ICUGW Chapter 26

Will be updating this today instead of tomorrow since I might be too busy tomorrow!

Chapter 26 Genetic Medicine

The reason why Zhu Ning was able to fight with the fish man before was because the its body was not covered with fish scales. Only its head was that of a fish, the rest were human.

Moreover, Zhu Ning was wearing work clothes at the time, and the inflated state helped her resist many attacks.

But the white-haired mechanical female warrior in front of her was 80% mechanized and could even break an iron pillar with one hand, while Zhu Ning's body had not even been baptized by any genetic drugs.

If this was a competition, Zhu Ning would have wanted to yell, "Referee! The other team is cheating!"

Unfortunately, this was the wasteland world, and the human composition was varied. This girl was someone who had chosen to walk the path of mechanization. Zhu Ning might be strong, but ultimately she was still just an ordinary girl.

Some people immediately noticed this.

"She--she hasn't been injected with a genetic drug?"

This was incredible. All the employees at the cleaning center had been injected with genetic drugs, including Li Nianchuan. They had spent their first fortune on injecting genetic drugs, because their line of work required a physique of "iron."

If they really used their original human body, they might have broken down after just two missions. In their eyes, Zhu Ning was running around naked. It was like going directly to the battlefield with no equipment.

For a moment, they didn't know whether to compliment Zhu Ning for being courageous or mock her for being reckless...

The audience's discussion point was not about Zhu Ning being knocked down by one punch, but about the admirable courage she displayed.

The other side was 80% mechanized! So this was the true spirit of human competitive sports!

Everyone was surprised, and even the combat teacher couldn't react.

Zhu Ning lying on the ground: "..."

"Can anyone give me a hand?" Zhu Ning asked. No one cared about her, so she had to call out for help.

Li Nianchuan finally reacted: "I've contacted the medical department. You... you just stay there and don't move."

Zhu Ning gritted her teeth. "Thank you."

Li Nianchuan: "..."

'I don't know if it's just me, but I seem to hear resentment in her voice.'

…

Zhu Ning entered the medical cabin of the medical department.

The situation was worse than she thought. She almost broke her spine. If her spine was really broken, she would be permanently paralyzed in this life, unless she...undergoes a major surgery.

Remembering how the duck shop owner would rather die than go to the hospital, Zhu Ning wiped a sweat.

A medical personnel gave her a powerful healing agent injection and was then put into the medical cabin for half an hour of healing.

The doctor in the medical department, surnamed Fu, looked at Zhu Ning's data with a smile on his face. Zhu Ning had long felt that this doctor was perverted. Why was he grinning so foolishly while looking at her data?

Dr. Fu has worked in the medical department for many years, but this was the first time he has seen such a pristine shoulder blade. Not to mention that this was also the shoulder blade of the celebrity on the forum these days.

After seeing Zhu Ning, Dr. Fu put down the data, pushed his glasses, and reverted back to his usual expression again.

Zhu Ning: Stop pretending, I saw you smiling.

Doctor Fu said, "Don't worry, regular employees are exempt from medical expenses."

'Oh, at least there is good news.'

Zhu Ning stretched her arm. Thanks to the powerful healing agent, her body was completely healed. Advanced technology really was a blessing; a broken bone could be restored to its original state in half an hour.

Doctor Fu asked, "I heard you've never had any genetic medicine injected?"

Zhu Ning nodded. Fang Ying had told her before that she could get the injection, but she got busy investigating the truth behind the original owner's death. Then, she was called in for training.

She could only take advantage of some of her free time to search for some knowledge related to genetic drugs. Genetic drugs injections were very painful, and there were also some unknown side effects.

The research and development of genetic drugs was relatively advanced, but there was still much room for improvement. As for the information Xu Meng had given her, she hadn't had time to read it yet.

Doctor Fu: "Do you want an injection? The medical department has some in stock. I've checked, and your data meets the requirements."

Zhu Ning: "I don't understand the genetic drugs very well."

Doctor Fu realized he was talking to a newcomer. He explained, "There are many kinds of genetic drugs. It can modify your body to whatever you like. Some can make you prettier and whiter, others taller and stronger. Of course, there are also some that can transform you into a weapon."

It sounds very convenient. You don’t even need to undergo plastic surgery, you can just inject edited genetic drugs and accurately modify your facial features.

