Chapter 24 Section IX

The countdown unit on "GIFT" is switched to seconds. "There are still fifty-nine seconds." Zhengxun said.The software is about to calculate the structure of the specific drug. Researcher stared at the LCD screen of the laptop computer, but felt fear in his heart.If "GIFT" shows "None" again, there is no hope of saving the sick child.On the contrary, if the answer is calculated, the development of new drugs will enter the pharmaceutical stage from the guidance stage, and the person in charge will also change from Zhengxun to researcher.Yan Ren has no confidence in his ability to shoulder this heavy burden.

Thirty seconds left.The researcher consciously slowed down his breathing.If the breathing volume is less than half of the normal level, an unbearable suffocation will soon occur, which is the pain of low alveolar ventilation.Children with alveolar epithelial sclerosis are struggling desperately in such pain.The researcher thought of Wuhua Kobayashi, and a sense of mission as a pharmacist arose spontaneously.I will defeat the disease that brings death and save that child's life! "Ten seconds left." Hearing Zhengxun's voice, Yanren quickly shifted his gaze back to "GIFT".

"Five, four, three, two, one." Yanren and Zhengxun counted down together, and when the number jumped to "zero", their heads touched together.A full-screen window appeared on the screen, and Zhengxun shouted: "Yes!" A list of compounds appears in the window. The answer given by "GIFT" is far beyond the imagination of the two: there are a total of twenty candidate substances that are expected to be 100% active.The list also includes the in vivo dynamics of various drugs. After clicking, a detailed prediction value from absorption to excretion and toxicity will appear, and there is even a list of existing drugs that can be used together or prohibited.

"I'm not dreaming, am I?" Zhengxun said, lying on the computer excitedly, carefully checking various candidate substances.After reading it roughly, he said: "These are all qualified drugs, but there is one thing I can't figure out, such as this..." Zhengxun called out a candidate substance, pointed to the "metabolism" indicator and said: "The effect of this drug varies from person to person. The genes that produce metabolic enzymes are different, and the effect will be different. Some people took this drug, but Because the drug is completely metabolized by the liver, resulting in poor efficacy."

"In other words, this drug can only be used by people with a specific base sequence?" "Yes, for example, some drugs may cause renal toxicity in certain patients." If the base sequences of the two children to be rescued—Justin Jaeger and Kobayashi Maika—are not known, it would be dangerous to give them these drugs. "Isn't there a drug that works for everyone?" "Eight of the drugs are safe. Click here to see the structural formula, let's see if it can be synthesized." "Okay." Finally it was his turn to play.The researcher took a deep breath, sat in the chair Zheng Xun gave up, and faced the pharmaceutical software that surpassed the level of human intelligence.Click on a series of consecutive numbers in the list, and two chemical structural formulas will appear on the screen, respectively representing the allosteric drug that can change the shape of the receptor, and the agonist that enters the concave part.

Elements such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are connected to each other to form hexagonal ring structures and zigzag lines, which are the forms of various medicines. The researchers stared at the structural formula and performed "retrosynthesis" in their minds.To manufacture the drug calculated by "GIFT", it is necessary to react the existing compound with other substances, and then use the synthesized substance to react with other substances, so that the required drug is finally produced.The so-called "retrosynthesis" is to reversely calculate the synthetic path from the starting material to the target drug along the reaction chain.In this way, the reagents and reactions necessary for the manufacture of drugs can be estimated.

The researchers first eliminated the candidate substances containing chiral centers.Because of the production of such substances, its enantiomers may be produced at the same time.A lot of time and effort must be expended to avoid "milk in the mirror" during the synthesis process.Next, look for sites where simple reduction reactions such as amidation or acidification can occur.Can Keto Restore?Are there any hydrocarbons with halogens or heteroatoms?What is the yield of each reaction?Although you can refer to professional books in hand, there are still many unknowns. "There are not enough documents." The researcher said, "However, if I use the university's terminal, I can log in to the database to have a look."

"Is this it?" Zheng Xun followed up, and opened the "Database" function in the "GIFT" menu.The chemical information website that the researcher wants to consult pops up on the screen. "Should be able to log in directly. 'GIFT' appears to have been improperly connected to the database." The researcher decided not to dwell on the details.Using this site, you can search data on 100 million chemical compounds and more than 20 million existing organic chemical reactions. The researcher immediately entered the reaction he imagined into the software for editing chemical structural formulas, but unexpectedly, he did not find a reliable synthetic route.He tried again and again, but became more and more uneasy.As a second-year master, am I too overwhelmed?But time waits for no one, and we must not stop here.He has only sixteen days left to synthesize the two drugs.

In desperation, the researchers had to push back the candidate compounds that could not be synthesized, and checked the remaining candidate compounds one by one, but none of them worked.Exhausted, the researchers tried the last candidate compound.If only I had learned more before!While regretting, Yanren opened the eighth structural formula. The agonists that appeared on the screen were elongated, consisting of two benzene rings and a heterocycle, as well as sulfur, nitrogen and amino groups.Can this functional group containing three ring structures specifically bind to "variant GPR769"?The allosteric agent used in conjunction with it is also composed of three cyclic compounds, but the composition and structure are different.

The researcher stared at the pair on the screen.Although there was not much evidence, he had a hunch that the two drugs could be synthesized.The researcher wrote down the structural formulas that emerged in the brain one by one in a notebook, and confirmed the corresponding responses. "I think it will work this time." The researcher said after studying for more than half an hour.Although there are still ambiguities in the synthetic pathways, both drugs can be generated from the starting materials through about seven reactions.The remaining problem is the time required for the synthesis, but the researcher feels that it should just catch up.

