The pool of gray liquid on the ground was still bubbling. Chen Hao stared at it, as if waiting for it to explain itself.
He didn't speak or move, but slowly placed the water glass back on the table, the bottom of the glass hitting the metal table with a "click." Nana's camera swept across the infrared image at the bottom of the sealed area; the heat source was still moving, weak but persistent, like a group of ants crawling on the ground.
"Wasn't it completely dead?" he finally spoke, his voice low, as if asking her, yet also as if asking himself, "How could silver crystallize and then burn the boiler?"
“The metabolism has not stopped.” Nana pulled up the component analysis chart. “Increased activity of thiol groups was detected. It is speculated that the symbiotic bacteria in the parasite have evolved a reductase system, which is converting solid silver into a soluble complex.”
"Goodness gracious." Chen Hao grinned. "So, while we were treating it to a meal, it casually opened a chemical plant."
He stood up, walked around to the other side of the control panel, and ran his fingers across the panel a few times, cutting off all external power input to the sealed area. "Don't power them yet, so they don't have to exercise after eating their fill."
He then opened the electromagnetic pulse module and set the frequency and amplitude. "Solar flare simulation mode, flash it like crazy!" he said. "I don't believe these little gadgets can still do something useful under the scorching heat of ultraviolet rays."
A high-frequency pulse was activated, causing the magnetic field inside the sealed chamber to vibrate violently, and a slight humming sound to rise in the air. On the monitoring screen, the writhing outlines gradually slowed down, and the intensity of the thermal signal began to decrease.
“Effective,” Nana confirmed. “The disruption rate of the microbial electron transport chain is 87%.”
"This is just the beginning." Chen Hao rubbed his face, his hands covered in oil, sweat, and dust. "Just pressing his head down isn't enough; we also have to smash his rice bowl."
He pulled up the robot knowledge base, scrolling rapidly until he stopped at the entry for "electrochemical deposition for treating heavy metal wastewater". "Since they like to turn silver into liquid, let's give them a hand - turn it into a solid and then take it back."
"You mean reverse electrolysis?" Nana asked.
“Yes.” He nodded. “We won’t burn it or bury it. We’ll turn it into a recycling center and collect scrap silver.”
Five minutes later, she laid a graphite current collector at the bottom of the sealed area, installed a negative electrode plate on top, and connected it to a high-voltage DC power supply. Chen Hao glanced at the voltmeter: "Three thousand volts, is that enough?"
“Theoretically, it is sufficient to drive directional ion migration,” Nana replied. “The actual efficiency depends on the conductivity of the medium.”
"Then let's give it a try." He pressed the start button.
The moment the current was switched on, fine bubbles appeared on the surface of the ash liquid seeping from the ground. Then, a thin layer of silvery-white crystals began to grow on the graphite mesh, like metallic moss growing from the mud.
"The precipitation rate is normal." Nana monitored the changes in ion concentration. "The recovery rate is expected to reach 98% in four hours."
"Great." Chen Hao leaned against the wall, catching his breath. "This wave will not only clear the poison, but also recoup our investment. We can use this silver-plated sickle to remove dust from wheat with static electricity."
The alarm went off as soon as he finished speaking.
It's not a sealed area; it's a breeding area.
The warning sound was short, and the red light flashed three times.
"The chickens are acting abnormally." Nana switched the screen. "The antibody-bearing chickens in Zone B have collectively stopped eating, and their activity level has decreased by 62%."
Chen Hao's brow twitched: "They were fine just now, why are they here again?"
He strode toward the observation window, where a flock of chickens huddled in a corner, their feathers ruffled and heads bowed. Several stood in front of the feeding trough, their mouths opening and closing as if they were choking on something.
"Poisoned?" he asked.
"Highly likely." Nana has already dispatched a sampling robotic arm. "The preliminary assessment is a heavy metal exposure reaction, with abnormal liver function indicators."
Ten minutes later, the blood test results came back: the silver content was seven times higher than the standard.
“Food chain enrichment,” Nana said. “Soluble silver complexes were detected in shallow groundwater, originating from rainwater infiltration of previously sprayed pesticides.”
"I forgot about that." Chen Hao slapped his forehead. "The silver mist we used to kill insects ended up in the well where the chickens drink water."
“The ecological cycle has been broken,” Nana added. “Pollutants are not effectively intercepted, but instead enter organisms through the water cycle.”
"Now you know it's called an ecological closed loop?" He smiled wryly. "Why didn't you do this sooner?"
“My role is to provide early warnings and support,” she said, her tone unchanged. “The decision-making power is yours.”
"Okay, okay, I guess I had a brain fart." He waved his hand. "What do we do now? Change the water? Change the feed? Or just switch to vegetarian chicken?"
"I suggest immediately stopping the use of shallow water sources and switching to deep well water." Nana pulled up the water supply system diagram. "At the same time, install activated carbon-ion exchange composite filters at the drinking water outlets."
“Let’s do it.” Chen Hao rolled up his sleeves. “I’ll go take apart the carbon cartridge from the old air purifier and use it for now.”
“It is also necessary to promote excretion,” she continued. “It is recommended to add pectin and vitamin C to the feed to form chelates and accelerate the excretion of silver.”
