Chapter 36-37

Chapter 36: Higher! Faster! More Ferocious!

"This dog completed its class 2 genetic modification the day before yesterday, enhancing its intelligence, stamina, muscle strength, and bone structure comprehensively. Its appetite has increased significantly, consuming over 30 kilograms of beef daily. Its appearance is changing almost daily, especially its physique, which is growing at an unbelievable rate, far exceeding the limits of a typical Pit Bull. We've been weighing it daily. The day before yesterday, it was 28 kilograms, yesterday 53.5 kilograms, and this morning it weighed in at 86 kilograms," Gilbert said proudly as he looked at the dog in the cage.

"Its name is Mendel, the smartest one among our subjects. I suspect it roughly understands what we say."

Gregor Johann Mendel, a 19th-century Austrian geneticist. Naming a test dog after a scientist is probably Gilbert's unique way of showing appreciation... It shows how much he treasures this particular Pit Bull.

A Pit Bull weighing over eighty kilograms, what a concept! Isaiah kept gesturing with his hands to approximate Mendel's size, shaking his head in amazement, "Such a large Pit Bull, not even a lion would stand a chance."

"It's even more ferocious than you can imagine, though we haven't had the chance to test it fully yet," Gilbert said, obviously very proud.

"It's indeed very smart," Bruce said with a slight smile, noticing how the clever creature had been eyeing Gus ever since they arrived, clearly sensing the danger he posed. Had he revealed even a hint of his aura, the dog would probably have keenly sensed the pressure.

"Please, continue forward, Boss," Gilbert Gordon gestured. "Our first successful genetic modification subject is just ahead."

The cage he referred to was at the very end. As they walked past, Isaiah couldn't stop thinking about the large dog, seemingly wanting to take another look. But upon seeing the creature in the cage ahead, he immediately dismissed the thought of the Pit Bull, his first reaction being that he must be dreaming.

"Jesus Christ! What the hell is this!"

What appeared before them was a white beast over two meters tall and nearly four meters in length. Standing in front of it, one would realize that the term 'giant dog' hardly does it justice. This massive beast was covered in fine, short fur, elegant in stature and extremely muscular. However, due to its enormous size, the otherwise spacious isolation cage seemed somewhat cramped, making the scene appear somewhat absurd.

"Is that a dog or an elephant!" Isaiah, Kit, and the others gasped in shock, rubbing their eyes as if they had seen a ghost. If the previous large dog was strange but somewhat within the realms of believability, this creature, comparable in size to a giant elephant, was beyond comprehension.

"This is unscientific! How can it support its own body weight?!" Isaiah felt overwhelmed. Although he had been keeping track of the Solar Corona lab's activities, focusing mainly on human potential and curing various diseases, he had not expected to witness such a scene in CoBIS-1, completely overturning his understanding of the world.

"On the contrary," Bruce gently patted his shoulder, signaling him to control his emotions. "This is science, creating miracles, surpassing nature's self-evolution!"

It's undeniable that the environment in which a creature lives greatly influences its appearance and internal structure. On a planet much larger than Earth, with gravity dozens or even hundreds of times stronger, creatures would undoubtedly be smaller. Large sizes would mean they couldn't withstand their own weight and would crush themselves.

This is why the larger the animal on Earth, typically, the more cumbersome it is. They need thick limbs and bones to support their massive body weight – take the African elephant, for example.

In the deep sea, however, the conditions are different. Thanks to the buoyancy of the water, the creatures there face less resistance from Earth's gravity. A mature blue whale, for example, can measure 23 to 33 meters from head to tail, equivalent to an 8 to 11-story building. To combat the pressure of the water, it has a broad, flat tail and a wide head, and its tongue alone can accommodate an entire rugby team (about 50 people), weighing nearly 200 tons!

This is the marvel of life, always finding a balance with nature through constant evolution. And now, what Isaiah sees before him has altered the course of life's evolution, placing the key to controlling life in human hands. Aware of this, he is incredibly shocked and finds it hard to accept.

