28: Hongjun Particles

It was Lu Chuan's first time in a police car, and he was noticeably ill at ease.

"Hahaha, everyone's like this the first time they ride in a police car. You'll get used to it."

Seeing Lu Chuan not knowing where to put his hands and feet, Officer Zhong couldn't help but offer a word of comfort.

"..."

Can you even get used to this? What if he did get used to it? Wouldn't he become a professional at getting arrested?

Lu Chuan didn't know how to respond.

Officer Zhong seemed to realize he'd said something foolish and, gripping the steering wheel, also fell silent for a moment.

With both of them quiet, the atmosphere in the car suddenly became awkward.

A few minutes later, Officer Zhong couldn't resist speaking again.

"There's nothing big going on at the station this time, just cooperating to give a statement. I'll drop you back afterward. It'll be quick, no need to be nervous."

"Understood, thank you, Officer Zhong."

"You're welcome."

After those few words, the car fell silent once more.

Looking at the still-nervous young man in the back, Officer Zhong sighed.

He was naturally a talkative person. As long as he wasn't dealing with criminals, he enjoyed chatting with people and at least wouldn't let the conversation die.

Why was this young man so introverted and shy?

At this moment, the car radio, which had been on, began to broadcast the city's midnight news.

After a moment of static and tape hiss, the announcer's voice gradually became clearer.

"Recently, relevant departments in our city have received reports from multiple citizens that a large number of unusual species have been discovered in the city's suburbs and various... after geological surveys..."

"Experts urge citizens not to venture into the wilderness for 'spirit exploration' and to pay attention to their personal safety. If danger is encountered, seek help from professional departments immediately..."

The announcer's report immediately captured the attention of Lu Chuan and Officer Zhong.

After listening carefully, Lu Chuan was stunned.

A large number of unusual species discovered in various places?

So, Yinhua Mountain wasn't the only place with these anomalies?

Oh, right, he seemed to recall hearing news reports mentioning this when he passed a village house the day before yesterday.

However, at the time, Lu Chuan was busy making stinky tofu for his stall and didn't have the mind to pay attention.

It wasn't until now, with some free time, that he had the chance to think it over.

Why did the world he had lived in for over a decade suddenly feel a bit different?

"Even local news is starting to report on this. It seems the country is under a lot of pressure; they probably can't keep it a secret much longer."

At this, Officer Zhong, driving in the front, suddenly spoke with a bitter tone.

Hm?

Lu Chuan looked up at Officer Zhong in surprise, feeling as if the other person knew something.

However, after Officer Zhong said that one sentence, he seemed to realize he had let something slip and said no more.

Lu Chuan's gaze was complex, but he didn't press for details.

The other party was, after all, part of the system and likely knew a few municipal employees. His channels for information were inherently much more numerous than those of ordinary citizens.

There was nothing surprising about that.

But since Lu Chuan's curiosity had been piqued, how could he not try to uncover the secrets within?

One must never underestimate a young man's curiosity.

He pulled out his phone, opened his browser, and began typing keywords.

"Secrets of the world," "strange unknown species," "Yinhua Mountain Silver Beast," and other terms were entered.

He didn't find what he was looking for, but the pop-up junk websites made Lu Chuan blush.

Scared, he quickly deleted his browsing history and then secretly glanced at Officer Zhong in front.

The car soon arrived at the police station.

The entire process was indeed as Officer Zhong had described: a simple interrogation and statement, after which Lu Chuan was no longer needed.

After dropping Lu Chuan back, Officer Zhong thought for a moment and still revealed some information.

The general gist was that the Yellow-Haired Vendor had a history of misconduct, and this time, by instigating innocent people to gather and cause trouble, he nearly incited a mass incident, creating an extremely negative impact on society.

This incident had already caught the attention of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, so the Yellow-Haired Vendor would definitely be charged with the crime of provoking trouble.

Other criminal liabilities might also be pursued at that time.

Hearing this, Lu Chuan instantly felt as refreshed as if he had eaten a chilled watermelon on a hot summer day, his mood bubbling with joy.

At the same time, he felt a surge of flattered surprise at Officer Zhong's willingness to confide in him, risking a violation of disciplinary regulations.

Seeing Lu Chuan's expression, Officer Zhong was amused.

"Don't overthink it. If you're curious afterward, you can still find out about his punishment. This is just knowing in advance; it won't change the outcome."

Then, he winked.

"Do you set up your stall here every day? If I get off work early tomorrow, I'll come by and patronize your business again."

Lu Chuan also smiled, nodded, and said:

"I'll be setting up my stall here these next few days. Officer Zhong is welcome to visit my humble shop anytime."

"I'll definitely visit. It's late; you should head home quickly too. See you tomorrow ~"

Lu Chuan quickly said goodbye to him and watched him get into his car and drive away.

Then he also got on the small cart parked next to the public restroom and headed towards the village.

---

In a vast, boundless desert on Blue Star, within a research institute.

Ye Chen, wearing a white lab coat, adjusted his flat-framed glasses and carefully examined the newly issued physical examination report.

After a long moment, he spoke with a calm expression.

"This batch of warriors' physical examination reports shows that the activity of the hongjun particles in their cells has increased again, and their physical fitness has also improved to a certain extent."

His assistant's face showed shock.

"It can still improve? Before they were selected to come here, they were all 'soldier kings' on average. Their overall physical qualities are already close to the human limit. If they improve further, won't they become superheroes?"

Ye Chen looked at his excited assistant expressionlessly.

The assistant, realizing his gaffe, quickly shut his mouth.

"Unfortunately, your conjecture will not come true. After a period of rapid increase, their physical fitness has now begun to slow down, and many warriors even show signs of stopping."

Ye Chen casually tossed the research report in his hand onto the table, then stood up and turned to look out at the boundless desert through the floor-to-ceiling window.

"With the world's anomaly, a mysterious factor, which I've named hongjun particle, suddenly appeared in human cells and is almost undetectable by modern medical technology. It will correspondingly enhance human physical fitness as its activity increases."

"However, hongjun particles do not become active without reason. There must be some kind of inducing factor. And this is precisely the problem we urgently need to overcome."

Ye Chen clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze becoming profound.

"Whoever first overcomes this problem will hold the right to speak in the new world!"

The fierce sunlight, passing through the special material glass, became soft.

It fell upon Ye Chen, making him appear like a divine child of this world.

However, in the assistant's eyes, Ye Chen was indeed no different from the son of a god.

At only 33 years old, he had already received countless honors in the scientific research community.

Furthermore, at the beginning of the world's anomaly, he led his team to be the first to discover the mysterious substance hidden in human cells, and, citing mythological allusions, he preemptively named it hongjun particle, after the Dao Ancestor.

Meaning the beginning of the Dao! The beginning of everything!!!

Now, Ye Chen was further digging into the secrets of the hongjun particle, attempting to use it as a leverage point to influence the trajectory of the future world.

Such a figure being born in Huaxia was truly a blessing for Huaxia and its people!

The assistant, with a passionate heart, responded loudly with an excited face:

"I will devote myself to the utmost, until death, and will never fail the trust of the nation!"