Legend of the Cyber Heroes
Chapter 223 - 223 3 Project

223: Chapter 3 Project 223: Chapter 3 Project “Next item…

regarding the investment project for the gorilla breeding base…”

Xiang Shan picked up another paper document from the desk and glanced at it.

Among the many projects being conducted in this park, many were aimed at the advanced functions of the human brain.

For instance, the enzyme with the internal code XHD396 could issue “commands” to the nuclei of the nervous system, reversing the life cycle of the nerve cells.

This substance had already produced a lot of data in mice, rabbits, and other organisms.

However, to test its effects on higher brain functions, the intelligence of mice and rabbits was too low.

They simply lacked “higher functions.” Even the commonly used primate experimental animal, the Ganges monkey, was somewhat insufficient.

After all, Homo sapiens’ brain is much more powerful in function compared to other animals’ brains.

If this enzyme were to be used on humans to treat permanent neural damage, it was essential to define its impact on other advanced functions of the human brain.

The more developed the experimental animals’ brains, the better.

“The public relations department hasn’t yet obtained permission from higher up to start large-scale experiments with gorillas…

ah, as expected, they haven’t.” Xiang Shan ran his hands through his hair, “Let me see, there are also idiots worried that XHD396 or similar active substances could further develop the brains of gorillas, granting them human-level intelligence.

Tch, they dare to dream of such sci-fi scenarios.

If there were such a good thing, I would have given myself an injection long ago.”

“Currently, only the laboratories in the Federation have obtained permission for this.

Most of the research institutions in the organization cannot use it…

and there’s no need to rush to throw money in this direction.

Which radical group sent this document here anyway?”

“Next, regarding the budget application for the next phase of the data department…

approved.”

“The plan for upgrading internal network security in the park…

approved.”

“…approved.”

“…approved.”

Most of the documents had already been discussed by the group, and Xiang Shan only needed to authorize them.

As one of the few with the most management rights, Xiang Shan had the power to veto any documents he disapproved of.

However, Xiang Shan seldom exercised this power.

He was well aware that to manage such a vast group, one must respect the professional capabilities of specialists.

The only thing Xiang Shan needed to prevent was “principled mistakes.”

Soon, the sun had completely set below the horizon.

Xiang Shan had finished dealing with the more urgent documents.

He then packed up the other documents, planning to revisit them when he had time.

Next, he had to process some reports sent back from the laboratory, then assign tasks to those researchers…

And…

And…

Time quickly passed by.

Xiang Shan reclined in his ergonomic chair, gazing up at the ceiling.

“Okay, it’s gotten dark, and then…” Xiang Shan stood up and walked to a cabinet on the edge of the office.

Inside there should be some food.

This was regularly restocked by someone appointed.

He didn’t need to worry about going hungry…

At that moment, his AR glasses blinked twice.

Then, a voice came through the invisible earpiece in Xiang Shan’s ear, “Hey, Shan, you haven’t gone home at this hour?

Still in the office?”

It was David Klein.

Xiang Shan was not surprised that the other party knew his location.

He always had “location sharing” on while working, ensuring that those who needed could know his whereabouts.

[However, the company had strict regulations, only managers, laboratory heads, or higher positions could activate this feature.

Ordinary staff could not use this functionality for more than one hour a day.]

He responded, “Is there a problem?”

“Come to ‘the bar,’ come to ‘the bar’!” David exclaimed, “Since Zhuhui Huaiyi went to visit her mom, let’s join you in celebrating the traditional festival!

‘The bar’!

Remember!”

—This guy, his tone was too excited, clearly he had already started drinking.

Xiang Shan sighed, but his expression softened a bit.

He left the office, went down to the first floor, then stepped onto a public electric balance scooter and made his way to the central part of the park.

The very center of the park housed the Data Archives — this avant-garde and modern building served as the public library of the entire park.

The group’s online data server was located here.

Moreover, the building housed a vast collection of journals and monographs.

When the Data Archives were first constructed, Yawgmoth, being an ardent supporter of the Open Access Movement, excitedly planned to fill the whole library with pirated documents — he didn’t want to give publishers a single penny.

Xiang Shan and others had to persuade him not to do this.

Right across from the Data Archives was the recreation area of the park.

It was essentially one of the park’s “cafeterias” — of course, it was the largest.

Unlike the other cafeterias, this one also had several famous chef teams and provided alcoholic beverages [but only after work hours].

And what David Klein referred to as the “bar” was actually the alcoholic beverage supply area on the fifth floor of the cafeteria.

