The report contained a third conclusion: Superpowers could grow stronger through some special form of "cultivation."
However, this conclusion had been deduced from ancient texts by the team of experts from the United States.
"Assuming Superpowers really existed in ancient times, could eating the flesh and blood of mutated creatures have been their only way to grow stronger?"
That seemed highly unlikely, since there might not have been many mutated creatures in ancient times. At the very least, the Mysterious Zone had not existed back then.
Thus, Professor Peter firmly believed there was an ancient method that could only be grasped intuitively, not conveyed in words or easily recorded in writing, which allowed people to keep strengthening their abilities.
Yet so far, no one knew what this method of "cultivation" actually was.
"Ah, eating mutated creatures' meat can only awaken Superpowers. It can't keep making them stronger."
"And it's far too expensive. These days, a kilogram of mutated flesh and blood can easily cost hundreds of millions, even a billion. Unless we organize a large fleet to fish in the Mysterious Zone, there's no way to bring the price down. But is the Mysterious Zone somewhere we can just visit whenever we want?"
"That's true... finding a way to cultivate really is crucial."
The arrival of the age of Superpowers inspired both anticipation and uncertainty.
Humanity seemed to have returned to an age of fog and slash-and-burn farming. Ink-black mist surrounded them, and every step of exploration was fraught with danger and challenges.
One step in the wrong direction could bring true annihilation.
Even the entire species could face a tremendous crisis.
Yet within that mist, countless secrets and treasures awaited discovery. They were the pioneers of their age-pioneers who had yet to take even their first step.
Their task was daunting.
After some discussion, many of the experts agreed that the dossier showed considerable sincerity. It filled gaps in Great Xia's current research and supplied a wealth of data.
Li Xianfeng gave the order. "In that case, there's no harm in sending them a copy of the data collected by our satellites."
"Everyone, finish the final preparations and make absolutely sure tomorrow's launch goes without a hitch!"
"Yes!"
Zhang Ming woke from a good night's sleep feeling refreshed.
The Giant Sea Turtles had already left. They liked foraging in the ocean during the day and only came over in the evening to listen to the radio and beg for snacks.
Land animals were extremely scarce on this island. Apart from Zhang Ming himself, there were only a few exceptionally vicious seabirds.
Zhang Ming grabbed some dried crab meat and took a couple of careless bites, then ate a little coconut flesh to round out his breakfast.
He checked the barnacles he had collected the night before. Sure enough, they had expelled quite a lot of mud.
"These few barnacles will only last a day or two."
"Crab meat can barely increase my stats anymore. I need to find new mutated creatures..."
"Preferably some seasonings, too. Life without seasoning is torture."
Looking at the golden sun and the azure sea, Zhang Ming desperately wanted a decent meal.
The persistent loneliness, isolation, and unease lingered in his mind.
He desperately longed to return to civilization.
Especially when he had no idea whether that damned "rescue team" even existed or had set out yet. All he could do was wait helplessly. He had to use "the lifestyle of civilized society" to shore up his increasingly restless sanity.
And a good meal was naturally part of "civilized society."
After thinking it over for a while, Zhang Ming decided to explore a little of the deserted island.
Of course, he would only make a circuit along the beach. If he could find some new ingredients, that would at least address his most pressing problem.
As for the terrifying center of the island-for now, they could each mind their own business. There was no point throwing his life away.
With that in mind, Zhang Ming picked up his crab spear, shouldered a large backpack, and headed for the beach.
Exposed to wind and sun, the wrecked plane's frame had begun to show traces of rust. Only a short month had passed, yet the erosion of time had already changed so much.
Zhang Ming had dismantled a large portion of its metal and taken it back to build his sheet-metal hut. Almost everything removable had been stripped away, including the internal electrical and mechanical components, which he had also carried back.
He searched the beach carefully.
He found a little crab-and let it go.
He found a few small shellfish. Every little bit counted, so he kept them.
He found a scale, possibly from some kind of fish. It was actually as big as his palm and gleamed black in the sunlight.
He kept it, planning to boil it and eat it. What if it gave him some stat points?
He found two pieces of aquatic vegetation. After carefully tasting them, he determined they were not poisonous-and kept them.
He spotted several jelly-like things slowly wriggling around. They might have been jellyfish and were very likely poisonous. He backed away.
He found a hard stone...
He found...
"The scavenger's life really is simple and unpretentious!"
Two kilometers west along the beach lay the mudflats where the giant crabs lived.
As the biggest local overlords, the crabs led quite comfortable lives. Their shrill "biri-biri" cries could be heard from far away.
Zhang Ming had no desire to provoke them, because merely thinking about crab meat brought on [Mental Value -1 -1 -1].
He only scooped up some aquatic vegetation to take back and boil.
Another ten kilometers ahead was a rocky slope. Since it faced away from the sunlight, its vegetation was sparse rather than lush.
Beneath the high slope were numerous caves and corals, home to a rich variety of aquatic species.
The island's terrain was magnificent and unusual, and did not look much like the product of a volcanic eruption. Volcanic eruptions mostly produced basalt, whereas the island's rocks were predominantly granite and slate. How this island had formed therefore remained a mystery.
He was not capable of exploring the bay, either. The water here was too deep, he was a poor swimmer, and the appearance of any mutated creature could cost him his life.
Another six or seven kilometers ahead, roughly twenty kilometers from camp, lay a Red Mangrove Forest—unknown territory he had never explored in depth.
The thick white mist gradually dispersed under the sunlight. Giant birds occasionally flew across the azure sky.
"Visibility's pretty good today. Perfect for exploring."
The plants in the Red Mangrove Forest had a more primeval appearance. Most of the trees were unusually tall, with twisting branches sprawling everywhere, while a few low shrubs survived in the gaps. The whole world seemed reduced to vivid green and withered yellow.
The ground here was low and often flooded by seawater, so the plants grew from their roots
long aerial roots that protruded above the beach's surface to meet their need for air.
Spear in hand and nerves taut, Zhang Ming moved slowly along the plants' roots.
Mosquitoes and greenbottle flies buzzed around his ears. Even if humanity went extinct, these annoying creatures would still survive in the world.
"Insects really do have a low chance of mutating, but I can't rule out a few mutated ones being here. One bite could kill me."
"I'm only here to collect some seasonings. If I can find a sago palm, even better."
The sago palm was a special kind of palm found in tropical regions.
Large quantities of edible starch could be extracted from its pith. Commonly called "sago starch," it was widely used in bubble tea.
With starch, he would be able to make foods such as noodles, flatbreads, and steamed buns.
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