Chapter 42: Withdrawing the Money
The miracle drug provided in the research paper targeted bacteria.
Once affected, the bacteria produced a novel enzy.
This enzy was passed to the immune system, stimulating it to generate antibodies.
The antibodies specifically targeted H1N1, allowing immune cells to swiftly eradicate the virus.
In the end, the patient achieved both recovery and immunity.
“This entire process is a chain reaction. That’s why you all think it’s too indirect, maybe even just luck,” the deputy director explained.
“But here’s the key: after taking the miracle drug, the enzys secreted by each person’s bacteria were similar but not identical!”
“Human genes differ slightly, blood types vary, internal bacterial environnts aren’t the sa, bacterial activity levels differ, and so does immunity.”
“Because of these factors, the enzys produced by the bacteria after reacting to the drug also vary.”
“The crucial point, however, is that while the enzys differ, they’re uniquely suited to the individual!”
The differences matter—a synthesized enzy could only save a specific few individuals, making mass production impractical.
The enzy produced by Zhang San’s bacteria would work best for Zhang San.
Similarly, the enzy produced by Li Si’s bacteria would only suit Li Si.
This concept isn’t hard to grasp. A vegetarian’s gut microbiota differs from that of a at lover.
Thus, the “report” the bacteria send to the immune system also varies.
While they’re all reports with similar content, the tone, style, and phrasing differ!
The enzys may be different, yet they all result in the sa antibody being produced.
Everyone stared at the table in shock, understanding the implications.
It ant that bacteria had “treated” the virus.
Of course, this wasn’t because bacteria were conscious, but rather because, as a microbial community, bacteria possess their own tenacious adaptability!
This was evolutionary adaptation—a reaction to environntal changes.
They responded flexibly and individually, producing host-specific adaptive responses under the guidance and influence of the miracle drug.
The human immune system, in turn, was stimulated early to adapt and subsequently generate antibodies.
“This is a completely new approach!”
“If it can be applied to most viruses, this would undoubtedly be an advanced therapeutic logic!”
The experts present quickly realized that using bacterial evolutionary adaptation and environntal modulation as a treatnt strategy was groundbreaking.
If modern dicine focuses on eradicating pathogens by any ans necessary,
this paper’s approach emphasizes natural self-healing.
“The concept makes sense…”
“But what kind of mind could co up with such a drug?”
“Even if we understand the logic, this is practically an entirely new field. We’re completely in the dark!”
“How do these specific compounds alter the microbiota? How do they manage to perfectly cure the virus so indirectly? How did the author even co up with this formula?” ṘÁ𝐍𝘰𝐛Ɛs
The group was dumbfounded. Without identifying the underlying rules and logic, using this approach to develop drugs would feel akin to exploiting the butterfly effect.
What they didn’t know was that Huang Ji had indeed leveraged the butterfly effect.
Chaos systems are nearly impossible to calculate.
Nearly—because with sufficient computational power, they can be predicted.
Humanity’s current computational abilities can already forecast weather and even create artificial rainfall.
Huang Ji, however, didn’t need calculations. His ability to sense information allowed him to directly foresee outcos.
By combining his knowledge with relentless experintation, he could perceive all the impacts and results of a drug.
“The threat level has changed. What was once projected to be a global pandemic is now preemptively subdued—H1N1 has been reduced to a common flu.”
“And the na ssiah has begun to leave a lasting impression, steadily gaining traction.”
Huang Ji leaned against the wall of the warehouse, clutching his head as he sensed the unfolding results. He was deeply satisfied.
The future-state information he perceived represented the highest probability based on events that had already occurred.
Being the highest probability, it was akin to the “most precise value” in a chaotic system.
The future could still change, as its initial conditions shifted.
“The greatest variable… is myself,” Huang Ji mused.
“The mont I perceive the most likely future, that future becos uncertain.”
“Major changes require significant alterations, but small details are constantly in flux.”
Seated in the warehouse, Huang Ji simulated future scenarios, wondering if the Illuminati would take an interest in this event.
Sure enough, they would.
