Chapter 88: The Death Of The Progenitor
Everyone immediately started moving, crazily destroying the support for the lift, and when the Great Devil Snake finally managed to get half its head out of the lift, Woolf's greatsword brutally swung and broke the cable holding the lift up. The entire lift suddenly froze for a moment then plummeted down heavily towards the floor. The Great Devil Snake's head that was halfway out got trapped between the top of the lift and the floor by the immense weight of the lift.
Woolf saw the situation and fiercely jumped up, landing on the top of the lift. With a 'DONG!', the sturdy floor was smashed through by the Great Devil Snake's head and it continued plummeting towards the bottom.
Everyone stood beside the broken lift entrance, taking in large breaths and panting heavily. After a long while, a large crash sounded from below them, but they still did not know if the Great Devil Snake was dead.
"Let's go, we will go down too!" Bai Yi calmed his breathing and said to the rest of them who were also in sorry states.
Yeye did not clearly tell them the reason why they had to see the Progenitor, but just said that it was worth the time. In truth, everyone was just curious towards the Progenitor, there wasn't actually anything they could think of that would make it worth it to risk their lives just to see the Progenitor once. However, in the end everyone's opinions were strangely unanimous. Even if it was extremely dangerous like this, they were all still willing to see the Progenitor, to see exactly what kind of existence it was that triggered the change in New Zealand.
Bai Yi looked at the pitch-black and bottomless lift passage, then at the other remaining cable. Heloise flew up and checked, confirming that the cable could take their weight and nodded to everyone.
"Sharpei, climb onto my back!" Bai Yi said to Sharpei.
Although Sharpei and Pupu were a lot more intelligent now, their bodies were still of an animal and so their claws were not suited to rappel down the cable. Sharpei was of course carried by Bai Yi, and Pupu was carried by Warner. Luckily, both Sharpei and Pupu understood human words easily now, or else it would've really been troublesome. As for Momo, she was grabbed by Heloise. Although Heloise wasn't too nimble when it came to flying, she could still fly, after all.
When Bai Yi wanted to descend first, Woolf stopped him.
"I'll go first, you are carrying Sharpei now. It won't be convenient for you to deal with danger if it appears." Woolf said and jumped down, sliding down along the cable.
There wasn't any light below, and everyone slid down in the darkness and carefully descended. Only the small flashlight that Heloise carried could be seen, and their breathings reverberated in this tight small space. After more than 10 minutes, they finally saw the floor and the lift that was completely crumpled up.
They carefully observed that area, and realised that half of the Great Devil Snake's body was trapped inside the crumpled lift, while the other half heavily smashed into the floor.
When everyone landed on the floor, they could finally see the devastation caused by the impact of the falling lift. Woolf carefully approached the Great Devil Snake, wanting to see if that terrifying guy was dead yet. However, when Woolf approached, the Great Devil Snake suddenly raised its head and hissed at Woolf.
Woolf jumped in fright and quickly moved backwards, but realized that the Great Devil Snake had laid down again after that. Apparently, even though the Great Devil Snake was already very powerful as a LV2, it was still not invincible. After falling down along with the lift, it stood on the verge of death.
"Let's go!" Bai Yi said.
Everyone entered the passageway beside them, and after walking a distance, the sensors in the passageway detected them and the lights lit up. After walking for a few minutes, they finally reached a huge and sturdy door in front of them. Bai Yi then placed his holographic watch on the door. There was a program inside it that Yeye designed to open this door, and after doing so the large heavy door slowly opened up.
They didn't see any apostle being nailed to a cross, but only a giant body submerged in a dried-up cultivation pool. The Progenitor looked like a corpse that had dried for a thousand years, and there was a huge hole on the top of her head, but the moment they laid their eyes on her they knew that this was the Progenitor.
Everyone stared at the Progenitor silently, and she seemed to be asleep. Bai Yi didn't know if they had come too late.
"Are you in pain?" Suddenly, Momo walked in front and said softly.
"Momo!" Bai Yi looked at Momo in shock.
"You are in a lot of pain right, I can hear your voice. Really, that day at the balcony, I heard your voice." Momo said to the Progenitor, and at Bai Yi again. Bai Yi was stunned on the spot, at the balcony, heard a voice, was Momo talking about the day that the activated cells erupted?
What a cute girl. If not for you, I think I would have really slept all the way like this.
All of them instantly jumped in shock, because this voice rang directly inside their heads!
No need to be this shocked, I am after all the Progenitor, and a step ahead of you guys. You guys should be able to reach my stage in the future as well.
"This is telepathic communication?" Every country probably had some magical fantasies of their own.
More or less!
"Yeye told us to come and meet you, but what do you want to tell us?" Bai Yi said to the Progenitor.
Don't you guys not feel anger or any other emotion towards me? The Progenitor suddenly said.
"Why do you say that?"
Because of me, everything changed in New Zealand. You guys should hate me right?
"If you are talking about this, then before meeting you perhaps I still had some grudge, but now after seeing you I don't have such feelings anymore. In the end, before you became the Progenitor, you were just a randomly chosen experimental subject. The only thing different about you was that you managed to assimilate perfectly with the Devil Algae cells. In reality, you are very ordinary right, getting treated like that, it's not strange that you would want to take revenge." Bai Yi slowly said, and everyone else nodded.
You really…! The Progenitor did not know what to think of Bai Yi.
That's right, I'm very ordinary, I only hated those researchers that turned me into this state, and wanted to take revenge. I didn't know that New Zealand would become like this either, if I knew earlier, perhaps… The Progenitor said till there and descended into silence. Perhaps... perhaps she wouldn't do it? However, that was just a supposition that would never come to pass, so it had completely no meaning.
I'm really very ordinary. After discovering that New Zealand turned into this state, I regretted quite a bit, but on the other hand I had no confidence that I could make up for everything that I did. If it's possible, could you guys help me to do something to make up for what I did?
"Make it up? What do you mean?"
I don't know, I just want to do something seeing the state that New Zealand is in now, but I don't know what should I do either. Relax, I won't make you guys help for free, so I'll gift you guys something as a reward. The Progenitor said again. She was really a simple women, telling them the reward first. Wasn't she afraid that they would promise but renegade on it later? However, fortunately Bai Yi's group weren't people like that.
"I can promise you do to do something for the New Zealand now, but just like you said, I can't guarantee anything. The changes in New Zealand now are completely out of any knowledge that anybody may have, so we aren't sure what we should do either." Bai Yi said.
That's fine, as long as you are willing to promise me to make up for this huge mistake I made! The Progenitor agreed.
Then, you guys can come and accept your reward. I'm afraid that you guys won't have the chance to come here again. The Progenitor said, and she slowly climbed up. She moved with great difficulty, and it seemed difficult for her to even support her own weight. The Progenitor was more than 40 meters tall. They were all tiny compared to the Progenitor, so they couldn't help even if they wanted to. After a while, the Progenitor laid back down again, and stretched out her right hand.
