Chapter 436

Chapter 436: Explosive Evolution

"Mr. Arthur, are you listening?"

Ji Yongxing noticed the golden giant’s distraction and spoke up to rouse the contemplative Lin Qingliu.

"My apologies, please continue."

Ji Yongxing glanced in the direction Arthur had been staring and asked with a hint of confusion, "Is there something wrong with Wang Xiao?"

"He should… be waking up soon," Arthur replied, his tone uncertain.

Having already reached the Fifth Level, Arthur knew that Wang Xiao’s advancement and breakthrough were essentially complete.

However, since Wang Xiao had just entered that state, he would likely need time to adjust to his new form.

All they could do was wait.

Arthur’s words did not go unnoticed, and many researchers overheard his statement.

Though they continued with their work at hand, their eyes inevitably drifted toward the glass jar.

Under the collective gaze, the surface of the thick log began to crack.

Despite the liquid barrier, the sound of wood fibers tearing reached their ears.

As the cracks widened, the log finally reached its limit and began to disintegrate.

The humanoid figure within was revealed; it bore a striking resemblance to Wang Xiao, though its skin had taken on a slightly different hue, resembling the grayish-white trees of the forest. Moreover, its body appeared more robust than before.

While it looked somewhat less human, the researchers were generally more accepting, especially since many superpowered individuals often appeared less human after using or awakening their abilities.

One of the most notable examples was the former "Blood Puppet," now known as Yan Ming. To this day, researchers were unsure whether his blood, capable of independent thought, had awakened self-awareness or was a split from the master personality. Not to mention, his blood-soaked state made it difficult to associate him with humanity.

Thus, while some researchers, moved by humanitarian concern, went to fetch towels and blankets, most returned to their posts after confirming that anomalies had occurred.

As the reconnection of his body concluded, Wang Xiao in the glass jar suddenly opened his eyes.

He released a stream of bubbles from his mouth, prompting Ji Yongxing to quickly press the switch behind him to drain the nutrient solution.

Soon, Wang Xiao sat in the clinic of the research institute, wrapped in a towel.

He cast a grateful glance at Arthur and began recounting his experiences in the consciousness space.

Ji Yongxing and Arthur listened intently, and when Wang Xiao finished, both nodded in agreement.

"You did exceptionally well, and your will is impeccable; you are indeed a steadfast and powerful warrior," Arthur said, patting Wang Xiao’s shoulder. He continued, "The enemy cannot be trusted. I’m glad you realized this."

However, Ji Yongxing’s attention was clearly focused on something else. He set down his pen and looked at the storyteller, asking, "Can you repeat the three names that the mycelium called out before it disappeared?"

Wang Xiao paused for a moment, then smoothly recited the three unfamiliar names: "Atropos, Clotho, Lachesis."

Ji Yongxing noted down the syllables of the three names and then fell into deep thought.

“What are you thinking about?” Arthur asked.

“The meaning of these three names.”

“Oh, I’ve heard of that before,” Arthur replied casually. “These three names come from the myths of humanity’s Old Era, generally referred to as the three goddesses of fate.”

Arthur paused for a moment and continued, “Of course, now these three names may have become symbols of the will of the mycelium.”

Wang Xiao, sitting on the hospital bed, pondered for a moment and then asked in surprise, “Does the will of the mycelium have a gender?”

“No,” both Arthur and Ji Yongxing answered simultaneously.

“Extraordinary beasts may exhibit physical sexual characteristics, but there is currently no evidence that they can engage in mating behavior. In other words, the sexual traits of extraordinary beasts are more like remnants that have not been discarded in evolution; true mycelium life does not require gender.”

Ji Yongxing added, “The essence of mycelium life is assimilation and mimicry, but the entity remains a very special type of fungus. If it evolves without restrictions, in another decade or so, when those plants assimilated by the mycelium bloom, there will be no distinction between stamens and pistils; everything will become the same.”

“How did they come to have these three names?” Wang Xiao continued to inquire.

“I mentioned before that the will of the mycelium obtained most of the life pods containing the crew when the spaceship crashed. They maintained the activity of the brains through parasitism, drawing knowledge from the past memories of those humans to help solve problems.”

Wang Xiao thought for a moment and said, “I understand now. That’s why my consciousness space resembles a campus; the will from the Giant Tree must want to replicate this operation.”

Ji Yongxing nodded and said, “It should be so. It originally belonged to the collective will but was cut off, making it seem closer to humanity in the realm between Life and Death. For the will of the mycelium, without the constraints of a life vessel, it will become more rational and calm, or rather…”

Arthur interjected, “More divine.”

After adding this remark, Arthur chuckled to himself, “Gods do not become gods merely by name. The fact that it gives itself such names only indicates that the will of the mycelium has not evolved to be strong enough, which is a good thing for us.”

Wang Xiao pondered and posed a new question, “Why three wills? I remember Shi Jin reported that she saw ‘Thought’ and ‘Bomb Man’ in a similar consciousness space, and they reminded her that the will of the mycelium is always singular.”

“These two statements are not contradictory,” Arthur replied. “The three of them originally split from a single entity and are closely interconnected. For instance, when attacking the Offensive Exploration Team or unleashing the beast tide, they never experience internal conflict because, at that moment, the three consciousnesses have merged into the Supreme Will.

“When in thought, the mycelium deeply mimics and learns from humans, so it inevitably experiences fragmentation and attempts to reproduce the ability to ‘discuss.’ This indicates that their evolution is not linear but resembles an exponential model, leading to explosive growth.”

“Will the number of the will of the mycelium increase further?” Ji Yongxing asked this time.

Arthur suddenly laughed, “It probably won’t… First, they don’t have enough human brains to use, and second… actually, there were originally four wills of the mycelium, but… when I was outside, I discovered a thought matrix composed of human brains and destroyed it before the mycelium could react. After that, the will of the mycelium was left with only three.”