A week later, the Illuminati would instruct people like Old Ma to search for soone nad Hua Xu, providing both a portrait and a photo of a person’s back.
Even Zhang Junwei would receive the call, though he wouldn’t betray Huang Ji.
“They’re even paying attention to this?” Huang Ji chuckled. The prospect of people searching for him with a portrait didn’t faze him.
Before eting the professors, Huang Ji had already altered his facial appearance using acupuncture.
This technique, which he referred to as “facial muscle adjustnt,” involved stimulating specific nodes to change the state of facial muscles.
Even with identical skull structures, subtle changes in facial muscles could dramatically alter soone’s appearance.
For example, a slight stiffness in the muscles over the cheekbones or the contraction of jawline tissues could make a face appear completely different.
Certain facial nodes also controlled moisture. By stimulating these points, Huang Ji could make his face look dehydrated and gaunt or puffed and swollen.
Ever noticed how soone’s face can appear strange and unfamiliar when it’s swollen in the morning? That’s random swelling, but deliberate adjustnts like Huang Ji’s could make him nearly unrecognizable.
Huang Ji observed Zhang Junwei, sensing the portrait he would receive a week later.
“It resembles by about 30-40%. The Illuminati’s artist is quite skilled—almost perfectly capturing the face I was using back then.”
“Good thing I brought my colored contact lenses,” Huang Ji muttered.
He knew the key to soone identifying him lay in his double pupils—a feature unique and unmistakable. Being a natural trait of his eyes, the only way to conceal them was with contact lenses.
“Boss, I need to talk to you about sothing,” Zhang Junwei said hesitantly as he walked over.
He had been aning to speak with Huang Ji for a while, but Huang Ji always seed busy, leaving him no opportunity. Now, seeing Huang Ji staring at him with apparent leisure, he seized the chance.
“I…”
“Not enough money, right?” Huang Ji interjected.
Zhang Junwei froze, then quickly admitted, “You knew? Yeah, I’ve got less than ten thousand left…”
Seeing Huang Ji remain silent, Zhang Junwei continued in a quieter voice, “The stuff you wanted to buy—they were asking outrageous prices through the contacts I found. They want four million. The 1.8 million you gave was just the deposit. I’ve already poured in my own savings, and we’re still short by two million.”
“Right now, you could say we’re in debt.”
“What do you usually do to earn money?” Huang Ji asked with a smile.
“Sotis rich people give us small jobs, usually paying around ten or twenty thousand, maybe a bit more occasionally,” Zhang Junwei replied.
Old Wang entered just in ti to hear this and gave a disdainful look. “You call that hustling? How can you brag about scraping by like this?”
“With so many people under your wing, you’re not collecting protection fees?” Old Wang asked.
Zhang Junwei shook his head. “First off, this area doesn’t have any big entertainnt businesses. And second, do you think protection fees are just free money? You take their cash, you’re selling your loyalty. You have to guard their place, look tough, but in reality, you’re just a servant—soone’s lapdog. If they have the cash, they’ll always find soone to take the job.”
“I’ve done that before, but it didn’t feel right, always being under soone else’s roof. So I decided to gather my brothers, open a place of my own, and make enough to share with everyone. We set down roots in this quiet district, carved out a small space for ourselves, and live comfortably.”
The room fell into an awkward silence.
Zhang Junwei suddenly panicked and added, “Uh, don’t take that the wrong way! I wasn’t talking about now!”
“But can you really sustain so many people like this? Your brothers each have ten or so underlings themselves,” Old Wang pointed out.
“That’s why I opened the used car business. Buying cheap and selling high—it’s working out okay,” Zhang Junwei replied.
“But it’s too slow. Right now, we’re two million in the hole,” Old Wang said.
Huang Ji chuckled. “Then where did your funds usually co from?”
Old Wang scratched his head and sheepishly admitted, “Mostly from crowdfunding…”
Zhang Junwei glared at him in disdain. And you’ve got the nerve to mock ?
As the group brainstord, they couldn’t co up with any quick solutions. They all turned to Huang Ji. After all, it was his purchases that had left them strapped for cash.
