Chapter 401: The Extraterrestrial Evil
Chapter 401: The Extraterrestrial Evil
The cold wind howled, and snowflakes danced in the air.
A specially-designed military helicopter descended with a loud rumble, its propellers whipping up a blizzard of ice and snow.
"Professor Carl!"
Major General Hausmann, a burly Caucasian man, shielded his eyes with one hand and shouted,
"We've arrived!"
His voice was barely audible over the sound of the spinning propellers.
"Hmm."
Professor Carl nodded and leaped out of the cabin.
His agile figure and nimble movements caused Hausmann's eyebrows to twitch slightly, and he quickly averted his gaze.
Apparently, Professor Carl didn't seem as old as his age suggested, nor did he possess the refined demeanor one would expect.
They were in the polar region.
A temporary military camp had been set up.
Spotlights stood at the perimeter, scanning the area, while uniformed personnel bustled about.
"Mr. Auston."
Hausmann led Carl to a tent and gestured,
"This is Professor Carl, an expert in biogenetics. Professor, this is Mr. Auston, the sponsor of this operation."
It was common knowledge that the federal military collaborated with various business groups, and some even had their own private armies.
The military had to eat too.
The federal salary alone wouldn't cover even the recruitment costs, so cooperation was inevitable.
"Mr. Auston?" Carl extended his hand, and they shook lightly,
"I've seen your interviews on TV. You're hailed as the most talented entrepreneur of the century in the Federation. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine." Auston wore gold-rimmed glasses and a tailored suit, with a rapier hanging at his waist, creating a somewhat mismatched appearance. Yet, he exuded a unique air of nobility, distinct from ordinary businessmen.
He smiled and spoke,
"Professor Carl, your research in genetics is truly astounding. I've always wanted to visit you."
"I appreciate your help on this matter."
"Even without the military's request, the compensation alone is worth the trip." Carl smiled,
"Where is it?"
"This way!"
Hausmann and Auston gestured simultaneously.
"After you, Professor!"
Behind the tent was a large underground base built deep into the ice, invisible from the outside.
The base was surrounded by thick ice, but there was still water below, separated by a sturdy transparent barrier.
Carl touched the wall.
"This is the latest composite material, capable of withstanding extreme cold. The colder it gets, the harder it becomes."
Auston explained,
"It's useless elsewhere, but it's perfect for the polar region, where the temperature consistently stays below zero."
Carl nodded slowly.
As they entered the base, personnel in safety gear were hard at work.
The most prominent object was a black spherical object frozen in the center.
"Professor."
Here, Auston was the host. He turned on a screen, zooming in on the details of the black sphere,
"This thing fell from the sky a few days ago. It's suspected to be a meteorite, but we've detected organic matter within..."
"We speculate it might be some kind of organism."
"Through isotope decay and other tests, we've determined that this organism likely existed hundreds of millions of years ago."
Hundreds of millions of years ago?
Carl's eyes widened slightly, and he flipped through the documents handed to him.
"Fossils of organisms from hundreds of millions of years ago aren't uncommon, but this thing... you say it might still be alive?"
"Yes."
Auston's expression turned solemn,
"It's alive!"
"As long as the temperature rises above a certain level, it will awaken. If it drops below a certain point, it will enter a state of hibernation. We're not sure if it's dangerous, so we asked Professor Carl to take a look."
"Hmm." Carl nodded, put down the documents, and entered a small laboratory where a black stone the size of a fingernail was kept.
The black stone was placed in a sturdy alloy container, and its reactions were observed through various instruments.
As the temperature rose, the black stone liquefied and dissolved.
When the temperature dropped,
it solidified.
"We've tried."
Major General Hausmann's voice was grave,
"This thing is incredibly hard and heat-resistant. Only large machinery can slowly grind and crush it."
"And..."
"It exhibits a strong offensive capability!"
"Offensive?" Professor Carl looked up.
"Has anyone been injured?"
"Well..." Major Hausmann's face paled slightly.
"It's a military secret, I can't disclose it at the moment."
Apparently, someone had died or was injured during the process and was under illegal surveillance, Carl realized.
"I'll need some time and equipment."
Stretching his limbs, he spoke up, "Have you arranged a laboratory for me? I've brought some items that might be useful later."
"Yes, sir."
"Your laboratory is over here."
Several hours later.
Professor Carl used tweezers to place a hair-like object into a petri dish, observing the minute changes.
"A peculiar organism, possessing characteristics of both carbon-based and silicon-based life, with a terrifying ability to assimilate."
"Hmm..."
He lifted his head and turned on the screen.
"This is its true form."
Ashton, who had been roused from his drowsy state, instantly became interested and stared at the screen.
"A parasite?"
"More or less."
Professor Carl nodded.
"That stone contains nearly three million parasites, each capable of assimilating a host."
"After assimilating a host, it can absorb nutrients, split, and reproduce, increasing its population."
"Assimilation and reproduction are its genetic instincts, and from what we can tell, this process is irreversible."
Ashton's face turned pale.
This was no longer just interesting; it was terrifying.
"Extraordinary..."
"Professor Carl, how can we kill it?"
"A high-energy impact could do it, but ordinary people certainly don't have that kind of power." Professor Carl shook his head. "Lowering the temperature can reduce its biological activity. We should be thankful it landed in the polar region."
Coincidence?
Absolutely not!
This thing was bent on exterminating all life, undoubtedly driven by the residual will of the Gods.
"Destroy it!"
Ashton roared, "We must destroy it!"
"Yes, sir."
Professor Carl nodded.
"If this thing leaves the base and revives, it will quickly become a plague, destroying everything in its path."
"These hair-like creatures can hide in bread or soil, making them virtually undetectable."
"There's one more thing..."
"This stone is incomplete; a portion of it was taken by someone, and we must retrieve it immediately."
Incomplete? Ashton's eyes flickered.
"The Polar Research Team took some samples!"
Turning around, Ashton quickly made his way to his residence and dialed a number.
Carl watched Ashton's departing figure and shook his head slightly, gazing at the laboratory before him in deep thought.
"From beyond..."
"A Foreign Deity!"
"It seems the deities outside can no longer sit idly by. The Son of Destruction has inherited the toxic nature of the Blood Clan's faith, and can even reproduce. If this spreads to other worlds..."
"The Twilight of the Gods is nigh!"
Cloud Shield University.
Material Research Institute.
It was already evening, but some researchers remained, observing several black worms.
"Professor."
A female graduate student spoke up, "Through our research, we've found that the black worms can parasitize hosts and enhance various physical attributes of the host."
"This is a groundbreaking discovery!"
Her voice couldn't conceal her excitement.
If they could harness the substance that enhanced physical attributes, it would undoubtedly shake the entire field of biology.
"Then..."
The white-haired professor spoke up, "When the host is parasitized, is it the black worm or the original body?"
"Well..." The female student paused.
"Bang!"
"Oh no! The parasitized rat broke through the glass and bit Newman before escaping."
"What?"
(End of Chapter)
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