I Have A Super USB Drive

by <unknown>

  Thousands of solar photovoltaic panels were erected at the same time as the laboratories. Each panel had an output of 6kW.

  No fewer than a thousand solar panels, which stretched further than the eye could see, formed a dense blanket over 1000 hectares of land.

  In mid-April, as the "Blacklight Biotechnology Namibian Nuclear Power Plant" project was about to begin, the "Blacklight Biotechnology Experimental Center" was successfully completed.

  In these two months, the biological equipment purchased in Switzerland finally passed the export inspection and was then shipped to Namibia.

  "Please take a look. This will be your experimental center."

  On the day of completion, a group of construction managers crowded around Chen Chen. One of them, who was the best speaker, pointed to a columnar building covered in solar panels and smiled. "In full accordance with your planning, we've designed the first two floors as a duplex structure, forming an experimental hall. The area of this hall is an astonishing 5000 square meters.

  "At the same time, the main entrance of the experimental building is on the second floor. To enter through the main entrance, you'd have to go up the outdoor stairs first. After entering, you'd immediately see the vast lobby and the office area."

  As he spoke, he guided Chen Chen's group into the laboratory building.

  "Of course, a side door is also installed on the first floor. If you don't want to head up the second floor, you can enter through the side door. The rooms around the second floor can be used as offices or as lounges and storerooms.

  "As for the basement level, it's the parking lot."

  As he spoke, the guide led Chen Chen and the others to the elevator and arrived at the third floor. "The third floor is still the office space. There's also a large conference hall that can accommodate a thousand people for meetings involving every employee in the research institute. It's only on the fourth floor that one officially enters the space for experiments.

  "The laboratories on the fourth floor are basic ones. Four data rooms and two server rooms are also built here."

  After reaching the fourth floor, the guide did not bring them further up but merely explained, "The fifth and sixth floors comprised a dozen biological labs with different functions, with biosafety levels from BSL-1 to BSL-3.

  "As for the top floor, it consists of four complete biological laboratories which are still under construction. There are two cell labs and two animal labs. Each lab comes with its own dressing zone, filtration zone, buffer zone, disinfection zone, and so on. They're specially outfitted with positive pressure protective suits, airtight doors, chemical showers, air filtration systems, and other facilities.

  "Moreover, the entire seventh floor is fully sealed off and the four labs within are of the highest international level, BSL-4 and ABSL-4."

  Chen Chen nodded. "We don't have to look at those until the construction's done. Let's visit the other two dormitory buildings and the activity center first."

  "Very well, follow me…"

  The group left the laboratory building and headed toward the dormitory buildings that were newly built beside the labs.

  After he had exited the laboratory building, Chen Chen turned back to glance at this towering structure with a flash of emotion in his eyes.

  Many people did not understand why Chen Chen would spend so much to build a BSL-4 experimental center in such an impoverished country.

  After all, BSL-4 level laboratories were rare in the entire Federation and most of them were state-owned.

  Furthermore, the import cost of materials alone was two to three times that of the research centers located in Switzerland, not to mention the lack of personnel and medical supplies.

  If Switzerland was a paradise for the biological industry, then this place was an undeveloped barren desert.

  Chen Chen knew that if he continued expanding in Switzerland, it might be much easier than it was now. However, it was similar to a piece of farmland that was already occupied by someone else. He would only be borrowing the land. When he had harvested his crops that were grown through bitter work, he would still have to give up more than half of his yield.

  Only by reclaiming the desert could he extract the most benefit.

  Chapter 92: Contact Again |

  Deep into the night, in the wealthy coastal area of Cape Town, a private manor that was as luxurious as a royal palace was shrouded in a strange silence.

  It was as heavily guarded as a palace. One could hardly take one step without running into a sentry or a guard. Dozens of bodyguards dressed in black patrolled tirelessly within the grounds, alert to even the tiniest movement of a blade of grass.

  In the heart of the private estate, in a bedroom of highest security, a skinny, haggard-looking man lay asleep. There was nothing left of his former glory.

  It was Dlamini, who had lost a lot of weight.

  If he was once called a lion, then after the kidnapping incident, he had become a cruel, paranoid jackal.

  In the past three months, Dlamini's temperament had changed drastically from a calm, strategizing man to someone who beat and scolded his underlings at every turn. Some of his cronies, due to certain minor mistakes, were even tied up in burlap sacks and drowned in the sea.

  He was visibly much thinner. His once sturdy frame had gradually shrunk. Add this to his frost-white complexion, and anyone would believe that he was seventy years old, let alone fifty.

  Everyone found that Dlamini had changed. Now, he was afraid of the cold and of light, plagued by a perpetual sense of insecurity. He dared not even go out the door. He just locked himself in his manor all day long, dealing with his own affairs.

  Currently, Dlamini was sleeping on the wide oak bed. The room was scented with soothing agarwood but his furrowed brows indicated that he was not sleeping well at the moment.

  "Beep, notification of task!"

