Chapter 22: The Post-2611 Longevity Injection Era

However, even though both sides had reached some agreement,

trading the 2611 Longevity Injection was truly a major event.

Specific terms and details obviously couldn’t be accepted so quickly by both sides at once.

Therefore, during this quiet period externally,

Huaxia Nation, North Bear Nation, and Moon Nation argued back and forth about the trade details for quite some time.

Not until another month passed, making it almost a month and a half since the 2611 Longevity Injection became known,

did both sides finally establish concrete trade rules for the 2611 Longevity Injection deal.

Together, they announced this news through the media.

In a way, for such a massive trade, this speed was actually very fast.

The specifics of the 2611 Longevity Injection trade were roughly as follows:

First, Huaxia Nation agreed to sell finished 2611 Longevity Injections to Moon Nation, North Bear Nation, and other nations within their spheres of influence, at a certain price.

Second, to obtain this purchasing right, the HCC factions representing these two sides would provide some advanced technologies to Huaxia Nation.

Of course,

Moon Nation and North Bear Nation weren’t happy just buying the finished product.

After all, the injections they bought now only met current needs. Sooner or later, new people would be born in these nations.

If only Huaxia Nation could produce the 2611 Longevity Injection,

coupled with the injection’s importance,

wouldn’t Huaxia Nation control their entire lifeline?

Then if Huaxia Nation wanted to squeeze them again, wouldn’t this whole situation just repeat?

As for Huaxia Nation?

Hah, you just said it yourself—I hold your lifeline.

It would be disrespectful to my ancestors if I didn’t milk this for all it’s worth.

Besides, why are you willing to pay any cost for this deal right now?

Isn’t it precisely because we control how the 2611 Longevity Injection is made?

So why would I let go of the stranglehold I finally got on you?

This issue was the biggest bargaining point between them during the negotiations.

In the final trade agreement,

Huaxia Nation didn’t completely refuse to sell the synthesis technology for the 2611 Longevity Injection.

But it didn’t fully agree either.

The detailed agreement stated:

Huaxia Nation could sell the synthesis technology for the 2611 Longevity Injection to Moon Nation and North Bear Nation…

But not now.

The reason given was simple:

Protecting domestic industry.

Right now, my domestic companies are the only producers of the 2611 Longevity Injection.

If I sold the synthesis technology, wouldn’t you steal my companies’ business?

I must at least wait until most existing people worldwide have used the 2611 Longevity Injection once,

before Huaxia Nation can even consider this matter.

Moreover, even if the synthesis technology is sold later, it might start with only the final-stage or partial processes.

For example, Huaxia Nation might sell precursor chemicals for the 2611 Longevity Injection,

then Moon Nation or North Bear Nation would handle the final synthesis step themselves.

Naturally,

shrewd observers saw the promise about future technology sharing held no real weight.

The synthesis tech stayed firmly in Huaxia Nation’s hands.

If they changed their mind later, the other two nations could do nothing.

However,

Huaxia Nation also understood

this kind of deal couldn’t happen often.

After all, it wasn’t yet time for turning over the table.

Overall,

the matter of selling the 2611 Longevity Injection was largely settled.

What followed later were just minor details, unlikely to affect the big picture.

After Huaxia Nation made this deal with Moon Nation and North Bear Nation,

outside Huaxia Nation,

people in those two nations, while perhaps aware this trade disadvantaged them,

mostly responded with cheers.

After all, from a national perspective, their sides definitely got the short end.

But personally? Each individual was a beneficiary.

The vast majority didn’t care what happened later.

All they cared about was that they were finally getting the 2611 Longevity Injection too.

They would soon live to 150, even 180 years old!

For this massive group, that was the one thing that truly mattered!

They could no longer bear just watching others live longer!

…

This year,

driven by the birth of the 2611 Longevity Injection, a tidal wave of history swept over everyone.

The fate of all Human Civilization underwent a huge shift at this moment.

People within Huaxia Nation had gotten the injection much earlier.

So, by the time most outside Huaxia were cheering, eager and jumping for joy at finally getting it,

inside Huaxia Nation, society had already moved to the next stage.

After the initial excitement of extended lifespans died down,

people spent over a month getting used to the changes in their bodies, their lives,

and accepting they could now live much longer.

The novelty faded. Emotions settled.

Naturally, their thoughts turned to more things—no longer just the bright, optimistic side.

Not that they regretted taking the injection.

After all, nearly everybody would choose more years to live.

But they increasingly had to consider other challenges

of the Post-2611 Longevity Injection Era…

problems far beyond those initial, small discussions about things like capital punishment.

…

“Speaking this might get me cursed. But I have to say it: We all have the 2611 Longevity Injection now, right?

What if… what if there really turns out to be bad side-effects from using it long term? Wouldn’t we all…?”

“Don’t get me wrong. Even if there’s risk, I couldn’t resist using it. I mean, getting decades or even centuries more life?”

“Trust Professor Qin Yu, trust our nation. Since the 2611 Longevity Injection was introduced at this time, it must be the most suitable choice after careful consideration.”

“Sigh, I wish the 2611 Longevity Injection had appeared earlier. My grandmother passed away a few months ago. If she could’ve had the 2611, she might have lived longer.”

Online, discussions of all kinds were unfolding right now.

Though not mainstream, they still existed.

“Did anyone see that news? Just the other day, a man who’s sixty? Wait, nowadays we call that not old. He married a thirty-year-old woman. I’m not sure how to feel about it.”

