The intensely caustic blood of the second mystery creature brought about a grave crisis for several personnel of the Heisen Federation; the base plate of the containment dome was dissolved in mere seconds by the acid.

The blood pierced through the base plate and spilled onto the control wiring beneath the experimental bench, immediately corroding and ruining the circuits, causing copious electrical sparks indicative of shorting on the circuit board, accompanied by sharp crackling sounds.

After burning through several layers of circuit boards, the blood continued its descent, flowing onto the laboratory floor. The floor of the lab was constructed of alloy material, which corroded far more easily than the composite material used for the experiment bench. Thus, it was conceivable that the blood pierced the entire floor and began etching its way downward.

A hole, the size of an arm, stretched from the transparent dome all the way down to the level below.

As the base plate was being corroded, the robotic arm also began to fail; the fingers gripping the mystery creature's digits were entirely eaten away, and the creature dropped onto the base plate.

It seemed as if waking from a deep slumber, the creature began to move, drilling toward the opening in the base plate.

"Blast it, it's escaping! Kill it now!"

The lab supervisor immediately slammed both his arms down toward the mystery creature, but though he executed the motion, the real mechanical arms showed no response whatsoever.

The lab supervisor's eyes darted around; the subtitles displayed above the virtual projection had changed to read: "Connection Lost."

"Damn it, the circuit board beneath the base plate must be fried."

He instantly yanked his hand back, rushed to a nearby cabinet, flung the door open, and withdrew a Uranium Ray Gun. He spun around, aimed at the transparent dome, and fired.

Although his movements were incredibly swift, he was still a tenth of a second too late; at the very moment he fired, the mystery creature had already slipped through the hole.

"Quick! Get the guard detail! We must capture that creature!" the lab supervisor roared at the discombobulated researchers.

"Yes!"

Several researchers, who had been panicking, snapped back to attention at the supervisor's command and rushed out of the laboratory to seek the guard detail.

A thought suddenly struck the lab supervisor, recalling a critical detail, and he cried out involuntarily, "Oh no, there are still a few mystery creatures locked in the storage room!"

He immediately dashed to the adjacent storage room, only to find that the bottom of the reinforced composite crates holding those mystery creatures had also been corroded, revealing a large hole. And just like the experiment bench, the large hole extended straight down, piercing through the floor.

Looking down from above into the massive void, one could see the hole penetrated five or six floors, extending downwards.

The lab supervisor could even make out, five or six levels down on the floor yet to be breached, a pool of reddish-green blood actively corroding the decking below. If left unchecked, it might even penetrate all the way to the bottom deck, breaching the void between the ship's interior and the vacuum outside.

"What incredibly potent acidic blood!"

After reporting the situation to the guard detail, the lab supervisor grew increasingly furious, smashing a fist into the floor. But he quickly felt a sharp pain in his right hand and thought, Not good. He was likely looking at a hairline fracture.

On a planet far removed from the Heisen Fleet, the Brain Worm Veda looked up at the starry sky as a wave of thought pulsed through its mind.

"The biological sensor just sent a report. A fleet of four hundred thousand? And they actually intend to capture them for research? How audacious, these Heisen people. Hmm, let's check their trajectory. It seems they are heading this way. It appears this battle is unavoidable. I have finally established a base on this planet; it cannot be destroyed by the fires of war. I must intercept them. Yes, that's what I'll do!"

Veda pondered for a moment, then broadcast a mobilization order using thought waves audible only to the insectoid species: "My guards, gather here quickly."

With this imperceptible mental ripple, every insectoid on the planet raised its head. A host of Insectoid Lords descended, gathering some ground forces, and flew toward Veda.

Veda began to move its massive body, swelling until it resembled a colossal mountain, opening numerous pores through which the surging forces arriving from the expanse could enter. "Before I move out, let those biological sensors keep you busy for a while."

On the Heisen biological research vessel that had lost the mystery creatures, lines of Heisen soldiers patrolled back and forth, searching for those very creatures—what Veda referred to as the biological sensors.

"There! Over there!" shouted a fully armed Heisen soldier, pointing toward the end of the corridor.

The biological sensors had transformed from their original blob-like state into agile creatures standing on eight legs. Though their main body was still only the size of a fist, externally they resembled spiders, using their eight suction-cupped limbs to scuttle rapidly across the ceiling and walls.

"Fire! Shoot now!" several soldiers yelled.

Bolts of plasma shot toward the biological sensors. Sensing immediate danger, the sensors spread their eight legs, weaving erratically, darting clear of the plasma streams, before slipping into a nearby conduit and vanishing without a trace.

