Metamorphic Tree

Metamorphic Tree—a very simple and crude name.

When this jelly-like creature was first discovered, they were standing beside the high wall, curiously watching humans build it.

They meant no harm. They simply stayed by the wall.

These creatures were extremely interested in anything that was growing taller.

The steadily rising wall.

The experimental facilities humans built.

The temporary watchtowers.

They would gather in groups nearby, staring as humans completed these tasks.

But what interested them most were the experimental crops brought by humans.

When humans first entered the Theseus Cell Lockdown Zone, they used large amounts of fertilizer to spur plant growth, because compared with animal experiments, plant experiments were much faster and safer.

Thanks to advances in technology, those fertilizers had produced remarkable results.

This also drew many Metamorphic Trees to linger there. They stayed beside the farms, watching the plants grow without sleep or rest.

After seeing the effects of the fertilizer, they began trading with humans.

At first, they offered all kinds of rare materials from deep within the Sealed Area. Later, they discovered that humans preferred Relics.

So they somehow found all sorts of Relics and used them to exchange for fertilizer.

After each trade, they lifted the fertilizer with their tiny bodies and headed into the depths of the area.

They did not guard against humans following them, and so they led people straight into their tribe.

Then, under the astonished gazes of the humans, they scattered the precious fertilizer over an ordinary sapling found everywhere.

After that, they stood beside the sapling, blankly watching the tree.

It was only after researchers visited the Tree Transformer Tribe many times that they discovered those saplings were not ordinary saplings, but Metamorphic Trees in disguise.

Humans gradually came to understand the habits of Metamorphic Trees.

These creatures spent their entire lives preparing to become a tree.

From the moment they appeared, they observed the changes in all things in nature—animals, plants, sunshine and rain, the waxing and waning of the moon...

Once they had come to understand the world, they began making preparations, starting with choosing a suitable time.

Late Spring and summer were not suitable for planting trees. Metamorphic Trees seemed to believe that the temperatures during this period threatened plant health and could cause trees to die.

The planting times chosen by Metamorphic Trees were autumn or Early Spring. During that time, they would find a suitable location.

It needed ample sunlight and water, had to be close to the Tree Transformer Tribe, and could not be on terrain that was too steep...

Once everything was ready, they dug a pit and swallowed a creature composed of Theseus Cells—perhaps an insect, a small reptile, or a plant such as a fruit seed.

Then they buried themselves alive.

Metamorphic Trees helped one another bury their companions.

The fertilizer traded from humans was also meant to fertilize their companions.

As the days and nights passed and saplings broke through the soil, they tirelessly cared for them until the saplings grew into towering trees.

And those Metamorphic Trees tending to the trees would eventually choose a suitable season and location to turn themselves into trees as well.

The principle by which they used Theseus Cells to become trees had yet to be fully understood.

But some people speculated that they transmitted some kind of information to the Theseus Cells, causing the cells to replace them with trees.

The records ended there.

Only then did Mo Ling understand why Captain Su cared so much about these creatures.

They could not be replaced by Theseus Cells. They could even use the power of Theseus Cells in reverse, making them the only exception within the Sealed Area.

"They haven't appeared in a long time," Captain Su said to Li Luo after she finished reading the materials. "They used to appear in groups. Something may have happened to their tribe."

Li Luo did not hesitate. She looked at the location of the Tree Transformer Tribe in the files, got into the car, and prepared to leave.

"Be careful on the road. Don't provoke any rioting creatures. If you encounter danger, don't rush in. We'll be there soon after," Captain Su warned Li Luo solemnly.

Li Luo nodded and accelerated straight into the forest.

The creatures in the forest were indeed extremely violent. Upon hearing the little car, they rushed over eagerly, but they could not withstand Mo Ling's teleportation.

The trees they encountered along the way grew larger and larger. Before long, the car stopped before a forest filled with enormous trees.

Mo Ling could not see the tops of those Giant Trees, but their thick trunks, which required several people linking arms to encircle, were enough for him to imagine just how tall they were.

As they continued forward, Mo Ling discovered small artificial wooden structures like treehouses built upon the trunks.

Tiny stairways extended from the ground to high above the trees. Thick circular vines served as supports, with wooden ring-shaped steps entwined among them.

These structures were clearly not made for humans, leaving only one possibility: they had reached the Tree Transformer Tribe.

Sure enough, a jelly-like creature entered Mo Ling's field of vision.

It had a spherical body, a leaf growing from its head, blurred facial features, and a pointed protrusion from each limb. It looked like a plump fruit that could walk.

It was slowly making its way down the vine stairs. After reaching the ground, it came to Li Luo's car and blankly stared at the Cube on the vehicle.

Then its two short arms abruptly stretched out, and it raised its middle fingers at the Cube.

?

Mo Ling froze.

What was wrong with this creature?

It looked so cute, so why was its personality so awful?

And why did it flip off the Cube first instead of Li Luo?

What happened next disrupted Mo Ling's thoughts once more.

The Metamorphic Tree muttered a few words, its voice sounding like that of a young child.

Though the language was strange, Mo Ling understood it.

What the Metamorphic Tree said was—

"Welcome! Friend."

The sight of it flipping someone off while welcoming them was truly bizarre to Mo Ling.

Then this Metamorphic Tree raised its middle finger at Li Luo as well and said the same thing.

Li Luo had already activated the translator. Seeing this, she returned the gesture with a puzzled middle finger.

The Metamorphic Tree seemed delighted when it saw Li Luo raise her middle finger. It began talking again. "Trade fertilizer! Trade fertilizer!"

Li Luo hurriedly replied, "No fertilizer."

Upon hearing that, the Metamorphic Tree's face showed disappointment. It muttered to itself, "No trees, and no fertilizer."

No trees?

"Why are there no trees?" Li Luo quickly asked.

"They can't become trees anymore. They all become other things," the Metamorphic Tree explained pitifully.

"Come." The Metamorphic Tree called to Li Luo and walked in a certain direction.

Li Luo drove after it, heading deeper inside, while all kinds of abnormal sights continually appeared before them.

Vine cages were everywhere in the tribe, holding all kinds of bizarre creatures that howled and thrashed violently inside.

The creatures were of completely different species, exactly like the time the Outpost Station had erupted into chaos.

The Metamorphic Trees, who should have been observing nature, were now anxiously pacing through the tribe as if they had forgotten their duties.

A group of Metamorphic Trees stood around the cages, worriedly watching the imprisoned creatures and helpless to do anything.

What had happened?

Only through the scattered words of the Metamorphic Trees did Mo Ling and Li Luo finally learn what had happened to the Tree Transformer Tribe.