Reproductive Isolation

Lu Ren asked, "Qingxu, do you know where this spatial passage leads?"

Qingxu replied, "Wave detection indicates that beyond the spatial passage lies a landmass. Many unknown giant creatures are active around the passage. Recently, after the contaminated energy reached a certain concentration, it seems to have triggered some mechanism, and the passage has begun gradually expanding."

Lu Ren's expression shifted slightly. "How large are the creatures inside?"

"The smallest among them is around one hundred and thirty meters tall."

Qingxu's voice remained calm, as though he, an artificial intelligence, possessed no emotions at all.

"Over forty-eight years of uninterrupted observation, they have constantly sought to pass through the spatial passage. However, the passage is too narrow to accommodate them, so they can only circle around it, searching for an opportunity to enter.

"After dozens of continuous scans, I have sufficient reason to speculate that the contaminated energy released here was created by one of them."

Lu Ren was deeply shaken. If Qingxu was right, then the extinction of this alternate world had been caused solely by contaminated energy produced by one giant unknown creature.

"Humans really are fragile."

Lu Ren murmured unconsciously.

"Indeed." Qingxu gave an impartial assessment.

Xiang Yang, standing nearby, was displeased.

"What do you mean, fragile? We humans aren't fragile at all! Haven't we survived? Aren't the two of us standing right here?!"

Lu Ren could not help saying, "So you mean a man and a woman can create an entire race?"

The intelligent computer Qingxu calmly replied, "Super Commander, I regret to inform you that the two of you have racial reproductive isolation. I am afraid that will be difficult to accomplish."

"Huh?"

Two startled voices rang out at once. Xiang Yang walked up to Lu Ren, her face full of shock. "Has this world really been contaminated to that extent?"

Lu Ren frowned and pushed Xiang Yang away, speechless. He could only remain silent. What was he supposed to say? He had come from another world. Perhaps subtle differences in environmental factors between worlds meant that although the humans of this world looked no different on the surface, they had already undergone fundamental genetic changes internally.

That was what had caused reproductive isolation.

Lu Ren asked with considerable interest, "Where do you think I differ from Xiang Yang?"

Qingxu replied, "Through the fingerprint and iris verification just now, I extracted DNA sequence binding data from the skin flakes left in your fingerprints during the verification process. Fundamentally, although your DNA is ninety-nine percent similar, that one percent difference means that while you appear identical, you are essentially different, resulting in racial reproductive isolation. Commander Lu Ren, you must previously have lived in a region with an overall environment different from this world's. Such a fundamental change would require at least five hundred thousand years to occur."

Lu Ren said helplessly, "So it would have had to start back when we were still monkeys."

Qingxu fell silent for a moment, then emitted a string of self-diagnostic sounds.

"Verifying classified files. Permission granted. Authorization confirmed."

"Commander Lu Ren, comparisons of humanity's underlying genetic sequences confirm that humanity's ancestors were indeed monkeys. However, humans did not evolve through the natural evolution of the world. Instead, an evolutionary mutation suddenly occurred over a period of one hundred years, transforming them into humans. We have reason to speculate that, during that period, one group of monkeys came into contact with something—perhaps food that triggered evolutionary mutation, stones, or something else."

Lu Ren said, "Did no one ever consider that an alien civilization casually modified Earth?"

"The probability of that is no less than fifty percent, but it remains unclear. Tracing work is still underway. However, due to the spread of contaminated energy and the emergence of the human extinction crisis, this work has stalled."

It was ambiguous, without any definite conclusion.

As technology developed and new knowledge emerged, many old assumptions would be overturned.

Putting that aside for now, Lu Ren did not want to delve too deeply into the subject. After all, they were two different worlds. Perhaps their timelines had been identical hundreds of thousands of years ago, but they had since diverged, heading toward completely unknown destinations.

Well, if he explained it using those multiverse theories from movies and novels, it more or less made sense.

Speaking of reproductive isolation...

Lu Ren's gaze unconsciously swept over Xiang Yang.

Xiang Yang instantly broke out in goosebumps.

"What did you think of?"

Lu Ren's face remained calm, his voice completely flat.

