"Follow everywhere I go;
Top of all the mountains or valley low;
Give you everything you've been dreaming of;
Just let me in, ooh;
Everything you want in gold;
I'll be the magic story you've been told;
And you'll be safe under my control;
Just let me in;
Oooh~"
Zed sang happily in a clear, sharp voice. His mousey vocal chords added a different vibe to this pre-apocalypse song, causing it to sound strangely eerie.
However, Zed couldn't care less about it. He was in an exceptionally peachy mood. He'd just discovered the wonders of music and was immersed in the magical feelings of the melody coursing through his veins.
Ever since he'd gotten access to the internet, it was as if a whole new world had been opened up to him. These few days, he'd been combing through an app called Muzicfy. There were an endless array of songs listed on it, and he felt like he could never finish listening to everything even if he spent an eternity on the task. Fortunately, he was immortal.
He especially liked the pre-apocalypse songs as compared to the newer ones. The music style of the pre-apocalypse era was more diverse and vibrant, whereas the post-apocalypse songs carried a dark and oppressive feeling.
Speaking of the apocalypse...it'd happened nearly 50 years ago, while he was still in the lab, oblivious to the state of the world.
The apocalypse was caused by a gene mutation virus that leaked from a research lab in the southern countries. The virus swept through the world quickly and caused widespread mutations in plants and animals, leading to the emergence of dangerous and unpredictable hybrid creatures that roamed the earth. Humans were not immune to the virus, and many began to develop strange genetic diseases that caused deformities, mental illness, and even zombification. The world quickly descended into chaos as the mutated beasts and diseases spread uncontrollably, and governments struggled to contain the outbreak.
After a long period of resistance, humans were forced to retreat into large strongholds to protect themselves from the dangers outside. The land outside the strongholds became overrun with mutated creatures and plants, making it impossible for humans to live and travel safely. The oceans and skies also became off-limits due to the dangers lurking there, and human civilization was set back for decades before finally recovering and rising to a new peak.
The apocalypse caused the collapse of many governments, and only the superpowers remained. New regimes and leaders emerged, and the world order was drastically reshaped. The death toll was high, and the survivors had to work together to rebuild a new society from the ruins of the old.
Nowadays, he felt increasingly annoyed every time he thought of all the amazing things he'd been denied of for the past century because of the selfishness of his human captors.
How much of the world had he missed out on!
"Erm, Master, can you help me with this? The math isn't mathing at all."
"Good lord. What've you been studying all these years? Tell me, what are the properties of the Acid Dew Grass?" Zed took a glance at the practice question and scolded in exasperation. He'd been coaching Alan all morning, but the idiot kid's theoretical knowledge seemed to be all over the place.
"The Acid Dew Grass is a primer herb with a mild acidic nature. It could be used to balance out alkaline properties in gene therapies or be added to primers to create a slightly acidic environment that enhances the absorption of other herbs or ingredients." Alan recited in a meek voice. His brows were covered in sweat, and he looked extremely stressed.
Zed was a great teacher, but he was very sharp with his words. To him, the advanced subjects Alan was struggling so hard with was as simple as ABC. In his opinion, Alan should grasp such kindergarten concepts in an instant.
"Perhaps I should make a brain enhancement gene vector for this kid." Zed mused to himself.
"It's not just a primer herb with mild acidity! Even a 3 year old child knows that you can neutralize an alkaline solution by adding an acidic solution! If you add this to the concoction, the resulting vector will lose most of its effectiveness!" Zed massaged his brows with frustration.
"The dew of the Acid Dew Grass has the unique ability to break down complex chemical compounds and make them more easily absorbed by the body. However, that's a double edged sword if used in the wrong stage, you'll just break down all the chemical compounds and weaken the vector. Because the grass itself is resistant to acidic environments, it's more suitable to use the enzymes from the grass to serve as a base for vectors that target organs with higher acidic nature. It's true that the alkalinity of the vector can be neutralized with the dew from the Acid Dew Grass, but the chemical components must be replaced with something else that's more corrosion resistant." He explained in a rapid fire manner. "Either that, or you can introduce the dew at a different stage, and then add the resulting neutral solution to the rest of the concoction."
Alan noted down everything in his electronic memory pad seriously. Then, he swiped his finger across a touch pad and the hologram Acid Dew Grass flew out from his concoction and floated on his side. He swiped again and the gene vector before him disintegrated and separated into their respective ingredients.
He would attempt the experiment again from the start.
Hologram projection experiments were a good and inexpensive method for testing out theories. Practicing with the actual ingredients was too costly for him now, and he also didn't need to use actual ingredients at his current level.
Zed watched him from the side with a stern eye. "Don't just combine the solutions blindly. Analyze and understand the properties of every ingredient and note the changes at every stage. There can be different results based on the sequence of your steps."
Alan nodded silently and continued to experiment.
Zed quickly became bored and turned his attention back to Muzicfy.
*Bang, bang"
Two solid knocks rang out from the door.
Without waiting for Alan to respond, Ava opened the door and came in with a plate of food.
A strange expression came over her face when she saw the little mouse sitting on the bed and swaying to music.
She ignored it and walked over to the table.
"Don't just study and neglect your health. Here, I've cut some fruits for you." She set the plate down and reminded with a worried smile.
Ava's appearance had improved significantly since Alan's return. The stress and worry lines that had etched deep furrows into her forehead and the dark circles under her eyes had faded away. She looked much more rested and at peace, her complexion brighter and healthier. Her hair, once dull and unkempt, was now neatly styled and radiated a soft shine.
She looked happy and radiant.
"Alright, thanks Mom." Alan mouthed as he passed a piece of purple-colored pear to Zed and popped another into his mouth.
"Have you gone to the Gene Designers Association yet? What's your plan now?" Ava sat down on the bed and asked.
Ava watched as Alan turned off the hologram and fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, clearly troubled by the thought of what lay ahead. He had the habit of pulling at his shirt whenever he was nervous. "You know you have to report to the association, right?" she prompted gently.
Alan nodded, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. "I know, but I don't know what they'll do with me. My mentor is now a wanted man, and I don't have any other connections in the association. I don't even know if it's safe to work under the regime now."
Ava's expression softened. "I know it's tough, but you have to face it sooner or later. You could always terminate your contract with them and go on your own, but you know the penalty is too steep."
Alan nodded again, looking down at his hands. "I don't have the money to pay the penalty. And even if I did, I don't know if I'm ready to go out on my own yet."
Ava placed a hand on his shoulder, offering comfort. "You don't have to come to a decision right now, but you should go and talk to them first. Who knows? They might have a better assignment for you this time."
"I hope so." Alan shook his head and sighed. He was quite traumatized by the incident at the facility and was a little apprehensive about going to the association. He would surely face a round of questioning from them, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to face it yet.
He'd avoided the issue for a few days, but it was inevitable. He couldn't just brush the entire matter under the rug and run away.
"I'll go to the association later." After thinking for a while, he decided.