Feng Jun was very satisfied with the experimental results; the successful development of Anti-corpse liquid gave him a weapon that could truly threaten the Zombies.
Feng Jun could already envision that after equipping a large number of weapons made from Anti-corpse liquid, humanity could counterattack the cities, reclaim them from the Zombies, and re-establish human civilization.
However, before that, there was a very important matter: the production capacity of Anti-corpse liquid.
Feng Jun asked, “What is the output of Anti-corpse liquid? Can it be mass-produced into weapons?”
Yan Xin shook his head and said, “Not yet.
Anti-corpse liquid is made from a fungus that can grow inside Zombie bodies; I call this fungus Anti-corpse Fungus.
Fungi do not have chloroplasts, so they cannot photosynthesize like plants.
They are heterotrophic organisms and need to obtain organic matter from the outside world to sustain life activities.
Therefore, the growth environment for Anti-corpse Fungus is very demanding.
Not to mention it must grow in an environment similar to a subway, the temperature, humidity, and radiation levels all need precise control, but I have already figured out these issues through experimentation.
However, the most serious problem currently is that Anti-corpse Fungus must grow inside a Zombie, and one Zombie can only be used once.
Once the mycelium fills the entire Zombie body, that Zombie is Abandon.
At that point, we will need to replace it with new Zombies, which means we need to continuously capture Zombies to produce Anti-corpse liquid.
The current production capacity is very low, only enough to meet experimental needs; expanding production requires a large number of Zombies.”
“I will find a way to deal with the Zombies.
Right now, you need to quickly research and develop weapons made with Anti-corpse liquid.
Once the output can keep up, you must be able to guarantee the production of weapons,” Feng Jun said.
Yan Xin immediately patted his chest and said, “No problem, boss.
The weapons are already in design; as long as the Zombies can keep up, I guarantee mass production.”
Feng Jun patted Yan Xin’s shoulder: “Good!
Well done.
Since you were able to research Anti-corpse liquid this time, your research department will have extra food tonight, and Song Zhan will send you a few cases of good wine later.”
“Thank you, boss!” Yan Xin immediately said.
Upon hearing about the wine, not only Yan Xin but also his assistants nearby were very excited, whispering happily to each other.
In the Doomsday, people faced daily survival pressure, not only worrying about food and clothing but also guarding against the threat of Zombies and various Mutated Creatures.
Many chose to numb themselves to escape reality, so alcohol and drugs were naturally bestsellers in the wasteland.
However, because the Doomsday itself lacked grain, most of the brewed alcohol was chemically blended alcohol.
Occasionally, one could drink grain-based beer that contained massive amounts of radiation.
Most of the liquor sold at the Iron Rose Bar, operated by the Blackwater Merchant Guild, was inferior liquor mixed with chemical alcohol.
The wine Feng Jun used to reward them was naturally not the inferior chemical alcohol of the Doomsday, but all spirits and beer brought from the modern world.
Feng Jun had already started selling alcohol in the Doomsday, and he found that people in the Doomsday’s love for alcohol far exceeded that for food or even tobacco.
After successfully defending against the Zombie Tide last time, Feng Jun, to reward the soldiers involved in the defense, had brought out a large quantity of cigarettes and spirits to reward his soldiers.
However, he later found that almost all his soldiers were alcoholics.
Compared to cigarettes, which are also addictive, the soldiers preferred to hold bottles of alcohol and drink wildly.
Although Feng Jun did not mind his subordinates drinking, on the contrary, he could use alcohol to reward his subordinates, which is why he just mentioned sending Yan Xin a few cases of good wine as a reward.
After all, compared to chemical drugs, grain-produced alcohol was more popular.
“Are there any other research advancements?
What have you discovered about the Ape-man’s corpse?” Feng Jun asked.
He recalled the Ape-man named Guma he encountered last time.
After a fierce battle, Feng Jun killed it with his temporarily evolved abilities, but he himself was also seriously injured.
A strange armor was attached to the Ape-man’s body, which seemed capable of generating small energy shields.
Feng Jun had previously given the Ape-man’s corpse to Yan Xin for research, hoping to uncover the secret of the shield.
Yan Xin immediately said, “Yes, we have studied the Ape-man’s corpse you brought back.
Currently, we have only removed the armor from its body and performed a simple dissection of the corpse; there haven’t been any major discoveries yet.”
“Can the armor on its body still be used, or can you research the shield technology on it?
Do you have confidence in this area?” Feng Jun asked.
Yan Xin said, “It requires time.
The armor on the Ape-man’s body is a semi-finished product, directly transplanted onto the Ape-man’s skin.
We directly peeled off the entire Ape-man’s skin to separate the armor.