"I was thinking about something that seemed pretty good."

"I think what you're thinking is a little perverted."

"Heh. Woman, your mind is so filthy."

By the time Xiang Yang found drafting paper and pens in the office area and planned out their route according to Qingxu's suggestions, two hours had already passed.

There were a total of sixty-three Contaminated Creatures in the heart of the base. According to Qingxu, these Contaminated Creatures had all survived the initial slaughter and claimed their own territories. This also meant that they would encounter only one Contaminated Creature in each area. As long as they did not charge around recklessly, they basically would not be surrounded.

Only after comparing their strengths and following Qingxu's advice did Xiang Yang finally complete the route map in her hand.

Lu Ren took a can of food from his backpack and gave it to Xiang Yang. After they finished eating, Xiang Yang wiped her mouth and asked, "When are we going over?"

Lu Ren asked in surprise, "I have to go too?"

Xiang Yang stared at him in shock. "You're planning to make me go alone?"

Lu Ren reached out and patted Xiang Yang on the shoulder, his expression solemn. "For something like saving the world, I think one savior is enough. I can act as logistical support and guide you forward. Don't you think this division of labor would make your blood boil with excitement?"

"Huh? Excitement? Where?" Xiang Yang puffed up her cheeks. "You just don't want to go!"

Lu Ren said, "Saving the world from disaster all by yourself—once this world is saved, you will definitely become its hero! You will be remembered by all and your name will be passed down forever."

Qingxu stepped in to throw cold water on him. "I am sorry, Commander Lu Ren, but the Haizhou City Underground Experiment Center is classified top-secret. Everything that happens within will be sealed away and must never be revealed to the public."

Lu Ren was somewhat annoyed. "That's beside the point, all right? Then how did news of this spatial passage get out in the first place?"

"The cooperating party leaked the information first. Under pressure from public opinion, the previous commander could only unlock the permissions and step forward to provide guidance."

Lu Ren sighed and looked at Xiang Yang, whose large eyes were fixed directly on him.

"All right, Xiang Yang. An unsung hero is still a hero. The people will remember you too!"

Xiang Yang looked utterly disappointed. "After saying all that, you still just don't want to go, right?"

Lu Ren nodded heavily. "Yes!"

Ten minutes later, Lu Ren, wearing an expression of complicated emotion, and the smiling Xiang Yang stood at a corridor corner, watching a Contaminated Creature wander aimlessly in front of the elevator ahead.

It was not that he had agreed to go just because someone said so. Rather, the density of contaminated energy was increasing. If he kept staying here, his fate would be no different from these Contaminated Creatures. Furthermore, under Xiang Yang's command authority, which was half a rank above his own, Qingxu stubbornly refused to reveal the other exit.

More importantly, according to Qingxu, the spatial passage might begin expanding in twenty-four hours. The creatures from the other world could use that opportunity to come through.

If Xiang Yang insisted on going alone and somehow triggered the spatial passage, causing the other side to disregard everything and tear the passage open, a spatial storm might destroy the entire city. The spreading aftereffects would irradiate the entire continent. Once the contaminated energy was no longer restricted, it would run wild like an unbridled horse, thoroughly contaminating the continent. At that point, the high-concentration source of contamination would infect him instantly.

So should he kill Xiang Yang, or deal with the reproductive isolation first... Was he really unable to get past this hurdle?!!!

Killing Xiang Yang would not mean anything either. If they did not take action, this was undoubtedly a dead end.

Unless Lu Ren could reach this planet's pole within twenty-four hours.

In short, if Lu Ren wanted to survive, he had to shut it down, whether he was here or not.

Rather than that, he might as well shut it down now, while the difficulty was still low.

Besides, through observation, he had discovered that the proficiency he gained in battle was far greater than what he gained through arduous training.

That was a little ridiculous.

Should he play it safe, or keep breaking through?

Lu Ren found that his hands were itching. He even missed the exhilarating sensation of his body receiving immediate feedback as his proficiency rose in battle and his strength increased.

On top of that, surveillance had confirmed that the monster below was still within an acceptable range. He could use it for some practice, and that was what finally gave Lu Ren the motivation.