Chen Xu smiled, taking it as tacit agreement, and said without explanation, "Alright, now please take these students to your places. Uncle Eagle Eye and Uncle Bear Explosion, come with me to pick up Dr. Li. We'll meet again when we get there. Don't rush to kill him now, and don't let him commit suicide either. I still have some questions for him."
The four special forces soldiers were codenamed Wolf Fang, Tiger Wing, Eagle Eye, and Bear Explosion, which are very distinctive codenames and also very distinctive characteristics.
Wolf Fang and Tiger Wing nodded, picked up Jimmy, and led the way. Chen Xu walked to the door and saw Dr. Li looking around curiously under a tree. Chen Xu walked up to him and said with a smile, "Dr. Li, you're still up so late?"
Upon seeing that it was Chen Xu, Dr. Li smiled without any suspicion: "Little Chen, you're not asleep yet? It's almost time to turn off the lights. I have some things to do and am waiting for someone. You should go back and rest first."
Chen Xu laughed. Just then, Dr. Li suddenly felt someone behind him. Before he could turn around, a gun was pressed against his waist. Chen Xu's smile remained unchanged: "Dr. Li, you'd better come with me, otherwise, you'll never see Jimmy again in your life..."
"Xiao Chen, you!" Dr. Li was extremely shocked. He never expected that a student could be involved with guns!
Chen Xu sighed: "Dr. Li, let's proceed with caution. I already know the whole story, no, most of it, at least more than you know right now... Please come with me. Trust in my respect and goodwill towards you. In a little while, you will know the whole story."
Hearing Chen Xu say this, Dr. Li, though not understanding what he meant, obediently followed Chen Xu and the two special forces soldiers.
They went to a demolition site not far from the school.
This building is quite old; judging from its style, it's basically from the 1970s or even earlier. And all the houses along Jixi Road are like that. An experienced senior student told me that the area is like a tunnel system, with winding alleyways and some houses even having underground tunnels, supposedly air-raid shelters dug during the Cold War.
This area was originally one of the largest red-light districts in Harmony City, but also the lowest-class. Streetwalkers and brothel owners were everywhere, approaching men and asking, "Sir, would you like a lady?" or "Sir, would you like some services?"
However, due to urban development plans, most of the buildings in this old town area will be demolished. Although they haven't been demolished yet, it's only a matter of the next few months. Most of the original residents have moved away, leaving these buildings empty.
Two special forces soldiers made their way through a maze of twists and turns to the door of a dark little building. They knocked lightly three times, then four times louder, and then Wolf Fang opened the door.
Chen Xu and the others followed them inside. Dr. Li wanted to speak but ultimately remained silent. Langya led them to the basement, which was relatively clean, unlike the entrance, which reeked of urine. The room was also dry, with an opened box of instant noodles and bottled water in one corner.
Jimmy, on the other hand, was suspended in the middle of the room, his limbs stretched out in a spread-eagle position by chains.
Dr. Li saw Huang Chong and the others, and then he saw Jimmy. He couldn't help but exclaim, "What are you all doing here? Jimmy, what happened to Jimmy?!"
“Let me speak,” Huang Chong stepped forward and bowed to Dr. Li. Then he said, “Dr. Li, I’m sorry, we lied to you.”
Dr. Li looked at him with disbelief: "Huang Chong, what are you doing?!"
Huang Chong said, "Dr. Li, your kind of intelligence drug has more than just the drawback that its effects only last for about a week. There's another major, and fatal, drawback... This drug causes the body to develop an extremely strong dependence on it, and once the effects wear off, our intelligence will gradually decrease..."
"Bang!" Dr. Li staggered and knocked over a cabinet.
Huang Chong smiled bitterly, "We didn't tell you before because of Jimmy! He wouldn't let us tell you the true effects of the drug! Because we've all become dependent on it, and he controls the entire supply, we dared not disobey him. But we also know that if things continue like this, we'll sink deeper and deeper into this quagmire and eventually be unable to extricate ourselves... Doctor, I'm sorry, we deceived you."
