https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-547-Spreading-Thoughts-Abandoned-Planet/12851733/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-549-The-Parasite-on-the-Long-Voyage/12851735/
Chapter 548: The Staff of Life · Genetic Optimization
Chapter 548: The Staff of Life · Genetic Optimization
"Latest report: A large-scale rebellion has erupted on the abandoned planet S2971. Tourists are advised to exercise caution when traveling to this area."
"Black forces on the abandoned planet S2971 have destroyed passing transport ships, reportedly due to..."
Qin Muye glanced at the report and found it somewhat amusing.
Who in their right mind would travel to an abandoned planet, and those transport ships passing by S2971? They must be smugglers.
A month ago, he introduced a thought virus to S2971, and now it has fully taken root, using the entire planet as a breeding ground.
The entire ecosystem of the planet has become part of the thought virus.
Calling it a thought virus might not be entirely accurate; it's more like a new parasitic species.
However, it is still in the developmental stage, primarily causing mental distortions and converting all hosts into parts of itself.
The parasitic species he created lack conventional individual consciousness and instead exist as a gestalt consciousness, with all individuals forming a single entity.
Of course, this hasn't fully developed yet. It will only truly show its power once the psychic network is established.
Fortunately, S2971 is in a no-man's land; otherwise, such a situation would likely result in the planet's destruction.
Detecting this kind of issue is relatively easy. Any 8th-tier existence could spot the mental problems with a single glance.
However, such a minor issue wouldn't even catch the attention of an 8th-tier being. As Qin Muye said, those so-called transport ships are just smugglers, not worth the trouble. 8th-tier beings have many more important things to deal with, and such incidents happen daily in the universe.
If it's being reported, there must be some vested interests at play. Otherwise, it wouldn't make the news.
Qin Muye could see that someone was trying to take advantage of this opportunity to deal with S2971. The planet is well-known for being the most famous slave market in its sector.
That's why he chose it, not because of its notorious reputation, but because of the diverse range of species available.
There are various interstellar races on that planet. If the virus can thrive there, it will likely spread to most other species without issues.
As for freeing the slaves, it has, in a way, already happened. Due to the parasitic nature of the thought virus, they have all united and formed a resistance.
This might be one of the reasons someone wants to handle S2971. With such a significant interest suddenly out of control, others can't be allowed to take it over; it must be eliminated.
The current news bias is a strategy to build tension. When the bloody slave trade on S2971 is eventually exposed, public outrage will boil over, and major powers will use this opportunity to intervene, either to destroy the planet or to claim it for themselves, both of which are profitable.
However, this action has caused many to be heartbroken, especially the real puppeteers. After all, the money from these operations is in their pockets, and it won't be easy to rebuild such a lucrative operation.
People like Bo'er are just doing the dirty work and taking the blame; they are not the final players. If truly investigated, it would lead to influential figures like nobles of the Star Empire and saints of the Holy Sect. Otherwise, such a dangerous area wouldn't still exist.
"From the data, it will take no more than three months to fully transform into a new species, and this trend is spreading."
S2971 is a melting pot of all kinds of people, with countless visitors and departures daily, all of whom have been infected.
Given the thought virus's latent and contagious nature, it has spread to many areas in just one month.
S2971 is the most severely affected due to its large population.
So, it has indeed become a significant threat.
Of course, this is only true for outsiders. Qin Muye can control what he has created; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to gather such detailed data.
The foundation of this thought virus is the power of the Abyss, deeply hidden and masked by the Mystical Records of the Xuan Jun from the Dream Realm.
However, the possibility of it becoming a universal catastrophe is low. It's more of a time-limited threat; the stronger one is, the greater the resistance. Even 5th-tier beings are unaffected unless the thought virus evolves further. But that can only happen once the gestalt consciousness fully forms and the psychic network is established.
Otherwise, it would be a dream to think about taking off while still in the incubation stage.
Moreover, the three major forces are not idle. If those interstellar civilizations truly react, they can develop tools for detection and targeted elimination.
Unless the evolutionary speed is so fast that all interstellar civilizations cannot catch up, which is highly unlikely. Qin Muye himself cannot achieve this, let alone the creations he has made. These creations are under his control, and reaching the 7th tier would already be quite impressive.
For Qin Muye, this is just an experiment, not a major issue.
Even if other major forces find out, the most they can do is demand an explanation and some resources as compensation. What else can they do? Qin Muye represents the highest class in the entire Shimmering Universe.
If someone were to persist, it would only result in a scene where they are questioned about who is accusing whom.
As for someone stepping forward to take action, that is even less likely. If there were truly people who cared for their country and people, S2971 would have been eliminated long ago.
Since they are wary when facing S2971, they will also be wary when facing Qin Muye, rather than confronting him head-on.
"Tsk, it's a good thing the Shimmering Universe server is a dark forest. If it were a more positive world with a powerful protagonist, I'd be dead."
"But, it seems no world is truly positive."
Qin Muye couldn't help but smile. There are certainly powerful and morally upright individuals, but a truly positive world is impossible.
The rule of the strong preying on the weak cannot be changed; otherwise, the world would cease to exist.
Predators hunting prey is not positive; it is killing, and how can killing be positive?
Herbivores eating plants is not positive either, as it destroys the environment.
These two aspects are unsolvable, and for survival, the world has no concept of good or evil.
"I hope this experiment can last a bit longer." Qin Muye didn't care how many people would be affected by the loss of S2971; he himself would not be affected.
He is not on the same path as everyone else in the Shimmering Universe, even the lords.
If they knew Qin Muye planned to consume the entire server, they would oppose him immediately. The reason is simple: they don't have transfer credentials, and Qin Muye's actions would be pushing them to their deaths.
"Ah, I have the latest data for the Staff of Life. Genetic optimization?"
Qin Muye looked at the functions formed by the data, which were significantly different from a gene editor.
"Surprisingly, it can optimize genes, but how is the optimization determined?" Qin Muye was curious. In different environments, optimization might not always be beneficial. For example, evolving gills in a desert, while useless in the desert, could be useful in a different environment.
Therefore, the determination is crucial, especially for optimizing mutant genes. A single ability can have multiple optimizations, and some optimizations might not be compatible. For instance, the acid spray ability Qin Muye previously used as a host could be optimized in various ways, such as acidic blood, liquid body, or toxic gas.
However, Qin Muye had no intention of trying gene optimization on himself. He doesn't have genes, and the spirits he created don't need it either. They were entirely made by Qin Muye, and the Staff of Life likely doesn't have the corresponding data for optimization.
Fortunately, it's not entirely useless. Combining gene optimization with a gene editor can allow Qin Muye to further modify the thought virus. However, updating might be troublesome, as it would only take effect in the next generation, while the current generation is already fixed.
Qin Muye couldn't realistically remotely update all the thought viruses; the cost would be too high. He could only improve them through reproduction, which would not only minimize costs but also provide more direct feedback. Of course, the main reason is to save money; after all, Qin Muye's wealth doesn't come from thin air.
(End of Chapter)
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