"Ah, is it the eighth type?" Zheng Xun's tone became brisk, "The prediction value of the dynamics in the body is also the best, and the bioavailability rate is also 98%." Zheng Xun regained the serious face unique to the researcher, and explained in detail with articulate words.While listening to the detailed half-life data in the blood, the researchers sketched the appearance of the synthetic drug in their minds.The drug is not injected but taken orally.That is, it is an oral drug.Dosage once a day, 10 mg each time, half for children, and the effect will be seen within 30 minutes after taking it. "What about toxicity?" "Very low. No carcinogenicity or teratogenicity. Long-term toxicity is safer than aspirin. However, this drug can also bind to twelve receptors that closely resemble 'variant GPR769'." Drugs can bind to proteins other than their target, which means the drugs have side effects. "But the activity was so low that 'GIFT' judged the drug to be safe." "That is to say, there are basically no side effects." "That's right." Everything was satisfactory.But the success seemed to come too suddenly, and the researcher was vigilant instead. "What should I do?" Zheng Xun asked, "Try to synthesize the eighth candidate compound?" The hesitant researcher remembered a sentence from Professor Sonoda.The professor, who has successfully developed many new drugs, once told the graduate students during the symposium: "When the drug is developed smoothly, it is as if the drug god has designed it in advance, and all problems will be solved." The researcher decides to trust the professor's rule of thumb.The God of Pharmacy must exist!He must be ordering pharmacists to treat all the people suffering from diseases equally in the world. "That's it." The researcher said. "Okay, then it's settled." Zhengxun nodded vigorously, "By the way, have you thought about the name of the medicine?" "Well..." Yan Ren looked at the structured formula and began to think.With formal nomenclature, compound names would be ridiculously long. "What about the agonist called 'GIFT1' and the allosteric drug called 'GIFT2'?" "Okay." Zhengxun smiled, "These are gifts for the children." Because two drugs need to be synthesized at the same time, there are not enough reagents and utensils in the laboratory.After dawn, I have to go shopping separately with Zhengxun. Jeong-hoon, who finished his work well, asked wearily, "Can I sleep for a while?" Researcher glanced at his watch, it was already three o'clock in the morning. "Go to sleep." Zhengxun got under the laboratory bench, used his backpack as a pillow, covered his body with a leather jacket as a quilt, and fell asleep. Researcher took off his glasses, wiped the grease off his face with his sleeve, and happened to glimpse a small laptop.After the communication with Congo was cut off yesterday, I have not received any news from there. What's going on with soldier Jonathan Jaeger? For researchers, the A5-sized black laptop is like a window into an unreal world.He bought newspapers these days, but the international news page didn't cover the fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at all.If there was a major fighting there, why did the Japanese media ignore it?If news organizations don't report what's happening on the other side of the world, it's as if nothing happened.What happened to the world I live in? In any case, he hoped that Jonathan Jaeger was still alive.It would be a shame if Justin beat his terminal illness and his father died. Jaeger opened his eyes in the darkness, and heard someone calling him in a low voice.He propped himself up on the waterproof pad, trying to figure out who the voice belonged to.The accumulated fatigue weighed heavily on his body and mind. "Get up! I've got the situation." "Condition?" After regaining consciousness, Jaeger remembered the events of the past twenty-four hours. After the threat of the "predator" was eliminated, Jaeger and others crossed the Ibina River and headed south in the rainforest.Regarding why the armed unmanned reconnaissance opportunity left the Congo, Pierce did not make any explanation, and the mercenaries did not intend to ask rashly.Everyone's attention is focused on the biggest imminent threat. The Lord's Resistance Army occupying South National Park began to move northward, seemingly trying to block the way of Jaeger and others. It was 2:30 in the morning, and Miles was in charge of guarding the surrounding area.After receiving the report that Myers found nothing unusual, Jaeger asked the anthropologist, "Did you find anything?" "look at this." The primeval forest was shrouded in the night, and on the ground, the LCD screen of the small computer was emitting faint light.Akili curled up his thin body and was sleeping soundly beside him.Miles was right, Akili's sleeping face was like a kitten's.Jaeger tiptoed over to the computer to avoid waking the kids. "Finally received the image from the reconnaissance satellite. This is the image from fifteen minutes ago." Jaeger stared at the screen, tiredness swept away.The satellite images are densely packed with heat sources, which means there are tens of thousands