Subject for the Extremis Virus

"What a brilliant concept."

"But… why do some subjects explode?"

Rowan asked the most pressing question on his mind.

Dr. Maya Hansen's face darkened. This was a puzzle that had troubled her for a long time.

"Based on my hypothesis," she said slowly, "it likely has to do with the inherent fragility of the human body. The subjects who use the Extremis virus gain extremely powerful regenerative abilities, but the rest of their DNA remains at a rudimentary level. That imbalance causes instability in the DNA helix, leading to catastrophic failure… and sometimes, explosion."

"Extensive research shows that the stronger a person's physical constitution, the lower the chance of spontaneous combustion after using the Extremis virus. That's why we selected retired soldiers for our initial trials," she added with a weary sigh.

As things stood, she had no way to fully eliminate the virus's side effects.

After all, she couldn't just evolve the entirety of human DNA overnight, nor could she miraculously improve someone's physical body beyond human limits.

But after hearing her explanation, Rowan couldn't help but smile.

"You're saying that the higher a person's genetic level and the stronger their physical condition, the less likely they are to self-destruct after taking Extremis?"

He stared intently at her.

"Yes, but that's not something you can just—" Maya began to respond, but Rowan raised a hand to stop her.

"That's enough. You're hired."

"What?" Maya blinked, stunned.

"You're officially part of Krol Industries now," Rowan said coolly. "From this moment forward, you're the deputy director of our Biotech Division."

"Of course, you're free to decline," he added with a faint smile. "But if you do, there's a good chance you'll be arrested for conducting illegal human experimentation."

"…Fine, I accept," Maya said quickly, yielding without hesitation.

"Excellent," Rowan nodded, smiling. "Don't worry I won't interfere with your research. I'll have your lab equipment moved to our facilities and provide whatever funding you need. You're just switching to a better employer."

Her eyes lit up immediately.

"Really? Boss?"

"Of course. I've got far more resources than Killian ever did."

"Thank you, boss!"

For the first time in years, Maya Hansen felt genuinely relieved.

Living under Killian's shadow had kept her in constant fear, but now, not only was she free of him, she also had a better environment and more support for her work.

After winning her over, Rowan and Maya flew back to New York.

Given that Maya couldn't withstand supersonic speeds, a regular plane was the only viable option.

Upon returning, Rowan handed her over to Sharon and instructed her to settle Maya in and arrange for a team to collect all her equipment from Miami.

Once that was handled, Rowan returned to his office and activated the dual-world ring, instantly teleporting back to the Swallowed Star universe.

He was eager to test how the Extremis virus would interact with a martial artist's body.

"Howard," he called on his communicator. "Does your family have any warrior-level fighters who suffered serious physical injuries?"

Howard Zhou came from the Zhou family of Yangzhou. Although not one of the nation's top twelve clans, they were still among the top ten in the Jiangnan Base City.

Howard himself didn't hold much status within the family, but he had connections and now that he'd made a fortune recently, his position had improved considerably.

"Injured warriors? Yeah, I have a cousin who fits that description. During his combat assessment years ago, he lost a leg to a monster and suffered internal organ damage. Now he's stuck as a low-level instructor within the family," Howard explained.

Rowan's eyes lit up.

"Can you ask him if he'd be willing to participate in a regeneration drug trial?"

"A drug trial?" Howard asked, surprised.

"Yes. The serum can regenerate lost limbs and grant extraordinary healing abilities. But it's still untested in live subjects, and there's some risk involved. If it fails, I'll compensate his family with one billion credits."

On the other end of the line, Howard was momentarily stunned but quickly agreed.

"A billion in compensation? Got it. I'll talk to him right away."

Howard knew his role well: support Rowan. He also understood that Rowan's identity was mysterious and his orders weren't to be questioned.

The offer was more than reasonable.

His cousin had been crippled at the beginning of his warrior career, and the internal injuries had left him permanently weakened. These days, he scraped by as a martial arts instructor, raising two children.

Though his life wasn't dire, it certainly wasn't prosperous. And deep down, Howard knew his cousin still carried the bitterness of unfulfilled potential.

Now, there was hope for recovery along with a sizable payout even in the worst case. Howard was confident his cousin would accept.

After ending the call, Howard set off to speak with him in person.

Meanwhile, Rowan wasn't sitting idle.

He'd just received a message from Wu Tong, saying that the villa at Mingyue Community had been officially approved.

Rowan immediately messaged back, then drove toward the heart of Yangzhou City.

When he arrived at the gates of the upscale Mingyue residential district, he saw Wu Tong already waiting.

"You came in person, Chief Instructor?" Wu greeted him warmly.

Rowan stepped out of the car and walked over. Wu Tong, after all, was a junior-level War General and yet he'd come all the way to the gate to meet him.

"No worries," Rowan replied with a smile. "Let's see the place."

Wu Tong beamed.

He had been thrilled when Norris told him that Rowan had agreed to live in Mingyue. According to Butler Bai, Rowan had already secured a place in the elite training program at headquarters.

That meant one thing: Rowan was destined to become a Warlord.

Better to build the relationship now.

Soon, Wu led Rowan to a villa of about 200 square meters.

"Rowan, I heard you live alone, so I picked a place that's not too large. It's got a great environment and tasteful decor," Wu said, opening the gate to the courtyard.

Rowan stepped inside and was pleasantly surprised.

The yard was lush and well-designed, filled with ornamental trees and blooming flowers. A green lawn stretched beside a gently flowing stream.

Circling the villa, he found a sizable pool in the back, its waters connected to the front stream both elegant and serene.

Inside, the home had a minimalist wood-accented design, warm and welcoming, with a fireplace in the main hall.

The second floor opened to a platform that overlooked the pool, making it easy to dive in directly from above.

The third floor featured a sunroom and a rooftop garden, beautifully arranged.

Rowan was thoroughly impressed.

For a single occupant, it was just the right size large enough to be luxurious, but not so big that it felt empty.

Seeing Rowan satisfied, Wu Tong grinned.

"I live here too. If you ever need anything, I'm at unit 103. And hey, feel free to stop by for a drink sometime."

With that, he took his leave, still smiling.

After wandering through the villa a bit more, Rowan decided to make a few modifications.

He ordered some furnishings and equipment through the HR Mall.

Around two in the afternoon, he received a call from Howard.

"Hey Rowan, my cousin's in. He agreed."

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