After Bruce's reminder and Gilbert's research team's succinct introduction, Isaiah finally managed to regain his composure and began to scrutinize the behemoth before him with a more objective mindset. Apart from its enormous size, it seemed to have no fundamental difference from ordinary canines; it was essentially an enlarged version of some dog breed.

"Is this a... Dogo Argentino?" Isaiah asked uncertainly after observing for a while. Once he calmed down, he recognized something familiar about this gigantic canine.

"Yes, it's Rohrer. A professionally trained Dogo Argentino, an extremely outstanding hunting dog. Muscular, with significant explosive power and attack strength," Gilbert nodded slightly. Heinrich Rohrer, the 1986 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, is still alive. If he knew his name was given to such a behemoth, it's unclear whether he would feel sad or honored...

"Can it adapt to its massive size? Won't it become clumsier, slower in movement?" The giant Dogo stood quietly in the corner, staring at the people, like a proud general, very composed. Its demeanor made Isaiah even more curious and restless.

"Almost no adaptation time needed, no signs of confusion. Just like birds are born to fly, every fish is a champion swimmer," Gilbert said proudly. "Don't be fooled by Rohrer's quiet appearance; he is a true powerhouse. His strength and agility far exceed any known beast, and we haven't even found a suitable opponent to test his actual data."

Chapter 37: The Gentleman

"Let's have a look," Bruce instructed after observing for a moment.

Gilbert nodded to a researcher nearby. They seemed well-prepared; one of them grabbed a remote and operated it. A section of the ceiling in the middle of the cage protruded and slowly lowered a relatively small steel prison, holding a huge brown bear curled up inside. Within a few seconds, as the cage descended, the two giants clearly noticed each other.

The bars on the outward-facing side of the remote cage retracted, and the brown bear, surprisingly swift for its massive size, quickly dashed to the other side of the cage, with both creatures taking up a corner, warily eyeing each other, clearly puzzled by this unfamiliar giant.

The modified dog, Rohrer, although showing irritability and hostility, didn't attack immediately but barked twice towards the outside, seemingly waiting for a command.

The whole cage was built to a standard of 10 meters by 10 meters. Hence, despite each occupying a corner, the cage seemed somewhat cramped in comparison to the colossal size of the two beasts.

"Brown bears are the largest carnivores on land. This one weighs 858 kilograms, almost on par with our modified Dogo. It's the biggest beast we could find so far," Gilbert explained.

The two beasts, similar in weight, contrasted each other; the modified Dogo appeared more agile, while the brown bear seemed bulky and imposing. The researchers, upon Gilbert's signal, looked somewhat nervous, retreating a few steps, almost to the door of another cage, as if anticipating what was about to happen.

Isaiah glanced at them curiously. With the sturdy cage between them, it seemed unlikely for the beasts' fight to harm anyone outside. Too cowardly, he thought, smirking.

At the dog trainer's command, Rohrer, who had been staring intently at the brown bear, moved instantly, too fast to react, almost instantly pouncing on the bear.

The hefty creature was immediately provoked. With a stench emanating from its gaping mouth, it roared and swung its thick paws, lunging forward to teach the intruder a lesson. Isaiah could almost hear the heavy swoosh of the air; being pounced on by this giant bear would probably feel like being hit by a high-speed car, if not fatal, then certainly crippling.

Faced with this mighty pounce, the modified Dogo didn't dodge or probe as a typical hunting dog might. Instead, it charged forward even faster, confronting the bear head-on. The two colossal beasts collided, emitting a dull thud. Then, the previously menacing bear's huge body was lifted and slammed against the wall behind, shaking the entire cage, a furious roar escaping its mouth, the intensity terrifying.

Isaiah, closest to the cage, barely caught a glimpse of Rohrer's next move when he felt droplets of hot liquid splash onto his face and body. Instinctively wiping it off, he saw specks of crimson on his fingertips, splattered blood!

Looking back at the cage, Rohrer had already retreated to the back, tossing a large, elongated object onto the ground. Facing the bear now lying there, it let out a harsh howl, with bits of flesh stuck to its mouth, streaks of fresh blood dripping from its sharp canine teeth, evidently from its opponent.