We currently lack the ability to reverse-engineer the shield technology on it.
However, one thing is certain: the armor on the Ape-man’s body is a complete semi-finished product, but its completion level is very high.
Based on my experience, the researcher who created this Ape-man has definitely completed the design of the entire armor.
During the dissection of the Ape-man’s corpse, we found extensive modification marks inside the Ape-man’s body.
Its internal structure had undergone multiple surgical modifications, and even a miniature military-grade fission reactor was implanted to power the shield.”
Feng Jun asked, “Besides that, is there any other valuable information?”
“Currently, the armor still needs to be disassembled, and we will accelerate the progress.
However, before the Doomsday, only the Imperial Government and a few large companies possessed such research capabilities.
Moreover, conducting such research would certainly require a large research base.
I speculate that the ordinary Ape-men you encountered are the hybridized offspring of this Ape-man and its companions.
Near the areas where Ape-men are active, there must be a hidden pre-war large research facility.
If we can find this research facility, everything will become much simpler,” Yan Xin said.
Feng Jun then recalled the group of ordinary Ape-men he and Li Lu encountered.
Although they knew how to use weapons and armor, they did not exhibit higher intelligence; calling them incompletely evolved savages would be more appropriate.
They did not show the same intelligence and courage as the Ape-man named Guma, quickly scattering and fleeing under the firepower suppression of Feng Jun and Li Lu.
“Are you saying this Ape-man has many other counterparts?”
“Yes,” Yan Xin nodded.
“Although there are no corpses of ordinary Ape-men, based on your description and the dissection of this Ape-man’s corpse, two things can be confirmed.
First, this Ape-man is definitely a product of laboratory modification.
It was previously injected with a large amount of agents and underwent surgical modifications to enhance its intelligence and physical strength, but this induced intelligence is not innate or evolved and cannot be inherited.”
“Second, the Ape-man itself still possesses reproductive capabilities; its reproductive organs are intact.
The researchers who created it did not remove its fertility.
As long as there is a suitable female, it can mate and produce offspring.
However, offspring born from such mating cannot fully inherit the intelligence and physical abilities of their parents, at least not the same level of intelligence.
The intellectual level of the offspring will show a cliff-like decline, with maintaining the level of a human three-to-five-year-old child being the limit.
Furthermore, offspring born from subsequent generations will become even weaker, unable to retain even powerful physiques, eventually degenerating into ordinary primates.”
Feng Jun now finally understood what happened with the Ape-men he and Li Lu encountered that day.
Presumably, those Ape-men, like savages, were the first generation of offspring born from the laboratory Ape-men.
According to Yan Xin, they would not only lack the intelligence of their parents but also their physical strength would decline with each generation, eventually becoming ordinary apes.
Thinking of this, Feng Jun also breathed a sigh of relief; this would reduce the threat of the Ape-men by a notch.
If the offspring of these Ape-men were all as strong and intelligent as Guma, then humanity’s situation would undoubtedly be even more perilous.
“Continue the reverse engineering of the armor’s functions.
Notify me immediately if you find any results,” Feng Jun said.
Although Power Armor provides excellent defense, equipping it with small energy shields would greatly enhance its defensive capabilities.
Powerful Mutants, such as Sawtooth and Scale Armor Corpse, have evolved their claws to the point where they can cut through steel.
While plasma shields could be installed on N1 Tanks and Titan Power Armor before the Doomsday, individual Power Armor still relied on physical armor for defense.
If energy shields could be installed on Power Armor, Feng Jun would immediately become the strongest force in the entire Shangqing City area.
“If you want to strengthen your own defense, I have other methods, such as the Scale Armor Corpse’s body you brought back,” Yan Xin suddenly said.
Feng Jun became interested upon hearing this: “Are you saying the Scale Armor Corpse’s skin can be made into protective gear?”
Yan Xin said, “Exactly.
Scale Armor Corpse is a highly evolved Mutant.
Among Mutants, it belongs to the high-level kings.
With its hard scales and sharp claws, even a Mutant with a hundred more energy points might not be its match.
A protective suit made from the Scale Armor Corpse’s skin can even defend against close-range laser gun fire.
If you need it, I can immediately arrange for someone to make one for you.”
Feng Jun thought about it; his Blood Eye evolution ability and Li Lu’s Energy Burst ability were both close-combat abilities.
Although Feng Jun and Li Lu would wear Power Armor during combat, the Power Armor could only withstand a few hits against high-level Mutants, which is why Feng Jun was so interested in the energy armor on the Ape-man.
Then, Feng Jun instructed Yan Xin to make him a protective suit from the Scale Armor Corpse’s skin, and one for Li Lu as well.
Although made from Mutant skin, as long as it could save their lives, it was sufficient.