Steel torrents pioneering a different world

Chapter 170 The Energy Patterns of Artillery Shells! A Scientific Discovery of Happiness and Troubles (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)

"I'm his brother, how could he not let me stay with him!"

Ah Fa thought to himself, but didn't dare to confront the researchers directly.

After leaving the house, I thought that the test would probably take a long time, and then I thought about taking a piss.

The person went directly to the nearby restroom.

After leaving the bathroom, I felt much better and was about to go back when I suddenly heard a rather sharp scream again.

He glanced at it casually and almost popped his eyes out.

"I rely on..."

In a nearby open glass enclosure, a monkey was wearing a specially made helmet.

At that moment, the other person seemed to see Ah Fa, and then shuddered in fright, turning their head away and not daring to look at anyone.

On the other side, in a huge tank, several strange fish, each half a meter long, were swimming around a glowing piece of mineral, their scales shimmering with iridescent light under the lamp.

The strange fish didn't look very appetizing. Ah Fa had a good eye and confirmed that the glowing stone didn't seem to be a lamp, but rather naturally emitting light.

"Uranium ore?"

Afa clicked his tongue, thinking that these researchers might be even more mentally unstable than the monsters on the front lines.

Ah Fa has a high level of curiosity. Seeing that there were no "secret unit" signs posted inside, and that all the doors were glass, and that people were coming and going around without looking at Ah Fa, he curiously watched from a distance.

Some of the Emei Mountain monks, whose heads had been shaved, were having a good time.

Some of the orangutans had obvious signs of stitches on their backs and in certain areas.

Some octopuses were also banging against the glass-enclosed water tank with considerable force.

Besides this, he also saw some caged birds, chirping weakly.

Some birds have pleasant voices, while others have slightly shrill ones.

What puzzled Afa was that many of the animals had some kind of magic-suppressing devices on them, or even some strange paper pasted in front of these experimental animals.

"What is this? Are you afraid these animals will unleash magic? Are these little animals really that fierce?"

As Ah Fa thought this, he noticed someone looking at him, gave an awkward smile, and then went back.

Feeling utterly bored, he saw a chair nearby, pulled off his hat, and settled down to sleep on it.

He has a few days of vacation this time.

Ankang and he have a good relationship, so staying here for a day is fine.

After an unknown amount of time, the door to the examination room opened.

An Kang came out, his face was a little pale, but his eyes were surprisingly bright.

"Wan Facai, wake up!"

"How was it? Did it go smoothly? You shouldn't have gotten sick from drinking, right?" After waking up from his daze, Ah Fa saw An Kang arrive and quickly went to greet him.

An Kang smiled at him, then took a deep breath.

"It's definitely so much better!"

He pressed his chest wound again; he could feel the discomfort when he touched it lightly before.

It's still there, but not as noticeable as before.

"That's good! Are we just going to stay here like this? Did you think we were going to stay here or go back to the injury recovery area?"

“Go back. The researchers have been examining me for several hours and said I'm recovering quickly, so they didn't want me to stay here.”

"Let's go then!" Afa said, pulling on Ankang's belongings. "Did they say when he'll be fully recovered?"

"They said my recovery speed has increased fivefold. I will take my medication on time every day and then come here for a check-up. If everything goes smoothly, I can return to the team in a week at most!"

"A week?!" Afa exclaimed in surprise. "That's incredible!"

According to normal medical advice, Ankang will need at least 30 more days before he can return.

"It's more than just powerful! The scientists' drug is amazing." An Kang's eyes showed excitement, but also a hint of regret. "If this drug could have been developed sooner, I wouldn't have had to stay here for several months!"

"Alright, you should be grateful!" Afa patted his shoulder. "It's good enough that you got back safely. Have you forgotten how Lao Zhuang lost his leg?"

When Laozi and Zhuangzi were mentioned, An Kang's expression darkened.

Lao Zhuang was a wounded soldier who was brought over from the southern forests some time ago. He was hospitalized next to Ankang and did not belong to the same combat unit as them.

The task of clearing out the southern forests was far more dangerous than imagined.

