Living Fossil
The robot Gold Coin led Li Hongfang away from the laboratory and told Li Hongfang that she was free to move around, but it was best not to go too far so as to facilitate the inspection. Apart from the laboratories and related equipment areas that required authorization to enter, she could also pass the time in the gardens, gyms, and entertainment venues of the underground base.
Liu Chang'an did not leave immediately, but chatted with Su Nanxiu.
Since the length of life is not limited to a hundred years, there is no such thing as a resolute severing of ties until death. Although it is impossible to be lovers again and rekindle past relationships, there is no problem in talking about the unique experiences of each other in a longer life and sighing about the development of civilization.
"At that time, our exploration of ES cell preparation mainly focused on the utilization of somatic cells," Liu Chang'an recalled. "We mainly used the contents of mature oocytes and early embryonic cells, hoping to use these substances to achieve somatic cell reprogramming, but after many experiments, I still made little progress."
"Current ES cell preparation technology is basically based on somatic cell nuclei, utilizing fetal fibroblasts, cumulus cells, and adult epithelial cells. It uses the mature oocyte environment and nuclear reprogramming factors to complete somatic cell reprogramming, forming a reconstructed embryo, and then uses the cells of the reconstructed embryo to isolate ES cells." Su Nanxiu took off her glasses and picked up a roll of documents. "If you're interested, you can take a look."
"You're talking about mainstream technologies that only emerged after 2006, right? Having not worked in this field for so many years, it feels like a freshman stepping into a lab for the first time—everything is new and exciting." Liu Chang'an didn't respond, but smiled and thanked him. "I'll learn it slowly when I'm taking my professional courses at school."
Facing top experts in the industry, Liu Chang'an was not arrogant and unwilling to bow his head. In a field where new knowledge is exploding, past authority does not mean that it will still be authority twenty years later when there is no progress. What was once mainstream and advanced technology may now be just outdated and obsolete misconceptions.
"You're too modest. I took a lot of your research materials back in Xiangtan University, such as your research on anti-aging by reversing insulin resistance in intestinal cells, which was a great help to us. Learning and mastering new technologies isn't difficult given the resources and conditions, but we all know the hardest part is grasping the right research direction and having a unique way of thinking—something you can't learn just by studying." Su Nanxiu said with some anticipation, "If one day we can work together, perhaps we can become living gods, creating species and extinct species."
Liu Chang'an knew that this was Su Nanxiu's ambition. She had always been like this. When she was just over ten years old, she was already ambitious and wanted to swallow up the Ye Family and overturn the Jiangnan business world. What's more, now? Only the ceiling of human technological development can limit her ambition.
"When you start to have power, you'll want to become a god. But have you ever thought about what you'll pursue after becoming a god?" Liu Chang'an didn't think there was anything wrong with Su Nanxiu's thoughts; they were quite normal.
Even if there are problems, that's her business. Liu Chang'an has no intention of correcting her or forcing her to conform to his preferences.
Su Nanxiu hesitated for a moment. She really hadn't thought about this question, but she still said unwillingly, "Isn't the point to enjoy the process of pursuing it? Just like when you climb a mountain, will you stop climbing sooner or later just because you've been standing on the summit for too long and you're tired of the scenery?"
"You're right, you can try anything, even pursuing something like becoming a god, what's wrong with that?" Liu Chang'an had always admired her attitude of not setting limits for herself.
Su Nanxiu's eyes sparkled with anticipation once again.
"When you climb to the summit and become part of the scenery, I'll be looking up at you from below." Liu Chang'an cupped his hands in a respectful gesture. Women these days have so many ideas; this must be progress, a true awakening of women's independent consciousness.
Comparatively speaking, no one can object to a woman like Su Nanxiu demanding gender equality, or perhaps she doesn't even need to demand it. What she wants is no longer equality, but rather the enjoyment of privileges... no, the use of privileges as a tool.
Enjoying privileges is something that ordinary people only pursue.
Su Nanxiu glared at Liu Chang'an resentfully. She absolutely did not believe that he had no interest in the pinnacle of natural science; he simply had no interest in climbing it with her.
She will prove to him sooner or later that she is the best collaborator, and no one else can compare.
"I suppose you were enjoying the scenery down the mountain with a beautiful woman by your side," Su Nanxiu said.
"Many landscapes, though different with the seasons, haven't changed much over the years. Aside from being viewed by different people, the scenery itself isn't particularly new." Liu Chang'an, mentioning the word "new," casually added, "Recently, there have been reports of millions of king crabs discovered in a trench near Antarctica. Presumably, this is a changing landscape beneath the glaciers. I wonder if they've evolved there, or if they're simply food reserves attracted by species revived as the ice sheet melts."
His words struck Su Nanxiu as somewhat cold-hearted, but his observation about the large number of king crabs appearing in the trenches near Antarctica attracted Su Nanxiu's attention even more.
Su Nanxiu had also seen this report, and the environmental observation organization she controlled even reported on this discovery. However, all the focus was on whether the invasive alien species would affect the ecological stability of Antarctica.
Humans always feel that the Earth's ecological environment and species structure need their protection, but they have never considered whether former dominant species on Earth may be silently watching, lurking, or waiting for an opportunity to act in places that humans cannot yet explore or discover.
After meeting Mrs. Karnstein, Su Nanxiu learned that his life was far longer than he had imagined. Mrs. Karnstein believed that the years he had lived were unimaginable because, according to their research on themselves, special genes in his body had invaded their genetic sequences, containing some ancient traces.
Even though he didn't keep up with the development of modern biological science, compared to many organisms that are called "living fossils," he is the real living fossil, and the biological data he possesses is of immeasurable value.
"What's under the Antarctica ice sheet?" Su Nanxiu asked tentatively, her curiosity piqued.
"Captain United States."
Captain United States is in the Northern Hemisphere!
"Sun Wukong."
Su Nanxiu stared at him, and if he didn't want to talk, fine, anyway, searching for undiscovered ancient species wasn't her main research focus.
"Let's talk about some gossip. You like An Nuan so much, is it really just because she's pretty?" Seeing that he didn't want to talk about serious matters, Su Nanxiu changed the subject. How many women have the magnanimity to calmly talk to their man about another woman he likes?
She's still a beautiful eighteen-year-old girl, as fresh and innocent as a flower bud.
"Do we need any other reason?" Liu Chang'an nodded. This was such a pure, just, and truthful reason.
"I always felt that there was something wrong with her and her mother's existence, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it." Su Nanxiu frowned slightly.
"Really?" Liu Chang'an was completely unfazed.
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