Chapter 11: Healing and saving lives is what we do best
The Central District Research Institute and the Fifth District Evolution Research Institute were both under the Life Group, but one was like a beloved child pampered with the best care, while the other was a foster child in a remote area, only remembered occasionally.
Due to the stark differences in treatment, it was no wonder the researchers from the Central District Research Institute exhibited the pride of a “firstborn son.”
The visiting team, led by senior researcher Ms. Zhou Sheqing from the central district, along with two mid-level researchers and two junior researchers, was officially there for an exchange and learning visit.
From the moment they stepped into the Fifth District Evolution Research Institute, the two mid-level researchers displayed a faint disdain in their eyes.
One of them, with particularly small eyes, couldn’t help but remark while being scanned by the detector:
“You still use such outdated scanners here. They can’t detect some minor pathogens and don’t have simultaneous disinfection functions. Our scanners in the central district have been upgraded with scanning and disinfection capabilities three times over.”
To host them, three of the four senior researchers from the Fifth District were present, except for Yu Yan. Li Shang, Lu Qiufeng, and Su He accompanied the visitors, ready to introduce them to the institute.
Feeling slighted by the blatant disdain, the older Li Shang forced a smile, trying to be flattering, when Lu Qiufeng suddenly chimed in with a cheerful tone.
“Yes, indeed, we also think it needs to be replaced. Unfortunately, our requests for funding have gone unanswered. As fellow researchers, you understand. Perhaps you could help us out by saying a few good words to get our facilities upgraded.”
“We don’t need anything top-notch, just your discarded models will do.”
The small-eyed researcher stiffened, and the researcher with the prominent ears coughed, saying, “That’s not under our control.”
Lu Qiufeng feigned disappointment, drawing out his words, “Oh, so you have no authority either.”
His eyes were full of “What are you showing off for, thinking you’re so great, but you’re not” or “If you don’t want to help, just say so; this is too petty,” which infuriated the small-eyed researcher.
Just as the small-eyed researcher was about to speak, Lu Qiufeng deliberately added, “If we can’t get new facilities, that’s fine. If you have any unwanted S-class experimental subjects, we wouldn’t mind taking a few more.”
Li Shang gave Lu Qiufeng a look, hooking his arm over his shoulder and pulling him aside, laughing, “Our Xiao Lu just loves to joke around, haha.”
The small-eyed and big-eared researchers inwardly cursed them as beggars and were just about to retort when Zhou Sheqing, who was walking in front, asked, “I remember there’s another senior researcher at the Evolution Institute, Kang Shi, right? Why haven’t I seen him?”
“Oh, our Xiao Kang, he’s a real talent. He’s so dedicated to his research. He’s got a great experimental subject recently, and he’s been so engrossed in his work that he won’t even come out to join us for dinner,” Li Shang said, pointing to Su He. “Xiao Su, haven’t you been working on some research with Xiao Kang recently? You should know his situation best.”
Su He, who had been quietly blending in, stepped forward. “Senior Kang is indeed busy with his experiments and couldn’t leave.”
She exchanged a subtle glance with Zhou Sheqing.
Zhou Sheqing was tall, with a cold and elegant demeanor, known as the ice queen of the Central District Research Institute. Her most striking feature was her eyes—one a beautiful peacock blue and the other a mechanical prosthetic.
“I’m quite interested in Researcher Kang’s work. Why don’t we start our tour with his lab?” Zhou Sheqing suggested.
With Zhou Sheqing taking the lead, Li Shang, who had secretly hoped to guide them to his own lab first, reluctantly agreed to take them to Kang Shi’s lab.
The nervous Xiao Gao, seeing the group approaching, quickly followed Yu Yan’s earlier instructions and led them to the isolation room in use.
The isolation room had an observation window, and as Zhou Sheqing and the others looked inside, their expressions changed.
Some frowned in disgust, some looked sympathetic, and others showed excitement and anticipation.
Regardless, they were all shocked.
Inside the isolation room, test subject 012 was tightly bound to the experiment table, covered in blood, with wounds crisscrossing his body, his flesh torn open.
The researcher Kang Shi, who had a notable “reputation” in the research community, stood at 012’s head, apparently performing a cranial surgery.
The majority of 012’s head was covered by a finely tuned micro-surgical dome, obscuring the view of the isolation room’s exterior. Onlookers could only see Kang Shi’s gloved hands working over 012’s head.
The less they could see, the more they imagined the potentially brutal procedures Kang Shi was carrying out.
Moreover, 012’s reaction was extremely intense. Despite being bound, he continued to struggle and even convulsed.
Such a strong reaction indicated severe pain, suggesting that Kang Shi hadn’t used any anesthetics.
Among the visitors from the central district, both the small-eyed and big-eared researchers had witnessed 012’s experimental processes before.
However, they had never seen 012 react so violently, not even under the previous supervisor Zhou Xiangcheng.
The isolation room was soundproof, so they couldn’t hear 012’s screams, but they could see him mouthing “Don’t touch me.”
