Chapter 48: Professor Qin is Getting Old
Chapter 48: Professor Qin is Getting Old
“Professor Qin…”
Before the news that Professor Qin Yu was going to retire was announced and confirmed.
The new Senior Leader, who took over from the previous Senior Leader, naturally made a special trip to Research Institute 011.
But when he really sat down face to face with Professor Qin,
looking at Professor Qin with temples turning white and full head of white hair, who had a good mental state but was still walking unsteadily now and then,
this new Senior Leader, for a moment, didn’t know what to say.
Professor Qin had given most of his life to Research Institute 011.
For most of his time, he had worked on research that was good for Huaxia Nation and good for Human Civilization.
How much time was really for himself?
Now, Professor Qin’s age was over one hundred and fifty years, and even with a life span of one hundred and eighty years, he had entered his last stage of life.
Could he ask Professor Qin Yu to stay and spend his final time there?
Though after so long, Negentropy Research Institute had gotten used to Professor Qin Yu being around,
with Professor Qin Yu there, all the research projects pushed by Negentropy Research Institute and Research Institute 011 always had someone who could guarantee a solution.
Under Professor Qin Yu’s leadership, some issues would be answered in the end, and this had become almost like an instinct in the minds of the researchers at Research Institute 011.
With Professor Qin Yu there, all the researchers at Research Institute 011 were more confident in doing their studies.
And not just Negentropy Research Institute—
the whole of Huaxia Nation, the whole world, had gotten used to Professor Qin Yu.
Would Professor Qin Yu bring out more research results that could change the world in a few years? That was something many people thought about from time to time.
But… at this moment, seeing how old Professor Qin was now, this new Senior Leader just couldn’t say anything to ask him to stay.
Finally, after being quiet for a long time, this new Senior Leader only asked Qin Yu,
“Professor Qin, is there anything else you need?”
“Try to make sure Negentropy Research Institute keeps going. Even if you think planning for the long-term future isn’t necessary, I still believe it has value to last.”
“People always hope for the future so much that they forget one day, that future they hope for won’t come.”
Hearing Qin Yu’s words, the Senior Leader nodded,
then paused a bit and asked again,
“Professor Qin, what about you yourself? Do you have any personal needs?”
Hearing this, Qin Yu smiled, and after turning his smile into a shake of his head,
he said, “I don’t need anything.”
For what Qin Yu really wanted, he would get it himself.
Like wanting a Human Civilization that lasts longer—no one could promise that to him.
The Senior Leader nodded again, then asked,
“Well, Professor Qin, who would you pick as the next leader for Negentropy Research Institute?”
“Academician Cheng Yue.”
“After Academician Cheng Yue, any others you’d recommend, Professor Qin?”
“New generations have new talents… leave the rest to your choices. Someone who accepts the ideas of Negentropy Research Institute will surely show up again.”
Qin Yu answered with a smile and half-closed eyes.
The Senior Leader finally nodded,
and this talk between them was almost over.
…
Given Qin Yu’s influence now,
Qin Yu retiring wasn’t just about Research Institute 011 and Qin Yu himself.
So, this matter was formally reported as news by the mainstream media in Huaxia Nation.
“Huaxin News Agency Breaking News.”
“Recently, as Academician Qin Yu said, because his age grew and he hadn’t enough strength and energy to keep working in related fields, starting today, Professor Qin Yu leaves his over-hundred-year research work and stops all direct studies there.”
This very short news gave people a huge shock all over the world in just a little time.
For Professor Qin Yu’s name showing up on social media hot topic lists, in news, and on the internet,
people weren’t surprised at all.
But what did it mean that Professor Qin Yu was stopping his research work?
Not just Huaxia Nation, but all over the world, most people saw this news and were totally confused.
Although many saw Professor Qin Yu keep getting awards and medals meant for lifetime achievements, they had some slight guesses.
But most people really didn’t like thinking this way deep inside.
So right before this news came out, many hadn’t even thought such a thing could happen.
Professor Qin Yu is retiring?
Why?
