That scene lasted only for a moment before everything returned to normal.

"We have used this person's genes to develop many drugs that can cure cancer. But we still can't confirm his true identity, or even if he is human at all."

Aisa shook his head slightly. "Amazing, right?"

Ruan Xing tugged at the corner of his lips. For some reason, the moment he saw this body, his thoughts began to clash with the voice in his mind.

He shouldn't be here. This wasn't him!

This is just a stranger. What are you getting worked up for?

Ruan Xing couldn't tell what this feeling was. Was it sympathy? Anger? Or some other emotion entirely?

Dressed in a protective suit, he looked at the man in the glass tank through thick lenses.

The man inside knew nothing.

"Can I take a closer look at the experimental data?"

Aisa smiled. "I'm glad you're so quick to get into the work. Pei Yi, take him and help him get familiar."

Before leaving, Ruan Xing asked, "Can I know his name?"

Aisa gave him a glance. "Fu Zhi. That was the name on the tag we found on him. But we all call him Number One."

The name struck him with uncanny familiarity. The instant he heard it, countless blurry shadows surged in his mind, as if they had known each other for a long time.

He studied every piece of data related to Fu Zhi. For this, despite knowing nothing at first, he learned to use dozens of related software and spent more than ten hours a day in the lab.

His parents thought he had gone crazy, but only his sister supported him. "Brother! I believe you'll become the greatest researcher!"

I'm not trying to be the greatest researcher, Ruan Xing added silently. I just want to know what really happened.

Bai Xu, unable to stand his coldness, often quarreled with him. One day, Ruan Xing removed his glasses and rubbed the corners of his eyes.

"Then let's break up." He then deleted and blocked Bai Xu and threw himself fully back into work.

Even Aisa sighed, saying that compared to himself, Ruan Xing seemed more like the head of the lab. He was too familiar with every step of the process and able to take charge of all the team's projects alone. Of course, Aisa never actually did that. He was just grateful to have found such a capable assistant.

With Ruan Xing's full dedication, their research progress advanced by leaps and bounds.

"Dr. Aisa! The Tower has approved the next stage of our experiment!"

Chen Yihang's eyes lit up.

Aisa's expression brightened. "Really?"

"Really. The Tower even wants to personally oversee the experiment!"

Aisa's excitement faded immediately. "No. This is our experiment. I won't let him interfere!"

"Is't really not possible?" A warm voice sounded from behind.

Ruan Xing turned and saw a young man with black hair. A face he didn't recognize, but felt an unexplainable dislike for.

"This is my team. If you interfere, I'll take them and leave!" Aisa's tone was firm.

The man looked at him with interest. "Go ahead. A peaceful world will never lack excellent researchers. You're not my only student."

Aisa was clearly furious. He slammed the tools in his hand onto the floor and left.

The man turned to Ruan Xing. "You're not going with him?"

Ruan Xing shook his head. "No. I just want to study him." He pointed to Fu Zhi inside the nutrient chamber.

The man's look was unreadable, but he agreed.

"Then be my assistant."

Ruan Xing didn't care who was in charge. He was only interested in the man in the chamber.

But this man was nothing like Aisa.

On their very first collaboration, Ruan Xing was startled by his demands.

"Take him out. Let's cut off a piece of tissue. Hmm… start with the liver. Let's test the regeneration ability."

Ruan Xing stared at him in disbelief.

Aisa's research had at most extracted tissue samples or blood. There had never been this kind of dissection. And this man's body was still active. Ruan Xing even felt he was alive.

The man smiled. "Can't do it? Then I'll get someone else."

"I'll do it," Ruan Xing said immediately.

He lifted Fu Zhi out and, with trembling hands, made an incision in his abdomen.

Just like a normal human, the body bled.

His hands moved quickly, cutting away a section of liver.

He knew the wound would heal in a short time.

"Excellent technique," the man praised.

