The sample size is not enough; to understand the population structure of Martian cockroaches, more samples need to be dissected.

The one-hour video call ended quickly, and the elderly couple reluctantly ended their conversation with Zhang Fan, feeling that it was not enough.

The "Da Bao and Xiao Bao" they mentioned have been fragmented almost millimeter by millimeter under their kind guidance and instruction.

As the chief surgeon, Zhang Fan also benefited greatly from his observations and gained a deep understanding of the mutant cockroaches, from their physiological structure to their living habits.

However, he needs more samples.

Zhang Fan made more onion-based poisoned bait and dropped it around the "Bird's Nest" base.

The next day, when they went to check, they found that many of the bait balls were gone. Zhang Fan was certain that the bait had been eaten, not vanished into thin air.

But there wasn't even a single cockroach corpse around?

Cockroaches have a habit of eating their dead kind. Cockroaches poisoned by bait are themselves poisonous, so they should leave behind a pile of corpses.

But the fact that there aren't any left can only mean one thing—

Drug resistance.

According to those old men and women, no matter how toxic the medicine he used was, as long as it couldn't wipe out all the cockroaches on Mars in one go, they would develop resistance.

Then the only option is to switch to a new drug to make it effective, but soon new drug resistance will develop, thus creating an endless cycle.

This is what makes cockroaches so resilient.

They are arguably one of the most successful species on Earth. This definition would also apply to Mars.

Furthermore, the elderly people advised him that it was best not to hit them with slippers, because female cockroaches have egg pods at their tails, and stepping on them might "help" the egg pods fall off, resulting in the reproduction of even more cockroaches...

As cockroaches are incredibly resilient, they have an extremely high reproductive rate and can reproduce asexually; one cockroach can produce approximately 4,500 offspring...

Zhang Fan felt a chill run down his spine.

Over 100 years, who knows how many cockroaches they've multiplied to?

This time, Zhang Fan used a new drug and increased the dosage, distributing it around the perimeter of the "Bird's Nest" base.

The next day, when he went for another check-up, Zhang Fan felt that he could no longer keep this situation a secret from the other three women.

The beautiful woman must eventually meet her father-in-law; let's arrange for them to meet.

To help them prepare mentally and gradually accept the current situation, Zhang Fan specially arranged the cockroaches that had died outside from smallest to largest in a "tour route".

Inside the "Bird's Nest" base, Zhang Fan first prepared them psychologically.

"I'll reiterate once again, the Martian cockroaches you're about to see might be a bit bigger than those on Earth," Zhang Fan reminded them again before opening the hatch.

Thanks to Zhang Fan's patient explanation and persuasive guidance, the girls have accepted the premise that there are cockroaches on Mars.

"I know, I know, you've said it eight hundred times." Katerina was a little impatient. She was a bit afraid of cockroaches, but she felt that she could endure it if she just put up with it. After all, cockroaches couldn't be more dangerous than a black bear, right?

"I've divided the situation outside into nine levels. If you can't handle it later, just let me know."

"What level was that restaurant last time?" Su Muran asked curiously.

“Uh… well…” Zhang Fan scratched his head a little embarrassedly, “Those aren’t ranked high outside. If we have to use that as the base number, about ten of those would be considered level one.”

"Huh?" Yui was so frightened that she trembled all over.

Zhang Fan quickly helped her up, taking Yui's hand to comfort and support her.

"Then I'll open the hatch, okay?"

"Open it! Open it!" Katerina said impatiently. "It's just a few dead cockroaches! What's there to be afraid of when they're dead!"

Zhang Fan opened the cabin door and led the three girls onto the tourist route.

"Ladies, please look over there. The person hanging under the antenna in the maintenance bay is our number one guest."

"Look at its silly, goofy appearance, you can tell it's still a child, isn't it a little bit cute?"

"That's right! It's the larva of the Martian cockroach. Next, let's see how 'Little Treasure' grows up..."

Zhang Fan tried to keep his tone light and humorous in order to reduce the psychological pressure on the girls.

"The next stop is..."

"Um?"

Zhang Fan realized he was the only one walking forward. He turned around and saw that the three beautiful women had all fainted on the spot.

Ah, this...

Zhang Fan could only carry them back to the base one by one.

"Say it again!" Katerina, after waking up, practically grabbed Zhang Fan by the neck and asked, "Do you dare say that thing that was as big as my face just now was a larva?"

“Uh…” Zhang Fan was speechless.

Yui covered her ears with both hands and trembled, while Su Muran held her tightly.

"Why don't you go out and take a look? You'll see for yourself." Zhang Fan felt that seeing is believing, no matter how many words were used.

“Sigh…” Katerina sighed and released Zhang Fan. “This is the only one that won’t do. Even if you look down on me, I’ll accept it. This is really the only one that won’t do…”

"Fan, can you think of a way? You're the only man here."

The three girls looked at Zhang Fan pitifully and helplessly.

“There’s nothing we can do.” Zhang Fan spread his hands. “Judging from the current situation, their activity range has only just extended to this area, which means we will encounter them more and more often in the future.”

"No! No, no! I don't want to!" Yui buried her face in Su Muran's arms, on the verge of madness.

"Can't you think of a way to deal with them?" Su Muran said while comforting Yui. "You guys have the ability to move the ice caps of Mars' south pole, but you can't deal with these tiny insects?"

“Uh…” Zhang Fan was speechless. These insects were not small at all. Moreover, the Antarctic ice sheet was easy to deal with, but there was really no way to deal with these small insects at this stage.

Even on Earth, this would be a helpless situation.

"Liao Changtian and his colleagues said that in another six months, the temperature of the Martian atmosphere will gradually return to the level before the eruption of Olympus Mons. At that time, cockroaches may return to the underground to hibernate again. The next natural rise in the temperature of Mars is estimated to be 100 years away."

"In other words, as long as we can get through these six months, the problem should resolve itself naturally..."

“We can’t survive this six months.” Katerina interrupted Zhang Fan, pointing at Yui. “Look for yourself, let alone six months, we can’t even last half a month.”

"Think of a way!"

Zhang Fan looked at Yui, who was crying and sobbing in Su Muran's arms.

Zhang Fan recalled the promise he had made to Yui not long ago.

He had promised Yui that he would never let a cockroach near her again!

You trashy insect! How dare you bully my Yui!

"Alright!" Zhang Fan stood up abruptly. "You all go to the 'Soyuz' space station. I'll figure out the rest!"

What are you going to do?

"I want to tell them that insects should act like insects!"

"Humans are the true masters of this place!"