The Cause of the Anomaly Found

Recently, research institutes in other regions had first given the researchers of the Materials Team a thorough scolding.

Of course, it wasn't vulgar scolding, but rather their customary sarcastic remarks.

Moreover, the playbooks of these research institutes were basically identical.

First, they would exchange some pleasantries, and then they would start asking the Materials Team researchers for data.

Specifically, they wanted data regarding the paint anomaly!

This made the Materials Team researchers highly suspicious.

They suspected whether a mole had appeared within their own ranks.

Otherwise, how could the researchers from those other institutes know about it so clearly?

Therefore... after the first round of phone calls ended.

The Materials Team researchers even halted their experiments to conduct an internal screening.

Hoping to find the staff member who had leaked the secrets!

Consequently, after searching through the team for a while, they found absolutely nothing.

No one knew why such a situation had occurred.

At this moment, a researcher raised a question, directly asking the Materials Team Leader.

"Team Leader, why is it that whenever something like this happens, you always suspect our own people first? Shouldn't you suspect outsiders first?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the screened Materials Team researchers began voicing their doubts one after another.

"Exactly! Team Leader, shouldn't we suspect others first?"

"What is the meaning of this? Giving your own people a hard time first?"

"That's right! Team Leader, think about who else knows about this first!"

Someone else muttered softly.

"There's... something wrong with him..."

Others gossiped directly on the side.

"Why is it always our own people who get targeted first?"

"What do you think the Team Leader is thinking?"

"We in the Materials Team weren't even the first to know!"

"Isn't there also Researcher Chen and his team..."

"I don't know..."

With everyone chiming in, the laboratory atmosphere instantly became as noisy as a marketplace.

Everyone spoke their minds freely.

They said everything they wanted to say, no longer caring about the Team Leader's expression.

After all, who would initiate such a suspicion at such a busy time? Wasn't that just adding fuel to the fire?

Wasn't it delaying the work?

Everyone was very busy, okay!

The Materials Team Leader was well aware of everyone's grievances.

After all, suddenly halting to investigate this kind of matter at such a critical juncture.

Was truly his own wrong decision.

This made the Team Leader feel that he should apologize to all the Materials Team researchers present.

Because of his wrong decision, their experimental time had been delayed, which also indirectly dampened their enthusiasm and motivation for work.

Work progress might also slow down, and whether they could perfectly complete the tasks that should have been finished within the scheduled time seemed to become an issue.

However, the premise of this unfinished work was if he, the Team Leader, did not intervene or stop the current situation.

Then the situation of incomplete work might occur.

Therefore, he should apologize.

After all, he was one of the instigators of all this.

Looking at the researchers before him who were immersed in their emotions, the Team Leader felt it was time to bring this to an end.

They had no time to waste.

Facing everyone, the Team Leader spoke loudly.

"I would like to say a few words to everyone. Could you please pause for a moment?"

In response to the Team Leader's call to pause, the researchers present indicated they were willing to listen.

Thus, the noisy clamor subsided... Gradually, the laboratory restored its quiet state.

Once the room quieted down, the Team Leader began to speak.

"First, I want to apologize to everyone. Because of my wrong decision, this situation occurred, which affected your enthusiasm for work."

"Second, I must apologize again. I shouldn't have doubted you."

"Lastly..."

Before the Team Leader could apologize a third time, the researchers present began to stop him.

Some directly interrupted his speech.

Others offered verbal reassurances.

"Team Leader, Team Leader, you don't need to apologize."

"That's right! Team Leader, when you apologize like this, I don't even know what to do."

"Team Leader, there's no need to apologize~"

Naturally, verbal reassurances made up the majority.

There was also a rather hot-tempered researcher.

"Team Leader, shut up!"

"Who asked you to apologize!"

The entire laboratory atmosphere suddenly became overly emotional, making some researchers who weren't used to such an atmosphere feel a bit embarrassed.

At this moment, everyone remembered that their work had been left behind.

They all expressed that their work was not yet finished and they needed to return to their posts.

"Oh dear~ my experiment isn't finished yet!"

"My data hasn't been reviewed yet!"

"..."

Just like that, the group of people quickly returned to their work stations.

The Team Leader had indirectly achieved his goal.

And this was also something the Team Leader hadn't expected.

He had originally thought that after apologizing, he would have to persuade each researcher to go back.

As it turned out... there was no need for him to persuade them at all.

This development was truly unexpected.

Watching everyone return to their work, the Team Leader smiled helplessly, stood in place for a moment, and then went back to his own tasks.

While the Materials Team was modifying the paint formula, the Antidote Research Team, whether due to good luck or something else, was producing results one after another.

This filled the Antidote Research Team with immense joy.

However, the head of the Antidote Research Team was not blinded by these successes.

Because this head was not truly happy.

After all, when their team was first established, hadn't they also quickly developed several versions of the antidote?

Even all subsequent tests had met the standards, and could even be described as perfect!

Yet, various problems began to emerge during clinical trials.

And these emerging problems not only tortured the researchers' bodies but also tormented their minds.

Therefore, before the final results were out, the head would not make any definitive claims.

He didn't want to be slapped in the face again. The smoother things went, the more vigilant he needed to be, to prevent unpredictable situations from arising once more...

Thus, regarding the control of experimental data, the head introduced new requirements.

Even though the current requirements were already considered very strict.

At first, the other researchers weren't without complaints about the head's high demands.

However, some researchers could understand him.

They began to carefully analyze the situation for those who complained.

This made the laboratory atmosphere increasingly harmonious.

Naturally, the experiments continued.

Furthermore, because things went exceptionally smoothly, the cause was found in a very short time.

Through research, they discovered why this version of the antidote caused so many abnormal reactions in the human body.

It was because a certain substance in the antidote had been added in excess.

This cause was accidentally discovered during experiments on white mice.

A researcher noticed that the mice reacted differently to different amounts of the substance.

Just the right amount was normal for the mice.

Too much or too little would cause anomalies.

And this substance that caused anomalies was extracted from the fruit, and had not been officially named yet, only possessing a code number.

This substance also had a very peculiar characteristic.

Between humans and mice, this substance seemed to have a double standard.

For mice, an amount that was normal for them would cause abnormal reactions in humans, and with bad luck, could even lead to death.

Conversely, an amount that was abnormal for mice was actually normal for humans!

But in short, as long as one survived the abnormal reaction, it was equivalent to a successful evolution.

Several mice in the lab that drank the normal human version of the antidote had successfully overcome the hurdle.

And those mice that survived the mutation, after being tested by the researchers, showed an increase in all their physical data.

Therefore, this clinical trial was considered very lucky.

Although there was an error in the dosage, all personnel remained unharmed.

It was considered extremely fortunate that no human casualties occurred.

This investigation result allowed all the researchers of the Antidote Research Team to breathe a sigh of relief.