Chapter 83 Pandora-7 Targeted Gene Virus
Relying on her professional ethics, Lin Xili forced herself to return to the Forensic Department of the Justice Bureau.
"Xi Li, are you alright?" Brother Wang couldn't help but ask when he saw her like this.
Brother Li poured her a glass of water and handed it to her, saying, "Xi Li, have some water!"
Lin Xili numbly took the water glass; it was clearly hot water, but the glass was incredibly cold.
Her world seemed to have all its colors stripped away the moment Huo Nanchen dragged his suitcase away, leaving only black and white.
She had just sat down at her workstation and was about to turn on her computer when the landline rang.
"Xi Li, come to my office." Lu Qing Shu's voice came through the receiver, revealing little emotion.
Lin Xili put down the phone, took a deep breath, and walked towards the director's office.
When she knocked on the door, Lu Qingshu was sitting behind her desk with a document in her hand. When she saw her come in, she put the document down.
Without any pleasantries, she gave the order directly: "I'm granting you three days off, effective immediately. That's an order."
Lin Xili paused for a moment, then immediately shook her head: "Director Lu, I'm fine, I don't need a vacation. I still have follow-up reports on the Sunflower Essence case to organize, and there are new ones..."
“Lin Xili,” Lu Qingshu interrupted her, her tone becoming more serious, “your current state is not suitable for any forensic work that requires a high degree of focus and objective judgment.”
"I will not comment on your relationship with Huo Nanchen. Everyone has their own way of handling their personal feelings."
"But as the director of the Justice Bureau, I must be responsible to all my colleagues in the Justice Bureau, to the work, and to your condition."
She stood up, walked over to Lin Xili, and said in a gentler tone, "Rest for three days, go back and get a good night's sleep, eat something, and sort out your emotions."
"Three days from now, I hope to see a Lin Xili who can get back into the fight, not a walking corpse."
Lin Xili looked at the concern in Lu Qingshu's eyes, opened his mouth, but in the end all his forced explanations turned into helplessness.
She knew Lu Qingshu was right.
At this moment, her mind was in a state of confusion, and she was indeed unable to guarantee the rigor of her work.
She lowered her eyes and nodded gently: "Yes, Director Lu, I will adjust as soon as possible."
Lu Qingshu patted her on the shoulder, "Remember, the forensic department will always need you, but that's on the condition that you are yourself first. Go ahead, and call me anytime if you need anything."
"Thank you, Director Lu," Lin Xili said softly, then turned and left the director's office.
Meanwhile, a thousand kilometers away from Hong Kong, in the skies above a remote, pristine jungle.
A military helicopter coated with dark radar-absorbing material is flying through the clouds and finally landing on a small, carefully camouflaged flat area deep in the jungle.
The cabin door opened, and Li Ming was the first to jump out, cautiously scanning the dense vegetation around him.
Immediately afterwards, Huo Nanchen also set foot on this land.
He had changed into a sharp black combat suit, his face expressionless.
There was only a cold and solemn atmosphere, completely different from his previous appearance in Hong Kong wearing a white coat or home clothes.
The helicopter quickly rose again and disappeared into the clouds, and the jungle returned to its eerie silence.
Li Ming took two steps closer to Huo Nanchen and asked in a low voice, "Brother Yisheng, is it really impossible for us to go back this time?"
"I had just started dating a girlfriend, but after less than two months, I broke up with her right before boarding the plane. I feel like such a jerk."
"Are people like us simply unworthy of love and a normal life?"
Huo Nanchen glanced at him sideways, and he understood the struggle in Li Ming's eyes all too well.
He was silent for a moment, then said, "He really is a jerk."
He wasn't referring to Leon Lai, but rather to himself. He then asked Leon Lai, "Are you afraid this time?"
Li Ming straightened his back. "Don't be afraid. I believe we can turn this danger into safety, but..."
"This is the first time that Elder Yan has asked us to prepare a will, so the situation must be particularly serious this time."
Huo Nanchen patted Li Ming on the shoulder, "Let's go!"
The two quickly headed deeper into the jungle, parting layers of vines, until a hidden entrance appeared before them.
They went inside, passing through a series of heavy alloy doors that required complex passwords, fingerprints, and iris scans.
Next, they took a high-speed elevator to a brightly lit, hundred-acre space located deep underground.
This is the Deep Vision Base, a biological defense and counter-virus research institute under the leadership of Elder Yan and belonging to the highest level of secrecy.
