The Second Awakening Experiment (continued)

In the past, Lou Yu would not have touched Tao Qiu and the child when he had just returned from outside and was covered in cold air, for fear that they would get cold.

But at this moment, he couldn't care less about any of that. He just held Tao Qiu tightly in his arms, as if trying to melt him into his own flesh and blood, to draw some sense of security from him.

Tao Qiu noticed his low spirits, reached out and hugged him back, but didn't ask anything. She figured Lou Yu would tell him everything once he calmed down.

After an unknown amount of time, the frost and snow on Lou Yu's body melted into ice water, and Tao Qiu heard a hoarse voice in his ear.

"The Ability Stabilization Agent has been successfully developed, Qiuqiu. Another awakening experiment is about to begin."

Tao Qiu was taken aback. He knew about the Ability Stabilization Agent because the active energy required for the potion had to be extracted from the crops he grew. That's why Lou Quan had come to him before and told him about the potion's effects.

Lou Quan's point is that since eating crops can enhance a person's physique to better adapt to the supernatural abilities within their body, could injecting a concentrated version of active energy into the awakener during the awakening process save their life and increase the probability of a successful awakening?

Tao Qiu is not a real human being, nor does he need to participate in the awakening experiment. He feels that he has no right to judge whether Lou Quan's actions are right or wrong.

The crops have been sold to Lou Quan. As long as he doesn't use them to harm Tao Qiu and his family, Tao Qiu can't really control what he does with the crops. Lou Quan is just informing him.

Lou Quan then informed Lou Yu and the other senior executives of the news, but there was no further news, so they assumed that the research and development had not been successful.

I never expected this day to come. And it came so suddenly.

Tao Qiu's Adam's apple bobbed, and she asked softly, "Did you just receive the news tonight?"

"Hmm." Lou Yu's voice was muffled. "Lou Quan called us over and told us that the potion was successfully developed tonight, and that the research institute had already prepared two successful Awakening Reagent beforehand, one for mutated foxes and one for mutated spiders, which were developed using the spider leg you gave me a few years ago."

Tao Qiu: "What else did he say?"

"He asked us to raise our hands and vote on whether or not to begin this awakening experiment."

Lou Quan both longed for and feared the awakening experiment, which is why he made all the preparations he could before informing Lou Yu and the others about it.

He seems assertive, but if Lou Yu and the others disagree, Tao Qiu thinks he'll most likely give up too.

However, Lou Yu's behavior at this moment...

"You all agree?"

"No one agreed, and no one disagreed."

That's the default.

The mortality rate of the last awakening experiment was too high, leaving them with a great psychological shadow. However, they also knew that humanity needed, and the Yong'an Base needed, people with superpowers even more.

Hot weapons and poison dough are largely ineffective against high-level mutated monsters. Superhumans remain crucial; just look at Lou Yu and Zhao Tao. When mid-level mutated monsters appear, they are usually the main force responsible for eliminating them.

Lou Yu continued, "Lou Quan gave us a target number of participants, saying that if the final number of people who volunteered to participate didn't reach that figure, the experiment would be canceled."

Lou Quan didn't want to force anyone to participate. Firstly, the soldiers in the base genuinely loved and respected him, and he didn't want to force them to their deaths. Secondly, if someone who was forced to go there awakened a superpower and then hated him or others because of the coercion, that person's superpower would become a disaster for humanity.

Tao Qiu lowered her eyes. "Little Fishy, the reason you're sad is because you know you'll definitely be able to gather enough people, and there might even be extra, right?"

Putting aside the fact that Lou Yu and Zhao Tao set a shining example, allowing soldiers to witness the immense power and imposing presence of superhumans, it's easy for them to develop a sense of longing.

In this era, most soldiers are highly conscious and have long been prepared to sacrifice themselves for humanity. Therefore, if Lou Yu and his team were to issue a notice, many people would definitely sign up.

This is the reason for Lou Yu's suffering.

Tao Qiu didn't know how to persuade him, and knew it would be useless, so she just listened to the sound of wind and snow outside the window and quietly kept Lou Yu.

Whether Lou Yu accepted it or not, the final outcome was as they predicted: Lou Quan not only met but also exceeded the number of people he requested.

We have the facilities and experience to conduct experiments, so the experiments can begin at any time.

Before that, Lou Quan gathered all the participants together and told them the reason why they had been fed special crops for the past two years, as well as the possible effects of the Stabilization Reagent.

The soldiers had heard some rumors about the Awakening Reagent: whether they could successfully awaken depended on fate and whether they could endure it; at the final moment of awakening, it depended on their willpower; whether they became superhumans or defective depended on luck.

In the final Awakening experiment, the probability of total annihilation was as high as 60%.

