godfather of surgery

Chapter 1255 Upgrade
Switzerland, BG Corporation's European headquarters, this is the command center for Project Troy.

A special meeting is underway. There are no heated debates here, only cold calculations and a chilling sense of impending doom. The attendees are not merely BG's board members; surrounding the oval conference table, crafted from a single piece of obsidian, are CEOs of several international pharmaceutical giants, heads of funds managing trillions of dollars, editors-in-chief of highly influential top academic journals, leading scientists in the biomedical field, and several indistinct figures who, though their identities are obscured, have direct access to high-ranking political figures from various countries—"strategic advisors."

They are an invisible alliance, a community of interests more cohesive and powerful than any overt business guild. They share intelligence, coordinate actions, and collectively maintain their absolute dominance in the global biomedical field for over half a century. In their own words, they are "the maintainers of order" and "the beacon of technology." But from the perspective of the "Breaking the Barrier" project, they are an impenetrable wall blocking their path, one that must be shattered.

Karl Muller, First Vice President of BG Corporation, a middle-aged man as calm and sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, stood in front of a giant holographic projection. The projection clearly displayed the latest intelligence from China.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Karl Muller's voice was flat and devoid of emotion, as if stating a fact unrelated to himself, "the game has evolved. They are no longer content with finding loopholes in our rules; they are trying to build their own table."

A financial tycoon, an expensive Havana cigar between his fingers, exhaled a thick cloud of smoke and scoffed, "Set up a table? On what grounds? On their pathetic ability to imitate and their copycat mentality? Capital, technology, patents, standards... all the chips are in our hands. They're challenging an ecosystem, an ecosystem we've built over a century with trillions of dollars. This isn't business competition; it's ants provoking giants, utterly overestimating themselves."

“In the past, it might have been an ant.” Karl Muller’s gaze swept over the crowd, a dangerous glint in his icy blue pupils. “But now, behind this ant stands a giant with a complete industrial system, strong cohesion, and unwavering will. We can no longer view ‘Breaking the Barrier’ as an ordinary competitor. It has escalated from a nuisance to a real strategic threat.”

Mr. Pierre, a Frenchman with his hair meticulously combed, spoke up: "I still don't understand why you're acting like this is a major crisis. It's just that a Nobel Prize-winning professor has set up a research project to study a new adjuvant, and a few companies have joined forces to develop and produce high-end scientific research equipment and reagents. Doesn't this kind of thing happen all over the world? I've always thought you're being overly sensitive this time and wasting resources."

"Ladies and gentlemen!" a female scientist began, her tone calm and composed, "We have gathered here for several meetings, but I have discovered that some people still underestimate Professor Yang Ping and his team. How ignorant and arrogant this is! I can solemnly reiterate that Professor Yang Ping is a true genius. Some of you may also consider yourselves geniuses in your own fields, but unfortunately, I must tell you that compared to Professor Yang Ping, you are insignificant. Please forgive my wording, but I am not targeting any one person; I am referring to everyone here. They are all insignificant, including myself, of course."

Whether they are scientists, corporate executives, or investment gurus, everyone present is an elite in their respective fields, and they all have enough confidence to believe that they are geniuses, geniuses standing at the top of the world.

But now this rude woman opens her mouth and says that everyone is insignificant, a tone that makes everyone extremely uncomfortable, especially those top scientists.

Mr. Pierre blushed and couldn't contain himself: "Helen, watch your tone. Please respect the scientists." Of course, he was also reminding Ms. Helen to respect him.

"No, Mr. Pierre, I'm just stating a fact, without any intention of offense. Please believe me, because I can't find the right words to express it right now. We've gathered here and united entirely because of Professor Yang. Let me help you understand the process. Yang Ping set up a research project on a completely new vaccine adjuvant. Actually, it's not an adjuvant, because he looks down on adjuvants. He's researching a protein molecule that can be attached to a vaccine. This molecule is versatile and can enhance immunogenicity without increasing vaccine side effects. Then, we tried to interfere with his research, so we tried to block the equipment and reagents he needed."

