Chapter 311

Chapter 311: Trading Old for New

Now, Lin Qingliu has two hypotheses regarding this matter.

Either this substance is akin to a corpse-like material found underground, or it is mycelium.

During his initial exchange with Infinite Scroll, he mentioned that this planet bears a striking resemblance to humanity’s home planet, making it challenging to detect discrepancies in aspects such as gravity.

This is also the reason why Lin Qingliu only recently ascertained his true location.

The presence of weak life signals on this planet indicates that basic life forms existed here prior to humanity’s arrival.

So, what exactly is this life form?

Could it be that mycelium, utilizing gene banks, has begun to create extraordinary beasts and assimilate everything?

Or is it the gooey substance that caused him discomfort during his underground exploration?

Lin Qingliu has yet to formulate any further speculations on this matter.

This is one of the tasks he needs to deliver to Fulan; the Holy Fire Meow Meow Cult must grow stronger and become his eyes and ears, gathering more extensive intelligence outside the city.

However, Fulan is currently oblivious to these matters as she is preoccupied with preparing for the impending beast tide.

After some contemplation, Lin Qingliu once again hung a closed sign on his clinic.

Compared to saving humanity, business can indeed be set aside for now.

Lin Qingliu entered the room and began rummaging around, searching for a suitable container.

After a prolonged search, he finally focused on the nutrient jar containing Luke’s severed arm.

Recalling El’s description of Luke’s current abilities, Lin Qingliu, uncharacteristically, scratched his head, feeling conflicted…

“Since you already have a new arm, how about we…?”

Soon, Lin Qingliu employed his Distortion ability to extract the corresponding genes from Luke’s severed arm and preserved them.

If that dim-witted fellow ever needs to reattach his arm, Lin Qingliu can cultivate a new one on the spot for him.

After all, that old arm still bears scars from the removal of the controller, so trading it in for a new one wouldn’t be a bad deal.

If his Flesh ability advances further by that time, he might even bypass surgery altogether.

After confirming the genes were saved, Lin Qingliu dipped a finger into the nutrient solution.

An incorporeal valve opened, and the life force began to be vigorously absorbed.

In mere seconds, the jar was left with only a sticky puddle and a complete skeletal arm.

The bones had lost their initial fullness, now riddled with dense, sponge-like holes, as if they would crumble with a strong squeeze.

Since he had already saved the data, Lin Qingliu naturally felt no attachment to this substance and swiftly made these classified as trash disappear entirely.

Thus, Lin Qingliu obtained a brand new, empty glass jar.

Holding the glass jar, he once again vanished from the room.

With the experience from the last time, the underground world was no longer a dark mystery for Lin Qingliu.

It was as if the areas he had visited in the game were no longer shrouded in fog; with the assistance of his abilities, Lin Qingliu reached nearly two hundred meters underground in just over ten seconds.

At the same time, he slightly relaxed the restrictions of his Dimensional Shift ability and once again felt that slightly sticky texture.

This substance, which clearly doesn’t look like anything good, is naturally not safe to collect with bare hands.

After filling the glass jar with it, Lin Qingliu leaped back to the underground passage beneath his clinic.

He soon placed the jar of mysterious material in an abandoned storage room at the research institute underground.

Then, he took out his communicator to contact the recently well-behaved young researcher, Mr. Ji:

“Help me analyze the composition of this substance; the sample is in Storage Room 2.”

—

While Lin Qingliu collected the samples, the defense battle outside Hope City erupted.

As the extraordinary beasts surged toward the city walls like a dark wave, Fulan was busy spraying the last drop of red spray paint on herself and her companions.

This red spray paint was essential for friendly identification and very precious; Fulan didn’t want to waste a single drop.

Now, they had transformed into five blood-red mysterious creatures, looking like fluffy tennis balls just pulled from a paint bucket.

The reckless charge of the beast tide was swift, and amidst the sounds of trampling, breaking, and collapsing, the camp built by the Holy Fire Meow Meow Cult’s extraordinary beasts quickly turned to ruins.

In an instant, several extraordinary beasts, awakened by Fulan, felt an unfamiliar anger for the first time.

Different from the bloodlust stemming from wildness or the inexplicable hostility toward humans under mycelium control, this anger originated from a severed rationality, from the pain of seeing one’s creations being destroyed.

Fulan, however, did not feel much about this matter—

After witnessing buildings that dwarfed piles of bones countless times, the trash-like design did not stir any waves in her heart.

Rather, she felt that demolishing it had a kind of shattered artistic sense…

Yet Fulan sensed something from her subordinates’ anger, as if it was…

A basis for strengthening the connection between both sides, making it much easier for her to maintain the pressure of the small biological field.

If she could continue to generate this emotion rooted in reason and thought, could she maintain connections among both parties and even multiple parties with less cost?

Furthermore, could the energy saved be used to draw more extraordinary beasts into her team?

Thinking of this, Fulan’s eyes sparkled with realization.

This battle was undoubtedly the best opportunity for her to make further breakthroughs, but the question was how to utilize it?

Watching the extraordinary beasts still rampaging forward, Fulan suddenly realized she needed to make a quick decision—otherwise, her small team would turn into dust like the camp under the beasts’ iron hooves.

Soon, she turned her body toward the city wall:

“We charge too, lead the charge.”

Seeing the confused looks of her subordinates, Fulan explained helplessly:

“If we don’t charge, we’ll get trampled to death.”

The extraordinary beasts quickly acted on the orders, and in a very short time, the five fluffy blood-red creatures became the leaders of the many beasts behind them.

The soldiers on the city wall witnessed this scene, and in a brief moment, looks of surprise, anger, and a sense of relief washed over their faces.

Just as everyone’s emotions varied, the familiar banner-like illusion reappeared, simply stating:

“Mark your strongest firepower position.”