006 wasn't optimistic about this project. Countries could at least exchange information with each other, but who could their clandestine lab share data with? How much money would need to be invested!
If bioweapons weren't novel enough, then what about bio-humans and clone projects—wasn't that a bit horrifying? Weren't they biting off more than they could chew?
You know what you're capable of, and I know what I'm capable of—be realistic.
To encourage 006, Bella said: "Don't worry, I have it figured out. Originally I was concerned about ethical issues, but bioviruses have given me a new solution. We don't need to clone people—we can clone individual organs. Using the Stairway of the Sun for extracorporeal circulation is technically feasible."
"Really?" 006 imagined that scene—a heart growing on a plant? Cut it down whenever needed?
Objectively speaking, this was indeed gentler than cloning a living person and then harvesting organs by force. But was this actually doable?
"Yes."
Bella gave him an extremely definitive answer.
She wouldn't expose a trump card like the Apple of Eden, but it was her greatest confidence.
Scientific research often required luck. There were thousands of research paths. You might find the right direction, have correct thinking, charge in wholeheartedly, and finally produce results.
More often, people wandered outside the door, trying this path for two steps—let's see? Discovering something wrong, quickly retreating, then trying a new path, testing back and forth until ultimately achieving nothing.
Upon seeing someone else's paper, they'd slap their thigh and sigh, 'Ah! I did that experiment too, but didn't persist!'
Scientific research was often very cruel. Hard work didn't necessarily guarantee returns.
The Apple of Eden's function was to determine research direction and prove the correctness of certain approaches. Bella just needed to find a qualified research team and follow the established path. Completely copying Isu technology definitely wouldn't work, but it had enormous reference value.
"What about the research team?"
"Don't worry, I already have some candidates." She spoke with certainty.
006 barely believed her. In his view, this witch Bella must be using some mysterious method to find people, perhaps even finding ghosts, just like the machete-wielding one beside her.
Leaving Texas, Bella hurried to New York, a place of outstanding people and countless hidden talents.
...
Biology Ph.D. Miles Warren was a well-known madman in his field. He had fanatical passion for human cloning experiments and was an outstanding but somewhat insane scientist.
He was hired by Empire State University to serve as the school's biology professor.
He didn't like teaching—not one bit—but to obtain experimental materials and facilities, he bit the bullet and accepted this job.
As soon as teaching duties ended, he'd immerse himself in the laboratory, experimentally verifying his brilliant or insane ideas.
However, he'd been much quieter these past few days because he'd caused trouble!
Professor Miles Warren had spliced jackal and human genes together, creating a jackal-human hybrid.
The combination of human thought and jackal hunting instincts caused the jackal-man to flee the laboratory in panic, disappearing into the night.
Miles Warren had many crazy ideas, but he was essentially an ordinary person. He had a wife and children. Buy him a drink and he'd be happy; dock his pay and he'd curse.
These past few days he'd been especially cautious, both worried that the school would discover his mad experiments and that the jackal-man would find his home.
He was a college professor who couldn't hurt a fly—he had no kidnapping skills. The human genes in the jackal-man were all from his own genes. Calling the jackal-man his brother wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Now, a creature with his own genes and residual memories was hiding somewhere in the city. To say he wasn't afraid would be a lie, but he dared not report it to the police.
These past few days he'd been distracted in class, his experimental thinking sluggish. He requested leave from school to rest for a few days.
Actually, he wanted to take his wife and child away to avoid the storm.
He used his key to open the door. As soon as he set down his briefcase and coat, he sensed something wrong.
The feeling was very subtle—a bone-chilling tremor.
He rushed into the bedroom and saw his wife and child huddled in the corner trembling, while a tall, gray-furred humanoid creature stood before them.
"Come at me! You beast!" Miles Warren grabbed the bedside lamp, apparently wanting to scare off the intruder.
The jackal-man's mouth corners curled into a cold, cruel smile. Its muscles were developed, its movements incredibly fast. It grabbed the lamp from Professor Warren's hand like a toy and casually tossed it aside.
Human wisdom shone through the jackal's turbid eyes. It looked at Professor Warren, then at his wife and child, opened its mouth wide, and growled twice from its throat.
It was jealous of Miles Warren—jealous that he had a wife and child. And what about itself? Nothing. A born freak!
It wanted revenge, wanted a mad slaughter!
Just as it bared its claws, preparing to kill with abandon, there was a knock at the door: "Hello, is Professor Miles Warren home?"
A young woman's voice called from the door. When no one answered, she called out two more times.
The jackal-man knew it couldn't survive in human society and knew how powerful human weapons were. No matter how developed its muscles, no matter how high it could jump or fast it could run, faced with a hail of bullets, it would still die.
If it didn't want to end up in another laboratory being dissected, it had to keep a low profile.
Its expression darkened as it slowly moved into the shadows, escaping through the window.
Miles Warren hugged his wife and child, the three of them clinging together, crying bitterly—heartbreaking enough to move anyone who heard.
When Bella pushed the door open, this was the scene she encountered.
Her recruitment pitch stuck in her throat. With them so grief-stricken, anything she said now seemed inappropriate.
She awkwardly greeted them: "Um, Professor Warren, well... you're busy, I'll come back to visit later."
Only then did Miles Warren notice an extra person in the room. He had no time to ask how she'd gotten in.
"Run quickly! Quick! Call the police! Call the FBI!"
The old man had barely finished speaking when a figure rushed out from the shadows—the returning jackal-man. It had figured it out too. Either way, it was killing. Killing one or two seemed to make no difference. Tonight it would slaughter with abandon!
Jackal eyes fixed on Bella. In its view, this human woman had already been scared stiff.
Actually, that wasn't the case at all.
Initially seeing a 'dog head' emerge from the shadows, Bella thought this was a pet Miles Warren kept. But the subsequently emerging body and limbs proved she was wrong.
This thing's thoughts were extremely chaotic. Her sixth sense couldn't distinguish friend from foe, which prevented her from acting immediately.