Lao Zhuang was a veteran who had been in the army for more than a year longer than them. Because his boots weren't properly tied, he felt his feet were stuffy after a long day, so he untied his trousers to let them breathe.

Then he happened to be near a nest of highly venomous ants and was bitten by a poisonous snake.

Although treatment was given, the otherworldly venomous snake posed a significant threat. By the time they were transported to the rear, the venom had spread, causing severe necrosis in their legs.

To save his life, one leg was amputated from the knee down.

Compared to my comrades who suffered injuries of varying degrees, my own injury was indeed incredibly lucky.

“That’s true.” An Kang exhaled a breath of stale air and rallied his spirits.

He clenched his fist again, feeling the power surging from within his body. The tingling sensation at the joints of his bones became increasingly clear, as if he could hear them growing wildly.

He raised his head, his eyes gleaming like the sharp edge of a tempered blade.

"Afa, wait for me to rejoin the team."

"I want to see those animal-eared girls in a week!"

"You must call her the Elf Queen!"

"Get lost!"
-
Another world, the New Equipment Research Department.

Although it was almost night, the work here was not yet finished.

Compared to the traditional method of creating energy patterns by drawing them on one's body to become an enchanted warrior before consecrating special energy equipment, this method is clearly different from the previous two.

This time, the task is to engrave patterns on the weapon.

Although Su Mingjin said it wasn't an enchantment, but rather an attack using active "spiritual energy particles" as a special experiment, it was still somewhat related to metaphysics.

Although many so-called metaphysical questions can be answered through scientific methods.

Take the previous equipment crafting sequence as an example. Although the crafting process may seem mysterious, the material arrangement, the order in which they are added, the synthesis temperature, the polymerization reaction, and the amount, frequency, and force required for stirring during the process have all been organized and categorized.

It is these scientifically effective "ancient methods of inheritance and verification" that ensure that all sorts of strange and wonderful things from the modern world can be used in another world.

Deng Dakang heard that Li Weiguo was looking for copywriters from various schools of thought on the subject of investigating things and gaining knowledge.

By the way, some people have already gone to the mountains of a certain island to find some of the other party's cultivation methods, to see if they are different from the existing scriptures.

In previous years, the University of Tokyo went too far, causing many traditions to be lost, and it will take a lot of time to sort them out.

At this very moment, Ge Dazhuang and Zhang Chiyun of the Maoshan Sect were busy.

The initial work didn't go smoothly. They were engraving the cartridge cases, which hadn't contained explosive compounds, with corresponding sharp metal energy runes to determine if this would increase weapon power in the alternate world. The plan sounded simple, but it wasn't an easy task to carry out.

Because many people failed.

Zhang Chiyun held three incense sticks, bowed three times in front of the workbench, and then placed the incense sticks into a small incense burner, where wisps of smoke rose.

Ge Dazhuang picked up a shell casing without any explosive compound added, fixed it to a special clamp, and then picked up a carving knife that had just been consecrated, or rather, activated.

In the field of drawing new talismans, Maoshan is very strong, but Ge Dazhuang from Gezaoshan is skilled in carving.

Otherwise, Zhang Chiyun wouldn't have become the sculptor who condenses the special energy of artillery shells.

He held his breath, the tip of the knife touched the cartridge case, and began to carve the first stroke of the sharp gold-patterned character.

A piercing scraping sound came from beneath the tip of the knife.

As the blade tip rubs against the surface, patterns gradually take shape, and on the instrument monitoring electromagnetic interference, the data curve begins to show subtle fluctuations.

When he was almost finished carving, Ge Dazhuang's wrist suddenly stopped.

With a soft click, the carving knife cut through the texture on the surface of the cartridge case.

The instrument also emitted a short alarm, and then the data instantly dropped to zero.

"Failed at the crucial moment again!"

Deng Dakang recorded the data.

"How did you feel just now?"

"It was erratic, and the more I drew, the more chaotic the knife in my hand seemed! It was as if it had a life of its own."

If it's normal carving, he can work for more than an hour without stopping.

However, when drawing energy patterns on artillery shells, a series of minor interference problems always occur.

"It seems that traditional materials are different from these materials. The energy structure collapses halfway through its formation, and the adaptability of the materials still needs to be adjusted."