“I don’t think much about money,” Huang Ji said.
“You really don’t think much about it,” Old Wang muttered under his breath.
Huang Ji laughed. “Money’s no issue. I’ll go ho for dinner first. Tonight, take a few guys and co with to withdraw so cash.”
Zhang Junwei brightened up. “I knew the boss must have so money stashed!”
Huang Ji neither confird nor denied it, simply hailing a taxi and leaving.
That evening, after finishing dinner, Huang Ji strolled through the streets, monitoring the information of the people around him.
After wandering for about an hour, he finally settled on a target.
He called Lin Li. “Drive over and pick up. I’m at…” He gave an address, and within half an hour, Zhang Junwei, Lin Li, Xiao Zha, and Old Wang arrived in a van.
Zhang Junwei got out eagerly, but Huang Ji stopped him. “Not here. Get back in. We’re heading sowhere else.”
Under Huang Ji’s guidance, the group arrived at a KTV.
“I thought we were withdrawing money? Why are we at a KTV?” Zhang Junwei asked, confused.
“The easiest way to make money is robbing other crooks,” Huang Ji replied casually.
“What?! Are you planning to cause trouble? Don’t! This place belongs to Cao Jing, and he works for Old Ma. I can’t ss with either of them,” Zhang Junwei said, exasperated.
Huang Ji grinned. “I’ve already scouted the place. Tonight, we’re just here to collect so cash. Don’t panic.”
“Collect what cash…” Zhang Junwei muttered, still uneasy.
“Park in the lot,” Huang Ji instructed.
They parked in the open-air lot behind the KTV. Huang Ji got out of the car and started walking across the street.
“Boss, where are you going?”
“I’m going to buy so oranges. You all stay in the car and don’t move,” Huang Ji replied.
“???” The group was baffled.
A few minutes later, Huang Ji returned with a bag of oranges. Sitting back in the van, he began peeling and sharing them with everyone.
And so they sat there, eating oranges and waiting.
Nearly three hours later, around 11 PM, an SUV pulled into the lot. Three n stepped out, led by a well-dressed man in a suit. The man glanced around casually.
Thanks to their car’s tinted windows and the surrounding vehicles, the n didn’t notice that five people were sitting inside, snacking on oranges.
One of the burly n carried a briefcase out of the SUV, but after the man in the suit whispered sothing to him, he put the briefcase back into the car and stayed behind to smoke. The other two entered the KTV through the back door.
“They’re being cautious, leaving the cash behind while they go upstairs to negotiate,” Huang Ji observed with a smirk. He exited the van and entered the KTV through the front.
A couple of minutes later, he returned, calm and collected.
“Boss, no need to check. I know these guys. They’re definitely here to buy that stuff from Cao Jing,” Zhang Junwei said.
Huang Ji didn’t respond, handing a peeled orange segnt to Old Wang before saying, “Don’t disturb .”
With that, he took out a conductive pen and began drawing sothing on the orange peel.
No one could make sense of what he was doing. After a while, he finished, then pulled out his phone and composed a text ssage:
“Trouble! Get upstairs imdiately! Don’t bring the money!”
Huang Ji sent the ssage. They watched as the burly man looked at his phone, his face changing imdiately. He rushed into the KTV through the back door.
“Pfft!” Xiao Zha couldn’t hold back his laughter.
“Let’s go,” Huang Ji ordered.
The group piled out of the van. Xiao Zha quickly positioned himself near the back door to keep watch.
Zhang Junwei hefted a hamr and said, “Boss, I get your plan now. You’re brilliant!” He swung the hamr toward the car window.
“You don’t get anything,” Huang Ji said, shoving him aside. He pressed the orange peel onto the SUV’s fingerprint scanner.
“Beep-beep…” The car unlocked.
“Huh?” Zhang Junwei was dumbfounded.
“Take the money,” Huang Ji said simply, walking away.
Zhang Junwei quickly opened the car door and grabbed the briefcase.
“Let’s go!” he shouted.
Xiao Zha gave the all-clear and hurried back into the van. The vehicle roared to life and sped away into the night.
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