Chapter 138
The spores in the containment box were full of vitality. They smelled good and like grapes, they were round and plump. With a single poke, juice might spurt out.
Si Chen closed the box and asked, “How do I use these spores?”
During the reproduction period, fungi can emit billions of spores at a time. Hardly any red mushrooms would produce as little as Sheng Wu.
It was evident how precious these spore were.
Dr. Sheng didn’t really want to answer, but since the spores had already been given away, there was no point in refusing to cooperate. So he could only say with a cold face: “When you encounter mycelium lifeforms, let these spores come into contact with them. The spores will automatically control the mycelium lifeforms.”
His eyes looked up slightly and he tried to keep his tone calm.
In fact, there was one thing that Sheng Wu was keeping from Si Chen; that was that even if he used the spores to control those mycelium lifeforms, in the end they would still be controlled by the mother plant, which was him.
It was unsurprising that Dr. Sheng would look down on Si Chen, who was only at the Fifth Step.
When Serpent Staff Gene was at its most powerful, the mycelium lifeforms under his control were at Steps seven or eight.
“That’s all?”
Sheng Wu turned his head and said, “You’ll get the same answer even if you kill me. It’s up to you to believe me or not.”
Si Chen’s instincts were telling him that Dr. Sheng wouldn’t be so honest. Especially since after Sheng Wu finished talking, the test paper in his pocket began to grow hot.
Because of his Eternal Life Abyss skin, Si Chen had a high tolerance for heat. Even if scalding oil is poured on his body, it would only feel like ordinary warm water.
But for some reason, every time the Prophet’s Skin updated, he would feel a burning sensation through several layers of clothing. There was nothing wrong with his body though, which meant that this burning sensation was just a psychological suggestion.
Si Chen took out the test paper from his pocket.
His test question 1 was “Find the holographic image left by the Dr. Sheng.”. He had already completed this and was given points per step.
Additional question 1: Resolve the out of control mutant species in the Gene Museum. He had received 3 points. Probably to reward Si Chen for killing the big lizard.
Additional question 2: Eliminate the mycelium mother plant. This still remained blank.
Test question 2: Wait in the underground storage room until the Space Fold’s energy is exhausted.
Now, a third question was written on the test paper.
-Personally control mycelium lifeforms through the spores.
It seemed that this was a practical problem.
Si Chen suspected that the Prophet had been a bald man with sparse hair. Every time the words appeared on the paper, the strokes were thin and tiny.
But this time, the word “personally” has been written in bold characters.
The other words were still just single-strand-of-hair thin but this word had used at least several strands. It was extraordinarily eye-catching.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Si Chen’s ability to get high scores in his studies did not depend solely on his flexible thinking and solid fundamental skills. Most importantly, it was due to to his carefulness.
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Si Chen looked out the car window and saw countless mycelium men shuffling on the road, like a zombie horde unable to find a food source.
His tone sounded artless yet cruel. “After the injection, maybe I’ll throw you out of the car. Your kind would like that a lot, wouldn’t they?”
Dr. Sheng gritted his teeth. His biggest problem was that he didn’t dare to gamble; he didn’t have the luxury of trial and error.
Si Chen still had the option of taking Song Ziyu and holing up in the storage room. While if he was injected with the slime mold solution, he would most likely die.
Damn it … He was the boss of Serpent Staff Gene and Si Chen was an employee. Isn’t it natural for an employee to work hard for his boss? If employees don’t work hard then how long would it take for the bosses to buy their mansions?
Sheng Wu lowered his noble head and completely gave up his pretense. “It’s simple. If you want to control the spores, I can split another mycelium. You’ll need to eat it. If you’re successful, you can gain the authority of the mother plant.”
There was even a provocative look on his face.
Given Si Chen’s intellect, it was impossible he didn’t grasp the logic behind it.
By eating the mycelium, aside from gaining the authority of the mother plant, there was also the possibility that he would be controlled by the mycelium. Just like Shen Yanxing.
Dr. Sheng collapsed on the ground like an old man who owed the bank 200 million credits. “This is the only way.”
Song Ziyu had been listening all this time. He was still confused but this sentence, he completely understood.
“Si Chen Ge, why don’t we just go to the storage room?” Song Ziyu looked extremely doubtful and he urged repeatedly, “This is too dangerous. Don’t do it.”
If Si Chen also gets controlled by the mycelium, then among the three, he would be the only one left who was still genuinely himself.
No matter how he looked at it, it didn’t seem he’d be able to survive.
His own death was of no matter but the child White King wanted him to birth hadn’t come out yet. The snake in his belly was the hope for the Song Family’s revival. He couldn’t just die in this Space Fold.
But only Si Chen knew that the resources in the storage room wouldn’t be enough to sustain them for half a year later. At this time, if he shows the tiniest bit of timidity, Sheng Wu would probably turn from guest to host; he’d see that was nothing more than a paper tiger making an empty show of strength.
Therefore, Si Chen answered almost without hesitation, “Fine.”
Due to mycelium infection, Sheng Wu’s eyes had turned red. The white part of the eyes was covered with a pink film of flesh.
He smiled. “Alright. I look forward to us becoming friends.”
It seemed that splitting off mycelium was much easier than sporulating.
On Sheng Wu’s back, red hyphae as thick as a wire had split from the center, separating off about three-tenths of its bulk. This strip of mycelium didn’t feel like an ordinary mushroom; rather, it had a soft fleshy texture.
Si Chen held this strip of mycelium in his hand.
After this part was split off, the red mycelium spread over on Shen Yanxing’s body shrank greatly.
Dr. Sheng even said directly, “Give me something to eat, I’m starving.”
