Zuo Feng gently stroked Da Mi Tao and Xiao Mi Tao’s waists, lost in thought.
He then asked, “Professor Yan, how long will it take for A Mao to become a complete entity? That is, the Super Individual you mentioned?”
Professor Yan pondered for a moment, then slowly replied:
“Based on current progress and data analysis, A Mao is expected to reach the complete entity state in about a week at most. By then, her strength will be unprecedentedly powerful, possibly even exceeding our current cognitive limits.”
Jun Wushuang had only lit up half of his eighth lotus seed, but once A Mao fully evolved, she could rival a strong individual who had lit up eight lotus seeds. This was Professor Yan’s conclusion after comparative research with Jun Wushuang.
Especially since the time was very short. It had only been a week since A Mao consumed the life crystal, and even counting from her initial injection of the agent, the entire process was less than a month. To be able to produce such a powerful individual in such a short time was undoubtedly an unprecedented miracle.
Zuo Feng then realized with a start: perhaps their understanding of the Pigeon egg of the Xenomorph was still only on a superficial level, not having delved into its essence.
Zuo Feng looked down at Da Mi Tao in his arms and asked in a low voice, “Where is A Mao now?”
He also wanted to see how A Mao was doing now.
Da Mi Tao softly replied, “Da Bai Tu took her to the construction site to play. She’s still a little girl, it’s not good for her to be cooped up in the base every day.”
Zuo Feng nodded slightly, a strange mix of anticipation and apprehension rising in his heart.
“Thank you, Professor Yan. We’ll still need you to put in more effort later. Also, research on the New type of symbiotic zombie virus must be accelerated. If an antidote truly cannot be developed, a detection agent must be released as soon as possible, at least to allow us to be prepared.”
Professor Yan nodded, his expression serious: “Understood, I will do my best.”
Just then, a series of urgent “beep beep beep” alarms suddenly sounded, breaking the quiet of the Laboratory.
Professor Yan quickly got up, his brows tightly furrowed, and walked briskly to the control panel. On the surveillance screen, several experimental subjects, labeled as “pathogens,” suddenly lost control, violently crashing against the isolation chamber walls, the metal emitting a harsh, twisting sound.
At this moment, their eyes were bloodshot, their muscles bulged, and their blood vessels protruded like earthworms. They had clearly entered a berserk state. Most terrifyingly, a subtle, half-Slash Zombie had already appeared on their foreheads.
Zuo Feng’s expression was serious as he asked, “What is that?”
Xiao Mi Tao’s eyes widened, and she replied with a hint of surprise:
“Brother Feng, those are the pathogens that Mei Xue Ji captured from H City and brought here for experiments. It’s so strange, why did they suddenly lose control? Could they have been stimulated by something external? But it’s been several days, and they’ve been very stable.”
Zuo Feng’s eyes flickered slightly when he heard Xiao Mi Tao mention external stimulation. He looked at the mutated sapling he had placed on the table, secretly pondering:
“Could it be this sapling? The seller deliberately mentioned that this sapling attracts powerful mutated zombies. Could it be stimulating the pathogens into a berserk state? If so, this sapling might be able to detect carriers of the New type of symbiotic zombie virus!”
Zuo Feng quickly picked up the mutated sapling and said to Professor Yan:
“Professor Yan, this sapling is a mutated plant I just acquired. It attracts powerful mutated zombies. Is it possible that its presence is what triggered the pathogens’ violent reaction?”
These pathogens didn’t lose control earlier or later, but precisely at this moment. Zuo Feng found it hard not to attribute it to this sapling.
Professor Yan’s eyes gleamed when he heard this, and he immediately shifted his attention from the out-of-control pathogens to the sapling in Zuo Feng’s hand.
He stepped forward quickly, his voice tinged with urgent excitement:
“Leader, hurry! Put this plant in the isolation observation area! If its presence truly triggered the reaction, this will be a breakthrough discovery! It can accurately pinpoint infected individuals!”
Zuo Feng did not hesitate, immediately turning and walking towards the reinforced glass isolation room in the corner of the Laboratory.
He carefully placed the sapling, potted in a flowerpot, on the platform inside the isolation room. Almost the instant the sapling was set down—
“Roar—!”
On the monitoring screen, the pathogens that had been frantically crashing against the isolation chamber walls suddenly froze!
They seemed to be drawn by an invisible magnet, simultaneously turning their hideous, bloodshot heads in unison towards the interior of the Laboratory, directly facing the isolation room!
They let out even more piercing, desperate roars, their target of impact instantly changing, as they lunged recklessly towards the chamber wall in the direction of the isolation room!
They continuously slammed against the sturdy alloy metal wall, and the alarm sound became even more shrill and piercing.
“Indeed!” Xiao Mi Tao gasped, covering her mouth, her large, watery eyes filled with disbelief.
Da Mi Tao also stared intently at the monitoring screen, her brows tightly furrowed: “They are frantically trying to get close to that sapling! This reaction is too obvious!”
Professor Yan was so excited his fingers trembled slightly. He quickly pulled up the real-time data stream on the control panel, speaking rapidly:
“The peak of the data fluctuations perfectly matches the time the sapling was placed!
The energy field radiation pattern is being recorded… Incredible!
The special energy fluctuations emitted by this mutated plant have a strong attraction to New type of symbiotic zombie virus carriers, and can even induce an explosive activation of the virus within them!
This is simply the most perfect natural detector and bait!”
He suddenly looked up at Zuo Feng, his gaze burning behind his glasses:
“Leader! This plant is extremely valuable! We must immediately conduct in-depth research on it!
Analyze its energy components and attraction mechanism!
If we can successfully replicate or utilize it, we can create a portable device for detecting the New type of symbiotic zombie virus!
This is much more efficient and direct than the chemical detection agents we are currently developing!”
Zuo Feng looked at the seemingly unremarkable sapling in the isolation room, then at the monitoring screen where several pathogens were in a berserk state due to being unable to get close. His mind suddenly cleared.
This transaction was truly an unexpected treasure! He decisively ordered: “Professor Yan, immediately conduct a comprehensive analysis of the sapling. Make it the highest priority project!”
“Understood!”
Professor Yan immediately left Zuo Feng and excitedly threw himself into work, directing the other scientific researchers to begin collecting energy samples and data from the sapling.
As for the pathogens in the Laboratory, they were still frantically crashing against the metal wall, each impact seemingly expressing their extreme longing for the sapling.
Fortunately, their strength was not great, otherwise, the Laboratory’s defenses would probably struggle to hold up.
However, the Slash Zombie on the foreheads of these pathogens made Zuo Feng fall into deep thought: zombies usually have horizontal or vertical bars on their foreheads, so could this Slash Zombie be the characteristic mark of the New type of symbiotic zombie virus?
What exactly was the function of the sapling? The pathogens were fine just now, but not long after he brought the sapling, they actually turned into Slash Zombies.
Zuo Feng was certain that these pathogens were no longer human; they had completely become puppets of the virus, evolving into a new species of zombie.