In the last awakening experiment at Yong'an Base, fifty-two people died, and only Zhao Tao survived. This is the most recent example, and among those dozens of people who sacrificed their lives were their relatives and comrades-in-arms.

It was impossible not to be afraid, but they still came.

But just when they all thought they would end up like their predecessors, with nothing to do but persevere and accept their fate, Lou Quan told them what preparations he had made to increase their chances of survival.

This feeling of life being valued is more moving than any encouragement or reward.

Lou Quan told them that they had a chance to back out before receiving the first injection, and that if they died, their designated family members or friends would receive substantial compensation, and the base would take care of them for life.

When the time is right, Yong'an Base and Lou Quan are no longer controlled by external forces, they can openly discuss the development of Awakening Reagent and the existence of superhumans. The names of all the warriors who sacrificed themselves in the awakening experiments will be engraved on a monument.

Everything was done so that they would have no worries.

This time, not a single awakened one regretted their decision halfway through.

This time, Lou Yu witnessed their death and success with his own eyes again.

Lou Yu, as the captain of the security team, entered the underground experimental area and was not allowed to come out until the experiment was completely over.

Tao Qiu and her children waited and waited, and even New Year's Eve arrived, but Lou Yu still hadn't come.

We had our New Year's Eve dinner at Huo Lan's place. Afraid that the kids would be upset if Lou Yu wasn't there, the adults all tried their best to cheer them up.

The three kids knew Lou Yu had gone off to do something important, and they didn't complain; they just missed him terribly.

After realizing the adults' intentions, the children tried their best to appear happy so as not to worry them.

The awakening experiment officially ended only after the temperature gradually rose and the ice and snow melted.

Fifty people were injected with reagents made from spider and fox materials respectively. The final results showed that three people were successful with the former and four people were successful with the latter, and none of them were defective.

Comparing the data obtained from the Central Base with the previous data, this awakening experiment was undoubtedly a great success. The Yong'an Base suddenly gained seven more ability users, which is quite impressive even compared to the families in the Central Base.

However, the majority of those who died still perished, which made those who knew about the experiment anything but happy.

When Lou Yu returned home, he startled Tao Qiu and their three children. He had lost a lot of weight, his eye sockets and cheeks were sunken, his face was haggard, and his eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of mist. He looked like a flame that had run out of oil, as if a gentle breeze would extinguish it.

This time, the death toll was even higher, and the psychological pressure on Lou Yu can be imagined.

Tao Qiu and the kids didn't mention the experiment. Tao Qiu cooked his favorite dishes, and the kids showed him their recent calligraphy and paintings.

Lou Yu slept for a day and a night, with Tao Qiu and the children taking turns watching over him, afraid that he would wake up from a nightmare and feel lonely without anyone by his side.

When Lou Yu woke up, his three children were by his side. The Third Cub held his hand, while the Eldest Cub and Second Cub sat beside him, looking at him with worried eyes.

But as soon as he opened his eyes, the three kids immediately jumped for joy.

"Lou Yu's father, you're awake."

"Lou Yu's dad, have some water."

"Lou Yu's dad, are you hungry? I'll give you some cookies."

Before the sadness in his heart could even return, it was dispelled by the children's enthusiastic and joyful voices.

Drinking the water poured by the Eldest Cub, eating the biscuits fed by the Third Cub, and listening to the Second Cub tell about the embarrassing incident of slipping and falling on his bottom yesterday because the road was too slippery, Lou Yu's eyes regained their light, and the corners of his lips unconsciously turned up.

He still has loved ones who love him, and he can no longer dwell on the pain of the past. There are still many important things waiting for him to accomplish and experience in the present and future.

Lou Yu was forced to stay home and rest for a week by Tao Qiu before being allowed to return to work.

The seven new superhumans need his and Zhao Tao's help to adapt to their abilities, and the annual spring invasion of mutated monsters is also approaching, so they must take action.

Three superhumans were injected with a reagent containing mutated spider material. One of them was able to partially mutate into a spider form, enjoying the spider's high defense, high jumping ability, and high perception.

The other two are not as mutated in appearance, but they possess the ability to spin silk. The silk they spin is very strong, and one of their spider silks also contains paralyzing toxins, making it most practical for capturing prey.

Of the four that injected the fox material reagent, two were similar to Zhao Tao, and the other two could release a sleeping potion.

Everyone's special ability has great potential for development.

At the research institute, the production and improvement of the drug are still ongoing. Five out of the seven superhumans have been injected with the drug this time, and they all reported that the pain was indeed reduced after the injection.

And for those soldiers who tragically lost their lives, the medication also reduced their suffering before death.

Whether the drugs played a role in the successful awakening of the seven superpowered individuals is uncertain, but the drugs were certainly effective, at least in relieving pain.