Wandering Meteor
Chapter 48: Strengthening the Cannibal Tree Gene

Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Strengthening the Cannibal Tree Gene

"Chairman, there’s a serious problem!"

"Is the fight between Feather Robe Star and Demon Star over? I knew it wouldn’t last long!"

The chairman of the Eternal Day Group on Yin Yang Star muttered confidently after hearing a report from an astronomer.

The astronomer shook his head: "The battle is over, but the result is not that Feather Robe Star won, but rather the Demon Star!"

"How is that possible?"

The chairman slammed his hand on the table, his face filled with disbelief.

While it didn’t make much difference to them, the Yin Yang Civilization, no matter who remained,

they had initially been unanimous in their belief that Feather Robe Star would definitely win; they even held meetings to discuss strategies against Feather Robe Star. So how could they not be shocked to suddenly hear that Demon Star had won?

"Although it seems very unlikely, we have been continuously observing this planetary war for more than five months; there can be no mistake!" the astronomer assured.

Who could have imagined that what seemed to be a brief battle between Lu Chen and Feather Robe Star could actually last so long in the eyes of the Yin Yang Civilization? The lifespans of biological civilizations are indeed far too short and fragile.

The chairman’s face grew solemn. "Do you know how the Demon Star won?"

"Based on our last observation, something like a spike suddenly grew out of the Demon Star and shattered Feather Robe Star, but the exact process and details are unconfirmed because we are too far away," the astronomer explained.

The chairman asked, "What has the Demon Star been doing since its victory?"

"The Demon Star is heading toward our Yin Yang Star System; with its current speed, it will traverse the Feather Robe Star System and enter our Yin Yang Star System within five years," the astronomer predicted.

"That’s enough, I understand. You may all leave now."

The chairman waved his hand dismissively, then slowly sat down in his chair, lost in thought.

After an unknown period of silence, the chairman suddenly revived his spirits, boarded his private jet, and went to the Cannibal Tree research lab.

Knowing that the Demon Star was the ultimate victor, and thus their final enemy, the chairman felt it necessary to urge the research team to accelerate their study of the Cannibal Tree.

According to the research team’s report, if they could strengthen the Cannibal Tree’s genes, it might be possible for the Cannibal Tree to serve as a biochemical weapon. Coupled with the Cannibal Tree’s inherent ability to devour, this biochemical weapon might even be effective against planets, which was precisely why the chairman had chosen to fund the research team.

He needed a weapon capable of dealing with planets, even if it was just a possibility.

However, development work cannot be rushed; it must be taken step by step. To strengthen the genes of the Cannibal Tree, it’s necessary first to understand its genetics.

According to the research team’s findings after half a year’s study, there are two main genetic strands within the Cannibal Tree genes from Tree Demon Star: one from Blood-sucking Mosquitoes and the other from Fungal Trees.

Furthermore, upon dissecting a young Cannibal Tree seedling, they found a small undeveloped brain of a Blood-sucking Mosquito wrapped in roots inside the Cannibal Tree.

With this information, they were able to speculate on the growth and origin of the Cannibal Tree.

Blood-sucking Mosquitoes are a very common type of mosquito on Tree Demon Star; they lay countless eggs daily. It seems a gene seed from a Fungal Tree happened to land on these eggs and grew with the nutrients inside them. As the roots penetrated the ground, they, in turn, nourished the eggs, leading to the slow fusion of both sets of genetics over an extended evolutionary history, finally evolving into the current Cannibal Tree, which possesses both plant and animal-like attributes.

This distinct set of species advantages meant it had no natural predators.

That’s why the Cannibal Trees on Tree Demon Star grew everywhere.

With this data, the research team could begin the work of genetic enhancement.

They planned to add genes to the Cannibal Tree for increased hardness, heat resistance, cold resistance, and rapid growth.

To find fitting gene candidates, they scoured all the living creatures on Yin Yang Star, extracting the required genes from various animal and plant species.

Then, the fusion with the Cannibal Tree’s genes began.

After more than a year of gene fusion and editing, the research team finally successfully created a gene seed.

This gene seed looked to be about the size of a thumb, resembling a larvae wrapped in a layer of silk, and was dark green in color.

Later on, the research team transplanted the seed into nutrient-rich soil.

To their astonishment, the seed sprouted within an hour, reached thirty centimeters tall in the second hour, and had grown tender leaves by the third hour...

In just three short days, the seed had grown into a one-meter-tall Cannibal Tree!

However, the Cannibal Tree before their eyes was different from that of Tree Demon Star; it had undergone genetic enhancement and practically had no defects.

Upon hearing this good news,

the chairman of Eternal Day Group immediately rushed over.

The research team was also eager to demonstrate their research results to the chairman.

As they were explaining the astonishing growth rate of the new Cannibal Tree, they extracted some substances from the tree for laboratory analysis.

Unexpectedly, this extraction hurt the Cannibal Tree.

The one-meter-tall Cannibal Tree suddenly became aggressive, wrapping its vines around several researchers and the chairman.

Faced with the sudden assault of the Cannibal Tree, everyone was taken by surprise and pierced by the Tree Needles.

By the time they thought to resist, they realized in horror that their blood and nutrients were being rapidly absorbed by the Cannibal Tree. In under a minute, several Yin Yang Star People were drained dry.

One of the Tree Needles happened to pierce into a researcher’s brain.

Feasting on the nutrients and information from the brain, the Cannibal Tree was particularly jubilant, its size quickly increasing, and in a flash, it grew over six meters tall, reaching the ceiling.

...

Windmill Star System.

Lu Chen and Wandering continued their nomadic journey.

"Now my mass is the equivalent of 27 planetary masses, and though still far from that of a gas giant, I should be able to absorb some regular planets!"

During their wandering journey, Lu Chen calculated in his mind, feeling a constant desire to grow.

Hence, when he encountered planets smaller in mass than himself, he would ruthlessly tear them apart and absorb them using the Roche limit.

Along the way, stopping and going, when Lu Chen left the Giant Dragon Star System, his mass reached 40 planetary masses!

Essentially, except for the largest Giant Dragon Star and the Central Constant Star, other planets within the Giant Dragon Star System had fallen prey to the Demon Star, Lu Chen!

After Lu Chen and Wandering left the Giant Dragon Star System, they quickly entered another Constant Star System.

Lu Chen first sensed for any Celestial Civilization within this star system before acting with ease.

While Lu Chen was sensing for any Celestial Civilization in this star system, the Consciousness Particles of Feather Robe Star, which were trapped by Lu Chen’s Consciousness Particles, put up a fierce resistance.

Later, Lu Chen discovered that this star system was the birthplace of Feather Robe Star, which explained Feather Robe Star’s deep agitation.

Alas, it was all in vain. The Consciousness Particles of Feather Robe Star had been eradicated by Lu Chen one by one along the journey, leaving less than one-third remaining, unable to stir up any more trouble.

Curious, Lu Chen asked, "Since you formed in such a place, how did you come to possess Consciousness Particles?"

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