The right hand that was even bigger than a human hung outside the cultivation pool.
I'm sorry, I'm too weak, so let's just do it like this.
Momo, come over first! The Progenitor said.
When I was captured and brought here, I also had a daughter. She was only five years old, not too different from you. I still have a request, if you guys have the chance, can you guys help me to look for my daughter? Her name is… The Progenitor said.
"If we get the chance!" Bai Yi nodded.
The Progenitor did not mind Bai Yi's promise, but stretched out her index finger and placed it on top of Momo's head. Everyone stared at her actions, and Bai Yi tensed his entire body. Although the Progenitor seemed very friendly now, Bai Yi still didn't dare to trust her fully.
Slowly, a drop of blood squeezed out of the Progenitor's index finger!
A red, sparkling and translucent drop of blood, when this appeared from the finger of the Progenitor, everyone's hearts squeezed tightly, and started to beat fiercely. Desire, indescribable desire, although they didn't know what that drop of blood was, all of them could guess that it was extremely precious.
The Progenitor's face looked very awful now, if she still had a face. Because, Hong Qi Hua in her belly seemed to be extremely unhappy with her giving up her source blood, and tried desperately to stop her actions. The Progenitor's actions froze in mid-air, unable to move even an inch.
'Drip!'
The drop of source blood fell and just happened to land in Momo's eyes, and the Progenitor moved her body at this moment.
Hong… Hong Qi…! The Progenitor's right hand went limp and fell onto the floor.
"Hong? Hong Qi Hua!" Bai Yi immediately questioned in shock, but before Bai Yi could clarify anything, the Progenitor's voice disappeared in everyone's heads. Bai Yi rushed over, but he only made two steps before suddenly, a bolt of lightning seemed flash through Bai Yi's head and explode.
The Progenitor died!
Bai Yi could immediately tell that the Progenitor was dead, as the feeling in that instant didn't need to be explained. As long as it was a living thing that had assimilated with the activated cells nearby, they could all feel it. One must know that the activated cells were all extracted from the Progenitor's body. All the experimental subjects that were running around mindlessly and killing each other…all of them stopped at this moment, and looked in the direction of the Progenitor.
Chapter 89: The Temptation of Blood
The Progenitor died!
Everyone clearly felt that the Progenitor very obviously had wanted to say something at the end, and it had something to do with Hong Qi Hua, but she hadn't managed to say anything in the end. At this time, Bai Yi couldn't describe the disappointment he felt inside his heart. He initially only buried the pain of Hong Qi Hua's death deep in his heart, but now suddenly it seemed like he could get to know of a different result. However, that suddenly disappeared in the end.
And the reward that the Progenitor promised at the end, was she referring to that drop of blood? But in the end only Momo got splashed with that drop of blood, and they didn't even know the use of it.
Damn it!
Even Bai Yi now felt like scolding people, however suddenly a smell wafted over from the Progenitor's body, filling everyone's nose with it. Once they smelled this, Bai Yi blanked for a moment and a slight blurriness appeared in his mind. He slowly walked towards the Progenitor…I want to eat. This appetite did not come from hunger, but from seemingly smelling the greatest delicacy in the world and wanting to devour all of it.
Just when Bai Yi wanted to bite onto the finger of the Progenitor, Bai Yi suddenly quivered in his mind and he abruptly rushed out. Bai Yi rammed into the few of them continuously, sending all of them flying. After falling onto the floor, the expression of Woolf and the others gradually regained a bit of clarity after being enchanted by that smell.
"Bai Yi, what happened?"
"There's something wrong with this smell!" Bai Yi said solemnly. "The enticement of this smell is too strong, even more intense than that drop of blood just now. It was filled with temptation and danger just like that of a poppy flower, but I don't know what happened either." While Bai Yi was talking, Pupu headed toward the Progenitor again, seemingly getting bewitched again.
This time, Sharpei bit Pupu and stopped it when Pupu walked towards the Progenitor again. Sharpei then swung Pupu backwards. Pupu's tough skin wasn't damaged, and after it fell onto the floor it looked at Sharpei in fury, seemingly very unhappy with this guy that interrupted it. Ferociously, Pupu charged at Sharpei and rammed towards it. One must know, Pupu always treated Sharpei as its boss all along.
Initially, Sharpei was just dealing with him lightly, but within a few rounds Sharpei started to become crazy as well. Its four powerful limbs stepped on the floor and ferociously bit at Pupu. Seeing Sharpei's actions, all of them could tell that Sharpei really intended to kill Pupu.
Bai Yi shook his head and looked at everyone.
Shit!
Not just Sharpei, but even he couldn't control himself anymore. Out of nowhere, an intense desire to have the Progenitor rose in him, crazily wanting to possess it all for himself, and killing all other living things around him after that. At this time, not only Bai Yi realised that something was wrong, but the others also discovered this change in their hearts. They looked at each other with bloodshot eyes, and Woolf and Heloise even drew their own swords.
Mimicry Eyes - Intimidation!
The colored patterns instantly rose in Bai Yi's eyes again, and everyone seemed to feel an intense pressure pressing down on their hearts. Their hearts tensed abruptly and suddenly regained their consciousness again.
"Let's go, leave this place!" Bai Yi did not know what was going on, but apparently something very bad was going to happen if they kept on staying here. Sharpei and Pupu broke away, seemingly quite surprised at what they were doing, and Momo and Warner knocked one pet each on their heads, telling the both of them to follow closely. At this time, that intense smell from the Progenitor was still rapidly spreading around the entire area.
Bai Yi was last, but he suddenly stopped and ran back towards the Progenitor's body.
Following the lift passage, the intense smell gradually pervaded the minds of all the experimental monsters, inducing an unimaginable desire in them - Want to…eat the thing that is giving off this smell, I want to have this thing solely for myself!
The moment they came to the door, they immediately encountered the other experimental monsters. However, the bunch of them who came here following the intense smell completely ignored Bai Yi's group, and rushed frenziedly towards the Progenitor at the center. They looked back and immediately discovered that when the experimental monsters took a bite of their Progenitor's flesh, they instantly became even crazier. They looked at the other experimental monsters red-eyed, and within two seconds started fighting with each other.
The smell of blood mixed within the smell of the Progenitor, seemingly exciting them even more, making this new smell even sweeter and more enticing.
"Just what is going on?" Mavis frowned and asked.
"I don't know, but now is a good chance. Let's hurry up and leave." Bai Yi said to everyone, and the group of them sprinted like mad towards the lift. Along the way, they ran against an endless wave of experimental monsters. However, these monsters did not attack them like before, but rushed without regard for the lives towards the giant space holding the Progenitor, seemingly afraid that they were running too slowly.
