Chapter 441

Chapter 441: Poison? Antidote?

Lin Qingliu swiftly picked up the second report, a geological survey jointly submitted by Bazel, the current specialist at the research institute, and Ji Yongxing, the supervisor.

The samples provided by Lin Qingliu had been meticulously analyzed by Ji Yongxing, while Bazel adeptly filled in the gaps regarding surface-related knowledge.

The report distinctly highlighted a fact: without human modifications to the terrain near Hope City, the structure of this planet would be remarkably peculiar.

Its surface is encased in a robust outer shell nearly one hundred meters thick, primarily composed of various minerals and silicates, resembling common stones, but also containing a minor amount of organic materials whose specific roles remain unanalyzed.

As depth increases, the composition of the planet’s materials shifts, with organic content steadily rising while minerals diminish. This transition is continuous rather than abrupt.

This was also one of the reasons Lin Qingliu experienced discomfort during his "descent."

After perusing the report, Lin Qingliu gained a general understanding of the surface composition of the planet beneath his feet and understood why Hope City was not deficient in common metal ores.

He was tempted to liken that sturdy outer shell to the crust of a home planet, but the disparity in thickness was too vast, and the planet beneath his feet was no mere asteroid, making such a comparison untenable.

Regrettably, Lin Qingliu still could not survive indefinitely without oxygen; otherwise, he would have eagerly drilled through to the planet’s opposite side to behold the scenery.

Provided, of course, that this planet did not harbor a fiery core.

Setting aside that document, Lin Qingliu picked up the third report.

It outlined several concepts for soldier exoskeleton mechs.

It appeared Ji Yongxing had indeed been exceedingly busy of late.

With this thought, Arthur opened the report and encountered a plethora of experimental data submitted by the other party.

Ultimately, based on Wang Xiao’s user experience, it was concluded that without a stable energy storage method, the exoskeleton project would be challenging to advance at present.

After setting down the final report, Arthur sank into deep contemplation.

With data now affirming the ability to remain conscious within the biological field, humanity could indeed opt to take the offensive.

However, without knowledge of the main location of the will of the mycelium, the majority of attacks would not inflict significant damage on the mycelium ecosystem and might instead place these valuable human assets in a precarious situation.

Unless the exoskeleton could be successfully developed, enabling most soldiers to attain powers comparable to those of superpowered individuals post-training.

But this technology was currently at an impasse.

In this quandary, Lin Qingliu’s memories from his past life were of no assistance.

This underscored the traveler’s disadvantage in terms of technology; had he crossed over to a feudal world devoid of an industrial revolution, he could have flourished with the ideas in his head.

Unfortunately, in a world where interstellar travel had been a reality for nearly a millennium, the few local specialties in his memory were of scant utility.

Lin Qingliu pondered carefully and suddenly recalled something Ji Yongxing had mentioned in the report.

Wang Xiao had previously had similar exoskeleton driving experience, and the suit’s battery was charged with energy directly from the Disaster Core.

The essence of the Disaster Core’s ability was now quite clear—it controlled the energy system of spaceships and could summon it to a certain extent.

So, what exactly was this "certain extent"?

Lin Qingliu thought of his experience when he transformed into a griffin and feigned an attack on the spire.

At that time, the Disaster Core seemed to exhibit some control over energy, with the medium for energy storage being… himself.

With this thought, Arthur suddenly glanced at his left arm, rolled up his sleeve, and revealed four peculiar-looking bracelets.

These were the devices capable of manipulating the spaceship’s four systems, and they were now all strapped to him.

For Lin Qingliu, who possessed exceptional mental abilities, this did not impose significant pressure; it merely made him feel slightly dizzy at times.

And when Wang Xiao provided him with a second Fifth Level ability, that discomfort had not recurred at all.

He gazed at the bracelets that could manipulate the spaceship’s energy systems and fell into contemplation once more.

What was known:

The superpowered individual "Disaster Core" had once utilized a portion of energy it stored during combat.

The soldier exoskeleton program currently lacked a high-density energy carrier.

Beneath this planet’s outer shell, there existed a substantial amount of organic matter akin to biomass.

Then…

An idea uncontrollably surfaced in Lin Qingliu’s mind—

If the underground biomass was employed for energy storage, could it produce a portable energy source that was stable and possessed a high energy density?

Could this resolve the exoskeleton’s predicament?

Moreover, if such a substance could be applied in this manner, could it be possible for those formidable heat weapons that had once run rampant on the human home planet to break free from the constraints of conventional energy?

However, this seemed a bit too coincidental.

Lin Qingliu looked at the three documents in his hands—the first made him wary of this planet and its natives, as well as led him to speculate about the genesis of the biological field; the second indicated the existence of that biomass and the structure of the planet’s surface; the third essentially suggested the potential use of that substance.

Perhaps it was merely a coincidence, but when combined, the three pointed Lin Qingliu towards a clear path forward.

But could this truly be done?

What if utilizing this unresearched substance endangered humanity?

Lin Qingliu did not wish to become the culprit behind humanity’s extinction.

Although, according to the Dandelion Project’s vision, humanity should have developed on nearly a hundred habitable planets in the universe, merely observing humanity’s performance on this planet sufficed to glimpse how the overall plan was faring.

This survival plan for the human seed considered nearly every aspect, but it underestimated human nature.

Or perhaps this was entirely part of what the planners considered; otherwise, it was hard to explain why the spaceship carried two types of nutrient solutions for nurturing embryos—one that stimulated rapid cell division and another that allowed embryos to develop at a normal pace.

It also could not explain why there was a Unit One capable of interfering with brain memories.

On this planet, the council members formed the Hope Council system due to mutual checks and balances, but humans on other planets might encounter even graver fates.