Chapter 16

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Wu Yan knew that Zhou Wen must have possessed his unique extraction technique. 

However, she did not press on the topic anymore after noticing his reluctance to divulge any trade secrets. After all, this was Zhou Wen’s specialty; it would bring more disadvantages than advantages to him if he revealed it to others. 

Soon afterward, they discussed the terms of employment for a while. Wu Yan basically repeated what she had already explained to Shi Lei previously. In the end, she smiled and asked, “Do you have any questions?”

Zhou Wen thought about the mission at that moment. He said, “May I inquire if I’m considered a contract worker or a formal employee?”

“Uh…” Wu Yan hesitated for a moment. She did not expect that Zhou Wen would ask such a question. 

She believed that Zhou Wen should have a clear idea of his situation, given his biology degree. A contract with the First People’s Hospital in Jiangzhou District with such a generous remuneration was highly sought after. Many biology students wished to get a job like this, even postgraduate and doctoral students. 

Perhaps, he had gone a little too far for his wish to attain the highest level in just one step. In fact, Wu Yan was still a contract worker until now. Wu Yan considered his question carefully and said, “Generally, if the hospital employs you, you will certainly become a formal employee. However, if the laboratory department’s PCR team offers you an employment contract, I’m afraid that you will only be a contract worker.”

“Contract worker, huh…” Zhou Wen hesitated. 

Actually, he had no qualms with being a contract worker or a formal employee. As long as he could have a practical internship in a laboratory department, he was even willing to be a part-time worker. 

However, due to the mission requirement stating that he needed to become a formal employee within a week, he could not just let this matter pass so easily. 

The rewards were 1000 Course XP, 1000 Points, and one black metal loot box chance. 

Wu Yan was under the assumption that the matter was already managed appropriately; she did not expect new issues to be raised. Hence, she advised in earnest words and with good intentions by saying, “Even though you’re just a contract worker, the terms of employment are applied according to a formal employee’s standards. There’s no difference.”

“On the other hand, you should take things step by step. Come to work first; it won’t be too late for you to solve any issue related to your employment terms later on.”

Zhou Wen asked smilingly, “You’re my senior, and you’ve been working in the hospital for a year. Please tell me frankly, if I were to sign the agreement to become a contract worker, when will I be able to solve the issue of employment terms?”

“Uh…” Wu Yan felt slightly embarrassed, so she picked up the coffee mug to conceal her shyness. 

After buying some time, she placed the mug back down and said, “Here’s my suggestion. I shall go back and ask around for you. However, don’t put too much hope in it, to be honest.”

Zhou Wen nodded and replied smilingly, “Alright. Thank you for taking the trouble to do this, senior.”

“You’re welcome.”

Zhou Wen still had something in centrifugation in the laboratory, so he did not want to stay too long either. He stood up and left after making some small talk. 

…

By the time he returned to the laboratory, Yang Yudong and Gu Hongyun eagerly asked if he succeeded in the interview. 

Zhou Wen chuckled and said, “I named a term, and she said that she would go back and discuss it with her team leader before giving me an offer letter.”

Yang Yudong felt speechless. He said, “The terms of employment are already so superior, and you’re still naming a term?”

Zhou Wen replied, “I’m just seizing the rare opportunity to test them out.”

Yang Yudong was speechless. 

He genuinely wanted to use a pipette to extract a little sample of Zhou Wen’s brain to see what this brain was thinking about throughout the day.

Zhou Wen sniggered and went ahead to carry out the PCR Experiment. 

The full name for PCR was Polymerase Chain Reaction.

It was a method widely used to amplify the number of DNA fragments rapidly and was invented in the mid-’80s. 

It allowed the production of millions to billions of copies using just a small sample of DNA and could be done in a short period. Its principle was basically the same as the DNA replication process of the cells inside the human body, but the process was relatively more straightforward. 

This did not mean that the PCR was simple, of course. On the contrary, the PCR was a complicated method. 

Firstly, the hydrogen bonds between complementary bases of the double-stranded DNA template had to be broken to yield two single-stranded DNA molecules in the process of denaturation.

The reaction temperature was lowered in the next step, allowing annealing of the primers to each of the single-stranded DNA templates. In the end process of elongation, the optimum activity temperature was applied, and the result was that the number of DNA target sequences was doubled. 

The processes of denaturation, annealing, and elongation constituted a single cycle. Multiple cycles were required to amplify the DNA target to millions of copies. 

One copy turned to two, two to four, four to eight, eight to 16, 16 to 32…

Through the PCR method, one could amplify a large amount of DNA from a strand of hair, a drop of blood, and even a single cell for genetic testing and detailed study. 

For example, it could be applied to paternity testing, vaccine research, and even disease control. These were all the processes that required the application of PCR in large numbers. 

Of course, the rice root aphid reagent test that Zhou Wen performed today did not need the application of the PCR technique. 

The aphid was a very low-level insect. Generally, one would only need to apply the biochemical reagent on its body directly and observe its hereditary trait afterward. 

The reason why he used PCR was mostly so he could learn to use the PCR method. 

