Chapter 12: The Beast in the Cage

No matter what anyone thought, no one would believe the creature in the video was just a black sea bream.

“Xingzhou He, what kind of joke are you playing? It’s not April Fool’s Day!” Chen Dong was already somewhat irritated. He had been quite lenient with He Xingzhou’s attitude, but if any other student had played such a prank, he would have immediately started reprimanding them.

“All right, enough of this,” Bo Yan Zhang said firmly. “Let’s get on with what needs to be done.”

“Professors, I truly didn’t mean to cause trouble,” He Xingzhou insisted. “This mutated creature is currently in one of the biology labs in the school’s Biological Experiment Building. I can take you there to see it for yourselves. If I’m lying, I’ll accept any punishment, even expulsion from the university, without complaint.”

Seeing He Xingzhou speak so earnestly, both men grew puzzled. He was no ordinary student; he was a genius, bold in thought and action. Though usually lively, he wouldn’t dare to make a mockery of his teachers or risk his own future.

“Are you sure?” Chen Dong asked again.

“I’m certain!” He Xingzhou replied. “Two members of the Mutated Creature Research Team are still guarding it right now.”

“Dean, I request that we bring several professors from the biology department to inspect this! Apart from the mutant creature, I’ve also written a report titled ‘Research on Zerg-like Genes,’ which I hope to submit to the National Security Bureau.”

As a key national university, the biology department at the Capital Science and Technology University included several leading figures in the biological sciences, some even academicians of the national two academies. Gaining their endorsement would lend much credibility to He Xingzhou’s report.

Exchanging glances, Bo Yan Zhang stood and said, “Very well, let’s go see what this is all about.”

Chen Dong added, “No need to fetch other biology professors just yet; let’s check it out first.”

He Xingzhou led the way. The Biological Experiment Building was not far, and soon they arrived. Even now, both remained skeptical; had it not been for He Xingzhou’s reputation as collateral, they would never have come.

At the lab entrance, they saw a female student with a sullen expression standing guard.

“This is the place,” He Xingzhou said, then asked Jiang Chan, “Has anything unexpected happened?”

Chan whispered, “The creature is very ferocious and restless when it sees us.”

She turned to Professors Chen and Zhang and said, “Please be mentally prepared. The creature is highly aggressive—don’t let it frighten you.”

“I’ve witnessed nuclear blasts before; this won’t scare me,” Zhang Bo Yan chuckled. “I have to see this for myself. What kind of trick are you playing?”

With that, he strode into the laboratory.

Inside, Rui Wu was on watch.

The cage holding Black Sea Bream No. 2 was covered by a black cloth. Zhang Bo Yan asked, “Is it here?”

“Yes,” Wu nodded. “Professor, this creature goes into a frenzy when it sees people. You should keep your distance.”

“Pull it back!” Chen Dong entered as well.

Wu stared at the cage and nodded slightly. Not daring to use his hands, he carefully lifted the cloth with a long rod.

Chen Dong and Zhang Bo Yan focused intently on the cage. The instant the cloth dropped, a fierce figure slammed against the metal bars, emitting a low, hoarse roar filled with rage and violence.

Chen Dong was startled, stepping back two paces; Zhang Bo Yan was similarly shaken. Had they not been mentally prepared, they might have suffered heart attacks.

Inside the cage was the exact same creature from He Xingzhou’s video.

Seeing it in person was a completely different experience from watching on a phone. They saw sharp bone spines along its back, a mouth full of serrated teeth, eyes glowing red. They heard its furious roar, felt its pounding, and smelled a foul stench of sea brine mixed with blood.

The feeling of facing this beast head-on was dreadful—like standing before a wild tiger. Even caged, the creature inspired a deep psychological dread.

Zhang Bo Yan gasped, “There really is such a monster!”

Though a physics professor, he was a top scholar in his sixties with considerable biological knowledge. He had never before encountered such a creature—a hybrid of marine fish and carnivorous mammals, yet not any known amphibian.

“How did the university come to possess such a thing? How did you manage to get it here?” Chen Dong asked, still shaken.

He Xingzhou explained, “This is Black Sea Bream No. 2. Nuclear radiation triggered a major mutation. In fact, No. 1 and No. 3 have also mutated, but not as rapidly.”

“We’ve documented their daily appearances.”

He Xingzhou opened his laptop and showed them the experimental records. Every day they took photos and preserved biological samples like blood and scales.

As they examined the records carefully, their expressions grew grave. They confirmed the creature had indeed started as a mutated black sea bream only 200 millimeters long.

After several weeks of mutation, it transformed into its current form.

According to He Xingzhou’s research, this mutated organism carried a gene he called the ‘Zerg-like gene.’ This gene acted like a viral gene or perhaps a parasitic gene.

“When triggered by certain external stimuli or upon reaching maturity, it expresses itself, taking control of the host organism’s body and evolving it into a ‘Zerg-like’ monster. My paper details the experimental process and results, and I have constructed a preliminary evolution model of the Zerg-like gene.”

“This gene is not exclusive to this mutated black sea bream. Our research indicates that other mutated organisms also harbor this gene.”

“Theoretically, once mutated into a Zerg-like monster, their physiological structure is completely overturned, even reconstructed. They exhibit extreme aggression, rapid brain expansion, possibly achieving advanced intelligence. Moreover, their scales are incredibly tough, resistant to fire and even bullets. There are other special abilities I have yet to detect.”

“Professors, imagine what would happen if these Zerg-like monsters appeared en masse worldwide?”

When He Xingzhou finished, their faces had dramatically changed. Regardless of the accuracy of his speculation, the situation before them made the danger undeniable.

Zhang Bo Yan immediately asked, “Does this gene affect humans? Are these creatures carriers of any virus? Can they infect people?”

He Xingzhou shook his head. “No viruses have been detected so far, though some mutated organisms might carry viruses. Rest assured, the laboratory has been thoroughly cleaned and inspected—no viruses were found.”

Chen Dong drew a deep breath and said, “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it.”

“But now this living example is right in front of us—there is no room for disbelief.”

“This matter is indeed very serious. We must take immediate action.”