Chapter 208: A Battle About Genes_1

Jiang Yu's hospital bed was directly carried onto the plane. After several hours of flight, when Jiang Yu was carried out of the cabin, his vision had almost fully recovered.

The location of the space elevator used to be the economic center of the southern region in the country, and its prosperity goes without saying.

But now, the buildings within sight were all very dilapidated, and it seemed as if there was a layer of yellow sand covering everything, both on the buildings and the roads, making it all look grimy.

The sides of the road were bare, with only the occasional green plant, whose leaves were all covered in dust, obliterating their original green color.

There were no longer blue skies and white clouds overhead, but a grayish-yellow hue instead, as if the sun were blocked by the pollution and dust in the atmosphere, looking lackluster.

The passersby on the streets hurried along, their hairstyles and clothing styles highly uniform.

Most of them had a dead look on their faces, and their clothing was made of rough, worn fabric—Jiang Yu even saw patches!

Their hair was dirty and unkempt, which surprised Jiang Yu, born in the Golden Age. Had the standard of living declined to such an extent?

Fortunately, among the passersby, some young faces were filled with vitality, and there were bursts of laughter and chatter, and occasionally one would hear them shout, "Give civilization to the ages, not ages to civilization!"

Jiang Yu said hoarsely, "There is still hope!"

Number Three chuckled beside him, "The hibernation recovery agent from Guanghan City is indeed effective. You've only been awake for seven or eight hours from hibernation, and you're already able to speak!"

Jiang Yu glanced at Number Three, "Let me recover a bit more, then I'll give you a piece of my mind!"

Number Three actually sighed with relief, "If you can scold me, I'll actually feel better."

Number Three carried some psychological burden for not awakening Jiang Yu when his parents passed away, but he did not regret it because it was the last wish of Jiang Yu's parents and should be respected.

Almost no other cars were on the road; the vehicle carrying Jiang Yu and the others moved quickly, and it took just over an hour to reach the space elevator at the edge of the city.

Number Three reassured by the bedside, "Don't worry, we've got our people in the space elevator, and we've already obtained the clearance documents."

When entering the space elevator, the check was very strict. Number Three stepped forward and claimed they were going to Guanghan City for medical treatment, then presented the documents and gave the inspectors a wad of money.

The inspection became very simple after that.

Jiang Yu's hospital bed was moved into a small cabin. Only when the cabin was filled exclusively with their own people did Number Three close the cabin door and explain, "After you went into hibernation, Bo Xiangdong's project team made one breakthrough after another.

"In Bo Xiangdong's words, artificial organs are a breakthrough in gene control technology. With this starting point, even without microscopic observation, other gene sequence control technologies have a rough direction to follow.

"Ten years after you went into hibernation, the medical technology in Guanghan City has become unparalleled. Since then, many officials and nobles have gone to Guanghan City for treatment or life extension.

"You might not believe it, but now the average lifespan of Guanghan City residents has reached 98 years!

"The first group of residents who moved to Moon City, except for dozens who died early due to illness or accidents and a few thousand who perished in an accidental epidemic, the rest are still living there, and most of them are in good health.

"Therefore, Burton has postponed the retirement age to 95 years.

"The residents who built Moon City have retired, but there are still some who moved to the Moon City during your hibernation and are still working at their posts.

"According to predictions by the Science Academy, the lifespan of Guanghan City residents should be over 130 years, which is probably the limit of lifespan nature allows for humans.

"Previously, people died young due to harsh living conditions, but now that almost all diseases can be treated, humans can relatively easily reach this lifespan limit."

Number Three smiled, "The reason why the current average lifespan is only 98 is that most Guanghan City residents haven't lived past a hundred yet.

"Thus, Guanghan City has become the new 'Land of Longevity', and as long as you move there, you've got your ticket to a long life."

Jiang Yu smiled as well, "How's Bo Xiangdong doing now?"

Number Three's expression darkened, "He passed away eight years ago."

Jiang Yu was stunned, "Hasn't the medical system in Guanghan City developed significantly? If he were alive, he would be, well..."

Around 120 years old?

Number Three said, "Doctor Bai died of overwork. In Crisis Year 67, people on Earth started dying from hunger, but misfortunes never come singly. A massive epidemic broke out on Earth at the same time.

"Ten billion people died in ten years!"

Jiang Yu couldn't catch his breath and started coughing violently.

It took a while for Number Three to help him regulate his breathing before Jiang Yu calmed down, "So many lives! How could you just stand by and watch?"

Number Three hurriedly explained, "It was only because Guanghan City and Mars City intervened timely that only ten billion people died. To save lives, the living standard in Guanghan City and other places plummeted, and Europa City, which was planned to be constructed, hasn't even been started yet.

"This was a genetic war triggered by the technology from the 'Poison Apple Project,' and this epidemic only broke out among those who had undergone the Trisolarans' genetic modification technology.

"If it weren't for Doctor Bai's team fighting day and night, all three billion genetically modified people in the world would have died!"

The people in the passenger cabin remained silent for a long time, seemingly recalling that terrible disaster.

It was quite a while later that Jiang Yu said, "If there were a time machine, I would definitely go back to kill people!

"Those who conducted genetic modifications on their own children, those ETOs who spread this technology, deserve death!"

He had always suspected that the Trisolarans' technologies harbored ill intentions, but he never imagined it could lead to such massive scale of death.

Jiang Yu asked, "Did ETO create a genetic missile?"

At this time, the space elevator finally started, and it would take most of the day to reach the Yellow River Space Station.

Number Three said, "It's a long story, but luckily we have a long journey ahead of us, so I'll explain slowly."

After Jiang Yu went into hibernation, the children who had used genetic modification technology grew up and exhibited astonishing talents and abilities.

Thus, although global living conditions were getting tighter, genetic modification technology became even more widespread.

Then, as hunger began to bite, the PDC, in an effort to quell discontent, legalized the Trisolarans' genetic modification technology.

Moreover, the technology was monopolized by PDC. Only families that fully supported PDC's resolutions and rulership had the opportunity for their descendants to undergo genetic modification.

Otherwise, they had to spend a lot of money to buy a spot.

Some merchants from Guanghan City secretly bought these spots.

Suddenly, there were two distinct classes worldwide: one was those who had undergone genetic modification, a symbol of loyalty to humanity and Earth.

The other class, those who had not undergone genetic modification, were suspected of being ETO, exploited by the PDC and the genetically modified class.

They were not eligible for decent jobs, and their children couldn't receive a good education. In short, it was the global implementation of a caste system akin to India's.

With this, even under conditions of food shortage, extreme environmental degradation, and suppression of progressive thought, PDC's rule remained stable.

Han Li's cultural company was also worried for the first time about not being able to find employees.

Because before, Jiang Yu had given a strict order that no one in Guanghan City should be allowed to undergo Trisolaran genetic modification or brain implant technology.

All these changes happened in Crisis Era Year 67!