Chapter 192: Micro-dust (8)

“What are you talking about? My punishment?” He Jiankui asked like he couldn’t believe it. “Are you sure you heard him correctly? Why would Doctor Ryu talk about that with the minister?”

“I’m just delivering what I heard. I don’t know the details,” said the entourage.

“... Oh.”

He Jiankui raised his finger like he had figured it out.

“I see. He’s going to ask you to not punish me. Haha.”

Frowning, the minister asked the entourage, “When does he want to see me?”

“Anytime within his visa period, but he would like to see you as soon as possible.”

The minister glanced at his watch.

“It’s eleven-thirty. What’s my next schedule?”

“You are scheduled to have a luncheon with the President,” they replied.

“Contact Doctor Ryu right now and set up a time. If he says yes, please tell the President that I have an emergency and won’t be able to make the luncheon today as politely as possible.”

“But it’s the President’s luncheon?” He Jiankui asked, shocked.

“I’ve served him for thirty years. He’ll understand. And it’s not that important either,” the minister said. “Besides, isn’t it actually urgent that I meet Doctor Ryu right now? It sounds like that ingenious scientist who is on another level is pointing a knife at you.”

“...”

“Don’t worry, I am on your side. You’re one of the great human resources amongst 1.3 billion people, right?” said the minister. “Anyways, I am trying to protect you, so stay put.”

* * *

Xin Mao, the minister of the State Administration for Market Regulation, was one of the most influential men in the State Council, and he was in-laws with the president. His responsibility in the administration right now was making laws and overseeing policies regarding industrial and commercial management. He practically had control over the domestic economy and was currently working on constructing a huge industrial zone along China’s eastern coastline. He was also a supporter of He Jiankui.

“Hello.”

Xin Mao greeted Young-Joon with a greasy smile.

“Nice to meet you,” Young-Joon replied.

He shook his hand and sat down.

“I came here without an interpreter because it was such a last-minute request. Well, it’s not like we’re going to sign a contract or anything, right? It’s just a simple discussion?” Xin Mao said.

“Yes. Don’t worry because I have prepared an interpreter.”

“But are you uncomfortable? You don’t look very well.”

“I’m fine.”

Young-Joon had seen and heard so many disgusting things since coming to China that he couldn’t keep a straight face. He was struggling to control the anger that was bubbling up inside him.

“I heard there were two issues you wanted to discuss with me, is that right?” Xin Mao asked.

“That’s right.”

“Very well. Let’s begin with the issue regarding mosquitoes. You said you were going to eradicate the Asian tiger mosquito?”

“It was on the agenda at the last GSC conference, and we’ve already done quite a bit of research. Originally, we had promised to start this project in Shazai Island and Dadaosha Island in Guangdong Province as a pilot experiment,” Young-Joon said. “Until it was canceled recently with a unilateral notice from the Chinese government.”

“Well, there was talk about how the anthracis fence you set up in Africa caused biological problems.”

“I know, and I understand. But you also know that the truth has now come out.”

“So are you asking me to reopen that project?”

“I’m not

asking

you to do that,” Young-Joon said.

“Pardon?”

“Mr. Minister, the Asian tiger mosquito exists around the world. Things are very different now after the anthracis fence was proven to work and we stopped the anthrax attack with the Thermoplasma spray.”

Even the greatest GSC scientists were shocked and astonished by the prevention of the anthrax attack by spraying Thermoplasma. He Jiankui commented that Young-Joon was staggering and on another level. Governments around the world, who were plagued by various acts of terrorism and worried about bioterror, also studied this case very carefully.

And they came to one conclusion, which all the scientists already knew.

‘Ryu Young-Joon has mastered ecology.’

Young-Joon wasn’t a scientist who was good at developing new drugs; contributing to the advancement of medicine was only part of his talents. How many people would pay attention to the fact that bacteria living in hot springs were found in two faraway regions? Even if Thermoplasma could fly in the air, it wasn’t something huge; it was just a fascinating story about the kinds of creatures that existed in nature.

But Young-Joon came up with the crazy idea to kill anthracis by attaching antibodies to the surface of the bacteria’s cell wall. And in the midst of the chaos, he boldly put it into action; he actually prevented an anthrax attack by spraying it into the air. He used the fact that Thermoplasma, a microorganism that existed in hot springs, quickly died at room temperature, that the bacteria had no toxicity, that it would attach itself to anthracis and render it ineffective, and that it would swarm anthracis with its flying ability and hunt them. All the biological characteristics of both microorganisms and the ecological impact it would have were taken into account. Young-Joon came up with the idea, executed it, and successfully pulled it off in just a few weeks.

