318: Beehive completed

At the registration office on Prison Star, Wilson and his close associates emotionlessly signed the experimental volunteer agreement provided by the Interstellar Peace Corporation's Technology Research and Development Department.

The thick stack of agreement documents, over a hundred pages long, lay on the table, filled with dazzlingly dense clauses and detailed rules.

"Please read all clauses carefully before signing," a blank-faced company employee reminded mechanically, "Once signed, the agreement is legally binding."

Wilson gave a bitter smile and casually flipped through a few pages. The terms were extremely detailed, covering every possible scenario, from the physiological and psychological risks the experiment might entail, to data collection and usage rights, and even compensation standards for accidental injury or death.

"Article 33: The volunteer agrees to the Technology Research and Development Department collecting all his biological data, including but not limited to gene sequences, brainwave patterns, consciousness characteristics, etc..."

"Article 85: The volunteer understands and accepts that the experiment may lead to irreversible physiological and psychological changes..."

"Article 212: Should the experiment result in the volunteer's death, the company will pay compensation ranging from five million to ten million credit points to the designated beneficiary..."

One of his close associates complained in a low voice, "This is practically treating us like lab rats... albeit extremely expensive lab rats."

Wilson shook his head, picked up the pen, "At this point, what choice do we have? Sign it."

What they didn't know was that these seemingly stringent terms were actually a "stress test" meticulously designed by the Technology Research and Development Department based on psychology.

It was originally a commission from several teams in the Traditional Projects Department to the Technology Research and Development Department, aiming to better design negotiation skills. However, the final outcome found an unexpected use.

That is, they discovered an algorithmic formula that could calculate an ideal threshold based on the personality traits of a specific individual.

It could achieve maximum exploitation, almost to the bone, yet precisely control the limits of endurance.

Meanwhile, in the Interstellar Peace Corporation's newly constructed underground experimental city, "Hive," Xia Er and Anderson were advancing their memory research project.

This advanced underground research base was the pride of the Construction Materials Logistics Department, its scale and sophistication awe-inspiring.

The Hive experimental city boasted a magnificent structure, shaped like an inverted cone with a diameter of five kilometers and a depth of ten kilometers, resembling a colossal beehive buried underground.

The entire experimental city was divided into hundreds of research layers, each dedicated to different categories of biological science research. Pale blue light dots flowed at the seams of the silver-white alloy walls, and holographic projection systems on the ceiling simulated changes in the natural sky, making people almost forget they were deep underground.

"Even after half a month here, it still amazes me," Anderson said, standing on the central observation platform, overlooking the layered research areas below. "The company's power is truly unfathomable."

Xia Er nodded in agreement, "That's natural. Among all known civilizations in the known universe, the most advanced research instruments are all here."

The experimental city was equipped with all of the Interstellar Peace Corporation's cutting-edge scientific research equipment.

From atomic-level gene sequencers to macroscopic biological cultivation fields, from nano-level cell manipulation platforms to meter-level biological cultivation chambers, everything was available.

"That printer over there," Xia Er said, pointing to a module on the bottom floor, "can instantly manufacture advanced equipment that only exists in the company's database, many of which are even experimental technologies not yet publicly disclosed."

"We probably won't need it this time, but when we have the chance later, I'll take you to see it properly and broaden your horizons."

"It's a deal then."

Back in the central laboratory, Xia Er was inspecting the latest model of the memory extraction device: "How's the stability? We need to ensure the safety of large-scale experiments."

Here, Anderson had already used more advanced technology provided by the company to create a memory extraction device that was more powerful and stable than the original prototype.

"It has undergone tens of thousands of tests," Anderson nodded. "The failure rate is less than 0.0001%. And a safety cut-off mechanism has been added; it stops operating immediately if an abnormality is detected."

"Alright. Then, let's proceed according to the plan we made earlier."

They first conducted systematic tests on common laboratory animals. Rhesus monkeys became the primary research subjects because their brain structure was very similar to humans.

The experimental design was very ingenious. Researchers displayed a larger dominant image on the screen, while simultaneously interspersing several smaller images for 0.1 seconds.

This design ensured that the monkeys formed a strong impression of the dominant image, while being unable to accurately perceive the details of the smaller images.

"Start recording," Xia Er commanded, "Monitor the monkeys' neural reactions and remove any abnormal individuals."

After a month of repeated experiments, almost all of the tens of thousands of rhesus monkeys tested were able to fully reproduce all the images that had appeared, including those rapidly flashing smaller images, through the memory extraction device.

You say rhesus monkeys are expensive, and a dozen or so would suffice to prove the point?

Sorry, the word 'expensive' is not in the Technology Research and Development Department's dictionary.

"This is incredible!" Anderson exclaimed, looking at the data analysis report. "Even the details of images that were only exposed for 0.1 seconds could be extracted. Although there were some differences due to subjective imagination, the core content was completely accurate!"

Xia Er pondered for a moment and proposed an even bolder idea: "If memories can be subjectively modified and solidified, does that mean we can also intervene?"

This idea immediately received Anderson's support.

They designed a new experiment. First, through conventional training techniques, monkeys were taught to remember the features of fifty complex images and to develop a stress response to specific characteristic images. When seeing these images, the monkeys would emit a specific howl.

After training was complete, researchers used the memory extraction device to fully extract the monkeys' memory data. Then, the technical team modified this memory data, altering the monkeys' stress characteristics for specific images.

To be precise, it was an exchange, as they had not yet mastered such precise techniques as detailed modification.

"Modification complete," Anderson reported. "We have changed the monkey's stress response to a red circle feature to a blue square."

Xia Er nodded, "Good, begin the memory implantation procedure."

The process seemed smooth.

After the memories were re-implanted into the monkey's brain, initial tests showed that the monkey's stress response had indeed changed. It emitted the trained howl at the blue square pattern, and no longer reacted to the original red circle pattern.

Although the accuracy rate was not as high as 100% during training, only around 80%, this result already confirmed the correctness of their hypothesis.

"Success!" A cheer erupted in the laboratory.

But the joy was short-lived.

Hours later, this monkey began to exhibit abnormal behavior. It became agitated, pacing back and forth in its cage, occasionally letting out painful screeches.

Suddenly, the monkey began to violently smash its head against the iron cage with astonishing force. Even sedatives could not stop its self-mutilating behavior.

"Quick! Increase the dosage!" Xia Er urgently ordered.

But it was too late. After continuous violent impacts, the monkey eventually died from a skull fracture and brain damage.

The laboratory fell silent.