of people. "They are not all enemies, most of them are local residents scattered in the northeast. They have become refugees as armed groups approach from both the north and the south." "Are they running around in the forest?" "Well." Pierce pointed to the screen and said, "The enemy chasing from the north is more than 30 kilometers away from us, so it can be said that they have been thrown away. The problem is the south. The Lord's Resistance Army is marching at full speed, intending to annihilate us." Pierce pointed to the main road running north-south and the branch road branching off to the west. "The enemy is divided into several teams, more than ten kilometers apart from each other, and launched a sweep against us." Jaeger was startled.The number of enemies is far beyond imagination.Moreover, this campsite is now in the enemy's "L"-shaped encirclement.Both the east and south sides are blocked.At daybreak, the enemy will flood into the forest in large numbers. "Why are these guys so aggressive?" "Killing us, on the one hand, you can get a large reward, and on the other hand, you can please the United States." "The situation is extremely bad for us." "Not necessarily. I think it's an opportunity instead." Pierce said emphatically, "The Lord's Resistance Army is the last hurdle. As long as we break through them, there will be no armed forces blocking us, and we can escape abroad." "It's not that simple." "Don't worry." Pierce moved his finger on the satellite image, crossed the Lord's Resistance Army that was clogging the road, and pointed south, "There is a town called Bramble 40 kilometers away, and the car with supplies is parked there There. As long as you inform them, they will be there in thirty minutes. We will get in a car and we will arrive in Uganda in no time. We can escape from the Congo this morning." "Who is driving?" "Youth on a temporary basis. Ugandan tour guide." "Is that guy reliable?" To Jaeger, Pierce's plan was like a dream. "The problem is the encirclement of the Lord's Resistance Army. The troops distributed in this area should be more than one division, that is, 15,000 to two Thousands of people. How do we break through the encirclement?" "Break through the enemy's very center." Pierce quickly operated the computer and opened another file, "Look at this. The Japanese reinforcements cracked the peacekeeping force's combat essentials." "Peacekeeping force?" Jaeger was deeply surprised, and quickly browsed the confidential documents of the UN peacekeeping force.The content is a summary of the sneak attack plan against the Lord's Resistance Army.At six o'clock this morning, the peacekeeping force began to attack the main force of the Lord's Resistance Army. "No way? The United Nations Army will be so active?" "In Congo, anything can happen. About ten days ago, the Lord's Resistance Army set up an ambush and killed nine peacekeepers. This time, the peacekeepers retaliated." "The main force of the peacekeeping force is the Pakistani army?" "yes." The peacekeepers are notorious for raping local women who have fled.They are indeed likely to launch retaliatory attacks.Jaeger turned on the flashlight, unfolded the map, and tried to avoid the light from hitting Akili next to him.The intended attack location was the center of the L-shape, where the main road and the branch road meet.If the Pakistan Army split the enemy here, it would open a gap for a southward breakthrough.Jaeger and the others might be able to escape. Jaeger read over and over the essentials of the plan.The Pakistan Army's plan was not to confront the Lord's Resistance Army all-out, but to fight and flee, warning them to "leave us alone".It only takes fifteen minutes to execute the entire program. "That's the way it is." Jaeger also agreed, "The key is time. We must move to the gap immediately, the closer the better." Miles, who overhears their conversation, wakes Garrett and Mick. Jaeger had a small meeting, but Pierce's high-stakes plan drew a lot of opposition.After discussing and discussing, everyone has no other way.If you want to bypass the enemy's encirclement, it will take longer, and the possibility of being overtaken by armed groups from the north is also very high.In addition, everyone had only two rations left and had to get supplies within a day. In the end, everyone agreed that they could only break through by force, so they put on the night vision goggles with low battery and hurriedly prepared to set off.Because the rations carried were not much, the weight of the equipment was reduced by about 20 kilograms. Jaeger looked at Aqili who was sleeping soundly, and asked, "Shouldn't you wake him up for dinner?" "Let him sleep." Pierce replied, wrapped Akili in a cloth and hugged him to his chest. "Cover the child's eyes and ears after the battle begins," Jaeger ordered. It is about eight kilometers away from the target location.Turn on the flashlight first, and walk four kilometers in the dark forest before sunrise, turn off the flashlight and turn on the night vision device for the rest of the trip. At five o'clock in the morning, the twilight gradually entered the rainforest.The crowd