Chapter 454.1: Bro... We Haven't Met For A Few Days... Why Are You Wearing A Skirt?

The holographic projection was long, but most of the crucial information was concentrated in the first few minutes of conversation.

After that, it showed researcher G-13 rushing around to set up his project, inserting various subtopics such as induced mutation and reverse regression into the original research plan on level B6. In the end, the test subject, which had evolved into a Mother Body, suddenly went berserk, and the entire level fell to the fungal infestation.

Although G-13 called for reinforcements in time, it was clearly too late. A fully armed assault squad entered level B6 but was soon overwhelmed by the tide of fungal entities.

From the footage in the research log, it was clear G-13 had the chance to escape. But in his attempt to bring out the experimental data and results, he missed the last window of escape and was brutally killed by the Mother Body in the lab's server room.

At the end of the footage, a very interesting detail caught Chu Guang’s attention.

Although G-13 ultimately failed to bring out the data and most researchers perished, the holder of the log mentioned that a few researchers managed to reach the elevator under the cover of the assault team. Among those who escaped was also a briefcase containing a set of reagents labeled ‘Induced Evolution Serum’.

And it was that set of reagents that led to the downfall of level B6.

Unfortunately, the person in the recording did not explain where the briefcase went. The final scene ended in utter silence as lights on the floor gradually went out, and the air purification systems shut down.

What shocked Chu Guang wasn’t just the hidden history, but that such an incredible experiment was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to the shelter’s secrets.

He was growing ever more curious about what the original administrator’s logs contained.

As the holographic projection came to an end, the former Academy’s Prospector standing nearby suddenly remarked with awe. “Your predecessor is terrifying...”

Chu Guang looked over at Yin Fang with a raised eyebrow. “Hm?”

Yin Fang continued, “Was he always like this, monitoring everyone?”

Chu Guang shook his head. “That I wouldn’t know. He’s been dead for years.”

“You sure?”

Truth be told, Chu Guang wasn’t sure at all.

He had just assumed, like most people would, that no normal person could live that long, and thus concluded the First Administrator must have died. But after encountering so many ageless monsters, he was starting to think two centuries might not be that hard to survive.

Whether through cryosleep, biomechanical replacement, or other methods, there was always a way to cling to life. In the worst case, one could upload their consciousness to the cloud.

Even if his previous beliefs had been overturned, Chu Guang still felt that the man was probably no longer of this world. As for why...

“He didn’t seem like the type who would lie... And I don’t think he had a reason to lie.”

“Why?” Yin Fang raised a brow curiously. “Didn’t you say you’ve never even seen him?”

Chu Guang shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s just one of those things I’m absolutely sure of, There is no reason, just a gut feeling.”

Yin Fang didn’t press further. It wasn’t exactly an important matter.

He asked mostly out of professional habit, as someone who loved digging into relics, he had a fascination with old secrets that was only second to his love for pre-apocalypse coffee machines.

“But thinking of it that way... It’s even more terrifying.” Hyrja folded her arms and sighed, her silver bangs shading a troubled expression. “He knew everything, yet allowed it to happen... It feels like even betrayal from his own people was part of his plan.”

Whether it was that guard or the Researcher G-13.

Yin Fang nodded. “Right? I was thinking about that too. If level B6 fell under his tacit approval... What was the point?”

Chu Guang leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes for a moment before speaking, “A primordial Mother Body from the 3-Year War between the three factions... Cultivated under resource-scarce conditions...”

“Maybe that’s what he wanted.”

Yin Fang asked, “And then? Use it against the Clearspring City Mother Body and Hive? With all due respect, even if it could succeed, there’s no guarantee the new Hive would listen to us.”

“I don’t know... Maybe he didn’t know either. That’s why he left it to me.”After he spoke, Chu Guang fell silent.

Hyrja suddenly looked up and asked, “That artificial genetic library... The technique to reverse-engineer a Mother Body from a mutant... It actually worked?”

Chu Guang nodded. “Seems like it... Or else where did the creatures in level B6 come from?”

A complex emotion flashed in Hyrja’s eyes, half of admiration, half of envy. “Incredible...”

She had studied Slime Mold for so long, and still only understood their evolution and social behaviors in theory. Yet a researcher from two centuries ago, one with nothing but limited samples and equipment, managed to accomplish something of this scale inside a sealed vault.

Beyond admiration and envy, a sense of defeat welled up in her heart. No wonder her mentor always said the golden age had passed.

A nameless researcher’s academic achievement still far exceeded her own.

Clearly, she had a long road ahead.