Xiang Shan didn’t take much effort to find David.

He, Ingrid, and several other friends were all there.

David was red in the face; he lifted his glass, gulped down the drink, then slammed the cup onto the table, ranting, “This isn’t fair!

This is genetic-level unfairness!

I can’t possibly outdrink a Viking!” He pointed at Ingrid and yelled, “This kind of duel has no honor at all!”

Then he suddenly collapsed onto the couch.

“Is this how you welcome me?

Are we celebrating a traditional festival?” Xiang Shan rolled his eyes, “You didn’t even prepare any food.

Who pulls a hungry person into a drinking contest?”

Ingrid said, “Hey!

I did ask the chef to prepare some grilled steak and pasta for you.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a waiter came over with a tray.

The main dish was a bowl of Japanese ramen paired with thinly sliced roasted beef.

“This isn’t a traditional festival meal either…

But whatever, you all are drunk enough to do anything…”

Xiang Shan sighed again.

Inga, who spoke Chinese even better than he did, a citizen of the Republic, usually had a good grasp of the culture.

But after she drank, she probably confused Republican culture with Japanese customs.

But it was always bad to waste food.

Xiang Shan sat down and started eating.

The soup was rich, the meat was tender and juicy inside, and it felt like eating cotton candy.

David seemed to regain some consciousness.

He grabbed Xiang Shan by the shoulder, struggling to sit up, “My God, I’m a bit dizzy…

Oh right, have you met Indira Johnson?

Did you mention the big plan to her?

Ho ho…”

Xiang Shan swallowed the noodles in his mouth, “Mmm, she thinks it’s terrible.”

“What?

This…” David sat up, “Really?

Isn’t she always championing ‘disabled rights’?

So wouldn’t ‘allowing disabled people with prosthetic bodies to participate in manned space programs as astronauts’ be in her interest too?”

The “Indira” David spoke of was full-named “Indira Johnson,” a senator in the Federation Congress.

During his NASA days, as a NASA technical representative, David had interacted with several congress members.

He had always been looking for a stage to promote the group’s Cyberization Technology.

With previous relationships, he established some cooperative intentions within NASA, which included “using prosthetic bodies for astronauts.” This required Congress to allocate funds to NASA to kickstart the project.

One of Xiang Shan’s goals for visiting the Federation was also to garner support within Congress.

Knowing the rules of the congressional game, David had eyed several targets.

Indira Johnson was one he felt most likely to garner support from.

“‘Let a disabled person with dreams of space travel, fitted with a prosthetic body, enter space as an astronaut’!

What an inspiring story!

This could entirely be material for her to climb higher!”

Xiang Shan, holding a piece of meat with his chopsticks, shook it, “She totally doesn’t trust us.

She doesn’t believe in the performance of our implanted prostheses in a zero-gravity environment, or perhaps thinks they could cause some damage to people.

If there were an accident, it would actually harm her reputation.”

“So, I think we shouldn’t even think about following this path.

It’s the same for the Republic here.

Don’t trust.

No one wants to take that risk.

In their eyes, going to space just requires skilled astronauts and payload experts,” Xiang Shan said, “I think it might be quicker to find cooperation with aerospace companies.”

“Ah, I really don’t want those vampires getting involved either…” David shouted like a child throwing a tantrum, “Space is humanity’s space!

Get the private sector out!”

It wasn’t obvious at first.

But as Yawgmoth advanced triumphantly, everyone in the small team realized that they indeed had the chance to change the world—they increasingly cherished the “opportunity” in their hands.

Ingrid tapped the table, “Since that’s the case, why don’t we just buy an aerospace company?”

There was silence for a few seconds.

Xiang Shan flatly stated, “Rejected.

The group’s cash flow can’t afford that kind of thing.”

“Eh?

Isn’t an aerospace company just a money-burning operation?

Similar to us…”

“Are you living in the early 21st century?” David rubbed his face, “They have long been profitable through launching satellites and establishing satellite networks, even achieving a ‘monopoly’ to the extent where telecom operators have to follow their lead.

And their technological reserves are also abundantly real, with an incalculable market value.

It’s not that we can’t afford it, but if we bought it, the group would have to cut many projects…”

“So, we really should have taken another route early on,” Xiang Shan shook his head, “If we had gone to lobby the Olympic Committee last year, maybe we could have used the sports event to establish the impression that ‘prostheses are better than flesh.'”

The Olympics and the Paralympics are due this year.

Now, going to persuade the Olympic Committee to allow high-performance prosthetic athletes to compete or insert certain events into the Olympics, it was a bit late.