The brown bear had a massive gash over a foot long on its neck, blood gushing out, bones and muscles faintly visible. The once intimidating creature was now lifeless.

"Ugh!" Kit, having seen the elongated object thrown by the modified Dogo, despite the blur of blood and flesh, could tell it was the bear's windpipe. The gruesome sight overwhelmed him, his heart pounding as if it might burst from his chest, his stomach churning. Unable to hold back, he ran to the side and began to vomit.

Isaiah, stained with blood, stepped back a few paces, trying to compose himself, his body trembling slightly, whether from excitement or fear. The researchers, having witnessed similar scenes before, were apprehensive but relatively composed, remembering to give instructions to the modified Dogo, ready to clean up the aftermath.

"It's not just about size. The dogs, genetically modified, have enhanced strength, speed, and reflexes. However, due to a lack of worthy opponents, a comprehensive test has yet to be conducted. It seems our modified creatures will only have each other as worthy adversaries from now on."

Gilbert Gordon was unfazed by the bloody scene, his eyes gleaming with frenzy and excitement, evidently very satisfied with his creation.

Bruce glanced at Kit, who was still retching against the wall, and signaled Isaiah to take care of him, then walked towards the lab control center.

"Good, it seems our hypothesis is feasible. The next step is to conduct targeted experiments in various directions; the current stage is far from sufficient," Bruce stated solemnly, and Gilbert nodded in understanding. Testing with Earth's existing creatures was clearly becoming inadequate; their ambitions extended far beyond that.

"Understood. I'll continue with deeper modifications, cultivating truly elite biological weapons," Gilbert Gordon, chief of the lab, clearly understood what his boss wanted.

"Are the researchers experiencing any discomfort? Any doubts about the project?" Bruce casually took a seat on a spacious chair, accepting a cigar from his bodyguard. The intense tobacco aroma swirled in his mouth before smoothly inhaling into his lungs, offering a unique sensation.

Ordinary people couldn't inhale cigar smoke into their lungs like that; they'd have to savor it slowly in their mouths, or it might cause them to vomit. Only someone with Bruce's robust constitution could enjoy the cigar's flavor to this extent; it had become his favorite pastime, even surpassing coffee and fine wine.

"Some might feel fear and unease, but it's all within normal limits. So far, there's no significant resistance observed," Gilbert Gordon was well aware of the project's importance and had been closely monitoring his team to avoid any potential issues.

Thankfully, the generous salary, groundbreaking progress, and promising prospects had already thrilled them, their minds wholly devoted to the research.

Becoming top-tier scientific researchers, their passion for exploring the unknown clearly outweighed everything else. Their ethical and moral concerns were relatively minor, the situation much better than anticipated, boosting his confidence in the upcoming human modifications.

"Keep a close watch. We can start selecting candidates for the next human modifications. Make sure everything goes smoothly," Bruce nodded approvingly, eyes on the busy researchers below. "If necessary, weed out the uncertain ones, divert them to other labs or handle them in your way. Marcus will allocate resources to assist you. I want everything—everything within controllable limits."

His way meant whatever he deemed appropriate, and Gilbert Gordon understood the implication, nodding solemnly.

"Have we settled on the initial direction for human modification?" Bruce inquired.

"We plan to start with motor neurons, muscle strength, and reaction speed. This way, the subjects won't show any external changes but will effectively demonstrate the artificial genome's impact," Gilbert Gordon handed over the prepared documents.

Bruce quickly reviewed the documents, nodding in agreement, and made a forceful note on a particular section.

"It seems we'll soon meet your idol. He will be quite surprised by our research," Bruce said with a satisfied smile.

"You're the only true master," Gilbert Gordon

, now wholly devoted after the bloodline parasitism, showed increasingly little concern for his human identity. With others keeping their distance, there was less need for discretion in his words.

"Relax, whether as a human or a demon, you're not one to joke," Bruce closed the thick folder, deeply inhaling from the cigar in his hand. "Inviting this gentleman to join us should be a good choice, right?"

Gilbert Gordon's face lit up with realization, then immense approval. His pursuit of science had penetrated deep into his bones, not diminishing with his change of status.