'My mother no longer has to worry about me not growing taller. As long as I have money, I can grow as tall as I want.'

Zhu Ning suddenly understood why people with natural genes were first-class citizens. As long as one had money, one could improve their genes. With mass production of humans, beauty and strength were depreciating. At this time, a "natural face" was more valuable.

Doctor Fu: "If you need an injection, the Cleaning Center's Medical Department is actually your best choice. We share resources with the First Federal Medical College, so we're usually the first to know about any advanced technology. In other words, we're definitely more advanced than other hospitals."

Doctor Fu's words dispelled Zhu Ning's idea of getting the injection outside.

"We have a lot of experience here. As you know, we have more guinea pigs, so the solution we offer you is more suitable for you. After all, your profession is special."

Zhu Ning: “…”

'Doctor, do you know you have a talent to become a salesman?'

Doctor Fu: "A course of six injections will gradually enhance your various functions, including your internal functions, bone density, and skin firmness. I guarantee you that after you finish all injections, you won't be any different from a steel warrior."

In the wasteland world, in order to fight against contaminants, humans have made their bodies to become more like armors. All their bodily functions were enhanced, achieving human "evolution" in another sense.

Doctor Fu: "The effects will show immediately after the injection."

She can go to the battlefield right after coming off the operating table. How efficient.

"Do you want to give it a try?" asked Doctor Fu.

Zhu Ning: "Yes."

She discovered that if she stays where she was while everyone was evolving, sooner or later she would deteriorate.

She must have a stronger body to walk her talk. Who knows if she has to face Class B, Class A, or maybe even Class S in the future?

Moreover, the people in the cleaning center were extremely competitive, many of them choose to use mechanical prostheses directly. If everyone was so fierce, Zhu Ning will easily be crushed into pieces if she doesn't dare change.

As soon as Zhu Ning agreed, Doctor Fu's eyes lit up. He stood up and shouted, "Wang Zhu! Prepare the genetic medicine. It's time to work."

Zhu Ning: “…”

She looked up and saw that the sign outside said "Medical Department".

...Could she have entered a shady shop?

Zhu Ning postponed all her subsequent training, and Xu Meng personally approved her leave. She received a genetic injection that same day. It didn't require any surgery, just a simple injection.

After the injection, Dr. Fu told her she could go.

Zhu Ning sat on the edge of the medical cabin, still in a daze.

She didn't feel anything. Didn't the web say it was painful? She didn't feel any pain at all.

Was she sure that the drug she had been injected with was a genetic drug, not saline? She wasn't being tricked, right?

When Zhu Ning looked up, she felt that things around her had changed.

There was a window directly opposite her. When she looked up, she saw a scene a kilometer away: a man had just dropped his ice cream cone. He looked in pain, trying to pick it up but couldn't get past his own barrier (disgust).

Zhu Ning blinked.

What was that? How could she see so far?

Her hearing also became stronger, and she felt the world seemed to be noisier than before.

She could hear two doctors chatting three corridors away, saying that they had not had time to take their annual leave this year.

The doctors' chatter poured into her left ear and out of her right ear. A huge amount of sound poured into her mind like sea water.

Zhu Ning covered her ears to filter out the sound, but instead heard something else.

Thump!

Thump!

Thump!

She could feel the rise and fall of her heart and the blood flowing in her veins. Zhu Ning had never felt so aware of her organs functioning in her body.

"Side effects are natural," Doctor Fu said. "The essence of genetic medicine is to rejuvenate your body."

"Just sit there and take your time. I'll watch over you."

It took Zhu Ning twenty minutes to finally adapt and control her senses. She blocked out most of the noise, and controlled her vision to return to normal.

"Have you recovered?" Doctor Fu asked, "How do you feel now?"

Feel?

Zhu Ning clenched her fists, feeling like nothing had changed, yet she could also feel something changed within her.

What was it?

"Something is wrong." Zhu Ning said.

Dr. Fu took notes and asked, "What's wrong?"

Zhu Ning: "I seem to feel... a little irritable."

She felt that she was not as calm as before.

Doctor Fu glanced at the computer and said, "Your mental state hasn't fluctuated. It's probably just a simple emotional issue."

The medical department's machines were not as accurate as those in the R&D department. It can only see whether the mental state value fluctuates, but cannot read the exact value. So, only a general idea can be presumed of its cause.