“Pectin?” He frowned. “We have plenty of rotten apples here, just juice them and mix them in.”
The two split up. Chen Hao went into the equipment room, rummaged through a pile of discarded purification modules, removed the carbon cores, and connected them to the water supply line. Nana, on the other hand, adjusted the feed formulation program and started a temporary feeding plan.
At 2:17 a.m., the new water system was put into operation, and the first batch of feed was put into the feeding troughs.
The chickens didn't move at first, as if they were suspicious of the food. A few minutes later, one chick tentatively pecked at the food, looked up at the sky, and then lowered its head to eat it again.
Then the second one, the third one...
"Eating has resumed," Nana reported. "Heart rate and respiratory rate are gradually recovering."
Chen Hao slumped in a chair in the control room, holding a half-full glass of honey water. He took a sip; it was so sweet it choked his throat, but he didn't spit it out. "At least... it didn't completely collapse."
He stared at the life curve on the screen, watching it gradually change from flat to undulating, like a computer that had crashed and restarted.
"Silver recovery is 94.3% complete," Nana said. "It is expected to be completed in another hour."
“We’ll melt these crystals down and make a plaque to hang on the wall.” He yawned. “We’ll write, ‘This base is free from all pests, including but not limited to mosquitoes, flies, and parasites that run chemical plants.’”
"We recommend prioritizing the treatment of soil residues," Nana advised.
“I know.” He rubbed his temples. “Tomorrow we’ll dig up the topsoil, replace it with humus, and then lay a waterproof membrane. We can’t just treat the symptoms; we have to make them extinct.”
"Based on current data, if the existing prevention and control system is maintained, ecological stability is expected to be achieved within three months."
"Three months?" He laughed. "I'd be lucky to live to see that day."
He put down his cup, then suddenly remembered something: "By the way, what about the alloy made from those insect corpses? Is it still usable?"
"It is still under lockdown." Nana brought up the screen of the smelting chamber. "The internal environment has not yet met the standards, and there is unknown metabolic activity."
"So, that pile of meat isn't completely cold yet?"
Technically, this is a case of 'delayed inactivation'.
“What a delay.” He shook his head. “Others are resurrected three days after death, but it starts recharging three hours after death.”
He propped himself up on the table, walked to the main screen, and looked at the layer of silvery-white crystals at the bottom of the sealed area. "If they can really turn silver into energy, do you think the next step will be flying?"
“There are no signs of flight organ development,” Nana replied, “but some individuals show semiconductor-like structures on their skin.”
"Heh." He chuckled dryly. "So, you're getting ready to connect to the internet?"
As he was speaking, a new notification suddenly popped up on the monitor: the pH value of the drinking water in the aquaculture area was fluctuating abnormally.
"What's going on?" He leaned closer to look.
"The filter cartridge is saturated." Nana checked the data. "The carbon cartridge's adsorption capacity has reached its limit and it needs to be replaced immediately."
"Only two hours!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide. "He's already ruined?"
“The pollutant concentration is too high,” she said calmly. “I recommend adding a secondary filtration unit.”
"Where are the spare parts?" He rummaged through drawers and cabinets. "Oh wait, let's not speak English."
He pulled out an old circuit board and scraped off the silicone layer. "Will this do?"
“Silica has a certain degree of adsorption,” Nana confirmed after scanning. “It can be used as a temporary alternative material.”
“Then solder it on.” He picked up the soldering iron. “Tonight will be another day of patching things up.”
Three hours later, the new filter layer was installed, and the water flowed clear again. The chickens pecked at the food more frequently, and one rooster even crowed, although its voice was hoarse like a cassette tape.
Chen Hao sat on the ground, leaning against the control panel, his eyelids drooping. Nana stood beside him, the robotic arm slowly retracting the last detection probe.
“The environmental scan is complete,” she said. “No active pollutants remain, and the ecosystem is approaching balance.”
He hummed in response, without looking up.
“You should rest.” She observed that his breathing rate had decreased and his body temperature had risen slightly.
"Wait a little longer." He squinted. "I'll go to sleep after this wave of silver is finished."
Just then, a new message popped up in the lower right corner of the main screen: the deep well water pump pressure dropped by 15% and the operating current was unstable.
"Is there a problem with the pump?" He barely opened his eyes.
"It's possible that impurities have been drawn in." Nana retrieved the pipeline footage. "I suggest checking for blockages in the upstream filter."
"It's me again?" he said with a wry smile.
"You are in charge."
"That sounds really pathetic." He stood up, holding onto the edge of the table, but his foot slipped and he almost fell.
He steadied himself, grabbed his tool bag, and walked towards the door.
Nana turned around and followed.
“No need,” he said. “You stay here and keep an eye on the data. I’m going to check the water pumps and… get some fresh air.”
He opened the door, and a blast of cold wind rushed in, making him shiver.
The sky outside was turning blue; dawn was approaching.
He walked towards the pump house on the wet ground, the flashlight beam reflecting off the muddy water, creating a patchwork of shimmering silver light.
He glanced down at it.
Those spots of light looked like they were seeping from the ground.
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