his decision. "No. 1003, take over all communication signals at the institute. No internal personnel are permitted to leave."

"Yes." A firm, steady male voice responded. No. 1003's artificial intelligence immediately took over the institute's security systems, cut off all external communications, and sealed the institute's metal doors shut.

Wang Fantian then said to Zou Yi, "I am taking control of this institute under Level One clearance. You and the researchers will continue the analysis."

Zou Yi nodded at his words, then turned to reassure several new researchers who still did not understand what was happening before resuming the previous work. This matter was no longer something he could handle. He only needed to wait calmly for the outcome.

After Zou Yi left, Wang Fantian looked at his silent son and asked, "You knew everything beforehand, which is why you insisted I come?"

Wang Ziyun replied, "I only knew something was wrong with his body. I did not expect it to be this serious."

"Well done." Instead, Wang Fantian praised his son's actions. A faint smile appeared on his stern face. "When a friend is in trouble, you must help."