Chapter 6, Mutation
"Why is the red beret not participating in the investigation?" Mike asked as he walked.
"The brain," Mike said, "is because there is no brain; the only life form that can control genes is the Stygobiont."
The scientist continued to speak
"Sir," the adjutant said, "the Mard planet is far from the capital, and there are no permanent fleets or sufficient armed forces stationed there. It is notorious for its poor public order..."
Mike nodded in understanding
"Shh..." Muhammad hushed him, cautiously looking around, "Don't speak here..."
We cannot be certain at this moment, the science officer closed the notebook, may I express my opinion privately
I understand, "Ma Rufeng nodded slightly, "I am just going for a walk alone to see if I can find any useful clues. The smuggling spaceship disappeared in this star region, perhaps I can gather some information from the planet Mard.
Then we have no choice but to search, hoping that our actions are faster than those of the Rock Spike. Mike leaned towards Mohan.
This place cannot be compared to the capital, Blue Star. As Ma Rufeng walked, he observed the surroundings. The streets were sparsely populated, and the buildings were dilapidated, seemingly having suffered some degree of damage during the war, with no large-scale urban reconstruction implemented to this day. It is said that before the war, this was quite a beautiful planet, a great vacation destination. However, now only gray streets and filthy buildings remain, with graffiti everywhere, in a state of utter squalor. The good times have come to an end, Ma Rufeng thought, recalling the famous saying of Marshal Fashier after the war. It is said that before the war, this was quite a beautiful planet, a great vacation destination. However, now only gray streets and filthy buildings remain, with graffiti everywhere, in a state of utter squalor. The good times have come to an end, Ma Rufeng thought, recalling the famous saying of Marshal Fashier after the war
"Alright, generals." The scientific officer opened the electronic notebook in his hand. In this enclosed glass room, they could speak freely, as the excellent soundproofing ensured that those outside were unaware of the activities within.
Soon, Major General Mike and Major General Mohaniss, accompanied by the scientific officer, entered a transparent small room from which the dissection table and the already dissected specimen of the spiny rock crab were still visible. Mike looked around the entirely transparent small room, where various semi-transparent anatomical diagrams were densely affixed to the transparent glass walls, along with CT scan images showcasing every detail of the spiny rock crab's form. Mike felt surrounded by spiny rock crabs, an overwhelmingly oppressive sensation.
Soon, a tall waitress dressed in a flamboyant skirt approached Ma Rufeng, holding a tray in her hand. Ma Rufeng immediately felt an overwhelming scent of perfume, almost suffocating him
Should we send a team of soldiers? Your safety is a responsibility I must uphold
A murky odor hit him head-on, mingled with the smoke of cigars, the stench of cold, the smell of alcohol, and the cheap perfume of women. The interior was dimly lit, with several tables filled with people, and a few individuals seated on the tattered chairs by the bar, creating a lively atmosphere. Ma Rufeng found a table, sat down, and noticed that it was quite greasy, emitting a strange smell; this was the life of those far from the capital.
My name is Ma Rufeng, the captain of the cargo spaceship, and I just arrived here today
The only thing we can do is to first locate the main brain that is either developing or has the potential to develop before the evolution of the thorn rock is completed said the science officer
The words of the scientific officer brought a heavy expression to the faces of both generals; only those who had personally experienced the Battle of Stony Cliff knew what this truly meant
However, things began to change. According to the recently captured Spiny Rock Card, the mutations in the Spiny Rock Card are not as severe as before. It seems to be integrating its genetic chain, which may be a natural biological instinct, or perhaps the most primitive principle of natural selection is catalyzing the Spiny Rock Card's evolution towards order
"I didn't expect Marshal Fashir to come in person..." Mike watched as the last trace of the quantum wave's blue ripples disappeared into the universe, while the Reagis battleship was approaching the base's passage.
Mader Planet is a commercial transit station, and there are many such transit stations along commercial routes, forming a commercial transportation system. Due to the fact that quantum leap technology is a military secret, human commercial spacecraft still have to rely on the primitive and simple principle of light speed for travel, necessitating essential stops at various planets to replenish supplies until the end of the long transportation process. One day, Ma Rufeng suddenly decided to visit Mader Planet.
After the strange encounter on the commercial spaceship, many bizarre rumors quietly spread aboard the Lancelot, with various claims circulating. Ma Rufeng understood his responsibilities as an officer; although the sudden appearance of the red beret had rudely halted his search operations on the commercial vessel, he felt obligated to clarify the facts and put an end to the unfavorable rumors. The best approach was to redirect everyone's attention back to the pirate Abani.
"Yes," said the scientific officer, "recently we have obtained some military documents that have not been declassified. It was not easy to acquire these documents, especially to gain the consent of Marshal Fashal... These documents record an incident involving a person named Tang Long who had contact with the mastermind of the Shiyan Card before the war"
"Your eyesight is quite good," Angela said, "I am indeed waiting for someone"
Ma Rufeng blushed slightly and said, "It is not easy to be in the freight transport industry these days"
"If I am not mistaken..." Mike murmured, still uncertain of his thoughts
According to our inspection and comparison with the original species of the spiny rock card, we have found that there have been some morphological changes in this spiny rock card
Mike looked around to see that no one was present and quietly asked, "Is it Yara?"
