Chapter 368: Great Value

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Some netizens were worried about the Z nation’s population demographics.

Now, the current Z nation was just a bigger version of Japan, and that nation was deteriorating at an even faster pace and facing an all the more terrifying ending!

Was it just some netizens that were anxious about this problem?

As a matter of fact, there were some very anxious people that were panicking intensely.

...

21st of October.

An important guest arrived at the Xing Hai building.

Xie Linze, a middle-aged square-faced man in his 50s was currently sitting opposite of Chen Jin in the board room.

“Minister Xie, my company’s life-prolonging technique can indeed extend life expectancy and restore the human body to a young state. I know that some medical institutions also have the technology to significantly extend the lifespan of animals such as mice and monkeys, but it is very difficult to restore a worn being’s youthful vitality. In this field, Xing Hai Technologies is at least 15 years ahead of others.”

“Theoretically, the treatment’s reliability is over 99%, but we dare not promise that it is perfectly safe. To ensure it is, I think we will need another 20 years conducting experiments on a large number of subjects. At the same time, we will also require policy support to bring in millions of elderly people into this experiment The resistance to that will certainly be immense. All of this depends on the government’s attitude,” said Chen Jin faintly. He put the ball firmly back in Xie Linze’s court.

Xie Linze glanced at him as thousands of expletives cruised through his brain. But he still maintained a smile on his face and said, “But you’ve still done what you should, haven’t you? Our attitude is less important in this matter. Besides, my side must not hinder the progress of technology.”

Chen Jin’s expression changed slightly as he quickly waved his hands and said, “Please do not say that Minister Xie. Xing Hai Technologies is a tech company. Our core values and corporate culture is to bring good to the world! But there is also a premise, and that will be being legal, compliant, and not to cause trouble.”

“Oh? Not causing trouble?” Xie Linze shook his head while even more expletives bombarded his brain. No longer mincing his words, he said, “Towards your company’s life-prolonging technology, our attitude can be summarized in one word—support. We support the all-out application and promotion of this technology.”

He pointed a finger, “One year. We will give your company a years’ time to conduct tests on a million test subjects. If the reliability is above 90% and the mortality rate due to accidents is less than one in ten thousand, the treatment will be promoted beginning from next year and made an ordinary medical service available for all citizens.”

Chen Jin was shocked.

“One year? You are not kidding me right Mr. Xie? A one-year experimental period and large-scale promotion by next year, isn’t it a little too rushed? Besides, even if a few dozen out of the million die accidentally, Xing Hai Hospital will still face tremendous public pressure and will be harassed by a horde of hospital violators.”

“Five to ten years will do Mr. Xie, five years at the very least. One year is really too hasty, and the risks will be great as well!”

Xie Linze, however, shook his head hard. “No, we can’t afford to give you five years! Three years at the max. The life-prolonging technology must be released as soon as possible!”

From next year onwards, the Z nation would enter the period at which the death rate was at its peak. Many people born in the fifties and sixties of the previous century were now in their 70s or 80s. Z nation had arrived at the so-called “elimination period”. The nation’s net population loss would be terrifying.

Hence, Xing Hai Technologies’ life-prolonging technology appeared very timely. The treatment could be introduced before the situation worsens.

The treatment was a kind of life elixir. Of course, it must be delivered in a timely manner.

Even if its reliability was only 80% and the accidental death rate was as high as 10%, in the face of the cliff-falling population, its full-scale introduction would still be valuable! There was no time to delay!

Chen Jin was now truly shocked. He had not expected that there was such urgency and that the nation could not even wait for five years.

The life-prolonging treatment would be best promoted by next year. Besides, from Minister Xie’s attitude, one could tell that, even if Xing Hai Hospital’s life-prolonging technology was not mature and bore a certain amount of risks, it wouldn’t matter as the higher authorities would deal with any problems for them. In short, the service must be launched as soon as possible.

“Mr. Xie, it is unlikely that we will be able to finish it within a year. The Xing Hai Hospital is lacking in both production capacity and professional staff. I will have to discuss with my management team and the experts to see whether we could finish the experiment on a million test subjects within three years. I’ll give you an answer tomorrow.”

“Very well then. I hope for a positive answer from you!”

Xie Linze nodded, stood up and left the discussion room.

historical

...

Shortly after Minister Xie’s departure, Chen Jin quickly summoned the company’s core executive members and held a meeting at the strategy conference room.

Chen Jin frowned as he said, “Minister Xie’s reaction was beyond my expectations. He is more anxious than I thought. He’s giving Xing Hai Technologies at most three years to introduce the life-prolonging treatment. Why is he in such a hurry?”

“Could there be some VIPs that want the service immediately?” vice manager Liang Ying guessed.

“Uhm, this should not be the main problem,” Ling Jundong said after some thought. “Perhaps the main reason is that our country’s population demographic has really worsened to the extent that it needs to be rescued.”

“Mr. Chen, everyone, I have an economics background and have recently researched a great deal on demographics. After an in-depth study, I have come to a conclusion: population economics is definitely the most accurate economic theory.”

“With population comes consumption. With labor comes production. Even education, the medical industry, automobile industry, real estate, catering, tourism, entertainment... all industries must be supported by a population.”

“Without population, no matter how strong a nation’s strength is and how well their technology might have developed, nothing will help. That nation will only weaken and gradually die off.”

“In the demographic composition, children are not the main consumers because they are not producers; the elderly are not the main pillars of consumption because they are old and more or less have some inconvenience in their movements and thus, are unable to enjoy many things. They can’t work, can’t generate economic value, and are haunted by illnesses. They use up a large amount of public medical resources and is a huge burden to society.”

“Only young people are both producers and consumers. They must support themselves and support their families and at the same time. They bear many social obligations. They belong to the class with the most stress and most disbursements.”

“Of course, if a society is made up of mostly young people in their 20s and 30s, the labor force is sufficient and we will get to enjoy a demographic dividend. Society’s burden on all aspects will be minimal, and a lightly loaded country will translate into rapid development.”

“If most of the society consists of the middle-aged and elderly, the labor force will be severely lacking, and what we will get to enjoy is negative profit. The whole country will be dragged behind and its development will be hampered.”

“It is true that, nowadays, technology is well developed. The wide-scale application of robots has saved us insurmountable labor force. But with weak consumption powers, no matter how high productivity is, economic growth will remain stagnated. In the end, humans will still be needed.”

“Once our life-prolonging medical treatment is launched, human lifespan will be extended by at least 50 years and human bodies will be reverted to their 30s and 40s. This means that all of our elderly people will be transformed into labor force and consumer population.”

“For each elderly person we treat, we will create a labor force that can go on operating for around 30 years and generate a labor production value of not less than 3 million.”

“At the same time, we will also create a consumer who will continue spending for another 50 years. Within those 50 years, his or her consumption should not be less than two million dollars.”

“Besides, we will greatly reduce our country’s burden by saving them on pension expenses and medical expenses. The country will thus have a more adequate and healthier budget.”

“As an approximation, the comprehensive value for each elderly person will be at least five million dollars. We will treat people based on the value they will provide to society.”

“Multiply that by 350 million...”

Ling Jundong took a deep breath and said, “Mr. Chen, our life-prolonging technique has altered our country’s future.”

Everyone took a deep breath and finally understood the great value that dwelled within their program.