"Let's try again, I still have plenty of energy!"

"it is good!"

Without changing his expression, Ge Dazhuang threw the discarded shell casing into the recycling bin next to him, and then picked up the casing of the second 155mm shell.

This time, his speed increased significantly, his movements were fluid and graceful, and the energy patterns were about to be completed in one go.

But just as he was about to finish the stroke, his hand trembled again.

Then the pattern that should have formed on the entire cartridge case was destroyed once again.

"The material rejection is severe! Do we need to mix in even more refined gold and mithril?" Deng Dakang frowned.

The materials used in the modern world differ from those in this other world. These projectiles are made using materials from that other world, containing subtle internal differences that theoretically allow them to absorb minute magical particles, thus aiding humanity in creating weapons.

Ge Dazhuang put down his carving knife, closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then opened them.

“Junior Brother Zhang, recite the calming mantra to suppress the sharp metal energy.” He then turned to Deng Dakang, “Instructor Deng, give me another chance, I feel like I’m about to succeed!”

"it is good."

As Zhang Chiyun and the others continued to chant incantations in a low voice, Ge Dazhuang picked up the third bullet casing and raised the knife again.

This time, his movements were neither fast nor slow; the carving knife moved steadily across the cartridge case, and each stroke seemed to resonate with Zhang Chiyun's incantation.

As the last stroke was made and the energy pattern closed, the monitoring instrument did not alarm; instead, it emitted a clear, melodious beeping sound.

The patterns on the cartridge case did not emit light or heat, but rather subtly shimmered with a metallic luster, as if they were integrated with the cartridge case itself.

Deng Dakang stared intently at the stable and powerful energy curve on the screen, extremely excited.

Over this period, everyone has been activating various special equipment. The energy curve changes during the activation of some equipment have been recorded.

The energy curve of the shell in front of us is very stable.

"Success! The energy structure is stable! We can load the medics now."

Ge Dazhuang exhaled a breath of stale air, put down his carving knife, and his forehead was covered with fine sweat.

A researcher in protective gear immediately stepped forward, carefully picked up the enchanted shell casing, and placed it in the explosion-proof box.

A slight smile finally appeared on Deng Dakang's tense face. He turned to Ge Dazhuang and gave him a solemn military salute.

"Thank you for your hard work. I'll leave this to you now."

Behind him, Zhang Chiyun of the Maoshan Sect and several other assistants also bowed to Ge Dazhuang, their expressions solemn, showing both admiration and a hint of worry.

Subsequently, Deng Dakang led everyone to evacuate quickly and decisively.

Then, the bulletproof alloy protective door began to close.

In the vast laboratory, only Ge Dazhuang and a munition installer wearing a special protective suit remained for a moment.

The atmosphere suddenly became so quiet it felt somewhat oppressive.

Deng Dakang and others also wanted to stay and witness this historic moment, but they dared not.

The stability of this product is seriously questionable when combined with modern industrial products.

Not long ago, Ge Dazhuang had an accident while drawing something on paper. Although the thing didn't explode, it suddenly burst into flames and almost burned through half of the workbench.

For absolute safety, the most dangerous subsequent ammunition assembly process must be carried out with the minimum number of personnel.

Only after accumulating enough successful experience and figuring out a foolproof procedure can we consider assembly line production.

"Engineer Wang, we can begin." Ge Dazhuang's voice broke the silence.

The ammunition installer, known as Engineer Wang, took a deep breath and nodded.

He was a man in his early thirties, usually quite bold, but now his forehead was beaded with sweat.

He carefully pushed a small cart forward, on which were neatly arranged high-energy explosives containing magical energy, as well as various precision components.

His movements were extremely skillful, each step as precise as if measured with a ruler.

But just as his hand was about to touch the shell casing engraved with special energy patterns, he couldn't help but pause for a moment.

This thing felt no different from an ordinary artillery shell, but Engineer Wang always felt that it was a living thing, staring at him with an invisible eye.

"Don't panic, I will chant sutras for you here."

Ge Dazhuang had already sat down cross-legged at some point, closed his eyes, and began to chant a calming mantra in a low voice.