"Impossible, impossible?!" Dr. Li excitedly grabbed Huang Chong's collar. He knew exactly what Huang Chong had just said: it meant that the harm this medicine did to the human body far outweighed its benefits! This medicine was an absolute useless product, a complete failure!
This made it impossible for Dr. Li, who had thought the research on the medicinal solution was complete except for the duration of its effects, to accept this outcome!
"You're lying to me, aren't you? You all conspired to deceive me, didn't you?!"
Huang Chong shook his head bitterly, but didn't say anything. He knew how Dr. Li felt, and if he were in Dr. Li's shoes, he wouldn't be able to accept it either.
Chen Xu sighed and said, "Dr. Li, in your opinion, this medicine has produced such side effects that it's just a useless ingredient. But some people see it differently. Doctor, you've opened a Pandora's box, which is destined to have no good outcome."
"Impossible?!" Dr. Li glared at Chen Xu, furious. "It must be you! You must have done something, right?!"
Chen Xu slowly shook his head: "Actually, there is something I must tell you. My teacher, SMMH, has already started researching this kind of drug that enhances human intelligence. Several years ago, they had already produced a finished product."
"What?!"
"In my teacher's eyes, your drug is nothing special. It's something they researched but had to abandon in the end. If you don't believe me, I can get all the research data from my teacher. Anyway, all that data is garbage; it's useless except for harming people."
"What did you say?!"
"Doctor, you are wrong, truly wrong. You have committed the most absurd and unforgivable mistake of this era, because what restrains you is the rule..."
Chapter 303 Prophecy of Development
"My teacher once said that scientific development has entered a bottleneck period. Although we see that human technology is constantly progressing, that progress is only superficial and is a way of squeezing out the current knowledge reserves. In other words, human development has actually entered a period of stability, and it is difficult to have the kind of breakthrough development that the industrial revolutions have achieved. At this time, many scientists have already set their sights on how to break through."
“My teacher SMMH made a prediction that there are only two ways for humanity to break through at this stage: one is outward, and the other is inward.”
"Outward development means that humanity's vision will not be limited to Earth, but will seek new planets, new energy sources, and begin to explore the universe, looking for other civilizations and planets that humanity can utilize, such as for immigration and minerals, thus entering the space age of science fiction."
"However, such development is clearly impossible, at least at this stage. Because humanity has many unresolved problems. As the saying goes, 'to fight external enemies, one must first secure internal stability.' If humanity does not deal with its internal affairs, it cannot concentrate on pursuing space exploration. Moreover, for many reasons, many powerful forces are restricting humanity's progress for their own interests."
"If developing outwards is impossible, then we can only develop inwards."
"The secrets of humanity itself are a huge mystery. We only have a superficial understanding of our own life structure, and even less so of our planet. Therefore, research into ourselves is of great potential and could be groundbreaking. Moreover, with outward development facing numerous constraints and immense difficulties, inward development is clearly easier. Humans are a greedy and formidable species, unwilling to live a mediocre life as they are now. Thus, inward development has become inevitable."
The room full of people watched Chen Xu speak eloquently, even Jimmy, hanging on the chains, couldn't help but raise his head and stop struggling. Undeniably, Chen Xu's analysis—or rather, SMMH's analysis—was extremely insightful and to the point.
The four special forces soldiers, however, knew very little about these things. The rather simple and straightforward Xiong Bao scratched his buzz-cut head and exclaimed, "Xiao Chen, what did you mean just now? I didn't understand a word you said! Living a mediocre life? What does that mean?!"
Chen Xu smiled and said, “Human life is very short, only a few decades. And within those decades, we have to waste a lot of time. For example, we bring nothing with us when we are born, and we have to spend ten or twenty years receiving basic education. As for advanced human knowledge, many ordinary people simply cannot access it, and even if they can, it's at least until they are thirty or even later. But this kind of learning seems very meaningless, because we spend a good part of our lives, or even half or most of our lives, learning things that are already established. We are following in the footsteps of our predecessors, and when it's our turn to conduct our own research, we don't have much time left. By then, we will be old, and although we will have experience, our thinking and calculation abilities will not be as good as they were in our prime.”