stopped marching, and Garrett and Mick went out to scout.In less than half an hour, the two came back and reported the situation to everyone. "The main road is full of the Lord's Resistance Army." Pierce asked, "Can you sneak through the gap without being noticed by the enemy?" "Impossible. There are sentries everywhere." Garrett pointed to the map and said, "Our exact location is here. If you want to break out from the fork, it's better to go a little southeast." "How many meters do you need to be close to the enemy?" Miles asked. Jaeger considered various risks and came up with a conclusion: "Four hundred meters." "It's the limit." "Already within rifle range. Need to watch out for stray bullets." The four mercenaries lined up in a single file, followed by Pierce and Akili, moving towards the standby location.But the surrounding scene remained unchanged, and the field of vision was blocked by the forest, and he could only see 20 meters ahead. "Wait here." Jaeger said, "Mick and I will go to the front, and after we see the situation, we will notify you by radio when to act." "But you won't be able to receive radio waves beyond two hundred meters," Garrett said. "We have to get closer." Everyone had no choice but to continue to approach the enemy, and finally stopped at a corner of the woods.Jaeger and Mick left Pierce and others behind and continued to advance towards the enemy. The left side of the two is parallel to the main road, and the side road is the side road.Both roads are carved out of the forest, and there are rows of big trees standing beside the road.Of course, from the forest, it was impossible to see the outside situation clearly. Jaeger and Mick had to walk 20 meters away from the fork.It was about 100 meters away from the branch point of the main road and the branch road. Jaeger hid behind a big tree and leaned out to check.On the dirt road that only allowed one car to pass, there was a convoy of the Lord's Resistance Army parked.All that could be seen were trucks transporting soldiers. Some soldiers on the loading platform were smoking or preparing to cook.Unlike previous militias, they wore uniforms and even berets. Mick gently put down the backpack, and took out the Claymore anti-personnel mine, C-4 high-performance explosives, and detonators from it.The Japanese pointed to the four points around them, signaling to set the bomb there. Jaeger nodded, then climbed up the tree, looking for a place with a wider view.Climb to about five meters above the ground, and come to the bottom of the bushes, and the main road and fork road will come into view.Through the binoculars, he saw Russian-made tanks and armored vehicles, as well as the countless weapons in the hands of soldiers: mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine guns, AK assault rifles.These are the "poor man's weapons" that flow in from China, former communist countries, and the West.There are probably more killing weapons in this place than living supplies. There are only ten minutes left before the peacekeepers start fighting.Jaeger swapped his rifle for a pistol with a suppressor, and as he covered Mick, he thought: I don't want to die here. Jaeger firmly believes that the reason why he has lived until now is to overcome the difficulties in front of him. At ten-thirty in the evening, Rubens received an emergency call from the White House. "You report to the President about the Nemesis plan in person," Eldridge instructed.Rubens immediately left the operational command. After meeting with Dr. Heisman, Rubens expressed his desire to meet the president through various channels, and now he finally got his wish.But it is not too early to be happy. The most powerful and vicious armed group in the Congo, the "Lord's Resistance Army", has completed the siege of Nus.In his opinion, Nus must be doomed this time, and the completion of the Nemesis plan is just around the corner. Although it was late at night, the Ministry of National Defense was crowded with people.Rubens met Minister Latimer in the hallway on the first floor, followed by a large retinue.They were hurrying to the Pentagon's national military command center.The president's order for a nuclear strike would be the first to reach these people. After Vice President Chamberlain was killed in the bombing, the U.S. military raised its alert status to the third level.All military communications are encrypted to prevent eavesdropping by enemy nations.If there is also a state of alert for cyber warfare, it must have been raised to the first level, which symbolizes all-out war. Rubens sat in the Audi in the parking lot and drove towards the center of the capital, thinking about the meaning of the president calling himself at this time.The Security Council has held meetings at the White House for several days, comparing and discussing plans to deal with China from both diplomatic and military perspectives.The president asked himself to go during the meeting, which shows that the White House has begun to care about the Nemesis project, although the degree of this concern is still quite limited.Rubens knew that the assassination of the vice president was not