"On the afternoon of July 29, the Fluorite Mushroom Bug began to stir... Gave it a mouthful of sugar that evening... July 30, no movement... July 31, no movement... August 1, no movement... Today is already August 2."
Russell closed the notebook he carried with him and silently sighed.
The Fluorite Mushroom Bug in the spirit room still lay motionless where it was. Only the turbulent rise and fall of magic within its body showed that it was still evolving.
But a mouthful of dragon flame as faint as secondhand smoke was clearly not enough to help it break through its final shackles, leaving it unable to take that last step.
"But luckily, you're still holding on, little fellow!" Russell perked up slightly. "If you couldn't hold on and turned to ashes, it would be too late for me to cry. But you've held on, so as long as you can last until tonight, a new turning point will come!"
The reason was simple.
Today was the fourth day. Little Dream Dragon would be released from its three-day "confinement" and descend once more alongside the Dark Dreamscape.
That meant another mouthful of dragon flame as faint as secondhand smoke could help the Fluorite Mushroom Bug evolve.
"Although this is a little unfair to Little Dream Dragon—it just appears, only to be sent back into confinement—but... it's still better than having one mouthful of dragon flame end in failure." The sunk cost was too great. Russell had no choice but to keep investing.
If he had known from the beginning that one mouthful of dragon flame would not be enough to help a Spirit Worm evolve, Russell might not have forced the issue.
But things had come to this. He could only continue.
"Little fellow, you must hold on until tonight!"