Chapter 18: Ready for Use!
Chapter 18: Ready for Use!
The words that followed from the Senior Leader were, in a way, even more important for countless people across the Huaxia Nation.
Because Qin Yu’s words only mentioned the birth of Compound 2611 and that the technology for the 2611 Longevity Injection was now mature.
It didn’t mean everyone could start using it right away.
Now, the Senior Leader’s words directly linked Compound 2611 to every individual.
The internet became even more lively because of this.
However, the ongoing TV broadcast continued uninterrupted and wasn’t affected by the online buzz.
“Right now, a large quantity of finished 2611 Longevity Injections has already been delivered to hospitals, universities, and local community centers in all regions of the Huaxia Nation for storage. Previously, for secrecy, these units were not told that the items they received were the 2611 Longevity Injection.”
“Now, I authorize all units within the Huaxia Nation that have received 2611 Longevity Injections to open the sealed boxes at this moment and prepare to begin distributing them.”
As the Senior Leader spoke,
the prepared written orders naturally reached the hands of health departments and other relevant agencies at various levels.
Before this, hospitals and other units that had received the 2611 Longevity Injections were curious or puzzled about what those sealed ‘cardboard boxes’ contained.
Some people online had actually been discussing this.
Forces outside the Huaxia Nation had probably taken notice as well,
after all, such a large operation involving so many local units couldn’t go unnoticed.
One could easily imagine that, despite being repeatedly stressed, with so many people handling the boxes, there would surely be some ‘bold’ individuals who might open the boxes containing the 2611 Longevity Injections without permission,
driven by personal curiosity or other outside reasons to see what was inside.
However, the 2611 Longevity Injections inside the boxes were only marked with the number ‘2611’, with nothing else.
And the Huaxia Nation didn’t give certain people more time to guess or investigate.
So, only now did those who knew about the ‘cardboard boxes’ find out what was inside them, or understand the specific purpose of these injections.
At this point in the Senior Leader’s speech,
the necessary content for the TV broadcast was essentially concluded.
The Senior Leader paused briefly before concluding with these words:
“I know that extending one’s lifespan, living longer, is one of the most basic, most fundamental desires for the vast majority of people.”
“If possible, I certainly want to live longer too, to see more of our country’s beautiful landscape.”
“Now, because of the research achievements of Professor Qin Yu, all of us have been given this chance.”
“So, I understand everyone’s eagerness. Yet, I still hope that in the coming days, people won’t be too impatient, won’t crowd, and will collect the 2611 Longevity Injection in an orderly way. This will ensure everyone can get it and use it in the shortest possible time.”
“Enough 2611 Longevity Injections for everyone have been produced. And for each of us, only one injection is needed. Using more than one injection has no effect. So no need to worry that getting it later means you won’t get to use it.”
“Additionally, as Professor Qin Yu mentioned earlier, the 2611 Longevity Injection has an optimal age for use. Only when used at the right age will it achieve the best results. Therefore, not everyone is suited to get the injection immediately right now. Furthermore, the 2611 Longevity Injection has a short shelf life. If it’s not suitable for use soon after getting it, there’s no need to go collect it right away.”
“Soon, we will authorize media like the National News Broadcast and the Huaxin News Agency to publish more detailed instructions and usage notes for the 2611 Longevity Injection. Please pay close attention to these before using it. After this live broadcast ends, the information I just mentioned will continue to be shown.”
“Well, friends, this live TV broadcast is now over.”
“A new era, a brand new human society, is striding towards us. Let us look forward to the dawn of this new era and wish that, through our efforts, we will create an even better world.”
“Just as with breakthroughs in other key technologies and advances in civilization throughout human history, we humans will, from this moment onward, be different once again.”
The TV broadcast ended.
The live broadcast hadn’t been very long, in fact, it was quite short.
But its impact on the Huaxia Nation, and even on the future history of human civilization, was profound.
This day’s broadcast was destined to be remembered throughout the continuation of human civilization, etched permanently into its history.
What changes were occurring outside because of this,
Qin Yu and the others didn’t know yet.
After finishing his last words and seeing the broadcast end, the Senior Leader turned around.
He extended an invitation to Qin Yu.
“Professor Qin, if you have time, how about joining us for lunch? Academician Shen, you too, please come.”
Because of the broadcast, Qin Yu, the Senior Leader, and even Shen Yaoguo hadn’t eaten lunch.
Qin Yu heard this and nodded.
…
In a room, just Qin Yu, the Senior Leader, and Shen Yaoguo were seated.
Shen Yaoguo clearly knew that today, just like during the broadcast, he wasn’t the main focus.
He sat quietly to the side, mostly listening and saying little.
As for Qin Yu at this moment, he had no concept of feeling awkward.
As an Absolute Immortal, he felt sufficiently assured around anyone in the world.
He was holding his chopsticks, picking up food from the table, eating one bite at a time.
It wasn’t a formal celebratory feast, after all,
so the dishes weren’t extravagant, just a few tasty small plates.
“Professor Qin, I hope you don’t mind, but there might be one more question I’d like to ask you.”
The Senior Leader waited until Qin Yu slowed down with his chopsticks before speaking again.
“Based on your understanding of Compound 2611, how long might it take for the other two major powers outside Huaxia to figure out its secrets? Assuming they get enough actual samples?”
“Of course, I know this is uncertain. I just hope, Professor Qin, you could give a rough estimate. Something we can use as a basis for discussion when we talk to those other powers later.”
With the widespread use and distribution of the 2611 Longevity Injection within the Huaxia Nation,
even if the distribution strictly followed the one-dose-per-person rule,
it was almost inevitable that some 2611 Longevity Injections would end up outside Huaxia, falling into the hands of the other two major powers.
