Chapter 38: Hypotheses on Zerg Gene Expression

Sentinel Research Institute, underground space.

After more than a month of basic renovation, the first phase of the underground facility has been completed, while the second and third phases remain under construction. Once fully completed, the underground section will be more than three times larger than the surface area. The entire underground space is essentially dedicated to the biological research team.

When He Xingzhou arrived, he happened to run into Jiang Chan and Wu Rui, who had just put on their biochemical protection suits and were reporting for duty. Because they had worked with He Xingzhou on the previous black porgy mutation experiment and were aware of the Zerg, He Xingzhou had approved their participation in the Xuanwu Project. However, due to their current experience levels, they are strictly serving as interns at the Sentinel Research Institute.

"Senior!" Jiang Chan exclaimed with excitement upon seeing He Xingzhou. She hadn't seen him in over two months. Even through the transparent visor of her protective suit, He Xingzhou could still see the excited flush on her fair face. From a biological perspective, her unique constitution meant she had prominent facial capillaries, which often flushed when she was emotionally stimulated.

"Um, Chief Engineer He," Wu Rui said, still feeling unaccustomed to the new title. He used to call him "Junior," but that title was no longer appropriate now; it was better to address him as everyone else did.

"You've arrived," He Xingzhou greeted them warmly. Without their assistance previously, his experiments would have been difficult to conduct.

"We just got here today. We had to go through many rounds of screening; I was terrified," Jiang Chan said, as if she had a lot to share with him.

He Xingzhou smiled. "Because this project is so specialized, vetting the personnel involved is standard procedure. There’s no need to worry."

"Right!" Jiang Chan nodded repeatedly. "I’ve seen your plans, Senior. They are so grand; I can hardly imagine them!"

"Indeed," Wu Rui added with a sigh. "If I weren't involved in this personally, I would never believe we were participating in such a magnificent plan."

He Xingzhou replied, "We are just getting started; it’s too early to call it magnificent. Regardless, you must prepare yourselves mentally. The tasks ahead will be arduous."

"I will study and work hard!" Jiang Chan declared immediately.

Wu Rui envied her optimism. His own mood was heavy; anyone who knew the world would face an apocalypse in a few decades would surely feel the weight of it.

After a brief chat, they returned to their respective duties. He Xingzhou sought out the head of the research group, Academician Pan Yan, an expert from the Shanghai Institute of Biological Cells. Since arriving at the Sentinel Research Institute over a month ago, the seventy-year-old Academician Pan had not left once, personally building the team and allocating resources to drive the research forward.

"You've worked hard, Academician Pan," He Xingzhou said, noting her weary expression.

"It’s all for the sake of our Chinese people. There is no such thing as working too hard; we are all in this together!" Pan Yan dismissed his concern. "Chief Engineer He, I have had 147 mutated biological specimens brought back from all over the world. They are diverse, including both vertebrates and invertebrates."

In the first phase of the research facility, various biological cultivation vessels have been established. These were custom-built and rushed to completion, featuring not only biological cultivation functions but also safety and containment capabilities. The glass used is specialized, blast-resistant, and bulletproof, equipped with electrical paralysis, safety control mechanisms, and chemical sedatives. The base is under 24-hour armed guard to ensure no biological safety accidents occur.

He Xingzhou took a look. In the mutation cultivation room, the tanks were filled with various mutants: fish that had grown limbs, giant mollusks, and invertebrates with sharp teeth and claws. Currently, their degree of mutation was not yet high, and if discovered by outsiders, they would likely just be dismissed as deformed creatures.

"The water in the tanks varies—some are contaminated with nuclear radiation, some are biological culture fluids rich in nutrients, some are ordinary seawater, and others are freshwater or even waterless environments," Pan Yan explained. "By comparing multiple experimental conditions, we have reached a preliminary conclusion."

"These mutated creatures have an incredibly strong environmental adaptability! Furthermore, the way the Zerg genes are expressed in their bodies—the method of mutation—varies!"

"Some deep-sea species should, theoretically, die if removed from the deep sea due to the imbalance of internal and external pressure. Yet, the deep-sea species here have managed to adjust their internal air pressure to adapt to surface life! There are also mutated species we placed in waterless conditions; not only did they not die, but they grew organ-like structures similar to lungs within days!"

The more Pan Yan spoke, the more fearful she became. "It’s terrifying. They can adapt to multiple environments and make changes on the fly!"

He Xingzhou frowned slightly. "Academician Pan, do you remember what I mentioned in my previous analysis report?"

"I believe 'Zerg gene' is a very broad concept. It does not refer to a single gene, but an incredibly vast genetic library. It stores infinite information, and when the environment changes, the corresponding genes are expressed!"

"How could a single species have so many genes available for expression? That contradicts common sense!" Pan Yan wondered aloud.

"Academician Pan, I believe that when we study them, we should not view the Zerg as a single species, but as an alien life form," He Xingzhou cautioned.

"Isn't there a technology in the biological field called bio-chips?" He Xingzhou continued. "If every mutated creature has a bio-chip inside it, it acts as the core of a biological computer. When the external environment changes, the bio-chip outputs the correct gene expression, allowing them to evolve!"

Bio-chips—referring to gene chips, protein chips, polysaccharide chips, and neuron chips—use a dense, two-dimensional arrangement of biological macromolecules to store information, much like a computer chip. Most importantly, theoretically, the amount of information that can be stored in a bio-chip far exceeds current silicon-based chips.

"Bio-chips?" It wasn't that Pan Yan hadn't speculated about this, but she hadn't dared to follow that train of thought. If these mutated creatures truly had bio-chips inside them, it could only mean one thing: the so-called Zerg were a highly intelligent race, possibly originating from another planet. That would elevate their threat level to an infinite degree.

"If we can find a Zerg bio-chip and crack it, we could understand them to the greatest extent and find ways to counter them," He Xingzhou said.

Pan Yan was silent for a few seconds, then let out a long sigh. "It's difficult. It's too difficult!"

"We want to do exactly that, to observe their biological information in greater detail, but there is a mountain blocking our path right now, leaving us blind, unable to read any of the information!"