The incantation wasn't loud, but it seemed to carry a peculiar calming power, which soothed Wang Gong's inexplicably agitated mind considerably.

Without further hesitation, he began to load the modular explosives and transmission components, one by one, into the cartridge cases.

"Click."

After installing each component, he would subconsciously glance at the instrument next to him that monitored the concentration of spiritual energy particles.

The green indicator light, representing stability, was his only source of comfort at that moment.

Another thermal imager not far away is also constantly aimed at the shells. If any abnormal energy accumulation or temperature change occurs, a piercing alarm will immediately sound throughout the entire base.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly.

When the last primer component was screwed into the tail of the shell with a tight fit, Engineer Wang relaxed completely, his back under his protective suit already soaked with sweat.

He grinned, gave Ge Dazhuang a thumbs-up, and his voice was hoarse with the shock of surviving a disaster.

"It's done!"

Ge Dazhuang slowly opened his eyes, exhaled a breath of stale air, his face was somewhat pale, but his spirits were still good.

"Engineer Wang, your skills are excellent."

"Hey, my heart was pounding in my chest just now!"

Engineer Wang wiped his sweat. "Advisors, when will we test this shell?"

Ge Dazhuang looked at the shell in front of him, which could be described as a work of art. The energy patterns on the outside were perfectly integrated with the cold metal shell, without any abruptness.

“I don’t know either.” He shook his head, but his tone was very calm. “When I was engraving it just now, I made sure that the spiritual energy flowed smoothly and the pattern matched the shell, which was already a good omen. As for the power of the shell, whether it can attract the sharp metal energy in the world and produce greater destructive power, we still need to verify it.”

Wang stared at the shell, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He just hoped that this thing would succeed in one fell swoop, preferably with such great power that it could pierce a hole in the sky, so that he would no longer have to suffer this double torment of mind and body.

The two waited a few more moments to confirm that all instrument data were stable within a safe range.

Then, Engineer Wang carefully placed the specially made shell, weighing nearly fifty kilograms, into the explosion-proof pressure relief storage room next to him.

The isolation door is closed, the instruments are turned on, and the shells will be left here for observation for a period of time.

If it doesn't throw a tantrum and explode for no apparent reason, then what follows is the live-fire test that everyone is eagerly anticipating.

Throughout the entire ammunition research lab, countless eyes were fixed on this small storage room through screens, eagerly awaiting the success of the new experiment.

Deng Dakang, who was sitting next door, stared at the monitor screen until all the readings of the specially made shell stabilized in the green safe zone before he let out a long sigh of relief.

The huge weight that had been hanging over my heart for so long can finally be lifted.

Ge Dazhuang's job was a clash between technical skill and metaphysics, and as a medical professional, he was a complete novice and couldn't help but watch with bated breath.

Now that he has achieved some initial results, he needs to look at what he is good at.

I contacted Ankang to do experiments before, but I don't know if that kid has finished his treatment yet.

He exchanged a few words with the others, then went out, while Wang Hu quickly drove over the electric tricycle parked at the door.

"go!"

"Di Di-"

Wang Hu turned on the ignition, and the little electric scooter, humming a cheerful tune, carried him toward the Institute of Life Sciences.

The roads at the base were well-maintained, but the biting wind was piercing. Deng Dakang, who had been busy all day, felt his tense nerves relax considerably.

Before they even reached the entrance of the research institute, they saw a familiar figure jump off a heavy transport vehicle that had just come to a stop.

Wu Shengli.

However, the other person's face looked even worse than if they had just crawled out of a coal mine, and they exuded a dejected aura that kept strangers at bay.

Deng Dakang's brow twitched, and he patted Wang Hu, telling him to throw the electric scooter to the side of the road.

"Wang Hu, stop the car!"

He rushed over to greet him, saying, "Old Wu, what's wrong? Is your research not going well?"

Having just returned from the modern world, Wu Shengli had heavy dark circles under his eyes. When he saw Deng Dakang, it was as if he had found a trash can to confide in. He nodded bitterly, and his voice became hoarse when he opened his mouth.

"Smooth my foot! The giant's DNA found in the ruins has way too many problems. Damn it, this is really weird!"