This time, the place that Bai Yi's group was running towards wasn't the fourth hive. After all, the lift was ruined, and it'd be very difficult if they wanted to climb all the way back up.
While they were heading to the fifth hive, they discovered on the other side of the passageway an endless number of experimental monsters bursting out from the damaged lift passage like a spurting geyser. These experimental monsters rushed maniacally towards the room where the Progenitor was, and started vying over the flesh of the Progenitor. There was nothing every single monster wanted more than to take a bite of the Progenitor's flesh. However, there was a limited area surrounding the Progenitor, so the monsters on the outside could only bite and tear into the other monsters blocking them, wanting a spot in the inner area.
Very quickly, the Progenitor's corpse was buried under the sea of monsters. Although many areas on the Progenitor were already bitten off, more and more monsters were attracted over as the flesh was consumed rapidly.
At this time, the room where the Progenitor was in almost became a crazy meat grinder, turning all the living experimental monsters into blood and flesh. The monsters following behind clearly knew this, but they still continued to rush towards that place.
When Bai Yi's group finally got on the other elevator, they were still trembling inside their hearts.
"I really don't understand this more and more. Pain not only didn't let them maintain their consciousness, but it even increased the desire to kill and compete for the flesh!" Mavis pulled out the scalpel in her arm, and swiftly pressed on an acupoint, stopping the bleeding. Mavis wanted to use pain to stimulate herself and wake herself up just now, but it actually almost drove her into that madness.
"En, nobody knew what was going on!" Bai Yi nodded as well and rubbed the center of his eyebrows.
In the end, other than meeting with the Progenitor, they seemed to have gained nothing out of this.
Yeye said to meet with the Progenitor, so she apparently knew that the Progenitor would very probably gift something to Bai Yi's group, such as that crystal-like drop of blood. Bai Yi had automatically omitted the drop of blood that fell on Momo's eyes. Bai Yi understood that that drop of blood should be very important, but in the end the Progenitor apparently could not hold on anymore. At that time, she seemed to have wanted to tell them something regarding Hong Qi Hua, but she didn't even manage that in the end.
In the end, they can't continue to ruminate over their gains and losses, getting out still took priority.
Bai Yi's group took the lift and very quickly reached the upper section. When the lift opened, there weren't many monsters around, as apparently most of them had already rushed towards the Progenitor's location. Although they did not know how long this situation would last, it was still a good thing to them.
Leave this place!
Bai Yi's group followed the pre-planned route and rushed towards another location that had a drug that had not been developed completely - Prototy original form drug. The meaning behind the name was that even if the being fused with genes from other lifeforms, this drug would allow them to retain their original forms. Although they did not know if this drug would still be effective towards them, there was definitely nothing to lose by acquiring the drug first.
Along the way, Bai Yi's group met many strange and weird experimental monsters, but they did not attack Bai Yi's group at all and rushed madly towards the Progenitor's location. It appeared like they didn't want to waste even a second, fearing that they would be too late.
"I really want to know, what benefits would you get from eating the flesh of the Progenitor?" Heloise suddenly said.
"I don't know what benefits would we get, but I know that we would probably all die inside there after eating it. Of course, after getting out we could try and see for ourselves." Bai Yi said.
Everyone looked at each other, then at Bai Yi interestingly. Just now at the last moment Bai Yi ran back and sliced off a chunk of flesh from the Progenitor's finger, and very seriously placed it into an air-sealed compartment inside the protective case where Yeye's main computer was also placed. Bai Yi, this guy always had so many ideas. However, if this weren't the case, then based on how those experimental monsters went crazy over the smell they wouldn't be able to get out either.
……
The group of them came to the place where Doctor Wang researched the Prototy drug, and immediately started to search for it. This place was apparently messier. They didn't know if the monsters managed to barge in here or some other people searched this place before. However, Bai Yi leaned more towards the latter. After all, due to the disappearance of Sunlight, the upper section had always been left open, so Yu Han would've definitely searched this place before.
The few of them searched carefully, and finally found on the floor a broken test tube that contained a light blue liquid which was quite close to the description of the drug that Yeye gave.
"Is this it?" Mavis asked.
"Probably!" Bai Yi said, and took out a few empty syringes that they had prepared long ago, carefully sucking up the liquid left inside. There wasn't much liquid left in the broken test tube in the first place, but their syringes that they had were very small as well, so they actually managed to fill 9 syringes…Bai Yi, Momo, Woolf, Mavis and Heloise. As for Sharpei and Pupu, Bai Yi felt that it was unnecessary for them. With their appearances now, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. After all, there wouldn't be much use even if they returned to their original forms.
"Let's go." Get out of this place!
Bai Yi said this to them after carefully placing the few syringes in a secret compartment at the side of the protective case.
Chapter 90: Prayer
Bai Yi's group finally escaped from the research facility, and behind them, a large proportion of those monsters that had already escaped from the research facility rushed back inside again. Only those that had run further away didn't run back due to the enticing smell becoming very diluted in the space outside.
Inside the research facility, the corpse of the Progenitor was buried underneath all the flesh and blood, and when these flesh and blood came into contact with the Progenitor's corpse, it gradually started to give off that enticing smell as well. Although the smell wasn't as strong as the one given off by the Progenitor, it still drew all the experimental monsters to rush to that location crazily. At the center of everything, was half of the Progenitor's body floating inside all the flesh and blood.
Bai Yi's group looked towards the research facility and stayed silent for a long time… Tongariro National Park Research Facility!
In that place, countless things were buried inside.
_______________________________________________________________________________
After leaving the research facility, they looked at the outside world in shock. This was originally a national park that was more than 90% untouched and wholly natural, but now they couldn't recognize this place at all. All the vegetation here were extraordinary lush, and this lush forest was filled with tranquillity and life.
Just like they thought earlier, these rapidly-growing plants after assimilating with the activated cells became the cornerstone of New Zealand's new food chain.
"Let's go and find a remote place first." Bai Yi said to everyone.
Honestly speaking, there was a lot of luck involved in being able to escape from the research facility this time. If not for the Progenitor suddenly releasing that enticing smell, they probably wouldn't have been able to escape so easily. The Progenitor was the source of all the evolution in New Zealand. It wouldn't be strange if the Progenitor's body was extremely useful to all evolved lifeforms, and they would all be tempted to devour her body.
It was extremely hard to walk in the forest, and even though they managed to escape, their bodies were still full of injuries. Hence, they didn't walk too far either and the group of them stopped at an outcrop of rocks. Due to there being more rocks here, the vegetation was relatively less dense. After clearing out an empty space, everyone stopped and prepared to set up camp here. A monster that they didn't know if it was an escaped experimental monster or just an evolved lifeform from the outside wandered into Bai Yi's group. This monster was then unfortunately killed by Bai Yi and became their meal for this period of time.
