dogma

Chapter 94 Prosthetics

Qu Wu was helpless and upset, and still ignored him, bowing her head and striding towards the center.

Xi Weiyun started her internship at the Research Center for Special Human Assistive Devices after finishing her exchange study at New Hope Academy.She has worked with her father Xi Ying's team since she was in college, and has a lot of practical experience. She is already a very important young scholar in related research fields in China.

Xi Ying currently lives abroad, and Xi Weiyun took over all the cases of semi-zombie assistive devices that Xi Ying was originally in charge of in China, including Qu Wu's prosthetic limbs.

The first floor in the center is the reception floor, and there are several underground entrances and exits, which are exclusively for half-zombies and underground people to enter and exit.Because these two types of special human beings most often use assistive devices, the center also has several underground floors dedicated to half-zombies and underground people.

Qu Wu contacted Xi Weiyun on the reception floor and waited for her to go downstairs.He didn't want to talk to Bo Wan, and he didn't want to quarrel with him in public. There were quite a few people on this floor, and most of them were half-zombies. One of them was jumping on the spot with light prosthetic legs. Jumping around to show others the function of the prosthesis.

A depressed snowman is complaining to someone: "Beijing is too fucking hot. I just entered the Talent Planning Bureau for a year. After one year, Xiao Hai, I have prickly heat all over my body. Is this where people live?"

He had an excessively fair face, with thick white hair all over his head, and thick white hairs all over his exposed skin. He had obviously been shaved severely, but it still didn't help.

Sitting next to him was a sea boy, listening to his complaints.The two were waiting, staring at a "Counseling for Rare Special Human Needs" sign.

"I guess he's here to get the allergy medicine." Bo Wan suddenly said, "Do you know Snowman? A special kind of human who lives in the Northwest and Northeast regions, or the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau region. His whole body is covered with hair to keep out the cold, and he is short and strong. , but the physique..."

"I know." Qu Wu replied coldly, "I have studied special human general knowledge."

Bo Wan closed her mouth, and soon opened up again: "Then do you know that the first living snowman in China was discovered by the Yuanxing Club?"

Qu Wu: "Not interested."

When he looked up, he saw Xi Weiyun walking towards the two with a smile.Xi Weiyun didn't wear makeup on her face, she looked like an ordinary half-zombie.Qu Wu would occasionally see photos posted by her and her senior sister on social media. Sometimes Xi Weiyun would use near-perfect technology to make herself into an ordinary human being, while her senior sister would make her appearance into a half-zombie .It was a really fun way for the couple to get to know each other.

"Hello, Boss Bo." Xi Weiyun obviously didn't expect Bo Wan to appear here, "Accompany Qu Wu?"

Bo Wan: "Yes."

Qu Wu: "No."

Xi Weiyun: "...let's go upstairs first."

She smiled and took the two to the elevator, and when they passed Haitong and Snowman, she waved to them.At this moment, Qu Wu suddenly remembered that he had seen Haitong in front of him on Yang Deyi's mobile phone, and he was the contestant in charge of Yang Deyi in the skills competition. "Senior sister, do you know them?"

Xi Weiyun told them that Haitong and Snowman are frequent visitors to the Assistive Devices Research Center. "The snowman's hair grows three times faster than other humans. In order to survive in Beijing, he has to shave once a week. But there is another problem. In winter, he will go back to Tibet. At that time, his hair is It can’t resist the severe cold at all. The Special Human Needs Research Section of our center is researching how to make cold-proof tools for these snowmen who have entered the modern society that are easy to put on and take off.”

Qu Wu wondered: "Wouldn't it be enough to wear more clothes?"

"The snowman's joint connection method is different from ours." Bo Wan suddenly said, "The snowman's running speed on the snow is several times that of our ordinary people, faster than a car. The skin of their hands and feet, the hardness and toughness of their joints, The number of pores and the frequency of heat dissipation are special. The clothes we wear, they don't work."

Xi Weiyun was half surprised, half curious: "Yes, you even know this?"

Bo Wan smiled, with a hint of arrogance: "My father has been engaged in the search and protection of rare and special human beings for many years, and I have been familiar with them since I was a child, and I know a little bit."

The elevator was still going up, and Xi Weiyun told them that what Hai Tong came to visit the Assistive Devices Center was not his own assistive devices, but assistive devices that could be used for injured or disabled mermaids.