Upon hearing this, Deng Dakang immediately perked up.

"Strange? How so?"

"Sigh, it's a long story." Wu Shengli waved his hand irritably. "Come on, let's go to my office. I'll send you a copy of the document. You're also in the life sciences system, so you'll know what I've been going through lately once you read it."

As he walked, he saw a small stone, kicked it into the frozen ground beside him, and gritted his teeth, adding, "Damn it! I feel like all the biology I've learned over the past few decades has gone to waste!"

These words carry considerable weight.

It's important to know that Wu Shengli is a big name in the field of life sciences. If even he can't figure it out, then it goes without saying that others can't either.

Deng Dakang was startled, but didn't ask any more questions. He patted Wu Shengli on the shoulder, and the two walked side by side toward his office.

During this time, he gestured for Wang Hu to inquire about An Kang's experimental situation, clearly showing more interest in the bizarre discovery Wu Shengli had mentioned.

The discovery of tall, humanoid warriors with advanced civilization yet frantically layering armor in the battlefield ruins last time caused an uproar in the entire pioneering team's life science circle.

Everyone felt that this was a groundbreaking archaeological discovery worthy of a special international award in another world.

In order to conduct some highly sensitive tests, Wu Shengli brought some samples back to the modern world.

So many days have passed, and it seems there's been a result, but the result... seems a bit horrifying.

Upon entering Wu Shengli's office, Wu Shengli expertly found tea leaves and brewed some for himself and Deng Dakang.

Wu Shengli then sank into the chair and placed his data tablet on the table.

"Look for yourself, the third, seventh, and nineteenth analysis reports."

Deng Dakang brought his teacup closer, glanced at it briefly, and then frowned deeply.

"Is the double helix structure of this specimen so unstable?"

“Yeah, strange gene sequencing, but it’s incredibly strong!” Wu Shengli scratched his head in frustration. “The material composition of the gene chain is just too damn complex. After our instruments analyzed it, we found that the genes of those giants are like a mountain of shit code, with countless disordered genetic information inside… as if someone forcibly fused them together…”

He became more and more agitated as he spoke, and stood up and paced back and forth in the office.

"We tried all methods to analyze it, and the results showed that the giant's DNA structure seemed to be protected by some kind of encryption technology."

"Such a technological civilization should have mastered the technology of a creator, yet they use extremely strange... well, in my opinion, extremely backward power armor to protect themselves."

"The other party is like a expendable resource!"

Wu Shengli stared at Deng Dakang, his eyes bloodshot.

"We even speculate that these giants are mass-produced killing weapons by some civilization."

"Old Deng, tell me, that mysterious civilization has mastered technology that's almost like theology, so why do they still use such primitive attack methods?"

The office was deathly silent, save for the scrolling information on the data board that Deng Dakang was looking at.

Deng Dakang frowned as he looked at the data Wu Shengli had shown him. His expression shifted from curiosity to shock, and finally to extreme fervor.

He put down his teacup, picked up the data panel, as if holding some priceless treasure.

"This thing is very technically advanced... If you study it thoroughly, the Nobel Prize will be a piece of cake, and you'll easily get the National Special Prize. No... I think we should replace the cover of the entire biology textbook with your picture."

Wu Shengli was so angry at his appearance that he laughed. He plopped back down in his chair and waved his hand weakly.

"Change my ass! This technology is too advanced; we can't possibly understand it right now. Before we even change the textbooks, I'll be in a mental hospital!"

"By the way, the DNA findings are just an appetizer. Turn over and take a look at the bone composition report."

Deng Dakang followed instructions and swiped the screen, his eyes quickly scanning the dense stream of data.

The next second, his breath stopped for a moment.

"The skeleton is primarily human... but contains ceramics and various rare metal elements?"

"Exactly!" Wu Shengli exclaimed, as if he had found a new outlet for his frustration. "It's so abnormal for metal to grow inside bones! Normal organisms accumulate the elements their bodies need by ingesting food. But the distribution of metal and ceramics in that giant's skeleton is so precise, it's like a man-made composite material!"

"This is not a product of natural evolution at all! This is another reason why I suspect that the other party is a killing machine."

