Chapter 749 - 47: Genetic Modification Injector (Part 2)
With the experience of identifying medicines by light transmission, Chen Zhou picked up one of the syringes, adjusted the angle in the same way, and looked for a while. Apart from the bright sunlight, he saw nothing.
"That’s not right, could this syringe be a mystery box?
This damn thing doesn’t specify its use; who dares to just inject it? At least explain the method, whether it’s blood injection or muscle injection..."
Chen Zhou had already cursed the Space-Time Administration Bureau in his heart. Paul, beside him, suddenly tugged at his sleeve lightly, signaling him to look inside the box.
Looking down, he finally noticed that under the syringe, there was a narrow slit, with a piece of paper about 5cm long standing upright in it.
Under normal circumstances, he would never have missed this piece of paper, but now, having not slept for a long time, his attention was difficult to concentrate, and his observational powers greatly diminished. Coupled with the effect on his mindset from the capsule just now, he had overlooked this piece of paper.
"Could it be the instructions?"
Putting down the syringe, Chen Zhou pulled out the paper.
The Space-Time Administration Bureau seemed particularly fond of blue. This paper, just like the blue puzzles and blue decryption blocks he had seen on the island, presented a pure blue, with faintly visible dense instructions.
After waiting a bit, until the symbols on the paper turned into Chinese characters, Chen Zhou finally saw the text clearly.
As he expected, it was a detailed instruction for the syringe.
The syringe was named the "Cold Tolerance Gene Modification Injection."
Its principle is to adjust the human core cold tolerance genes, including ACTN3, UCP1, ENPP7, PRKG1, among others, enabling humans to produce formidable cold resistance abilities.
But unlike in science fiction movies, this syringe doesn’t take effect immediately after injection; rather, there is a rather painful and prolonged transformation process, along with various side effects.
Due to the adjustment of human genes, after transformation by the injection, the specific enhancements in humans are as follows:
1. Fast muscle fibers transform into hybrid fibers, offering the benefits of lowering energy consumption and preserving explosive power compared to the shivering heat production of ordinary fast muscle fibers and the low-intensity contraction heat production of slow muscle fibers.
This means that, with equivalent fat reserves and calorie intake, the injector can endure longer in snow and ice, consume less heat, perform physical labor for extended periods, and better maintain body temperature.
2. Enhanced UCP1 gene expression allows for direct fat breakdown heat production in extreme cold conditions.
In extreme cold environments, this type of heat production is faster than fast and slow muscle heat production, taking effect quicker, helping the injector stabilize body temperature. Of course, the fat consumption rate is also extremely fast.
3. Enhanced lipid metabolism efficiency, rapidly provides heat production fuel.
4. Optimized vascular contraction and blood distribution, reducing heat loss from the body surface.
5. Pigmentation regulation, reducing UV damage, adapting to low temperatures.
With gene modification, the injector’s fat system activity will be greatly enhanced, the response speed of the circulatory system will significantly increase, and basal metabolic rate will decrease for energy-saving and cold resistance.
This is obviously a specialized gene modification syringe made for the extremely cold weather after winter arrives.
However, after injection, aside from the numerous beneficial buffs received, there are some not so obvious side effects.
For instance, a slight decrease in muscle explosive power, increased risk of diabetes, difficulty adapting to tropical climates, and increased risk of obesity.
But compared to the extreme cold of minus 65 degrees, these side effects are acceptable. If one cannot survive to the end, what’s the use of being able to adapt to tropical climates? One might never set foot in the tropics in this lifetime.
Aside from the side effects, from syringe injection to completion of transformation, there is a lengthy transformation period of up to half a month.
The instructions state that during the transformation period, the body will inevitably exhibit some abnormalities, such as skin swelling, abdominal pain and diarrhea, headache and fatigue, cramps, muscle soreness, reduced appetite, weakness in limbs, etc., but none are life-threatening.
Symptoms gradually become evident from the third day after injection, significantly alleviating after the 12th day. Depending on individual constitution, this period may vary, potentially lasting up to 20 to 25 days, after which they will not reappear.
From this perspective, it is best to inject the modification syringe under safe conditions with some food reserves. If challengers have partners, alternating in pairs is the optimal plan.