  Suddenly, a cold, mechanical female voice barged into Dlamini's mind. In an instant, his eyes flew open, filled with endless bloodshot veins.

  "You again!"

  Dlamini's pupils contracted as he grumbled in a low voice.

  By now, he was no longer in the same pathetic state he was in the first time he heard this voice. After all, he was a formidable character who had held life and death in his hands. Three months was enough for him to prepare for this.

  He drew in a deep breath and immediately barked coldly. "Speak!"

  "No. Gamma20220001, you've received a task from Sigma05. Please turn on your computer within half an hour to check it."

  "Turn on the computer?"

  Dlamini was silent for a moment. He did not turn on the lights but moved to his desk in the dark and turned on his laptop. "Then?"

  "Beep?"

  However, before Dlamini could finish his question, the screen of the laptop he had just turned on suddenly went black. The original interface of the laptop transformed into a black and red pattern.

  Dlamini squinted and groped around the side of his desk. At last, he took out a pair of reading glasses and put them on.

  Only then could he see the image on the laptop.

  It was a black and red circular pattern, otherwise known as a logo.

  In the logo, two hands were about to touch, set against a blood-red backdrop.

  The two hands reached in from both sides of the logo. The one on the left was lower down, while the right one extended an index figure. It was as if the two fingers were about to touch.

  The structure and position of this pattern reminded Dlamini of a fresco painting in the Sistine Chapel of Vatican City.

  It was a mural called Genesis.

  The hand on the left represented the human, Adam while the right hand represented God, Jehovah.

  Nevertheless, unlike the mural, the hand representing God in the logo was not a human hand but a fully mechanical structure.

  When Dlamini saw this, he suddenly realized that this logo was the symbol of that mysterious organization.

  "Mr. D
lamini."

  Just as Dlamini felt overcome with awe, a human voice rang out from the computer.

  "Who's there?"

  Dlamini shuddered and his body tensed up instinctively, but he relaxed again in the next moment. He simply asked in a disbelieving voice, "Who are you? How did you hack into my computer?"

  "We've met before, Mr. Dlamini."

  This was what the husky, youthful voice said.

  When Dlamini heard this, his pupils shrank. He instantly recalled that gloomy, bloody living room, that cheap, trashy hotel…

  It was a nightmare he did not wish to revisit.

  "Don't panic, Mr. Dlamini. Let me introduce myself properly."

  However, today seemed different. This voice did not seem to be mocking him, only solemnly proclaiming, "I belong to the 'God's Forbidden Zone' organization and I'm one of the members of the Disciple Council. My number is 05 and you can call me —

  "Judas."

  Judas?

  Dlamini inhaled sharply. The information in this greeting was explosively momentous. God's Forbidden Zone, the Disciple Council, code number, and Judas…

  What sort of organization had he been dragged into?

  "Mr. Dlamini, your current status in the organization is due to a recruitment process I've developed. Initially, you belonged to the lowest Delta-level but because you've completed the A-level task given by the organization three months ago, we made an exception and promoted you to Gamma-level."

  The voice slowly said, "I apologize. As your mentor, I haven't done the best job. I didn't teach you what to do at the beginning, so I'm determined to give you compensation."

  After a pause, the voice added. "Of course, you can also choose to refuse."

  Recruitment process? Compensation?

  Dlamini's throat felt dry. He wanted to burst out yelling at this voice, but his rationality stopped him in time. He could only swallow his frustration and asked hoarsely, "Before that, can I learn more about this organization you speak of?"

  "Of course."

  The voice paused and then said, "Our God's Forbidden Zone is a group of people who are brought together by their commitment to pursue longevity and even immortality. Our members come from all over the Federation. Whether in the West or the East or right where you are, we've made our mark."

  As the voice spoke, Dlamini noticed the image on the computer had changed and a document appeared. "I've sent you our organization's handbook. But please, don't try to print it or record it in any other way. Otherwise, you know what will happen."

  The voice contained no trace of a threat but when Dlamini heard this, he trembled all over. Subconsciously, he touched the back of his neck and his face turned pale.

  The document mentioned by the voice was a lengthy agreement. It included the important notes of God's Forbidden Zone as well as an explanation of the God chip.

  Only then did Dlamini understood for the first time what the h*ll was in that wound behind his neck…

  "The God chip is a kind of biological brain that assists human beings in work and life. You could say that it's a sort of technological revolution, an intelligent auxiliary system for the new generation of humans. You can use it to record everything you see and ask it to transmit the video over the network whenever you need it.

  "At the same time, it can connect to the Internet anytime and anywhere, looking up information for you or guide you when you encounter a problem.

  "When you're in danger, it can even call the police automatically or take over your body to help you escape or kill your opponent.

  "One by one, these functions will become accessible to you as your level in the organization increases…

  "This is the God chip."

  The voice said serenely, "Surely now you understand. The fact that we chose you isn't a misfortune. It just might be your opportunity for true glory."

  Finally, the voice said in a hushed tone, "Mr. Dlamini, do you want to become the next Mandela?"