Deng Dakang's fingertip slid quickly across the screen, bringing up a CT scan of the skeleton.

That was a partial image of a humanoid sternum.

It lacks the rooted arrangement of a normal biological sternum, instead being a single, dense, smooth, almost seamless bone plate.

“We’ve done modeling and simulations on this sternum sample, and even our military rifles couldn’t penetrate it in a shooting test at a distance of thirty meters.” Wu Shengli’s voice trembled with a hint of fatigue.

The office fell silent again.

An indestructible skeleton, a DNA code as thick as a mountain of excrement.

Deng Dakang felt that the boundaries of his cognition were being brutally and repeatedly rammed by these cold, hard data.

He suddenly realized a crucial question.

“The problem of biological heat dissipation is very serious.” Deng Dakang looked up from the data panel and stared directly at Wu Shengli. “The chest cavity is where the organs are concentrated, generating a huge amount of heat. How can the heat dissipate when it’s sealed off by such a bone plate with almost no gaps?”

"Good question!" Wu Shengli rubbed his temples in pain. "I want to know too! But we only have a mutilated upper body, no head, and no complete circulatory and respiratory system samples! Who knows how they manage to dissipate heat! This thing's genetic modification is too thorough. It's similar to humans, yet different in every way. It's a completely different species from humans!"

At this point, Wu Shengli picked up his teacup and took a big gulp, as if trying to extinguish the fire in his heart.

"Moreover, this is completely different from the hairy giants we found at another site. All the evidence indicates that these two types of giants are not the same species at all!"

Hairy giant?

Armored giant?

Not a species?
Giant Battlefield Ruins?

Several keywords quickly connected in Deng Dakang's mind, and a startling guess emerged.

“Old Wu, do you think… is it possible,” Deng Dakang’s voice was a little hoarse, “that in the very distant past, the original inhabitants of this world were those two kinds of giants, and a war broke out between them?”

Wu Shengli raised his bloodshot eyes, looked at Deng Dakang, and slowly nodded.

"This is the most reasonable inference at present. We extracted a large amount of DNA tissue belonging to the hairy giants from the soil samples we excavated from the ruins. The simultaneous appearance of two completely different higher organism DNAs on an ancient battlefield... the possibility of a battle is very high!"

The answer is self-evident.

A brutal war of giants that took place more than 10,000 years ago destroyed the civilization of the hairy giants, while the armored giants with biological black technology should have won.

A surge of emotion welled up in Deng Dakang's heart. He seemed to see a magnificent scene from ten thousand years ago, on a battlefield where the heavens and earth trembled, two colossal beings fought fiercely.

Deng Dakang's fingertip paused on the cold screen, and then a new question tore open a hole in his mind.

Why do victors abandon the bodies of their fallen comrades?

Logically speaking, the more civilized a military unit is, the more important it is to protect the lives of its soldiers.

Collecting the bodies of fallen comrades on the battlefield is a common occurrence.

Just as Wu Shengli was about to speak, Deng Dakang seemed to have thought of something.

He held the teacup in one hand, his little finger unconsciously tapping lightly on the inside of the cup.

"Old Wu, do you think... this could be related to the 'Battlefield No. 1 Ruins' we discovered in the far north?"

"Battlefield Number One?" Wu Shengli was taken aback. Clearly, his thoughts were still stuck in the quagmire of biology, and he hadn't kept up with Deng Dakang's leap.

"Yes, it's that godforsaken place northwest of the Time-Space Gate, across the mountains, near the far northern ice sea."

Deng Dakang speaks slowly.

“We tested it with our drones before, but before we even got close, it was like being grabbed by an invisible hand and crushed into scrap metal. When the military dogs with life signal monitors reached a certain place, their shadows and the equipment they were wearing disappeared completely, and the dogs never came back. It was as if they were swallowed up by that space.”

That place, internally known as the "Forbidden Zone of Life," was the site of numerous tests conducted by the pioneering team. No organism, whether organic or inorganic, could cross that invisible boundary.

That place seemed to be a special time-space graveyard that devoured everything. Once you arrived at certain places, living beings would be consumed.

Wu Shengli shook his head wearily: "I don't know. That place is too eerie. We can't get any valuable samples at all. You should ask Dou Hanwen and the others to see if the geology team has made any new discoveries."

