442: Wandering alien insect

From the images transmitted back to the screen, these individual bugs were about the size of a washbasin, with peculiar shapes, entirely black bodies, and back shells gleaming with a metallic luster.

Their appearance closely resembled a type of insect found on Earth—the stag beetle—with a pair of massive pincers on their heads, looking quite menacing.

However, in an environment like space, they were in a dormant state; although scattered, they were not aggressive.

Meng Xian stared intently at the screen, his brows tightly furrowed. The appearance of these bugs was indeed similar to Earth's stag beetles, but their size was magnified countless times, and their back shells gleamed with a metallic luster, which clearly indicated they were not creatures that could have evolved naturally.

"Were these bugs modified by some alien civilization?" Bai Yan pondered for a moment before asking.

Meng Xian remained silent, but his mind raced, considering this possibility. If these bugs were indeed biological weapons modified by an alien civilization, their appearance would mean that the Space City was facing an unprecedented threat.

"Qiu Wuhui, have the probes try to capture two bugs and bring them back." Meng Xian decided to take a risk; only by personally studying these bugs could he quickly understand their origin and purpose.

"That's too dangerous! We don't know if these bugs are aggressive. What if they awaken and attack?"

"Don't worry, I'll have the probes maintain a safe distance."

Qiu Wuhui did not hesitate and immediately carried out Meng Xian's order. Two deep-space probes began to slowly approach the bugs, attempting to capture one. The entire process was conducted with extreme caution, fearing to disturb these seemingly sleeping creatures.

However, just as a probe was about to touch one bug, that bug suddenly moved. But it quickly became still again.

Meng Xian and Bai Yan stared intently at the screen, their heartbeats seemingly suspended at that moment. They saw that after a brief period of activity, that bug returned to its dormant state. Although it was only for a fleeting moment, it was enough to make both of them break out in a cold sweat.

Qiu Wuhui asked, "General Manager Meng, it moved. Should we continue trying to capture it?"

Meng Xian shook his head: "Wait. I'll contact the Boss first. Have the probes maintain their distance and continue to observe the bugs' movements. At the same time, notify everyone to prepare for defense, just in case."

Qiu Wuhui nodded in understanding and immediately carried out Meng Xian's order. Two deep-space probes began to maintain a safe distance, continuing to observe and record the bugs.

"Number Three, connect to the Boss's communication!"

A glimmer of light appeared in the Command Center, and a figure made of a light screen appeared in the center of the command hall.

"Boss, we found a large number of bugs in the asteroid belt. These bugs can still survive in space; they are truly terrifying."

Tian Ming, composed of the light screen, smiled calmly and said, "The lowest-level creatures of the Zerg, Alien Bugs. It's fine, you can capture a few for research."

"This, can this really be used for research?"

Meng Xian couldn't help but hesitate. The Alien Bugs before him gave him an extremely dangerous feeling, but Tian Ming seemed unconcerned.

"These bugs feed on meteorite particles and scattered gas molecules in space. Their body structure is extremely strong, and they migrate in groups. They can perform heavy nuclear fusion; of course, this fusion is on a very small scale, involving only a few atoms. Researching them could inspire advancements in human technology."

After listening to Tian Ming's explanation, Meng Xian's doubts lessened slightly.

"Alright, Boss, when are you coming back?"

Tian Ming smiled: "I don't know yet. I'm preparing to bring you some gifts back."

After Tian Ming finished speaking, his body, formed by the light screen, gradually dissipated.

"General Manager Meng, what do we do next?" Qiu Wuhui's voice broke the silence of the command hall.

Meng Xian came back to his senses, looked at the Alien Bugs on the screen, and had already made a decision.

He turned to Qiu Wuhui and Bai Yan and said, "Since the Boss said these Alien Bugs can be used for research, let's capture a few and study them. But be careful, these Alien Bugs might be very dangerous, so make sure to take protective measures."

Qiu Wuhui and Bai Yan nodded in understanding. If they could research their body structure and energy source, it would undoubtedly be a huge boost for the development of the Space City.

Two deep-space probes were dispatched again; this time, their goal was not observation but capture. They directly used high-strength carbon fiber nets to capture them, and then the probes proceeded towards the Space City.

Qiu Wuhui's voice came again, saying the probes had automatically returned.

Meng Xian nodded slightly and said, "Yes, the Space City will provide tracking navigation."

"General Manager Meng, what about the other bugs?"

"Ignore them. Just clear them out of orbit," Meng Xian instructed.

"Understood, General Manager Meng."

Two deep-space probes had already begun their return to the Space City with the captured Alien Bugs.

Throughout the process, the probes maintained a high degree of vigilance and precise operation to ensure that the Alien Bugs would not escape or damage the probes.

This wait lasted five days. Although they were only operating within the Solar System, moving at a hundred kilometers per second was barely enough in space.

Even at the speed of light, it would take half an hour to exit the Solar System. Humanity must invent faster transportation to explore beyond the Solar System.

After several maneuvers, the probes successfully returned to the Space City. The captured Alien Bugs were immediately sent to the biological research institute for detailed study.

The experts at the biological research institute treated these Alien Bugs as treasures and immediately began comprehensive research.

A large number of space construction robots quickly set up a secure, isolated research environment to ensure that the research process would not pose a threat to the Space City.

The research institute quickly took the lead, immediately organizing a research team composed of multidisciplinary experts, including biology, physics, chemical engineering, and engineering, among others.

A total of two Alien Bugs were brought back. To ensure safety, both were killed. This process was extremely difficult, as it required ensuring the integrity of the bugs while also preventing any half-dead phenomena.

Scientists used many methods and finally found a suitable way to kill the bugs and then quickly place them in a sterile environment for research.

This life form, completely different from Blue Star's organisms, had extremely high research value, whether in terms of morphological structure, energy metabolism, or survival mechanisms.

The Alien Bugs' outer shell was fully metallized, providing isolation from various high-energy cosmic rays. Moreover, the entire outer shell tissue was porous, allowing for greater volume with less material.

The strength of this outer shell was extremely high, even capable of resisting direct attacks from energy weapons. If such a structure could be replicated and used for the outer material of starships or even the Space City, it would undoubtedly be a huge leap forward.