Doctor Fu: "After injecting genetic drugs, hormone levels tend to become unbalanced. It's completely normal."

Zhu Ning: "How long will it take to return to normal?"

Doctor Fu: "It depends on the individual. The quickest would recover within a day, while the slowest took a month."

It takes time for hormones to slowly adapt to the new body.

Doctor Fu: "Come back for a follow-up in a month. We'll check by then."

Zhu Ning nodded.

Dr. Fu: "The effects of gene injections vary from person to person. Some people respond very well, while others respond poorly."

Even though genetic medicine can enhance your bodily functions, it does not necessarily mean that you would become stronger. Otherwise, Xu Meng would not have given up on genetic medicine and instead chose the mechanical path.

Doctor Fu: "You're defective; your organs don't have a long duration. After the gene injection, if you're lucky, it could help extend your lifespan."

"But we'll have to go to the R&D department for more precise data to know the final results," said Dr. Fu.

"I hope you can recover."

Doctor Fu was sincere in what he said. He knew that Zhu Ning's mental value was around 1,200. It would be a waste to let such a good seedling be dragged down by a defective body.

All employees of the Area 103 Cleaning Center have a common goal: don't give up any talent.

Zhu Ning was silent. Was it her imagination? She felt like the people at the cleaning center were very enthusiastic about her living longer.

Doctor Fu: "I'll add your contact number. If you feel anything unusual, please tell me."

Zhu Ning nodded, "Is there anything I should be careful of?"

Doctor Fu: "Just eat and drink normally. You can even go on missions normally."

Zhu Ning: “…”

Nevermind. They want her alive so they could keep working her to the bones.

Zhu Ning: "Am I not gonna have to undergo tests?"

Doctor Fu: “What tests?”

Zhu Ning: "Like letting me throw a punch and see my strength values?"

Doctor Fu shook his head. "It's pointless. Your body is changing all the time. The data I measure now may not be accurate in a week. Why don't you go back and try to fight that mechanized opponent again? I'll watch your video online."

If Dr. Fu wasn't constrained by his job duties, he would have went to the scene to see it.

Zhu Ning: “…”

'Why are you so gossipy?'

Zhu Ning: "Okay, can I go now?"

Doctor Fu smiled, "Take care. I've deducted your fee from your card."

Zhu Ning hadn't reacted yet when she heard suddenly heard her secondary brain flash with a notification, followed by the sound of shredding banknotes.

[Spent 1.5 million dollars.

Account balance: 201,200 dollars.]

Zhu Ning: “!”

Zhu Ning suddenly came to her senses.

She had spent 1.5 million in one go. Now she only had 200,000 left, which was not enough to afford even a single injection of genetic medicine.

A course of treatment consists of six injections, and the full cost would be around 9 million. If any abnormalities occur, additional injections may be required.

The average monthly salary for federal workers was 4,800, while for defective workers it was even lower. Furthermore, many jobs discriminate against defective workers, so it's simply unrealistic for a defective worker to save up $9 million.

As expected, ordinary people can’t afford to live at all.

Zhu Ning took a deep breath and asked calmly, "When will the second shot be given?"

Doctor Fu: "One month later."

Zhu Ning: “…”

A money-eating beast–no, a money-shredding machine!

Zhu Ning didn't know how to describe herself more appropriately. It was quite expensive to support her.

Zhu Ning walked out of the medical department with a dejected look on her face. Xu Meng and Li Nianchuan were waiting for her at the door. In just one day, Zhu Ning went from picking up discharged patients to being the patient being picked up.

Li Nianchuan handed a red rose to Zhu Ning, "Zhu Ning, happy discharge from the hospital."

Zhu Ning: “…”

One flower serves two purposes, Li Nianchuan, how thoughtful of you.

Xu Meng asked: "How is it?"

Many people will experience side effects after injecting genetic drugs. Zhu Ning went in full of vitality, but came out full of resentment.

Zhu Ning asked, "Where is that girl from before?"

Xu Meng: "Ah?"

He thought he had heard wrongly.

Zhu Ning looked at Xu Meng firmly: "I want to challenge her."

She couldn't wait to try out the body she had spent 1.5 million on.

---

The translator has something to say:

So it was true...its better to die on the streets than go to the hospital...

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