The controversy surrounding the liquid has temporarily subsided because, according to the investigation, this "physical recovery liquid" was not the product of a scientist's whim, but rather a product from a long time ago... dating back to the period after the Cultural Revolution. It was an important research project of the military, which included not only physical recovery, but also a series of products such as rapid nutritional replenishment, quick hemostasis and tissue regeneration, and local anesthesia.
However, these products are not easy to research, and it was not until recently that there was a major breakthrough in physical recovery fluid... in terms of both cost and technology.
However, Chen Xu also had someone investigate the breakthrough point. The investigation revealed that it was due to a paper published in a prestigious foreign journal that "accelerates the body's citric acid cycle and relieves fatigue." The publisher was D. Smith, a renowned professor at Harvard Medical School.
Is this a coincidence, or is it because Smith is also part of the research team investigating the "greatest hoax of the century"?
However, when Chen Xu asked the X organization, they said that Professor Smith was not a member of the organization. Chen Xu had read the paper, and it was published a year ago, when he had just obtained Xiao Min's supercomputer and had not yet encountered the X organization.
In other words, this Smith should be clean.
This paper caused a great stir in the international academic community, but the general public simply couldn't understand the significance of such research. For the military, however, this paper also served to clear the research experts of any "suspicion," as it garnered a high level of support and presented numerous research data demonstrating that the method was completely harmless to the human body. Consequently, many organizations used this paper to begin research on this drug for rapidly restoring physical strength.
In response, military experts humbly consulted the SMMH about whether other countries might have developed a drug for rapid physical recovery without side effects. The answer was... impossible!
Because any drug that accelerates the body's acid cycle and inhibits lactic acid secretion will more or less affect eosinophils. Therefore, this research was destined to be fruitless… but at the time, the powerful side effects of this research could not be detected!
Otherwise, do you think the biggest scam of the century is that simple?
That destroyed the life's work of nearly two generations of scientists!
However, after this incident, Chen Xu no longer had to train alone in that training base. He was granted special permission to train with the warriors of the Eastern Divine Sword.
And so, a fair-skinned young man appeared in the Eastern Divine Sword Squad.
Actually, the training methods are all pretty much the same. But training with so many people makes a huge difference.
This is a military camp!
If there is any place in this world that has not been polluted by the restless social environment, it is the military camp.
Although there are ruffians and scoundrels in the military, even they have to behave respectfully in the barracks. Even the most ruthless have to be subservient.
Iron discipline results in a stable military camp with a constant flow of soldiers; no one in the camp has any special privileges!
Moreover, there was another major benefit to Chen Xu training with this group of elite Chinese soldiers... it inspired Chen Xu's ambition!
People need to make comparisons to discover their own shortcomings.
Chen Xu is just like that, and he possesses a truly rare quality... he refuses to admit defeat! Even when facing one of China's most elite special forces units, the most elite soldiers, Chen Xu refuses to yield!
Of course. The gap in strength cannot be bridged by sheer grit and determination. In the test, Chen Xu was honored to rank last in the entire team.
However, no one would underestimate this young man.
On the contrary, the three thousand soldiers of the Eastern Divine Sword Brigade were filled with apprehension. They had witnessed Chen Xu, with his indomitable spirit, being the first to wake up every day (his sleep time was much shorter than that of ordinary people) and the last to go to sleep, training relentlessly while others were already resting.
It was the same for one day, two days... a week. A month.
What is genius? Genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration… In scientific research, that 1% inspiration might be more important than the 99% perspiration, but in this kind of training, every drop of sweat brings its reward.
Think about it, compared to those elite special forces soldiers, Chen Xu was practically a greenhorn, a complete novice!
It's not shameful for a complete novice to get last place... Even Chen Xu, who has a strong sense of self-esteem, doesn't feel ashamed. It just motivates him to keep working hard and striving.
However, for the three thousand soldiers of the Eastern Divine Sword Brigade, this was not so simple.
You beat Chen Xu? Of course you should, no doubt about it. You are China's most elite soldiers, and you can't even beat a little kid? You might as well go home!
But what if we lose...
As I just said, even if they don't get kicked out and go home, it's still a disgrace!
But is it really true that you can never lose?
It's really hard to say.
