524: Extracting samples

Deep within the Research Base, the massive experimental field resembled a steel cage encased in glass, its floor inlaid with several reinforced alloy tracks that shimmered with a cold, hard metallic luster.

In the center of the field, a giant Zerg, nearly eight meters long and about four to five meters tall, was firmly secured to a specialized stand. Its six barbed limbs were tightly clasped by energy shackles connected to load-bearing piles on the ground. Three half-meter-wide restraint belts, their surfaces flowing with dark red energy patterns, were wrapped around its thick chest armor, pressing its massive body immobile to the spot.

“Hiss—ho—”

The giant insect let out a piercing hiss, spewing a fishy white mist from its mouthparts. Its thick limbs thrashed wildly against the ground, causing the alloy tracks to creak and even the fixed piles to vibrate violently.

It tried to arch its back to break free from the restraints. As its muscles bulged, a violent red glow appeared on the surface of its carapace. The restraint belts were pulled taut, and the energy readings on the monitoring screen flickered frantically, almost exceeding the safety threshold.

“Buzz—”

Just then, the restraint device emitted a low hum, and the dark red energy patterns suddenly brightened. A strong energy wave spread throughout the giant insect's body via the restraint belts.

The previously rampant Zerg instantly froze, its hissing abruptly stopping. The thrashing of its limbs became weaker and weaker, eventually drooping. Its massive body completely lost all resistance, only a trace of unwilling red light remained in its compound eyes, slowly dimming.

In the observation room on the second floor, a group of Research Personnels in white uniforms stood before a massive floor-to-ceiling window. A data pad floated before each of them, displaying real-time physiological parameters of the giant insect.

“That struggle just now directly triggered the first safety threshold of the restraint device.”

A Research Personnel's face was serious, his tone tinged with lingering fear.

“If it had really broken free, it would have taken a lot of effort to deal with it…”

The Research Personnel next to him brought up the giant insect's physical analysis chart, his fingertip tracing the steep peak curve on the screen.

“Exactly! These Zergs, each and every one of them, can withstand energy weapons with just their physical bodies... Thankfully, the restraint device is superior.”

A low murmur of discussion arose in the observation room. The Research Personnels looked at the completely quiet giant insect below, their eyes filled with both admiration for its formidable vitality and anticipation for further research.

“Begin injecting the paralyzing agent!”

On the data pad, the giant insect's heart rate was gradually stabilizing, and its muscle relaxation was slowly increasing, indicating that the paralyzing effect was steadily taking hold.

“Alright, that's enough. We can begin the first step.”

The lead Research Team Leader spoke in a tone as calm as if discussing the weather.

He raised his hand and tapped lightly on the holographic screen before him, his fingertip gliding across the complex interface as a series of commands flowed out.

The metal walls surrounding the research platform quietly split open, and dozens of cold-gleaming alloy pipes slowly extended.

The front ends of these pipes were equipped with spiral drills, their edges shimmering with the faint glow produced by molecular oscillation, clearly specially treated.

They flexibly adjusted their angles in the air, precisely aiming at various critical parts of the giant insect's body: the joints of its carapace, the connection points between its limbs and torso, and even the soft tissue behind its compound eyes.

“Hiss—hiss—”

The drills at the front ends of the pipes rotated at high speed, emitting a subtle yet piercing sound.

The giant insect's carapace, which could withstand laser beams on the battlefield, was easily pierced by the molecular oscillation drills as if it were soft tofu.

Dozens of pipes simultaneously stabbed in, deeply embedding themselves into the giant insect's body.

“Hiss—hiss—!”

Excruciating pain instantly swept through the giant insect. It abruptly arched its body, its six barbed limbs thrashing wildly against the restraint device, producing a deafening clang.

The energy patterns on the surface of the restraint belts instantly lit up with dazzling red light, tightly constricting its body and forcefully suppressing every struggle.

Its mouthparts gaped open, spewing out a putrid white mist. Its compound eyes turned blood-red from pain, yet it could only watch helplessly as the pipes moved within its body.

The Research Team Leader expressionlessly operated the light screen again. The pumps at the ends of the pipes began to operate, emitting a low hum.

Dark red blood slowly rose along the pipes, flowing within the transparent lumens like twisted snakes. Pale white brain fluid was then extracted, carrying fine nerve fibers. Following this, even the muscle fibers responsible for movement and the glandular tissues storing energy were peeled away and absorbed by the pipes, bit by bit.

The entire process was so fast it caught one off guard. In just about a minute, the originally plump body of the giant insect visibly shriveled.

When the last pipe was withdrawn, all that remained was a light, empty shell. The carapace was still hard, but it had lost all its flesh, blood, and vitality, like a cicada's husk that had been hollowed out, slumping onto the restraint device, utterly motionless.

The pipes transported the extracted samples to the analysis instruments behind, and a string of data immediately appeared on the light screen.

The Research Team Leader looked at the empty shell, tapping his fingertips on the light screen, recording the initial data.

“Alright, the sample extraction for this type of Zerg is complete. Bring in the next one.”

No sooner had the Research Team Leader finished speaking than the heavy alloy doors of the laboratory slid open to both sides, and several Imperial Soldiers in battle armor stepped inside.

They skillfully unlocked the energy restraints of the device, steadily lifted the shriveled empty shell of the giant insect, and transported it out of the laboratory along the tracks.

In just a moment, another Zerg of a completely different form was brought in. This Zerg had no thick limbs; instead, it had ten tentacles covered in suckers. Its body was like an elongated spindle, and its back was covered with layered scales, distinctly different from the previous giant insect.

The Soldiers precisely secured it to the research platform, the restraint belts automatically tightened, and the familiar process began again.

For better research, a