His voice was unusually hoarse.
According to the data displayed by Si Chen’s prosthetic eye, Dr. Sheng’s energy reserves had dropped significantly. He had fallen directly from Fifth Step to Fourth.
Rather than hunger, what he actually needed was energy replenishment.
Si Chen wasn’t stingy and he took out the canned food from the refrigerator that he kept to feed the Eternal Life Abyss.
Sheng Wu opened the lid with trembling hands and took a spoonful. The fishy taste was unbearable and he automatically spit it out.
He frowned but forced another spoonful down. “Is this what you usually eat?”
The can of pet food was made from high dimensional creatures. Although it tasted bad, it had high nutritional value.
Even though he didn’t like it very much, he still ate it bit by bit.
Song Ziyu shook his head quickly. “No, no, I don’t eat that. Only Si Chen Ge eats that.”
This canned food was something his family had him specially prepare and give to Si Chen.
Song Ziyu had also tasted it once out of curiosity. The taste was unforgettable, like swill that had been fermenting for many years.
He saw that Si Chen would eat some on a regular basis and he did so with nary a change in his expression. Though most of the time, he still simply fed it to the Eternal Life Abyss.
Si Chen did not take the mycelium immediately. Instead, he handed the slime mold solution to Song Ziyu. “If I get controlled, use this to kill both him and me. Do you understand?”
He didn’t mention the storage room.
After all, Song Ziyu was also an heir of a Great Family. He didn’t need others paving the way for him.
Si Chen thought for a moment and although he thought it was unlikely, he still added, “If something happens, everything I own is to be divided into three parts and left to my adoptive parents, brother and Ji Chuyao. The test paper and knife will be returned to Teacher White King. If there’s a body, give it to White King.”
White King would probably burn the knife and the test paper together. He’ll probably be pissed at having wasted his time finding a useless heir.
Song Ziyu was probably awed at being entrusted with this task and he subconsciously stood up straighter. “Okay. I promise to complete this task.”
Sheng Wu busied himself with eating. He let out a scoff through his nose.
Si Chen thought about it and felt that there was no need to keep it from Sheng Wu and so, he called out directly, “Little Abyss.”
The Eternal Life Abyss, who had been lying quietly on Si Chen’s back, emerged from the cuffs of his clothes. “Squeak!”
Like a bird that just emerged from the nest.
Sheng Wu raised his head and glanced at it.
He couldn’t tell what this snake-like earthworm-like thing was. It didn’t even occur to him that the vague feeling of oppression from Si Chen actually came from this creature.
He simply thought this thing looked ugly and made the already unpalatable canned food even more unappetizing.
Si Chen handed over the mycelium. “Eat.”
Sheng Wu was immediately shocked. “…Wait? You’re just letting it eat that? Can it control the spores?”
Si Yuan’s situation was very special. In general, Eternal Life Abysses are parasites that control their hosts. But Si Chen and Si Yuan were co-existing. In a sense, Si Chen could control Si Yuan.
He controls Si Yuan, who then eats the mycelium and controls the spores.
Although it sounded like the operation of some briefcase company, in essence, it was feasible. The only thing he had some doubts about was whether Si Yuan’s intellect could support controlling the spores. But it obediently listened to Si Chen’s command.
What’s more, since meeting Dr. Sheng, the Eternal Life Abyss has been clamoring for mushroom hot pot.
Save for when it proposed particularly outrageous ideas, such as eating other Evolutionaries alive, Si Chen has basically always satisfied the Eternal Life Abyss’ demands for food.
Sometimes, White King felt that Si Chen was a little too doting on this cheap son he picked up.
The Eternal Life Abyss wrapped its tentacle around Si Chen’s wrist and the mouthpart attached to the tentacle gently sucked Si Chen’s skin. Its voice sounded particularly happy. “Squeak~!”
If you ignore the spikes in the mouthpart, it looked a lot like a gentle kiss.
It sucks this piece of mycelium into its stomach.
Fortunately, the mycelium produced by Dr. Sheng has a completely different taste from ordinary mushrooms. Compared with mushrooms, it felt more like eating delicious tender lamb. The mutton stewed in soup stock was very juicy.
The portion obviously wasn’t much but after the Eternal Life Abyss finished eating, it still let out a hearty burp.
The eyes on its tentacles were fixed on Sheng Wu: “Mom, Little Abyss want…eat…more…”
Although he couldn’t hear the Eternal Life Abyss’ words, Dr. Sheng still felt a chill go down his back.
Under normal circumstances, after eating the mycelium, the mycelium would spread in the body and on the surface of the host. It wouldn’t be digested.
After the Eternal Life Abyss finished eating, it felt a little sleepy.
Its tentacles hugged Si Chen’s neck. “Mom, sleepy.”
It wanted to go back inside Si Chen’s body and sleep.
But Si Chen couldn’t let it come back inside yet.
Otherwise, he himself would enter hibernation and begin evolution.
Si Chen squeezed its arms and legs and his tone was very gentle, completely different from when he was dealing with Dr. Sheng. “Don’t sleep yet. Tell mom, do you feel any discomfort?”
The Eternal Life Abyss thought for a moment.
It turned sideways and raised its belly.
In the center of its body, where it had originally been cut, a new tentacle grew. A small one.
It was red, a tentacle made of strings of hyphae gathered together.
Yay! Si Yuan can grow its limbs back 🎉🎉🎉
Thanks for translating! I always love seeing Si Yuan.
Si Yuan like a real pet 🥺🥺🥺
Thank you for your translation 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙
wow, ability/property assimilation? that pretty op alright 🤣