The Mechanic [BL]

[119]

Chapter 119 – Descendant (3)

Adam smashed the syringe containing the new nanobots with his fist.

He had failed, once again.

It wasn't hard to create nanobots that didn't deform the brain, it was just hard to restore those who had already been infected.

The nanobots he/Eden had designed in the beginning were at the genetic level. Countless nanobots spread along the bloodstream through the human body at an extremely fast speed, modifying small segments of genes on the chromosomes in each cell nucleus. Once the old cells had been metabolised, there would no longer be any information about the genetic sequence of that individual human.

If the DNA in each nucleus was a blueprint for the human body to build itself, it meant that the old blueprint had been destroyed and only the new blueprint remained. Due to individual variability and mutations in the DNA, the injected nanobots would have no idea what the original 'blueprint' looks like, making it very difficult to change it back.

Adam tried to reverse the nanobots, but the infected mice injected with the new nanobots developed a variety of syndromes, with a third of them suffering major systemic collapse, organ failure and other fatal symptoms and even those who didn't die seemed to develop dementia and paralysis.

The human genome was so sophisticated that the slightest alteration could affect the whole body with irreversible consequences. It took Eden many years of experimentation to find a more stable way of modifying the genetic sequence.

Adam had tried dozens of possible methods of reverse modification, none of which had a survival rate of more than 70% and none of which had a cure rate of more than 10%.

He couldn't risk injecting Zhang Xun. If it failed, Zhang Xun would be beyond saving.

Irritation and constant panic hovered in his mind, eroding his composure. He knew that panic wouldn't help him and would only slow him down, but he couldn't help himself. He remembered the way Zhang Xun's eyes had looked at him vacantly, without any echo of a soul when he had woken up yesterday. Every time he remembered it, it sent a cold shiver down his spine.

His Zhang Xun, the silent but bright and passionate Zhang Xun, should not look like this. He didn't want to see Zhang Xun like this.

Even if this had been his goal, even if this had been his destiny for the whole of humanity.

"It does seem that humanity has had its way with you."

Adam didn't turn his head. He breathed deeply, adjusted himself and then began to pick up the shards of syringe from the table.

Natalie leaned against the doorframe and surveyed Adam's back with an almost curious look. Adam was too human to imagine that Eden was inside his head......

"There's news of the man you said you were looking for. A man suspected to be Zhang Shuo has been seen near the town of White Bear, near the Arctic Circle. We're flying to the Northwest Territories of Canada now."

Adam's movements paused for a moment and he turned his head to look at his creator's descendant, "What's the news from Eden?"

Natalie's expression froze slightly. Adam could tell there was some bad news from the subtlest change he saw in her expression, "From what I can guess, a certain important president recently died of an unexpected heart attack and a king of another country suddenly announced his abdication?"

Natalie's eyes widened slightly, "You saw the news?"

"I didn't have time to watch the news." Adam turned his head away, his tone light and smooth, "But with all the resources you and I have, there's no way we don't have patrons behind us, and our (Adam & Eden) consciousness uploading program isn't in the interests of those in power. We (Adam & Eden) were already deploying to get rid of these key plan-breakers before you even had an appointment to talk to them."