"However, he didn't seem afraid. With his intelligence, he could easily circumvent our sanctions using other less-than-ideal tools. But he was enraged. To avoid future sanctions, he joined forces with his partners to launch the 'Breaking the Barrier' plan."

"I cannot disclose the reasons why BG attaches so much importance to this plan, but please trust our judgment. Yang Ping is a scientist who creates miracles. We are all ordinary people in front of him, so all we need to do is carry out this plan."

The phrase "We are all ordinary people in his presence" sounded more gentle, making everyone feel a little more comfortable, and the meeting was able to continue.

An academic editor pushed up his glasses, his tone carrying his usual arrogance: "Yang Ping's theory is too radical and lacks sufficient data support that has been reviewed by our peers. We can completely question its scientific rigor through academic channels and marginalize it."

“Your strategy is fine, but don’t actually think his theory is too radical. His spatial orientation gene theory was much more radical than this, and it was still successfully applied in practice. Objectively speaking, none of us here can truly understand his spatial orientation theory,” Helen reminded everyone again.

He reignited the anger that had just subsided, and the editor-in-chief said sternly, "Helen..."

Helen waved her hand: "Continue... I didn't mean to offend you, I'm sorry..."

“Merely marginalizing them is no longer enough.” The indistinct “strategic advisor” spoke slowly, his voice deep and carrying an unquestionable sense of authority. “It shakes the very foundation upon which we depend for survival—the system of technology and standards. We must make them understand that the price of challenging the existing order is unbearable for them. We must strike them decisively in their infancy.”

A brief silence fell over the meeting room, the air thick with a chilling sense of "consensus." Everyone understood that the confrontation had to escalate.

“Then, let’s upgrade Project Troy.” Karl Muller finally made the final decision, a cruel smile playing on his lips. “Let’s give these friends who are trying to ‘break through’ an unforgettable ‘gift’.”

The Iron Curtain crashed down.

"Project Troy," a code name centered on intrigue and destruction, is beginning to reveal its sinister fullness. Its attacks are no longer limited to Yang Ping's research group, but cover the entire biomedical research and industry sector in China.

……

Almost simultaneously, hundreds of high-end instruments—including but not limited to advanced gene sequencers, cryo-electron microscopes, mass spectrometers, and fully automated cell culture systems—located across dozens of top universities, research institutes, and large pharmaceutical company R&D centers in China, suddenly emitted piercing alarms during operation. Instead of the familiar user interface, a cold, multilingual message appeared on the screen:
"An unauthorized environment has been detected. The device has been remotely locked in accordance with the End User License Agreement (EULA) and relevant export control laws. Please contact your authorized service provider. Error code: EC-99."

The lab was in chaos. Researchers stared in disbelief as their prized possessions, worth millions or even tens of millions, were instantly reduced to scrap metal. Critical experimental data was sealed inside and inaccessible; ongoing sample preparation was abruptly halted, and the priceless samples were likely rendered unusable. Phone lines were inundated with calls, and equipment suppliers and customer service centers across the country gave remarkably consistent answers: the problem stemmed from a "system security policy update," the solution required "headquarters evaluation," and the timeline was "uncertain."

These devices all share a common characteristic: they have undergone so-called prohibited operations, which are necessary for Yang Ping's research project.

Meanwhile, some R&D teams that relied on foreign industrial design software, data analysis platforms, and professional simulation tools found their licenses suddenly expire. They were unable to model, simulate, or analyze data. The entire digital R&D process was abruptly cut off.

Similarly, they conducted so-called prohibition operations.

This is a meticulously planned "technological blitzkrieg" aimed not only at paralyzing the research and development of the "Breaking the Barrier" alliance, but also at launching a "surgical strike" against the research capabilities of China's entire biomedical field, creating widespread panic and chaos.

