The sound of flushing echoed as Li Nannan returned and sat down.
"Do you know what the breeding model of Meteorite Star is?" Li Nannan asked.
"Pen-raised? Free-range? A combination?" Jiang Ye guessed.
"The vast majority are free-range. Various livestock are distributed across different climate zones and terrains, breeding on their own, and culled periodically. This is the most economical and labor-saving method, requiring very few people for the entire planet," Li Nannan explained. "To control these livestock, the military specially approved a high-tech gadget for Xu Aoqing: electronic parasites."
Jiang Ye silently mulled over the term.
He seemed to have seen this word in some report from the Jiang Ye Star Military Laboratory, but it wasn't important, so he hadn't paid close attention.
"Electronic parasites, as the name suggests, are semi-mechanical parasites, varying in size. They can infest target livestock and spread to the next generation with their reproduction, surviving in the livestock of Meteorite Star for generations. It's a one-time solution," Li Nannan shifted the topic, "However, there's no such thing as a one-time solution in this world."
"Did something go wrong with these parasites?" Jiang Ye asked.
"That's right. To be precise, the electronic parasites on Meteorite Star mutated and evolved."
"How did they evolve?" Jiang Ye felt like he was playing the role of a straight man.
"The previous electronic parasites could control the brain currents of various livestock. For example, they could stimulate the hunger centers, causing the livestock to eat uncontrollably and grow rapidly, essentially force-feeding themselves. They could also stimulate the reproductive centers, making the livestock breed tirelessly," Li Nannan said.
"Why would they need stimulation for that? Instinct is enough," Jiang Ye remarked.
"That's because you're strong. Not every married man is like you," Li Nannan gave a knowing smile.
"What are you saying!" Cen Yemeng blushed and picked up a small tangerine from the table, throwing one each at Jiang Ye and Li Nannan.
"Most importantly, when the livestock reached a certain size and their hormone levels hit a critical point, the electronic parasites would control the migratory part of their brains, causing the plump livestock to voluntarily cross vast distances to reach the meat processing plants," Li Nannan explained. "The workers at the meat processing plants only needed to send a few signal broadcasts on their computers daily, transmitted to nearby electronic parasites, and they would receive a steady stream of livestock."
Jiang Ye suddenly understood.
This thing was indeed quite efficient.
Livestock and poultry, though appearing dull, were actually quite intelligent. They could sense when their owners intended to kill them and would flee desperately.
Jiang Ye recalled when he was a child and returned to his hometown to slaughter chickens. He thought it would be simple, following the adults and making one cut to the chicken's neck.
But when he actually tried to catch and kill a chicken, he found it quite difficult. The chickens would flee desperately. Even when he grabbed their necks, their struggling strength was several times greater than he expected, and their pulses vibrated his hand. Moreover, a single cut to the neck wouldn't kill the chicken immediately; it would continue to run. Jiang Ye spent half an hour struggling with one chicken before finally killing it.
The livestock and poultry on Meteorite Star being able to run to the meat processing plants themselves was incredibly labor-saving!
It would be as simple as setting up a meat grinder and having them queue up to jump in!
Jiang Ye immediately had the idea of introducing electronic parasites to his own planet.
"However, the electronic parasites have now mutated," Li Nannan said. "The livestock no longer obediently enter the meat plants; instead, they launch frenzied attacks on humans and human machinery."
Li Nannan tapped the holographic projection and brought up a video.
The video was a satellite aerial shot. The air quality was poor, so the image was blurry, only allowing for a rough view. A white train sped along the tracks, surrounded by yellowish plains.
The train was enveloped by dark shadows – four-legged animals running, their size comparable to buffaloes.
Thousands of dark animals charged across the plains, colliding with the train at high speed. Some hit the locomotive head-on, while more impacted the carriages from the sides.
The animals that collided first were thrown off and killed by the train's immense kinetic energy, blood splattering onto the carriages. But as more animals collided, the tracks became completely blocked by corpses, and the train was finally forced to stop.
Some people climbed out of the windows, scrambling onto the roof of the train in panic.
But the animals, stepping on the piles of corpses, swarmed onto the train and violently knocked people off.
Those who fell from the train were immediately surrounded by a horde of animals, trampled and bitten, turning into a bloody pulp within ten seconds.
The scene was extremely gory and terrifying.
The video ended, and Jiang Ye was filled with shock.
"Is this a zombie outbreak?" Jiang Ye gasped, "Zombie animals?"
"A bit like it, but zombie movies aren't popular anymore," Li Nannan nodded. "The video you just saw was of the first north-south railway line on the third continent of Meteorite Star. Five days ago, a high-speed special train carrying meat plant employees passed through there and was attacked by a beast tide. All six hundred and thirty-eight people on board died. Many such incidents occurred in the early stages of the beast tide outbreak."
"What's the situation now?" Jiang Ye asked.
"Now, most of the territory of Meteorite Star is ravaged by beast tides. The rampaging herds are everywhere, searching for human settlements and attacking everyone they see. Several towns have already fallen," Li Nannan said. "The remaining people are being evacuated by military-arranged spacecraft. Half have been evacuated, and the other half are hiding in bunkers or basements. All industries have shut down."
"Why not use the army to suppress the beast tide?" Jiang Ye asked. "They're just animals, and they're clustered together. Why not just bomb them?"
"Meteorite Star has environmental regulations that prohibit excessive pollution. Military weapons are quite polluting, and cleaning up the pollution is too expensive and not cost-effective. It's an economic calculation," Li Nannan explained. "We tried using various signals to regain control of the electronic parasites, but we failed. The electronic parasites on Meteorite Star have evolved in a bizarre way; they can even coordinate to counter-suppress signals. All the animals are essentially mobile signal emitters."
Jiang Ye's expression was one of astonishment.
"If you are willing to take over and successfully stop the beast tide on Meteorite Star, and restore its industries to operation, then the sovereignty of this planet will be..." Li Nannan suddenly stopped, turned to look at Cen Yemeng, and then back at Jiang Ye, "...your wife's."
Jiang Ye's face darkened. He hadn't passed his exam yet and didn't have the authority to claim a third planet, so he could only have Cen Yemeng hold the position.
"So, do you accept?" Li Nannan asked.
"Do you have detailed data?" Jiang Ye inquired.
"In what aspect?"
"All aspects," Jiang Ye said. "For example, the food requirements of the crocodile people, the planet's development level, pollution control limits, the current scale of the beast tide, etc. I need to assess the magnitude of the fire to see if I, as a firefighter, can rush in."
Li Nannan immediately tapped the holographic projection and quickly brought up a database. The database was named Meteorite Star.
Jiang Ye stood up and began to examine the data.
Cen Yemeng and Isabel also leaned in to look, even taking out their phones to calculate.
After a long while.
Jiang Ye looked at Li Nannan and asked, "If I accept and fail to resolve the situation, are there any penalties?"
"No," Li Nannan shook her head.
"I accept," Jiang Ye said decisively.