The nano-machine swarm malfunction was one of the fuses that led to the collapse of civilization on this planet, and it was indeed once listed as forbidden technology. But things are unpredictable, and what was once the fuse of war has now become the last lifeline that humans have to rely on. The global war destroyed the original production system and pushed the planet's ecology to the brink of extinction. With more and more people involved in the war, the original agricultural and industrial models could no longer support human survival. Thus, the nano-machine swarm was re-enabled - after a series of safety improvements that were better than nothing, they became the cornerstone of human survival. They are the source of food, the source of air, medical security, and the industrial base. Eighty to ninety percent of the world's humans are now barely surviving on the supply of nano-machine swarms.
Those scientists who invented the nano-machine swarm finally achieved their long-cherished wish: the swarm reshaped the entire society, undertook all work from the environment to industry, and became the new lifeline of this planet - but only after the collapse of civilization.
"In this hellhole, being a doctor doesn't require any great skill," the middle-aged woman said casually, looking at a small window on the syringe and confirming that the nano-machine swarm had begun to work, "We only need to know how to use syringes and amputate limbs. If these two measures don't work, people can only resign themselves to fate. But I guess the situation in the city-state where you originally lived is better? I heard that the ultra-conservative naturalists occupy the last few natural environment areas in the world, and your food even grows from the ground?"
Faced with the other party's curious gaze, Hao Ren could only perfunctorily say, "Um... pretty much, but I've already left there, and I don't want to talk about it."
"I don't know when you'll start to regret this decision," the "doctor" shook her head, put away her tools, "Or maybe you'll never feel regret. Oh, by the way, do you want a shot too? It's a freebie, it's rare to see someone like you these days."
Hao Ren was taken aback: "Give me a shot? I'm not injured..."
"Something to suppress your spirits," the "doctor" pointed to her head, "You might need it."
Hao Ren didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "I'm really not crazy... thanks for the kind offer."
The "doctor" shook her head, threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it out with her foot. Before leaving, she bent down to check the wound of the girl on the bed. Originally, she was just taking a casual look, but soon she showed a strange expression: "Huh? Could it be that someone injected her with a nano-machine swarm a few hours ago?"
Hao Ren didn't understand: "What's wrong?"
"There's no sign of corruption in the wound," the "doctor" pointed to the wound on the girl's chest and abdomen, "Didn't you notice? The nano-machine swarm I just injected can only maintain her current physical condition, and according to this wound, these tissues had already stopped decaying a few hours ago."
Hao Ren didn't react at first, but after a moment he realized what the other party meant: "You're saying her body has been maintaining its current state?!"
"Something's not right... it's almost like time has stopped," the "doctor" didn't answer Hao Ren's question, but bent down and carefully checked the condition of the flesh and blood near the wound, "This situation... is better than the effect of the best nano-machine swarm. Where did you inject her? Why didn't you say so before?"
Hao Ren thought to himself that he didn't know why this girl's body hadn't decayed from the beginning, but saying that would expose many suspicious things about himself, so he casually changed the subject: "Then you injected her again just now, will there be any problems?"
The "doctor" shook her head: "Medical nano-machine swarms will intelligently judge the situation, and there will be no so-called conflicts or 'poisoning' phenomenon. But it wasted a good shot, but that's okay, anyway, it's for de... it's rarely used."
Hao Ren gave a half-understanding oh, and thanked the "doctor" again. The latter waved his hand lazily: "Just following orders. Oh, right, I'll give you some bandages, do it yourself, it's not good to leave her so 'open'. I'm going back to sleep."
After she finished speaking, she threw over a package of soft things, and then left the place yawning, without any sign of the professionalism of medical staff. After the doctor left, the data terminal spoke again: "This unit feels creepy... what the hell did she inject into this unit!"
Hao Ren squinted at the girl on the bed: "Didn't you just say that your worldview is different, so you don't care about this body? Are you scared now?"
Taking advantage of the data terminal's speechless state, Hao Ren opened the toolbox left by the "doctor" before leaving, and found that there were some transparent, seemingly plastic wrap-like but thicker skin membranes, instead of the bandages and gauze he had expected. He glanced at the data terminal, thinking that it was not good to leave the other party's injuries like this, but he had no idea how to use the "skin membrane" left by the doctor: "How do you use this thing?"
The data terminal guessed: "Try sticking it directly on this unit's belly? Like tape..."
"What if it doesn't stick?"
"You can't put some glue on it!"
Hao Ren believed that this guy's worldview was really different from that of humans.
Fortunately, the method of using the skin membrane was simpler than expected. After studying the simple usage diagrams on the package, Hao Ren tidied up the wound, and then uncovered the protective layer of the skin membrane and directly covered it on the data terminal's belly. After a moment, the transparent substance wriggled, merging with the surrounding skin while changing color. Within a few seconds, it seemed to merge with the wound like normal skin, completely indistinguishable.
If it weren't for knowing that "inside" was still a mess, it would almost make people think that the wound had completely healed.
"If it's used on a living person, it seems that this thing will use cell energy to metabolize itself, gradually guiding normal skin cells to replace the artificial colloid in the skin membrane, and it will be completely replaced with normal skin within two days, but if it's used on a dead person, it can only serve as a beautification function," Hao Ren patted the data terminal's belly, "Good stuff, a magic weapon for treating external injuries - it's a pity that it was created by war."
"Have you touched enough, pervert? Hurry up and tidy up this unit's clothes, you necrophiliac! If the wound is healed and you touch it again, that's sexual harassment..."
"Damn you!"
"Okay, instead of sighing, you might as well think about what to do next," the data terminal wisely changed the subject before Hao Ren completely went berserk, "We can't stay in this world all the time. This time we came in through normal sleep, you should wake up soon - Lily is still waiting for you to eat."
Hao Ren didn't forget that he had entered the dream plane mentally this time, and not through the hibernation pod, so the time he could stay here was very limited. He turned his head and looked around the small room, feeling that after he and the data terminal logged out of here, people would probably find out that they had "disappeared out of thin air", so he stroked his chin and thought: "We have to maintain contact with this group of mercenaries as much as possible, but we also need a reasonable reason to leave their base... I don't know if our freedom of action here is restricted. In theory, this kind of organized mercenary should be more cautious. If we frequently enter and exit the base, we will be regarded as spies."
"Not 'we', it's you," the data terminal said indifferently, "This unit is just a corpse now. By the way, isn't that Ulanov next door? Go over and say hello, just find a reason, say your great aunt is here and you want to go out for a walk, and you'll be gone for a whole day..."
Hao Ren wanted to beat this guy up, but he really couldn't do it to a girl (especially a dead one), so he could only grit his teeth and turn to walk towards the door: "You wait here, I'm going to do business!"
Ulanov's room was next door.
The entire barracks was pieced together with a kind of alloy frame and individual "gray boxes". Inside, it was as neat and compact as a cage. The rooms were arranged in a row on both sides of the corridor. Although it was the residence of the mercenaries, it looked somewhat clean and tidy. Ulanov's room door was painted with a childish UFO graffiti in poor quality paint, which was easy to identify.
Hao Ren knocked on the door, and after a long time, he heard a hoarse and deep voice from inside: "Come in, the door is unlocked."
Hao Ren pushed the door open and entered the room: "Ulanov, I want to ask you something... Holy crap?!"
Ulanov raised his head: "Startled, right? My face."