Luo Yong had a strange dream.
The sky above him was gray, and the world felt surreal. Before him stretched a boundless horde of zombies, staggering forward with vacant eyes. He stood alone on a high platform, surrounded on all sides by the undead.
At his feet were ten bags filled with seeds, which he frantically dug into the ground.
From those seeds sprouted bizarre, otherworldly plants—carnivorous flowers, explosive fruits, bullet-spewing trees, thorny vines, and psychedelic blossoms. A wall of sulfuric acid-spewing bamboo obstructed the advancing zombies. The explosive fruits blew the limbs off the creatures, spilling grotesque guts everywhere, yet they still crawled forward, dragging themselves with bloody arms. Then the vines wrapped around them, crushing them into fertilizer, feeding the plants which grew stronger in turn.
But the zombies were endless. Wave after wave, they pushed forward.
Eventually, all his plants were destroyed. Even the rocks he threw were useless. Surrounded now, Luo Yong stood atop the platform with only one last seed remaining: an explosive fruit.
Looking down at the tide of zombies closing in, he took a deep breath, holding the seed tightly.
"Damn it. I've never been afraid to die!"
Boom!
Luo Yong's eyes snapped open.
He lay in a hospital bed, eyes wide and unfocused as he blinked in confusion. Sweat drenched his forehead. It took him a moment to realize it had all been a dream—and a terrifying one at that.
Instinctively, he tried to wipe his forehead, only to realize his arms were strapped down. Around him stood a group of white-coated researchers staring at him intently, their sharp, curious eyes making him feel like a lamb surrounded by wolves.
Then he remembered: he was still undergoing the clinical trial.
"What just happened? His heartbeat suddenly spiked—was it a nightmare?" Wu Bing asked, her expression returning to focus.
Two hours had passed since the injection. The medicine had now circulated throughout Luo Yong's body. Since the beginning of the trial, his vital signs had shown a steady increase. His metabolism was accelerated, and he was sweating much more than usual.
But just moments ago, his heart rate spiked suddenly, and he began sweating profusely. For a second, everyone feared the worst.
Thankfully, he had woken up.
"I… I just had a dream. Got scared," Luo Yong muttered, his voice hoarse as he calmed down and recollected himself.
"What kind of dream?" Wu Bing asked, professional curiosity taking over.
"Do we really need to analyze my dreams too?" Luo Yong was a little speechless. Still, he hesitated, then gave in and described the strange sequence of events.
"Wasn't that Plants vs. Zombies?" Chen Mo said with a small laugh.
Luo Yong's face turned red with embarrassment. Now that Chen Mo mentioned it, the dream really did resemble the video game. He'd probably just played it too much.
The researchers nearby exchanged amused glances. It wasn't surprising. Given the intense pressure of the test and the drug's unknown effects, weird dreams were to be expected.
"How do you feel now? Any discomfort?" Wu Bing steered the conversation back to the core issue.
"No major issues… just really hungry," Luo Yong replied, shaking his head.
"The medicine promotes physical transformation. It burns a lot of energy, so hunger is perfectly normal," Chen Mo explained.
"Then I guess there's nothing to worry about," Luo Yong nodded, visibly relieved by the explanation. The unease he'd been carrying started to dissipate.
Ding Jianwen's sharp eyes locked onto Luo Yong. He hadn't been beside the test bed the entire time—his age and stamina didn't allow him to stand for such long stretches. But now, as he looked carefully, something felt off. Something about Luo Yong seemed… different.
"I feel like something's changed," he said slowly, unable to pinpoint it.
His words made the rest of the research team pause. They turned to study Luo Yong more closely.
And indeed—something had changed. They just hadn't noticed it at first.
"The contours of his body," Chen Mo pointed out.
He would know. He had already gone through the effects of the drug himself. He was intimately familiar with the transformation.
Now that it was mentioned, the change was obvious.
Before, Luo Yong's skin had been deeply tanned—darkened by years of military training, sun exposure, and grueling missions. His muscles had been thick and defined, giving him a bulky, rugged appearance.
Now his body seemed subtly reshaped. His muscles were more streamlined, better proportioned, and his skin had taken on a healthy bronze sheen. He also looked slightly taller, his physique more refined and aesthetically pleasing—like a real-life action figure.
Honestly, if he ever left the military, he could easily become a male model.
Several researchers couldn't resist reaching out to examine his transformation firsthand, pressing and prodding his muscles.
Luo Yong instantly felt a chill. Goosebumps erupted all over his skin.
Apart from Wu Bing, research assistant Li Wen, and one older female academician in her fifties, the rest of the core team consisted of middle-aged or elderly men. Being touched and examined like a specimen made him extremely uncomfortable.
Especially when he couldn't even move to defend himself.
"We'll need to conduct a full physical examination," Wu Bing said seriously.
Despite the outward improvements, they couldn't conclude the trial was a success until they thoroughly examined Luo Yong's internal functions. There could still be hidden side effects.
"Understood."
Luo Yong nodded eagerly. Anything to get these old men to stop touching him.
All eyes followed him as he was wheeled away for the examination. If his internal indicators were as good as his external ones, then the clinical trial could be considered a major success.
As the team left with him, those remaining finally relaxed. They'd been on edge for hours. Now, with no immediate issues, they could finally sit down for a proper dinner.
The results would come out tomorrow. Then they would know for sure.
"You don't seem worried about the trial failing," Wu Bing said as she turned to Chen Mo.
Despite being the drug's developer, Chen Mo had remained calm throughout the entire process. No anxiety, no tension—just quiet confidence.
"What's the use of worrying?" Chen Mo shrugged, smiling. "If I worry and it still fails, then I've just wasted the energy. Better to stay focused."
Wu Bing gave him a long look, then let it go.
"So, what are we doing for dinner?"
"Not the cafeteria again, right? Your treat?" Chen Mo teased.
"I'm sick of the cafeteria. And you—come on. You make more in a day than I've made in my whole life. And you want me to pay?"
Wu Bing rolled her eyes, finally defeated by his shamelessness.
"Alright, alright. I'll treat you this time," Chen Mo grinned. "Let's celebrate the trial's success in advance."
As the two chatted and walked off together, they didn't notice the cold eyes watching them from behind.
Shen Chongxin stood silently in the hallway, fists clenched, eyes shadowed by the rims of his glasses. He didn't speak, but something was clearly stewing beneath the surface.
"Dr. Shen, what are you doing here?" Liu Liwen came over and gently patted his shoulder.
"Nothing. Just thinking about something related to the project," Shen Chongxin forced a smile.
"You're really committed. Come eat with us. Looks like the trial went well, and after this, we'll probably get a little break."
"Alright."
Shen Chongxin adjusted his glasses and walked away with Liu Liwen, hiding whatever thoughts churned behind his calm expression.