Everyone had injuries on them, and those with heavy injuries waited for Mavis to treat them while the others with lighter injuries stayed quietly in this temporary campsite.
Everyone had already received their treatment, and now they could only wait for their injuries to heal naturally. All of them gathered into a circle, and the sky slowly darkened, the campfire in the center illuminating all of their faces.
Bai Yi took out the protective case, and took out a few syringes from the secret compartment by the side.
Prototy original form drug - even if they fused with genes from other monsters, it would not result in changes in their physical bodies. This kind of drug wasn't completely successfully developed, but it was approaching completion. This was their purpose of heading to Tongariro National Park Research Facility. However, nobody imagined that they would experience so much tragedy and horror during this process.
Bai Yi raised his head, and sighed deeply.
None of them disturbed Bai Yi. As the leader of this team, he was the one that bore with the most hurt and stress during this journey. Teammates, friends, the one he loved… The fact that he could still remain standing here already showed how strong he was. Suddenly, Bai Yi stretched out both his hands and slowly grabbed onto Momo and Mavis by his side. Everyone looked at Bai Yi in puzzlement.
"I don't believe in God... but... I suddenly want to pray for once!"
Everyone heard and was suddenly taken aback, but still held their hands and stood in a circle with a pious atmosphere. Even Sharpei and Pupu weren't excluded this time, and the sat on the floor with everyone else. The campfire burned quietly, and everyone closed their eyes, peaceful and serene.
"I'm thankful that we met, and being able to become friends that we can trust our backs with. Thank you everyone for fighting and struggling together, it's because of these efforts that we can still be standing here right now. We will always treasure all the friends that we have painfully lost along the way, and carry their hopes as we persevere on with life. Last but not least, I hope that all of us can survive, and return to a safe and peaceful world." Bai Yi slowly said, and everyone's hearts became solemn and tranquil.
After Bai Yi finished praying, everyone slowly opened their eyes again.
At this time, all of them looked towards the few syringes in the center. It was all because of these things that everyone struggled to this extent, and lost so many friends in the process.
"Let's inject them!" Bai Yi said, and grabbed a syringe.
Honestly speaking, nobody knew if these things would still be effective to them who had already turned into monsters, but even if for the sake of not letting the sacrifices of their friends be in vain, everyone would still choose to administer the drug. Moreover, everyone still had a little bit of hope inside. Maybe this thing would really be useful.
Mavis was still the most experienced in giving injections, and this thing probably couldn't be randomly injected into the body. The process was quite simple for most of them, but Mavis met with a problem when trying to give Woolf the injection. Woolf's armoured skin was now incredibly hard, this kind of small needle couldn't possibly pierce his skin.
Woolf looked at everyone staring all over his body. He was suddenly stunned for a moment and held his butt. "No! Over my dead body!"
Everyone's expressions instantly became strange. This guy, can your imagination not be so active? Just what were you thinking of? Seeing Woolf fooling around again, Heloise kicked him in the butt and he fell flat onto the floor. Mavis then walked over to him holding the syringe.
"NOOOOO…!!"
……
After injecting the drug, Bai Yi opened the protective case again and took out the flesh that he cut off from the Progenitor. Honestly speaking, the Progenitor's meat didn't seem fresh at all, and looked completely like the flesh of a dried corpse. Due to her eruption before, she practically shot out the entire essence of her body. However, it was this dried meat that was unbelievably enticing to all the experimental monsters.
The moment the soccer-ball sized chunk of meat was taken out, all of their breathings became heavy again.
Bai Yi took the kitchen knife from behind his back and split the meat into seven equal pieces, and placed them on top of a pile of wood. Bai Yi did not plan to cook this thing. One must know that for many type of ingredients if the chef didn't know how to cook it properly, the ingredient would lose a lot of its nutritional value.
"I don't know what the use of the thing is, but I think just from the enticing power of this thing towards us, we can imagine that it's not ordinary. However, the more tempting something is, the more dangerous it is likely to be. So let's discuss about this. Should we or should we not eat this?" Bai Yi looked at everyone and said seriously. In truth, there was actually no need for Bai Yi to ask. Everyone's expressions already betrayed their thoughts.
"Ok then, I know everyone's answer. However, we should still have one of us try it first."
"Me, I'll do it!" Woolf suddenly said and without waiting for Bai Yi to reject him, he immediately grabbed a piece and threw it inside that terrifying huge mouth of his.
Everyone didn't know whether to laugh or cry at Woolf's actions, but after Woolf swallowed it, all of them quietly looked at Woolf, waiting for his reaction.
"So tough and old, very dry too, it's not very tasty. But I just want to eat it, this is so weird." Woolf chewed vigorously on that piece of meat and said. Within a few seconds, that piece of dried meat disappeared from Woolf's mouth. After Woolf had swallowed the meat, everyone stared at Woolf, silently waiting to see if anything abnormal would happen to him.
However, even after more than half an hour, there weren't any changes in Woolf. At this time, the number of experimental monsters that got attracted by the smell already started to surround them. As for Woolf, he just continued looking at the other six pieces of meat at the center, his saliva continuously flowing down from his mouth.
Isn't it not tasty!
"Bai Yi, let's stop waiting." Heloise said to Bai Yi.
Bai Yi looked at everyone's eyes, and they were all filled with desire towards the meat. Since Woolf already ate the meat, if something really happened then they just had to face it all together. Bai Yi nodded, and everyone immediately rushed for the meat in the center, their movements shockingly fast. Apparently, these guys could no longer rein in their desire.
Bai Yi didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but took the last remaining piece of meat and observed for a while, putting it into his mouth afterwards. Just like Woolf said, the meat really wasn't tasty. It stunk and was very dry and rough. However, strangely everyone's bodies desired this thing more than anything else. Even if they thought that it wasn't tasty, they still chewed on it voraciously.
Just when they swallowed the meat, the smell gradually dissipated and the evolved lifeforms rushing here sniffed the air in puzzlement, finally leaving to search in other places in disappointment.
After finishing the meat, everyone sat quietly in a circle, not doing anything and silently felt for changes in their bodies. Based on their guesses, it was so tempting and also the flesh of the Progenitor. It probably had a huge use to lifeforms like them who assimilated with the activated cells from the Progenitor.
One hour, two hours… after three hours had passed, everyone looked at each other in puzzlement.
Weird, other than the strange desire while eating it, there doesn't seem to be any other changes after eating it. Even after so long, there weren't any responses from their bodies.
"No need to mind this matter anymore. If there were really any changes, we would've discovered them immediately anyway. Now, let's discuss what we should do next." Bai Yi said in the end, pulling everyone's confused thoughts back to reality.
