Species

Biodata

Origin and Classification

Ye Lin concludes that humans created the Species through genetic experiments conducted on Venus. In his reconstruction, the earliest researchers wore protective equipment, causing the first test subjects to associate spacesuited humans with their creators. That image became embedded in the Species’ genes as an object of fear, reverence, and worship 24.

The creatures resembling religious deities are not benevolent gods. After witnessing Species escorting “Christ” and being pursued by “Buddha,” An Ke concludes that Species and Gods are the same kind of monster. However, the exam system distinguishes ordinary Species from the awakened experimental subjects, ordering candidates to eliminate the former while surviving pursuit by the latter 21 23.

Appearance

The common Species resembles a scaled fish with human legs, a hunched, streamlined body, and an enormous head that splits open into a maw 9.

• Eyes: Bulging, motionless eyes positioned on either side of the head 9 11.
• Mouth: Tiny, barb-like teeth line the entire oral cavity; the jaws can open at an extreme angle 10.
• Limbs: Powerful legs and claws capable of inflicting severe abdominal wounds 9.
• Blood: Blue blood; an injured eye also releases blue pus 9 13.
• Weight: One encountered individual weighs several hundred pounds 13.
• Odor: A strong bloody stench; the mouth smells of rotten seaweed mixed with feces 9 10.

Behavior

Ordinary Species hunt and eat humans. Ye Lin initially considers them unintelligent creatures acting primarily on instinct, but their behavior includes hiding in ventilation ducts and ambushing passing prey 10 11 13.

Food deprivation weakens them. A Species trapped in the weapons storeroom has a shrunken body and nearly exhausted strength; after failing to bite Zhang Tie’s head, it changes tactics and attacks his legs 17.

• Sound attraction: Screams, metallic clanging, alarms, and broadcasts draw them toward their source 9 15 25.
• Group pursuit: They gather in large numbers, block routes, and pursue fleeing candidates through the base 14 19 22.
• Concealment: Ventilation ducts serve as hiding places and alternate attack routes 13 23 28.
• Exceptional intelligence: Alesi recognizes Ye Lin’s apparent plan to open the ship’s hatch and immediately prioritizes stopping him 30.

Abilities & Skills

Strength, Speed, and Agility

Even a single ordinary Species initially overwhelms He Zheng despite his enhanced physique 9.

• Springs off walls and changes direction rapidly enough to frustrate Ye Lin’s aim 9.
• Sends He Zheng flying with one claw strike, badly injuring his abdomen 9.
• Crushes a wooden axe handle with its bite 10.
• Leaps over toppled cabinets while pursuing Zhang Tie 17.

Armored Scales

The common Species’ scales provide substantial protection against melee attacks and weaker firearms 9 13 14.

• A full-force Fire Axe strike to the head produces a metallic clang and only a trace of blood 9.
• Its anatomy makes a reliable pistol kill difficult without carefully placed shots through the eye 13 14.
• Large-caliber automatic fire can shatter the scales and destroy the body outright 18.

Sound Detection and Command Responses

Ye Lin infers that hearing takes priority over vision, possibly with particular sensitivity to high-frequency sounds. An Ke observes that the fixed, side-facing eyes likely limit forward vision 10 11.

• An Ke’s metallic noise lure draws more than twenty Species away from the laboratory entrance 14 15.
• Rotten Crab’s shrieks summon Species to attack Morrigan 20.
• A monstrous baby’s screams drive nearby Species into a frenzy, overcoming their reluctance to attack spacesuited humans 28.
• The baby’s control appears distance-dependent: creatures initially unaffected become controlled as it approaches 28.

Inherited Fear of Spacesuits

The Species’ fear of spacesuited humans provides the candidates with a temporary advantage 24 27.

• A glowing ring or halo can deter them, though its protection depends on maintaining its light 23 27.
• They stop attacking Huang Liang and Wang Yuanyang even before the two finish putting on their suits 27.
• Fully suited candidates cause gathered Species to fall silent and flee 27.
• This protection is not absolute: the monstrous baby’s screams force Species to attack despite it 28.

Weaknesses and Countermeasures

Notable Forms and Associated Creatures

Story Role / Major Arcs

Exam Rewards

Aftermath

After the six surviving candidates return to the Death Exam Space, scraps of flesh writhe in the ruined base. Its navigation system points toward Earth, while a gaze watches from Venus 30.