"This is a bit difficult, because our appropriations are all earmarked, and every expenditure has a name. Mermaids are not special human beings in China now, and we cannot make their special aids."

Bo Wan quickly followed her train of thought: "Then Haitong is here because he wants to study?"

"Yes." Xi Weiyun smiled, "This Haitong seems to want to do conservation work for mermaids. He wants to learn how to make assistive devices. Our director is almost annoying him. He didn't learn from us in the Talent Planning Bureau. Professional, how to teach? If you can’t teach it, it’s like a mountain.”

"Mermaid's assistive devices are not easy to make, perhaps more difficult than all known assistive devices." Bo Wan said, "The secretions on the surface of the mermaid's body can ensure that they maintain their body temperature and humidity when they travel between the sea and land. Could a man-made assistive device have this capability?"

Xi Weiyun: "This is the most difficult point."

The two of them discussed these irrelevant issues, and Qu Wu turned to look at Bo Wan.The werewolf's profile is tough and neat, and his eyes are focused and powerful when he is concentrating on his work. He can fully understand why RS's guests like him. Not only is he outstanding in appearance, but he also has a weird attraction that Qu Wu still can't fully understand.

Qu Wu knew that Bo Wan's father was a member of the Yuanxing Club, and that Bo Wan knew about the Yuanxing Club's affairs, but until now, he had no real experience of the daily work of the Yuanxing Club.

The Yuanxing Society has been searching for rare and special human beings and protecting them.This sounds like an unremarkable sentence, but—how to search?How to protect?

The people in the Yuanxing Society undoubtedly know very well about rare and special human beings: only by knowing their living habits and their way of life can they be found in dense forests and deep mountains.The premise of protecting rare and special human beings is still "understanding": their body structure, their special features, how they adapt to the environment in which they live - only by understanding all these can it be possible to carry out truly useful and effective strategies. Protect.

Qu Wu realized that all his understanding of the "Yuanxing Club" was actually superficial.

The same is true of his understanding of Bo Wan, at least before today, he never knew that Bo Wan knew these things.

The elevator opened, and Xi Weiyun led the two into the corridor.In front of her office, Xi Weiyun stopped Bo Wan: "Boss Bo, I'm sorry, next is the time for me and Qu Wu to spend alone."

Bo Wan looked at Qu Wu, Qu Wu glanced at him, and threw the backpack to him: "Help me carry it."

When Bo Wan heard his words, he felt amnesty, and quickly promised that he would take good care of his belongings and wait outside obediently.

Xi Weiyun's office is about ten square meters. There are many production tools and sundries piled up. It is connected to the neat and clean instrument room by a small door.She cleared out a clean chair for Qu Wu to sit down, without saying any nonsense, grabbed Qu Wu's left arm and began to examine it carefully.

The prosthetic limb is replaced every five years, and Qu Wu plans to check the adjustment situation today before making a decision.The neuroprosthetics Xi Ying made for him are expensive and of excellent quality. Over the years, they have not suffered any damage, and their functionality has not diminished.

"Well, it's well protected." Xi Weiyun rubbed the cold outer layer of the prosthetic limb, which was hardly worn, and she smiled, "But a few joints need to be adjusted."

There is no need to pay extra for replacement and adjustment, which is one of the reasons why Qu Wu feels relieved.Xi Weiyun pinched his shoulder, a little blaming: "My dad should have reminded you not to force yourself."

Qu Wu was stunned: "I... I didn't force it. After the break-in period, I didn't feel any more pain."

"You shouldn't use this arm to lift heavy objects." Xi Weiyun swung the prosthesis, listened carefully to the voice, and continued for a long time before continuing, "It's still not your body, you understand what I'm talking about."

Qu Wu responded and lowered her head.

"The prosthesis is a compensation tool. If you use it too much, it will hurt your body." Xi Weiyun asked again, "Is the sensor still normal?"

"Normal, the temperature and touch are basically the same as before." Qu Wu replied.

Xi Weiyun looked at him and smiled.She knew it couldn't be the same.But in the process of getting along with the prosthesis for a long time, the feeling conveyed by the prosthesis has been frozen in Qu Wu's brain: that is the real feeling of his left arm.The speed of the wind, the temperature of the water, the hair of the animal, the clenched hands, all the feelings have been translated into Qu Wu's trusted sense of touch over the years.