The soldiers failed to notice that as the biological sensors fled, several minute pores on their abdomens were continuously opening and closing, releasing a colorless mist. This mist contained billions of insectoid spores, along with hundreds of lethal fungi and dangerous pathogens...

As the few biological sensors scuttled into every corner of the biological research vessel, the colorless mist diffused throughout the entire ship. Half an hour later, all the biological sensors were located and neutralized, and the chaos that had spread across the ship temporarily subsided.

On the seemingly calm biological research vessel, many soldiers suddenly ran toward the hangar bay. Their eyes were bloodshot, their expressions vacant, as if sleepwalking. They boarded the various flying craft stored there—fighters, transports, everything—and managed to divide nearly all available vehicles. A total of two to three hundred craft were taken, and they piloted them out of the biological research vessel, flying toward the surrounding warships.

Not long after, a lavishly decorated vessel approached the biological research vessel. The research vessel opened its docking bay and welcomed the ship inside.

Once the vessel was secured in the hangar, the elderly Heisen who had appeared at the high-level meeting descended the gangway. He had already heard about the commotion caused by those mystery creatures.

Several of the most important figures aboard the warship were waiting at the foot of the ramp to greet him, including the lab supervisor, who stepped forward first. "I apologize, Excellency Chief Consultant. Due to my error, this disturbance was initiated. I request disciplinary action."

"Hold that thought," the elder said, raising one hand to cover his mouth. He sensed a profound danger permeating the air of the warship—a bone-chilling malevolence, coupled with the scent of blood and potent toxins, as if this place were a phantom realm, a very hell, and everyone before him could turn into demons and lunge at him at any moment.

"Everyone! Immediately put on gas masks!" he commanded, vibrating the air with his psychic energy, directing those aboard the approaching vessel who had not yet disembarked.

"What happened?" the lab supervisor asked, looking confused.

"Did you not sense anything wrong?" the elder asked. As a master of the Third Level Limit, he had transcended the mundane—he required no food, drink, or breath. Yet, he felt as if the air had become a medium for some form of consciousness, and exceedingly subtle elements were attempting to penetrate his body.

He manifested a protective shield around his physical form using telekinesis, blocking these fine particles.

"I didn't sense anything amiss," the lab supervisor replied, appearing even more bewildered.

The elder frowned, striking out with lightning speed, grabbing the lab supervisor and pulling him close. His gaze was intense as he peered directly into the supervisor's eye.

Heisen people were cyclops, their single eye situated squarely in the center of their faces. The eye was profoundly important and mysterious to the Heisen, as many internal pathologies manifested through it.

The elder saw faint, fine blood vessels webbing the lab supervisor's eye. He concentrated his sight and glared. The lab supervisor screamed, his eye rapidly swelling and turning deep crimson. He struggled violently to break free but could not, thrashing with even greater ferocity, as if going mad.

"Look at me!" the elder roared. "Some unknown entity has invaded your body. Let me force it out, just as one squeezes venom from a wound."

The elder's single eye suddenly blazed with a light as dazzling as the sun. Bathed in this intense illumination, the lab supervisor froze, his expression vacant.

Several key warship commanders who had come to greet the elder were also struck by the light. Blood-red tinged their eyes as well, and they clutched their faces, staggering backward.

An inaudible thought wave muttered inwardly: Oh? A master of the Third Level Limit. Indeed, his senses are keen; he has detected my presence and attempts to expel me from that host. Very well, I shall spare him for now. The work of propagating the seed requires more time. I will allow him to relax his guard.

After a long moment, a drop of bloody tear rolled from the lab supervisor's eye, and the crimson color in his eyes faded noticeably. "Control the others," the elder commanded, pointing at those covering their eyes, issuing an order to the personnel he had brought with him. A group of masked individuals stepped forward and aimed their weapons at the affected commanders.

The elder then turned back to the lab supervisor. "Tell me what happened just now. How did you feel?"

A look of confusion crossed the lab supervisor's face. "I'm not entirely sure, sir. My head felt heavy, and I seemed to be acting in a daze."

"Is that so?" A sense of profound foreboding washed over the elder. He scanned the hangar bay. "Where are all the flying craft? Were they all taken by your crew?"

"It seems so," the lab supervisor replied after thinking hard, realizing that seemed to be the case.

The elder spun around. "Immediately notify every ship in the fleet! No craft originating from this research vessel is to be allowed to dock! Hurry!"

A staff officer ran in to relay the order. Moments later, he returned, breathless. "Bad news, Chief Consultant! Many ships are reporting that they have already accepted the craft flown in from the biological research vessel. Those craft docked only briefly before taking off again toward other ships."

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