In the beer bar, Ma Rufeng did not dare to look her in the eye and stammered.
Soon, Ma Rufeng changed into casual attire and boarded a small spacecraft, entering the atmosphere of Mard planet. Unlike the capital, there was no air traffic control here. In a short while, the spacecraft landed steadily at the public dock. Ma Rufeng disembarked; the dock was quite desolate, with strong winds blowing. Only a few medium-sized spacecraft could be vaguely seen in the distance, where several personnel and dock robots were unloading cargo, their faces indistinguishable from afar. The small spacecraft roared as it took off, kicking up a large cloud of dust. Ma Rufeng wrapped his windbreaker tighter and raised the collar as he left the dock.
Although the scientist's words were cold and carried the detached attitude of a scholar, Mike felt a shock upon hearing them, and he couldn't help but furrow his brow
Ma Rufeng sat down, "Are you waiting for someone, Captain Angela?"
Finally, his footsteps came to a halt in front of a low building, its sign hanging askew: Venus Hotel. Above it was a depiction of a woman with a fierce expression, bearing no resemblance to the legendary beauty, but rather resembling a figure like Medusa. Light streamed from the windows, and faint voices could be heard from within. Ma Rufeng pushed open the door, which emitted a grating, unpleasant creak that was grating to the teeth.
However, we have never known the coordinates of the Thorn Rock Planet," said Mohan Yis.
"What has happened?" Mike muttered to himself as he looked outside. Through the transparent protective shield, he saw a blue rectangular formation outside the base. In that familiar quantum wave formation, a Rayagis warship was slowly emerging, bathed in the light of the star, appearing so graceful and unhurried
"What would you like to drink, newcomer?" Her voice was crisp, tinged with a hint of flirtation, her lips slightly curled upwards, and her eyes were quite enchanting
"Man or woman?" Ma Rufeng attempted to engage in some light conversation
At this moment, the base's central computer issued a broadcast: "General Muhammad, General Mike, please proceed to Dock 1 immediately, please proceed to Dock 1."
The variants of the Spiny Rock Card we first discovered have undergone significant mutations, almost regressing to their primitive state. However, over time, the mutations in the later discovered Spiny Rock Cards have become increasingly less pronounced. As he spoke, he activated the three-dimensional projector, and images flashed before Mike's eyes. Mike noticed that the initial Spiny Rock Cards were almost unrecognizable, having taken on bizarre shapes. Some were missing limbs, some had severely deformed heads, and others had no armor at all, exposing their soft yellow innards and *illustrations*, resembling underdeveloped deformities.
"What is there to drink?" Ma Rufeng inquired, as he wondered if there were any beverages available here that would not compromise his health, aside from the inferior quality liquor.
Mike, we are counting on you now. This time, Marshal Fashir has called upon you, specifically needing the strength of an old Marine like you.
No need for that," Ma Rufeng said with a confident smile, waving his hand. "There is no need to make a fuss. I do not want anyone to know that the Lancelot has appeared here. I will take care of myself.
"May I sit here?" he asked
Yes, Muhammad is also watching, revealing a hint of excitement in his gaze. I suspected the same; that is the Desire.
I believe that the thorny rock is simulating and repeating a process, a process that has occurred in the past
"They evolve so quickly; generally, it takes biological organisms tens of thousands of years to evolve, but the Spiketail only took a few years?" Mike asked
This deformed morphology is due to a strong mutation in the genes of the spiny rock card. Without a powerful force to control the combination and arrangement of the spiny rock card's genes, in fact, the gene pool of the spiny rock card is in a chaotic state
What should we do? After a while, in the silence, Muhammad spoke up
Once again, some images appeared before Mike. From those images, it can be seen that the Stab Rock Kirby is somewhat more complete than the previous ones. Although it is still not entirely perfect, it is already quite close to the original species
The stranger nodded slightly and said, "It is an honor. I am Angela, the captain of a cargo spaceship."
I think so too," said Muhammad.
Ma Rufeng convened a meeting with senior military officers. Everyone believed that the smuggling ship playing hide-and-seek with the Lancelot had some connection to the pirates; this was an important clue. Moreover, the pirates were still active on this commercial shipping route, waiting for an opportunity. In the end, everyone agreed that the next step in the plan was to continue the search and closely monitor the movements of the small smuggling vessels
New Alliance, March 19, Year 5. Commercial Navigation Route, Sixth Contact Point, Planet Mard.
"Are you saying that Ciyanka is repeating its previous evolutionary path?" asked Mohan Yisi
After a series of strange events, the Lancelot returned empty-handed, having neither captured the smuggling ship nor clarified what had actually occurred on that commercial spacecraft. Ma Rufeng could not help but feel somewhat dejected; however, he did not show it in front of his subordinates. He simply ordered the Lancelot to enter a high-altitude orbit at the sixth contact point and to dock there for a brief rest.
