785: 100% pure yellow blood

After Comrade Ren Yi's general introduction, Li Ming finally understood the whole story.

Remembering that Comrade Ren Yi had just mentioned the expensive medicinal ingredients, Li Ming stammered.

"Comrade Ren Yi, this medicine..."

Comrade Ren Yi asked, "Is there a problem?"

"This medicine... roughly how much will it cost?" Li Ming asked after swallowing.

"Hmm... if we only count the cost, probably around ten thousand!" Comrade Ren Yi silently added in his mind, "System points..."

"Including other medical expenses, a critically ill patient would probably need over a million yuan."

Li Ming's face instantly paled.

"That much?!"

Hearing that figure, Li Ming suddenly felt panicked.

The medical expenses for him and Grandpa Li combined would be almost three million, wouldn't they?

His monthly salary was only three thousand five hundred, and his parents' salaries weren't much higher. Where would they get that much money?

Even if they sold their house, it wouldn't be enough for these medical expenses!

"Comrade Ren Yi!"

"Can these treatment costs be reimbursed by medical insurance? What's the percentage?" Li Ming's voice trembled.

"No, wait...!"

"This medicine is still confidential, how could it be covered by medical insurance... It's over, it's all over, I'm going to become a defaulter..."

"Sigh... as long as I'm alive, it's fine if my credit is gone..."

Seeing Li Ming's flustered appearance, Comrade Ren Yi chuckled.

"What are you afraid of?"

"For all patients infected with the virus, the state will fully cover all treatment expenses during the period."

Li Ming couldn't believe it: "Really?"

"Of course, would I lie to you, uh..." Remembering that he had lied to him quite a bit in the past, Comrade Ren Yi added, "I haven't lied to you since we grew up, have I?"

"No... no!" Li Ming was overjoyed.

"That's wonderful!"

Upon learning that he wouldn't have to go bankrupt, Li Ming was ecstatic.

From the moment he got on the elevator until he reached Grandpa Li's room, he kept thanking the country for its good policies.

Seeing this, Comrade Ren Yi felt a slight sigh of emotion.

One illness can impoverish three generations.

Even the happiest family, with just one sudden major illness, can instantly fall into a predicament of ruined home, empty coffers, and even death!

Outside Grandpa Li's room, Comrade Ren Yi reached out and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Grandpa Li, it's me."

Grandpa Li opened the door.

"Oh, my dear, look at you, you're so busy, don't bother coming to visit me! ...Ming? Why are you here???"

Li Ming looked at Grandpa Li, who had almost been separated by life and death... or rather, was separated by a thin veil, and immediately burst into tears.

...

Half an hour later.

"...Li Ming, after you finish registering, you'll also need to sign a six-month confidentiality agreement," Comrade Ren Yi instructed.

"Before the Spring Festival, no one in the treatment center is allowed to go out."

"This is mandatory, there's no room for discussion. You need to be mentally prepared."

Li Ming immediately replied, "Don't worry, my life was given by the country."

"You just said that recovered patients can apply to become volunteers at the treatment center. I wonder if I meet the conditions?"

Comrade Ren Yi first nodded, but after a moment, he shook his head again.

"You are indeed qualified."

"However, I have another special task to give to you and Grandpa Li."

Grandpa Li and Li Ming looked at each other: "Special task?"

Comrade Ren Yi explained, "After the virus outbreak, our research team immediately launched a special study on the virus, and not long ago, we achieved substantial progress."

"Research has shown that the RNA single strand of this virus has a high expression match with the human genetic database in our Asia-Pacific region, and its biological correlation is extremely strong!"

"Ah?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present was immediately shocked.

Li Ming blurted out, "This clearly looks like a virus specifically targeting us!"

Comrade Ren Yi nodded solemnly and continued in a deep voice, "I won't go into too much detail about the specifics, but the reason I'm telling you this information is..."

"...because both of you are extremely rare super-spreaders. At the genetic level, you are highly compatible with the virus's characteristics, and your viral load far exceeds normal by dozens of times!"

"Especially Li Ming, when you were critically ill and comatose, your peak viral load even reached a hundred times that of a normal person!"

"Holy cow, that high?!"

Hearing this terrifying number, Li Ming and Grandpa Li were both startled.

"Given that the virus specifically targets certain genes, you two, grandfather and grandson, can be considered the most authentic yellow-skinned bloodline!"

At this point, Comrade Ren Yi looked at Li Ming and chuckled, teasingly, "Didn't you think you had transmigrated to become the protagonist?"

"With your one-in-a-billion pure yellow-skinned bloodline, you can indeed be called the contemporary Son of Destiny of our nation."

