Chapter Two: The Collapsing Test Subject

In Riverside County, Los Angeles, at the CoBIS1 laboratory.

Gilbert Gordon stood with a few researchers outside a massive cage, watching intently. One of the researchers was manipulating a delicate mechanical arm through the bars, the end of which was affixed with a syringe.

As the arm moved forward, it slowly extended towards a sleek, agile chimpanzee lying on the ground, its eyes shut, clearly under anesthesia. The arm quickly positioned itself, slowly and steadily piercing the chimpanzee's body with the needle, injecting a faintly black liquid until the syringe plunger hit the end.

After the injection, the mechanical arm retracted smoothly, pulling back into an opening in the cage's ceiling as the iron gates shut completely, sealing the hole. Within seconds, the chimpanzee's eyes fluttered open, and it slowly rose from the ground. Shaking slightly, it appeared calm but curious, eyeing the people outside the cage with its dark, inquisitive eyes.

Gradually, however, the chimpanzee began to grow restless, pacing back and forth in the cage and starting to bark loudly. Its eyes turned a bloodshot red, and its fangs and claws began to grow uncontrollably, becoming sharper and more robust, emitting a faint, cold light. Its body swelled, sprouting dense and intricate scales.

In less than a few minutes, the once modest-sized chimpanzee was completely transformed into a calf-sized, ferocious monster with sharp teeth and claws, covered in large, irregularly appearing scales. Its appearance was chaotic and unstable.

The monstrous creature howled and stared at the people outside, leaping nearly five to six meters in a bound, crashing heavily against the bars with a loud bang that sent the researchers scrambling back in fear.

The creature, seemingly unharmed by the violent impact, shook its head and continued to frantically slam into the specially made steel bars. The sturdy concrete floor of the cage seemed unable to withstand the sharp and robust claws, scratched with varying deep grooves.

Despite knowing that the cages were specially made to contain even the most formidable animals, the researchers still retreated in horror, watching the ferocious creature with cold sweat dripping down, some even running off to a distance, trembling.

"WHAT THE FUCK! Unbelievable! Unbelievable!"

"Damn, the strength of this monster is terrifying!"

"Oh God, what kind of impact force is this..."

"It seems to have become very aggressive; what stimulated its brain?!"

Even though it wasn't their first time witnessing a test subject's frenzy, the researchers were still somewhat unable to digest the sight.

"Pay attention, record its vital statistics!" Dr. Gordon scolded the disconcerted researchers with a cold voice.

Reminded by him, the researchers managed to regain their composure and continue their work. Each test subject was implanted with a special data collection instrument, and with comprehensive observation, they could accurately grasp the condition of the test subject.

"The test subject's vitals are exceeding expectations!"

"Cell proliferation rate has increased twenty-fold!"

"Base substitution mutation occurring!"

"Test subject's vital statistics are breaking peak values!"

"Wait... what's happening? We've lost the signal from the data collection instrument; no signal is being transmitted anymore."

Normally, the observation and recording of values didn't require verbal communication, but the researchers were so shocked by the data that they couldn't help but exclaim.

The loss of signal from the data collection instrument could mean either the receiver was damaged or the instrument itself was destroyed. Looking at the test subject with small bulges appearing on its forehead, muscles across its body bursting open, oozing black-red liquid, the researchers could almost be sure that the instrument inside it was completely wrecked.

"It's an unbelievable and astonishing transformation!"

"Another case like this, looks like test subject m03 is going to collapse soon..."

"Look, the movements of the test subject are diminishing..."

As the researchers exclaimed, everyone's gaze returned to the cage, witnessing the monstrous beast's body slowly shrinking, but its body was almost entirely mutilated, with black-red liquid spurting from the burst wounds. Eventually, the test subject returned to the original size of a chimpanzee, but its body, almost turned into a mass of rotten flesh, was barely recognizable.