This was something well-informed parties had anticipated long ago.
“With modern technology, analyzing something from the 2611 Longevity Injection isn’t overly complex,”
Qin Yu set down his chopsticks and answered.
“However, even if they understand what the 2611 Longevity Injection is, even if they figure out exactly how it works, synthesizing it completely might be quite difficult.”
“By my own judgment, if we don’t actively tell them… conservatively, it would take them at least fifteen years to fully replicate Compound 2611.”
The answer Qin Yu gave was actually very cautious.
He had been ‘slow to learn’ himself once.
So he truly understood the problems faced in synthesizing Compound 2611.
It wasn’t something that simply throwing more researchers at the problem could figure out through trial and error.
Even reverse-engineering the finished Compound 2611 wouldn’t change that.
This special active compound that extends human lifespan wasn’t originally something naturally found on Earth.
Figuring out how to synthesize it is very challenging.
A less conservative estimate might be that the other powers could even potentially never manage to replicate it.
Of course, unexpected breakthroughs could happen, so Qin Yu stuck to the cautious answer.
“Alright. Thank you for your judgment, Professor Qin.”
Senior Leader nodded solemnly and thanked Qin Yu.
This information was very important for the Huaxia Nation.
Even based on the reasons Qin Yu mentioned earlier,
in the end, the Huaxia Nation would definitely share the 2611 Longevity Injection with the other two parties, in exchange for certain benefits.
But the negotiations during this process would involve some back-and-forth; they couldn’t agree easily right from the start.
They had to get as much as possible from this bargaining.
And the judgment Qin Yu provided would decide how long the Huaxia Nation negotiated over this matter.
“Professor Qin, should we add a couple more dishes? After all, you’re the hero here. We can’t let our hero go hungry.”
After settling this important matter, Senior Leader seemed more relaxed.
He joked with Qin Yu,
“Then add two more dishes.”
Qin Yu didn’t refuse. He nodded and agreed.
Senior Leader had no objection. He called the staff and asked the kitchen to prepare extra dishes for Qin Yu.
…
While things were calm where Qin Yu was,
outside, it was quite lively because of the television broadcast he took part in.
The sudden appearance of Compound 2611 first shocked people worldwide.
Then, starting immediately, the free distribution of the 2611 Longevity Injection to all people across the Huaxia Nation gave everyone a second shock.
What did this mean?
It meant everyone in the whole Huaxia Nation would soon—within days—see their average life span jump from just a few decades to over a hundred years.
Online and on television,
just like Senior Leader had said earlier,
after the broadcast ended, another anchor from the National News Broadcast came on to relay details and warnings about using the 2611 Longevity Injection.
Online, Huaxin News Agency, with official approval, released articles about the 2611 Longevity Injection.
Other major news accounts quickly reposted these.
They shared written and video reports covering many details.
First was the best age for using the 2611 Longevity Injection.
It was best to use it sometime after entering puberty.
The notice suggested an age range: between twelve and thirty years old.
Using the 2611 Longevity Injection within this age range gave the best results, lifting average life spans past one hundred fifty years, even up to one hundred eighty years.
Using it before age twelve could disrupt normal growth.
The person might stay physically childlike for a long time.
It wouldn’t benefit total life span at all. Using it too young could damage quality of life.
Using it after age thirty made the injection less effective the later it was given.
After entering middle age, Compound 2611 became steadily weaker.
Based on clinical trial results and Qin Yu’s theories,
the notice included a life span chart.
For example, before forty, if healthy, a user might live to one hundred fifty after the injection.
Before fifty, expected life after injection could drop by seven to ten years.
Before sixty, it could drop another seven to ten years.
For someone nearing one hundred years old, using 2611 wasn’t useless,
but if they had five or six years left naturally, the injection might only squeeze out four or five extra years.
Also, the notice made it clear: if a body was already badly damaged or worn down, the 2611 Longevity Injection couldn’t perform miracles or bring anyone back from death.
Besides this,
Huaxin News Agency and the National News Broadcast shared another video showing how to use the injection.
It worked almost like an insulin shot: uncap the needle, press it against the arm or stomach, done.
But for most people in the Huaxia Nation then,
they couldn’t even sit through all the information.
Immediately, people rushed out — whether at home, at work, or elsewhere — heading for hospitals and places distributing the 2611 Longevity Injection.
Once outside, they realized
every city, every street, was packed with others thinking the same.
Roads in many cities took way more traffic than they could handle.
They just jammed up.
Many saw for the first time that their own city actually held this many people, without any tourists visiting.
This crowding did have one positive effect: fewer traffic accidents happened from overly excited driving.
After all, most city roads were choked to a standstill.
…
With real life this wild, the internet naturally boiled over.
Social media servers struggled under pressure even greater than city streets faced.
People helped spread information about the 2611 Longevity Injection to anyone missed by the broadcast.
They also couldn’t stop talking about it with others.
Social platforms that barely recovered from crashing
saw the “Life Extension Technology” news wash over every trending list.
It didn’t just top the lists; it claimed every spot.
If some unrelated topic sneaked onto the trends,
it faded almost instantly.
At that moment, people cared only about the 2611 Longevity Injection and the life extension technology.
Few events in history gathered so much worldwide attention all at once.
After finishing that lunch with Senior Leader and Shen Yaoguo,
Qin Yu headed back to Research Institute 011.
On the way, he checked online.
On social media, the top hashtag stayed unmovable: 2611LongevityInjection.
Clicking through showed countless posts expressing pure excitement.
“Got it, done! I was actually at the hospital for a cold. Saw the news, sprinted to their distribution spot, and got mine! Wow, wow… I don’t know how to describe how I feel!”