done by China, but by a new human being born in the Congo, but did anyone in the government know?If there is, that person is his ally, but who is that person?If only he was someone high enough to convince President Vance to stop the Nemesis project. After arriving at the White House, Rubens underwent a strict identity check and was scanned by a metal detector from top to bottom, and was finally allowed to enter the West Wing.Two Marines were guarding the door, and he went through the gate and into the foyer.This is a small room that can only accommodate ten people. Judging from the interior, it does not look like a public place, but it is somewhat similar to the reception room in the corner of a rich man's private house. There is a desk next to the entrance, and the secretary sits behind the desk and checks in.Rubens gave his name, and one of the sofas by the wall stood up. "You are Rubens?" Rubens was taken aback by the sight of this silver-haired, mustache-wearing man in a suit.This person is CIA Director Holland.So he was the "comrade" who secretly helped him? "It is a great honor to meet you, sir." Rubens introduced himself, shook hands with the head of the intelligence agency, and sat down in a red leather chair. "There's not much time, let's cut a long story short." Holland said, glanced at the secretary in charge of registration, and then whispered, "How is that plan going?" "The emergency phase is coming to an end," Rubens said, looking at the clock on the wall.It is now eleven o'clock in the evening and five o'clock in the morning in the middle of the African continent.The report to the president tonight may be his last chance. "The biggest armed force in the area has already formed a siege network around Nusi, and the mopping up will start in two hours." "Will our target survive?" "No." Holland nodded and cast a reproachful look at Rubens, "Have you seen Dr. Heisman?" "Yes." Reuben admitted frankly.He knew that the CIA's surveillance network had caught his whereabouts. "What did the doctor say?" "Nothing." "That's good." Holland answered very simply, and Rubens judged that the chief was not an enemy. "It's okay for Dr. Heisman to keep silent. What I want to ask is your thoughts. The cause of Chamberlain's misfortune this time is not in China but in Congo, right?" "right." "That is to say, the current crisis is caused by Nous?" "That's right." "Is there any room for change in the Nemesis plan?" "Yes. My conclusion is that we should protect Nusi as soon as possible instead of killing." Holland did not show the slightest surprise, as if he had expected this answer long ago. "However, how do we know their exact location?" "Sending 'resources' in Djibouti into the Congo. Nigel Pierce would use the satellite phone's airwaves, and the intelligence support task force would be able to capture the airwaves, pinpoint their location, and then order two teams of Delta Force to carry out rescue." "But this is completely different from sending drones. It takes several days just to apply to neighboring countries to pass through the airspace. What's more, it is the fighting area of ​​the First African War, and we cannot take military actions casually." "Then remove them from the most wanted list of terrorists immediately, and then tell the local armed forces that even if Nus and others are killed, they will not get a penny. This should be possible now." Holland remained stern and said nothing. Rubens lowered his voice and asked, "Sir, I proposed this plan, but there are things in it that even I, the creator, don't know. Why do we have to eliminate Warren Garrett?" "That guy is a traitor." The CIA director replied with a look of disgust. "He has collected evidence about the 'special transfer' and intends to prosecute the President in the International Criminal Court." Rubens was taken aback.The Nemesis Project turned out to have another hidden purpose.He lamented Warren Garrett's bold plot, but also admired his courage. Holland was about to continue when the door opened.The one who opened the door was Ikas, the chief of staff to the president. "Your Excellency the President is waiting for you, please come to the office." Rubens stood up with Holland and whispered to him: "If you don't hurry up, the situation may be difficult to deal with." "I know." Holland replied very quickly, "We underestimated the threat from the Congo, but it is extremely difficult to change the plan now." Rubens was very upset.Does the Nemesis project have to continue until Warren Garrett is killed?But that would put the world in a much more dangerous place. Rubens followed Ikas to the end of the long, narrow corridor, where sat a chair with a large man in a handcuff on his left wrist, and the other end of the handcuff was cuffed to a suitcase at the man's feet. .Rubens shuddered.This suitcase is the so-called "nuclear football".Officers drawn from the three armed forces are always on standby with the president, so that the president can give the order for a nuclear attack at any time. When Ikas knocked on the door, Rubens recalled the long road he had traveled.Since becoming interested in the psychopathology of those in