Chapter 560: Chu Mo Island (Twenty-Six)
Chapter 560: Chu Mo Island (Twenty-Six)
"Aww... Well, better than nothing, I guess..." The Imitation Soul made a nose-picking gesture (despite lacking actual nostrils), replying in a disinterested tone. "After all, ghost stories are rare on this island. It's been weeks since I last heard one!"
"So what? It hasn't even been that long!" Ji Bu interjected.
"Hmph... Seems like quite a few otherworld travelers have visited here", Feng Bu Jue remarked calmly.
"Not all like you", the Imitation Soul countered. "Some were natives of this universe, and... other beings." It paused. "But that's not the point." Realizing Feng Bu Jue was probing for information, it quickly shifted gears. "Anyway, the deal's done. Now, come here and place your hands on my arm."
As the Imitation Soul stepped forward with arms outstretched, the Players exchanged glances before approaching and complying.
"Huh... I thought it'd be sticky, but it's not bad", Ji Bu muttered.
The other three Players shared similar thoughts. Before contact, they'd expected the Imitation Soul's body to resemble sticky glue. Instead, its surface was smooth, dry, and cold—its skin akin to leather freshly removed from a freezer.
"What's so surprising? Adjusting bodily humidity, temperature, and firmness to adapt to the environment is a basic self-regulation mechanism", the Imitation Soul boasted. "Even many lower animals possess this ability. Humans, of course, have it too—though yours is pathetically weak."
As it spoke, the scenery around the Players abruptly shifted.
A system prompt echoed in their ears: [Current task completed.]
In the blink of an eye, they'd transitioned from a dim, confined stone chamber to an expansive hall with a vaulted ceiling soaring twenty meters high.
At the hall's head stood a basin-shaped altar resembling a crown. Running down the center was a dark brown stone path dividing the space. On either side rose towering totem pillars—each roughly five meters tall—arranged irregularly. At the far end loomed a ten-meter-high circular archway, its base seamlessly connected to the stone path.
The walls of this "Priest Hall" bore countless geometric murals resembling constellations—distinct yet subtly interconnected. At the center of each pattern glowed a luminous stone. These hundreds of glowing gems bathed the grand hall in an ethereal radiance.
"You can't really blame yourselves", the Imitation Soul continued. "Physiologically, you're practically disasters in evolution's history. Your exteriors possess all the features of wisdom life, but internally? Chaos. In my race's opinion, 80% of your organs are redundant, defective junk—reliable as budget Tvs. Hence your short lifespans and endless battles with disease." It lowered its arms, prompting the Players to remove their hands.
"Across the universe exist many races matching your intelligence, yet they require far fewer organs. Typically, only two or three handle all metabolism—digestion, respiration, endocrine, immune systems, etc. These organs surpass yours in quality, strength, and precision. To analogize, your bodies resemble outdated desktop Pcs crammed with obsolete parts, while theirs are integrated super optical computers. Decades pass, and while your components fail, theirs haven't even expired their warranty. Even with meticulous care, you merely delay obsolescence. Their parts? Immune to your innate flaws."
It paused. "In short, your environmental adaptability and resistance to disease and accidents are abysmal."
The Imitation Soul spoke enthusiastically, but only Feng Bu Jue truly listened. The others had shifted focus—checking their task bars or scanning the environment.
Feng Bu Jue, however, multitasked effortlessly. "Fascinating", he said. "I've long resented humanity's evolutionary bottleneck. I advocate artificial organs, cybernetic bodies, or transferring consciousness to virtual worlds. Though unnatural—driven by technology rather than evolution—these would undeniably be progress. Changing lifecycle methods alters resource competition, vastly extending lifespans and eliminating most congenital defects."
"Oh? Your ideas intrigue me", the Imitation Soul replied. "But don't your fellow humans consider you radical?"
"Radicalism beats stupidity. In my world, brilliant minds get branded 'radicals'—mocked as heretics, madmen, fools, even executed. History proves stupidity often triumphs. The masses include genuine fools, cowardly conformists, and manipulative leaders. They've burned national heroes, executed scientists, arrested teachers professing evolution. Once, entire groups tried erasing their own culture, reducing millennia of traditions to ashes.
"Yet decades later, these same people enjoy the 'radicals'' legacies as common knowledge, scorning further ignorance while jealously fearing more progressive minds—labeling them 'radicals' again."
"Your arrogance and bias baffle me", the Imitation Soul chuckled. "But I find it amusing."
Meanwhile, Fei Chai Shu, Hong Hu, and Ji Bu had wandered ten meters away. Ostensibly scouting the map, they'd simply retreated from the philosophical debate.
"Hey... Did you catch any of that conversation? Sounded profound but confusing", Ji Bu whispered.
"Anti-human philosophy lecture. Half-truths and debatable claims—better you didn't understand", Hong Hu replied, adjusting his glasses.
"Focus on the scenario", Fei Chai Shu suggested, wiping sweat. "Regardless, Feng's analysis proved correct—we completed all tasks. The erasure deadline's lifted, and no new main quest appeared. Let's retrieve Tian Ma Xing Kong."
"Why not let us three handle it?" Ji Bu glanced at the basin-shaped altar where Feng and the Imitation Soul debated. "Leave them chatting—maybe Mad Bu Jue can extract more intel."
"Good plan", Hong Hu agreed. "Someone should stay in case Tian Ma Xing Kong catches up."
"I'm in", Fei Chai Shu added.
They shouted their plan to Feng, who readily approved—eager to continue his discussion.
Thus, the group split once more, pursuing parallel paths...
(End of Chapter)
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