This was followed by a complete disruption of the supply of core reagents and consumables. Previously unimpeded international orders were unilaterally cancelled, and shipments mysteriously stalled at customs or transit centers. Key enzymes, specific antibodies, cytokines, and rare chemical raw materials vanished from inventory lists overnight. Without these "ammunition," even the most brilliant scientists were rendered helpless, and many cutting-edge research projects were forced to a standstill. Within tech giants like BG, all scientists and engineers with Chinese backgrounds, especially those in core R&D positions, felt unprecedented pressure. Unnecessary international travel applications were rejected, access rights were re-evaluated, and participation in some sensitive projects was suspended. Covert yet effective "reminders" and "conversations" were conducted privately, focusing on "compliance with confidentiality agreements" and "understanding one's own position." An invisible glass cage quietly formed, preventing any critical technologies and data from leaking out with the movement of personnel.

Attacks also unfolded simultaneously in the media and academia. Several globally influential media outlets published similarly worded commentaries around the same time, portraying the "Breaking the Barrier Project" as a "malicious act of technology theft," accusing it of "damaging the global innovation ecosystem" and "disregarding intellectual property rights." In academia, prominent scholars closely associated with BG spoke at important conferences, questioning the "reproducibility" and "physical basis" of Yang Ping's theory, labeling it "fanciful." They used their influence to prevent related papers from being published in top journals, attempting to stifle it at its academic source.

In the capital markets, an unseen war of acquisitions and raids has quietly begun. International capital has started making intensive contact with small and medium-sized technology companies upstream of the "barrier-breaking" alliances that have made breakthroughs in key raw materials or core components. They are offering astonishingly high prices, promising broad market prospects after merging with international giants. For those unwilling to sell, the ensuing backlash includes patent lawsuits, negative reports, and supply chain disruptions at key development stages.

……

The escalation of "Project Troy" has exceeded many people's expectations in terms of ferocity and precision. Suddenly, China's biomedical field, especially those related to the "breaking the wall" plan, is under immense pressure.

Some institutions and individuals who were initially hesitant about autonomy began to waver. “See? I told you long ago, we can’t function without them.” “The cost is too high. Are we being too radical?” “Can we negotiate? Can we compromise?” Various pessimistic, doubtful, and even complaining voices began to circulate privately.

Huang Jiacai's office once again became the focus of pressure, with bad news from all sides flying in like snowflakes.

This was something he had anticipated long ago, and it wasn't even the worst outcome. The worst outcome would be that one day all of China's high-end experimental equipment and scientific research software might be locked down, instead of being locked down within a certain range as it is now.

His phone vibrated; it was a message from Professor Yang Ping, containing only a brief sentence: "We can handle it, don't worry about us, you proceed at your own pace."

Huang Jiacai took a deep breath, his chest filled with a mixture of pressure and fighting spirit, but this time, there was also a sense of coldness and composure before battle.

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the equally solemn but resolute faces of several core executives in the office.

"You saw it all?" Huang Jiacai's voice wasn't loud, but it was as hard as tempered steel. "This is the true face of our opponents. They won't give us any chance to breathe. What they want is for us to kneel down and forever be subservient to them!"

He walked to the tactical screen, which displayed a real-time map showing the impact on various alliance member units, with large, glaring red areas marked as paralyzed and cut off from supplies.

“But they made a fatal mistake!” Huang Jiacai’s voice suddenly rose, with a do-or-die spirit. “They thought that locking up the machines, cutting off the reagents, and throwing mud at us would make us submit? They forgot that since we took this step, we must have been mentally prepared.”

"Notify me!"

"First, immediately activate the highest level of emergency response plan! All remotely locked devices must undergo physical network isolation and security checks immediately. The top national cybersecurity team and the best reverse engineering and industrial software teams in China are immediately ordered to enter the site, concentrate their superior forces, and do everything possible to urgently tackle technical cracking and domestic alternative firmware and driver solutions! Tell our scientists and engineers that even if they have to use the most primitive methods, they must find a way to rescue the most critical data!"