When Chen Xu first joined the Oriental Divine Sword Team, in the most intuitive physical fitness test, the weighted cross-country race, it took him half an hour to reach the finish line, panting heavily. However, in the second test a week later, this time was shortened by a full five minutes.
The third time, twenty minutes apart...
Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. Fortunately, Chen Xu only had three months to train; otherwise, if he had been overtaken, they would have lost face big time!
So, the soldiers, who occasionally slacked off, intensified their training. The battalion commander, deputy commander, and instructors saw this and couldn't help but find it amusing.
Among these training programs, Chen Xu's fighting skills were the most surprising.
At best, a student might grab a brick or a beer bottle and, relying on sheer grit, get into a fight. They might only have the spirit of fighting on despite minor injuries.
However, Chen Xu's fighting skills were clearly trained!
Moreover, their techniques are derived from military combat skills!
Chen Xu was trained by the one-eyed instructor! The military's combat techniques are concise and directly target the opponent's vital points, with the main purpose of killing or subduing the opponent in the shortest amount of time.
Military combat techniques are the same in every country in the world; there are absolutely no fancy tricks involved!
As for Chen Xu, aside from his slightly weaker physical condition... in Instructor Wang's words, his punches weren't hard enough, and his ability to withstand blows wasn't strong enough! ... But in other aspects, even if Chen Xu was inferior to the veteran soldiers, he wasn't far behind!
This couldn't help but amaze the entire Eastern Divine Sword Brigade.
Moreover, this is one of the few events in which Chen Xu was able to win in the Oriental Divine Sword team.
I remember the first time I taught Chen Xu fighting techniques. When the soldier who challenged Chen Xu to a sparring match was subdued by a beautiful grappling move, the entire battalion stared in astonishment… If you'd swept the floor with a broom back then, you'd probably have a whole bunch of eyeballs. Afterwards, his comrades teased him for a long time, and he couldn't help but laugh and curse, "That kid was so unfair! How was I supposed to know he was trained?"
But after that, no one laughed at the soldier anymore.
In the team's martial arts competition, Chen Xu won four out of ten matches and lost six... While it's undeniable that a significant part of Chen Xu's victories was due to others not going all out against him because of his young age, this achievement was still quite astonishing.
And one more thing, that is... firearms!
Chen Xu is quite skilled with a gun!
This is even more surprising than Chen Xu's fighting skills!
Because combat skills are easy to learn; at least you can find someone to teach you. But what about marksmanship? In China, let alone ordinary citizens, even police officers, how many times in their lives do they have the opportunity to handle and fire a gun?!
But Chen Xu, whether it's the Type 06 pistol or the Type 05 submachine gun, is just as good as an ordinary soldier!
Owning a gun is a dream for almost every boy, and while Chen Xu can't get a gun (legally) in reality, how could he not satisfy his desire in the virtual world? Plus, he has the one-eyed instructor's guidance. From disassembling the gun to shooting, Chen Xu is at least at an athlete's level… In real combat with a gun, he might not be ready yet, but that's only a matter of time.
Forget guns. Even if you gave him a tank, Chen Xu could drive it... Fighter jets are a bit of a stretch. Chen Xu has died dozens of times in the virtual reality world, crashing and destroying fighter jets worth hundreds of billions of dollars. He's terrified of crashing and hasn't dared to train seriously for a while. Because you know, the realistic feeling of weightlessness each time he falls from the sky, and the instant he dies and the plane explodes, is enough to make Chen Xu feel terrible for days.
If accepting Chen Xu before was out of a sense of "repaying a debt of gratitude," now that Chen Xu has earned his respect through his own efforts and strength, at least now, the warriors of the Eastern Divine Sword Brigade no longer treat Chen Xu as an outsider, but as... a comrade-in-arms!
The term "comrade-in-arms" isn't something just anyone can acquire. To be called a comrade-in-arms means these soldiers have acknowledged Chen Xu's strength and recognized him as a member of the Eastern Divine Sword Brigade!
This is extremely rare.
Three months is not a long time at all; it passed quickly.
Just as Chen Xu finished his training, the soldiers of the Eastern Divine Sword Brigade held a short farewell party for him, which made Chen Xu truly feel the special feelings between comrades in the military camp.
