Chapter 602: Chapter 602

It seems that not just a single biological research facility is studying new lifeforms. Many places are conducting research, especially the Township Government, which is also accelerating its efforts. They all want to research new species or, one might say, new livestock for the apocalypse. That’s why there are so many strange creatures here. Whether they are natural evolutionary failures or injection-induced failures, they also have the right to continue living and perhaps provide some valuable data even now.

After passing the group of cannibalistic pigs, Jing Shu saw a cluster of disgusting mollusks, like shell-less snails.

Thanks to her night vision, Jing Shu could clearly see these ugly, large mollusks, their tentacles continuously poking into each other’s bodies.

Because of her superior vision, she could clearly see that the tentacles seemed to be expelling white foam, a continuous stream being delivered into the bodies of their own kind.

The key was that their entire bodies were covered with tube-like appendages, similar to tentacles. These pierced into the others like needles, wriggling incessantly, as if expelling all their saliva.

After the white froth was transported, it was followed by thick white, yellow, and black fluids, until the mollusks, depleted of their protein, shriveled.

"Are they... eating?" Jing Shu couldn’t help but ask. "Eating each other?"

In the darkness, the mollusks originally only made clicking sounds and didn’t attract any attention. Even the staff member hadn’t expected the girl to notice these disgusting things. After all, it was so dark you couldn’t really see them.

The staff member’s voice came through, "Something like that."

"Oh," Jing Shu uttered. So they are eating their own kind. Then the staff member’s voice continued, "Actually, it’s also considered mating."

"Huh??" Jing Shu’s expression became subtle. She was no stranger to animal behavior, having managed so many animals in her space. For instance, she had orchestrated the fat chicken’s interactions with the Dinosaur Chicken and their subsequent pairings.

So, the frequency of the tentacle movements, the frothing, and their quivering appearance were all too reminiscent of *that* act. Indeed, she hadn’t guessed wrong.

Jing Shu pointed at one of the mollusks, shriveled to just a skin, and asked, "Does this count as one having... expended itself to death?"

The staff member shook his head. "It has merely transferred itself to its newly born kin. This new species, we call them Blood-sucking Leeches, are also listed as Level 3 dangerous species."

"’Blood-sucking Leech? It looks like a shell-less snail... It doesn’t seem to suck blood, nor does it appear dangerous,’ Jing Shu mused. Nevertheless, she kept her distance from the disgusting mollusks. Her intuition hinted that this species might somehow be connected to her destiny."

Jing Shu’s guess was indeed correct.

The two of them continued walking. The subsequent failed specimens all seemed relatively harmless. They walked on to what appeared to be the end of this section of the prison, where there was another large door.

Opening the large door revealed an interior with much less foul odor. Compared to the densely packed animals before, this area was mostly empty, with completely sealed rooms spaced about every ten meters.

Jing Shu couldn’t see inside these rooms, nor did she know what creatures they held. Only occasional, loud banging sounds could be heard, and it was unclear which animal was causing the ruckus.

Thus, they quickly passed through this second sealed section. Jing Shu felt slightly regretful that she hadn’t been able to see the creatures housed within.

The third prison level was even larger and more spacious.

Opening the next sealed door revealed a large, independent space, much like a zoo enclosure. They stood on a high platform, looking down, similar to how visitors might observe tigers. Very strict protective measures were in place; the viewing area was completely encased in reinforced glass.

The lights switched on, though Jing Shu could see clearly even without them.

Below... were those the two big pigs from before?

Jing Shu looked down at her two containers. Damn it, she cursed internally. Weren’t we told we could just bring anything to carry it in? How am I supposed to lift pigs this big, let alone carry them away?

Hey, something’s off, she thought. Something’s off about those two big pigs.

Jing Shu furrowed her brows as she observed the pigs below, which moved sluggishly and walked stiffly.

"So..." ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝙣𝙚𝙩

The staff member nodded. "Correct. The two big pigs down there are just food for your target."

"So where is my target?" Jing Shu’s eyesight was exceptionally sharp. She scanned the area up and down several times. With her vision, she could have spotted a moving ant. But there was nothing.

On the phone, they had described it as utterly terrifying and invincible, a creature of immense trouble. They had warned Jing Shu repeatedly that this being was extremely dangerous and violent, only agreeing to let her take it after she confirmed multiple times.

The staff member’s emotionless voice sounded. "They are also experimental failures," he stated, then added, "It’s just a pity. They were so close."

This made Jing Shu intensely curious. What on earth was it?

"Right now, it’s classified as a Class One dangerous organism. Although I don’t know why the higher-ups agreed to let you take it away... I must warn you: you have to be extremely careful with it. Otherwise, your fate could be terrible. During experiments, it killed several of our colleagues."

"It is the Mutant Blood-sucking Ant, a new species that evolved and mutated from countless Blood-sucking Leeches. The Blood-sucking Leech itself is a failed product of an excessive red energy injection..."

"The Mutant Blood-sucking Ant possesses enhanced offensive capabilities. They usually survive by burrowing into flesh-and-blood creatures, feeding on them. At critical moments, they can control the host’s primitive desires, taking over its central nervous system to achieve complete control."

"Just like now—they are controlling the two pigs, preventing them from attacking each other, even making them coexist peacefully."

"The Mutant Blood-sucking Ant, much like the Blood-sucking Leech, is, in principle, unkillable and possesses a body akin to a perpetual motion machine. That was the concept behind their creation: so they could reproduce in vast numbers and become a food source for humans."

It seems no creature in this apocalypse can escape becoming food, Jing Shu thought. If there’s potential, humans will try to study and utilize them, though most attempts fail. Still, this one seems rather interesting.

The staff member pulled a lever, then shook his head. "It’s a bit troublesome to get it up to you. We’ll have to wait a moment."

She then saw the enclosure below begin to shrink, and red laser grids appeared all around.

Both pigs were instantly sliced in half, flesh and blood flying everywhere. Oddly, the pigs made no sound.

Holy shit, Jing Shu cursed inwardly.

The staff member nodded. This girl was tougher than he’d anticipated.

Immediately after, the lasers began to systematically dice the pig carcasses.