Blowing up cells a few hundred times just to eat them? They would be as nasty as chewing on dry, hollow wood chips. The worst part is that giant food has the exact same amount of nutrition as normal-sized food. That means eating these oversized things just dumps unknown hormones and experimental potions into your body, doing zero good and probably wrecking your system instead.
So if it were real, Dr. B's research would be insane, basically doubling everything and every nutrient. Could you call that anything but impressive? Even two years later, nobody has technology that could pull off giant food like that.
After hours of long testing and rigorous evaluation, the materials finally settled in the glass chamber, slowing down until there were no visible changes left.
"Now, except for these small seeds still dividing in the corner, all other food and minerals have stopped. Let's use more scientific data to see just how much stronger these materials are compared to ones without the Water of Life," Dr. B said. This part, of course, had already been staged within the software. The data had been calculated well in advance.
As Dr. B excitedly rattled off each set of numbers on the glowing monitor, the farm owners were genuinely envious, their eyes fixed on the charts.
"The corn kernels increased total cell count by sixty percent. The strawberries didn't just grow larger; their seeds grew too. Their next generation will be even better. And look at these minerals! Extracts can double, so in the future, the same quality ore treated with Water of Life can give double the yield!" Dr. B's excitement made his red nose look even more prominent in the cold air.
He pulled all the test samples out of the lab again, displaying them on a metal tray for everyone to inspect.
Jing Shu stared at her two dramatically transformed herbs with a look of feigned disbelief. "Oh my, not only did the herbs double, the seeds I planted doubled too! Fine, Doctor, I still don't trust you. I'm going in to see for myself and check if you cheated."
Mrs. C rushed forward and pulled out her gun, her shoulders shaking. "Enough. The doctor doesn't need your trust. This is our secret base; no one is supposed to go in."
Jing Shu arched a brow arrogantly. "Oh? Feeling guilty? Afraid I will inspect it?"
Dr. B waved a hand with a smile, speaking in a godlike tone. "Let her go. She won't understand much anyway, not even English."
The farm owners burst out laughing.
Everything Jing Shu wanted to do or say, she had already voiced and done. What could they do but let her go? She went inside the chamber, checked the microscope, demonstrated the dials for everyone through the glass, and inspected all the instruments. She even rifled through the hidden compartments beneath the table to prove nothing had been pre-switched.
Finally, she stepped back and frowned, looking like she was unwilling to admit she had lost the bet. She asked the farm owners, "Do you have any other way to test this? Let's expose this fraud together."
Dr. B tilted his head back, smiling his trademark saintly smile.
"How about I test it with a pinch of salt? It's a carbohydrate and has life cells, so it should work too, right?"
A skilled shill knows how to push the pace, slap their own face, and get everyone hyped to jump straight into the trap.
But then one farm owner spoke up, his voice steady. "Salt is worthless; there's tons of it in the castle. I drink coffee, so I just happen to have a small ten-gram bag of white sugar. That stuff is valuable now. If we can make it double right before our eyes, it proves Dr. B's research actually works! Since you need resources and rewards, Doctor, I will provide plenty of my stock for you to enhance with the Water of Life."
The air in the lab froze for a moment. Quietly, a few of the researchers exchanged looks. This wasn't in the script. The plan was for Jing Shu to test with salt; coarse salt could be faked to look like it doubled, and normally, who carries a test item around in their pocket? Yet here this man actually had sugar.
Given the farm owners' meticulous habits, they would normally dissect a corn kernel or inspect strawberry seeds. Testing sugar openly would instantly reveal a cheat.
Mrs. C's brow furrowed and she pulled her gun again. "Where is all this trouble coming from? Questioning the doctor's results? Do you intend to cause trouble? After all these tests, do you know how many resources were spent?"
Jing Shu knew Mrs. C was just trying to cancel the test before they were exposed. Dr. B remained silent, seemingly thinking of a strategy.
"No, no, we trust Dr. B completely, but..." a farm owner shrugged.
Jing Shu glanced at a couple who frowned secretly, knowing that without the full test, they would never feel at ease. She stepped forward, standing with the farm owners. "This gentleman is right. We need to test this sugar on-site. Until we witness this miraculous tech ourselves, we won't believe it, and I won't admit losing the bet. After all, the doctor hasn't dared to perform this review yet."
Dr. B frowned slightly as he looked at her.
Jing Shu continued, "Not just that, I will go in as your assistant, in case you try anything funny. And, of course, to satisfy my curiosity; I want to see this miracle with my own eyes."
A professional shill knows when to turn criticism into praise. Dr. B cleared his throat. "Really? Beautiful lady, you have already made countless unreasonable requests. Next, and the next after that; do I have to satisfy them all?"
Jing Shu answered confidently, "This is the last one. If it's real, I will have you help with all my future herbs, and there won't be any more doubts."
With her saying that, no one could still doubt the process.
"Fine, just this once."
Dr. B finally agreed, resuming his preparations and telling everyone, "This is just for the test. Full-scale use wouldn't be nearly this complicated." The eyes of the farm owners lit up. Maybe their own resources could double too.
Even though the final results weren't out yet, the farm owners relaxed. They trusted Jing Shu, the constant skeptic. Since she hadn't found any flaws in the lab, they felt secure. It was just like with Dr. B's magical wall at the start; they doubted at first, but eventually they gave in.