Superpower Private Hospital.
Monitoring Room.
"General Manager Xiao Wu, the next test subject for the Source Blood Project is ready. It's him."
The dean, wearing thick glasses and a white coat, tapped on a small section of the surveillance footage on the big screen.
That small section quickly enlarged, filling the entire screen.
In the frame was a hospital ward, where a pale, gaunt young boy lay on the bed, staring blankly at the pure white ceiling.
"He doesn't look very smart," said the tall young man named General Manager Xiao Wu, adjusting his gold-framed glasses with a smile.
"Yes, this test subject usually seems quite dull and isn't very sensitive to changes in the environment," the dean responded.
"My father wonders if this person... is safe?" inquired General Manager Xiao Wu.
The dean understood and quickly replied, "Absolutely safe.
"The test subject's name is Bai Pu. He has a congenital heart disease and was abandoned by his parents, growing up in a shelter. Due to his deteriorating health, he dropped out of middle school, has no classmates or friends, and very clean social ties. He's a marginal person whose death on the streets would go unnoticed.
"Of course, for legality, we signed a clinical medical agreement with him under the guise of trying out a heart disease special effect drug."
General Manager Xiao Wu nodded and asked, "Why does this test subject look like he's on the brink of death?"
The dean explained, "Possibly due to a lack of blood supply from the heart, his internal organs have suffered varying degrees of failure, and his muscle fibers have severely atrophied... Optimistically, his remaining lifespan is less than a year."
After pausing, the dean continued, "Strangely, the severity of his organ failure and muscle atrophy far exceeds that of typical heart disease patients, as if there's an invisible black hole inside his body, frantically seizing the blood pumped by his heart."
"Dean Zhao, why choose a heart disease patient for the Source Blood Project?" General Manager Xiao Wu asked, somewhat discontented.
Dean Zhao confidently stated, "Rest assured, according to preliminary sample comparisons, this test subject's compatibility with 'Source Blood' far exceeds the previous three subjects! I'm confident he can stay conscious and not be influenced by the evolutionary instinct of the Evolutionary Source Blood!"
As he spoke, Dean Zhao displayed a thick stack of documents in his hand, "The data doesn't lie. I guarantee with this stack of experimental records that there will definitely be a breakthrough in the Source Blood Project this time!"
...
Room 3072.
Bai Pu's eyes were vacant, seemingly unfocused as he stared at the ceiling.
"11247 multiplied by 99821 equals 1122686787..."
"11248 multiplied by 99820 equals 1122775360..."
No one knew what this seemingly stupid, pale, and frail boy was thinking.
Creak, the ward door opened, and several people in white coats pushed in a stretcher.
[Four people, two men, two women, the leading male, wearing a headset, about forty years old, with four acne scars on his face, dark circles around his eyes, nostrils slanted at 62°, with seven nasal hairs exposed, two long and five short... Lips... Body... Skin condition... Movement trajectory... Stride... Pace...]
[Second person...]
With just a brief glance, Bai Pu's head was flooded with information, causing an instant swelling pain in his brain and a blackout before his eyes.
Bai Pu hurriedly withdrew his gaze and refocused on the ceiling.
"11249 multiplied by 99819 equals 1122863931..."
It's still more mentally conserving to do these basic calculations.
The medical staff lifted Bai Pu to place him on the stretcher.
Bai Pu symbolically "struggled" with all his might.
The medical staff dared not use too much force. Bai Pu's wrists were as skinny as dry twigs, and they worried about snapping them by accident.
"Dean, the patient is highly resistant, requesting injection of a sedative to forcibly remove him." The lead white coat said into the headset.
A clear response came through the earphones:
"No, the test subject must remain conscious now. No drugs affecting the central nervous system should be injected!"
After a pause, the voice in the headset continued, "The test subject might have developed environmental dependence. In consideration of the importance of the test subject's good mental state, temporarily change the experiment venue. Bring the experimental apparatus to Room 3072 to conduct the Source Blood injection experiment on site!"
Dean Zhao was clearly explaining to the nearby General Manager Xiao Wu. Although Xiao Wu's position in the group wasn't high, he had another identity—the vice president's son, representing the vice president's authority!
Bai Pu was carefully put back onto the hospital bed and laid down again. A nurse with peach blossom eyes even gave him a gentle smile, seemingly to comfort him.
Bai Pu closed his eyes and pondered silently:
[The experimental records included a conclusion to 'value the emotional state of the test subject'... Judging by the current testing, this step was well taken. Having the experiment venue in the hospital ward at least gives me the advantage of location, one preparation among the backup plans can come in handy...]
Three months ago.
Dragging his declining body, Bai Pu signed the trial drug agreement with Superpower Private Hospital.
The hospital thought Bai Pu was simple-minded, a semi-illiterate who hadn't even finished middle school, easy to manipulate.
But Bai Pu spotted the traps in the complicated terms with just a glance at the contract.
The "theoretical" 90% cure rate, the informed consent on "unexpected risks," the additional clause on "donating the body"... Everything pointed out that this agreement was entirely designed to recruit guinea pigs, organizing everything from being admitted to being interred.
But Bai Pu had no choice.
The heavens had granted him less than a year to live!
So, knowing full well it was a setup, Bai Pu still chose to sign.