Krafft's Anomaly Notes

Chapter 406 "Miracle"

In many cases, experiments can also be seen as a form of agricultural activity.

The operators compost and sow seeds on the glass-like fields, then wait and rely on the weather, just like always.

Temperature fluctuations and imbalances in water and heat can cause even minor disturbances to render all efforts futile.

And most importantly, and most easily overlooked, is the effort that predecessors made for this.

Every ordinary seed sown by a farmer has undergone hundreds or thousands of years of natural selection and artificial domestication to become what we see today: plump grains that are not easily detached from the ears.

The lab technicians, however, are not so lucky. The time and effort required to go from knowing what is needed to successfully cultivating the target strain is immeasurable.

"Fortunately, someone paid for this highest part of the cost."

Thanks to Westminster's paganism, otherwise no one would ever realize that just as death and decay can nourish plant growth, the annihilation of some deep life forms can also propagate mold at an incredible speed.

Kraft opened the petri dish, scraped off the vigorous bacterial growth that was climbing up the edge, and poured the contents into a funnel. The pale yellow, transparent solution dripped through a fine sieve and two layers of gauze.

After the entire laboratory was emptied, the filtrate accumulated to a considerable half-full tank.

Next, dilute sulfuric acid is slowly added dropwise to acidify the product, reducing its water solubility and paving the way for organic extraction.

This step is more complicated than the production of salicylic acid, as an overly acidic environment can destroy the active ingredients.

The lack of test strips was a problem, but the purple cabbage in the soup bowl reminded him that while there were no test strips, anthocyanins were everywhere on the estate.

These inexpensive vegetables, still plentiful in late autumn, become natural pH indicators when juiced. The taste-testing method, which only lasted two days, is quickly rendered obsolete; now, all that's needed is to stop before the color turns from purplish-red to bright red.

Filter again to remove the precipitate, then bring out your old friend, ether, mix the two together, and stir and shake moderately.

A hazy, sweet scent filled the air, and I felt slightly dizzy.

Two transparent lusters shimmer in the bottle, becoming distinct over time: impurities sink to the bottom while the extract rises and dissolves in the light organic phase.

“We need to hurry.” With the free, lipid-like droplets still floating between the boundaries, Kraft began his operation, quickly removing the lower aqueous phase, even though this would result in a considerable amount of waste.

"If you stay at this step for too long, the antibacterial effect will be significantly weakened, I don't know why."

Time is a silent enemy; a certain reaction is brewing in the ether, slowly eroding the target.

We have to be quick, as quick as we're rescuing someone.

It was extracted from the water, and now it needs to be brought back into the water.

The diluted, clear wood ash solution, carrying a slightly bitter aroma, encounters ether. Tiny bubbles, like breaths, indicate that the acid and base are slowly shifting towards the other extreme.

Refined salt is then introduced to bring the solution closer to physiological equilibrium.

At this point, that thing had been reborn in the water in a relatively stable form.

But that's far from enough; it can't be called pure yet.

Boiled and roasted carbon powder is sprinkled in, absorbing all impurities, odors, and invisible harmful substances. After sedimentation, it is filtered out, and a new batch is added for repeated adsorption and purification.

When the liquid passes through the gray-black filter paper three times, it is almost indistinguishable from the clean water next to it, with only a very faint yellow tint, like light tea or diluted honey water, reflecting a soft, pale golden luster.

"pity."

"Didn't we succeed?" Cooper asked in a low voice. He didn't mind doing it again, but he didn't know if some of the deeper creatures would have any objections.

"Not entirely successful."

"But it really looks clean?" Perhaps the contrast between the pile of moldy turbid liquid and the clear medicine is too strong, giving the finished product a visual sense of reliability.

Kraft looked at his creation with regret, took a small portion, and instead of explaining, said, "Catch an unmarked rabbit, yes, the one that's still eating."

The needle was quickly inserted into the furry hind leg, injected, and then withdrawn.

The animal, oblivious to its fate, instinctively tried to struggle a few times, its fur standing on end and its ears perked up, before calming down, attracted by the food, and forgetting the pain.

Under the expectant gazes of the two, the test subject nonchalantly finished half a head of lettuce, gradually slowing down his chewing speed.

Its breathing became short and irregular. It tried to move, but it was as if it was being weighed down by a heavy object. Its limbs were slightly weak, and fine sweat seemed to seep out from under its fur, moistening its reddened ears and nose.

Small, twitching movements, indistinguishable as fright or trembling, occasionally occur. It curls up, its chest still rising and falling, but its condition is clearly not good.

Placing the back of my hand on the gray-black fur, I could vaguely feel that the temperature was a little higher than before.

"I've tried it many times. Rabbits are much more sensitive to drugs than humans, and it can even be fatal on the spot at first."

"The improved extraction process allows the second batch to live much longer. After further improvements and the addition of carbon powder for adsorption and purification, it looks like it does now."

Kraft gathered up the pile of glassware, soaked it in the sink, and wiped away the carbon powder and purplish-red reagent spots with a cloth.

The traces on the table were cleaned up, and the air was still filled with the bittersweet smell of ether and burning wood.

"This is the limit of optimization." At least it is the current limit.

He sat back down in front of the single yellow petri dish, admiring the blank rings, each about the size of two finger joints, between the colonies, like a crown rising from a mountaintop before dawn.

"Look, this is valid proof."

The sound was as soft as when passing by a sleeping patient, as if it might disturb that circle of transparent miracle.

This once again proves that simply being willing to cross a certain boundary does not guarantee the success one might imagine; there is no necessary correlation between the two.

The strains are of high quality and the process flow conforms to theory, but high purification requires not inspiration or personal miracles, but more reliable extraction solvents and containers, multi-stage purification systems, and freeze-drying preservation.

These issues will be resolved over time, but time is what we lack most.

"What a pity," he repeated for what seemed like the umpteenth time. "If only it could be faster."

"You mean... the priest is beyond saving?"

A strange sense of unease welled up inside him. Perhaps it was because they had spent so much time together, but Koop felt he was becoming increasingly perceptive of Kraft's changing mindset.

Or perhaps quite the opposite, Kraft's ideas are more compelling.

Without the need for verbal skills, facial expressions, or gestures, one can unconsciously gain the other's approval.

Emotions and will flow beyond language, like evaporating ether, seeping into the air and blood; with each breath, one accepts his thoughts and ideas. Just like…

What did it look like again?

He couldn't quite recall anything, so he simply gave up trying to figure it out; the priest's illness was clearly more important than his nonsensical inspiration.

"Oh, no, of course not." The doctor picked up the precious extract, found some cotton cloth and straw, and wrapped it tightly.

"Take this. It's valid for three days. Soak gauze in it and apply it to the wound. Change it twice a day."

"With the help of willow bark extract to reduce fever, continued wound cleaning and drainage, and fluid replacement, there is still a chance."

He paused for a moment, as if confirming to himself, "We always have a chance."