Chapter 41 Telomere Elongation and Repair?!

"W-what is that?"

Looking at the silver-white syringe that had been pushed out, filled with a sense of science fiction, all the scientists outside the laboratory held their breath, their eyes wide open.

"I-is it medicine?"

"It analyzed Academician Wang's blood and immediately provided a treatment plan?"

"This is too intelligent! This isn't just a first-aid kit; this is a fully automated private doctor!"

Exclamations of amazement rose one after another.

Everyone was thoroughly conquered by the trans-era technology displayed by this "box of miracles."

"Old Zhou!" Academician Wang's voice came through the communicator, filled with irrepressible excitement. "Quick! Have the 'pangu system' translate that line of text on the screen for me!"

"Translating now! Academician Wang! A few characters in the 'Oracle Civilization' database match... Got it!"

The expert in charge of the computer quickly provided the results.

"The meaning of that line on the screen is... 'Detected minor cellular decay and gene chain damage in the target individual. Recommend Phase 1 genetic optimization and telomere extension repair.'"

"Phase 1 genetic optimization? Telomere extension repair?!"

Upon hearing these words, all the biologists present felt as if their hearts had been tightly gripped by an invisible hand, and they were so excited they could barely breathe.

"My god! It really can! It really can repair the damage caused by aging!"

"Telomeres! It's telomeres! That is the 'clock' that determines the number of cell divisions, which in turn determines the lifespan of life! Extending telomeres means... extending life!"

"This... this is a miracle drug! This is a true miracle drug!"

An elderly professor over seventy could no longer control his emotions; he hugged the colleague beside him and began to wail.

They had exhausted their entire lives in the laboratory, racking their brains to extend the average human lifespan by even a year or two.

And now, a real "miracle" that could reverse aging and extend life had appeared right before their eyes, alive and real.

This kind of impact was unparalleled.

"Calm down! Everyone calm down!"

It was the Minister of Security who first woke up from the frenzy. Through the broadcast of the Command Center, he shouted toward the laboratory, "No one is allowed to touch that syringe! Until its composition and effects are understood, it is a top-level biohazard!"

His words were like a basin of cold water, causing everyone to calm down.

That's right, excitement is one thing, but the risks are equally huge.

Who knows what that silver liquid actually is?

What if it isn't a miracle drug, but some kind of even more terrifying virus specifically targeting human genes?

In movies, there are too many plotlines where meddling with alien technology leads to the destruction of the entire human civilization.

"I object to the injection!" the Minister of Security said decisively. "I suggest we immediately seal this agent and conduct clinical observations on mice and chimpanzees for years, or even decades! Until its safety is one hundred percent confirmed, it must absolutely not be used on humans!"

His words were very reasonable and adhered to the strictest scientific experimental procedures.

However, Academician Wang shook his head.

"We don't have decades left."

He stood behind the explosion-proof glass, looking at the syringe emitting an alluring glow, his voice calm but incredibly firm.

"Thirty years ago, our coordinates were already exposed. That sword hanging over our heads could fall at any moment. We do not have time to wait step-by-step for an 'absolutely safe' result."

"Besides," he turned around and looked at the colleagues outside the laboratory, the comrades who, like him, had dedicated their entire lives to science, "do you want to wait? Are you willing to?"

"We old folks are all in our seventies and eighties, and our bodies are getting worse by the day. Even if the country provides us with the best medical care, how many years do we have left? Five? Ten?"

"In ten years, how much of the black technology we salvaged from the 'Cosmic Graveyard' can we understand? One percent? Or one-thousandth?"

"What we lack most right now is not anything else, but time!"

Academician Wang's gaze swept over everyone. "Now, an opportunity that can buy us precious time is right in front of us. And we want to seal it away because we are afraid of the risks?"

"I am not willing!"

Academician Wang's voice suddenly rose. "This old bag of bones has lived for over seventy years; that's enough! Today, even if I die on this experimental table, I accept it! But if I win this gamble, I—we all—can work for this country in good health for another fifty years!"

"Fifty years! Comrades! Do you want it?!"

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

I don't know who it was, but someone shouted first.

Following that, all the old experts outside the laboratory, with red eyes, used all their strength to roar.

It's not that they aren't afraid of death.

They are just more afraid of falling on the road to the charge before seeing the dawn.

Watching this scene, Chen Weiguo in the Command Center also had red eyes.

He picked up the communicator, was silent for a long time, and finally, in an incredibly heavy tone, issued an order.

"Minister of Security, I understand your concerns. However, I agree with Academician Wang's decision."

"We... are gambling."

"However," his tone changed, "it cannot be used directly on Academician Wang. Conduct an in vitro cell experiment first. Take a fresh blood sample from Academician Wang, inject it into a petri dish, and use an ultra-high-magnification microscope to observe all the changes in the cells in real-time! I want to see the most intuitive data!"

"Yes!"

This compromise plan was agreed upon by everyone.

Soon, a new blood sample was collected.

Under the strict monitoring of countless cameras and sensors, a drop of silver liquid as brilliant as the stars was slowly injected into the petri dish by a precision robotic arm.

The entire Command Center had everyone's gaze focused on the main screen.

On the screen was the image of Academician Wang's blood cells, magnified tens of thousands of times.

Those red and white blood cells, slightly fatigued due to aging, were flowing slowly in the culture medium.

And at the very moment that drop of silver liquid merged!

A miracle happened!

Everyone saw that those originally shriveled red blood cells, as if injected with infinite vitality, instantly became plump, round, and full of life!

And those white blood cells responsible for immunity, as if they had taken stimulants, increased in volume by nearly double, extending countless active pseudopodia from their surfaces, charging around in the petri dish, mercilessly engulfing and decomposing some impurities and decaying cells!

The most astonishing thing was the change in the cell nucleus!

Under special staining observation, they could clearly see that the "telomere," which represents the clock of life—that segment of the DNA sequence located at the end of the chromosome—was actually... actually growing longer at a speed visible to the naked eye!

"G-god..."

The genetic expert in charge of the explanation was already too excited to speak a complete sentence. "It... it is reversing! It is reversing the aging process of the cells! This is not repair! This is... this is a reset! It is resetting an elderly person's cells into a young person's cells!"

"God... we have seen God..."

The entire Command Center once again fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone was stunned by the miraculous scene before them, losing the ability to speak.

After a long time, Academician Wang's voice, filled with endless emotion and joy, slowly sounded.

"What are we waiting for?"

"Give me the injection."

"I can't wait to experience the taste of rebirth for myself."