“Saying it’s not quite fitting because of the big age gap… But with current life expectancies, maybe it’s fine. A thirty-year difference when people live to 180 means only around one-sixth of their lifespan. Compared to before, that’s like a gap of just twelve or thirteen years. Even looking at the news photos, they seem like a good match. But still feels a bit weird. We’ll probably see more of this in the future, huh?”

“I think this is just a temporary issue unique to our generation. After such a sudden, huge leap in lifespan, there’s bound to be some short-term chaos. Old ideas about what’s proper will be challenged, but eventually, a new balance will form. But speaking of this, another thing might become a problem… families.”

“Before, couples married in their twenties or thirties, grew old together by their seventies or eighties. Their marriage lasted around sixty years. That seemed ideal, how it was for most.”

“But now, if they still marry in their twenties or thirties, they’ll grow old together by 180. Can a marriage really last a hundred and sixty years? I seriously doubt it. It makes me uncertain.”

“I wonder about that too. I believe in love, but that’s just so long. I doubt most marriages can hold on that long. A hundred and sixty years – compared to before, that’s like spending two, even three lifetimes together.”

“I don’t know about other things, but with how much my parents argue every day? No way theirs will last that long. I doubt many marriages can.”

“Will families as we know them – couples raising children – even exist then? Will marriage matter anymore?”

These kinds of topics were climbing the trending lists on social media.

Many people were talking about them.

Officials hadn’t said much about these discussions yet.

In a completely new era, these things take time to evolve and find new balance.

“Honestly, I worry more about something else: birth rates. People have said our whole society will become really young again. But that’s only because the average lifespan is now over 150, even 180 years. I’m not so positive about it.”

Potential downsides from such a huge increase in lifespan weren’t hard to spot.

Many were starting to realize them.

“In the coming years, the number of babies born will slow down a lot, won’t it? Someone said living to 180 might mean meeting your great-great-grandchildren. I think for most people, that’s pushing it.”

“If you live to 180, would you really still have children in your twenties or thirties? The main reason humans have kids is because we don’t last forever – it’s a way to keep the species going. But now you can live to 180. Would anyone rush to have kids? Probably wait until fifty, maybe sixty? Maybe future ‘older mothers’ will be a hundred!”

“That part doesn’t worry me much. Fewer births each year? So what? For a long time ahead, not many people will be dying. The overall population might actually keep growing. Further ahead, it just means generations change slower. Not a huge problem, right?”

Beyond these discussions,

it was unavoidable:

strange conspiracy theories began sprouting online too.

Most couldn’t shout too loud; these folks lurked in dark corners, whispering now and then.

But they did draw some attention.

The main conspiracy theory floating around was simple:

suspicion that a longer-lasting life extension technology, better than the 2611 Longevity Injection, existed.

Their logic was: if the 2611 exists, better must exist too.

Maybe it was too costly, or hidden for shady reasons, kept from the masses.

“I’ll probably get heat for this, but… could there be something else? Tech that lets people live 300, even 400 years…?”

Yet, at least for now,

ideas like this were shouted down instantly by the majority.

“If you know it’ll get you yelled at, why say it? Knew there’d be a fool with no appreciation like you as more folks joined the conversation. If better stuff existed, why bother releasing the 2611? Just to make you doubt? Simple question: before we knew about the 2611 last year, did anyone suspect this existed? Thinking this way, wouldn’t not releasing it be smarter?”

“These conspiracy theories are ridiculous. Forget why – haven’t the 2611 shots already extended your life? Making like it’s a problem they’re available to everyone?”

Of course,

it wasn’t all downsides.

In this time,

some changes were genuinely positive.

For example, statistics showed a sudden, nationwide drop in crime rates,

especially violent crimes. They had fallen noticeably recently.

No deep reason – people had just started valuing life a whole lot more.

So, at least temporarily, everyone was being nicer to each other.

…

Research Institute 011.

The noise and arguments swirling outside

barely touched Professor Qin Yu inside its walls.

Lately, for Qin Yu, things had been quiet.

Out there, factions might be maneuvering about him.

Undercurrents might swirl, centering on him.

But none had surfaced within Qin Yu’s view to disturb his routine.

Production of the 2611 Longevity Injections,

part of the supply agreement reached between Huaxia Nation and others,

was already humming along according to plan on Institute 011’s established production lines.

No need for Professor Qin, the Institute’s head, to fuss over it.

Recently,

Qin Yu had been savoring good food,

enjoying rest,

and pondering questions that interested him.

On this occasion,

he stood under the night’s moon, wondering what to do next.

The world was shifting, little by little, toward what he’d envisioned.

The purpose behind developing something like the 2611 Longevity Injection? He’d achieved it.

For Qin Yu personally, this chapter was over.

So… what now?

Just then,

Assistant Wei, an aide assigned to him at Institute 011,

hurried over.

She saw Qin Yu deep in thought and paused respectfully, waiting silently nearby.

Only when Qin Yu turned to her and spoke did she respond.

“Assistant Wei, what do you think…” Qin Yu began, “of me founding a human doomsday organization?”

Assistant Wei blinked, momentarily thrown by Qin Yu’s sudden leap.

She opened her mouth, wanting to answer, but didn’t know where to start.

Qin Yu didn’t wait for a reply. He shook his head slightly and asked instead,

“What can I help you with?”

“Professor Qin,” Assistant Wei responded, “the authorities asked if you would be interested in an interview? With National TV or the Huaxin News Agency?”

She explained the reason:

“Recently, there’s been much discussion online since the 2611 rollout. As the Father of Longevity Technology, making an appearance might reassure the public.”

“Of course, it’s entirely your decision. And for your safety, they’d come here; you don’t need to go to them.”