When Chen Xu left the military camp, there was an embroidered symbol on his chest shirt... a sharp sword, with a map of China on the back, and above the sword were four English abbreviations: DFSJ.
The symbol of the Eastern Divine Sword!
Chapter 290 The Veteran
"CF07 9mm pistol, this is your gun license."
When Huang Anping smiled and handed him a black pistol and a notebook, Chen Xu frowned and asked, "What do I need this for?"
"Of course it's for self-defense. Your current status is special, having a gun will make things safer. This is a gun license issued by the Eastern Divine Sword Brigade, something even I can't get my hands on. Don't worry, if anyone tries to check your gun, just show them the license, and it'll scare them half to death." Huang Anping said with a smile, "Also, I really didn't expect you to get into trouble wherever you go, but this time the entire Eastern Divine Sword owes you a huge favor. Tsk tsk, thirty retired special forces soldiers, most of whom fought in the Vietnam War, Captain Xu made one phone call, and they agreed to be your bodyguards without even mentioning salary. I've already arranged for eight of them to work as security guards at Hexie University. Here are their files; you can contact them when you get back."
Chen Xu was somewhat amused and exasperated. Eight elite warriors from the Eastern Divine Sword who had fought in the Vietnam War were going to work as security guards at He Xie University? Well, it seemed that no university had stronger security guards than He Xie University.
Indeed, his pride was ridiculously high.
Huang Anping revealed a strange smile: "As for the rest, I naturally can't let them go either. Hehe, Yi Shuihan sent twelve, and I kept ten for myself. Sigh, my safety is also very important. But thank you, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to hire warriors of this caliber at all. They wouldn't even give my father face, let alone mine."
Seeing Chen Xu's somewhat dissatisfied expression, Huang Anping waved his hands repeatedly: "Don't misunderstand, I'm not using you. Just take a look at these documents. Let me put it this way, China has a very serious problem with the re-employment of veterans. Actually, it's not just China, other countries are too. You have to understand that the military is a place disconnected from society. With the rapid pace of social development, after spending a few years in the military, they might not even be able to find their way back to their hometown. Moreover, these soldiers generally have lower levels of education. You know, even college graduates have a hard time finding jobs these days. So many soldiers can only use their physical advantages to find jobs like security guards. Some veterans have been to the battlefield. They might still have shrapnel in their bodies, or be seriously wounded. Their lives are really tough. Those ten soldiers came to me partly because of your kindness, and partly because I offer a high price... enough to support their families, and even extra money to take care of their wounded comrades, or even the families of their fallen comrades."
Chen Xu was taken aback by what he said, as he really didn't know anything about this.
Huang Anping sighed, seeing his clueless expression. "Young Chen, as SMMH's apprentice, you're destined for a life far from ordinary. Your vision can't be limited to just computers; that won't benefit your development. Let me be frank: these veterans of the Eastern Divine Sword, the best they manage are at least in the local People's Armed Forces Department, holding sinecure positions. While veterans receive subsidies, the amount is meager. Many are wounded; some have shrapnel still lodged in their bodies, others... some are dead, but their families are still alive. And some are physically incomplete; their old comrades rely on mutual support to survive. Their living conditions aren't great. After all, the nation's resources are limited."
"Moreover, the status of soldiers isn't high these days. You know about the incident with the Super Girl and the soldier a while ago, right? Actually, it was an armed police officer. He was a security guard in a building. When a Super Girl tried to enter the building, she was stopped by the armed police officer and asked to show her identification. The Super Girl didn't have it with her, but she insisted on going in, called the soldier a watchdog, and even tried to hit him. In a fit of anger, the soldier pushed her, and her face hit the ground. In the end, the soldier still had to apologize to the Super Girl."
"Such a thing happened?!"
"On June 28, 2007, there was a newspaper here. Now it's all over the internet, but the comments are mostly in support of our People's Liberation Army."
Chen Xu narrowed his eyes: "A Super Girl dares to be this arrogant?"