They were greeted by an elderly man with gray hair but still full of energy, wearing the same combat protective suit under his white coat. It was none other than Elder Yan.
His face showed no smile, only worry and urgency.
"Elder Yan." Huo Nanchen and Li Ming stood at attention and saluted.
Master Yan waved his hand, indicating that there was no need for formalities: "One life, two lives, time is of the essence."
"This is the last message sent by a comrade who was infiltrated into the Cherry Blossom Group by the organization."
"It is expected that in two months, the Cherry Blossom Group will launch the first wave of 'Pandora-7 targeted gene virus' release into our country through their already infiltrated spies."
Cherry Blossom Group.
A secret organization secretly established in a certain country, composed of extremist forces and ambitious biologists.
They have long been committed to developing genetic weapons targeting specific races or countries, with the intention of achieving world domination through non-military warfare.
They spent ten years and invested trillions of dollars to secretly revive the ancient virus Pandora, which lived more than 40,000 years ago.
Based on this, they added highly infectious viruses such as smallpox and the Black Death to develop a virus that was even stronger than Pandora itself—the Pandora-7 directional gene virus.
Pandora-7 has extremely strong environmental adaptability and spreads at different geometrical rates in different environments.
Old Yan's voice grew somber and angry, "Our comrade sacrificed his life, but he gave his life to obtain the most crucial intelligence and a portion of the original virus sequence data."
"The infamous lipstick incident in Hong Kong was no accident."
"That was a small-scale, low-intensity test conducted within our country by the 'Sakura Group' using a cosmetic product containing primary neurotransmitters."
"They want to observe the transmission efficiency, the public's reaction, and our response speed, all to be fully prepared for this virus."
"Fortunately, the female celebrity who refused to be subjected to the unspoken rules reported the incident to the police, which provided us with a lot of original virus sequence data."
Huo Nanchen's eyes sharpened.
Over the past six months, based on previously gathered intelligence and virus samples tested with the love potion, they have been racing against time to develop corresponding broad-spectrum antibodies and blocking agents.
Old Yan then changed the subject, his tone becoming extremely grave: "Pandora's infectivity is only ten thousand times stronger than the love potion. If it is released in densely populated areas of our country, and we do not surrender, and they do not provide antibodies, we will face extinction within three months."
He looked at Huo Nanchen and Li Ming, "Many of the infectious viruses they previously released in Asia were eventually countered by our developed antibodies, repeatedly thwarting their plans."
"But this time is different. Pandora-7 is their ultimate biological virus weapon. They will definitely spare no effort and use all their hidden forces to find this place and destroy our research."
"Therefore, this research and development project must succeed; failure is not an option!"
"Moreover, although the higher authorities are paying close attention, they cannot send armed forces to guard this place."
"The more people there are, the easier it is for them to be secretly threatened by lurkers, and the easier it is to expose the target."
"If we develop the antibody before they find this place, we can also wipe out all their spies in one fell swoop."
"Therefore, our safety largely depends on ourselves, as well as the institute's own secrecy and internal defense system."
The 21st century appears to be a time of world peace, but there are still many countries with restless ambitions, bound by international peace treaties.
They will not openly engage in combat using high-tech heavy military weapons.
First, military warfare is time-consuming; second, a prolonged siege will inevitably lead to incalculable financial losses.
Invisible and invisible biological viruses capable of precisely destroying human genes have become the most deadly and indefensible biological weapons.
The cherry blossom group's first target was this ancient and resilient land in the East.
The civilization of the ancient Eastern country, which has withstood thousands of years of trials and tribulations without ever being destroyed, is, in their eyes, the most difficult to conquer, the most disobedient, and the most ignorant of all beings.
Once we crack this tough nut, things will be much easier with other countries.
After listening, Huo Nanchen and Li Ming showed no surprise or fear on their faces, only an icy calm.
Huo Nanchen said clearly, "Professor Yan, the antibody we've been working on is almost complete. Let's move on to the final synthesis and testing phase now."
Old Master Yan nodded heavily and gave Huo Nanchen and Li Ming a death order: "One life, two lives, we have no way out. The higher-ups have given us a death order."
"We must come up with an effective solution to counter the Pandora-7 within a month."
"This is not only a scientific research competition, but also a life-or-death battle concerning the fate of the nation and the people!"
"Yes!" Huo Nanchen and Li Ming responded in unison, their voices echoing in the underground space, filled with sorrow and determination.
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