Ruan Xing lowered his head, ignoring him, and placed the tissue into the storage unit.

"Tomorrow, we'll cut a different part," the man said.

Ruan Xing's hands paused.

The next day, it was still Ruan Xing who made the cut.

And from then on, the man's demands became increasingly outrageous: gallbladder, stomach, lungs, heart, even brain tissue.

Ruan Xing's hands moved faster, and his face grew more expressionless.

The man conducted his own research, never letting Ruan Xing treat Fu Zhi like a mere tool, but continued to push him with requests.

Under the intense workload, Ruan Xing began to lose weight. Dark circles formed under his eyes.

Pei Ye ran into him once and was shocked. "Ruan Xing, did you go mining on the moon?"

Ruan Xing only responded coldly before going back to his research.

Finally, the project made a major breakthrough.

They developed a drug that could keep a person eternally young and extend life by at least fifty years.

When the news came out, everyone went wild.

The man became the world's most renowned scientist.

The Tower rose from a second-tier institute to the top tier. Ruan Xing's status soared. Everyone knew he was a special researcher at the Tower, on par with Aisa in his time.

Passing through the work area, even the researcher who had first guided him stood to greet him. Everyone treated him with caution.

Except Pei Ye, who still slacked off at work and eagerly came over to hook an arm around him.

"My brother is an executive. Why should I work?"

Ruan Xing even got a call from Aisa, dripping with sarcasm, asking about his well-being and offering to take him in if he was worried about being overshadowed.

Aisa was now at another research institute, with good pay and a high position.

Ruan Xing refused, saying he was doing fine.

Looking in the mirror at the slender man with hair long enough to tie back, the light in his eyes hadn't dimmed. "I have never felt more grounded than I do now."

Aisa hung up in frustration. "Fine, I don't care about you anymore!"

Soon, the day of the press conference came. The man wore a pure white suit.

Before going on stage, he told Ruan Xing, "After the experiment ends, you'll take over another team. I'll handle this project alone."

Ruan Xing froze.

The voice in his head returned. Accept it. You're just an ordinary researcher with some talent. But so what? Can you change anything? You can still be with him now, but in time, when you leave the Tower, you'll never see him again.

Expressionless, Ruan Xing said, "Understood."

The voice faded, seemingly satisfied.

Pleased with his compliance, the man stepped onto the stage.

Beside him stood a wealthy man named Yin Zhu, the first person to take the drug. His ID indicated he was fifty-eight, but in front of the crowd, he appeared to be a man in his twenties.

The presentation caused a sensation.

"Everyone, our research has taken great effort, but we have decided to set a not-too-high price so more people can benefit."

He then announced a staggering figure that sparked an uproar.

It was expensive. But compared to the promise of youth, many found it acceptable.

People began signing up to buy it. The atmosphere grew heated.

But suddenly, everyone present received a message.

The Crystal Stone Institute had begun selling a new drug identical in appearance and effect to the Tower's, but at the price of a common cancer medication.

Crowds flocked to them, leaving the Tower's press conference half empty.

The man's face darkened.

"Was this you?"

Ruan Xing shook his head.

"Aren't you afraid I'll operate on Fu Zhi?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ruan Xing replied.

Heavy footsteps sounded.

"Dr. Will, you are suspected of patent theft. Please come with us to cooperate with the investigation."

Being taken away meant at least a month in custody. The man's face went blank.

"You can't bring him back to life. Every person who takes that drug is consuming his life."

"I know," Ruan Xing answered softly.

A piercing screech exploded in his head. The thing in his mind was thrashing. This is illegal! How dare you do this!

Ruan Xing smiled, ignoring it. Whether it was a tumor or some entity from another world, it didn't matter.

From the start, he had known it was something abnormal. People's minds didn't talk to them.

In full view, Will was taken away.

Ignoring the voice in his head, Ruan Xing stepped forward to take control. "Everyone, the challenge is before us! We face unprecedented difficulty, but the Tower will face it with you. Before leaving, Mr. Will instructed me to match the Crystal Stone Company's price, or go even lower!"

