chsdbacks Chapter 21 Sample Collection
Chapter 21 Sample Collection
Deep within the armory, the deep purple void energy crystal was carefully placed into a lead container, temporarily isolating it from its unsettling and peculiar fluctuations. Tony Stark continued pacing around his workbench, the fervor in his eyes not yet fully subsided, but his scholarly rationality had already led him to consider how to systematically utilize this unknown energy. However, before that, there was another equally important, even more urgent, task.
Chen Haotian removed the last detection probe from the crystal and turned his gaze to the pile of mutated zombie remains they had previously cleared out in the corner of the armory. "The mysteries of energy require gradual exploration, but understanding our enemy is the cornerstone of our survival right now," he said calmly, interrupting Tony's endless reverie about void energy.
Tony stopped and followed his gaze, his brow furrowing slightly, but he quickly nodded. "That's right, know your enemy. Especially those incredibly fast ones," he said, referring to the mutants they had encountered earlier, "regular zombies are slow and pose limited threat, but those mutants… they're game-changers. We need to know where they came from, why they mutated, and… how many are left."
Having reached an agreement, the two immediately got to work. They rummaged through the armory's tool shed and first-aid kit, finding some usable equipment: several scalpels of different models, tweezers, probes, rubber gloves (though some were old and brittle), several reasonably airtight glass jars and plastic sample bags, and even a dusty portable microscope, which, fortunately, worked in basic condition after being wiped clean. Tony also used the batteries and leftover materials he found to assemble a makeshift work light that could provide basic illumination.
With preparations complete, Chen Haotian put on his gloves and calmly approached the pile of rotting remains. Tony stood a little further away, arms crossed. He wasn't particularly interested in dissecting these disgusting things himself, but as an observer and technical advisor, he needed to be present.
Chen Haotian first selected the relatively intact head of the speed-type mutated zombie. He carefully secured it with tools, then picked up a scalpel. The blade cut along the sutures of the skull with precise and steady movements, unaffected by the harsh environment or the horror of the subject, demonstrating the absolute focus of a top student when facing a research subject and his solid foundation in anatomy.
The skull was painstakingly opened, revealing blackened, shrunken brain tissue with obvious signs of erosion. The stench of decay instantly intensified several times over, even causing Tony to frown and instinctively take a half-step back. But Chen Haotian merely held his breath slightly, his eyes remaining sharp as he carefully observed the brain's structure.
"Severe atrophy of the cerebral cortex, large-scale necrosis of neurons...this is consistent with the general characteristics of zombification, the loss of advanced intelligence, leaving only basic predatory instincts." He calmly stated while observing, gently probing the brain tissue with a probe. "However...the brainstem and cerebellum regions show abnormal relative activity. Look at the traces of bioelectrical residue here," he pointed to some fine structures observed under the microscope, "Although the cells are also dying, their energy activity levels were once far above normal, especially in the cerebellum, which matches its astonishing speed and coordination. The virus seems to have selectively strengthened certain neural centers that maintain basic movement and reflexes."
Next, he turned his attention to the mutated zombie's limbs, especially the muscle groups in the lower limbs. He cut off a small piece of relatively intact muscle tissue, placed it on a glass slide, and examined it under a microscope.
"The myofibril structure has changed significantly," Chen Haotian adjusted his focus, his tone tinged with inquiry. "The density of myofibrils has increased abnormally, and their arrangement has become disordered and somewhat 'fused,' forming thicker and denser fiber bundles. Mitochondria... their numbers are astonishing. Although most of them are inactive, judging from their remaining structures, they proliferated wildly in the early stages of the mutation, providing explosive energy."
Tony leaned closer, looking at the distorted muscle fiber images under the microscope, and stroked his chin, saying, "It's like... a virus has spawned an extremely inefficient but incredibly powerful biological engine? It trades the complete overdraft of cell lifespan and the destruction of normal physiological structures for superhuman athletic ability in a short period of time."
"That's one way to understand it," Chen Haotian agreed, carefully placing the muscle sample into a labeled sample bag and sealing it. "This mutation doesn't seem like orderly evolution; it's more like... an out-of-control, destructive alienation."
He then began examining the zombie's claws and teeth. The mutant's nails had become abnormally hard and sharp, with an unhealthy grayish-black color. He used tweezers to remove a small fragment and scraped away some residue from the surface of the teeth.
"The keratin layer of the nails and teeth has undergone some kind of mineralization, and the hardness is close to that of certain alloys. The composition needs further analysis, but it is clear that this enhances their aggressiveness." He also collected these samples separately.
Finally, and most importantly, came the step of collecting blood and tissue fluid samples. The mutant's blood was viscous, black, and almost completely stagnant. Chen Haotian painstakingly extracted small amounts from the still slightly damp blood vessels using a syringe, injecting them into several small glass vials. He then cut tiny samples from different organs—the heart, liver, and remaining lymphatic tissue—and sealed them one by one.
Throughout the collection process, Chen Haotian paid special attention to observing the biological characteristics that differed from ordinary zombies. For example, near the mutant's spine, he discovered some abnormally swollen ganglia, resembling some kind of energy transfer station; beneath its skin, there were some fine, dark lines, like circuit board traces, which appeared to be channels for highly concentrated viruses or abnormal energy flows.
“These features…” Chen Haotian pointed to the dark lines and swollen ganglia and said to Tony, “don’t seem like products of natural evolution. They look more like traces of being ‘modified’ by some external force. The virus itself may just be the trigger; the real cause of this specific enhancement may be something else.”
Tony pondered, "Like that crystal, it's a product of the collision of rules? Could these mutants also be 'anomalies' created by the intertwining of rules from two worlds?"
"We can't rule out that possibility." Chen Haotian sealed the last sample, took off his filthy gloves, and said, "We need a more specialized laboratory to perform in-depth gene sequencing and virus isolation. But for now, these samples at least tell us that we are facing not only the walking dead, but also monsters twisted and strengthened by unknown forces. Their appearance is not accidental."
He stared intently at the neatly arranged sample bags and glass bottles on the table. The systematic collection of these samples wasn't just about understanding the enemy; it was also his instinct as a top student—to gather as much data as possible, build models, and search for patterns when faced with the unknown. The remains of this mutated zombie were like a codebook written in twisted biology, and he had begun to try and decipher the first character.
Looking at Chen Haotian's focused and calm profile, Tony realized for the first time with such clarity that his "younger brother," who had appeared out of nowhere, was likely far more complex and powerful in intellect and will than he appeared. In this post-apocalyptic world, this quality was perhaps a more valuable resource than any weapon.
"Alright, the biological research is temporarily on hold," Tony clapped his hands, bringing the focus back to reality. "Next, we need to consider how to turn this place into a real fortress. After all, we don't want to be disturbed by these 'research results' of the same kind barging in while we're conducting in-depth research." His gaze swept over the samples, making a pointed remark.
Chen Haotian nodded and carefully put away the collected samples. The preliminary dissection and sample collection of the mutants revealed only the tip of the iceberg of potential threats, while also pointing the way for further research and defense. In this perilous world, knowledge and power are equally important.