After attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony and realizing his net worth was approaching eight figures, and at this rate of development, would soon touch the nine-figure threshold, achieving that once distant "small goal," Alex couldn't deny his excitement.
Although most of this was fixed assets, not cash that could be freely spent, in this era, high-quality, positive assets were the true treasure troves—they could generate money continuously like perpetual motion machines, creating even more wealth.
Thinking that he was now a bona fide millionaire, Alex's lips unconsciously curved upwards.
In this era of inflation, tens of millions in assets might not be an astronomical figure, but for him, a child who grew up in an ordinary family, this number once only existed in TV news, a label reserved for those unattainable successful individuals.
This contrast gave him a feeling of being in another world.
Once upon a time, he was worrying about next month's rent, but now he had become something he dared not even imagine in his childhood.
Alex looked up at the sky; the sunlight was a bit dazzling, just like this sudden turn of fate, so bright it made one dizzy.
He knew better than anyone that all these changes stemmed from the Emperor's military chest.
Although he was unwilling to dwell too much on the cruel 40k universe, he had to admit that every item brought back from there had completely reshaped his life trajectory.
Although the Emperor did not pay him a salary, being able to bring items from the 40k universe back to reality across time and space was itself a great opportunity.
Alex often fell into such thoughts—even if it wasn't the black technology from the 40k universe that could subvert modern civilization, even the most ordinary daily necessities from that world would be priceless in this era.
Any small trinket would be enough for him to live in luxury for several lifetimes, enjoying all the glory and wealth.
Take the most basic Rejuvenation Surgery, for example; this medical technology, common in the Imperium, was like a myth on 21st-century Earth.
Through a whole system of treatments including cell therapy, organ repair and replacement, and gene optimization, it could restore youthful vitality to the elderly.
In the Warhammer universe, a normal human, as long as he was not constantly toiling and exhausted like members of the High Lords of Terra, could live for up to a thousand years by regularly undergoing Rejuvenation Surgery!
Even if the effects were not as good, and the number of Rejuvenation Surgery procedures was not as many, living five or six hundred years was commonplace.
Even the version developed by Hive gangs could allow a person to live for decades or even centuries longer.
The best part was that this technology did not rely on energy or materials unique to the 40k universe.
Its core lay in specialized Rejuvenation Serum and standardized treatment protocols; with these two, it could be fully replicated under the existing medical conditions of the 3k era.
Alex calculated that if he were willing to offer a set of Rejuvenation Serum and an operation manual, its value would likely be measured in "small goals"—and with several more zeros added to the end.
The core mechanism of Rejuvenation Therapy involves intervening in the aging process through a series of bioengineering techniques.
Conventional treatment protocols involve regular injections of telomerase complex and DNA repair enzymes, activating cellular autophagy mechanisms, and clearing senescent cells and accumulated metabolic toxins, such as β-amyloid protein and lipofuscin deposits.
At the same time, epigenetic reprogramming technology can partially reverse cellular aging markers, allowing patients to achieve significant physiological rejuvenation.
However, this therapy is not without cost.
Even with the most advanced immunosuppressants and anti-rejection protocols, patients undergoing long-term Rejuvenation Therapy still face a higher risk of infection, especially from opportunistic pathogens.
Additionally, repeated cell renewal may lead to abnormal telomere shortening, increasing genomic instability, and consequently inducing organ dysfunction compensation.
More cases show that patients who receive long-term Rejuvenation Therapy are more prone to multi-organ fibrosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in their later years.
Nevertheless, the prospect of extending human lifespan to several centuries using only biomedical means, without reliance on mechanical prosthetics or neural implants, is enough to make the powerful of any era flock to it.
Alex had no doubt that the elite class with immense wealth in the 3k era would spare no expense, just to gain a few more years in the face of death.
As for the preparation of Rejuvenation Serum, besides the regular bioreactor cultivation method, an illegal method called "cell drainage" is prevalent in the black market.
Its raw materials come directly from living donors—victims are confined to specialized medical beds, limbs restrained, and intravenous tubes connected to automated extraction equipment.
Sedatives ensure they are in a state of blurred consciousness, watching helplessly as their plasma, stem cells, and lymphatic fluid are slowly drawn.
These extracted biological materials, after centrifugal purification, become the basic raw materials for Rejuvenation Serum.
However, the fate of the donors is often tragic—a high probability of dying from acute organ failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), or hematopoietic collapse due to bone marrow depletion.
Even more ironically, due to the long-term exposure of lower-class Hive City residents to radiation and chemical pollution, their biological samples often carry latent pathogens or genetic mutations, resulting in varying quality of the final serum.
In contrast, modern cloning technology and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) culture are clearly safer and more humane alternatives.
Through in vitro directed differentiation, high-purity stem cells can be mass-produced, completely avoiding ethical controversies while ensuring the biocompatibility of the raw materials.
After all, no one wants their injected "longevity medicine" to be mixed with unknown viruses or radioactive isotopes from the Hive City slums.
At this thought, Alex suddenly thought of his grandmothers; both elderly women were now over ninety years old, while his grandfathers had both passed away more than ten years ago.
His parents were now also over sixty, and their health was deteriorating day by day.
This was already considered old in the 3k era, yet in the 40k era, apart from those lower-class Hive City residents who couldn't live past forty, anyone who could afford life-extension surgery still had at least several decades to live.
This made Alex Can't help it want to get some Rejuvenation Potion from the 40k era, at least to let his parents and relatives live longer.
This was not difficult for him; not to mention that he already had a professional Rejuvenation Warlock by his side, he also had Ovilia, a Biological Sage, under his command, whose talent was not only in agricultural planting and environmental transformation, but as a Biological Sage, she could also prepare Rejuvenation Potion.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"