"Only they dare to be so arrogant." A cold glint flashed in Huang Anping's eyes. "Those who rose to fame through hype have no foundation, no awareness, and of course, no education. That Super Girl even dared to hit that young soldier. Doesn't she know that the counter-attack techniques those soldiers practice are all deadly? She's really not afraid of death! Hmph, to be honest, most of us princelings of this generation have ancestors who were soldiers, so our families always taught us not to forget our roots. We wouldn't easily provoke even an ordinary soldier. Only those ignorant fools who think they're superior just because they've gained some fame would do something like this."
"And then what happened?"
"That Super Girl was somewhat famous, and under pressure, the armed police officer went to apologize."
"Is there no justice left?!" Chen Xu slammed his fist on the table, trying to reason with her. "She didn't have her ID with her, so the soldier was absolutely right to do what he did. Don't even mention a little Super Girl; even the commander-in-chief of a military region would have to show his ID! And they actually made the soldier apologize?!"
"Of course not, don't get agitated," Huang Anping laughed. "I told you, only an idiot would mess with a soldier. This incident caused quite a stir back then. You were preparing to go to Dubai at the time, so you probably didn't pay much attention to the online news. When that soldier apologized, it caused a huge uproar. Later, the Hunan Armed Police Corps was furious when they found out about it. They severely criticized the platoon leader who took the young soldier to apologize in order to avoid making a big deal out of it, gave the young soldier a high praise, and made a strong protest to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, demanding an explanation for this matter. Hmph, I told you, that Super Girl is an idiot. Do they think they can mess with the military? Once the military took a tough stance, that Super Girl could only obediently apologize, but that's it for her for the rest of her life. She's destined to only be able to make a small fuss in the entertainment industry. Hmph, it's only because the military showed leniency and didn't bother with someone like her."
Hearing the news, Chen Xu felt a little better, but his face remained gloomy.
"Okay. Judging from your expression, you basically want to talk about fairness and unfairness. You're still too young. Is there any absolute fairness in this world?"
Chen Xu had been clenching his fists. But after hearing his words, he sneered, "That's right, I think the cost of one meal for you rich kids is enough for a year's expenses, isn't it?"
Huang Anping remained unaffected by the barb in Chen Xu's words, still maintaining his composure, and smiled faintly: "You're right, I admit it, so this is unfair. But do you know how much value we can create with a single meal? In China, it's a custom to resolve many problems over meals. Don't say this money is dirty; this is the general trend now. But honestly, if I knew about those veterans, I would help them if I could."
Chen Xu raised an eyelid: "Charity?!"
“This is not charity!” Huang Anping’s expression turned serious for the first time. “Although I am not a good person, I do have my bottom line. My grandfather was a soldier, so you don’t need to doubt my respect for soldiers.”
Hearing Huang Anping speak like this for the first time, Chen Xu was speechless for a moment, then sighed: "I want to do something to help them. I'm practically a soldier myself. Hearing what you said really makes me feel bad."
Huang Anping knew who "they" referred to, and sighed, "Alright. How do you want to help? Improve their lives?"
“That’s right.” Chen Xu nodded. “I have money now, and I don’t know how to spend it… It’s not Rabies Killer. That money is my dad’s. But you should know, I own five percent of the shares in ‘The Translator of Babel.’ Heh, my teacher gave it to me. Although it’s only five percent, ‘The Translator’ is selling so well, five percent isn’t a small amount.”
Huang Anping exclaimed in surprise, "You own five percent of the shares in 'The Translator of Babel'?!"
In fact, Chen Xu owns 95%, and the remaining 5% belongs to Yi Shuihan. This is because, long before the translator company went public, Yi Shuihan acquired 45% of the shares held by Cisco within S Company… because Cisco acquired such a large stake for only $30 million, and the company wasn't even publicly listed. However, how could such a golden goose be allowed to be occupied by a foreign company? Cisco's initial involvement was merely to help Yi Shuihan build momentum; to put it bluntly, their usefulness has now ended.
Moreover, Cisco did this at the behest of Organization X, and besides, the Babel translator hadn't appeared yet, and S Company's profit-making projects were quite conventional.
Although Chen Xu didn't want to be exposed, he had no choice but to. His status as an apprentice offered him a significant advantage. At least now, Chen Xu could concoct a legitimate reason to use SMMH's money.
Otherwise, would you just leave that money there to get moldy?
However, Huang Anping was utterly astonished by Chen Xu's move.