Tower Research Institute, underground space.
After more than a month of basic renovations, the first phase of the underground space has been completed, with phases two and three still under construction.
Once construction is fully completed, the underground section will be more than three times larger than the above-ground departments!
The entire underground space is primarily dedicated to the biology research group.
When He Xingzhou arrived here, he coincidentally met Jiang Chan and Wu Rui who had just changed into their biochemical protective suits to report here.
They were involved in the black seabream mutation experiment with He Xingzhou and also learned about the Insect Race, so after He Xingzhou's approval, they were also included in the Xuanwu Plan.
However, due to their levels, they could currently only become interns at the Tower Research Institute.
"Senior!" Jiang Chan saw He Xingzhou and excitedly called out; she hadn't seen He Xingzhou for over two months.
Although wearing biochemical protective suits, through the transparent face shield, He Xingzhou could still see some excited blush on her pretty face.
From a scientific perspective, she has a unique physique with rich facial capillaries, so she exhibits such symptoms when emotional.
"That, Mr. ...Mr. He." Wu Rui was still somewhat uncomfortable with how to address He Xingzhou; previously, he had called him junior.
But it obviously wasn't appropriate to call him that now, better to address him as everyone else does.
"You guys are here," He Xingzhou also greeted them warmly; without their help previously, his experiment would have been difficult to conduct.
"We just arrived today, I went through many rounds of checks and was scared to death," Jiang Chan seemed to have a lot to tell He Xingzhou.
He Xingzhou smiled and said, "It's normal to conduct such checks for such a special plan, don't worry too much."
"Yes, yes!" Jiang Chan nodded repeatedly and said: "I saw your plan, Senior; it's so ambitious, I can hardly imagine!"
"Indeed," Wu Rui also remarked emotionally, "If I wasn't personally involved in this, I would never believe we were partaking in such a grand plan!"
He Xingzhou said, "We've just started; it's too soon to speak of greatness. In any case, prepare yourselves mentally; the tasks ahead are monumental."
"I will study and research diligently!" Jiang Chan immediately responded.
Wu Rui envied her optimism as he felt more somber; who wouldn't worry about an apocalypse coming in a few decades?
After briefly chatting, they went on to their respective tasks.
He Xingzhou found the head of this research group, an expert from the Shanghai Biological Cell Research Institute, Academician Pan Yan.
Over seventy years old, Academician Pan Yan, since coming to the Tower Research Institute, had not left for over a month, personally assembling teams and allocating resources to facilitate research.
"Academician Pan, you've worked hard," He Xingzhou remarked upon seeing her weary expression.
"It's all for our own people of Huaxia, why mention hardship; everyone is the same!" Pan Yan didn't mind it and said: "Mr. He, I've had people bring back 147 mutant creature specimens from around the world."
"Their varieties are diverse, including vertebrates and invertebrates."
The Phase I research facility has already established various biological culturing vessels.
These are all specially custom-made and hastily manufactured, not only for biological cultivation but also featuring safety protections.
The strength of the glass material used is bulletproof and explosion-resistant special glass, also equipped with electric current paralysis, safety controls, medicinal paralysis, and other methods.
The base is guarded 24 hours by military forces with live ammunition to ensure no biological safety accidents occur.
He Xingzhou glanced at the mutant creature cultivation room in the underground research space, where culture tanks were filled with various mutants.
There were fish with limbs, oversized mollusks, and soft-bodied animals with sharp teeth and claws among others.
Currently, their mutation levels were not very high; even if discovered, they would probably only be considered deformed organisms.
"The water in these tanks, some contain radioactive water, some include nutrient-rich biological culture fluids, some are regular seawater, there's even freshwater and an anhydrous environment," Pan Yan said, "Comparing multiple experimental conditions, we initially came to a conclusion."
"Mutant creatures have strong environmental adaptability! And the expression of Insect Race genes in their bodies, the so-called mutation, varies!"
"Some deep-sea species, due to water pressure, should die when removed from the deep sea due to internal and external pressure imbalance! But these deep-sea species here can actually adjust their body's air pressure balance, adapting to life on the surface!"
"There are also mutant species; we placed them in conditions without seawater, not only did they not die, they even grew lung-like organs in a matter of days!"
Pan Yan became more fearful as she spoke, "This is terrifying, they can adapt to various environments and make timely changes!"
He Xingzhou slightly frowned and said: "Academician Pan, do you remember what I mentioned in my earlier analysis report?"
"I believe that the Insect Race gene concept is very broad. It's not just about one gene but a vast gene pool!"
"It contains countless pieces of information, which express corresponding genes whenever environmental changes occur!"
"How could one species express so many genes? This defies common sense!" Pan Yan wondered.
"Academician Pan, I think that when we research, we shouldn't treat the Insect Race like a single species but as a type of alien life form," He Xingzhou advised.
"Isn't there a technology in the field of biology known as the biological chip?" He Xingzhou continued, "If every mutant organism contains a biological chip within them, just like the core of a biological computer."
"When environmental changes occur, the biological chip could output the correct gene expression, allowing them to complete their evolution!"
The biological chip, refers to gene chips, protein chips, polysaccharide chips, and neuron chips, composed of a dense two-dimensional arrangement of biological macromolecules, similar to computer chips, capable of storing information.
Most importantly, theoretically, biological chips can store far more information molecules than current silicon-based chips!
"Biological chip?" Pan Yan had not ruled out this possibility, but she dared not continue the thought.
If these mutant organisms truly contain biological chips, it would only indicate one thing!
The so-called Insect Race is a highly intelligent species, possibly even from outer space!
Then their level of threat would directly escalate to an infinite degree!
"If we can find the Insect Race biological chip and decipher it, we would be able to understand them maximally and also confront them!" He Xingzhou said.
Pan Yan was silent for a few seconds, then sighed deeply, "Difficult, it's too difficult!"
"We also want to do this, to observe their biological information more minutely, but right now a huge obstacle stands before us, blinding us and preventing us from reading any information!"