Crystal Stone proposed an alliance, but Ruan Xing refused. Enraged, they began a price war.

The drug's cost continued to drop. Just a few months of use could achieve permanent results. The total expense wasn't too high. Just a waiver agreement to sign, so more and more people joined.

Soon, rumors spread online: the new drug was sourced from a special human. Not tested on volunteers. Its material was directly taken from that person.

Every person taking it was eating human flesh.

Public outrage erupted. People condemned the biotech companies.

Neither company issued a public statement, but many supporters spoke up: Can you resist the temptation of immortality?

Indeed, no one could.

"Professor Ruan, your generosity is astounding. I believe under your leadership, the Tower will reach new heights."

Lloyd, the head of Crystal Stone, slid a file folder toward him. "We've handled Professor Will's matter. I hope our cooperation can continue. And if we can monopolize the price, even better. After all, this price war leaves little profit, especially for the Tower."

Dressed in white with gold-rimmed glasses, his hair dyed black and swaying gently, Ruan Xing glanced at the file and smiled faintly. "Yes. Let's hope our cooperation continues."

As they ended the meeting, Lloyd asked, "Mr. Ruan, I heard that you're still single?"

Ruan Xing smiled slightly. "My heart belongs to someone."

Lloyd looked disappointed but handed over a card. "If you change your mind, you can always find me."

Outside, Ruan Xing tossed the card into the trash.

The voice in his mind hissed more viciously, cursing him. Look at what you've done! You joined hands with Crystal Stone! You ruined the Tower!

Ruan Xing tapped his temple.

Ruining the Tower was nothing. What he wanted to do had only just begun.

Both companies were now printing on the packaging that the drug contains a certain ingredient and admit that it came from a person, possibly with substantial side effects.

Protests from both supporters and opponents peaked.

Overnight, countless people regained their youth, and the streets were full of young faces.

In stark contrast, outside the gates of the two companies, crowds of middle-aged and elderly protesters gathered every day. Joined by many actual young people.

Some knelt in thanks to the Tower and Crystal Stone. Others cursed them, wishing them dead on the spot.

The now most valuable companies in the world neither responded nor dispersed them.

Until one day, Yin Zhu was found dead at home. His organs failed as his body aged past eighty.

It was as if his life had been drained early.

More and more people were found dead at home with the same symptoms.

All of them had taken the life-extending drug.

Panic swept the world.

Even opponents of the drug were unsettled.

Ruan Xing immediately sealed off the Tower.

No one attacked. It was impossible.

Those who could retaliate were already dead, their lives burned out.

They had been the first to enjoy the benefits of longevity, and also the first to die.

Chaos erupted.

Mass death struck overnight.

People collapsed in the street, clutching their throats. Some slumped forward into boiling soup while eating. While there were even those who turned into mummified corpses live on television.

Even the young leader who had opposed using human bodies for medicine was found dead at home.

The whole world was thrown into fear.

Only then did people realize that Ruan Xing had left the choice to them.

With signed waivers, the Tower bore no responsibility.

Countless people regretted it, begging for mercy, pleading for an antidote, but no one responded.

The Crystal Stone Company was stormed and destroyed by furious crowds.

But the sealed Tower was like a fortress.

It was unbreachable.

Under a crimson sunset, Ruan Xing stood high above, humming an unknown tune.

Below, protesters roared in rage. Behind him, the huge nutrient chamber was wheeled out, the man inside standing as if at his back.

And in a small sealed box beside it, a shining little ball of light floated, trembling all over.

Madmen! All of them madmen!

“Everything that fate gives… the price was already written…”

The sunset faded, and the world sank into darkness.

Ruan Xing opened his eyes.

The white ceiling above was distinctive. The Tower's unique design.

No one else was there, only a strange machine that was glowing red.