Chapter 49: Hibernation Pod

“What method?” Lin Xian inquired, his curiosity piqued.

“Destructive force,” the technician from the safe company explained. “We once had a client with a similar problem. Their financial manager was involved in a car accident, and the company urgently needed to access the documents inside their safe. So, they transported the entire safe to a scrapyard and used an oxy-acetylene cutting torch to open it.”

“This safe is constructed from solid steel. Ordinary tools or crowbars won’t do the trick, and even explosives can’t breach it. Only an oxy-acetylene torch, with its intense high-temperature flame, can cut through it. It’s a last-resort solution.”

Lin Xian’s interest was clearly aroused. “What kind of torch did you mention again?”Reêad latest novels at noov/e/l/bin(.)com

“An oxy-acetylene torch. It uses high-pressure acetylene gas to produce a flame that can reach up to 3000 degrees Celsius, capable of melting and cutting through steel. It’s a common tool in industrial applications.”

After the explanation, the technicians handed Lin Xian a form to sign, left a manual and a contact number, and then departed.

“Oxy-acetylene torch...” Lin Xian muttered to himself.

The dream safe, with his name inscribed on it, was rusty and peeling, clearly made of steel. A flame that reached 3000 degrees would render it as fragile as tofu.

Lin Xian had hoped to enter his dream soon and use the torch to cut open the safe, but his plans were thwarted by an unexpected rush of work. He found himself swamped, often working late into the night, leaving no chance for dreaming. Days passed without a single dream.

It wasn’t just him feeling the strain. The entire company was under pressure, with everyone pulling all-nighters. Even Zhao Ying Jun, usually so impeccable, now sported faint dark circles under her eyes.

One afternoon, just as Lin Xian completed a task, his phone rang. He was surprised to see the caller ID. “Professor Xu Yun?”

It had been several days since their last conversation. Could there be new developments?

Lin Xian answered the call eagerly. “Professor Xu Yun?”

“Lin Xian! Do you have time right now?” Professor Xu Yun’s voice was brimming with excitement. “I need you to witness a historic moment!”

Professor Xu Yun’s invention, though primitive, was a significant breakthrough—it could reduce metabolic activity by thirty times. If this proved stable, external time would pass thirty years while the mouse aged just one year, effectively allowing it to ‘travel’ to the future.

Yet, the real challenges in hibernation technology were not just about inducing freezing but also about ensuring successful thawing and reawakening.

“The true test isn’t just freezing, it’s about the revival process,” Professor Xu Yun elaborated. “Now, you’ll witness a genuine historic moment. We’re about to revive this mouse that has been in hibernation for 40 hours at -60 degrees Celsius.”

Lin Xian watched intently as Professor Xu Yun carefully adjusted the controls, gradually warming the pod. After about half an hour, the temperature inside the pod reached ten degrees Celsius. The mouse began to move, clawing at the walls of the pod in a frenzy.

“Don’t worry,” reassured Xu Yun. “The liquid’s high oxygen solubility supports normal breathing, even when inhaled, though it feels quite uncomfortable. It’s designed to ensure the animal can breathe without suffocating, though I haven’t tested this personally.”

Then, Xu Yun drained the pod and gently removed the mouse, detaching all the electrodes.

Now free, the mouse shook off the remaining liquid and energetically darted around the lab.

“Amazing,” Lin Xian exclaimed, astonished. “It’s hard to believe it was in a near-death state for 40 hours at -60 degrees.”

The marvels of science were evident. A human would not survive such conditions, yet here was this lively mouse, bounding about.

Xu Yun smiled, a mix of relief and triumph on his face. “There are many hurdles yet to overcome, but the successful hibernation and revival of this mouse validate the effectiveness of the pod and the fluid. The theoretical foundation is solid.”

Seeing Xu Yun’s joy, Lin Xian was moved, knowing this could bring hope for his comatose daughter. Curiously, he asked, “Professor Xu, how long do you think it will take to develop a fully operational hibernation pod?”

Xu Yun pondered the question thoughtfully. “Difficult to estimate. Perhaps decades, maybe less. But today, we’ve taken an essential first step.”

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation