Chapter 83 (1/2)
”You are right, I am, indeed, conducting a food experiment. After all, I can't always rely on someone else.”
”Cool.” The smile on Zhuo's face didn't change even a bit. ”But you don't have to rush as the Crystal Pea is sufficient enough for everyone. I just want to apologize for what I've said a few days ago; I was too worried about this. But by any chance, would you be interested in joining our research in group Alpha?” Zhuo hazarded again.
”I...” Qing Shui was going to decline his offer again, but he was interrupted before being able to speak the words.
”Again, I understand that you might have no interest in working with us. But I figured that it is necessary to show you what we have achieved before you make any decision as you have no knowledge of what we are researching yet. I am confident that even if it's you, you won't be able to turn away from this great temptation. Qing Shui, we are the same kind of people, even though you might deny that.”
”What have you done?” Qing Shui's eyes lingered on Zhuo's mysterious smile. He was intrigued.
”Would you come with me later? Words are not persuasive enough for you, so I'd show you my great work on transgene.” Zhuo gazed at Qing Shui's eyes as if he was trying to look into his very soul.
”Of course,” Qing Shui agreed with a tilt of his head.
”Like I said, you are different from those ignorant yet arrogant 'scientists'.” Zhuo was happy with Qing Shui's answer and stood up once a bright ray of light descended on him. ”I'm going to get the medal that they are awarding me with, see you at the front door.”
Qing Shui didn't reply to the man bathed in the sharp light but nodded. He sunk back into his chair, quietly following Zhuo's silhouette with his eyes, contemplating.
Zhuo leaned forward on the stage so that the Lieutenant General could place the medal on the left side of his chest with ease. He disappeared in the dark as soon as he left the stage, and Qing Shui knew it was time to leave. They walked together to the test area that was specially a.s.signed to Group Alpha.
Technically, Group Alpha wasn't located in the main building. It was rather remote as it was built underground; the only entrance and exit being at the ground level of the inst.i.tute. The door itself was almost unnoticeable except for there being two armed soldiers guarding it at all times. The security level was one of the highest in this inst.i.tute as Zhuo needed to scan his retina and sign his name on a doc.u.ment that indicated the time he entered and exited; the doc.u.ment was kept with the two soldiers just in case the digital scanning record was lost during an external attack.
The equipment in Group Alpha was far more advanced than anywhere else that Qing Shui had been to. They had the best machines gathered for their transgene experiments, and the working area was sophisticatedly designed for better efficiency. It was a completely different world.
Qing Shui wasn't won over by the equipment as he had expected that Group Alpha should have access to the top resources. However, Qing Shui was intrigued by rats that were floating in tiny tanks, aligned neatly one by one on a shelf mounted on the wall. They were placed so closely that it gave an illusion of the whole wall being decorated by these tiny yellow tanks. The concrete was simply nowhere to be seen.
Observing from a close distance, Qing Shui immediately discovered from where this strange feeling was coming from—rats. They were in shapes and forms that Qing Shui could have never thought to see them in. One donned pangolin's armor, another had beefy limbs, while some others were skinny but with absurd bone structure, or even had wings. They were unconventional rats, and each different from the others. The surreality dizzied Qing Shui for a while.
”These are what you made with your proud transgene technique?” Qing Shui's finger lingered on one of the tiny tanks.
”They are merely my experimental byproduct, believe it or not.” Zhuo was gratified by the astonishment on Qing Shui's face. ”How marvellous they are! Thanks to the red fog concentrate, we could introduce the desired gene pieces from other species into the rats free of rejection! Don't you think this was how G.o.d made us?”
”I believe the way he made us wasn't as inferior as you made them,” Qing Shui responded with a sneer.
”Well, it might seem primitive to you, after all, we only started a month or so ago.” It sounded like Zhuo didn't hear any of Qing Shui's comments, he dawdled around his 'artworks'. ”Look at all these man-made creatures, how beautiful and strong they are! They'll be able to outcompete other species if I released them out.”
”I simply don't think so.” The yellow tint reflected on Qing Shui's face as he looked closely at a rat's body. He asked, ”These transgene creatures… I doubt they reproduce, do they?”
”You brought up an interesting problem that I have not yet been able to solve.” Qing Shui's question pointed at the weakest spot in Zhuo's research. He threw his hands and grinned wryly. ”As I said, we've just started. If you would join us, I believe such issues could be resolved soon.
”Oh right! I don't think I have mentioned that those rats were produced in my early experimenting stage. Come, I'll show you what I really am capable of making, and I am the only person who's made it. This is real art!” As Zhuo spoke, he opened a side door. ”This way.”
Fanaticism and ecstasy were clearly written on Zhuo's face. He couldn't resist showing off his creation to someone who he thought deserved to see his work.
Led by curiosity, Qing Shui walked into the room whose door silently sealed behind once he entered.
It was s.p.a.cious.