"If humans were born with the knowledge we have already studied, or if human lifespan were greatly extended, then I believe that human research into science and technology would advance by leaps and bounds. But if things continue as they are now, for another few decades or even a hundred years, when the level of knowledge accumulation reaches a certain height, I'm afraid that humans will only be able to study for the rest of their lives and will be unable to do anything else."
Chen Xu looked at Dr. Li and smiled, "So, Dr. Li, this was your original intention for research, wasn't it?"
Dr. Li nodded slowly. On this point, Chen Xu was absolutely right.
Human beings have wasted far too much time learning existing knowledge systems.
"Dr. Li, your 'smart drug'... well, I don't remember the tongue-twisting name, so let's just call it a 'smart drug' for simplicity. Your initial intention in developing this drug was probably to allow humanity to discover a shortcut to absorb existing knowledge more quickly, thus saving a lot of time... Hmm, Huang Chong and the others told me about it, and I did a simple calculation. That is, if a child takes this drug at the current stage from the age of three, and if there are no side effects, then by the age of 18, he will be able to learn the knowledge that a person with a high IQ would typically learn at the age of forty. Dr. Li, if your invention is truly successful, it will be a huge boost to the progress of human society."
Upon hearing Chen Xu's words, a slight smile appeared on Dr. Li's gaunt face, but Chen Xu's next sentence made his expression turn serious again.
Chen Xu shook his head and said, "However, your research violates the rules of nature and is absolutely impossible to succeed!"
"Nonsense! I've already succeeded!" Dr. Li angrily waved his fist. "Even if there are flaws, I can fix them. How could it be impossible to succeed?! What bullshit about natural laws?! Aren't there always those health supplements that supposedly increase brain cells and enhance memory? They're fine, so how could my research have such serious side effects?!"
Chen Xu sighed: "Because of the drug's effects... a person's tolerance is limited. To a certain extent, developing the brain is a scientific and effective method, such as listening to music to relax, moderate exercise, targeted play, etc. However, that only develops the body's potential, and it's a gradual process. But your drug seems to be forcing growth; it may seem to bring great benefits instantly, but it has already caused irreversible damage to the roots!"
“I’m not exaggerating. Huang Chong and the others have already told you about the side effects. As for this drug, my teacher started researching it several years ago. Even with my teacher’s technological level, which is more than thirty years ahead of the world, he still failed. How could you possibly succeed?!”
Dr. Li curled his lip dismissively: "His failure doesn't mean I'll fail! So what if he's SMMH?!"
Chen Xu shook his head with a wry smile: "However, my teacher has confirmed that this is a dead end. Your research direction was wrong from the beginning. I'll say it again, if you don't believe me, I can give you all of my teacher's research materials. Anyway, it's a wrong research direction. With your extensive knowledge, you should know about the drugs Ritalin and Modafinil, right?"
Dr. Li scoffed, "Those two drugs, can they compare to mine?"
"It's incomparable!" Chen Xu said solemnly, "especially in terms of its harmfulness!"
Ritalin is a medication used to treat ADHD in children. It was first introduced in the 1950s. It is a central nervous system stimulant that can treat inappropriate inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. These symptoms often appear in children, and Ritalin works by suppressing these impulses, allowing them to concentrate on their studies. Therefore, it is considered a "smart drug" by many parents.
However, Ritalin is one of the most strictly controlled drugs listed by the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (marked with a black box) because it may cause various risks, including addiction similar to Dr. Lee's smart drugs, and even sudden death!
In Xiaomin's records, methylphenidate appeared as the earliest prototype of "smart drugs" because its effects and serious consequences were exactly the same as those of the more "sound and complete" smart drugs of later generations.
"Human greed has made them forget the most basic principles of this world: there's no such thing as a free lunch; you have to pay the price for what you want to gain..." Chen Xu looked at Dr. Li: "Dr. Li, with your current level of expertise, you should be able to sense the existence of rules, but unfortunately, you've been blinded by your own dreams..."
