Chapter 1636 - 841: I Have a Plan! (3)

The excited reporter stood in front of the hospital bed, joyfully handed over the microphone: "Do you have anything to say to the friends watching on TV?"

"Ah?"

The patient on the bed looked bewildered, blinked as if coming to his senses: "You, hello everyone? I'm, I'm okay, just a bit dizzy."

Throughout the recording, after the doctors checked the physical status and made judgments and gave permissions, the waiting staff on the side opened the outer packaging, skillfully embedded the thumb-sized external connection module into the interface on his back, filling the depression.

The installation of two new prosthetic limbs was even simpler, fixed to the legs and it was done.

After recalibrating the program and connections, the job was complete.

The entire process was like changing a tire.

So much so that... not only the reporters, but even the patients involved in the experiment found it hard to believe, looking down at the unfamiliar legs, bewildered: "Finished?"

"It's already done, Mr. Zhou."

The staff member smiled: "You can try moving now, but at first I suggest you don't move too frequently, it's best to rely on the support frame, once you're accustomed, it will be much more convenient."

Until he stood on the ground with the help of the rehabilitation frame, he still hadn't come to his senses.

He stiffly lifted his right leg and then put it down, with no reaction.

Lifted again, put down again.

Time and again.

Until his whole body suddenly trembled for a moment, the forgotten sensation and feedback rose from the spinal cord, and at the moment it reached the brain, he stood there in a daze.

"Mr. Zhou? Mr. Zhou, hello? Can you hear me?"

"I, I..."

The middle-aged man was dazed, his eyes gradually reddening: "I can feel my leg, I, I felt it!"

Right in front of everyone's eyes, his right leg lifted once more, this time, in the concentrated gaze, the previously unresponsive straight right leg began to bend.

Backward.

The link joint of the foot pulled the instep up, fluidly.

He tentatively, extremely slowly, took a step forward.

A stumble, steadied by the support frame.

Then another step, slow yet stable, walking forward several steps.

His wife beside him bowed her head, already crying tears of joy.

He hesitated for a moment, then suddenly let go of the frame, starting to step forward, one step after another, faster and faster, unable to hold back his smile, cheers, shouts.

He began to run.

Bumped into a wall with a thud, fell to the ground.

When others reached out to help, he swatted their hands away, "Get away, don't assist, I'll do it myself."

He leaned against the wall and the ground, shakily lifted his leg again, awkwardly and clumsily climbed up again, slipped and fell, then once more propped himself up.

Until he genuinely climbed up from the ground, standing before everyone's eyes.

With tears streaming down, sobbing uncontrollably.

Among the cheers, applause of admiration sounded, unending. Yet he couldn't care about anything, once more starting to step, run, staggering.

Even pushed open the door, ran into the hospital courtyard, shouting like a madman, running with wild joy.

"Just keep an eye, but don't stop him."

The attending doctor by the window stared at that back, the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted into a smile: "Let him run for a while, let him run."

Next was the second participant in the surgery experiment, under guidance, successfully picked up all sorts of miscellaneous items on the table, even, after practice, once used the brand new right hand to pick up chopsticks, inadvertently poking into the nostrils when trying to bring food to his mouth.

Feeling the pain, he actually laughed, trying repeatedly, until precisely sending two strands of noodles into his mouth, swallowing with tears in his eyes.

Next was an elderly man with intact limbs but paralyzed after a stroke.

Through the cervical external connection module, he was able to once again sit up from the bed via controlling the lightweight exoskeleton prosthesis that covered his entire body, even attempting to walk again while holding the frame.

After confirming he regained the most basic self-care ability, the elderly man, still unable to control his saliva, pushed away everyone's interference. Years later, the first thing he did, relying on himself, was walk into the restroom.

Through the door, muffled and suppressed sobs could be heard inside.

Just like regaining the most basic dignity once more.

After repeated testing, all the doctors reached the same conclusion: as long as a brief rehabilitation and adaptation period goes by, users of the new prosthetics can return to society normally, even those originally bedridden as long as their mind is clear, then care difficulty can be greatly reduced.

"Is that so? That's wonderful, really wonderful."

Elder Deng stood by the window, gazing at the increasingly numerous silhouettes moving and running in the courtyard, and softly laughed: "Completion is already quite high."

"Still far from sufficient."

Ji Jue shook his head, "At this stage, the aftereffects are still unavoidable."

Not only the prolonged initial delay, the adaptation period is accompanied by unavoidable phantom pain, the immune rejection due to materials also requires taking numerous medications.

Furthermore, stability can't be guaranteed, periodic replacements are necessary, earning numerous shortcomings.

"But, can walk and move, right?"

Elder Deng smiled slightly, "No matter how troublesome and uncomfortable, living isn't it all just for that bit of hope?"

Even if it's just slightly better.

Even if it's just a little bit...

The life once filled with pain and torment, seems to also have a tomorrow.

A glimpse of light for the future can be seen.