I Become The Richest Man With A monthly Salary of Twenty Thousand Yuan-Chapter 774 - 523 Scared_2

"This is terrifying! Could it be caused by some kind of virus?"

"Wait, could there be some horrible alien parasite outbreak in Qingyun's detention center?"

"Experts, you have to figure out the cause, and fast! These internet celebrities are annoying, but they're still human beings. They can't just die in such a bizarre way."

Fan Wen, Yang Sina, and the other experts had solemn expressions, cold sweat beading on their foreheads. They had been researching for half the day and still couldn't discern the cause of the bizarre mutations afflicting the internet celebrities.

"There's only one way forward," Fan Wen announced, standing up. "We need to take tissue samples from their bodies for testing to see what's causing this."

Upon hearing this, the group of internet celebrities trembled in terror.

"Professor, are you going to dissect us for your research? Please don't! We're still human!"

"Yes, yes! Please, don't kill us!"

"I'd rather turn into a tire and die here than be dissected for research! I'm begging you, spare me, Professor! I'll get on my knees for you!"

Fan Wen was taken aback by their extreme reaction. "What are you afraid of?" he asked, surprised. "I'm just taking a small sample from the mutated area on each of you for research. I'm not going to dissect your entire bodies. I think you may have a serious misunderstanding about how scientific research is conducted."

Yang Sina added with a gentle smile, "You've been watching too many movies. That kind of thing doesn't happen in real life. Rest assured, you're human, not monsters. And even if you were, we wouldn't actually dissect you."

Despite Fan Wen and Yang Sina's explanations, the internet celebrities continued to tremble with fear. After all, the fate of mutated characters in movies and TV shows was always tragic. Since this was the first time they had ever encountered such a situation, their fear was understandable.

But at this moment, Fan Wen had no time to coddle them. The entire nation was watching. If he couldn't resolve this issue quickly, he and his team would become a national laughingstock.

He instructed his assistants to bring out their tools and instruments and begin working on the internet celebrities. More than a dozen researchers in gas masks approached them, working in teams of three. Two would hold an influencer down while the third began cutting with a sharp scalpel.

In an instant, the detention room was filled with a chorus of screams. Yun Long and the others, watching from the doorway, shivered at the sight. These researchers were certainly ruthless.

Before long, samples had been taken from all thirty-plus internet celebrities. A piece of each mutated area was removed—for some it was an eye, for others it was skin that had turned into a banknote, a mouth, and so on.

Then, Fan Wen's team set up their research equipment right there in the detention room and began examining the samples.

"Huh? This is impossible. How strange..." After a while, Fan Wen's brow furrowed deeply. "This sample that looks like tire rubber is registering as human skin and cells. The subcutaneous tissue is also human. Furthermore, we haven't detected any bacteria on these mutated skin tissues. That's bizarre. It makes no sense. This shouldn't be happening."

Yang Sina also frowned, her face a mask of confusion. "Check the others. If they're all like this, then their mutations weren't caused by a bacterial infection, but by something else entirely."

"Right," Fan Wen said decisively. With the help of their assistants, they began examining the mutated skin tissues one by one.

「An hour later.」

The subcutaneous tissue from all thirty-plus mutated internet celebrities had been examined, and the findings were identical to the initial results. All the samples were living human tissue, completely devoid of any bacteria.

Just then, a researcher suddenly pointed at the collected skin samples and exclaimed, "Professor! Look, quickly! The mutated skin samples, they're changing!"

Fan Wen and Yang Sina rushed over. Sure enough, the mutated tissues, now separated from their hosts' bodies, were slowly transforming. In no time at all, they had reverted back into normal human skin.

Everyone stared in stunned disbelief.

At the door, Yun Long saw this result and had a sudden realization. He turned to Yun Bing and ordered, "Go and invite Xia Liang over. Tell him it's crucial that he comes here." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

It has to be Xia Liang, he thought. He's the one behind the changes in these internet celebrities. But it's strange... Yesterday, the magic he performed was wish magic. None of them wished for their bodies to transform like this. Did something happen that I don't know about?

Qin Feng nodded quickly and hurried away.

「An hour later.」

Xia Liang and Liu Tongtong arrived at the detention center.

"Xia Liang, my sincerest apologies for summoning you here. There's just a matter we'd like to consult you about," Yun Long said with a smile as he shook Xia Liang's hand. He knew the truth, but formalities had to be observed.

"You're too kind, Director," Xia Liang replied with a light smile, looking unconcerned.

At that moment, Fan Wen, Yang Sina, and the others noticed Xia Liang at the door. Fan Wen set aside his work and approached him with a smile. "Hello, I'm the expert in charge of this incident. My name is Fan Wen."

Xia Liang nodded. "Hello."

"Time is of the essence," Fan Wen said. "This matter has captured the nation's attention. I'd like to ask, are the changes these people are experiencing related to you?"

Xia Liang glanced at the influencers wailing in agony inside the detention room and smiled. "Yes, it's related to me. But there's no need to be alarmed. It's just a small magic trick. It won't cause them any serious harm."

Hearing Xia Liang's confirmation, everyone present was astounded.

It really was him!

But what kind of magic trick could be powerful enough to transform people in such a way?

As a genetics researcher, Fan Wen was completely astonished by the changes in the influencers' bodies, which, from his perspective, could only be explained by genetic mutation. Now, to hear from Xia Liang that it was merely magic... one could only imagine his shock.

Fan Wen didn't know much about magic, having only seen simple tricks on television that were easily debunked. But the magic afflicting these influencers was completely beyond his comprehension.

He must have used some special method, Fan Wen thought. Perhaps even a gene potion, to achieve this. His gaze fixed on Xia Liang, and his expression grew eager as he sought to confirm his hypothesis.

"Um, Mister Xia," he began, "did you use a gene potion for this magic?"

Xia Liang shook his head. "No. It's just an ordinary magic trick, not as complex or profound as you imagine."

Fan Wen was skeptical, but with Xia Liang's denial, he had no counterargument. He couldn't find the root cause of the mutations himself, so he had no way to refute Xia Liang's claim.

Standing beside him, however, Yang Sina's eyes lit up when she heard Xia Liang's words. "I knew it! You must have used actual magic, didn't you? Only mysterious, unfathomable magic could change people this way!"

She was an expert specializing in the study of mysterious cultures, but she hadn't made a single breakthrough in over a decade. The moment she saw the transformations of the influencers, she had immediately applied to join the investigation.