power at the Santa Fe Institute, he has struggled a lot to finally get the chance to meet with the highest research subjects.The man Rubens was about to meet might have been no different from a mass murderer of any age.He holds the nuclear missile launch button in his hand and can launch depleted uranium bombs against other countries at any time. The Chief of Staff opens the door and enters the President's Office.President Vance looked at them from behind his desk. He was wearing a dark blue suit and tie of the same color.His eyes were both rough and suspicious. "This is Arthur Rubens, the head of the Nemesis project." Hearing Holland's introduction, Vance walked to the center of the room.Rubens suppressed the inexplicable fear in his heart.If you don't overcome the human nature of blindly obeying authority, you can't see through the other party's true colors. The president cast a displeased glance at Rubens. "What's going on over there now?" he asked the CIA director. "I'd be happy if it was a planned report." "The plan should have been completed, but..." "Meaning, can the Congo threat be resolved?" "Can." "That's great!" Vance waved his hand and signaled the two to sit down. He also sat down on the sofa. It could be seen from his movements that he was quite tired. "Why are you discussing this unimportant plan when you are so busy? Is there something wrong?" "Please spare some time tonight to report to you about a possibility. The hacking of drones may be related to the Nemesis project." There was a hint of tension in Vance's eyes.Rubens was puzzled by the sudden change in Vance's expression shortly after the meeting began. The President's eyes turned out to be like a child worried about his father's scolding.What is he afraid of? "What do you mean? Could it be that kid called 'Nus' mentioned last time did it?" "possible." "Do you have clear evidence?" "After this tragedy, our side quickly grasped the evidence that the murderer was China. This reminded me that the network of the US Central Command was hacked before, and the source of the attack was not found in the end. I believe that with the help of the Chinese cyber warfare force Strength should not be traced so easily." "It doesn't make sense. A three-year-old Pygmy kid can do this? Isn't it a fantasy?" Vance added, "I say 'Pygmies', which means they live in a primitive place, no other meanings." "But if he really has the ability mentioned in the "Heisman Report"..." "I don't believe in those nonsense!" Rubens saw that Vance was agitated, and that there was a slight bloodshot around the eye sockets.The fear of the vice president's death turned into a strong impulse to attack in him. Holland calmly persuaded the President to alter the Nemesis plan.Rubens was absorbed in speculating on Vance's psychology.If you want to successfully persuade the president, you must know what the president is afraid of and angry about.Rubens first thought of racial discrimination.Any right-winger who wages violence in the name of a political ideology, such as neo-Nazism or white supremacy, has one thing in common: distorted self-esteem.They encountered some problems in the process of growing up, which made them unable to directly identify with themselves, and could only indirectly increase their self-confidence by identifying with the group they belonged to.But really they only care about themselves, so the fake right will attack any fellow countrymen who disagree with them, and these people should be members of the group with which they fully identify.Vance, who believes in neoconservatism, also has a tendency to fully affirm his own group, but what Rubens cannot understand is why the president showed uncontrollable anger just now?In the United States, if a politician is accused of racial discrimination, it is a very serious matter.If Vance's racism is too strong to contain, he should have shown signs of it in previous political campaigns.So he's probably not racist.Maybe he only has a little racial awareness, but he usually has enough rationality to restrain it. The director of the CIA continued to report, but soon Vance frowned and interrupted him: "I still don't believe that a mere child will put the United States in crisis. Isn't it us humans that are the most intelligent creatures on earth?" "But if you think this way, it's against this plan. The purpose of the Nemesis plan is to eliminate new intelligent life that threatens mankind." "The approval of the Nemesis project is only due to the danger of the code being cracked. There is no other reason. This child just happens to be very good at mathematics!" "In this case, we can protect Nusi and use his ability to crack codes to serve the United States. Besides..." Holland hesitated for a moment and said, "We only save Nusi, excluding the four mercenaries and anthropologists. " This was the biggest compromise Holland could make, but Vance immediately denied it: "No, there is no need to change the plan." Political decisions appear to be rational judgments, but are largely influenced by the personality of the decision maker.Rubens saw traces of personality bias in the president's resolute attitude.The reason