Chapter 88: The Death Of The Progenitor
Everyone immediately started moving, crazily destroying the support for the lift, and when the Great Devil Snake finally managed to get half its head out of the lift, Woolf's greatsword brutally swung and broke the cable holding the lift up. The entire lift suddenly froze for a moment then plummeted down heavily towards the floor. The Great Devil Snake's head that was halfway out got trapped between the top of the lift and the floor by the immense weight of the lift.
Woolf saw the situation and fiercely jumped up, landing on the top of the lift. With a 'DONG!', the sturdy floor was smashed through by the Great Devil Snake's head and it continued plummeting towards the bottom.
Everyone stood beside the broken lift entrance, taking in large breaths and panting heavily. After a long while, a large crash sounded from below them, but they still did not know if the Great Devil Snake was dead.
"Let's go, we will go down too!" Bai Yi calmed his breathing and said to the rest of them who were also in sorry states.
Yeye did not clearly tell them the reason why they had to see the Progenitor, but just said that it was worth the time. In truth, everyone was just curious towards the Progenitor, there wasn't actually anything they could think of that would make it worth it to risk their lives just to see the Progenitor once. However, in the end everyone's opinions were strangely unanimous. Even if it was extremely dangerous like this, they were all still willing to see the Progenitor, to see exactly what kind of existence it was that triggered the change in New Zealand.
Bai Yi looked at the pitch-black and bottomless lift passage, then at the other remaining cable. Heloise flew up and checked, confirming that the cable could take their weight and nodded to everyone.
"Sharpei, climb onto my back!" Bai Yi said to Sharpei.
Although Sharpei and Pupu were a lot more intelligent now, their bodies were still of an animal and so their claws were not suited to rappel down the cable. Sharpei was of course carried by Bai Yi, and Pupu was carried by Warner. Luckily, both Sharpei and Pupu understood human words easily now, or else it would've really been troublesome. As for Momo, she was grabbed by Heloise. Although Heloise wasn't too nimble when it came to flying, she could still fly, after all.
When Bai Yi wanted to descend first, Woolf stopped him.
"I'll go first, you are carrying Sharpei now. It won't be convenient for you to deal with danger if it appears." Woolf said and jumped down, sliding down along the cable.
There wasn't any light below, and everyone slid down in the darkness and carefully descended. Only the small flashlight that Heloise carried could be seen, and their breathings reverberated in this tight small space. After more than 10 minutes, they finally saw the floor and the lift that was completely crumpled up.
They carefully observed that area, and realised that half of the Great Devil Snake's body was trapped inside the crumpled lift, while the other half heavily smashed into the floor.
When everyone landed on the floor, they could finally see the devastation caused by the impact of the falling lift. Woolf carefully approached the Great Devil Snake, wanting to see if that terrifying guy was dead yet. However, when Woolf approached, the Great Devil Snake suddenly raised its head and hissed at Woolf.
Woolf jumped in fright and quickly moved backwards, but realized that the Great Devil Snake had laid down again after that. Apparently, even though the Great Devil Snake was already very powerful as a LV2, it was still not invincible. After falling down along with the lift, it stood on the verge of death.
"Let's go!" Bai Yi said.
Everyone entered the passageway beside them, and after walking a distance, the sensors in the passageway detected them and the lights lit up. After walking for a few minutes, they finally reached a huge and sturdy door in front of them. Bai Yi then placed his holographic watch on the door. There was a program inside it that Yeye designed to open this door, and after doing so the large heavy door slowly opened up.
They didn't see any apostle being nailed to a cross, but only a giant body submerged in a dried-up cultivation pool. The Progenitor looked like a corpse that had dried for a thousand years, and there was a huge hole on the top of her head, but the moment they laid their eyes on her they knew that this was the Progenitor.
Everyone stared at the Progenitor silently, and she seemed to be asleep. Bai Yi didn't know if they had come too late.
"Are you in pain?" Suddenly, Momo walked in front and said softly.
"Momo!" Bai Yi looked at Momo in shock.
"You are in a lot of pain right, I can hear your voice. Really, that day at the balcony, I heard your voice." Momo said to the Progenitor, and at Bai Yi again. Bai Yi was stunned on the spot, at the balcony, heard a voice, was Momo talking about the day that the activated cells erupted?
What a cute girl. If not for you, I think I would have really slept all the way like this.
All of them instantly jumped in shock, because this voice rang directly inside their heads!
No need to be this shocked, I am after all the Progenitor, and a step ahead of you guys. You guys should be able to reach my stage in the future as well.
"This is telepathic communication?" Every country probably had some magical fantasies of their own.
More or less!
"Yeye told us to come and meet you, but what do you want to tell us?" Bai Yi said to the Progenitor.
Don't you guys not feel anger or any other emotion towards me? The Progenitor suddenly said.
"Why do you say that?"
Because of me, everything changed in New Zealand. You guys should hate me right?
"If you are talking about this, then before meeting you perhaps I still had some grudge, but now after seeing you I don't have such feelings anymore. In the end, before you became the Progenitor, you were just a randomly chosen experimental subject. The only thing different about you was that you managed to assimilate perfectly with the Devil Algae cells. In reality, you are very ordinary right, getting treated like that, it's not strange that you would want to take revenge." Bai Yi slowly said, and everyone else nodded.
You really…! The Progenitor did not know what to think of Bai Yi.
That's right, I'm very ordinary, I only hated those researchers that turned me into this state, and wanted to take revenge. I didn't know that New Zealand would become like this either, if I knew earlier, perhaps… The Progenitor said till there and descended into silence. Perhaps... perhaps she wouldn't do it? However, that was just a supposition that would never come to pass, so it had completely no meaning.
I'm really very ordinary. After discovering that New Zealand turned into this state, I regretted quite a bit, but on the other hand I had no confidence that I could make up for everything that I did. If it's possible, could you guys help me to do something to make up for what I did?
"Make it up? What do you mean?"
I don't know, I just want to do something seeing the state that New Zealand is in now, but I don't know what should I do either. Relax, I won't make you guys help for free, so I'll gift you guys something as a reward. The Progenitor said again. She was really a simple women, telling them the reward first. Wasn't she afraid that they would promise but renegade on it later? However, fortunately Bai Yi's group weren't people like that.
"I can promise you do to do something for the New Zealand now, but just like you said, I can't guarantee anything. The changes in New Zealand now are completely out of any knowledge that anybody may have, so we aren't sure what we should do either." Bai Yi said.
That's fine, as long as you are willing to promise me to make up for this huge mistake I made! The Progenitor agreed.
Then, you guys can come and accept your reward. I'm afraid that you guys won't have the chance to come here again. The Progenitor said, and she slowly climbed up. She moved with great difficulty, and it seemed difficult for her to even support her own weight. The Progenitor was more than 40 meters tall. They were all tiny compared to the Progenitor, so they couldn't help even if they wanted to. After a while, the Progenitor laid back down again, and stretched out her right hand.
