79: Chapter 79 Neural Link-Based Fusion Systems of Biological and Artificial Components

The morning sun shone through the hotel's floor-to-ceiling windows, casting bright spots of light onto the carpet.

Chen Youhua had just finished washing up when the doorbell rang.

Standing outside the door were Wang Zhe and Li Wei; Wang Zhe wore a "something is off about you" expression, while Li Wei looked concerned.

"Youhua, what on earth are you doing?"

Wang Zhe barged into the room, shouting loudly, and unceremoniously plopped down onto the sofa.

"We were halfway through dinner yesterday, and you just vanished in a flash! You didn't even say a word! We thought you'd gone missing!"

Li Wei was much more observant; she looked around the standard business suite, frowning slightly.

"Youhua, why are you staying in a hotel? Is it... do you not have a place to stay?"

She noticed two security personnel standing in the corner, as silent as statues but with an exceptionally sharp demeanor, which only added to her confusion.

Given Chen Youhua's current status and position, surely he wouldn't be without a place to live?

Chen Youhua poured them both a glass of water, sat down himself, and waved his hand casually.

"Don't mention it. There was a sudden situation yesterday, and it was late at night by the time I finished handling it.

Going back to the dorm would probably cause another commotion, and what about my security detail?

Arranging temporary accommodation is too much trouble, so this place is fine—it's quiet."

He pointed to the complimentary hotel breakfast vouchers on the table.

"Look, they even provide meals."

Wang Zhe picked up a breakfast voucher, looked at it, and curled his lip.

"Just this? Boss Chen, this setup doesn't match your status! It should at least be a presidential suite, right?"

"It's good enough that I have a place to stay. I'm not complaining, so Brother Zhe, stop being so picky."

Chen Youhua laughed and scolded him, then his expression turned serious. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sweeping over the two of them.

"Let's talk business. I've returned this time to set up an interdisciplinary laboratory at Z University, focusing on cross-field research. I have a project on hand, and I'd like to invite you both to help me."

"A laboratory? A project?"

Wang Zhe became interested, his eyes lighting up.

"What kind of project? Is it another earth-shattering big thing?"

He rubbed his hands together, looking expectant.

"It's biology-related,"

Chen Youhua paused, then clearly pronounced the words.

"Neural Link-Based Biological and Artificial Component Integration System."

"What's that?"

Wang Zhe didn't hear clearly, or rather, he heard it but hadn't processed it yet.

Li Wei, however, had heard it clearly; she repeated it subconsciously.

"Neural link... biological and artificial component integration?"

Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes slowly widened in disbelief and shock.

"Youhua... are you referring to... prosthetics? The kind of mechanical limbs only seen in sci-fi movies? Or perhaps... an even deeper level of integration?"

"Yes, in layman's terms, it's prosthetics—specifically the kind with advanced neural sensory and control capabilities."

Chen Youhua nodded calmly, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary.

Wang Zhe and Li Wei instantly turned to stone.

The air seemed to freeze for a few seconds.

"Pfft—cough, cough, cough!"

Wang Zhe spat out the water he had just taken a sip of, choking until his face turned bright red. He pointed at his own nose while coughing, his voice cracking.

"Us... the two of us??? Youhua, you... you... are you still not awake from yesterday? Are you sleepwalking right now?!

Look closely, I'm Wang Zhe! The Wang Zhe who failed Advanced Mathematics in undergrad.

She's Li Wei, the Li Wei who hasn't even fully grasped the principles of biology yet! And you want us to work on... on this?!"

He stood up excitedly, pacing around the room and waving his hands.

"This thing, this is a world-class engineering project! It's something that could win a Nobel Prize plus a Turing Award! It's something that would make top global laboratories shrink back in fear.

You want us... two small fries who have just touched the threshold of scientific research to do this? You're overestimating us too much! You'd be better off having us research spaceships instead."

Li Wei also recovered from her shock and nodded repeatedly, her face clearly showing an "are you kidding me" expression, her voice earnest.

"Youhua, although Brother Zhe is exaggerating a bit, he's right.

The depth and breadth of the disciplines involved in this project are simply beyond our reach at our current stage.

Never mind leading it; even if we were just assisting, we probably wouldn't even know where to start.

Even if we studied it for our entire lives without eating or sleeping, I'm afraid we wouldn't be able to grasp even one percent of the basic theory.

This... this is just too unrealistic!"

Watching the two of them looking like they were facing a great enemy, their faces clearly saying "you're crazy," Chen Youhua couldn't help but chuckle softly.

He leaned back against the sofa, his posture relaxed, but his eyes held an unquestionable certainty.

"What's the rush? I haven't finished speaking yet."

He held up a finger and waved it mysteriously.

"The project is difficult, but when has Chen Youhua ever fought a battle he wasn't sure about?

Rest assured, when the time comes, I will arrange a powerful assistant for you."

He deliberately emphasized the words "powerful assistant," a flash of unreadable light passing through his eyes.

"It will help you solve the core algorithmic, simulation, and cross-disciplinary integration problems.

What you need to do is leverage your strengths in biological experimental operations, understanding material properties, and specific project execution to turn the theory into an implementable plan."

"A powerful assistant?"

Wang Zhe and Li Wei looked at each other, their eyes filled with huge question marks.

What kind of assistant could be awesome enough to handle a project of this level? A supercomputer cluster? Or...

Chen Youhua didn't explain, only saying to them with a sad expression.

"What? You don't even trust me now? When have I ever set you up?"

This sentence acted like a reassuring pill.

The two remembered Chen Youhua's superhuman past.

Although they were still feeling anxious, their hearts pounding like fifteen buckets hanging in a well, and the huge unease and the fantastical nature of the project made them instinctively resist, deep down, that almost blind trust in Chen Youhua began to take root and sprout.

Wang Zhe gritted his teeth, slapped his thigh hard, and looked like he was going all in.

"Fine! Let's do it! Anyway, following you, kid, is either going to heaven or hell! At worst, we'll just be nailed to the pillar of shame in scientific history! At least we'll be famous in history!"

Li Wei took a deep breath and also nodded solemnly.

"Youhua, we believe in you. Although... although this sounds like a dream, just tell us what needs to be done."

She paused, then couldn't help but add in a low voice.

"That assistant... is it... really reliable?"

Chen Youhua smiled without answering, only picking up his phone to check the time.

"It's almost twelve o'clock."

He stood up and stretched, the serious atmosphere of discussing a world-class topic instantly dissipating, and he returned to being that casual junior fellow student.

"Let's go, let's eat first. No matter how big the matter is, you have to fill your stomach first.

Brother Zhe, you find a place, and we can chat while we eat!"

"Hey! You said it yourself!"

Wang Zhe immediately threw thoughts of neural links and world-class engineering to the back of his mind, instantly reviving to full health, rubbing his hands together.

"I know a newly opened Hunan restaurant behind the school; their chopped chili fish head is amazing!

I'm definitely going to rip you off today! Let's go, let's go!"

He couldn't wait to pull Chen Youhua and walk out.

Chen Youhua picked up his jacket, nodded at the security personnel in the corner, and was pulled out.