Chapter 1854: Sample No. 93
Chang Shoujie's expression immediately stiffened. Just as he was about to say something, Xu Huo signaled Gao Dawei to push him back and instructed, "Don't let your uncle come out and talk nonsense anymore."
As the spiritual power spread, the view between the two buildings became less clear. Chang Shoujie, who couldn't leave, seemed to have fallen. The wheelchair, along with the table in the room, toppled over, causing a series of clattering noises.
Deng Xiahei pondered, "Did Chang Shoujie send a message to the people downstairs?"
"Who knows," Xu Huo said. "They're acquaintances and have worked together before. It wouldn't be strange for them to have some special signals."
Deng Xiahei wasn't stupid either. If the newborn was real, Chang Shoujie only needed to truthfully inform the players from Zone 010. Why bother secretly signaling?
Although he didn't say it outright, he couldn't help but ask, "Are we really going to play it this big?"
If they actually had the child, it would be fine. Once the business was done and the child handed over, the Zone 010 people wouldn't have nothing better to do than to cling to them. But if they didn't have the child and couldn't clear the instance, wouldn't they be stuck in this godforsaken place, wasting time with these people until they died?
"Clearing the instance this way is already the faster method," Xu Huo said calmly.
If it weren't for Dr. Deng revealing the news about Dr. Joyce, just confirming "Melissa's" whereabouts and origin would have taken a very long time. This was already the result of taking a shortcut.
Taking the analysis instrument out of the luggage compartment, Xu Huo saw that the progress was over halfway. He then made some space to take out the shelter, preparing to go inside and examine the files that had already been produced.
"Hey, aren't you taking her in?" Deng Xiahei quickly reached out to stop him, his eyes fixed on the person lying on the nearby bed.
"You watch her," Xu Huo said without turning back as he closed the door.
Deng Xiahei kept a certain distance from Little Pink Hat, but his gaze never left her for a second. Although curious, he held back from getting closer. Instead, the lollipop that rolled out from under the cloth startled him. Then he saw an arm with less-than-ideal skin condition reach out, quickly grab the lollipop back, and crunch it noisily.
Even though it was a living child, Deng Xiahei wasn't particularly surprised. Getting a child from another district wasn't a difficult task. But he found it a bit strange that there was a child so young who had already started degenerating. Moreover, this child was too well-behaved. Even though she was awake, she could hold herself back from coming out of the cloth.
"Plop!" A lollipop flew out from the cloth bundle and hit Deng Xiahei.
Deng Xiahei picked it up. "For me to eat?"
A small hand reached out from the cloth bundle, pointing at him and then at herself.
Deng Xiahei immediately understood. He peeled off the wrapper and handed the lollipop back. Little Pink Hat patted his hand as if to encourage him, then crunched and finished the candy in a few bites before handing him a second one.
Deng Xiahei had no other thoughts; he just felt that this child had pretty good teeth.
Inside the shelter, Xu Huo had already finished reading the text files left by Dr. Joyce.
The content wasn't much. There were several detailed reports on embryo development, with the data on No. 93 being the most detailed. From the specifics, it was clear that the other reports were used for comparison with No. 93.
The report stated that Dr. Joyce had indeed conducted combination experiments using humans and xenomorphs. However, it wasn't about using humans or xenomorphs to gestate the embryos. Instead, artificial wombs were used to create the optimal environment for embryo development, thereby promoting the successful growth of the embryos.
Artificial womb technology in the game was already very mature. Ordinary citizens in Zone 019, which Xu Huo had visited before, could use this technology to bear offspring. The unsuitability for gestation in Zone 010 wasn't just a problem for the gestating parties but also an issue with the overall environment. That's why Dr. Joyce adopted this method of gestation detached from the mother's body.
The examples in these reports all used eggs taken from degenerated humans and sperm taken from normal humans, with no other samples. This indicated that this model had a relatively high success rate.
What made Sample No. 93 different from the other samples was that she had undergone a genetic mutation compared to the others. According to Dr. Joyce's tests, this genetic mutation had, to a certain extent, curbed Black Thorn Disease. In other words, even if the other embryo samples had almost turned into xenomorphs after growing up, they would still be affected by Black Thorn Disease. It was just that Black Thorn Disease was less pronounced in xenomorphs than in humans.
Sample No. 93 was different. Her genetic test results showed that a certain part of the gene mutation had effectively curbed Black Thorn Disease. Moreover, if the genetic test results for Sample No. 93 remained unchanged after she turned one year old, it would prove that this experiment had indeed created a genetic sample that could prevent Black Thorn Disease from manifesting.
Of course, these cultivated "xenomorph children" could, in a sense, be considered the next generation of Zone 010.
Leaving aside whether these xenomorphs could be considered a successfully cultivated next generation, the report mentioned that the genetic mutation in Sample No. 93 was accidental. Using edited, almost identical embryos, no other sample identical to No. 93 had ever been produced again.
Given the state of embryo development, it was clearly difficult to test whether this gene could be inherited.
At that moment, the communication device lit up.
"Is it done?" Xu Huo immediately answered.
"Not yet," Dr. Deng said. "However, I have determined that this sample is a discarded one. Because its genes contain a very strong pathogenic gene. Any organism carrying this gene is highly susceptible to death from various disease infections. This doesn't happen in ordinary people. It was first discovered in a certain district that had just begun evolving. It was a genetic mutation caused by evolution. Moreover, many people in that district developed this mutation. Before the correct cause was found and protective measures were taken, the death toll was enormous. It's also hereditary. You should understand how tragic the outcome was."
"So this sample is at least not a successful one."
Xu Huo frowned. "But a certain gene mutation in this sample can curb the onset of Black Thorn Disease."
"Two years have passed, and the xenomorph you mentioned carrying the pathogenic gene hasn't died."
Dr. Deng frowned as well. "Did he undergo genetic editing? That shouldn't be possible."
After the game world began its overall evolution, almost all human genetic editing attempts had failed. It wasn't that no one had thought of using this method to obtain stronger, more perfect players. But evolution itself was unpredictable. Even if scientists understood every cell and every gene, a child edited according to specific needs would still undergo irreversible changes during growth. Many inexplicable new diseases were minor issues—just the loss of some experimental samples. But some children's brains would develop problems, turning them into ticking time bombs.
"Genetic editing is prohibited at all wormhole points. Where did he get the instruments to perform genetic editing?"
"Maybe he's a genius who doesn't need too advanced instruments to do it," Xu Huo said.
(End of Chapter)