why he stubbornly wanted to kill Nu Si should be based on some kind of personal belief.What is this belief?There is only one answer.That's right, before embarking on the road of politicians, Vance suffered from alcohol dependence, and it was the power of faith that revived him.Rubens had understood that it was impossible to change the Nemesis plan. "Your name is Arthur?" Vance turned his gaze to Rubens. "yes." "Arthur, I am very disappointed in you. You have gone to such lengths to deal with a child. How incompetent you are!" "Compared to Nous, human beings are all incompetent." Rubens' slurs made Holland tense up.The president was also taken aback, staring blankly at the young project leader. "Please allow me to explain our enemy to you." Rubens changed to a respectful tone and began to tell the President about Heisman's analysis, but he did not mention Heisman's name.Of course, he knew that there were hidden mines in this analysis.Sure enough, when Vance heard that Nous was using "God's strategy," he reacted immediately. "Stop talking nonsense!" Vance became obviously irritable and wanted to continue asking, but Holland scolded first: "Your metaphor is inappropriate, can't you use more pure political terms?" "I'm sorry," Rubens apologized. "The analogy is wrong, but..." "What Rubens wants to say is..." Holland took up the conversation calmly, signaling Rubens not to continue, "If we stop attacking, the threat may also disappear." The president turned his attention to Holland, ignoring Rubens.Rubens watched the man who prayed to God as he planned the Iraq War.He is recognized as a devout Christian.However, whenever he is bathed in the light of the sky, the shadow of "killing the heretics" will inevitably appear under his feet, but this does not mean that Vance's behavior is abnormal.It is a common human habit to worship an all-knowing and omnipotent god while regarding pagans as enemies.The criteria for distinguishing friend from foe are not only skin color and language, but also faith.Not only that, faith also has a skill, that is, even if you kill people like hemp, as long as you repent before God, you can act as if nothing happened. Rubens gradually saw through the president's heart.In Vance's eyes, evolved humans are no different from pagans. "Okay, let's call it a day." Before Holland could finish speaking, the president stood up.He seemed to be unable to bear it any longer, "I think your analysis of this threat is too exaggerated. I hope you don't talk about threats that don't exist. Didn't you listen to your words when you launched the Iraq war? Let me ask you, mass destruction Where are the weapons?" From these words, Rubens heard the two psychological states of "guilt" and "shifting responsibility".Vance once spoke eloquently for the invasion of Iraq in public. It seems that it was just a performance as a president! Powerless to fight back, the CIA director fell silent. "However, I am not opposed to the use of force against Iraq." Vance defended himself as he walked back to his desk.This instead revealed the guilt in his heart. "It was we who liberated the people of Iraq from the tyranny of the dictator and set them free." Is America too powerful?Rubens thought, how can the heavy responsibility of commanding this superpower be entrusted to one person?大权在握的万斯，可以随心所欲地使用权力，滥用暴力。面对自己的决定所导致的惨祸，他又惊慌失措，深感罪恶，只好借由信仰来获得心灵上的救赎。 对万斯而言，一旦承认世界上出现了更加进化的人类，就等于承认现存的人类，不是神依自己的形象所创造出来的生命。人类将失去神的宠爱，那万斯犯下的罪过也就得不到赦免，杀害十万伊拉克平民的罪过，将由万斯永远背负下去。不仅如此，万斯面对神秘的高智慧新生物，就好像面对着自己。万斯很清楚，无论是权力还是智力，只要掌握了某种无法控制的巨大力量，就能将其转化为暴力。所以他才会惧怕那个新生物。那新生物从天而降的一击，轻而易举地葬送了张伯伦副总统。万斯心知肚明，必须率先发动攻击，否则下一个遭到攻击的就是自己。 鲁本斯直视着站在面前的最高权力者。 万斯一辈子与父亲对抗，曾经因为经营企业失败而嗜酒如命，最后靠神的力量才得以重塑人生。他是无法爱敌人的基督教徒。 这个名叫格雷戈里·S.万斯的五十几岁的男人，只是一个平凡人类。 “我们换个话题吧！”万斯整理着桌上的文件，对霍兰德说，“请阿瑟回避一下，我们俩单独谈谈梅森的事。” “哦！梅森的事吗？”霍兰德说。梅森是众议员的政党领袖，曾被提名担任副总统。 “你去外面等一下。”霍兰德对鲁本斯说。 “真的非常抱歉，总统阁下。我是为了改善现在的危机状况，才会口无遮拦。请您谅解。”鲁本斯说。 “快把刚果的问题解决掉。”万斯只说了这一句，挥手让鲁本斯出去。 鲁本斯离开办公室。房间外，脚边放着“核足球”的“干净美国人”依然保持着同样的姿势。鲁本斯走过狭窄的走廊，返回门厅。 鲁本斯坐向沙发，长长地舒了一口气，将头埋进双手中。他之前一直认为，政治领袖的霸气是发动战争的必要条件。无论保有多少枚核导弹，假如没有敢按下核导弹发射按钮的人，就无法对外国构成威胁。但通过近距离接触，鲁本斯发现，美军最高司令只是一个平凡的普通人，而且是人类这种生物的典型范本。也就是说，只要有足够的地位，任何人都可能按下核导弹发射按钮。只要发动战争的领导人缺乏想象力，不在乎自己的指令将间接害死多少人，就有可能爆发真正的战争。 鲁本斯回顾从圣菲研究所到现在的经历，印象最深的还是海斯曼博士的深刻洞察力。 过去二十万年间，人类不断地相互残杀，为了自我防卫，人类各自组成国家。人类永远害怕被外来集团侵略，终日处在被害妄想症的状态下。这种异常的心理状态存在于每个人类心中，反而成了“正常状态”。之所以人类无法达成完全的和平，就是因为人类彼此心存戒备，很难相信对方没有危险。人类为了掠夺食物、资源和领土，不惜伤害他人。人类觉得自己是这样，敌人当然也是这样，于是人类相互恐惧、相互攻击。不仅如此，人类还有国家和宗教作挡箭牌，来赦免自己的罪过。反正只要是非我族类，就是异端分子，就是敌人。 人类之所以一直对这种罪恶视而不见，是因为除了人类，没有别的智慧生物能谴责人类。神也会鼓励屠杀异教徒。然而，现在不一样了。非洲大陆出现了另一种智慧生物，拥有谴责人类同类相残的智慧。在比人类更接近于神的生命面前，为了表现人类的尊严，只能违背动物本性去维持和平。 但人类做得到这一点吗？ “鲁本斯。”一个声音从上方传来。 鲁本斯抬起头，只见中情局局长霍兰德正站在面前。中情局局长露出极不痛快的表情说：“你想干什么？事情全搞砸了。” "Sorry." “我们还谈到对你的处分。” 鲁本斯心中一凛，做好了最坏的打算。 “是要解雇我？” “不，你的职位还是照旧。” 鲁本斯惊讶了片刻，很快意识到这背后的意义。倘若计划失败，他们需要一个人背黑锅。 “不过，所有指挥权都要交给埃尔德里奇。你只能在行动指挥部坐着。” "Understood." 霍兰德匆匆朝白宫西厢的出口走去。 一出门，刺骨的寒风便扑面而来。中情局局长的专用轿车已等在外面，但霍兰德没有上车，而是将鲁本斯带到离特勤局特工稍远的位置。 “鲁本斯，”局长小声说，“我下面说的话不是命令。对国防部主导的计划，我本来也没有指手画脚的权力。” "I see." 霍兰德慎重地打量周围，确认安全之后说：“请救奴斯。” 鲁本斯默默地注视着情报机构的首脑。 “这个计划，埃尔德里奇肯定无法独自承担。他早晚会请你帮忙。到时候，请你尽力挽救奴斯。” “是，长官。”鲁本斯站直身子答道。霍兰德转身朝轿车走去。 鲁本斯看了眼手表。现在是非洲中部时间凌晨六点。地球的另一侧，最大的危机已逼近奴斯，但鲁本斯却无能为力，只能期待乔纳森·耶格等四名佣兵可以对抗刚果最大的武装势力。 