"Rules?" Dr. Li fell into deep thought.
Chen Xu smiled. Persuading Dr. Li wasn't actually that difficult. For scientists as proud of their scientific knowledge as these, the best approach was to present irresistible scientific evidence, something Chen Xu was confident in. His current focus, however, was on the next issue… Chen Xu looked at Jimmy, who was hanging upside down, and went over to reattach his jaw, a cold smile playing on his lips: “Jimmy, you're quite something! I didn't expect that before I even considered attacking you, you dared to attack me directly?!”
Although Jimmy was hanging there, there was no fear in his eyes. He sneered, glanced at Chen Xu, then at Huang Chong, then at Xiao Ye, and then at the others who had been with him in Dr. Li's lab. His eyes were like a wolf's; everyone he looked at couldn't help but turn their heads away, not daring to meet his gaze. Only Chen Xu looked at him with a forced smile, his imposing manner undiminished.
"These short-sighted traitors!" Jimmy laughed bitterly, looking at Chen Xu: "You've won. Kill me now, and the organization will definitely avenge me!"
Chen Xu smiled slightly: "If you fall into my hands, it's not that easy to die." Although he said it lightly, everyone present could feel his icy chill. Several students, including Dr. Li, couldn't help but shiver. The four special forces soldiers, on the other hand, grinned and nodded with satisfaction: "As expected of people from our Eastern Divine Sword!"
Chen Xu looked at Dr. Li: "I know this guy's identity is extraordinary, even above yours. Doctor, can you tell me what this guy's identity is? Also, what about him, and the organization behind you?"
Chapter 304 Chrysanthemum
Dr. Li paused for a moment, a hint of hesitation appearing on his face. At that moment, Jimmy shouted, "Li Liangyan! If you dare to leak the organization's secrets, you know the consequences! You know what the organization does to traitors!"
Dr. Li trembled. Chen Xu stepped forward and slapped him hard across the face. How heavy was Chen Xu's hand these days? The slap made Jimmy spit blood from his mouth and knock out several teeth. But this guy was truly fierce. Despite the excruciating pain in his mouth, he sneered at Chen Xu and shouted, "Go ahead and kill me if you dare! The organization won't let you get away with this!"
"Do you think your organization will let me off the hook if I don't kill you?" Chen Xu didn't care at all. Many people wanted to kill him; come at me if you dare! Who's afraid of who?! Chen Xu pinched his chin: "You'd better tell me everything about your organization. Honestly, I'd rather you didn't tell me, because I have plenty of ways to deal with you. If you tell me so readily, tell me, who am I supposed to vent my anger on this afternoon?"
Chen Xu wasn't just trying to scare him; he did indeed now possess the ability to directly probe Jimmy's thoughts... but Chen Xu wasn't about to use it recklessly! He knew that Xiao Min was now one with him, and if he accidentally turned Jimmy into a second Miwad while reading his thoughts, it wouldn't just be creating another terrifying enemy for him; the guy might even turn against Chen Xu's body!
Therefore, Chen Xu will resolutely avoid using this method of reading minds if he can avoid it. Moreover, how can he live up to himself if he doesn't have fun with torture and forced confessions?
Looking at Chen Xu's devilish smile and somewhat childish words, the people around him didn't know whether to laugh or shudder. Jimmy looked at Chen Xu disdainfully: "Bring on whatever tricks you have, do you think I'm afraid of you?"
"Trying to be a tough guy?" Wolf Fang stepped forward. He chopped Jimmy on the neck, and Jimmy passed out without uttering a sound.
Chen Xu looked at Langya in surprise: "Uncle Langya, how am I supposed to torture him if you knock him out?"
"Don't torture him yet. Look." Wolf Fang tore open Jimmy's shirt and pointed to his chest, saying, "Do you see this mark?"
Chen Xu looked over. There was a chrysanthemum tattoo there, not large, but very delicate.
"What is this?" Chen Xu was taken aback and asked, "Uncle Wolf Fang, do you recognize this marking?!"
