Experiment (I)

Experiment (I)

When Hong Mo opened his eyes again, what should have been a simple action felt incredibly difficult. It took tremendous effort before he managed to open them a tiny slit.

A group of researchers in white lab coats was busy not far from Hong Mo, though he had no idea what they were working on. He did not observe them for long before turning his attention to himself.

He was in a sealed glass room roughly two meters long and wide. A cross stood in the center, and Hong Mo's body was bound to it. Both his legs had been amputated at the roots. His right arm was gone from the shoulder blade down, while his left arm had only a section of upper arm remaining; everything below the elbow had disappeared.

A human stump!

The term flashed through Hong Mo's mind, filling him with bleak despair. Having become an experimental subject and been mutilated like this, perhaps death would have been preferable. Instinctively, Hong Mo tried to use his superpower, but a sharp pain shot through his brow, and nothing happened.

It was over!

A trace of panic flashed through Hong Mo's heart. It seemed that he had lost his only weapon. He could sense that every cell in his body contained electric current, yet he could no longer command those currents as he had before.

Twice. The first time he awoke, his superpower field had shrunk to a radius of less than ten meters. Now, on his second awakening, he could not even control the electricity anymore?

Hong Mo's heart sank, gradually growing numb.

Not long after Hong Mo woke up, several researchers came to the front of the glass room and began a series of tests on him. He could see no pity in them whatsoever. Perhaps, to them, Hong Mo was worth no more than a laboratory mouse.

Hong Mo watched it all coldly as dozens of mechanical arms drew blood from him, cut away muscle, and so on. When the experiment ended, several needles were inserted into different parts of his body, and an IV drip began.

There was neither day nor night here. He had no idea how much time had passed, but Hong Mo's heart grew increasingly calm. He could now turn a blind eye to all the research performed on his body, until one day, when someone who was clearly not a researcher appeared before the sealed glass room.

Hong Mo opened his eyes again and studied the figure before him. Suddenly, his eyes shook. It was him—Mao Shaohui.

"Looks like you still recognize me. How rare." Mao Shaohui carefully examined Hong Mo inside the glass room as though admiring some exotic animal.

Why was he here? Hong Mo did not answer, nor could he. He merely looked at Mao Shaohui calmly.

"How boring. Looking at you now, you're worse than a stray dog. I'd thought I could find some amusement in you, but it seems I came for nothing."

Hong Mo's gaze remained calm.

"You have no reaction at all upon seeing me? How strange. Let me tell you a secret. Ever since you were sent to the Northern Institute Research Center, I've kept tabs on you. Even after you died, I never let up. I even sent one of my trusted men into that research center. See? How farsighted I was. You actually came back to life."

So that was it. Was that why those special forces soldiers had appeared at the research center? A moment later, Hong Mo connected all the events into one complete chain.

"You can't escape. You'll never escape my grasp. You still have quite a bit of research value now. Once every last bit of that value has been squeezed out, I'll let you die. Don't worry—this time, it'll be certain death. Not a trace of you will remain." Mao Shaohui laughed, his voice carrying a sickening madness.

Mao Shaohui left. He had merely been a brief interlude in the research center. The center returned to its usual rhythm.

From the researchers' casual conversations, Hong Mo learned that this was no longer the Northern Institute Research Center, but another, more secretive location.

Where was his future? Hanging from the cross, Hong Mo fell asleep.

As time passed, Hong Mo also came to understand the research being conducted on him. At present, there were three types of experiments.

One: Cells. Using Hong Mo's cells as a template, they produced clones. There were five thousand clones in total, all still embryos, and over one thousand had already died. The remaining four thousand or so were also extremely unstable and would likely meet the same end before long. The reason was that Hong Mo's cells changed constantly and were, overall, highly unstable.

Two: Cell transplantation. Hong Mo's cells were transplanted into ordinary animals and humans to observe the changes in them. This experiment had likewise made no progress. To ordinary humans and animals, Hong Mo's cells were like cancer cells—if anything, even more aggressive. From the researchers' conversations, Hong Mo learned that more than a thousand people had already died because of this experiment, along with tens of thousands of animals. The number of survivors was zero.

After all, the Celestial Dynasty had plenty of people. A few more deaths were no big deal.

Three: Cell fusion. With Hong Mo's cells as the main body, they mixed in chromosomes from other organisms or humans to cultivate artificial embryos. This experiment had succeeded three times. The chromosome sources used were Mu Siyu's cells, blood-winged bat cells, and deep-sea electric eel cells. There had been too many other failures for Hong Mo to know much about them.

What surprised Hong Mo was that this research center actually had Mu Siyu's cells. Had Mu Siyu ultimately fallen into Mao Shaohui's hands as well? This question was answered by an accident.

After an experimental error, an old man angrily berated a group of assistants, allowing Hong Mo to learn that Mu Siyu's cells had been collected from the Yangtze River Bridge four years ago. There was not much left now.

There was also some research on Hong Mo himself, though it was not especially intensive. After all, he was a rare experimental subject, and killing him would be more trouble than it was worth. Even so, Hong Mo was tormented badly enough.

Research into Hong Mo's resurrection had hit a dead end. In the end, those so-called experts concluded that Hong Mo had not truly died at the time, but had instead fallen into a state of deep suspended animation. Whether that was really the case, no one knew. In any event, that was what the whole pile of experts here said.

There had also been some findings regarding Hong Mo's regenerative ability. His regeneration was not especially powerful; compared to some of the powerful regenerative mutant beasts in the world, it was pitifully weak. Thus, it did not receive much attention.

A computer was moved outside the glass room. Whenever it was turned on, Hong Mo could sneak a look at some of the files and dates.

2019.03.14, the embryos fused with Mu Siyu's cells began dying one after another.

2019.10.18, clone embryos matured. The number of survivors was 354, and they had now entered the catalysis stage.

2019.10.25, the embryos fused with Mu Siyu's cells matured, with only 3 remaining in the end. The embryos fused with deep-sea electric eel and blood-winged bat cells were in good condition, though they were still likely a long way from maturity. No one knew what exactly would hatch from genes fused with two nonhuman organisms.

2019.12.24, the computer displayed new data on Hong Mo's body. His right shoulder blade had regrown. His left arm had regenerated 10.2 centimeters, his left leg 13.4 centimeters, and his right leg 14.3 centimeters. Overall assessment: low regenerative ability.

"We've already preserved plenty of cells, enough for the experiments to come. I think we can conduct more experiments on the target itself." An old man spoke to the many colleagues in the room.

"Then let's begin. I can't wait any longer." said a white-haired old man who looked somewhat deranged.

The others had no objections. Hong Mo's fate was settled just like that.

2020.01.01, the first day of the new year. Hong Mo was injected with a transparent drug and fell unconscious.

2020...

Recently, the research center's focus had shifted to Hong Mo himself. Every so often, they would put him through another round of torment, occasionally injecting him with some sort of drug. Each time left Hong Mo half-dead, while the researchers took the opportunity to record various data from his body.

Once again, Hong Mo was injected with a dark red drug. As it entered his body, a tearing pain swept through him. His entire body trembled, as though every cell in him had revolted.

"Quick, quick! Test all the data from his body!" Seeing Hong Mo's reaction, the old man outside the culture tank became extremely excited.

In the end, Hong Mo could not withstand the strain and fainted again. Even after losing consciousness, his body continued to convulse violently.