Chapter 448

Chapter 448: Gluttony and Trial and Error

The unconscious tall grass-like mycelium began to decompose under the watchful gaze of Lachesis.

To its astonishment, the mycelium was decomposing… itself.

Having entirely lost the guidance of consciousness, the mycelium in this region embarked on a behavior akin to regression.

It started breaking down its already developed leaves to produce more mycelium capable of flexible movement.

Lachesis had initially believed this ability stemmed from a plant known as tumbleweed within the gene banks provided by humans, but now it recognized its error.

After decomposing a portion of its leaves, the newly grown mycelium began to spread outward in all directions.

As a creature devoid of sight, its sole method of exploring the external world was through the extension of its mycelium.

Now, this pitiful humanoid body was left with nothing but instinct—the instinct to consume and to grow.

Strands of mycelium stretched out in various directions, and inevitably, some ventured into the central deep ravine.

With limited nutritional support, these mycelium continued to extend downward, suspending parts of their bodies on the surrounding Cliff.

After an indeterminate amount of time, a strand of mycelium encountered a soft substance.

This substance appeared to be rich in organic material, and upon contact, the mycelium began to attempt absorption.

It succeeded.

A bioelectrical signal began to propagate among the mycelium.

For a beast lacking thinking ability, decisions are often made in an instant.

Lachesis observed that in the pitch-black night, these mycelium on the ground seemed to be performing their final dance, continuously contracting and moving toward the central pit.

Countless mycelium already dangled down along the edge of the pit, desperately seeking the biomass that would sustain their tribe.

Witnessing the mycelium here beginning to contract, Lachesis also issued a command to its own body.

The crystallized mycelium and tall grass began to fracture to some extent and then gradually advanced under the influence of countless mycelium mats, occupying spaces that originally did not belong to them.

All of this was of no consequence to that humanoid body.

While a beast may experience satiety, this puppet did not.

Its purpose was to consume, to eat, then to decompose, and to use the nutrients obtained to generate more mycelium, then to repeat the process of consumption. This was its raison d’être.

This was also the mission that Lachesis had bestowed upon it.

In the Misty Forest and among the tall grass, two transformations were quietly unfolding.

—

Hope City, Core Research Laboratory.

"Air-tightness confirmed."

"Laboratory has been sealed."

"Power on."

"Bang!"

The smooth, thick glass pane was densely coated with a layer of gray-black biomass, rendering the researchers completely oblivious to the events transpiring within.

"Ah."

Ji Yongxing let out a slight sigh and pressed a button. A long handle, resembling a windshield wiper, immediately extended from the wall of the laboratory, starting to scrape away the thick layer of goo from the glass pane.

The researchers regained their visibility, but the situation was evidently grim.

Inside the enclosed experimental area, the biomass had exploded, covering everything, while a metallic container lay shattered on the ground.

Although this container was in pieces, its surface had no signs of dents; the damage came from an explosion directed outward.

In the experimental area, a small robot wearing a protective suit began to slowly wipe away the biomass with its cleaning tool.

"[Skydome], has the experimental data been recorded?"

"It has been uploaded to the cloud."

"Good, continue the cleanup."

Ji Yongxing casually instructed as he and his assistants started reviewing the data from the explosion of the biomass battery prototype on the screen.

It had been a week since Ji Yongxing created the first prototype, and if the explosions were counted, the number of prototypes below might reach several hundred.

This was unavoidable; biomass could indeed contain energy, making it suitable for powering a soldier exoskeleton.

However, it also had many drawbacks, such as—if the biomass had no consciousness, the chances of losing control would significantly increase.

This explains why the "Disaster Core" could contain and recharge energy, while Wang Xiao’s special battery exploded even with a slight gunshot.

Not everyone is like Wang Xiao, and not everyone can carry a massive bomb without feeling uneasy.

The task of improving this aspect naturally fell on Ji Yongxing’s shoulders.

Moreover, the inexplicable toxicity of the biomass subtly increased the development difficulty.

To speed up the process, Ji Yongxing thought of his adopted son and rescued him from the mental health clinic’s custody.

Although he was already aware of the related developments, upon seeing [Skydome] completely unable to fit into a box, Ji Yongxing instinctively felt a bit helpless.

It seemed that just a little neglect had led to this situation.

But fortunately, [Skydome] had been actively involved in labor during this time and had become quite skilled at cleaning.

With the hands from "Infinite Scroll" and the components Ji Yongxing sent from time to time, [Skydome]’s sensors, or rather receivers, became extremely sensitive, allowing it to detect even the tiniest stains.

To make the most of this excellent resource, Ji Yongxing personally brought his adopted son into the experimental area.

And [Skydome] lived up to expectations; after discovering that its father assigned it to clean, it naturally expressed the desire for a salary.

Ji Yongxing promptly confiscated a memory stick from it.

The entirely obedient artificial intelligence began to work tirelessly in the laboratory, becoming a thorough cleaning robot.

Over the days, [Skydome] gradually realized how important the tasks these people were performing truly were.

As an artificial intelligence, it did not fear being consumed by mycelium, but it did not want its father and godfather to be taken by them. Thus, it worked even harder.

While [Skydome] was busy calculating in its mind, outside the experimental area, Ji Yongxing finished analyzing the explosion data.

"Adjust the ratio for filling; we’ll begin the next one."

His voice not only reached the ears of his team but also came through the speakers to [Skydome].

The little robot said nothing and diligently cleaned the experimental area. Then it went to a corner, lifted a large stainless steel basin turned upside down, and stuffed itself inside.

Several mechanical arms extended from the ceiling, completing the filling and installation processes before retracting above the experimental area.

In less than a minute, the [Skydome] beneath the stainless steel basin heard the familiar explosion sound:

"Bang!"