Truth was, most felt deep inside they were used to Professor Qin Yu being around,
so they thought Professor Qin Yu should always be there, always doing important studies in the Field of Life Sciences,
until next time his name appeared everywhere, with amazing new research results.
This sounds a bit funny but true—most people never thought Professor Qin Yu could get old.
Maybe Professor Qin Yu didn’t show up in public often,
in online videos about him, many used clips from when he was young,
so for many, Professor Qin was still that you! ng man.
“Huh? What? Does this mean Professor Qin is going to retire? He seems at the right age, and he retired later than many… but still… wait… I’m still confused.”
“I’m not scared to say this might be silly—my first thought was, Professor Qin is old? How could Professor Qin get old… the Professor Qin in my mind is still that young photo in history books.”
“I’m a student in the Field of Life Sciences… I was hoping that after graduation, I’d follow Professor Qin’s steps, join his research place, and do studies under him…”
“It feels sad… but he does seem to be at that age. He did a lot for life, must be tired, it’s time to rest.”
“Honestly, I also first thought how could he retire and leave Life Science research? His name is stuck with ‘Life Science’ for me. But think about it… we have no right to ask Professor Qin Yu to stay till death on his research job.”
“My brain feels like it stopped. I haven’t snapped out of it yet. But I truly hope Professor Qin Yu’s retirement will be happy… oh, it’d be nice if he taught students again at Lingchuan University School of Life Sciences. I plan to go there for Life Science studies after graduation.”
“Dream on! What if you’re so stupid you make Professor Qin sick?”
Online, the noise about this got louder and louder.
The whole world seemed to shake non-stop because of this news.
But most people couldn’t add anything either.
Could they really refuse to let Professor Qin Yu retire?
Simply put, all were helped by Professor Qin Yu’s research,
they had no right to ask Professor Qin Yu to keep giving to them in his last days.
Finally, the vast majority of people offered Professor Qin Yu their sincerest blessings with some sadness.
“…Oh, Professor Qin Yu is old now too. I’m old too. I still remember when Professor Qin Yu appeared in that live national news broadcast alongside that senior leader and announced the birth of the 2611 Longevity Injection. Back then, we were truly thrilled. Perhaps most people today can’t really understand that excitement we felt.”
“For you all, it was simply a given from the moment you were born and grew up, knowing you could live to around 180. Even though you know it’s due to Professor Qin Yu’s contribution, the impact isn’t as direct for you. Everything feels natural, like how the world just is.”
“We wish Professor Qin well in his future days. May he no longer have to worry so greatly about the entire human civilization.”
“Oh, back then, we even thought 180 years was only the beginning. Who knew we’d truly be stuck there. But it’s enough. My life has been far truer value than those living before the 2611 Longevity Injection era. Wishing Professor Qin all the best from now on.”
Finally,
The phrase wishing Professor Qin Yu well appeared at the top of lists on online social media platforms, not just within Huaxia Nation, but outside it, across the entire HCC.
Qin Yu took a brief look,
but didn’t step forward to say anything.
…
The news of Qin Yu’s retirement inadvertently struck another field hard, once again.
Still in the field of Life Sciences, concerning research into longevity mechanisms and life extension technology.
This research direction had seen its ups and downs, but with the earlier brilliance of the 2611 Longevity Injection, it remained a popular, somewhat enduring pursuit.
Especially wealthy individuals who had witnessed the birth of the 2611 Longevity Injection and were now reaching their very late years. The closer they felt to death, the more frantically they poured huge sums into research in related areas.
All desperately hoping for another miracle like the 2611 Longevity Injection to appear.
Yet now, Professor Qin Yu had retired. He was no longer involved in longevity mechanism research. Professor Qin Yu was old.
This was truly a setback for researchers and investors in the relevant fields.
One had to remember that Professor Qin was the Father of Human Life Extension Technology, universally acknowledged as the person who had gone farthest down the path of human mechanism research, the creator of the 2611 Longevity Injection.
Under these circumstances, Professor Qin himself had reached old age without revealing any new life extension technology.
Surely Professor Qin Yu wouldn’t develop a more advanced life extension technology and then refrain from using it, wanting to die, right?