“Yes, I’ve seen it. But I don’t know what this mark means,” Wolf Fang said. “Twenty years ago, we captured several spies with this tattoo during a mission in the west. However, the location of the tattoo varies; some have it on their chest, some on their buttocks, and some on the soles of their feet.”
Chen Xu laughed: "Is it that they keep switching between the Qing and Ming dynasties, and they're still the Heaven and Earth Society, trying to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming?!"
Wolf Fang grinned: "It's not that exaggerated, but many organizations have their own landmarks to make it easier to find allies and gain their trust. I haven't seen this chrysanthemum in twenty years. But I advise you, it's best not to torture this guy."
"Why?"
"Twenty years ago..." Wolf Fang recalled for a moment. He explained, "Twenty years ago, we captured several spies with this mark during an operation. But the final interrogation result... they were all dead!"
Chen Xu narrowed his eyes; he naturally knew that Langya had his reasons for saying that.
"Although mainstream media reports on the military are all positive, hey, we're masters of these interrogation methods. Otherwise, do you expect us to capture a foreign spy and then use some moral high ground to persuade him to reveal his secrets?"
Seeing Chen Xu also laugh, he grinned and said, "Back then, the one in charge of the executions was our captain. His skills were...tsk tsk...to put it simply, any spy who fell into his hands couldn't help but beg for a quick death. That's what you call truly wishing for death but not being able to live!"
Although Langya didn't elaborate, the ordinary people in the room couldn't help but get goosebumps. Chen Xu, however, remained calm and laughed, "Well, I naturally believe that. Haha, you must have a deep understanding of human anatomy. You must have researched what parts of the body can cause excruciating pain without being fatal."
Wolf Fang slapped his thigh: "That's it!" Looking at the fearful expressions on the faces of the rookies beside him, Wolf Fang sneered: "Mercy towards the enemy is cruelty towards yourself. You live in a different world than us. Don't imagine us as perfect, idealized idiots. Those kinds of heroes only appear in patriotic movies and TV dramas—just propaganda. Hmph, which country's foreign intelligence agencies and special forces aren't covered in blood? If you can't even handle this much, how can you become a soldier?!"
Chen Xu smiled and said, "And then what happened? How did those guys die?"
"This is what we found out after a long period of research with scientists. Do you know what a coma is? For example, when a person is subjected to severe torture, they will faint under extreme pain. This is actually a kind of self-protection mechanism of the human brain. When the pain reaches a certain level, the person will isolate the pain by fainting. So now some scientists have developed some drugs that, when injected into the human body, will inhibit the production of the substances that cause coma, preventing the person from entering the self-protection mode."
Chen Xu nodded, naturally understanding the logic. However, his mind worked incredibly fast, and he immediately slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Could it be that the spies you interrogated automatically suffered brain death while in excruciating pain?!"
"No wonder he's SMMH's apprentice; his brain is definitely smarter than ours!" Wolf Fang was clearly surprised by Chen Xu's reaction, but he didn't know that Chen Xu had been researching related things all this time, so it was easy for him to figure it out. Wolf Fang said, "That's right. Later, our scientists discovered through autopsies that these guys had all been injected with a hormone. This hormone works in the same way as the brain controlling a person to fall into a coma. Once the excruciating pain reaches an unbearable threshold, it means they've been arrested and tortured. At that time, this hormone begins to be secreted, instantly putting the person into a state of brain death. This ensures that spies won't leak their organization's secrets."
Chen Xu gasped, "Just as I thought!"
That organization is really ruthless!
"So, I don't recommend you torture him, because if I'm not mistaken, they all belong to the same organization. If you torture him too much, he might just die. Of course, if you don't like him, it's fine to beat him up a few times. As for things like using the tiger bench, pepper spray, or prying off his fingernails, it's best not to do them. That's too cruel for a student your age."
Hearing this, Chen Xu rubbed his nose and smiled wryly. At most, he just wanted to beat this guy up. He'd rather not use the tiger bench or chili water.