"Alas, we have too few specimens of armored giants, and our research has come to a standstill. It's like a skilled cook trying to make a meal without rice."

Deng Dakang nodded, indicating his understanding.

His gaze returned to the data panel for further scientific analysis of the armored giant.

Looking at the giant's data, he couldn't help but want to dig deeper.

"Old Wu, have you analyzed the lifespans of these giants yet?"

Upon hearing this question, Wu Shengli rubbed his temples again.

“Lifespan? Sigh,” Wu Shengli sighed, as if resigned to his fate, and leaned back in his chair, answering weakly, “We did a reverse deduction based on the bone cell decay model of this sample and the degree of telomere wear.”

"The conclusion is outrageous. The physiological state of the samples we have at the time of death is roughly equivalent to that of a human in their twenties."

Upon hearing this, Deng Dakang's breath hitched.

Wu Shengli forced a smile that looked more like a grimace: "And according to the bone analysis and calculations, he has lived for at least three hundred years."

The air in the office seemed to freeze.

"hiss……"

Deng Dakang gasped again, feeling a sharp pain in his back teeth.

"Three...three hundred years...and he's still a young man? That's incredible skill! Did we get any more important clues?"

"No, nothing at all!" Wu Shengli grabbed his hair with both hands, looking like he was about to explode. "Stop asking! If you keep asking, I don't know if the textbooks will be changed, but I'll definitely end up in a mental hospital!"

"You have sufficient access to these research materials. I'll send them to your email address later. You can take a look yourself."

"By the way, what exactly did you come all the way here today? Did you come just to wait for me and see me make a fool of myself?"

"I've come to see a wounded soldier friend." Seeing his appearance, Deng Dakang stopped asking questions, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Alright, I won't bother you anymore, you crazy man who's dedicated himself to science. I'm leaving. You get some rest."

"Oh, go ahead!" Wu Shengli squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth, not even wanting to lift his head.

As Deng Dakang stepped out the door, the cool light in the corridor helped him recover from the almost frozen atmosphere in Wu Shengli's office.

"Professor Deng!"

Wang Hu's figure appeared silently around the corner.

Deng Dakang composed himself, suppressing the surprise in his mind: "How's the situation over there?"

"Ankang's health monitoring report is in. He did not experience any rejection reaction after taking the repair solution, and his cell activity has greatly improved. He feels good and has already returned to the recuperation area." Wang Hu's report was as concise as ever.

"As long as it's okay, it'll be okay!"

A slight smile finally appeared on Deng Dakang's tense face; this was one of the only two pieces of good news he had heard today.

He patted Wang Hu on the shoulder.

"Okay, let's go eat then... Hmm? Is there something else?"

"Professor Ding Jingming asked me to pass on a message to you, saying that once you've finished talking with Professor Wu, please come over."

"Old Ding?" Deng Dakang nodded. "Alright, let's go."

Ding Jingming, one of the heads of the base's medical technology team, is the mainstay of the "Strengthening Repair Fluid" project.

In order to determine the formula of the medicine, his team used the lives of almost thousands of monks from Mount Emei to verify the medicine.

From initially showing significant repair effects but with potentially fatal side effects, to now having almost no side effects while maintaining strong efficacy.

Ding Jingming and his team worked tirelessly through countless sleepless nights to carve out a lifeline for the soldiers on the front lines.

Ding Jingming's office area is not far from where he is located.

When Deng Dakang arrived, he saw Ding Jingming struggling to pull off his heavy protective suit, revealing a face full of exhaustion.

"Old Ding!"

"Hey, you've finally arrived." Ding Jingming stretched lazily when he saw him, his bones cracking. "How did it go? Did you manage to get it sorted out?"

"It's mostly done." Deng Dakang found a place to sit down. "But the actual testing hasn't been done yet. Old Wu came back from the modern era, and he said that the armored giant's skeleton has a lifespan of at least three hundred years."

Ding Jingming paused in his drinking, nearly choking: "How much? Three...three hundred years?"