The right hand that was even bigger than a human hung outside the cultivation pool.
I'm sorry, I'm too weak, so let's just do it like this.
Momo, come over first! The Progenitor said.
When I was captured and brought here, I also had a daughter. She was only five years old, not too different from you. I still have a request, if you guys have the chance, can you guys help me to look for my daughter? Her name is… The Progenitor said.
"If we get the chance!" Bai Yi nodded.
The Progenitor did not mind Bai Yi's promise, but stretched out her index finger and placed it on top of Momo's head. Everyone stared at her actions, and Bai Yi tensed his entire body. Although the Progenitor seemed very friendly now, Bai Yi still didn't dare to trust her fully.
Slowly, a drop of blood squeezed out of the Progenitor's index finger!
A red, sparkling and translucent drop of blood, when this appeared from the finger of the Progenitor, everyone's hearts squeezed tightly, and started to beat fiercely. Desire, indescribable desire, although they didn't know what that drop of blood was, all of them could guess that it was extremely precious.
The Progenitor's face looked very awful now, if she still had a face. Because, Hong Qi Hua in her belly seemed to be extremely unhappy with her giving up her source blood, and tried desperately to stop her actions. The Progenitor's actions froze in mid-air, unable to move even an inch.
'Drip!'
The drop of source blood fell and just happened to land in Momo's eyes, and the Progenitor moved her body at this moment.
Hong… Hong Qi…! The Progenitor's right hand went limp and fell onto the floor.
"Hong? Hong Qi Hua!" Bai Yi immediately questioned in shock, but before Bai Yi could clarify anything, the Progenitor's voice disappeared in everyone's heads. Bai Yi rushed over, but he only made two steps before suddenly, a bolt of lightning seemed flash through Bai Yi's head and explode.
The Progenitor died!
Bai Yi could immediately tell that the Progenitor was dead, as the feeling in that instant didn't need to be explained. As long as it was a living thing that had assimilated with the activated cells nearby, they could all feel it. One must know that the activated cells were all extracted from the Progenitor's body. All the experimental subjects that were running around mindlessly and killing each other…all of them stopped at this moment, and looked in the direction of the Progenitor.
Chapter 89: The Temptation of Blood
The Progenitor died!
Everyone clearly felt that the Progenitor very obviously had wanted to say something at the end, and it had something to do with Hong Qi Hua, but she hadn't managed to say anything in the end. At this time, Bai Yi couldn't describe the disappointment he felt inside his heart. He initially only buried the pain of Hong Qi Hua's death deep in his heart, but now suddenly it seemed like he could get to know of a different result. However, that suddenly disappeared in the end.
And the reward that the Progenitor promised at the end, was she referring to that drop of blood? But in the end only Momo got splashed with that drop of blood, and they didn't even know the use of it.
Damn it!
Even Bai Yi now felt like scolding people, however suddenly a smell wafted over from the Progenitor's body, filling everyone's nose with it. Once they smelled this, Bai Yi blanked for a moment and a slight blurriness appeared in his mind. He slowly walked towards the Progenitor…I want to eat. This appetite did not come from hunger, but from seemingly smelling the greatest delicacy in the world and wanting to devour all of it.
Just when Bai Yi wanted to bite onto the finger of the Progenitor, Bai Yi suddenly quivered in his mind and he abruptly rushed out. Bai Yi rammed into the few of them continuously, sending all of them flying. After falling onto the floor, the expression of Woolf and the others gradually regained a bit of clarity after being enchanted by that smell.
"Bai Yi, what happened?"
"There's something wrong with this smell!" Bai Yi said solemnly. "The enticement of this smell is too strong, even more intense than that drop of blood just now. It was filled with temptation and danger just like that of a poppy flower, but I don't know what happened either." While Bai Yi was talking, Pupu headed toward the Progenitor again, seemingly getting bewitched again.
This time, Sharpei bit Pupu and stopped it when Pupu walked towards the Progenitor again. Sharpei then swung Pupu backwards. Pupu's tough skin wasn't damaged, and after it fell onto the floor it looked at Sharpei in fury, seemingly very unhappy with this guy that interrupted it. Ferociously, Pupu charged at Sharpei and rammed towards it. One must know, Pupu always treated Sharpei as its boss all along.
Initially, Sharpei was just dealing with him lightly, but within a few rounds Sharpei started to become crazy as well. Its four powerful limbs stepped on the floor and ferociously bit at Pupu. Seeing Sharpei's actions, all of them could tell that Sharpei really intended to kill Pupu.
Bai Yi shook his head and looked at everyone.
Shit!
Not just Sharpei, but even he couldn't control himself anymore. Out of nowhere, an intense desire to have the Progenitor rose in him, crazily wanting to possess it all for himself, and killing all other living things around him after that. At this time, not only Bai Yi realised that something was wrong, but the others also discovered this change in their hearts. They looked at each other with bloodshot eyes, and Woolf and Heloise even drew their own swords.
Mimicry Eyes - Intimidation!
The colored patterns instantly rose in Bai Yi's eyes again, and everyone seemed to feel an intense pressure pressing down on their hearts. Their hearts tensed abruptly and suddenly regained their consciousness again.
"Let's go, leave this place!" Bai Yi did not know what was going on, but apparently something very bad was going to happen if they kept on staying here. Sharpei and Pupu broke away, seemingly quite surprised at what they were doing, and Momo and Warner knocked one pet each on their heads, telling the both of them to follow closely. At this time, that intense smell from the Progenitor was still rapidly spreading around the entire area.
Bai Yi was last, but he suddenly stopped and ran back towards the Progenitor's body.
Following the lift passage, the intense smell gradually pervaded the minds of all the experimental monsters, inducing an unimaginable desire in them - Want to…eat the thing that is giving off this smell, I want to have this thing solely for myself!
The moment they came to the door, they immediately encountered the other experimental monsters. However, the bunch of them who came here following the intense smell completely ignored Bai Yi's group, and rushed frenziedly towards the Progenitor at the center. They looked back and immediately discovered that when the experimental monsters took a bite of their Progenitor's flesh, they instantly became even crazier. They looked at the other experimental monsters red-eyed, and within two seconds started fighting with each other.
The smell of blood mixed within the smell of the Progenitor, seemingly exciting them even more, making this new smell even sweeter and more enticing.
"Just what is going on?" Mavis frowned and asked.
"I don't know, but now is a good chance. Let's hurry up and leave." Bai Yi said to everyone, and the group of them sprinted like mad towards the lift. Along the way, they ran against an endless wave of experimental monsters. However, these monsters did not attack them like before, but rushed without regard for the lives towards the giant space holding the Progenitor, seemingly afraid that they were running too slowly.
