Deep Space Wandering Fleet

Chapter 150: Chapter 151: The Era Brings Them Forth

Professor Wei Jiahui looked at the silent crowd and sighed lightly, “The HIA and BIA gene sequences have been experimentally proven to be quite successful. The current state of biotechnology is incomparable to what it once was.”

“Perhaps we could optimize them in a series to reduce the occurrence of intellectually disabled infants. These gene modification plans are definitely feasible.”

“As for the Anti-Eyed People project, which involves splicing genes of foreign species into humans, we still need to do further research.”

“But, Professor Wei…” Someone else voiced their opposition.

…

The meeting lasted for two days. After extensive discussion and voting, Zhang Yuan felt dizzy and overwhelmed, as many things had overturned his expectations.

The final vote was in.

The result was—nothing was approved.

Even the most acceptable “public welfare system” was rejected… All the debates had turned into fruitless arguments.

After leaving the meeting room, everyone felt a strong sense of disappointment.

“From this moment on, we seem to have become sinners of history,” a woman lamented. “But I really couldn’t vote in favor. I just couldn’t do it…”

Zhang Yuan shook his head slightly and sighed inwardly at how difficult it was for a civilization to escape mediocrity.

New Civilization History had already pointed out several new directions. Whether people believed in them was one thing, whether they could achieve them was another. Achieving pure rationality and obeying calculations was very, very difficult…

…

In the following months, the discussion about the meeting and New Civilization History reached an all-time high, even though it had already passed.

Due to it being a peak year, the enthusiasm was very high, and discussions of varying opinions could be heard in every corner of the spaceship.

“Ah… sounds interesting! It’s a pity I didn’t have the right to attend the meeting, what a shame.” Lin Xuanxuan lay on the hospital bed, her face pale from just having woken up from hibernation.

“Could you really accept that Anti-Eyed People project? Inverting your retina?” Zhang Yuan asked with some surprise.

“Haha, because I am well-versed in human anatomy, I deeply know the foolishness of the creator! Xia Xia, what do you think?”

A nearby nurse nodded, “Dr. Zhang, many human structures are indeed silly, not only the eyes but also wisdom teeth, hemorrhoids, joints, all sorts of messy blood vessels, nerves… Humans live so long, yet collagen is lost so quickly…”

Lin Xuanxuan smiled and said, “I’m more concerned about whether the appearance of the eyes would change, whether it would look better. If it actually turned into octopus eyes, then forget it. But even if the eyes became bigger and prettier, what would it change?”

“It’s just an inversion of the retina, no big deal… We just need to be more beautiful!”

Zhang Yuan felt somewhat speechless inside, perhaps Lin Xuanxuan’s thoughts were not unique, and many women actually thought the same way. If the change in appearance after gene modification wasn’t significant, they really wouldn’t mind.

He joked, “If the appearance could be modified to be even prettier, perhaps you women would become fervent supporters?”

But unfortunately, when it comes to genetic manipulation, humans still can’t modify things as God does. Correcting the retina alone was already tremendously difficult, and scientists certainly wouldn’t want to increase the workload under these circumstances…

Zhang Yuan slowly peeled an apple, “You know, after modifying the retina, although humans and Anti-Eyed People wouldn’t form a reproductive barrier, their offspring might very likely become blind!”

“Blind is blind, after all, no one is having kids anymore… You’re so naive! This kind of genetic adjustment plan, just pair it with the public welfare system, and isn’t that settled? Even if it results in reproductive isolation, what does it matter? People can still get married and then… fall in love.”

Zhang Yuan felt a shiver, “I’ve just realized your thinking is very open… Maybe you should do propaganda work, just quit the medical profession and go to the propaganda department.”

He handed the peeled apple to her, “Have the apple, I still have work I need to attend to, I have to go.”

“Ha ha, come back again when you have time!” Lin Xuanyuan waved her hand understandingly.

…

Zhang Yuan became increasingly busy. As a Level 16 worker, he began to take responsibility for more and more things this year.

The 1,000-year voyage had taken its toll on the spaceship, which occasionally experienced various problems, big and small.

The nuclear fusion engine had not been started for a very long time. To prevent future problems, the engine was still started a few days ago for a month, producing a large amount of data.

These senior engineers needed to check if any parts of the fusion engine were aging through this data.

If replacements were needed, they must be replaced quickly during this year.

Upon entering, Senior Brother Zhao greeted, “Zhang Yuan, come and see. Do you think the data here is a bit different from usual?”

After contemplating for a while, Zhang Yuan said, “It’s possible that the data detection device is malfunctioning. Other reasons shouldn’t account for just a few errors…”

This skill of identifying problems through data was something only a few senior talents possessed.

“Ha, I thought so too. How about it, do you want to go inside the engine and take a look?”

Zhang Yuan paused for a moment, “Okay!”

After submitting a report, the two quickly received a response from their superiors.

“Come this way!”

Zhang Yuan and Zhao Qingfeng, carrying their diagnostic instruments, ventured through a small window.

They were in the core reaction chamber of the engine, where there was no air or gravity, and the two could only move slowly using the propulsion devices on their space suits.

The central reaction chamber resembled a huge circular room. When it operated, it generated an extremely high-pressure magnetic field, congregating heat at the center to produce nuclear fusion.

The two split up, checking each device around them.

Suddenly, Zhang Yuan asked through his headset, “Senior Brother Zhao, now that the vote has failed, what should we do? The public’s highly polarized discussion also leans overwhelmingly one way…”

“Should we really make no changes at all? I feel… it’s not very good.”

Senior Brother Zhao chuckled, “If you had already known the contents of this meeting beforehand, do you think these things would pass?”

“No…” Zhang Yuan thought for a moment. “I can almost certainly say these decisions wouldn’t be approved.”

“That’s why, don’t underestimate the intelligence of the Old Captain and others… Whether the vote passes or not, it doesn’t really matter.” Senior Brother Zhao said with a smile, “It’s just to give everyone a heads-up and prepare them mentally.”

“What do you mean…” Zhang Yuan said in surprise.

“Do you think the Scientific Council is a place that values democracy?”

“Isn’t it?”

Senior Brother Zhao laughed, “Zhang Yuan, all voting rights indeed exist, but they might as well not… Democracy, compared to New Civilization History, this higher level of intelligence, is really too foolish, isn’t it?”

“Have you forgotten? New Civilization History itself possesses certain predictive powers. As long as we subtly adjust some historical points, then…”

“Regardless of whether people accept them or not…”

“The times call for their emergence, and they will inevitably appear!”