From the injection to the present, what seemed like a heart-pounding, dramatic series of events had actually occurred in just under fifteen minutes. Despite anticipating the outcome, Gilbert Gordon couldn't hide the disappointment on his face. He checked his watch, took off his glasses to wipe them, and shook his head.

"Record this! August 14, 2016, test subject m03: mammalian chimpanzee. Injected with A-02 prototype reagent diluted 1:13 times, specific mutation occurred, 8 minutes and 27 seconds until disintegration, deceased..."

Researchers had grown accustomed to the demise of test subjects; it was just the manner of death that was particularly horrific this time. Rather than panicking as they had when previous subjects went berserk, they calmed down, busying themselves with their tasks: recording data, organizing equipment.

Dr. Gordon put his glasses back on and observed everyone's reactions, clapping his hands, "This is how scientific research is, instantaneous results aren't possible. Alright, everyone has worked hard today. Finish up the recording and archiving work and head home early to rest."

"Dr. Gordon, how exactly was the prototype reagent developed, and why does it have such peculiar effects..." A researcher couldn't contain his curiosity any longer, prompting others to turn their heads, clearly eager for the answer.

Most of them were meticulously selected from other labs, and some were university researchers, all very curious about the prototype reagent. The grotesque and somewhat terrifying mutations seen in the test subjects they injected fully demonstrated the prototype reagent's astounding power and magical properties.

"I can only tell you that the prototype reagent is the pinnacle of achievement in biology and genetics research, bound to bring transformative breakthroughs to human genetic engineering," Gilbert Gordon replied with a somewhat subdued tone, eyes gently lowered. "More details involve the core secrets of our company, and you'll naturally learn more as your clearance level increases. For now, continue your work; soon enough, everyone will see just what a great scientific experiment we're undertaking!"

To persevere in long-term research without immediate results required unimaginable patience and resilience from Gilbert Gordon. He turned to look at the test subject in the cage, "Follow the standard procedures to clean up the test subject, call in the cleaning squad."

At CoBIS1 laboratory, every experimental procedure followed the strictest of protocols, a fact well-known to all researchers. They promptly notified the external team via intercom.

Minutes later, a team dressed in neat black hazmat suits entered. They wore thick isolation masks and carried special toolboxes marked with a clear black and red circular biohazard symbol, indicating high-risk biohazard contamination.

The head of the cleaning squad had a brief conversation with Dr. Gordon, then they positioned themselves at opposite ends of the cage, inputting codes and aligning their eyes with the iris recognition system. After a brief verification, the heavy-duty bars slowly rose. The team members quickly entered the cage, meticulously cleaning every inch of the space with various analysis and cleaning equipment, eventually placing the remnants of the chimpanzee's body into a specially designed body bag, which they then put into a box.

Their movements were precise and calm, showcasing the high efficiency and thorough training typical of the cleaning team. The researchers, accustomed to the sight, continued with their tasks while chatting, ready to head home.

"Do you guys ever feel the lab is a bit mysterious?"

"Isn't that normal here? Didn't you sign a confidentiality agreement when you joined?"

"If you ask me, I'm not too fussed. The conditions and compensation here are top-notch, not something you find just anywhere. I'm most interested in that legendary $10 million research grant, haha!"

"What happens to the test subjects once the cleaning squad takes them away?"

"It's the usual biohazard disposal... nothing surprising there..."

"Do you guys ever feel Dr. Gordon has an especially imposing aura? I get a bit scared sometimes..."

"Shush, keep it down! We can knock off early today. Anyone interested in grabbing a drink at the nearby Grant's Bar? It's my treat!"

...

The researchers packed up their things one by one, changing into their own clothes and leaving. Their hushed whispers, which they believed to be secretive, were all crystal clear to Gilbert Gordon. With his extraordinary hearing, vision, and olfaction, he silently collected all the information in the lab, ensuring everything was under his control.

Unseen by anyone, Dr. Gordon, who had been watching the cleaning team's work all along, had a faint golden glow flickering in his pupils behind his glasses.