The PCR reagents included water, buffer solution, dNTPs (sometimes called Deoxynucleotide Triphosphates), Primers P1 and P2, a DNA template, and also Taq polymerase.

When everything was prepared accordingly, Zhou Wen adjusted the pipette’s dispense volume and then ejected 30ml of water into three groups of PCR reaction tubes. 

He extracted the fluid according to the strict standard operating procedures by slowly loading it upright and ejecting it slowly as well. 

He changed a pipette head and loaded 5ml of buffer solution into the PCR reaction tubes. Then, he added dNTP, P1, P2, and DNA templates to each of the tubes. 

Benefiting from his studying of late, Zhou Wen performed the steps in good order except for feeling slightly anxious in the beginning. 

When all the necessary reagents were added, the next step was the centrifugation process. 

He set the centrifuge speed accordingly and waited for three minutes for the centrifugation process to complete. 

Zhou Wen removed the PCR reaction tubes containing the centrifuge reagents and then immediately placed them on the PCR thermal cycler for the amplification. 

Later, he set the thermal cycler at 94°C for four minutes for the denaturation process and set the thermal cycler for 20 thermal cycles for the amplification process. 

The temperature was adjusted from high temperature to low temperature, then to the optimum temperature and then to high temperature again. 

One copy turned to two, two to four, four to eight, eight to 16, 16 to 32…

Zhou Wen waited anxiously, akin to a husband waiting outside the labor room. He prayed for the safety of his ‘wife and child’ silently in his heart and, at the same time, wondered to himself if it was going to be a boy or girl and if the child would be healthy. 

Meanwhile, Zhou Wen suddenly remembered that the system’s points could be used to speed up the experiment’s progress. Rather than waiting here foolishly for a few hours, why not speed it up? Anyhow, nobody else was in the room to see it. 

At the thought of this, Zhou Wen immediately brought up his individual property panel and clicked on the point section. An option from the settings popped out before his eyes. 

[Would you like to spend your points to speed up the experiment’s progress? Yes/No]

[Yes]

[Spend 20 Points to speed up the experiment. Please confirm the selection.]

Zhou Wen realized that only 20 points were needed to speed up the experiment’s progress. There was no need for him to worry about that. Therefore, he chose to confirm the decision immediately. 

Before Zhou Wen could react to the situation, the thermal cycler had already completed the amplification process in the next second. 

Zhou Wen was astonished beyond comparison in his heart. 

‘The power of the system was simply mysterious and unfathomable.’ He exclaimed to himself. Nonetheless, he soon became anxious again as he wondered if he would succeed in his first PCR test.

Zhou Wen opened the PCR thermal cycler and took out the PCR reaction tubes from the inside. The next step was supposed to be product analysis, but Zhou Wen could use his Truevision to do so. He squinted his eyes ever so slightly, and soon, he could see the double helix DNA structures at a high concentration level. 

“Perfect…”

Had it not been for his mask, Zhou Wen would have burst out in excitement. 

The students of the biology program learned to perform the PCR method after experiencing countless failures. Who else could perform the amplification process successfully in one attempt like him?

Moreover, the amplification effect was unexpectedly good. It was simply perfection. 

…

In the PCR Team from the laboratory department of the First People’s Hospital in Jiangzhou District, Wu Yan had just returned to the hospital after lunch. She went into the team leader’s office to report the situation at once. 

“Where’s the person?” asked Zhang Shuguang without even looking up from the test report he was writing. 

Wu Yan said in a slightly embarrassed tone, “Uh… He’s not here yet.”

She assured Zhang Shuguang confidently before she left that she would be able to get him on board. As a result, his absence was a disappointment. 

Zhang Shuguang raised her head and said in surprise, “Did he refuse to join us?”

Wu Yan shook her head and answered, “No, it’s only that he said…”

Wu Yan explained Zhou Wen’s proposed term to Zhang Shuguang. Zhang Shuguang knocked the pen in his left hand against the office table and said smilingly, “Tell me, why is a person as intelligent as you able to drop the ball at such a critical moment?”

Wu Yan asked curiously, “Why do you think that I dropped the ball? He wants to become a formal employee. How will I have the courage to consent to it on behalf of you? I believe that is beyond my authority?”

Zhang Shuguang chuckled and said, “What’s there to go beyond your authority, huh? He’s a biology undergraduate student, and he has the audacity to propose employment terms with you. Could it be that you haven’t thought of what made him do that?”

“What made him do so?” asked Wu Yan in a puzzled manner. Nevertheless, realization soon dawned on her. “Oh… So you’re saying that…”

Zhang Shuguang chuckled and said, “Since you’ve already gone over to meet him personally, you should try to consent to his terms first as long as it is not overly absurd. We can discuss further on the issues later. A verbal promise is not a guarantee, right?”

“Hmm, hmm, hmm… I know what I did wrong, big brother.” Wu Yan nodded and acknowledged her mistake. “Shall I give him a call now?”

Zhang Shuguang shook his head in amusement. “You’re back now, what’s the rush? Could it be that you’re afraid that he might run away? We are the First Hospital of the Jiangzhou District. We can’t let him look down on us. Let’s stretch him out for two days before we discuss this further.”