What if an Ice-based Awakened One controlled a Snow Golem?
What if a Space-type Awakened One controlled an Enderman?
Every aspect of the various MC creatures would be significantly enhanced.
The tactical value within this was simply immeasurable.
"Quick! Quick! Quick!"
Cooper was so excited he was dancing with joy, immediately calling out to the surrounding assistants.
"Turn on the largest testing platform for me. I need to collect data immediately; this is absolutely a biological miracle and a major breakthrough in linking technology."
Steve was also very cooperative, stepping into the ultra-large testing device specifically built for his current size.
As beams of light swept across his body, a new, even grander plan began to take shape in Steve's mind.
At this moment, Cooper looked at Steve, who was already lying inside, and then turned his gaze toward the machine to the side that was constantly monitoring Steve's vital signs.
Although Steve was being cooperative, he didn't actually hold much hope in his heart. After all, things like soul links, system endowments, and otherworldly projections had already surpassed the scope of Earth's current technological understanding; they belonged to a higher level of technology.
"All data is normal, and the energy field is stable."
Standing before the console behind bulletproof glass, Cooper took a deep breath and spoke to those inside.
"Steve, you can begin. Try to mobilize your Ice-based Ability, just like you did earlier."
"Okay."
Steve closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into this massive zombie body. He did not mobilize the strength from the zombie's various parts but instead directly utilized that eerie blue power.
Instantly, an extreme chill spread throughout the laboratory. On the zombie's green arm, a thick layer of frost condensed, visible to the naked eye.
"Quick, capture the source of the energy!"
Cooper stared intently at the wildly fluctuating data on the screen.
However, the image presented on the screen left everyone present stunned.
In the energy fluctuation spectrum, the massive zombie body was originally a shade of red representing bio-energy.
But the moment Steve used the energy, a surge of blue energy representing biting cold did not originate from the muscles or anywhere else, but... without warning, erupted from the core area of the zombie's head.
"This is..."
Cooper's pupils dilated as he pointed at the screen.
"The energy is coming from the head... no, it's leaking out from where the consciousness is connected?"
"Could it be... the soul?"
This discovery overturned his understanding. Originally, there wasn't a single trace of frost energy within the zombie's body.
When Steve used his ability, this chill appeared as if out of thin air, following the soul and instantly sweeping through the entire body, using this physical vessel as the site for releasing energy.
"The soul... can actually harbor physical energy?"
Having detected this, Cooper lowered his hands helplessly.
This had already touched upon a higher domain. Current technological means hadn't even figured out what substance the soul was made of, let alone analyzing the energy carried within it.
What difference was there between this and a primitive man trying to analyze a nuclear reactor?
He glanced at Steve as he stepped off the testing platform. The thought of whether to research Steve's original body flashed through his mind, but he immediately extinguished it.
Steve had already promised that when the time was right, he would directly provide the full set of data for that Awakening Potion.
Since there were ready-made answers, why take the long way? Furthermore, Steve was particularly important right now, and they would not choose to research him.
"It seems we are temporarily powerless in this regard."
Cooper sighed, but then his gaze became firm again.
"Since we can't understand the soul level, then we'll focus stubbornly on the physical body and continue researching the Rage Gene. That is the power we can currently control."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Outpost Base, at the Materials Science Research Institute.
The atmosphere here was equally bustling, yet it was tinged with a sense of anxiety.
With the establishment of the fully automated zombie farm, the production of energy crystals began to skyrocket.
Previously, due to resource scarcity, energy crystals were prioritized for the zombie units that had a better chance of evolving. Now, the Iron Golems, which had been the main early-stage combat force, finally had their chance for enhancement.
On the experimental grounds, a three-meter-tall Iron Golem stood quietly.
Before it lay a small mountain of brilliant, milky-white energy crystals.
"Begin devouring."
As the command was given, the Iron Golem reached out with its massive iron hand, grabbing a handful of energy crystals like they were sand.
It stuffed them directly into its core.
Nearby, 'Silver Dragon', acting as someone who had been through it, was serving as a technical guide with a serious expression.
"Don't rush, don't swallow it all in one breath."
Garry shouted while gesturing wildly.
"When I awakened my Super Alloy Physique back then, there was a trick to it."
"When devouring energy crystals, don't just concentrate the energy in one spot. You have to learn to guide it, spreading that heat throughout your whole body, letting every inch of skin and every bone consume that energy."
"Understand? Spread it."
The Iron Golem turned its large head as if it half-understood, and a faint white light began to glow on its body.
The surrounding researchers stared intently at the monitors, hoping for the legendary miracle of metal assimilation to occur.
However... one minute passed.
Ten minutes passed.
More than half of the pile of energy crystals had been consumed, but the white light on the Iron Golem's body only flickered a few times before completely going out, like a light bulb dying.
It raised its hand and moved it somewhat blankly.
Aside from its body being slightly warm and its joints being a tiny bit more flexible, there was no qualitative leap, let alone evolving the ability to absorb metallic properties like Garry .
"Failed?"
A researcher responsible for recording looked at the data in disbelief.
"After absorbing such a massive amount of energy, how is the energy reaction so low? Most of the energy seems to have just circulated through the body and then dissipated."
"Why?"
Everyone looked at each other.
If Garry could do it, why couldn't the Iron Golem?
At this moment, a grey-haired old scientist pushed up his glasses and pointed out the problem with sharp insight.
"It's a matter of genes."
He walked up to the Iron Golem and tapped on its hard iron skin.
"The reason Garry could awaken is because he is human, a biological being."
"He has cells and genes in his body. When the energy from the energy crystals entered his body, it activated a certain recessive segment in his genes, or perhaps that energy had a chemical reaction with the Rage Gene, leading to the mutation."
"But..."
The scientist spread his hands helplessly.
"This fellow is just a hunk of iron."
"It has no cells, no DNA, and certainly no Rage Gene to act as a catalyst."
"It is a simple iron construct. Feeding it energy crystals is like feeding straw to a gasoline car; it's simply not the same system."
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire room fell into a dead silence.
This was a massive paradox.
To evolve, one needed the Rage Gene as a primer.
But the Iron Golem was inorganic and couldn't absorb biological genes at all.
Even the Enderman, as a biological creature, couldn't fuse with the Rage Gene yet because its genetic structure was too unique, let alone this Iron Golem which didn't even have genes.