137: Chapter 137 The Aftermath

Chen Youhua's livestream had ended, but clips of the broadcast were recorded and shared by netizens, quickly stirring up a massive storm in the online world.

"This is definitely a special effect! I don't believe this is a real livestream, it's just made too realistically!" someone commented firmly.

"When was this livestream? Why didn't I know about it at all? No one told me, I haven't even hopped on the bandwagon yet." Many more were filled with regret.

"Outsider asking, what level is this prosthetic limb technology on a global scale?" Some were also calmly seeking context.

Media outlets and marketing accounts moved at the news, with headlines getting more exaggerated one after another:

"Chen Youhua livestreams prosthetic limbs! Three cyber-monkeys launch a new era for human prosthetic limbs!"

"Shocking! Z University Laboratory breaks through brain-computer interface, robotic arms move as if they were one's own!"

"Eagle Country panicked? This black technology from Rabbit Country may rewrite the global medical landscape!"

The buzz was not limited to domestic borders.

The livestream clips were quickly translated and reposted, becoming popular on major overseas social platforms and tech forums.

"Oh My God! What is that? Is it a prosthetic limb? It moves so naturally!!"

"Why was it invented by a Rabbit Country person? Where are our research institutions? Why aren't they researching this?"

"I swear, whoever can launch this kind of prosthetic limb, I will spare no cost to get one for my father. He lost his right arm in the war."

"Bro, I mean, that looks too cool, M3, I even want to amputate my limb to install that thing."

"Rabbit Country people use their taxes on high-tech and infrastructure. I've seen videos of CQ online, that is simply a cyber city. And what about us? Where did our taxes go?"

"Ninety thousand Eagle Dollars for a bag of screws? I can no longer stand this country. Does anyone know how to move to Rabbit Country to settle down? I don't think Eagle Country will be great again."

This jab at the Eagle Country military procurement scandal received a large number of likes.

This storm inevitably impacted the other side of the ocean.

In Eagle Country, the heads of several top bioengineering research institutions received inquiry calls from Capitol Hill or their financial backers almost at the same time.

In an office decorated with oak paneling and a wide view, Dr. Miles Davis, head of the Eagle Country National Biotechnology Laboratory, was holding a scorching hot mobile phone receiver.

The voice on the other end of the line was cold and full of pressure.

"Miles, I need an explanation. Why can the Rabbit Country laboratory make it? You can't? How much funding do we allocate to NBL every year? Don't you have any idea?"

Miles tried to explain.

"Mr. Alman, please listen to me. This isn't that we don't want to research it, but this level of neural interface technology involves extremely complex biocompatible materials, signal decoding algorithms, long-term stability... This is a field that requires astronomical investment and carries extremely high risks! I dare assert that this is likely a technology show carefully planned by the Rabbit Country side, with the goal of luring us into this bottomless pit..."

"That's enough, Miles!"

The voice on the other end interrupted rudely.

"I don't want to hear your explanations! How much was the total investment for that laboratory in Rabbit Country? Two billion Rabbit Dollars? We give you ten times that amount in funding every year! The global prosthetic limb market is worth trillions of Eagle Dollars! I believe you won't let me down; otherwise, you won't need to submit next year's funding application report."

"Beep... beep... beep..."

The busy signal sounded, and the call was hung up mercilessly.

Miles put down his phone, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the expensive mahogany desk, his face full of indescribable bitterness and pressure.

He couldn't figure out how that young man named Chen Youhua in Rabbit Country managed to produce such a highly mature demonstration in such a short time.

He had watched that video over a dozen times; it was so smooth that he even suspected for a moment that it was a carefully crafted CG special effect.

But it happened to be a live broadcast, happening in real-time.

Immense pressure weighed on his shoulders like a physical weight. He rubbed his brow irritably, his gaze sweeping over the pile of pending project applications on his desk.

Suddenly, he thought of something.

He picked up his private phone, searched his contacts for quite a while, and finally found a name labeled "Zhao - Tu".

He took a deep breath and dialed.

The phone rang several times before it was answered, and a middle-aged male voice with a cautious tone came through, speaking fluent Eagle language.

"Miles? What a surprise, I haven't received a call from you in a long time. Is there something up?"

Miles immediately switched to a familiar and slightly enthusiastic tone.

"Hey, Zhao! We are old friends, aren't we? I remember our previous collaborations have always been very pleasant."

He was referring to obtaining some non-public industry reports a few years ago through this "Mr. Zhao," a middleman with considerable influence in Rabbit Country.

Mr. Zhao on the other end was clearly not so easily buttered up, his tone remaining steady.

"Indeed, Miles. You are one of the most straightforward partners I have worked with. Let's get straight to the point, what help do you need this time? I am currently in Rabbit Country."

Miles didn't beat around the bush either, his tone becoming heavy.

"Zhao, I'm in big trouble this time, and I must ask for your help. Chen Youhua, do you know this person? He is the head of that laboratory at Z University that has been making big waves recently."

"Chen Youhua?"

Mr. Zhao's voice paused significantly, filled with understanding.

"Of course I know him. His news is everywhere on the Rabbit Country internet right now; it's hard not to know. Why? The prosthetic limb project he is in charge of shouldn't have any overlap with your field of research, right?"

"The fields are different, but the trouble is just as big!"

Miles said urgently.

"His livestream video has even reached our country! My superiors saw it and gave me a death order: I must immediately produce something equivalent or even superior! Zhao, you know, this is simply unrealistic! We need time, massive amounts of capital, and most importantly, the core technology..."

Mr. Zhao immediately understood the other party's intention, his tone carrying obvious resistance.

"Wait, Miles. You don't mean you want me to poach people from Chen Youhua's laboratory, do you? Come on, that's simply impossible! That level of technology must be a national key laboratory; do you have any idea how high the security and confidentiality levels are? I might not even be able to find out which residential complex their Researchers live in!"

"Don't be so quick to refuse, Zhao."

Miles's voice lowered, full of temptation.

"Think about it, no one hates money, right? As long as you help me make the connection and find a key Researcher willing to communicate... or someone who can access core materials... I can offer three times their salary in Rabbit Country... no, five times! Plus permanent residency in Eagle Country, top-tier medical insurance, and full coverage for their children's education! As for your service fee..."

Miles paused and named a figure.

"For one key target, I will give you two hundred thousand Eagle Dollars, cash, or any secure method you specify."

The other end of the phone fell into a long silence.

Miles could even hear the other person's slightly heavy breathing.

Two hundred thousand Eagle Dollars was by no means a small sum.

After a full minute, Mr. Zhao's voice finally sounded again, carrying a trace of imperceptible dryness and determination after weighing the options.

"...Fine, I can only say I will try my best. I know a little about the situation over there; the difficulty is extremely high, and the risk is extremely high. I cannot guarantee any results, I can only say... wait for my news."

"Great! Zhao, I knew you were reliable! Keep in touch!"

Miles hung up the phone with a sense of relief, leaning back in his chair, but his eyes became even more complicated.

To save the laboratory and for that potentially trillion-dollar market, he had no other choice.

He stared at the paused livestream screen of Chen Youhua on the computer screen; the mechanical monkey nimbly peeling a banana looked particularly glaring at this moment.