Chapter 323: The Nature of the Metal Tumor

Chapter 323: The Nature of the Metal Tumor

According to the original timeline, after the appearance of the metal tumor experiment, the Sikes Civilization resisted for three months before announcing the abandonment of Queen Star.

In other words, the metal tumor experiment that appeared eight months later was beyond the Sikes Civilization's ability to eradicate completely.

Of course, this was after three months of continuous resistance, as they had been fighting the entire time.

The Sikes Civilization wasn't entirely helpless, but the metal tumor's expansion speed was just too fast.

The entire planet was filled with metal, all of which could serve as food for the metal tumor.

The metal tumor's spread was incredibly rapid, and the Sikes Civilization initially knew nothing about this terrifying entity.

By the time the Sikes Civilization had researched a countermeasure, it was already too late.

...

Meanwhile, at the Supreme Tribunal on Queen Star.

Ertsong Strala arrogantly observed the "crashed" high-level members of the civilization before him.

His network connection module had been disabled, so he was unaware of what was happening outside, but he could guess.

At this moment, the "pet" he had created should have already displayed its terrifying power.

Otherwise, the high-level members of the civilization before him wouldn't be so "shocked."

Ertsong Strala shouted, "Have you made your decision? Every second, a building collapses, and every minute, a district falls. You're running out of time."

After three minutes of calculations, including the Sikes Civilization's Central System, all faction leaders and high-level members of the civilization confirmed one thing.

They had no way to stop the spread of the metal tumor experiment.

The decision-making process of the computer system was this swift; if it couldn't calculate a solution, the problem was unsolvable.

Since it was unsolvable, they could only agree to Ertsong Strala's demands.

Otherwise, they could only watch as Queen Star was devoured by the metal tumor.

The Sikes Central System even calculated that Queen Star could withstand the metal tumor for a maximum of three months.

In the three minutes that had just passed.

The Sikes Central System, with its powerful computing power, simulated over a hundred million scenarios of fighting against the metal tumor, and not once was it successful.

So, after three minutes, the Central System concluded that the problem was unsolvable.

All faction leaders and high-level members unanimously agreed, granting Ertsong Strala all his demands and signing an agreement to elevate his authority level.

Ertsong Strala obtained the desired authority level and restored his network communication function, immediately sending a signal to reseal the metal tumor experiment.

After the signal was sent, the Central System and faction leaders closely monitored the changes in the metal tumor experiment.

However, after 30 seconds, the metal tumor experiment showed no signs of change.

To be more precise, the metal tumor experiment did not alter its behavior; it continued to spread, and its speed even increased.

The high-level members of the civilization immediately angrily questioned Ertsong Strala, "The agreement has been signed, and you've gotten what you wanted. Why aren't you stopping the metal tumor experiment?"

Ertsong Strala was frozen in a state of "shock."

He was also calculating, trying to figure out what had happened.

He had sent out the program to reseal the metal tumor experiment, but to no avail.

The metal tumor experiment had gone out of control and continued to spread.

The Sikes Central System physically accessed Ertsong Strala's Lightbrain system and reviewed his calculations, learning that the metal tumor experiment was out of control.

Once this information was revealed, all faction leaders and high-level members of the civilization were enraged, immediately tearing up the agreement and reducing Ertsong Strala's authority level to the lowest.

However, they retained his network communication function, ordering him to continue attempting to control the metal tumor experiment.

But his efforts were fruitless, and the metal tumor experiment's spread accelerated, already reaching the surrounding districts from the Gravity District.

If this continued, the entire city would fall.

Not only did the high-level members of the civilization know this, but all units with a power level above three could access this information.

In the Sikes Civilization's power structure, the majority of Mechanized War Generals and scientists could reach the upper three levels.

Therefore, after the metal tumor experiment crisis, all the scientists in the civilization were aware of the situation.

Every scientist was calculating and searching for a way to stop the metal tumor experiment's spread.

Xavier Matrix was no exception; his authority level was very special, being the highest.

Thus, he could access all public and semi-public information in the Sikes Civilization.

He was also seeking a solution to the metal tumor experiment, but the data was scarce, and in such a short time, it was impossible to find a solution.

...

In the underground laboratory of the Gravity District.

Yuan Yaoyao, piloting the Black Feather Spirit, slashed with a plasma sword, leaving a half-meter-deep gash on the metal tumor.

From the split metal tumor, a metal tentacle shot out, wrapping around the Black Feather Spirit.

Many of the materials on the Black Feather Spirit were metallic, and once entangled by the metal tumor's tentacle, it would be devoured in an instant.

