Chapter 8, the end of winter and the arrival of spring

Lin continued to wait, doing what every living being ought to do: when it could do nothing, it ceased all activity and waited to see if anything would appear around it that it could do

Lin's only hope is to once again venture into the endless deep blue, in search of new food and a warm new place

Lin thought of a new word ... ... fat

Warmth, Lin felt a sensation different from the cold, a feeling akin to rebirth that awakened every cell in her body. Lin noticed that the cracks on the ice were increasing...

Lin instructed the excavators to begin moving, to see if they could find a way to leave this place

Lin did not know the reason for this, but she felt it again; it was slowly starting to become cold here, and the ice particles floating in the surrounding water seemed to be increasing in size.

Eat

However, Lin did not forget her previous thoughts

The phenomenon of starvation has sparked new thoughts in Lin's mind

Lin did not know what to do

Although it has begun to warm up and thaw, it seems that it will no longer awaken

Under Lin's gaze, these ice crystals slowly shattered and broke apart, transforming into countless large ice blocks. These ice blocks then began to gradually shrink, akin to the process of food being digested, becoming smaller and smaller... until they completely vanished into the water...

Lin instructed the excavators to attempt to break through the ice layer covering the food, yet no matter how they twisted and turned, they could only saw off some ice shavings from the surface, making it difficult to inflict any significant damage to the ice layer

During the waiting process, several excavators experienced energy depletion, which is a particularly unique form of suffering, distinct from other types of pain. In the state of energy depletion, both the cell membrane and the core begin to gradually shrink, becoming dry and small, ultimately leading to death

The cell cluster had not been swimming for long when Lin discovered the presence of the amoeba. This colossal creature had not escaped the crisis of freezing; it was covered in patches of frost, and its entire massive body floated slowly in the water, devoid of any vitality

Then came the division, and the number of surviving excavators began to gradually increase

After Lin's thoughts gave rise to this idea, she immediately took all her cells away from here, as she did not wish to encounter that kind of situation again

However, being still does not mean being at a standstill; the cells continue to consume energy incessantly, albeit at a much slower rate than when they are in motion

Lin felt hunger for the first time, as if there was a sensation within her thoughts, calling her to seek food to replenish the energy expended from her activities

However, as they moved, Lin could clearly feel the cold sensation of the extracellular membrane coming into contact with the ice crystals

The significant reduction of the community has caused Lin's intelligence to decline once again, rendering it unable to contemplate overly complex matters

This seems to be a form of pain as well, but it is different from ordinary pain; it does not evoke in Lin a strong desire to escape from the suffering. Instead, it makes Lin feel like curling up into a ball, remaining completely still.

Lin allowed other cells to consume the corpses of these energy-depleted cells, and their deaths provided the remaining cells with more time to strive for survival

Therefore, next time I must try to see if it is possible to store food

Uncertain how much time had passed, Lin, although aware of the term 'time', did not comprehend its concept, yet she felt the impact that time had on her.

Lin's community suffered severe losses beneath this seemingly beautiful crystalline surface. Although it is unclear how the excavators managed to avoid freezing in the end, Lin no longer wishes to stay here

However, if there is a way to store energy, then if a large amount of energy can be stored within cells, we would not have to fear such situations again

Lin instructed the excavators to step forward; the frost on the amoeba was extremely fragile and brittle. The excavators easily sawed through it, revealing the still soft body of the amoeba before Lin's eyes

Cold, this is the only information in this body of water

These ice crystals appeared out of nowhere, freezing everything, and then vanished in an instant. If it weren't for the fragments of ice crystals still floating around, not completely dissolved, Lin would almost feel as if none of this had ever happened

They possess a strong resistance to cold. Although this disaster nearly led to the extinction of Lin's community, Lin has also become stronger.

Lin hopes to recover the completely vanished acid-secreting cells and cone cells that were lost during the freezing crisis

Although I do not understand the detailed meaning, that term seems to represent stored food

By the way, this direction is the one in which the amoeba escaped previously

Why hasn't the ice melted here, and why is it so hard

The excavators began to feast on the bodies of the amoebas, using the old method of serrated cutting to slice off countless fragments, which they then slowly consumed. After replenishing their energy, the cold damage sustained by the cells gradually began to dissipate, and they became vibrant once more

But in reality, even if Lin had the wisdom of over a thousand communities at that time, it would still be helpless; in such moments, one can only wait

First and foremost is ... ... hunger

Lin instructed the excavators to cease sawing the ice layer, aiming to reduce energy loss by decreasing activity; this knowledge is still within its understanding

Lin felt it and swam in one direction, where the water began to differ from the previous cold, becoming comfortably warm.

The cold is wearing down Lin's will, and the chilling sensation makes her increasingly desire to fall into an eternal slumber...

Lin's colony swam in the water, and although the ice had nearly melted away, a chill still pervaded the water. Lin arrived at the location of the previous massive food source, only to find that a layer of ice had formed on this white food, as if the purity of the ice had also affected this place

There is one more thing

Lin attempted to use the serrated edge of the excavator to scrape away the ice crystals, but this action produced nothing more than a few ice shavings and was of no assistance. Breaking through the ice that had frozen an entire body of water was nearly impossible

Perhaps it will freeze here again

The excavators are somewhat stuck to the ice, but they can be freed with a slight twist.

This area has been frozen, and the only remaining navigable water is the small patch where Lin's ninety-two cells are located, while all the surrounding water has turned into impassable ice

However, this feeling did not affect Lin's activities

Lin's cells, of which 77 remain, including the observer, have survived this crisis.

Outside this circular area lies a world of ice. Through the transparent bodies of these excavators, Lin can see that, unlike the previously deep and azure liquid water, it is now a realm of still, crystalline brightness

If I can survive and get out of here

Perhaps it can be excavated

Lin's observer cells detected a crack appearing in the ice layer before her

Embracing this thought, Lin remained completely still, every cell the same, quietly floating in the water

Cells quickly digest the food they consume and then undergo division, rapidly depleting the energy they have obtained

Lin's primary task now is to find everything edible and restore the original community. Currently, these cells have also become slow and fragile due to the significant energy depletion.

These excavators seem to have undergone evolution; previous cells would instantly freeze upon slight contact with ice, but these are much better.

Luck or death

But Lin will not give up, although the wait is long, luck will eventually arrive

It needs to store energy, and Lin requires substances known as fats to ensure that cells can survive even in the absence of food for an extended period

Warmth

Lin's acidifiers and cone cells have all perished in the spreading freeze, leaving only 91 excavators alive, who have formed a circle to shield Lin's observers from the effects of the freeze

Lin has only this one thought