This time, the place that Bai Yi's group was running towards wasn't the fourth hive. After all, the lift was ruined, and it'd be very difficult if they wanted to climb all the way back up.
While they were heading to the fifth hive, they discovered on the other side of the passageway an endless number of experimental monsters bursting out from the damaged lift passage like a spurting geyser. These experimental monsters rushed maniacally towards the room where the Progenitor was, and started vying over the flesh of the Progenitor. There was nothing every single monster wanted more than to take a bite of the Progenitor's flesh. However, there was a limited area surrounding the Progenitor, so the monsters on the outside could only bite and tear into the other monsters blocking them, wanting a spot in the inner area.
Very quickly, the Progenitor's corpse was buried under the sea of monsters. Although many areas on the Progenitor were already bitten off, more and more monsters were attracted over as the flesh was consumed rapidly.
At this time, the room where the Progenitor was in almost became a crazy meat grinder, turning all the living experimental monsters into blood and flesh. The monsters following behind clearly knew this, but they still continued to rush towards that place.
When Bai Yi's group finally got on the other elevator, they were still trembling inside their hearts.
"I really don't understand this more and more. Pain not only didn't let them maintain their consciousness, but it even increased the desire to kill and compete for the flesh!" Mavis pulled out the scalpel in her arm, and swiftly pressed on an acupoint, stopping the bleeding. Mavis wanted to use pain to stimulate herself and wake herself up just now, but it actually almost drove her into that madness.
"En, nobody knew what was going on!" Bai Yi nodded as well and rubbed the center of his eyebrows.
In the end, other than meeting with the Progenitor, they seemed to have gained nothing out of this.
Yeye said to meet with the Progenitor, so she apparently knew that the Progenitor would very probably gift something to Bai Yi's group, such as that crystal-like drop of blood. Bai Yi had automatically omitted the drop of blood that fell on Momo's eyes. Bai Yi understood that that drop of blood should be very important, but in the end the Progenitor apparently could not hold on anymore. At that time, she seemed to have wanted to tell them something regarding Hong Qi Hua, but she didn't even manage that in the end.
In the end, they can't continue to ruminate over their gains and losses, getting out still took priority.
Bai Yi's group took the lift and very quickly reached the upper section. When the lift opened, there weren't many monsters around, as apparently most of them had already rushed towards the Progenitor's location. Although they did not know how long this situation would last, it was still a good thing to them.
Leave this place!
Bai Yi's group followed the pre-planned route and rushed towards another location that had a drug that had not been developed completely - Prototy original form drug. The meaning behind the name was that even if the being fused with genes from other lifeforms, this drug would allow them to retain their original forms. Although they did not know if this drug would still be effective towards them, there was definitely nothing to lose by acquiring the drug first.
Along the way, Bai Yi's group met many strange and weird experimental monsters, but they did not attack Bai Yi's group at all and rushed madly towards the Progenitor's location. It appeared like they didn't want to waste even a second, fearing that they would be too late.
"I really want to know, what benefits would you get from eating the flesh of the Progenitor?" Heloise suddenly said.
"I don't know what benefits would we get, but I know that we would probably all die inside there after eating it. Of course, after getting out we could try and see for ourselves." Bai Yi said.
Everyone looked at each other, then at Bai Yi interestingly. Just now at the last moment Bai Yi ran back and sliced off a chunk of flesh from the Progenitor's finger, and very seriously placed it into an air-sealed compartment inside the protective case where Yeye's main computer was also placed. Bai Yi, this guy always had so many ideas. However, if this weren't the case, then based on how those experimental monsters went crazy over the smell they wouldn't be able to get out either.
……
The group of them came to the place where Doctor Wang researched the Prototy drug, and immediately started to search for it. This place was apparently messier. They didn't know if the monsters managed to barge in here or some other people searched this place before. However, Bai Yi leaned more towards the latter. After all, due to the disappearance of Sunlight, the upper section had always been left open, so Yu Han would've definitely searched this place before.
The few of them searched carefully, and finally found on the floor a broken test tube that contained a light blue liquid which was quite close to the description of the drug that Yeye gave.
"Is this it?" Mavis asked.
"Probably!" Bai Yi said, and took out a few empty syringes that they had prepared long ago, carefully sucking up the liquid left inside. There wasn't much liquid left in the broken test tube in the first place, but their syringes that they had were very small as well, so they actually managed to fill 9 syringes…Bai Yi, Momo, Woolf, Mavis and Heloise. As for Sharpei and Pupu, Bai Yi felt that it was unnecessary for them. With their appearances now, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. After all, there wouldn't be much use even if they returned to their original forms.
"Let's go." Get out of this place!
Bai Yi said this to them after carefully placing the few syringes in a secret compartment at the side of the protective case.
Chapter 90: Prayer
Bai Yi's group finally escaped from the research facility, and behind them, a large proportion of those monsters that had already escaped from the research facility rushed back inside again. Only those that had run further away didn't run back due to the enticing smell becoming very diluted in the space outside.
Inside the research facility, the corpse of the Progenitor was buried underneath all the flesh and blood, and when these flesh and blood came into contact with the Progenitor's corpse, it gradually started to give off that enticing smell as well. Although the smell wasn't as strong as the one given off by the Progenitor, it still drew all the experimental monsters to rush to that location crazily. At the center of everything, was half of the Progenitor's body floating inside all the flesh and blood.
Bai Yi's group looked towards the research facility and stayed silent for a long time… Tongariro National Park Research Facility!
In that place, countless things were buried inside.
_______________________________________________________________________________
After leaving the research facility, they looked at the outside world in shock. This was originally a national park that was more than 90% untouched and wholly natural, but now they couldn't recognize this place at all. All the vegetation here were extraordinary lush, and this lush forest was filled with tranquillity and life.
Just like they thought earlier, these rapidly-growing plants after assimilating with the activated cells became the cornerstone of New Zealand's new food chain.
"Let's go and find a remote place first." Bai Yi said to everyone.
Honestly speaking, there was a lot of luck involved in being able to escape from the research facility this time. If not for the Progenitor suddenly releasing that enticing smell, they probably wouldn't have been able to escape so easily. The Progenitor was the source of all the evolution in New Zealand. It wouldn't be strange if the Progenitor's body was extremely useful to all evolved lifeforms, and they would all be tempted to devour her body.
It was extremely hard to walk in the forest, and even though they managed to escape, their bodies were still full of injuries. Hence, they didn't walk too far either and the group of them stopped at an outcrop of rocks. Due to there being more rocks here, the vegetation was relatively less dense. After clearing out an empty space, everyone stopped and prepared to set up camp here. A monster that they didn't know if it was an escaped experimental monster or just an evolved lifeform from the outside wandered into Bai Yi's group. This monster was then unfortunately killed by Bai Yi and became their meal for this period of time.
