Chapter 423

Chapter 423: Splitting and Merging

As the mycelium life exhausted the sustainability of human brains within the matrix, it discovered more tactics that could be applied on the battlefield, including drone strategies from an expert’s mind.

Although the will of the mycelium could not manufacture the necessary parts for assembly, biological technology could achieve similar results.

Sugar replaced batteries, insect wings replaced propellers, and even self-detonation commands could be activated through specific sound frequencies, while the ability to self-detonate was derived from the analysis of human superpowers by the will of the mycelium.

However, what mattered most was the cost; the biomass needed to produce these fist-sized insects was minimal.

This was a stroke of luck for the will of the mycelium, which had just suffered a humiliating defeat.

After experiencing a shameful defeat, the will of the mycelium learned to reflect and criticize, just like humans.

In unseen places, countless mycelium mats were continuously extending, drawing nutrients from sunlight, air, and water; countless bizarre biological experiments were ongoing, and a new offensive was in preparation.

In the consciousness space, mycelium life was engaged in self-dialogue.

Since the birth of its hazy consciousness, the will of the mycelium had never stopped learning and growing.

And humans, as the best mentors on its path of growth and evolution, provided templates that could be used for a long time.

Through exploring the human spiritual world, it gradually discovered a fact: without omniscience and omnipotence, the thought of a single consciousness would inevitably lead to unpredictable flaws.

So, it mimicked human communal life and divided its consciousness.

To avoid homogenization, its own authority and abilities were also divided.

After decades of adaptation and learning, three consciousnesses emerged as the final winners.

The first controlled the vast tall grassland on the northern side of Hope City, gaining the authority over interference and erosion of the biological field.

The second controlled the foggy forest on the western side of Hope City, gaining authority over parasitism and nurturing at the biological level.

The third’s domain was a mixed area filled with various plants beyond the grassland and forest, gaining authority over analysis and learning of things.

Originally, there was a fourth newborn consciousness, but unfortunately, not long ago, a human invasion shattered the main brain used for the newborn’s thoughts, causing it to disappear before fully forming.

Before a consciousness could truly think, it needed to use a human brain for development; otherwise, even if it successfully separated into an independent entity, it could not help the group accomplish anything.

The complexity of humans made it impossible for the consciousness capable of creating extraordinary beasts to replicate, leading to continuous consumption of the gradually worn-down brains that had been used since the emergence of collective consciousness.

The three consciousnesses now reunited within this timeless consciousness space, aiming to find a path for continued evolution and strength.

“Humans have realized the essence of our use of brains; they will no longer easily send individuals to provide us with superpowers and brains.”

“No, you still don’t understand humans enough. I have explored the consciousness spaces of over four thousand humans; for them, regardless of age or gender, and no matter their personalities, their innermost consciousness craves two things – adventure and grand death.”

“Unfathomable.”

“Understanding is not necessary. We only need to know that when they are interfered with by specific signals, if they want to comprehend anything outside, they can only do so through the eyes of individuals. So, they will definitely come, and not just once.”

“But… from which direction?”

“The biological field’s intensity on the northern side is not something they can easily overcome, heading west will encounter endless Beast Packs.”

“Are you suggesting south?”

“Why not go south? Those traitors just gained the terrain distribution of the Southern District. While many have been gathered, there are still several individuals who have personally reached the border and seen the existence of the ‘Abyss.’”

“Can they really go back after seeing the ‘Abyss’?”

“Most died; only a small group remains.”

“What should we do?”

“The ‘Abyss’ will have a more serious impact on us. Fighting in the south is naturally disadvantageous, making it hard to capture brains. I think we can use extraordinary beasts and mycelium mats to seal off the south, forcing them westward or northward; this will increase our chances of winning.”

The two consciousnesses fell into contemplation in this nonexistent space, while somewhere in the external mycelium ecology, energy consumption rapidly increased in a short period.

Countless sugars were transported through the mycelium pathways for quick consumption, as a giant composite brain buried deep underground slowly increased in temperature.

Ultimately, the two consciousnesses in the consciousness space agreed, and once again, they merged into one, becoming the supreme will of the mycelium.

Commands from the highest will were simultaneously conveyed across the entire range covered by the biological field; every mutated tree, every parasitized extraordinary beast, and even those indescribable monsters received this message.

The mycelium began to spread, extraordinary beasts began to migrate, and a vast ecosystem stretching over a thousand kilometers began to operate seamlessly at that moment, like an intricately precise machine.

—

At the southern gate of Hope City, on the city wall.

A soldier elbowed his companion on duty:

“Do you understand what you’re looking at?”

The other soldier put down his binoculars, his tone suddenly serious:

“It’s not about understanding or not; don’t you think those extraordinary beasts over there are a bit too active today?”

“Is that so? Let me take a look.”

The soldier grabbed his partner’s binoculars, looking at the enormous long-nosed extraordinary beast dancing beyond the red line in the distance.

“…Why does it look like it’s dancing?”

“I think it looks more like it’s conveying some kind of information.”

The two soldiers fell into a brief silence, then exclaimed in unison:

“Elephant talk!”

The superpowered individual “Dawn Sound” had been sleeping well in the past few days. As one of the managers of the underground pastures, she had been busy due to her special abilities.

“Dawn Sound” originally thought the changes from a few days ago only meant she had new supervisors. However, on the first day of the new year, she received orders from the Speaker.

The orders relieved all livestock that needed special care, leading those valuable but unsellable meats to disappear entirely, allowing more cheap meats to be raised instead. This significantly reduced her workload.

It was the afternoon when a phone call abruptly awoke “Dawn Sound” from her dreams at the work desk.