When Zuo Feng saw that Professor Yan had finally calmed down, his expression softened slightly, and his tone became a bit gentler: "Professor Yan, I'm not stopping your research, but it needs to be progressive. You understand this principle better than I do.
We haven't fully understood the Six Slanted Strokes yet, let alone rashly coming into contact with the burial coffin wood and the Mutant with thirteen vertical strokes.
Moreover, Professor Yan, haven't you had enough research topics recently?
The analysis of the Six-Slash Zombie, research on Super Individual safety, perfect individual speculation and feasibility, pathogen detection or inhibitory agents, and antidotes.
I also heard that with Xiao Mi Tao's help, you took samples of the Azure Sky Ancient Tree and the Clear Shadow Divine Tree for research, and there are many other topics waiting for you to advance, such as the efficacy of the corpse-attracting tree and the gourd vine.
What's more, the three newly acquired mutant plants—the Ink-Eyed Vine, the Ice Crystal Pomegranate Tree, and the Blazing Tree—will also be handed over to you for research soon.
The resources and topics you have at hand are already abundant, and each one could lead to groundbreaking discoveries.
Please don't scatter your energy on these two terrifying forbidden existences for now."
Upon hearing this, Professor Yan's tightly pursed lips, which had been due to his unwillingness, finally relaxed, and a trace of embarrassment, as if he had been enlightened, appeared on his face.
He rubbed his bloodshot eyes, "You're right, Leader." His voice was hoarse, and the fervent flame ignited by the burial coffin wood and the thirteen-vertical-stroke Mutant was largely extinguished by the pressure of reality.
"It's me... I was too impatient.
These forbidden existences are like heavenly scriptures thrown in my face, each word a thunderclap, but I don't even have the basic tools to decipher them."
He wearily took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose hard.
"Just the cellular structure and energy circulation patterns of the Six Slanted Strokes are enough to overturn most of my life's biological theories; the research on the stability and safety of Super Individuals has only just begun to be outlined; as for the Azure Sky Ancient Tree and the Clear Shadow Divine Tree... their modes of existence are unheard of, completely incompatible with Earth's ecosystem... and there's the analysis of the corpse-attracting tree's pheromone components, the preliminary observation report of the gourd vine's spatial distortion...
Alas, every single one of these is a topic that would consume a lifetime of effort."
He put his glasses back on and glanced with a complex gaze at the burial coffin wood, which stood quietly exuding an invisible pressure, and the Mutant in the metal coffin, like a sleeping deity. There was still an indelible desire for exploration in his eyes, but it was now tempered with a bit more restraint.
Then, he said seriously: "Leader, regarding pathogen detection, we have made a major breakthrough!"
Zuo Feng's eyes lit up, and his body leaned slightly forward, "Tell me about it."
Professor Yan nodded, his expression revealing undisguised excitement, "We have finally found a stable detection method, thanks to the leaves of the corpse-attracting tree, the Azure Sky Ancient Tree, and the Clear Shadow Divine Tree.
The corpse-attracting tree can stimulate the rapid outbreak of the new symbiotic zombie virus. I originally intended to use its leaf sap as a trigger, but no matter how much it was diluted, it would instantly activate the zombie virus. Although it could be used as a detection agent, the price was that people would immediately transform into a zombie state.
Without an suppressant, this explosive power could not be controlled. I once thought of neutralizing it with diluted life crystal, but the experimental results were always unsatisfactory.
However, I found that after the appearance of the Azure Sky Ancient Tree and the Clear Shadow Divine Tree, the biological signals transmitted by the confined Six-Slash Zombie were completely blocked.
Through comparison, the leaves of these two divine trees contain an unknown stabilizing factor that can neutralize the extreme activity of the corpse-attracting tree sap without destroying the triggering mechanism.
In the experiment, we mixed extremely small amounts of Azure Sky Ancient Tree and Clear Shadow Divine Tree leaf extracts in specific proportions, then added a trace amount of corpse-attracting tree leaf sap, and combined it with diluted life crystal to form a completely new compound solution.
Experimental data shows that this solution successfully suppresses uncontrolled transformation reactions while activating the manifestation of the zombie virus, making it perfectly usable as a detection agent!
However, Leader, this agent can only detect pathogens; it cannot be used for treatment or inhibition.
This means that people carrying the new symbiotic zombie virus will still fully erupt when the time comes, almost irreversibly.
As for antidote research, apart from the life crystal, there is currently no breakthrough, not even a direction."
Zuo Feng was silent for a moment, his brows furrowed. He sat back on the sofa, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest. After his gaze lingered on Professor Yan's face for a long time, he slowly spoke, "Professor Yan, what is the cost of this detection agent?"
After all, the leaves of the Azure Sky Ancient Tree and the Clear Shadow Divine Tree, the leaves of the corpse-attracting tree, and the life crystal are all extremely precious materials, and too many people need to be tested. If the cost is too high, he cannot afford it.
Professor Yan's face broke into a relieved smile, his tone filled with pride, "The cost is indeed not low, but the good news is that, according to estimates, the amount of materials required for each detection agent, after precise proportioning, is extremely low. Especially the extracts of the Azure Sky Ancient Tree and the Clear Shadow Divine Tree, only nanoscale amounts are needed to be effective.
Although the corpse-attracting tree leaf sap is highly active, one leaf can extract enough active components for hundreds of millions of doses. Although the life crystal is scarce, it only acts as an auxiliary stabilizer in the proportioning, and the amount used is extremely small. It can be said that one hundred million doses only require less than one-tenth of a life crystal.
Therefore, although the main raw materials are precious, the cost per single agent is actually controlled within an acceptable range, making it especially suitable for large-scale production."
After hearing this, Zuo Feng's eyes lit up slightly, but then he quickly regained his composure, "Very good, time waits for no one. If there are no problems, mass-produce it immediately!"
Professor Yan nodded affirmingly and replied, "Leader, although science emphasizes rigor, the raw materials are all substances beyond what existing science can explain. From the experimental data, we have mastered a sufficiently stable proportioning scheme, but to truly confirm the effect, we must conduct in-vivo experiments, which require a large number of people and a long time. Leader, we simply cannot complete all experiments before a large-scale outbreak of the new symbiotic virus.
However, from the analysis of experimental data, the stability and safety of the agent have reached the theoretical limit. The only thing not verified is its actual performance in large-scale application.
I suggest directly deploying it for small-scale trials in severely affected areas, and verifying the agent's effectiveness through data feedback from actual environments.
This will save time and quickly obtain performance data in real-world applications, providing a basis for subsequent large-scale promotion."
Professor Yan's meaning was clear: directly deploying the agent for trial in Dream City. Although there was a slight risk, this was the only feasible method.
Zuo Feng remained silent, the rhythm of his fingers tapping the sofa armrest gradually quickening. Professor Yan's proposal could be said to be the most feasible plan at present.
The situation in Dream City was already grim. If the detection agent was not released, once the pathogen erupted, the civilians inside would be extremely difficult to save, because without being able to detect infected individuals, the Three Overlord Powers of H City would absolutely not dare to accept personnel from Dream City.
Zuo Feng pondered for a moment, his gaze gradually firming, "Alright, let's do as you say. I will have Yue Jiaxue immediately arrange for the mass production of the agent and the deployment plan for Dream City."