The small-eyed and big-eared researchers looked at the man who appeared calm to the point of being cold, and who even seemed to smile slightly as he spoke to 012, and a sense of fear began to grow within them.
Zhou Sheqing, standing in the front, initially showed no change in expression but tightened her fingers due to the scene.
Inside the isolation room, Yu Yan, obscured by the circular surgical dome, skillfully massaged 012’s head with his fingers.
He had previously learned a whole set of kneading techniques from a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner in the adjacent department. Those who had tried it all spoke highly of it, and his colleagues who often worked late nights liked to ask him for a massage.
Yu Yan’s massage techniques had a bit of a reputation, but 012 couldn’t handle it.
As soon as Yu Yan’s hands began to explore 012’s head, rubbing his hair, 012 felt a tingling sensation along his back, like an electric shock. The unfamiliar experience made him struggle continuously.
His hair contained tactile nerves and was as sensitive as wings. He could barely tolerate Yu Yan’s ordinary skin contact, let alone such prolonged, inch-by-inch kneading.
His hair was about to stand on end from Yu Yan’s pressure, and his ear feathers flared out.
Yu Yan attempted to smooth it back, saying, “Almost done, it’ll be over soon.”
His professional habit kicked in as he continued to knead, commenting, “Your reaction indicates you need more of this. See this acupoint? You flinch when I press it, which means you have a lot of dampness in your body.”
012 ignored his rambling, shaking continuously, wanting only to curl up, making bird-like gasping sounds from his throat.
“Don’t touch me,” he gasped.
Yu Yan calmly held his neck, “A little pressure is good for your body. Don’t move around too much or you’ll rub off the fake injuries.”
Leaning in, he whispered softly, “I’m planning to give you a full-body massage later. Look at how stiff you are; you need more movement.”
As he straightened up, he casually pinched 012’s shoulder.
012 immediately intensified his struggle.
Outside the isolation room, Zhou Sheqing watched 012 being tortured and couldn’t help but glance at Su He. Receiving a subtle shake of the head and a wink from Su He, she slowly relaxed her grip on her fingers.
She felt reluctant to continue watching. Since the people sent by Zhou Xiangcheng had seen what they wanted to see, there was no need to stay any longer.
“Since Researcher Kang is busy, we won’t disturb him. Let’s go check out other laboratories,” Zhou Sheqing said with a cold face and an urgent tone.
She turned to leave, and Li Shang was more than happy to oblige. He quickly said, “Then let’s head to my lab. I have a new project I’d like to show Researcher Zhou. I’d appreciate your guidance and feedback.”
His obsequious attitude left Su He speechless, turning away.
As everyone started to leave, Lu Qiufeng took one last look at the bloody scene in the isolation room and the humanoid test subject, his expression exceedingly complex.
…
Once the visitors had left, Yu Yan finished the head massage, pressed the opaque mode on the observation window, and used disinfectant wipes to clean off the sticky fake blood from 012.
When Su He quietly slipped in wearing protective gear, she saw her once elite, elegant, and aloof Senior Kang now lifting one of 012’s legs to perform stretching exercises, skillfully kneading it.
“What are you doing?” Su He asked.
“Giving him a massage. His body is so stiff at such a young age,” Yu Yan said, focused on his work.
“You might want to look at 012’s expression. He seems quite angry,” Su He pointed out.
“Children always get angry. He’ll calm down in a while,” Yu Yan replied.
Su He had a feeling that Senior Kang was deliberately provoking 012. Earlier that morning, she had seen him take a moving plush spider toy from his assistant and place it on 012’s wing, which had already made 012 angry once.
“That’s enough,” Su He urged.
“Yeah, it’s almost done,” Yu Yan said, wiping his hands as he stood up and casually untied one of 012’s arm restraints.
Su He tried to intervene, “Hey—”
In an instant, 012 half-rose and pinned Yu Yan to the experiment table with one hand.
Oh no, he had gone berserk!
Su He was alarmed and rushed forward to stop him, but 012’s strength was unimaginably great; she couldn’t budge his hand even slightly.
012 ignored her completely, glaring fiercely at Yu Yan.
Yet, Yu Yan, remarkably, still managed to smile, lying on the table with his hand raised and saying, “Ah, I’m sorry. I apologize.”
After a while, 012 finally released him, lying half on the table with his chest heaving violently before turning his head away.
Su He pulled Yu Yan up and dragged him to the disinfection room.
“Senior, you scared me to death! What were you thinking? If 012 had really gone berserk, it would have been over for you. Don’t think a protective suit will save you. Do you think that’s how Zhou Xiangcheng got injured?”
Yu Yan slowly washed his hands. After being in the protective suit for so long, his slender hands had turned pale.
“It’s fine, I was treating him,” Yu Yan said.
Emotional therapy was another skill he had picked up from the old Chinese medicine practitioner next door.
Too much emotional suppression, without expression, needs to be vented out.
“I noticed he has some psychological issues, so I was helping him with that.”
Treating an experimental subject’s psychological issues was something no one had ever done before. It sounded almost absurd.
But Yu Yan didn’t seem to be joking.