The brief sigh did not affect Xi Weiyun's work.She made all the preparations, arranged the tools, and sat on Qu Wu's left side. "Do you need anesthesia?" she asked, "It hurts a bit when it's disassembled."

Qu Wu: "No need."

Xi Weiyun thought for a while: "Are you sure? Do you remember what it was like to dress up?"

Qu Wu was startled, her face turned pale.Xi Weiyun smiled and said, "It's not that strong, maybe... half of it."

"...No need." Qu Wu said, "I can hold back."

Xi Weiyun pondered for a moment, and reminded again: "Maybe I still feel a little uncomfortable, tell me anytime, don't bear it."

Qu Wu watched as Xi Weiyun attached the patch of the monitoring instrument to the prosthetic limb. His muscles and nerves gradually felt numb, just like the feeling caused by pressing his arm while sleeping. He began to lose the feeling of his left arm. up.

"Be patient." Xi Weiyun said, "I know, this is scary."

Suddenly, a knife-like pain came from the connection - Qu Wu trembled all over, unable to hold back his trembling cry.His judgment was wrong, the pain exploded directly in his mind.He almost lost consciousness for a short time, perhaps only for a moment. He returned to the moment when his arm was crushed, and the left side of his body became lighter for a moment. He trembled continuously, including his bones and nerves.

He lost his arm again.

This time all the feelings are so clear, Xi Weiyun almost disconnected him from the prosthetic limb by cutting.Muscles and nerves snapped again, he felt himself falling apart, tears welled up, but after a cry of pain he could no longer make a sound, something huge stuck in his throat, sending him toward the only, The most terrible abyss pressed down—forever, from which he could not escape, could not resist.

Qu Wu felt as if he had died once, his consciousness finally returned to his body slowly, only then did he realize that Xi Weiyun was hugging him and stroking his hair, just like a mother.

He wept in Xi Weiyun's arms, but he was panicked: "No...it doesn't hurt that much...Senior Sister, I'm just...this is a conditioned reflex..."

Xi Weiyun told him gently that this is normal.Qu Wu's voice was always trembling, full of shock and fear.

Neuroprosthetics simulate the real human body by connecting nerves and muscles.Each disassembly, the rupture of nerves and muscles, recalls the moment when the body detached itself.This is unavoidable, and this is the first time Qu Wu has removed the neuroprosthetic, his reaction is completely within Xi Weiyun's expectations.

"You can control yourself, right, Qu Wu?" Xi Weiyun looked at him, "Don't think about the past, it's over. You have a better arm, I want to check its condition, you can Do you want to stay here for a while?"

Qu Wu nodded: "I can."

His face was pale, his eyes were red, and he looked so pitiful.Xi Weiyun asked again: "Shall I let Boss Bo come in to accompany you?"

Qu Wu's reaction became more and more intense: "No! Don't want him..."

"Okay, okay." Xi Weiyun quickly comforted him, "It's okay, he can't hear the sound inside, the sound insulation here is very good, don't worry."

Xi Weiyun walked into the connected instrument room with her prosthesis, and Qu Wu looked at herself.The strange coldness was still moving in his body, he no longer felt the pain, but the fear was like a reptile, biting his bones.

As an adult, every time he realized that he had lost his left arm, he felt a strange sense of alienation. The 20-year-old stood outside the door, while the door was tightly shut inside him who was crying and crying in the hospital.He isolated the pain, but it turned out to be unforgettable.His body and mind have forever remembered the horrifying moment when he lost a part of himself forever, and as he struggled to come to terms with it, he couldn't accept the pain as well.

He turned his head to look at Xi Weiyun's desk, distracting himself with the titles of the books on it. "Detailed Explanation of the Physiological Structure of a Half-Zombie Man", "Advanced Course on Prosthetic Devices", "Ecological Changes of Prosthetic Devices", "National Case Collection of Special Human Prosthetic Devices"... Then he found that his vision was blurred, everything was soaked in water, Turned into a hazy mass.

In the corridor, Bo Wan was standing outside the closed white door with Qu Wu's backpack in his hand.

The two wolf ears fluttered, keenly capturing the sounds inside the room.

He stroked the cold door very slowly and gently.The dense maple trees cast shadows on the corridor windows, and the leaves rustled in the wind.

He began to hate himself for yesterday.