Many other labs, possessing the necessary equipment, hoped to offer some assistance to Yang Ping's team, attempting to perform related operations using their own machines. However, they didn't expect that BG Company's order prohibiting operation was not just empty words; they could remotely monitor the equipment's every move, and would immediately lock the machine if any prohibited operation was detected.

"Second, immediately activate the corresponding key reagents, consumables, and special raw materials in the strategic reserve, and at the same time activate the list of domestic and international alternative suppliers under emergency conditions. Spare no effort and use all available logistics and channels to prioritize the continuous supply of the 'wall-breaking' core project and other major national scientific research projects! At the same time, accelerate the final debugging and commissioning of our independently controllable pilot production line and high-standard cleanroom, compressing the time to the extreme!"

The launch of the cell wall breaking project today was not a spur-of-the-moment decision by Huang Jiacai. He had been preparing for it for a long time, knowing that this day would come eventually, it was just a matter of sooner or later. Therefore, before this, he had stockpiled a lot of key reagents, consumables and special raw materials, and these reserves were enough to support him for a period of time.

"Third, we cannot lose an inch of the public opinion and legal front! We must organize our best scientists, legal experts, and media workers, and utilize all controllable domestic and international platforms and channels to raise our voices, using solid experimental data, rigorous logic, and an open attitude to refute all slander and falsehoods! At the same time, we must proactively expose to the international community this improper and unethical behavior of abusing technological hegemony and stifling global scientific and technological cooperation and progress, and strive for broad international understanding and support!"

The power to dictate public opinion is extremely important at this moment, so the war of public opinion is also a form of warfare.

"Fourth, regarding hostile takeovers and market attacks by international capital, we clearly inform all companies within our alliance that our alliance is their most reliable and powerful backing! Our funds are constantly increasing, and we resolutely reject all hostile takeover offers. For any form of unfair competition, we are prepared with the most comprehensive legal weapons to fight to the end in domestic and international courts! We will never compromise!"

In the end, it all boils down to one word—money! With the strong support of Anning, Guo's, and Changxin Mining, the alliance fund is very substantial, and more and more other companies and banks are supporting this breakthrough plan.

"Fifth, and most importantly, the most crucial and far-reaching point," Huang Jiacai's gaze was sharp as an eagle's, as if he had already pierced through the fog before him and seen the dawn of the future, "We must concentrate all resources to accelerate the final research, testing, and mass production debugging of our independently controllable series of high-end biomedical R&D equipment—from sequencers to electron microscopes, from mass spectrometers to automated workstations! What they have locked up with software is our 'past' based on past technological paths! What we must strive to create is our own 'future,' completely free from the constraints of others!"

This is only the beginning. Huang Jiacai had already started technical preparations in this area a long time ago. In short, his plan to break through the wall today was not a spur-of-the-moment decision or something without any basis, but rather something he had made thorough preparations for.

Commands were issued one after another, clear, decisive, and swift, transmitted instantly through the encrypted network to every nerve ending of the "Breaking the Barrier" Alliance like combat orders. The entire alliance had become a tightly bound innovative community. After the initial brief shock and chaos, it was quickly united by a powerful belief in shared hatred of the enemy and a united will to overcome difficulties, and entered an unprecedented, highly efficient "wartime state".

This is no longer a simple business competition or an isolated technological breakthrough; it is a war without gunpowder but equally brutal, a "Battle of Shangganling" that concerns the future of technological sovereignty and industrial development.

On one side is the old overlord who holds an absolute first-mover advantage, controls the lifeline of the existing system, and tries to crush all challengers with the mature systemic power; on the other side is the new force that is striving forward with an indomitable spirit that refuses to fall behind and is determined to take control of its own destiny.

"Wallbreaker" and "Troy," these two colossal carrier battle groups, finally entered the final, inevitable duel range in this vast yet turbulent sea called "Future." The air was filled with the piercing shriek of steel rubbing against each other and the deep hum of destructive energy accumulating.

A storm is brewing, and the battle flags flutter in the strong wind.