即将爆发的这场小规模战斗，或许会成为左右世界命运的历史性一战。 到时候，奴斯便会看到人类这种动物最丑陋的一面。 手腕上的电子表显示已到六点，联合国维和部队作战的时间已到。 在树上监视的耶格观察了一会儿，但没有发现任何战斗开始的征兆。地上，米克也一动不动地注视着“圣主抵抗军”。 “还没动静？”无线电通话器中传来盖瑞特的声音。 耶格按了两下通话键，这是表示“等等”的信号。就在这时，干道的方向传来爆炸声。耶格用双筒望远镜一看，一辆被破坏的坦克冒起了黑烟。坦克周围，圣主抵抗军士兵正指着南方叫嚷着什么，看来战斗终于打响了。耶格将视线再次投向二十米开外的岔道，原本守在路旁的士兵纷纷跳上运兵车，拿起武器。 在断断续续的枪声中，干道上连续发生了多起爆炸。远方发射来的导弹击中装甲车，鲜血四溅，残肢横飞。随着尖利的呼啸，无数迫击炮弹从天而降。 米克抬头看耶格，等待耶格发出行动开始的命令。耶格看到前方的敌人依然保持着战斗队形，便摇了摇头。敌人训练有素，现在强行突围，只会遭到对方反击。 过了三分钟，干道上的主力部队才出现混乱。攻击直升机的黑影从敌人头上飞过，送来一连串格林机枪炮扫射。曳光弹精确地射进敌人的队列，中弹的士兵横七竖八地倒在地上。巴基斯坦军发动的报复攻击完全违背了维和部队的交战规则。又来了一架“眼镜蛇”攻击直升机。这架直升机悬停在空中，瞄准了与干道直角相交的岔道。 耶格对着无线麦克风，小声而坚定地说：“前进！” “明白。”后方两百米的盖瑞特答道。 攻击型直升机发射了机身两侧的反坦克导弹，开始分割包围岔道上的敌人。其中一枚导弹落在耶格附近，差点儿把耶格从树上震下来。不远处，圣主抵抗军开始迎战，但步枪的火力根本不值一提。攻击直升机一边用格林机枪扫射，一边逼近，耶格面前的敌人只好逃窜进森林之中。 耶格向米克打了个手势。同时，呈扇形分布的四枚简易炸弹爆炸，涌来的敌人被直接掀翻。耶格和米克用装有消声器的手枪射杀了残余的士兵，将左右二十米范围内的敌人清除，从而打开突破口。 耶格连忙爬下树，盖瑞特等人也已赶到。抱着阿基利的皮尔斯张大了嘴，大口大口地呼吸着氧气。阿基利似乎醒了，却像小猫一样紧闭着双眼。 攻击型直升机低空飞行，发出隆隆巨响，来到岔道上空，卷起漫天尘土。趁视野模糊的良机，耶格大叫：“冲！” 佣兵们手持突击步枪冲入岔道，分为两组，各自对付左右两面的散兵。皮尔斯抱着阿基利从中间的缝隙穿出。短短五秒，盖瑞特和迈尔斯就打死了发现他们的四名敌兵。米克跳上运兵车，将缴获的火箭推进式榴弹和狙击枪装进背包。四名佣兵追上皮尔斯，开始在森林中狂奔。 敌人溃不成军，分散在森林中。佣兵们一见敌人，就用步枪和枪榴弹将其歼灭。混战中，耶格的右肩膀被后方射来的子弹擦过，但在战斗中，这点儿伤根本不算什么。耶格完全没有感到疼痛，将三发子弹射入了朝自己开枪的敌人。 在周围佣兵们的保护下，中心的皮尔斯和阿基利都安然无恙。他们专心朝南奔逃，原来近在耳边的枪声渐渐远去。圣主抵抗军的威胁似乎解除了，全力奔跑的皮尔斯上气不接下气地说：“十分钟前收到的卫星图像显示，前方有一支大约两百人的独立部队。” 耶格大声问：“圣主抵抗军？” “没错！”莫非巴基斯坦军漏掉了这伙人？ “距离呢？” “前方五百米。” 皮尔斯才说完，前方传来了AK47的枪声。耶格大惊，再这样下去，双方就会迎头撞上。 “装补给物资的车在哪里？” “正在干道上朝我们驶来，但因为有维和部队，车只能在两公里外等候。” 该直行还是该绕路呢？无论怎么走，前面等着他们的敌军兵力都有一个连以上。如果两百个敌人分散在森林中，己方无论怎么走都绕不过。如此看来，只好集中火力强行突破。 就在耶格举棋不定时，眼前突然出现了一个森林中开辟出的村落。圆形广场旁边，有一排粗陋的土屋。此外，便是一座特别惹眼的红砖建筑。 "what is that?" “天主教教堂。” 这座教堂可以充当防御敌人的堡垒。耶格扫了一眼村子，村民好像都逃难去了。 “好，我们进教堂。” “什么？”盖瑞特马上反问，“要是被敌人发现，我们就无处可逃了。” “我们不是要躲在那里，而是要攻击敌人，将他们从森林中吸引出来。如果巴基斯坦军发现了他们，就会帮我们把他们解决掉。” 盖瑞特领会了耶格的意图，看了眼手表，说：“离维和部队作战计划结束只剩七分钟。快！” 耶格和米克充当先锋，冲到教堂前面。整栋建筑盖得方方正正，像巨大的砖块，尽管是平房，天花板却有两层楼高。耶格紧贴墙壁，透过窗户窥视内部。窗户上都是灰，什么也看不见。耶格只好同米克沿着墙根摸到木质门前。门口挂着汽车车轮，也许是某种形式的诅咒。 两名佣兵交换了眼神，一同踢开门，冲进教堂。耶格上下左右挪动枪口，准备接敌，却被眼前的一幕惊得忍不住往后退。教堂堆满了腐烂的尸体，从婴儿到老人，大群苍蝇如黑雾一般笼罩在教堂里。浓烈的尸臭将耶格和米克熏了出去。 “太臭了！”米克眉头紧皱着说。 耶格喘着气，怒不可遏。 “巴基斯坦军还不够狠，应该把那群人赶尽杀绝。” “里面太臭，根本没法待。”米克大口喘着气，像潜水员那样深吸一口气，冲进教堂，将靠着墙壁的梯子拉出来。“上屋顶吧。” 耶格表示赞同，招手叫盖瑞特等人过来。敌人潜伏的森林中传出断断续续的枪声。爬上梯子，来到教堂屋顶，眼前呈现出三百六十度全景。一望无际的雨林如同黑色的大海一样覆盖着地表，山顶覆盖着冰雪的鲁文佐里山脉耸立在东方。回望北部，巴基斯坦军的直升机攻击还在进行。在他们返回基地前，一定要将他们引过来。 耶格将同伴们拉上来，抽起梯子，以防敌人攀登。然后耶格分配任务：皮尔斯负责监视北侧，其他四人则集中火力防范南边的敌人。盖瑞特和迈尔斯分别在屋顶两侧，警戒东西两方的来敌。所有人都打开无线电通话器，以防枪声大作后听不见指示。 一百米外的广场对面森林中，出现几道枪口的闪光，其中夹杂着女人的尖叫。孤立的圣主抵抗军连队似乎不是在同巴基斯坦军地面部队交战，而是在屠杀他们绑架的村民。他们是要赶在维和部队发现之前，消灭大屠杀的目击证人吧。 耶格对敌人愈加憎恶。一定要让他们为自己野蛮行径付出代价！must! 四个佣兵在屋顶边缘架设枪架，开始用步枪齐射敌人潜伏的森林。考虑到可能有村民还活着，他们故意压低枪口。三十发子弹自动射尽，第一个弹匣打光，幽暗的树林中出现敌影。敌人发现了他们。 “现在开始要节约弹药！”耶格发出决战前的最后指示，“坚持到维和部队到来。” 佣兵们换上弹匣，继续瞄准前方。光线昏暗的雨林中隐隐浮现敌人的身影，就像风中的稻穗。转眼之间，敌人就从树木的缝隙中涌了出来。 耶格瞄准打头的敌人，却没有扣下扳机。眼前是不该存在的人间地狱。挥舞着AK突击步枪冲上来的，是一群孩子。十岁上下的男孩们一边尖叫，一边朝耶格杀来。 半年前一个晴朗的日子，奥内卡的人生发生了翻天覆地的巨大变化。 在那之前，他只是一个普通的孩子，住在沿街的一个小村子里。他有个懒惰的父亲，和勤劳的母亲，以及与自己年龄相差不多的哥哥和妹妹。早上起床后，他跟其他孩子负责去打水，然后去上学，或是到田里帮母亲干活、与同村的朋友玩耍，如此日复一日。最高兴的事，就是每两周一次去远方的市场买东西，还有偶尔在晚上吃到鸡肉。尽管居住的土房非常狭窄，但每次吃饭的时候，他都会和哥哥阿嘎可、妹妹阿提艾诺满脸笑容地分享食物。 恶魔进村那天，奥内卡正在屋子前面同哥哥阿嘎可踢足球。阿提艾诺坐在门前，边唱歌边望着两个哥哥，但她的歌声突然被尖叫所掩盖。尖叫是村子边上的女人发出的，听上去与平常夫妻吵架的喧哗大不一样，是令人胆寒、充满恐怖的呐喊。 奥内卡与哥哥来到街上，想看看发生了什么事。一辆卡车正朝这边驶来。每到一家门口，就会跳下三个士兵。 “爸爸！妈妈！”阿嘎可大声呼唤父母。 在房后田里劳作的母亲、睡午觉的父亲，都面无血色地跑过来。这时，一辆卡车刚好停在奥内卡面前，三个持枪的男人从载货平台跳下。 “快跑！”父亲大叫，抱起一旁的阿提艾诺。一名士兵冲上来，用绑在步枪顶端的长刀刺入父亲怀中的阿提艾诺。 近距离目睹这一幕的奥内卡，仿佛身处噩梦中一般。阿提艾诺只是在唱歌，没有做任何错事，为什么要受这样的惩罚？ 妹妹顿时毙命。父亲表现出的不是悲哀，因为刺入阿提艾诺的长刀也扎进了他的胸膛。父亲发出痛苦的呻吟，双臂抱胸，满地打滚。 个子最高的士兵走到惊恐不已的母亲面前，说：“我们要带走你儿子。”母亲下巴颤抖着，但没有说一个字。另一个士兵将一把刀伸到哥哥面前，命令道：“强奸你妈，然后割下她的脑袋。”阿嘎可瞪大了眼睛，使劲摇头。第三名士兵见状，立即挥斧朝哥哥砍去。 奥内卡低下头，闭上眼。但哥哥的尖叫和肉体被肢解的声音，还是传进了他的耳朵。 奥内卡抽泣起来。士兵将沉甸甸的大刀塞进了他手中。那个恶魔说：“强奸你妈，然后割下她的脑袋。不然你的下场就跟你哥哥一样。” 泪水模糊了视线，奥内卡只看到哥哥的躯体，四肢和头颅都不见了。奥内卡不想死。他看着母亲，母亲已经脸色青紫。 “上吧。”恶魔脱下奥内卡的裤子，拨弄他小小的生殖器。 母亲一直在哭，直到一切结束之前。 自那刻开始，奥内卡彻底变了一个人。感觉就像从另一个世界，眺望自己所在的这个世界。他被带上了车，从尘土飞扬的街上驶离。他看见了还在地上打滚呻吟的父亲。他知道，他再也不能回到这个地方。 奥内卡与同村的十个孩子，一起被带到了训练营。他成了一名士兵，被迫上战场。排列在草原一角的简陋营房中，聚集着几百个孩子。他们不能洗澡，空气里飘荡着难闻的恶臭。 训练过程中，只要犯一点儿错，就会被当场杀掉。有的孩子只是因为摔倒了就被打死，或者从头淋上汽油烧死。每个孩子都会在死前发出动物般的嘶叫。奥内卡不想被杀，从拆卸步枪、打扫卫生到冲锋训练，他总是默默执行着分配的工作。三个月后，他参加实战，袭击与自己故乡一样的村子，帮助掠夺食物、燃料和女人。那个绑架奥内卡的指挥官，有个绰号叫“嗜血将军”。他将村民们绑在树上，命令孩子用刺刀刺杀，以锻炼胆量。奥内卡杀死了好几个人。 “我们要忍耐。”每个杀人结束后的晚上，奥内卡的好朋友洛卡尼就会反复念叨着，“用不了多久，美军就会来帮我们了。” “美军？” “嗯，美国军队会来惩罚坏人。你听说过'笔比枪更厉害'这句话吗？” 奥内卡摇头：“意思是报纸记者比任何军队都强大，他们一定会来救我们。” 可是，美军没有来，笔也没有比枪更强大。洛卡尼再也等不下去，在某个晚上试图逃出营地，结果被抓住了。指挥官叫来奥内卡，命令他用棍棒打死逃兵。奥内卡敲碎了朋友的头颅。他再也没有人可以相信，再也无法关爱任何人。他对一切都无所谓了。这就是奥内卡的战争。 两天前指挥官下令屠杀聚在教堂中的村民，他没有半点犹豫。指挥官甚至命令孩子兵割开死者的尸体，吃掉心脏和肝脏。至于年轻的女子，则被带入森林，成为指挥官发泄性欲的玩物。然而，今天早上却发生了超乎预料的事情。炮弹从远方呼啸而来，战斗直升机发起了进攻。奥内卡接到命令，收拾好搭在广场里的帐篷，进入森林。收好帐篷后，他们开始杀害村中残留的女性。五个指挥官似乎非常惊慌。一个念头蹦进了奥内卡的脑子：发动袭击的是美军吧？如果是的话，自己这样的坏人不就大难临头了吗？因为此时此刻，自己正在射杀哭泣着乞求赦免的女人。 “组成冲锋队形！”“嗜血将军”突然大叫。 这时奥内卡才意识到自己正在遭受攻击。靠近广场的同伴中枪后纷纷倒地。奥内卡朝子弹飞来的方向望去。教堂屋顶上，几个人正在朝他这边射击。 “攻击那座教堂！把他们全都杀掉！” 孩子们装上弹匣，端着突击步枪，朝红砖建筑排成冲锋队形。 “嗜血将军”举起的手往下一挥，“全军冲锋！” 两百个孩子兵大喊着，朝广场另一侧的教堂冲去。奥内卡在前锋当中。他一如既往地没有感到任何恐惧。只是去杀人罢了。他一边跑，一边用步枪瞄准教堂屋顶射击。不知从哪一刻起，硝烟味消失了，风送来了泥土的芬芳。这让奥内卡想起了故乡。一直尘封在记忆中的家人，竟然复苏了。 泥土的芬芳变成了母亲温柔的体香。奥内卡感觉自己就像被母亲抱在怀里一样。令奥内卡吃惊的是，母亲竟然没有生气。被自己强奸杀害的母亲，如今竟然如此疼爱自己？ 奥内卡哭了起来。他一边奔跑，泪水一边飞入空中。 我不是生而为人就好了。 假使我生下来是鸟兽，就可以同家人永远相亲相爱地生活下去吧。 敌人开始反击。教堂屋顶的人用全自动武器射击。奥内卡分明听见左侧传来子弹击穿头盖骨的破裂声。他斜视着被射杀的同伴，心想：我也死了吧。 喷射着火焰的枪口转向自己。然后，奥内卡被一枪爆头。他再也看不见，再也感觉不到任何东西了。 米克朝孩子兵发动压制射击。冲在最前面的孩子鲜血四溅，纷纷倒地。后面冲上来的士兵被尸体绊倒，跌在尸体上。 耶格叫道：“停止射击！” 但米克没有遵守命令，一边继续扫射