My Ultimate Sign-in System Made Me Invincible Chapter 564 The Iceberg Problem

An hour had elapsed since the procedure commenced, yet no outward alterations were discernible.

Diego remained without legs. Ernesto’s hands continued their practiced movements, honed by years of routine. Maya still rested on the pillow, just as she had in every bed for the past four years. The other volunteers were similarly unchanged.

Nevertheless, a significant transformation was underway, a fact palpable to all involved.

Diego, with his palms pressed firmly against the bedspread where his thighs ended, sensed a deep, internal itching that had persisted since the initial thirty seconds.

This sensation had now extended, traveling along nerve pathways, and he meticulously monitored its progress by location, intensity, and movement.

It was indeed moving.

He kept his observations to himself as Thomas stood by the monitoring display, his gaze intently scanning the rows of data.

In Ernesto’s room, a comforting warmth had permeated his chest and remained steadfast. He sat with his hands resting in his lap, his wife beside him, her hand covering his in a gesture of thirty-one years of companionship. Silence enveloped them. The warmth was constant, steady, and not unwelcome, prompting Ernesto to embrace a response of serene stillness.

His wife, though unspoken, had reached the same conclusion.

Maya had drifted into sleep.

Rosa sat by her daughter’s bedside, observing Maya’s face, which displayed a newfound relaxation unattainable for a long time. The nurse had mentioned that sleep was a common occurrence in the initial hours. Rosa hadn’t inquired further; merely watching Maya breathe was sufficient.

In the corridor outside, observers stood at their windows, diligently recording observations in their notebooks, which were filling at an unexpected pace.

***

The livestream had been broadcasting for over an hour, showing no signs of faltering.

The comment section had evolved beyond its initial frenzied outpouring, settling into a more engaging dynamic. Conversations branched into distinct threads, and participants remained invested. The dialogue shifted from immediate reactions to discourse that, in places, resembled genuine critical thinking.

A user posted: "Alright, I must pose the question lingering unspoken. The nanites scanned his entire physique within thirty seconds. HIS ENTIRE body. This implies they’ve identified every ailment he possesses. Not solely the amputation. Are they actively addressing all conditions concurrently?"

The thread rapidly became populated with responses.

Someone replied: "Based on the data glimpsed on the monitoring display before the camera shifted focus — affirmative. Multiple repair protocols are active and running in parallel."

Another chimed in: "So, while our attention is fixed on his legs, the nanites are simultaneously rectifying his potential iron deficiency, his trauma-induced neurological signature, and countless other issues we simply cannot witness."

A fourth commenter observed: "It’s the iceberg phenomenon. We’re privy only to the visible tenth."

A separate discussion emerged, sparked by a query that hadn’t previously occurred to anyone.

"What is the approach to congenital conditions? Those present from birth. The nanites analyze biological states and repair damage — but what constitutes 'damage' for a body that has always existed in a particular state? What is the baseline towards which they strive for repair?"

This thread garnered immediate interest.

A user, seemingly with medical expertise, responded: "This is currently the most compelling question within the comment section. The nanites presumably have access to genetic sequencing, enabling them to compare the intended blueprint against the realized state. However, in cases like a congenital heart defect, the body has adapted over decades. Correcting the defect could potentially destabilize these long-standing adaptations."

Another user added: "This implies the nanites must possess the intelligence to discern not only what is erroneous but also what has been compensated for, and in what sequence repairs should be undertaken to prevent the compensatory mechanisms from becoming the subsequent issue."

Original poster: "And we have absolutely no insight into their capabilities in this regard. We are observing three individuals, yet we remain ignorant of the ultimate potential. "

A thread discussing the elderly volunteer visible in the rightmost window had been developing gradually.

"The gentleman in the right window. His daughter’s hand has remained on his shoulder for the entire hour. I find myself repeatedly observing her expression, which conveys something I struggle to articulate accurately."

Someone replied: "She is anticipating an outcome she has been prepared for but lacks the framework to recognize upon its arrival."

Another commenter shared: "I have experienced being that daughter. Facing a different illness, in a different setting. I understand precisely the sentiment reflected on her face."

The subsequent replies to this comment fell silent for a noticeable duration. Then, slowly, the thread began to populate with individuals who had similarly occupied the role of that daughter, that son, that person standing vigil by a bedside, awaiting a change.

***

In the monitoring room, observers had taken their places within the cutout section, forming two informal clusters: the Mexican delegation on the left and the Polish delegation on the right. For a brief moment, all eyes were fixed upon the holographic display.

Six volunteer feeds were neatly arranged in a grid on the upper half of the screen. Below them, real-time monitoring data flowed continuously—columns detailing biological variables, nanite activity indicators, and repair progress for each system and location. These numbers updated at a rapid pace, requiring significant concentration to track even a single figure.

Nova stood at the room's center, facing the display, awaiting the observers to settle.

A physician from COFEPRIS took a position at the front, opening her notebook without looking down. She had been formulating questions since their journey through the corridor.

"Regarding the repair prioritization," she began. "The intake scan indicated multiple conditions for each volunteer. How does the system determine the sequence of repairs?"

Nova gestured towards the relevant section of the display. "Threat to life is addressed first. Then, conditions that exacerbate other issues. Finally, quality of life impacts are ranked by severity." She paused. "In Volunteer 11's case, the malnutrition and anemia are being treated concurrently with nerve regeneration. This is because tissue reconstruction requires resources his body is currently lacking. The nanites identified this dependency and adjusted the plan accordingly."

The physician scribbled notes without looking up. "So, the nanites modified the repair sequence based on resource availability?"

"Correct," Nova affirmed.

"And this happened in real time?"

"Continuously," she replied.

The legal observer from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who had been intently watching the Parkinson's display, spoke for the first time since entering. "The dopamine pathway repair," he stated carefully. "The percentage is still climbing."

"That's right," Nova confirmed.

"What does completion look like for that specific condition? Is there a defined endpoint?"

Nova considered the question, giving it the due attention it deserved. "The nanites repair based on the genetic template. For a neurodegenerative condition, this means restoring the structures and pathways to a functional state consistent with the volunteer's baseline prior to deterioration." She glanced at the display. "The endpoint is determined by the biology itself, not by a threshold we set."

The Polish physician leaned slightly forward. "Are you suggesting the nanites understand what 'healthy' looks like for each individual person?"

"They read the template," Nova explained. "'Healthy' isn't a universal standard; it's individual."

The room seemed to absorb this information, punctuated by the scratch of a pen and a quiet exhale.

Miriam Stein, the WHO counsel, stood slightly apart from both delegations. Her notebook was open, but her pen remained still. Her focus was less on the data and more on the dynamics within the room.

"The consent document," she stated, "specified that the nanites respond automatically to life-threatening events. What constitutes 'life-threatening' in this context, and who defines that threshold?"

Nova turned to face her directly. "The system defines it. Cardiac arrest, acute respiratory failure, systemic collapse—events that cross a biological threshold assessed by the nanites in real-time. There is no human decision point between the event and the response. The required speed makes that impossible."

Stein wrote steadily. "So, the automated response operates independently of clinical judgment."

"It operates faster than clinical judgment is possible," Nova countered. "The clinical team is alerted simultaneously. They are not bypassed; they are simply not the first responder."

Stein regarded Nova for another moment, then wrote something down, underlining it.

Nova turned her attention back to the display. Volunteer 11's nerve regeneration indicators had shifted again during the exchange of questions.

No one in the room had stopped watching the volunteers.

***

During the clinical trial's progression, designated on-site personnel had embarked on two space shuttles, departing the Base for their respective airports to rendezvous with arriving volunteers.