Under the brim of his black hat, the supervisor revealed a faint, meaningful smile as he spoke:
"This is exactly what intrigues me — how such a corrosive foreign organism is willing to coexist with you. When your body died, it could have sought another host, yet it chose to expend its limited vital energy repairing your body, even linking your consciousness with its main nerve... I have my theories about the fundamental reason behind all this, but it requires deeper research."
"Moreover, according to the intelligence I currently control, our country has not acquired the core of this unknown plant organism. Even the first 'antimatter missile' strike failed to destroy the core of this dangerous plant. There's a strong possibility that the plant inside your body right now is precisely that core."
Yu Jing froze for a moment, recalling how it all began — spotting a suspicious news snippet in the corner of a newspaper, coming to the Class A urban district to try and win the three million needed for his mother's surgery. Now, for no apparent reason, he was caught up in such a huge affair.
After about five seconds of stunned silence, Yu Jing gathered his thoughts and asked, "What do you think the reason is?"
The supervisor casually pulled out Yu Jing's detailed medical report from the special file archive at the city's health center. Within it, the latent 'Kami Mo' virus entry was marked with a special symbol by the supervisor.
"Perhaps it relates to this new virus strain. Currently, there's no substantial data on the 'Kami Mo' virus anywhere worldwide. The active form of the virus is actually a degenerative manifestation — one we can treat and repair with current methods. But the latent virus is an advanced state, a biological barrier yet to be broken through in scientific research."
From the supervisor's words, Yu Jing realized that his survival might be connected to this latent virus — a virus that should have meant his death. The irony was bitter. Yet the most important thing was, he also saw hope for curing his mother.
"The active virus can be treated. My mother is infected with the active strain. Could you help her?"
At this, the supervisor extended a hand to stop him: "This is your second request since arriving at my research institute. Everything in this society is measured by 'equivalent exchange.' There is no substantial relationship between you and me. Why should I simply give you help out of charity?"
Yu Jing quickly replied, "I'm willing to meet your conditions… If I'm not mistaken, you want to study my body and the plant inside it. As long as you can cure my mother, I'll agree to any research plan. If you want to remove this foreign organism from my body, I won't refuse either."
The supervisor smiled and said, "I have great faith in your adaptability and responsiveness. You're a host highly compatible with this unknown external organism. Why would I want to separate it? Also, I need you to willingly provide your body for study. But the research won't take place here — this institute is government property, and all data here can be accessed directly by the central government."
"Perhaps you still don't understand the importance of the foreign organism inside you. If the plant in your body is exposed, considering national security, you will be erased completely within half an hour. All information about you will be deleted, and everyone connected to you will forget you ever existed... Even I would face at least fifty years imprisonment for 'harboring a criminal.'"
"You must understand, the reason I didn't turn you over immediately is because of a personal selfishness. It is precisely because of this selfishness that you can sit here negotiating with me, that you still have the right to live in this society."
Yu Jing had already analyzed his situation and was certain that the supervisor had no reason to lie.
Recalling the entire process of his discovery, Yu Jing asked, "Supervisor, I have a question. Were the black-clad men who found me in the forest from your institute?"
"Of course. Anyone could have exposed your information — I trust no one else."
"What do you want me to do? Since I can't use the facilities here, how can I cooperate with your research?"
Yu Jing was already preparing for the worst, guessing he might be taken by this supervisor to another special zone or even a secret research facility in a remote wilderness for inhumane experiments.
"It's simpler than you think. Your records show you just graduated this year, right? Your test scores were excellent, but you didn't achieve the ideal results… What I want you to do is enroll in the Academy of Abilities."
"The Academy of Abilities?" Yu Jing couldn't immediately understand what the supervisor meant.
"Not an ordinary academy, but a special one I specifically chose for you. Our institute was originally established to select elite talent from society and send them to this academy. The best performer from the tests will be sent for advanced training. This is your 'notice.'"
The supervisor pulled out a finely crafted A3-sized envelope from his pocket.
"So the tests were truly for selection? I wasn't wrong… Can I open it?"
"By all means."
Yu Jing tore open the envelope and found a pitch-black notice inside, with bold dark-golden characters emblazoned at the center:
— Dihua Academy of Abilities —
A striking and imposing name. Below it, a short message was printed:
Disciple Yu Jing:
Our academy has decided to enroll you in the Genetics Department. Please report to the academy with this notice on September 1st, 2139.
Along with the notice, a bank card slipped out.
"This is the 'Credit Card' issued to every newcomer. You'll understand its full functions once you enroll. I won't waste time explaining here. Outside the academy, this card works as a normal bank card. I've already transferred 3.5 million into it as your reward for passing the test."
Those words from the supervisor struck Yu Jing deeply — three and a half million meant the surgery fee for his mother.
"Th-thank you..." Though he still harbored resentment toward the supervisor, this money was far too important to ignore.
"No need to thank me. This is an exchange for your earlier request for proper clothing. Also, the matter of treating your mother is my help to you — in return, you will assist me by allowing research on your body while at the academy. The Dihua Academy's authority is equivalent to the government itself; all information is strictly confidential and will never be leaked."
"Research will be conducted at the academy? So you're—" Yu Jing's sharp mind quickly pieced it together.
"I am the commissioner of the Genetics Department at Dihua Academy of Abilities. This is a provisional four-year contract that you must sign."
The supervisor pulled out a special contract. Yu Jing could already guess its content — agreeing to any form of research the commissioner requires during his time at the academy, with no refusals allowed.
Given the situation, the opportunity to attend the academy and save his mother far outweighed any concerns about bodily research. Surviving alone already felt like a blessing.
The moment he signed his name, Yu Jing suddenly felt as if something was watching him from the darkness...