As such, things were very different now. To Young-Joon, the eradication of mosquitoes was basically child’s play, as it was something that had already been done in the past by countless scientists funded by the Gates Foundation.

“Right now, instead of avoiding being used as the testing ground, governments are asking to do it,” Young-Joon said.

“They are asking to conduct it?”

“The average number of deaths in a year is four hundred seventy five thousand. This includes everything from manslaughter in small homes to international terrorism, civil wars, coups, and more,” Young-Joon said. “The number of deaths caused by mosquitoes in the same period is more than double that, about one million.”

“...”

“Mosquitoes cause infectious diseases in seven hundred million people every year, and one million of them die. That’s comparable to deaths caused by cancer, so eliminating a problem of this magnitude is a huge merit to public health. The sooner we can get rid of it, the better. And one more thing...” Young-Joon said. “The scientists of those countries gain the experience of conducting an experiment like that, which becomes a national asset. For example, scientists who conducted this project in China will be able to help a lot as advisors when they work on it in other countries.”

“You’re saying that groups who lead this project have a lot to gain since this will be a global project, not one that will be limited to a small region?”

“That’s right. As such, I’m not asking you to restart the project, but I’m giving you an opportunity,” Young-Joon said. “Even though the Chinese government unilaterally canceled it, I’m giving you a chance to reap the benefits.”

“...”

Xin Mao and Young-Joon stared at each other in silence. Alice wanted to go home. Xin Mao was one of the most influential people in a dictatorship that even the United States found difficult to deal with.

‘Sir, don’t you think you’re pushing it...’

Alice nudged Young-Joon.

“An opportunity...”

Xin Mio contemplated, stroking his chin.

Young-Joon said, “And because China is so big, the weather varies greatly by region, which changes the ecology of mosquitoes. As such, it would be difficult for Chinese scientists to do this project on their own without my help.”

“I understand what you mean, as well as the importance,” Xin Mao said. “There were countries fighting over something as useless as landing on the moon. With something like eliminating a species that kills a million people a year, it’s understandable that governments want to lead it. It would be great if we could do that, like you said.”

“That’s right.”

“So what is it that you want in return, Doctor Ryu?”

“The Chinese scientific community will grow if they lead it. But I’m someone who believes that ethics should be the foundation of technology in science,” Young-Joon said. “I’m going to announce an international moratorium on biomedical research ethics with the top biologists in the world. Please get the President to sign it and pass it as criminal law.”

“Ack...” Xin Mao looked bewildered.

Young-Joon said, “I will show you the items in the moratorium first. As a scientist, I cannot stand by and watch the unethical research that is happening in China right now.”

“W—What items are you going to put in?”

“The first will be about gene modification. I will put an ethics committee for gene editing research at A-Bio, which has full rights to Cas9. Anyone who wants to edit genes in human germ cells will have to be judged by the committee. If they fail, we will not give them the rights to use Cas9.”

“...”

“But the moratorium is only a recommendation. If someone like Doctor He Jiankui does research without permission to use Cas9, all we can do is file a civil lawsuit for copyright infringement. But I want a criminal penalty. Not just damages for copyright infringement, but I want that scientist to go to jail,” Young-Joon said. “So I’m asking the Chinese government to legislate that, so that we can give a strong sentence to someone like Doctor He Jiankui. It needs to have the name of the President so that no one can challenge it.”

“...”

Xin Mao wiped the sweat on the back of his neck.

“Wait, wait. Doctor Ryu, let’s calm down for a moment. It seems like you’re a little angry at Doctor He Jiankui...”

“Not just a little,” Young-Joon said as he stared at Xin Mao. “And to be honest, I think the Chinese government, the university director, and his fellow scientists are also to blame for allowing this kind of research to go on.”

“... Doctor Ryu,” Xin Mao said in a soft voice to calm him down. “Doctor He Jiankui is quite friendly towards you. Do you know what he said to me? He wanted me to reconsider the factories being built on the eastern coast, saying that we need to stop the micro-dust that’s going to Korea.”

“Thank you, but you don’t need to worry about that. Develop as much aluminum as you want. You can make more factories if you want,” Young-Joon said. “Send all your micro-dust to Korea. I don’t care.”

Xin Mao was flustered again at Young-Joon’s unexpected response.

“Um, and Doctor Ryu, Doctor He Jiankui told the Chinese government to support you a lot from now on. In fact, we can do things for you that you can’t do in America...”

“I don’t need that either,” Young-Joon said firmly. “I have an idea of what that support is. It’s obvious what a lunatic who treats his people like lab mice for his research would come up with, especially if it’s something the U.S can’t offer me. Please don’t be specific about it because the only thing I am outraged about right now is He Jiankui.”