Seeing the envy turning to discouragement on her face, Chu Guang was about to offer some consolation, when suddenly, a pale blue pop-up window floated into view:

[Mission Progress]

[‘Abnormal Entity’ has been injected with Induced Evolution Serum. Process to turn into Mother Body complete.]

[Receive? (If no response within 30 days, subject will be terminated)]

Seeing the last line, Chu Guang’s eyes lit up in shock.

“...Turning into Mother Body?”

So the Shelter System was planning to turn the symbiotic version of Falling Feather into another Mother Body?

It was starting to make sense.

Yin Fang and Hyrja both looked at him in confusion.

“What is it?”

Chu Guang didn’t answer. He slid his finger forward and clicked to confirm on the interface only he could see.

He stood from the couch, walked toward the exoframe resting in the corner of the observation room. Getting in it, he slung his hammer over his back.

Facing the confused pair, he simply said, “... A new Mother Body.”

“Come with me. We’re going to level B1.”

At the same time Chu Guang hit the confirmation, a bunch of players were gathered around the conveyor belt on level B1.

“What the fuck? Falling Feather?”

“You... You’re Falling Feather, right?”

“Bro... You’ve only been away for a few days. Why are you wearing a skirt now?”

Standing before the conveyor belt, Falling Feather stared at them silently. Naturally, he wasn’t actually wearing a skirt. It was just a bunch of Slime Mold that covered his legs completely as they swayed slowly.

The fleshy red fungal mass almost covered his entire body, leaving only a few human-like features. Even his facial features looked like melting ice cream, leaving behind nothing but an abstract outline.

Yet, it was not as ugly as one might have imagined, and the little worms floating behind his head did not appear as hideous as the Mother Body seen in the previous Tide.

At least by human standards, those round, watery eyes and the soft body lines gave Falling Feather an unexpectedly cute look.

Aside from that, the blank, foolish expression he once had was gone, though his face still carried a look of confusion, as if he couldn’t quite make sense of his situation.

“

Yi... wu

?”

A puzzled murmur came from his mouth, and the sound instantly made the surrounding players howl like wolves and ghosts.

Some gagged as if they would vomit, while others felt like dying from how cute he was.

“Damn, don’t you dare act cute here!”

“Wake up! You’re a dude! AHHHH!”

“Shit... I actually find this guy kind of cute.”

“Feels like a dolphin, doesn’t it?” A female player curiously reached out and patted his head.

‘Falling Feather’ showed no hostility at all. On the contrary, he rubbed against her hand with a happy sound, which only triggered a wave of female players who couldn’t resist touching him all over.

Watching 'Falling Feather' surrounded by the female players, Mosquito and the others wore expressions full of envy, jealousy, and hate.

Especially Garbage, whose murderous intent was leaking out from his eyes.

They were all mutants... Why the hell did he get all the love?

“Sure enough, we should just kill that asshole.”

Standing nearby, Silver's Father nodded in firm agreement. “I agree... this is breaking the balance of the game!”

The other Silvers shouted in unison.

“Yep!”

“No lies detected here, kill him!”

They had all entered the game around the same time... Why the hell was his luck so damn good?!

It’s rigged... The game is definitely rigged!

Meanwhile, Yaya, who was also on level B1, didn’t dare approach. Instead, she trembled in fear and stepped back slightly. “

Eek

! A humanoid leech!”

Teng Teng, standing nearby, shot her a strange look. “If he hears that, he’ll be sad.”

Come on, the difference between this and a leech is huge.

How did she even make that connection?

Quit Smoking scratched the back of his head. “So what’s the deal with this guy anyway?”

Night Ten shook his head. “Who knows... I just want to know if this thing counts as a player or an NPC now.”

If only Ample Time were there...

He understood the game better than anyone else!

Several Y-2 drones hovered nearby, their suspended gun barrels aimed at 'Falling Feather' by the conveyor belt, ready to fire inhibitor-filled syringes at any moment.

None of the players noticed that the area had already been silently locked down.

Just then, a commotion came from the elevator entrance, and their administrator clad in his exoframe strode over, followed closely by Yin Fang and Hyrja.

“... What the hell is this?” Stunned by the sight, Yin Fang swallowed hard.

“The shelter resident who once symbiotically hosted the strain from Oasis No.7 has been turned into a Mother Body!” Hyrja’s sharp gaze locked on the conveyor belt as she growled.

Already having some sense of what was going on, she spoke first before Chu Guang could.

Yin Fang’s face was filled with confusion. “... So is this guy now a human or a Slime Mold?”

“Half and half.” Chu Guang’s reply was brief. Staring at ‘Falling Feather’, he too was baffled by the shelter’s handiwork.