Closer to Revealing My True Self-Chapter 75 - 71 Too Strong Empathy_2

“Of course, those wild ones have survived the abnormal weather periods, enduring the harsh natural selection. That venom… Tsk tsk!”

“And didn’t that professor from the research team say it’s going to keep growing? Anyway, in my opinion, the comparison between wild and captive individuals is like the difference between wolves and dogs. When it comes down to a real fight, it’s all about who’s more aggressive and who strikes harder.”

“So, this dude in the news photo is seriously fierce! Is it saying that he caught such a big snake all by himself? That’s just too awesome!”

“The snake catcher is seriously badass! But, why do I feel like this guy looks a bit like Brother Se from Yue Mountain? The one who caught Qing?”

“Now that you mention it, I see the resemblance too.”

After some discussion, indeed many people speculated the same.

Why would the research team blur out the faces in the photo? Is there something they’re trying to hide?!

Listening to the group’s discussion, Lu Yue chuckled to himself: Feng Yi, how long can you keep your cover?

After laughing, Lu Yue began to think about how to maximize his benefits using Feng Yi’s fame when Feng Yi’s true identity was inevitably revealed.

At that moment, Feng Yi was oblivious to the people’s speculation.

He was extracting venom.

The king cobra produces a relatively large amount of venom. Although not the largest, it’s still considerably high in volume.

Steve observed the freshly collected venom, “Looking at this venom, it probably hasn’t eaten yet; it might have come out to hunt. King cobras don’t like to sit and wait for their prey; they prefer to actively strike over long distances. If you hadn’t intercepted it, it probably wouldn’t have bothered with you. You’re not on its menu, so it won’t waste venom on you.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Wentao said, “Right! At first, it really didn’t bother with me and just kept running forward, probably looking for a snake to eat.

“After I chased it for a while, it turned around and started chasing me. It was a bit agitated at the time, pretty fierce!

“Actually, thinking about it, I understand. It was hungry and ready to look for food, and then someone blocks your way. Wouldn’t you lash out?”

Feng Yi put himself in that situation and imagined it.

His fists clenched.

Steve continued observing, “Look at the shape of its fangs; this kind generally doesn’t spit venom, but the amount of venom injected during a bite is significant and can be quite dangerous.”

“Moreover, as far as I know, after the period of abnormal climate, the venom of the king cobra seems to have changed?”

Steve said, glancing toward Professor Zhou and the others.

Professor Zhou nodded and said, “By studying the venom samples and comparing them with the data from before the period of climate anomaly, the change in the venom of the wild king cobra is indeed significant, and this change might continue.

“These wild individuals are still undergoing rapid evolution and adjustment. That’s why I always say that individuals and their offspring who have survived the period of climate anomaly could be stronger and more dangerous.

“Furthermore, with venom samples provided from various countries from the same year, we conducted toxicity tests on laboratory-cultivated mice and some invasive species for research, comparing the lethal dosages of king cobra venom from different regions. Our country’s king cobras have greater toxicity toward rodents, with neurotoxins forming the main component.

“The venom of the king cobra also changes as they age. When they are young, due to their smaller size, they prey on small animals such as mice, and the venom is mainly for poisoning these prey. As they grow, their size increases, and gradually, they start eating snakes instead of mice very often, and the venom accordingly changes with their diet.

“This kind of change is very interesting, especially in those who have survived; their adaptability is too strong! The changes made in response to the hunting environment are worthy of research!

“So we collect new venom samples for analysis every year during our scientific expeditions.”

Wang Wentao nodded incessantly on the side.

That’s right, that’s why he was willing to risk chasing after the king cobra!

It meant data, papers, and a higher impact factor!

If not for these, he would go ten miles out of his way to avoid a king cobra!

Steve’s interest wasn’t in the specificity of the venom. Watching Feng Yi extract snake venom, he said, “Feng Yi, you’re pretty slick with extracting venom. Are you interested in making some extra cash?”

Feng Yi was puzzled.

Extra cash? From extracting snake venom?

Steve continued, “Many research teams at home and abroad perform those kinds of toxicity and dosage tests every year, and they certainly need to collect snake venom for that. Extracting venom from some snakes can be tricky, and inexperienced handlers who are not precise can cause significant data deviation. Some teams are pretty generous with payment for this sort of work.” He showed a number with his fingers.

Feng Yi didn’t know how many zeros were represented by that gesture, but he really wasn’t interested in extracting venom; it made his cheeks hurt just thinking about it.

Steve liked sharing these experiences, “Some snakes don’t cooperate much during venom extraction, making it a tough job.

“Last year, an international team asked for my help with such research. Actually, there are quite a few snakes whose venom secretion rates are higher or comparable to that of the king cobra, such as certain lance-headed vipers, Eastern Diamondbacks, Gaboon vipers, coastal taipans, and others—the venom quantities are quite substantial, almost like pouring liquor.

“However, the data gathered annually can show some variations, and the snake’s size, condition, and other factors can affect the final numbers.”

As he spoke, Steve started to grumble, “Like those Gaboon ‘couch potatoes’ with their big, long fangs. It’s quite inconvenient to extract venom when they don’t cooperate, especially when they retract their fangs! Those big, long fangs are troublesome!”

Feng Yi: “…”

Steve then shared some experiences from when he was invited to help with venom extraction, and after speaking enthusiastically, he told Feng Yi, “Anyway, if you’re ever interested in making some pocket money, or if you want to see the research teams’ testing process, just contact me.”

Feng Yi expressed his thanks. He really didn’t want to extract venom from large venomous snakes, but Steve meant well.

It was just that the vividness of the scenario made him feel uncomfortable.

And, those big, long fangs needed to be handled carefully!