112: Chapter 112 Rectification and Counterattack

The lights were deathly pale, reflecting Professor Sun Liren's defeated face.

He sat in the chair with a hunched back, his previous high spirits long gone, leaving only a dejection as if his soul had been hollowed out.

With deep bags under his eyes, messy hair, and his expensive suit wrinkled, his entire being resembled a plant withering rapidly.

The door to the interrogation room was pushed open, and two men dressed in plain clothes but possessing a sharp, capable aura walked in.

The expressions on their faces were no longer a routine calm, but exceptionally solemn; their eyes were as sharp as knives, locked tightly onto Sun Liren.

One of them walked straight up to Sun Liren and slammed a phone onto the table with a 'thwack'.

The screen was looping that short video that had ignited the entire internet.

[Shocking News! Z University Lab's Prosthetic Project Receives 2 Billion in Funding?! Led by an Undergraduate? Science Fiction Becoming Reality?]

"Professor Sun,"

The man's voice was low and cold, carrying suppressed fury.

"Didn't you swear up and down that it was just a private complaint and that you definitely didn't upload it to the internet? Then what is this?!"

The moment Sun Liren's gaze touched the screen, his pupils shrank violently, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

The last shred of wishful thinking was completely crushed.

His face turned as pale as paper, his lips quivered, and he seemed to age ten years in an instant.

"They... they did it after all..."

Sun Liren's voice was hoarse and dry, filled with despair and the resignation of being used.

"They didn't care about my life or death at all..."

He seemed to have the last of his strength drained away, slumping into the chair with his head buried deep.

"I... I'll confess everything."

Sun Liren's voice was full of remorse.

"In the beginning... when A-705 Laboratory was taken, I was indeed angry, but it was limited to a few private complaints... I never thought about doing anything out of line..."

He looked up, his eyes bloodshot.

"Later... later an organization calling itself the Global Science and Technology Ethics Promotion Association appeared. I don't know where they heard that I had a conflict with Chen Youhua.

They approached me proactively and promised a lot... overseas teaching positions, research funding, and even... facilitating my child's study abroad. However, I didn't want any of it; I just asked them to transfer a sum of money to an offshore account afterward."

"Those materials about Chen Youhua's fantastical project were obtained by me through special channels."

"Later on, they demanded that I blow things up, preferably to trigger public doubt, which meant uploading it to the internet.

I... I was possessed at the time and tacitly allowed my subordinate Zhang Weijie to handle it, but I didn't expect, I didn't expect them to get hold of *this* data! This definitely wasn't from me!"

Sun Liren pleaded urgently, as if trying to grasp at a final straw.

The man and his companion exchanged a glance, their expressions becoming even more solemn.

The Global Science and Technology Ethics Promotion Association—behind this seemingly high-sounding name, there was clearly a deeper hidden hand.

...

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Chen Youhua's study was entirely different.

Wang Zhe and Li Wei had been called back; the worry from the internet storm still lingered on their faces.

Chen Youhua stood behind the desk, his expression exceptionally calm.

"Sister Wei,"

Chen Youhua's gaze first fell on Li Wei, his tone steady and powerful.

"This public opinion crisis cannot be solved by our laboratory alone.

You are responsible for external coordination. Contact the university's propaganda department and the public relations teachers; get them moving and prepare a contingency plan. At the same time,"

He paused and emphasized.

"Prepare a project summary. Use the most common, most straightforward plain language to tell everyone exactly what we did in the first phase and what difficulties we broke through.

Seek truth from facts, call a spade a spade. Don't boast, and don't hide anything.

Have them post it on the university's official website and official accounts as soon as possible to stabilize our position first by laying out a portion of the truth."

Li Wei's eyes sharpened as she immediately understood Chen Youhua's intention.

Rectify the name first, then counterattack!

She nodded vigorously.

"Understood! I'll get on it right away!"

She turned to leave.

"Wait,"

Chen Youhua stopped her and also looked at Wang Zhe, who was standing aside with built-up energy.

"The two of you, in the next few days, are going to do something big for me!"

Wang Zhe's spirits lifted, and he straightened his back.

"Youhua, just say the word. What do you want us to do? Argue with the trolls online? I'm a keyboard warrior from Zaun!"

Chen Youhua ignored Wang Zhe's banter. He walked up to the two of them, his voice not loud but carrying an unquestionable power.

"Mobilize all laboratory resources for me! Regardless of cost! Use the most mature and reliable artificial nerve solution you have, combined with the control circuit used for the previous demonstration, and build me a functional, intuitive animal prosthetic in the shortest possible time!"

Chen Youhua's gaze swept over the two.

"Find me a monkey that has lost a forelimb, or another suitable experimental animal.

I want to see it able to clearly and repeatedly complete basic movements like grasping and lifting through our artificial nerve interface and an external mechanical arm!

The movement doesn't need to be as perfect as the original, but it must be real! It must be clearly visible! It must withstand repeated scrutiny from any angle and in any slow-motion frame!"

"I want everyone to see with their own eyes whether this project of ours is really fantastical nonsense or if it's a scam."

The stifled frustration the two had felt from the online doubts was swept away, replaced by an excitement like charging onto a battlefield.

Wang Zhe said with absolute certainty.

"Understood, mission guaranteed! Isn't it just fitting a monkey with a simple prosthetic?

The data and models we've accumulated before can fully support it.

The stability data for the interface materials Sister Wei is responsible for has been excellent in the recent sets!

I'll go contact the Experimental Animal Center right now and pick out a suitable monkey!"

He rubbed his hands together, itching to rush back to the lab immediately.

Although Li Wei wasn't as outward as Wang Zhe, her eyes lit up, filled with focus and determination.

She knew this wasn't just a demonstration; it was a battle they couldn't afford to lose.

She quickly planned the tasks in her mind.

"Materials, interface, control logic, animal adaptability training... the time is tight, but it's feasible!

Youhua, I'll be responsible for the overall integration and ensuring the stability of the movements.

Brother Zhe, you coordinate the equipment and experimental animal procedures, especially the fast track for safety protection and ethical review. We must ensure everything is foolproof."

Chen Youhua felt slightly more at ease seeing the two of them quickly enter their work states.

"Go then."

He waved his hand, his tone full of trust.

"Use the fastest speed to bring out the hardest evidence.

Let those hiding behind keyboards see what the real first step of science fiction becoming reality looks like!"

Wang Zhe and Li Wei exchanged a glance. Without needing another word, they nodded simultaneously and turned to stride out of the study.