"Unfortunately, General," the science officer turned to him and said, "based on our research on the Spikestone, this life form is unlike any other. Essentially, the entire meaning of the Spikestone's existence is evolution. This innate desire for evolution is inherent, serving as the most intense driving force lurking within every cell of the Spikestone. Although the main brain of the Spikestone has died, this destruction has caused the entire Spikestone race to lose its control; however, it cannot obliterate the primal instinct for evolution inherent in the Spikestone. I regret to say that the Spikestone is indeed the fastest-evolving life form in the universe and also the most terrifying one."
According to the decrypted document, before the main brain of the Spire Rock was destroyed, it had already reached the so-called "ultimate life" height. Although the main brain was destroyed, this perfect gene has been preserved and passed on to every individual of the Spire Rock scattered throughout the universe. In my opinion, the significance of this "ultimate life" lies in the fact that, regardless of where or when, each Spire Rock is a holographic mirror of the entire Spire Rock race, and the ultimate result will lead to the emergence of another main brain in some corner of the universe
Muhammad pressed his lips together, his expression very serious. "This is an order issued personally by General Fashir. I believe he needs someone trustworthy to carry out this task, and the Red Berets are currently unable to allocate their resources, as they have more important missions to execute"
The stranger nodded with a hint of tolerance, "Please take a seat." He glanced at Ma Rufeng, "You don't seem to be a regular here; no wonder Jila has been paying so much attention to you."
The adjutant wanted to say something more, but Ma Rufeng gently stopped him with a look. This young battleship commander possessed an indescribable authority; although his demeanor and expression were quite gentle, the determination in his eyes was remarkably strong, conveying a sense of relentless pursuit of his goals.
Angela remained silent, gazing at Ma Rufeng, and gave a slight smile that seemed somewhat enigmatic. "Are you referring to pirates?"
"It is unfortunate, generals," the science officer said, revealing a hint of helplessness at that moment. "This is the only thing we can do. However, I believe that if the main brain were to be reborn once again, the most likely location would still be on the planet of Ciyanka."
"It cannot be considered a battle yet," said Mohan Yi with a frown. "The current strength of the Spiked Rock is quite weak, and humanity can still control the situation. The captured Spiked Rock appeared on a cargo spaceship. The flight records indicate that it took off from a remote colonial planet. I need you to lead your team to investigate this lead and see if you can find any useful information"
"Are you conscious?" Mike couldn't help but ask
The two generals nodded solemnly.
When the name Tang Long was mentioned, both generals exchanged glances simultaneously, understanding why the confidentiality level of these documents was so high
The female librarian swayed as she left. Ma Rufeng continued to observe the others, suddenly feeling that perhaps the smuggler captain was lurking in some corner of this bar. He was eager to mobilize soldiers to search the place immediately, but this reckless thought was quickly suppressed. Finally, his gaze fell upon a person sitting in a corner, who was alone, dressed in a thick coat, seemingly unfazed by the stifling environment. On his table sat a glass of clear water, and he was also observing Ma Rufeng. Noticing Ma Rufeng staring at him, he smiled slightly and nodded in greeting. Ma Rufeng hesitated for a moment before walking over to him.
Mike looked over at Mohan. Mohan understood his meaning and explained: "After the war with the Cirianka ended, the scientific team collected some specimens of the Cirianka to identify the weaknesses of this organism. These specimens are referred to as the original species. The new Cirianka discovered after the war are called variants"
In this context, Tang Long described the evolutionary process of the Ciyanka main brain on a planet called Ciya. Initially, the Ciyanka were an unconscious collective, and the ultimate result of their evolution was the emergence of consciousness within the Ciyanka race, which is the main brain. He paused for a moment and continued, "I believe that the Ciyanka seeds scattered throughout the universe are currently repeating this evolutionary process, perhaps unconsciously, but possibly consciously..."
What will the final result be?" Muhammad suddenly asked, "From the perspective of your scientists, what will the last Stabbing Rock look like?
"Until now, the spiny rock crab we have captured," the science officer said, glancing at the spiny rock crab quietly lying on the dissection table outside, "based on the latest research, we have conducted a comprehensive comparison between it and the original species. The result is that this spiny rock crab is already quite close to the original species. In other words, what we are seeing now is the true spiny rock crab; it has returned."
The two generals fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts.
The conversation had ended, and the two generals exited the physiological laboratory, both feeling somewhat downcast
Angela smiled and said, "It's a man. Unfortunately, the only woman here is Kira, that waitress who seduced you."
We can begin, " said Muhammad, seeking Mike's opinion with his gaze, and then addressed the science officer, " Please report the latest results.
The woman chuckled, her entire body writhing with movement. "Dear, we have everything here; you can find whatever you desire," she said, winking at Ma Rufeng, her gaze glistening with allure.
Mike nodded
Battle of the Thorn Rock Card
Unfortunately, Mike chuckled wryly, "If only the universe were as large as a kitchen, at least there would be a boundary for searching."