Chapter 96: Registration Begins
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
It was more than ten minutes after the unruly villagers had dispersed that the police of Walvis Bay arrived, taking their own sweet time.
Chen Chen did not meet them and instead sent Qian Wenhuan to settle the matter.
Upon returning to the laboratory building, Chen Chen pulled out his phone. “Little X, help me look up Gorob Village and see if someone is stirring things up from behind the scenes. Also, give Dlamini a prod. Ask him to erase the ident.i.ties of those on the name list and send them over as soon as possible!”
After sending this message, Chen Chen could not help but frown.
Now that he had compromised, the crowd would think that he was a pushover. The next time something cropped up, they would come rushing over again.
In truth, if they did not hold back, Cheng Cao’s team would be able to easily flatten the hundred-over crowd. Still, perhaps it would be too much of a shock to everyone else.
Moreover, those few local security guards were people from nearby villages too. If something happened, they could not be relied upon. Thus, in the final a.n.a.lysis, there was no one on their side.
Even so, when Dlamini sent over the thirty people on the name list, this issue would be resolved.
Not only that, but also when those cold-blooded mercenaries were here, they just had to make a few threatening implications and those local security guards would quit out of terror.
Just when Chen Chen was pondering all this, another notification sounded. Chen Chen looked at his phone. As expected, Little X had already found out about the people in Gorob Village.
The one who held the highest post out of all the villagers was a bureau chief from Walvis Bay. The others were ordinary civil servants at most.
Ordinary villagers might not understand the significance of Blacklight in Namibia, but how could a bureau chief not understand?
Nevertheless, Chen Chen could meet with ministers and parliament members any time he wanted. Even if this bureau chief had the guts of a hundred men, he would not possibly cause trouble for Chen Chen.
Furthermore, Chen Chen had taken care of whomever he had to in Walvis Bay. This bureau chief was not left out either. Logically, it could not have been him who was interfering with Chen Chen.
In other words, either there was someone else behind the scenes or it was truly a temporary, spontaneous mobilization on the villagers’ part.
In that case, Chen Chen only had to wait for Dlamini’s mercenaries to arrive.
Once that happened, he would not have to give a hoot about the villagers. If they caused trouble, he would just beat them back. If anyone ended up dead or disabled, there was nothing that money could not solve.
In a nation like this, this was the most effective method.
Even the officials were bribed. No matter how much trouble the villagers riled up, they would not get anywhere. If they wanted money, there was no other choice than to act as Chen Chen’s obedient guinea pigs.
Chen Chen had chosen to develop his biological research here for a reason.
In this country where AIDS and extreme poverty ran rampant, civilians had no access to healthcare. When ordinary folk became sick, there was no other way but to struggle on. If they succeeded, they lived. If not, they died. This was already a good foundation for popularizing clinical trials.
Moreover, although the political situation in Namibia was still stable, it was still a regime in which power was fragmented. In most villages, the law basically did not exist and the identification system was fundamentally ineffective. Even if dozens died in some medical mishap, it would barely cause a ripple.
In addition, the population was spa.r.s.e, so there were uninhabited regions stretching hundreds of kilometers. It was easy to get away with heinous acts.
Therefore, Chen Chen had opted to open a biological research center here.
If it were not for the restrictions on the import and export of drugs, the inst.i.tutional environment here would be perfect for an unscrupulous company like Blacklight Biotechnology...
...
Early the next morning, before dawn, a group of villagers from Gorob Village had gathered before the gates.
However, it was different from yesterday’s hostile atmosphere. Currently, many of them were staring steadily at the doors of the research center, greed and desire burning in their eyes.
A group of elderly people had formed a circle, starting a small fire to ward off the early morning chill; a few youths in tattered T-shirts had grouped together, sharing a single cigarette; several women sat numbly before the gates, seemingly unmoved by the babies ceaselessly crying on their backs.
This group of people was like a bunch of refugees.
As the sun rose gradually and they started to push at the gates impatiently, a group of people finally walked out of the laboratory building and toward the gate.
When w.a.n.g Liang saw the large crowd again, he frowned instinctively. “Are they here to cause trouble again?”
“I think not.”
Cheng Cao shook his head and walked forward decisively, saying in English, “Who’s your leader?”
“I am.”
An old black man with white hair and turbid eyes walked forward. “I’m Kofi Madill, chief of Gorob Village. I represent everyone here.”
Cheng Cao sized up the old man and instantly understood that these people must have arrived at a collective agreement. He nodded. “Have you chosen your fifty candidates?”
“We have. The rest are here just as companions,” the old man explained.
“We won’t let the companions in.”
Cheng Cao opened the gates and said, “Those who meet the requirements may come in. The rest of you, stay out.”
“What about our money?” Just then, a few youths popped up from the crowd and asked.
“Before the contract is signed, the company will pay nothing.” Cheng Cao shook his head.
“If you don’t pay us, how do we know that you won’t change your mind about paying us?” When they heard that Cheng Cao was not willing to pay upfront, the crowd started jeering and started to show signs of rowdiness once more.
On one side, w.a.n.g Liang stepped back subconsciously. He had heard that many people in places like Namibia were HIV-infected. If someone was scratched or bitten in a scuffle, would that not...
When Cheng Cao saw this, his face turned stony. Yesterday, he was not sure of Chen Chen’s approach, but after knowing that Chen Chen was not afraid of blowing things up, he had no reservations now.
With this in mind, Cheng Cao wordlessly pulled out a baton as his eyes blazed ferociously.
“If you don’t want to die, get lost!”
At the same time, the five people behind Cheng Cao also pulled out their weapons.
Unexpectedly, when the villagers were greeted in this aggressive manner, they seemed to hesitate. The initial atmosphere of hostility and arrogance came to a halt.
“Hold on, hold on!”
Just as Cheng Cao was about to start driving the villagers away, a few of the local security guards rushed out. They positioned themselves between Cheng Cao and the villagers, and the young man who led them yelled, “Don’t be hasty, everyone, just calm down. Let’s talk about it properly!”
After he spoke, this youth went up to the villagers and started a long, animated discussion. At several points, he even pointed at Cheng Cao’s waist.
At Cheng Cao’s waist, the grip of a gun was protruding.
The youth discussed with the villagers for more than ten minutes before he walked to Cheng Cao and burst into a wide grin that displayed his pearly whites. “Captain Cheng, I’ve pacified the villagers. They’re just a bunch of ordinary folk. I hope you can talk to Boss and see if he can pay in advance?”
“Don’t you worry about that.”
Cheng Cao put away his baton. “Since they’re pacified, the chosen fifty can go in.”
With that, he opened the gates.
The villagers, upon seeing this, could only give way unwillingly, allowing a group of white-haired elders to go in.
“Hold on!” Suddenly, Cheng Cao seized one of them and said to the youth, “You can’t tell me that this guy is 50 years old?”
Everyone looked over and saw that the man who was stopped, despite being thin and bony, definitely did not look old.
“Does it really have to be so stringent?”
The security guard frowned. Even so, under Cheng Cao’s unfaltering gaze, he stepped away to discuss with the villagers again.
In a while, the security guard led that man away, then came back with another old person while casting a sullen look at Cheng Cao. “Surely this will do?”
Cheng Cao let them pa.s.s.
In the end, after fifty seniors had entered the gate, Cheng Cao directly closed the gate, paying no mind to the villagers’ cries. Then, he led everyone to the laboratory building.
Cheng Cao ignored the fact that some of the elderly were ill. In any case, this group would still have to undergo a strict health check before they were qualified for the experiment.
After all, not just anyone could be a guinea pig.