Otherwise, as soon as the side effects kick in, the recipient of the injection will lose most of their combat power and be unable to stably obtain food. If they encounter combat during this time, and the side effects are strong, they might end up a cripple, possibly dying at the hands of other challengers.
...
"Good stuff."
Understanding this as a "custom cheat" devised by the Space-Time Administration Bureau for challengers, Chen Zhou carefully placed the instructions back in the black box along with the syringe.
Compared to the benefits brought by the syringe, those side effects can be largely ignored.
Without a doubt, both he and Paul must receive the injection, but that would be after they manage to shake off the other challengers and return to the shelter.
Side effects like limb weakness and cramps would greatly diminish his combat power, even for him. Whether in the Black Forest or on the tundra, he dared not leave his life up to chance.
The beacon has already drawn too many challengers; there might even be ambushes after climbing the Broken Cliff, and injecting the syringe now would undoubtedly be courting death.
Yet not injecting immediately also means that if anyone could take them out before they return to the shelter, they would seize all their spoils.
Risk and opportunity coexist, as the Space-Time Administration Bureau never offers challengers a perfect choice. Chen Zhou had long been accustomed to this.
...
"Let’s see this."
After confirming that the top and bottom syringes were the same, a new hope arose in Chen Zhou.
There were two types of small blue bottles, one per person naturally being the same. However, there were six syringes, presumably three different kinds, and now there should be two types remaining, surely providing at least one syringe for treatment rather than just another antidote.
With this in mind, Chen Zhou picked up the second syringe and immediately extracted the instructions underneath.
Compared to the complex instructions of the first syringe, the instructions for this one appeared extremely concise, yet extraordinarily powerful —
"Strong Regeneration Injection."
Without anything else, just those seven words in front of him could fill one with infinite strength.
The Black-robed Man’s Weak Regeneration Capsules could help him escape death; the effect of this Strong Regeneration Injection could probably save someone even on their last breath.
It is no exaggeration to say that it equates to a second life for a challenger.
As long as the challenger has time to inject it, it can turn the tide of the battle.
Holding the syringe tightly, Chen Zhou glanced at Tiger Third beside him, but hesitated.
From a rational point of view, giving this injection to Tiger Third would undoubtedly be a waste of a treasure, equivalent to exchanging his life for that of a Saw-toothed Tiger.
His own life obviously has no second chance, while the Serrated Tiger Cubs are all over the plains, making this deal extremely uneconomical. Besides a fool, no one would likely do so.
Just now, he lamented the Space-Time Administration Bureau didn’t provide a treatment syringe. Now that he actually had one, he was at a loss.
...
Seeing Chen Zhou holding the syringe and being dazed for a long time, Paul beside him grew somewhat anxious.
From Chen Zhou, he knew the effects of the capsules and the first type of syringe in the blue bottle, and he anticipated a treatment syringe in the box. Seeing Chen Zhou’s reaction, Paul feared it might be another unhelpful syringe and asked swiftly.
"Is this not a medical product?"
Chen Zhou shook his head, said nothing, handing the instructions in his hand to Paul.
Receiving the paper, Paul silently read and then unhesitatingly took out another Strong Regeneration Injection, kneeling beside Tiger Third.
"Have you made up your mind?"
Chen Zhou asked.
"I have."
Paul nodded firmly, without a trace of struggle in his expression, carefully measuring Tiger Third’s body, and after finding the right spot, placed the flat needle tip on Tiger Third.
"This one’s mine; my leg will recover in no time without wasting the injection.
It’s different; without it, it won’t survive.
It’s like this because it saved me, and I can’t watch it die.
This injection should stay with you. At crucial moments, you need to live; you are more useful than I am."
Saying this, Paul decisively pushed down the syringe, and the precious transparent liquid quickly flowed into Tiger Third’s body.
As the liquid was injected, the silver-tinged syringe seemed to be corroded, losing its color, while Tiger Third’s eyes visibly grew brighter and more spirited.
All items were tucked into grooves within the box, around which
All syringes were housed in silver-tinged metallic casings, flat at the top without a needlehead, each containing 25ml of transparent liquid that, at first glance, looked no different from saline solution.