  Dlamini's pupils flared fiercely.

  Chapter 93: Pie in the Sky |

  "What are you saying?"

  Dlamini felt his heart skipping a beat. He suddenly recalled how he had been thwarted in his political career.

  Six years ago was the closest he had ever been to becoming the Mayor of Cape Town. As the representative of the African National Congress (ANC) political party in Cape Town, he was practically guaranteed to become the next mayor.

  However, what a shame that, during that year, the ANC suffered its biggest hit in 94 years. It had not only lost Cape Town but also its political stronghold in Pretoria and Johannesburg…

  "Mr. Dlamini, if your contributions to the organization are sufficient, it'd be nothing for us to make you the leader of the ANC or even the president of the Rainbow Nation," the voice said lightly.

  "How can I trust you?" Dlamini narrowed his eyes and retorted.

  "You don't have to trust me." The voice chuckled. "It's a bit early to be discussing all this. Sooner or later, you'll understand the power of God's Forbidden Zone. Let's talk about your compensation first. 1000 information points or a one-time stem cell age-reversal treatment that will be developed soon. Pick one."

  Dlamini frowned at once. "What are 'information points' and what's a 'stem cell age-reversal treatment'?"

  "Information points are the main currency in God's Forbidden Zone. Its functions aren't varied, but it is very useful. For example, you can buy any information that you wish to obtain."

  The voice thought about it, then continued explaining, "For instance, who supports your political opponent, why your votes are always fewer than theirs, who is pulling the strings from behind the scenes… As long as you have enough information points, you may purchase all this information to understand your enemy and yourself better."

  "God's Forbidden Zone even knows about the internal affairs of the Rainbow Nation?" Dlamini asked incredulously.

  "We know more than you think."

  The voice continued. "If you don't believe me, let me give you a piece of news. Because you haven't shown yourself for some time now, your subordinate, Freid has secretly made an agreement with your political enemy, Hoffman. In the next few days, the three companies under your name will fall into their hands."

  As the voice spoke, the laptop automatically displayed a few videos, all taken from surveillance. All of them featured Freid meeting another man.

  "Freid…"

  Dlamini's pupils shrank and an icy chill could be felt in the air. As he recalled Freid's recent strange behavior, he immediately knew that the person on the other side of the laptop was right.

  "Every victory and failure in this world is caused by information asymmetry. The advent of the Internet has left everyone with no place to cover their tracks. As long as there's a network, that's where God's Forbidden Zone is omnipotent."

  Dlamini fell silent at once. After a long time, he composed himself and inquired, "So, can the information points be exchanged?"

  "Information points cannot be obtained with money for the time being. They can only be acquired through tasks or transactions with other members.

  "Of course, you can take on the missions of other members to earn information points. Presently, God's Forbidden Zone estimates the value of one information point to be — ten thousand USD."

  "One point is worth ten thousand USD?" When Dlamini heard this figure, he could not help inhaling sharply, even though he was worth billions. "Are you serious?"

  "Are there any other questions? If not, then make your choice." The voice was unwilling to explain further.

  "Stem cell age-reversal treatment, that's what you mentioned!" Dlamini hurriedly asked, "what's this technology? How can it compare to information points worth ten million USD?"

  The voice did not respond immediately. Dlamini thought that his question was not heard and was about to repeat himself when another file was sent over.

  "You may take a look at this if you can understand it."

  Dlamini looked
at the file at once and saw that it was a biological analysis report.

  Although the technical terms and the accompanying biological gene maps were rather confounding, all this aside, the remaining content was truly astonishing.

  Ten minutes later, Dlamini's eyes shimmered with excitement, which quickly faded away. "I can understand some of this. But the technology has only been successful in animal test subjects. Are there no successful cases with humans?"

  "According to the data, this technology is two-thirds completed."

  The voice explained, "Currently, the age-reversal treatment for chimpanzees is ninety percent successful. The only chimpanzee that died was the oldest one among those that went through the experiment. It was akin to an old person above eighty years old. Besides that one, the other nine chimpanzees were a success.

  "As for the human cases you speak of, God's Forbidden Zone estimates the completion of this project to take half a year. In other words, in just around six months, this technology could be fully developed."

  The voice added one more caveat. "This project isn't suitable for people of all ages. Doing it too young would be a waste, doing it too old would be too risky. Mr. Dlamini, you're sixty years old now, which happens to be the most appropriate age."

  Dlamini was tempted once again.

  He silently spread his hands, looking at the aged rough skin of his palms, then the drying, flaking skin on the back of his hands. There was an irrepressible glint of desire in his eyes.

  No one wished to become old.

  He looked into the mirror every day, watching that familiar face changing from childhood to youth, then from youth to middle age. When even the middle-aged face began to sag and wrinkle, humans became suddenly conscious of the fact that they were no longer young…

  When their once-energetic body became injured or sprained after a single round of exercise, when their physical strength could not hold up any longer, that was when people received a rude shock — it turned out that they were no longer young.