Many people now began to suspect,
That the birth of the 2611 Longevity Injection was purely an accident stemming from Professor Qin Yu’s exceptional genius.
That the path leading to its creation couldn’t carve out a continuous, ever-increasing path for extending human lifespan.
It was merely a fluke event.
The probability of waiting for the next such fluke might be similar to what it was before the 2611 Longevity Injection existed.
It might even be that 180 years was simply the human body’s limit, impossible to exceed.
Otherwise, given the chance, wouldn’t Professor Qin Yu, leaving aside others, want to live a little longer himself?
It was amid this prevailing feeling,
That research into life extension technology and longevity mechanisms took yet another blow.
…
Year 155 of the Common Era.
Qin Yu was 153 years old.
Though retired,
Qin Yu didn’t sever all ties with the Negentropy Research Institute.
When some problems arose or progress was made during research projects at Research Institute 011, the relevant researchers would still contact him.
Though his level of involvement in these projects was certainly not as deep as before.
Simultaneously, he didn’t need nearly as many work assistants or research assistants as before,
but he still had a life assistant, responsible for taking care of his daily needs.
Also, he still had a considerable number of security personnel ensuring his safety.
Although for Qin Yu himself, he required no protection and needed no one’s care,
the perspective of others was clearly different.
The synthesis technology for the 2611 Longevity Injection remained a top-secret state secret in that era.
Other powers outside Huaxia would undoubtedly stop at nothing to acquire it if they could.
Moreover, in others’ eyes, how could a man of over a hundred and fifty years not need care?
At that moment,
Qin Yu lay back on a reclining chair, basking in the sun.
Facing the sunlight, he lifted one of his hands and looked at it.
The Disguise ability was truly very useful.
Under its effect, others couldn’t detect anything problematic about his state of aging; even instruments couldn’t spot any issues.
If he couldn’t transform back to a youthful appearance at any moment, he might have even wondered if he was truly old.
Right then,
Qin Yu, over 150 years old, felt it was about time he ‘died’.
Following the retirement of the genius biologist, the greatest life scientist this century, Qin Yu,
Under his current identity, Qin Yu found there wasn’t much left to do.
Could he truly just lie here for thirty years and experience retirement?
For others,
Qin Yu had worked hard his whole life,
but for Qin Yu himself, sleep wasn’t even necessary.
Leisure time was always readily available.
Lying there for thirty years seemed a bit excessively ‘boring’.
He should probably shorten that time a bit.
After all,
150 was essentially the entry point into the post-2611 Longevity Injection era’s average life expectancy barrier.
The 2611 Longevity Injection offered the potential to live healthily up to 180, it didn’t guarantee reaching 180 years.
Qin Yu pondered this, lowered his hand, and smiled faintly.
…
Year 156, Year 157 of the Common Era.
The world was quiet and calm, seemingly without incident.
Regarding Qin Yu,
His assigned healthcare physician noted that after retirement, Professor Qin Yu’s physical indicators had been deteriorating continuously.
They judged that Professor Qin Yu might not live to reach 180.
However, there wasn’t much to be done about this.
After all, everyone’s bodily condition was different. One couldn’t expect everyone to live a full 180 years, nor did everyone drop dead immediately upon exceeding 180.
It was suspected that perhaps in his youth, Professor Qin Yu had expended too much energy on research, exhausting himself and causing bodily damage.
Furthermore, when it came to life extension technology, Professor Qin himself was the foremost expert. If he had no solution, what could contemporary medical technology possibly do against the fundamental march of aging?
However, Professor Qin Yu himself seemed quite stoic about it, not particularly concerned.
He just continued living his life as usual.
Then time,
Arrived at the Year 172.
This year,
Professor Qin Yu reached the age of 170 years,
An advanced age indeed for that era.
And Professor Qin’s healthcare physician discovered that his body seemed to be giving out.
No specific illness, only the effects of sheer old age.
At this time,
Yet another new senior leader came specially to visit Qin Yu.
To this senior leader,
The Professor Qin Yu he saw now seemed in fairly good spirits,
But his body looked immensely more frail than he remembered, aged to an almost unrecognizable extent.
“Professor Qin…”