He coughed violently a few times, his eyes widening: "What a joke! The hairy giants from the other world that we analyzed, based on the oral accounts of the Ice River tribe and our own gene sequencing, could at most live to be 150 years old. Those giants wearing armor could live twice as long?"

“Old Wu said that they are not the same race as the hairy giants at all,” Deng Dakang added. Looking at the look of disbelief on Ding Jingming’s face, he felt a little better. “Let’s wait for his report. That guy is probably holding his head and questioning his life right now.”

The hairy giants of another world are tall with long legs, covered in hair, have poor eyesight but a good sense of smell, are mostly vegetarians, and have a relatively gentle personality.

The armored giants unearthed from the battlefield ruins, from their skeletal structure to the inferred social structure, all exude the feel of pure weapons of war.

"I'm starting to question the meaning of life too," Ding Jingming cursed, slamming his water glass down. "Three hundred years old... Are all life forms in this other world that old? Why is it that the DNA analysis of humans in this other world shows a lifespan similar to that of humans?"

“Who says otherwise?” Deng Dakang sighed. “Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore, it just makes me more upset. What did you want to see me about?”

"Oh right!" Ding Jingming slapped his forehead. "Look at my memory, I was too shocked to notice. Come on, follow me."

He led Deng Dakang into the inner office, with Wang Hu dutifully following behind.

Ding Jingming carefully took a document from a locked safe and handed it over.

"I've signed the application form you requested." Ding Jingming's voice carried a sense of relief. "The data for the repair fluid in the recent clinical trials are very stable, and it can be brought back to the modern world for clinical testing at any time."

Deng Dakang took the document, looked at the bright red approval and text, and then at the blank list. He grinned and smiled like a child.

"Thanks, Lao Ding."

Ding Jingming waved his hand, his fatigue largely relieved by his joy.

"Alright, stop getting sentimental. Let's go eat! You're treating today."

"Haha, easy to say, easy to say!"

The base's canteen was especially lively in the evenings.

The food that Deng Dakang ordered seemed especially delicious.

Ding Jingming was probably starving. He didn't care about his image at all. He waved his chopsticks around rapidly, stuffing his mouth full of the crisp and tender vegetables unique to this other world. He mumbled indistinctly, "Delicious! The food at our base is still the best. It's much better than the meat in the modern world!"

Deng Dakang, however, didn't have much of an appetite; he just slowly picked up a piece of fried fish from Changhu Lake.

The fish skin is golden and crispy, and the fish meat is tender and juicy, making it the signature dish of the base.

"Why do you eat like a girl? Is the food not to your liking?" Ding Jingming gulped down a mouthful of water and burped.

"It suits my taste." Deng Dakang nodded, putting down his chopsticks. "I'm thinking about the invitation list!"

He tapped the document lightly with his fingertips.

"Old Ding, for the first batch of clinical trials, I want the other party to come to the other world for testing."

Ding Jingming was taken aback, his smile fading and his expression turning serious: "Old Deng, this is no joke. Although I've given you the authority, the procedures still need to be followed. President Li is keeping a close eye on things; we can't let them know if the background check isn't suitable..."

"Don't worry, he won't break the rules." Deng Dakang interrupted him, his voice soft but deep. "It's one of my former researchers."

Ding Jingming remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"His name is Zhou Yi. He participated in mask relief efforts a few years ago. Two years ago, he was hit by a car while working and became paralyzed from the waist down."

Deng Dakang's gaze was somewhat unfocused, as if he saw the young man lying on the hospital bed.

"That kid has a lot of scientific research talent. He's only twenty-seven years old this year, but unfortunately, he's very depressed now after his injury."

"I understand." Ding Jingming picked up his water glass, drank the rest in one gulp, and slammed it down. "I've noted the name down. Have Wang Hu send me his latest file and a non-confidential statement. Once he passes the clinical tests and political vetting, I'll reserve the first spot for him!"

"Thanks," Deng Dakang said.

He picked up his chopsticks again, took a piece of fish, and put it in his mouth.

This time, the deliciousness of the fish seemed to come alive on my tongue.

If a promising 27-year-old scientist could stand up from his wheelchair again and embrace his life once more.

This is more exhilarating than winning a battle.

(End of this chapter)