Lu Heng reacted swiftly, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her back, narrowly avoiding the tentacles of the metal tumor. He then called out, "Professor!"

The Black Feather Spirit maintained constant communication with Xavier Matrix.

As soon as Lu Heng spoke, a light screen appeared in front of the Black Feather Spirit, displaying Xavier Matrix's image.

"Speak," Xavier Matrix said.

"This thing is a metal tumor, a combination of an abyssal tumor and a metal devourer. It's extremely difficult to deal with. If not handled in time, the entire Queen Star could be swallowed," Lu Heng warned.

Xavier Matrix had already calculated the possibility of Queen Star being devoured, and if they couldn't find a way to deal with the metal tumor, Queen Star could only hold out for a maximum of three months.

Therefore, Xavier Matrix didn't doubt Lu Heng's words and asked, "Is there a solution? Although I obtained Ertsong Strala's experimental data, that fool has abysmally low computational power. The creation of the metal tumor was more a matter of luck than skill."

Lu Heng, with his memories of rebirth, might have a way to resolve this crisis.

The central system of the Siks Civilization, despite its immense computational power, couldn't find a solution because it couldn't factor in the human summoner in the calculations.

For the Siks Civilization, human summoners were an unquantifiable variable. In the calculations, they were simply substituted with the values of a mechanized war general.

The combat power of a mechanized war general was negligible in the face of the metal tumor crisis.

Lu Heng's mind raced with memories and thoughts, communicating at a rapid pace with Xavier Matrix: "The essence of the metal tumor is still the abyssal tumor. The metal part lacks life characteristics and is akin to the stratum corneum in humans."

The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of human skin. Gently scraping off the outermost layer of the skin won't cause bleeding because the stratum corneum is like "dead skin."

In addition to the skin's outermost layer, other parts of the human body, such as fingernails and calluses, also belong to the stratum corneum.

The stratum corneum doesn't contain blood vessels, and cutting it won't damage the body.

Of course, without the protection of the stratum corneum, the skin would be more fragile.

The metal layer of the metal tumor is similar in nature to the human stratum corneum.

In other words, although the metal tumor devours metal substances, the consumed metal doesn't exhibit life characteristics.

The difference from the human stratum corneum is that the human stratum corneum is generated by the body itself, while the metal layer of the metal tumor is transformed from devoured external metal substances.

Lu Heng continued, "The reason the metal tumor can turn metal into tentacles is that there are abyssal tumor capillaries within the metal layer.

"To put it simply, the capillaries of the abyssal tumor are like roots that have penetrated the metal and control its movement through metal fluid abilities.

"If I'm not mistaken, the Siks military has already cut off the power supply to the Gravity District, right?"

Xavier Matrix immediately confirmed, "Yes, the authorities have cut off the power supply to the nearby districts. A power sinkhole has formed around the laboratory, absorbing all transmitted electricity."

Lu Heng quickly added, "This is because the abyssal tumor itself fears lightning, so it conducts electricity through the metal into the ground.

"Cutting off the power supply actually plays into the metal tumor's needs.

"We should immediately increase the power output and use high-voltage electricity to slow down the spread of the metal tumor."

After listening to the explanation, Xavier Matrix analyzed the situation using his computational power and reached a conclusion in half a second. He then communicated with the Siks authorities anonymously.

Three seconds later, the Gravity District's power supply was restored, and the metal tumor was subjected to electrocution.

Since most of the electricity was conducted into the ground, it had little effect on the metal tumor and couldn't cause significant damage.

However, the high-voltage current did affect the capillaries within the metal tumor, effectively slowing down its spread.

"The electrocution is effective," Xavier Matrix informed Lu Heng of the results.

Lu Heng continued, "Since the metal layer is like the stratum corneum, lacking life characteristics, the core of the metal tumor is still the abyssal tumor inside.

"To thoroughly eliminate the metal tumor, we must destroy the abyssal tumor within the metal layer.

"Additionally, the abyssal tumor inside the metal layer can relocate, so eradicating the metal tumor is a relatively lengthy process.

"I suggest you immediately isolate the nearby districts, cutting off all metal and organic connections to prevent the metal tumor from spreading further.

"I will take this opportunity to destroy as much of the abyssal tumor within the metal layer as possible."

"I've acquired the data, and the calculated solution has been submitted," Xavier Matrix, whose physical body was on the Second Gaia Star, could only submit the plan and couldn't implement it personally.

After the communication ended, Lu Heng drew out the Aurora Blade, pointed it at the very center of the metal tumor, and said, "Muyu, solar wind, break through the metal layer."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end