Everyone had injuries on them, and those with heavy injuries waited for Mavis to treat them while the others with lighter injuries stayed quietly in this temporary campsite.
Everyone had already received their treatment, and now they could only wait for their injuries to heal naturally. All of them gathered into a circle, and the sky slowly darkened, the campfire in the center illuminating all of their faces.
Bai Yi took out the protective case, and took out a few syringes from the secret compartment by the side.
Prototy original form drug - even if they fused with genes from other monsters, it would not result in changes in their physical bodies. This kind of drug wasn't completely successfully developed, but it was approaching completion. This was their purpose of heading to Tongariro National Park Research Facility. However, nobody imagined that they would experience so much tragedy and horror during this process.
Bai Yi raised his head, and sighed deeply.
None of them disturbed Bai Yi. As the leader of this team, he was the one that bore with the most hurt and stress during this journey. Teammates, friends, the one he loved… The fact that he could still remain standing here already showed how strong he was. Suddenly, Bai Yi stretched out both his hands and slowly grabbed onto Momo and Mavis by his side. Everyone looked at Bai Yi in puzzlement.
"I don't believe in God... but... I suddenly want to pray for once!"
Everyone heard and was suddenly taken aback, but still held their hands and stood in a circle with a pious atmosphere. Even Sharpei and Pupu weren't excluded this time, and the sat on the floor with everyone else. The campfire burned quietly, and everyone closed their eyes, peaceful and serene.
"I'm thankful that we met, and being able to become friends that we can trust our backs with. Thank you everyone for fighting and struggling together, it's because of these efforts that we can still be standing here right now. We will always treasure all the friends that we have painfully lost along the way, and carry their hopes as we persevere on with life. Last but not least, I hope that all of us can survive, and return to a safe and peaceful world." Bai Yi slowly said, and everyone's hearts became solemn and tranquil.
After Bai Yi finished praying, everyone slowly opened their eyes again.
At this time, all of them looked towards the few syringes in the center. It was all because of these things that everyone struggled to this extent, and lost so many friends in the process.
"Let's inject them!" Bai Yi said, and grabbed a syringe.
Honestly speaking, nobody knew if these things would still be effective to them who had already turned into monsters, but even if for the sake of not letting the sacrifices of their friends be in vain, everyone would still choose to administer the drug. Moreover, everyone still had a little bit of hope inside. Maybe this thing would really be useful.
Mavis was still the most experienced in giving injections, and this thing probably couldn't be randomly injected into the body. The process was quite simple for most of them, but Mavis met with a problem when trying to give Woolf the injection. Woolf's armoured skin was now incredibly hard, this kind of small needle couldn't possibly pierce his skin.
Woolf looked at everyone staring all over his body. He was suddenly stunned for a moment and held his butt. "No! Over my dead body!"
Everyone's expressions instantly became strange. This guy, can your imagination not be so active? Just what were you thinking of? Seeing Woolf fooling around again, Heloise kicked him in the butt and he fell flat onto the floor. Mavis then walked over to him holding the syringe.
"NOOOOO…!!"
……
After injecting the drug, Bai Yi opened the protective case again and took out the flesh that he cut off from the Progenitor. Honestly speaking, the Progenitor's meat didn't seem fresh at all, and looked completely like the flesh of a dried corpse. Due to her eruption before, she practically shot out the entire essence of her body. However, it was this dried meat that was unbelievably enticing to all the experimental monsters.
The moment the soccer-ball sized chunk of meat was taken out, all of their breathings became heavy again.
Bai Yi took the kitchen knife from behind his back and split the meat into seven equal pieces, and placed them on top of a pile of wood. Bai Yi did not plan to cook this thing. One must know that for many type of ingredients if the chef didn't know how to cook it properly, the ingredient would lose a lot of its nutritional value.
"I don't know what the use of the thing is, but I think just from the enticing power of this thing towards us, we can imagine that it's not ordinary. However, the more tempting something is, the more dangerous it is likely to be. So let's discuss about this. Should we or should we not eat this?" Bai Yi looked at everyone and said seriously. In truth, there was actually no need for Bai Yi to ask. Everyone's expressions already betrayed their thoughts.
"Ok then, I know everyone's answer. However, we should still have one of us try it first."
"Me, I'll do it!" Woolf suddenly said and without waiting for Bai Yi to reject him, he immediately grabbed a piece and threw it inside that terrifying huge mouth of his.
Everyone didn't know whether to laugh or cry at Woolf's actions, but after Woolf swallowed it, all of them quietly looked at Woolf, waiting for his reaction.
"So tough and old, very dry too, it's not very tasty. But I just want to eat it, this is so weird." Woolf chewed vigorously on that piece of meat and said. Within a few seconds, that piece of dried meat disappeared from Woolf's mouth. After Woolf had swallowed the meat, everyone stared at Woolf, silently waiting to see if anything abnormal would happen to him.
However, even after more than half an hour, there weren't any changes in Woolf. At this time, the number of experimental monsters that got attracted by the smell already started to surround them. As for Woolf, he just continued looking at the other six pieces of meat at the center, his saliva continuously flowing down from his mouth.
Isn't it not tasty!
"Bai Yi, let's stop waiting." Heloise said to Bai Yi.
Bai Yi looked at everyone's eyes, and they were all filled with desire towards the meat. Since Woolf already ate the meat, if something really happened then they just had to face it all together. Bai Yi nodded, and everyone immediately rushed for the meat in the center, their movements shockingly fast. Apparently, these guys could no longer rein in their desire.
Bai Yi didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but took the last remaining piece of meat and observed for a while, putting it into his mouth afterwards. Just like Woolf said, the meat really wasn't tasty. It stunk and was very dry and rough. However, strangely everyone's bodies desired this thing more than anything else. Even if they thought that it wasn't tasty, they still chewed on it voraciously.
Just when they swallowed the meat, the smell gradually dissipated and the evolved lifeforms rushing here sniffed the air in puzzlement, finally leaving to search in other places in disappointment.
After finishing the meat, everyone sat quietly in a circle, not doing anything and silently felt for changes in their bodies. Based on their guesses, it was so tempting and also the flesh of the Progenitor. It probably had a huge use to lifeforms like them who assimilated with the activated cells from the Progenitor.
One hour, two hours… after three hours had passed, everyone looked at each other in puzzlement.
Weird, other than the strange desire while eating it, there doesn't seem to be any other changes after eating it. Even after so long, there weren't any responses from their bodies.
"No need to mind this matter anymore. If there were really any changes, we would've discovered them immediately anyway. Now, let's discuss what we should do next." Bai Yi said in the end, pulling everyone's confused thoughts back to reality.
