After 21 days of long waiting, Lu Xuanyu came to the operating room again.
This time, he was fixed face down on the operating table.
Ms. Florence tried to say something to him along the way. Lu Xuanyu actually wanted to talk. But on the one hand, the twenty-one-day immune-destroying treatment made him a little weak now.
Besides, he is really nervous now.
"Mr. Lu, there is really no need to be nervous. The fatality rate of this improved version of the virus is zero." Ms. Florence said to him softly: "It has also been successful in dozens of people, and primates'
No experimental animals died because of it.”
"I just... feel scared." The face-down position made Lu Xuanyu's voice sound a little muffled: "This is... this is rabies..."
"Improved rabies."
"Once an attack occurs..."
"After genetic modification, the destructive power of the virus has been reduced to a minimum." Florence said.
This is the result of Yawgmoth's "risk of death" a few years ago.
Genetic modification surgery cannot be accomplished with just one virus.
In order for a virus to invade a cell, it still depends on the receptors on the cell surface. Viral receptors can specifically bind to viruses, mediate virus invasion and promote viral infection.
A receptor can only specifically pair with one or a few viruses.
Therefore, a virus does not indiscriminately infect all cells in the human body - the broad-spectrum ability of the virus is quite limited.
Even if Yawgmoth improves the ability of the virus to infect broad-spectrum infections, one virus cannot cure everything.
Furthermore, the time required for transformation of various parts of the human body is different.
Transformation of permanent cells is the slowest.
Nerve cells, cardiomyocytes and some skeletal muscle cells are "permanent cells". The lifespan of these cells is almost as long as the human body. They do not divide and will not recover after being damaged. Their proto-oncogenes are inactive and want to transform.
, it will take a long time.
Fortunately, genetic modification surgery "inserts the genome into the original cells" and does not need to wait for the cells to divide again. Otherwise, the nervous system will never be transformed.
The immune system, mucous membranes, hair follicle cells and other parts belong to the wave that divides most rapidly.
The transformation of these parts will only begin in the middle and late stages of transformation of other body systems.
The brain must start to transform in advance.
After all, the brain is the most precious and fragile organ of the human body. It is also the thinking organ of human beings and is the key to what makes people human.
The fastest way to transform nerve cells is this - rabies virus.
Seeing Lu Xuanyu's nervous look, Florence said: "Do you need to postpone the operation? Of course, you still have the right to withdraw now."
"Of course not." Lu Xuanyu said immediately: "It would be too much of a loss to quit now... Please continue."
Lu Xuanyu felt like someone was cleaning his waist - probably between the 3rd to 4th or 4th to 5th lumbar vertebrae.
Under this place, between the arachnoid membrane and pia mater of the spinal cord, there is a narrow space. There is a small amount of cerebrospinal fluid there, and the long cauda equina nerve roots swim in the cerebrospinal fluid.
This is almost directly connected to the brain. After a huge amount of rabies virus enters, it can quickly enter the brain along the nerves.
At the same time, inserting the needle here will cause minimal damage to the nerves.
Even if you are bitten by a sick dog and you are covered in bruises, you will not get sick faster than if you inject it here.
Lu Xuanyu took a deep breath: "Okay, I'd better be mentally prepared. Come on."
"Are you sure?"
"bring it on!"
Although Lu Xuanyu took a long time to mentally prepare, the whole process was very fast.
He just felt a slight sting, followed by slight numbness in other parts of the body.
It was as if he had been electrocuted.
Before he could react, the process was over.
Then the medical staff turned him over.
Lu Xuanyu's breathing was still a little messy.
"I suggest you take a good rest today and don't scare yourself." Florence smiled: "Also...although I have repeated it several times, I still want to warn you. Starting tomorrow, you may
Mild symptoms of hydrophobia, photophobia, and chills occur. These symptoms are not too severe. In addition, your saliva secretion may be slightly more intense, but it is not serious. You may feel a little troublesome when you wake up."
"But if you have difficulty breathing within five days, please tell us."
Listening to Florence's instructions, Lu Xuanyu nodded: "I will."
On the way back to the ward, he looked out the window, his mind still numb.
He actually agreed to others injecting rabies virus into his body - if he had told this to himself ten years ago, he would have thought that all people in the future were crazy.
Lu Xuanyu was so distraught that he finally followed Florence's suggestion and covered himself with a blanket and went to sleep.
The next day, he opened his eyes.
The situation is better than expected. Lu Xuanyu just inexplicably felt that the surroundings were a little too bright, but he didn't know if it was the influence of the virus - it was entirely possible that it was a psychological effect.
He looked at the glass of water on the bedside table and just stared at it.
This activity continued until Florence came for a routine inspection.
"What's wrong?" The nursing expert was a little curious.
"I was wondering what mild hydrophobia symptoms are..." Lu Xuanyu said.
Florence asked without thinking: "Do you want to drink water now?"
"I don't think much of it."
"But from the sound of your voice, you must be thirsty."
Only then did Lu Xuanyu realize that his voice sounded a little dull.
He also realized that he was indeed "thirsty" now. Reason and memory told him that he was now in a "thirsty" state.
But he still didn't want to drink water.
He doesn't seem to take the initiative to drink water unless he is uncomfortably thirsty.
Florence took the water glass over and helped him unscrew it: "You should give it a try, Mr. Lu."
Lu Xuanyu took out the water glass and tried to take a sip.
There was no problem and he didn't resist too much. He drank the glass of water naturally.
"So... so magical?" Lu Xuanyu said: "I can't notice at all... Have my thoughts been changed by the virus?"
"Maybe." Florence said: "On the surface of your neurons, a small number of receptors will be opened or closed by the virus. This will affect something to some extent. But it is not that scary. Even if there is no virus, something similar
Things happen naturally in the brain as well. Chemicals produced spontaneously by the brain do similar things, driving you to eat and seek a sense of security."
Lu Xuanyu looked at the half glass of water left in his hand, nodded, and said with a smile: "I see... This is probably the feeling of 'crushing fear'. Sure enough, the 'unknown' is the scariest thing."