Li Ming made a bitter face. "What's the use of that, I still only earn three thousand five a month..."

Comrade Ren Yi smiled and said, "Not anymore!"

"I plan to arrange for you two, grandfather and grandson, to participate in the scientific research work of the Special New Human Project, with preferential treatment for salary and everything!"

"Scientific research?" Li Ming pointed at himself, bewildered, "Us, grandfather and grandson?"

He, a college graduate, and Grandpa Li, a retired teacher with only primary school education, going to participate in a national-level scientific research project?

"Comrade Ren Yi!" Grandpa Li frowned from the side.

"I watched you grow up. If you acknowledge me as your Grandpa Li, you must listen to me today!"

"You saving us, grandfather and grandson, is already the greatest kindness to our family!"

"As a person, one must be content!"

"I know you want to take care of us, but we don't do things like pulling strings or backdoor deals!"

"And I'd like to remind you of something: don't ever do this kind of thing in the future. You're a big leader now, and all the people of the country are watching. You absolutely cannot open up certain loopholes!"

Grandpa Li's righteous words, instead, gave Comrade Ren Yi a lecture, leaving Comrade Ren Yi feeling helpless.

"What are you talking about, Grandpa Li, you misunderstood!"

"Then what do you mean?" Comrade Ren Yi said helplessly, "What I mean is that your two genes are very valuable for research. Letting you participate in the scientific research project means you'll be like guinea pigs cooperating with the research. Normally, it's just drawing blood and getting CT scans!"

After listening to Comrade Ren Yi's words, Grandpa Li suddenly realized.

"So that's it... Hey! Look at how I misunderstood..."

Li Ming also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Isn't this just being a scientific research volunteer? What's the big deal?"

"I, Li Ming, must do my part for such a beneficial undertaking for the country and its people! Don't even talk about salary or benefits, I'd go even without money!"

Grandpa Li nodded repeatedly.

"It's just donating some blood, these are things we should do. How can we let the country spend money?!"

"If I took such ill-gotten money, where would I put my old face?"

Comrade Ren Yi asked in surprise, "Really?"

"If I say I won't take it, I won't. My old Li's word is his bond..."

"Five hundred thousand a month, you're saying you don't want it?"

At these words, Li Ming and Grandpa Li were so shocked their jaws almost dislocated.

"Ho... how much???"

After an awkward silence, Grandpa Li's face was plastered with an embarrassed smile. "Haha, you see, just now... sometimes people are confused, haha..."

Comrade Ren Yi waved his hand, smiling as he interrupted, "Alright, you two just follow my arrangements!"

"The matter of benefits is a rigid regulation from above, it's not me trying to give you special treatment!"

The grandfather and grandson nodded repeatedly.

A man can bend and stretch; sometimes, people just have to look to "money."

...

Three days later.

Special New Human Project Research Center.

Comrade Ren Yi, having just received great news, rushed to the laboratory.

Before even entering, he heard celebratory cheers from inside.

"Comrade Ren Yi, you're here!"

Seeing Comrade Ren Yi leading the team, Professor Ai, the project leader, excitedly went to greet him.

"Comrade Ren Yi, the genomic data of these two... ah no, these two heroes you sent over are truly crucial!"

"Especially Li Ming, his genome is simply perfect, perfectly beautiful!"

Professor Ai grew more and more excited as he spoke, even his voice began to tremble.

He had been cramming knowledge related to genetic engineering during this period and had already become half an expert, effortlessly using professional terms!

"Comrade Ren Yi, do you know that the genetic inheritance map drawn from Li Ming's DNA actually completely encompasses all recorded gene nodes within the yellow-skinned human gene pool!"

"I never thought such a miraculous gene could exist, it's even more miraculous than my entire body being filled with cancer cells!"

"This probability is even ten thousand times lower than the probability of winning a 200 million lottery jackpot once!"

"It's truly incredible, and too unscientific!"

...

While Professor Ai was speaking voluminously, other industry experts who were conducting verification experiments in the laboratory quickly took off their sterile research suits and came over.

"Comrade Ren Yi!"

"Li Ming's DNA inheritance map can completely serve as a genetic spectrum that integrates the genetic specificity and polymorphism of a billion yellow-skinned people!"

"For our New Human Project, Li Ming is a key to unlocking victory!"

The faces of the other professors and experts present were also full of excitement.

"And combined with the maps drawn from our previous genetic data!"

"Comparing the two, the most crucial major technical problems have now all achieved revolutionary breakthroughs!"

"The day of successful development can now begin its countdown!"

...