Several days later, Luojian Mountain.
As another day drew to a close, the research personnel withdrew from the warship. Xie Yu, weary, walked out of the corridor and bumped into Ou Zhanpeng, who was on his shift.
"How was it today?" Ou Zhanpeng asked.
"How else could it be!" Xie Yu was emotionally exhausted. "Another seven engagements, three in the engine room, four surprise attacks on the research team."
Ou Zhanpeng turned and looked down the corridor. "You can only be a thief for a thousand days, but not a guard for a thousand days. This constant endurance won't solve anything. We need to find a way to resolve this completely!"
Xie Yu was annoyed. "I want to resolve it completely too, but those alien species are too slippery. The moment we engage, they retreat immediately, never fighting us head-on. They're like loaches, slippery as mud. How can things change so quickly in just a few days?"
Ou Zhanpeng was surprised. Xie Yu usually wasn't this talkative, nor did he complain so much. It was clear he had been terribly harassed by the alien species these past two days.
"I can't think of any good solutions right now," the young master Ou was also troubled. "Oh, right. I heard Director Gong say today that they've developed something new."
Xie Yu had no interest. "Can it solve the alien species problem? If not, don't bother talking about it."
"It's definitely impossible to solve the alien species problem, but it's somewhat related to them."
Xie Yu's interest was immediately piqued. "What do you mean?"
"Remember that incubator? The one that was on the transport ship, and we started fighting the alien species before it was sent away?" Ou Zhanpeng explained carefully, as if afraid he wasn't making himself clear.
"I remember, I remember. What happened to the incubator?" Xie Yu asked, confused.
Ou Zhanpeng lowered his voice, and Xie Yu perked up his ears. "They say the research team analyzed the brain fish cells and compared them with the giant species' cells. They concluded that the brain fish cells are quite old, consistent with natural growth patterns, but there isn't enough data to determine their exact age."
Xie Yu raised his eyebrows in astonishment. "You want to tell me this?"
"What do you mean by that!" Ou Zhanpeng rolled his eyes. "Can you let me finish?" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Go on, go on!"
"The research team's hypothesis is that the giant species' cells are very new, not resembling natural growth at all, unless the giant species were born that large. That incubator we sent away, it had a juvenile giant species inside, didn't it? They studied that too, and the conclusion was that its cells are basically the same as those of adult giant species."
Xie Yu was completely bewildered. "What are you trying to say? Get to the point!"
Ou Zhanpeng thought to himself, *'Am I not afraid you won't understand? After I finish, I'll have to explain it all over again.'* "It means that the giant species are all cloned from incubators, and they are all adult infants. Understand?"
Xie Yu suddenly had an epiphany. "They can figure that out?"
"I don't know about that," Ou Zhanpeng shrugged. "If I had that kind of skill, I would have joined the research department long ago."
Xie Yu's gaze sharpened. "There are still over a hundred incubators in the ship's cabins. Let's go, we need to check them immediately!"
If the alien species were to clone another batch of giant species, wouldn't the situation become even more disadvantageous?
"Wait a minute!" Ou Zhanpeng quickly grabbed him. "There's no need to rush. What I mean is, can we use these incubators to lure the alien species out? It doesn't have to be incubators; any supplies essential to the giant species would do. We can do this, then this, and then this. What do you think?"
Xie Yu pondered for a moment and nodded heavily. "That makes sense, a good idea! I didn't realize you were so quick-witted!"
"Heh heh, I've been mulling this over for days. Ling Xiao also helped with quite a few ideas."
"Really?" Xie Yu looked as if he thought Ou Zhanpeng was joking and didn't believe him at all.
"Of course, it's true. Ling Xiao's mouth is indeed unrestrained, and his ideas are often very naive, but his insight is exceptionally keen. He always looks at problems from an angle others wouldn't consider. While not profound wisdom, it's enough to offer a hint."
"Fine, if you say so. I won't interfere with your business." With a plan in mind, Xie Yu's entire demeanor changed. "There's no time to waste, let's start tomorrow!"
If they hadn't already withdrawn from the warship, going back now would easily alert the alien species. He wished he could immediately organize personnel to implement the plan.
"Alright, tomorrow it is!" Ou Zhanpeng said.
Early the next morning, a group of research personnel, as usual, leisurely entered the broken ship, proceeding to the engine room. They gathered around the massive power furnace, pointing and discussing, occasionally recording something.
In short, they looked very professional.
But in reality, it was nothing of the sort. They were not research personnel but were impersonated by assault team members.
Ou Zhanpeng had indeed seriously considered the possibility of using research personnel as bait. If they could set up a few successful ambushes and eliminate a group of alien species, it would serve as a deterrent. Simultaneously, it would create the illusion for the enemy that all research personnel were traps, thereby protecting the research personnel from a strategic perspective.
However, he quickly discarded this dangerous idea. After all, the alien species wouldn't be able to distinguish between assault team members and research personnel. It would be better to select a group of soldiers to impersonate them.
Those engaged in research were all non-military personnel. Using civilians as bait, especially technical experts, was unacceptable anywhere. To put it nicely, it was a desperate measure; to put it bluntly, it was completely without scruples.
Soldiers had no such concerns. Soldiers don't fear death; those who fear death don't become soldiers. Dealing with alien species was already the assault team's mission; it was their duty. Did you expect them to mention danger?
Ridiculous!
One detail that was inconsistent was that the guard force in the engine room was only half of the usual strength. They believed this would pique the alien species' suspicion.
Furthermore, apart from the engine room, no other research personnel entered. The broken ship was eerily empty, which was also different from the norm.
The answer soon appeared. Xie Yu personally led the team, bringing the remaining assault team members into the bio-cabin, which was the compartment storing the incubators.
Next, the soldiers, in groups of several, worked on carrying and guarding. They pushed and pulled, even blasting open cabin walls to widen passages, moving the incubators one by one out of the ship's cabin and to the edge of the shaft.
Above the shaft, assault ships were already hovering, waiting. They didn't enter the shaft to avoid being ambushed by the alien species. Instead, they lowered ropes when needed, attached them to the incubators, and then ascended, pulling the incubators out of the ship.
In this manner, in a short while, seven or eight incubators had been moved out. The bio-cabin could be emptied within half a day at most.
At this point, the situation was quite clear. The reason for all the unusual circumstances was that the humans were targeting the incubators.
If these things indeed played an irreplaceable role for the alien species, the hidden enemies would surely make a move!
Ou Zhanpeng had already made plans. If the incubators proved useless, they would continue moving the supplies of unknown purpose from the warehouse. He believed that there would eventually be something that could touch the alien species' sensitive nerves.