Mutation

"Teng, you're lucky!"

Zhang Xuezhou and the others searched the pool for a while but did not find any other chips.

This made Zhang Xuezhou marvel at Zuo Teng's incredible luck, as he managed to retrieve the chip while scooping up water.

I wish you good luck every day!

A few steps away, Zuo Teng, holding a visual device, kept observing and gritted his teeth as he replied to Zhang Xuezhou.

Once bitten, twice shy; Zuo Teng is now extremely afraid of such things. He is even somewhat afraid of being subjected to mental intimidation and will need some time to fully adjust his mindset.

"Why is Zuo Teng shaking all over? Is he suffering from heatstroke?"

"He was just drinking water and thinking about his family; he was so emotional he couldn't control himself!"

"Oh?"

Song Fengying asked several questions with concern, and after listening to Zhang Xuezhou's nonsensical answers, she felt that Zuo Teng was suffering from the effects of these props and costumes, so she couldn't help but advise Zuo Teng to take them off quickly if they were too hot.

"Auntie, I'm fine. I just suddenly thought of my deceased mother while drinking water, and it made me feel a little sad!"

Zuo Teng dared not remove his protective gear again.

Zhang Xuezhou repeatedly does unreliable things, but if you examine the reasons closely, Zuo Teng finds that the other party's behavior is purposeful, even in things like wearing clothes.

Song Fengying initially thought it was a prop for a horror live stream, but this simple outfit could avoid the interference from the chip.

Zuo Teng quickly switched to the photos taken by the camera and kept zooming in on the images.

These are crystals as transparent as water, no bigger than a fingernail, and extremely light, able to float in water.

When sunlight passes through a crystal and interacts with the eye, the crystal can induce a state of mental disorientation, or even amplify one's inner senses, making it difficult to extricate oneself.

"Can this thing be researched and manufactured?" Zuo Teng asked in a low voice.

"You can give it a try," Zhang Xuezhou replied.

"Then I won't try!"

Zuo Teng didn't think he could gain anything from something that even Zhang Xuezhou had no interest in.

He felt that replicating this thing could make it a powerful weapon, but the issues involved in research, manufacturing, and use would likely be enormous.

Judging from Zhang Xuezhou's words, this kind of thing doesn't seem to be a product that can be manufactured industrially.

"Is this Zodiac Fairy some kind of malevolent insect? I feel like this crystal is somewhat similar to the red crystal in the Gobala Cave Corridor," Wang Haoran asked in a low voice.

"They are somewhat similar," Zhang Xuezhou nodded in agreement.

His reply caused Wang Haoran's expression to change drastically.

Even though Wang Haoran had prepared himself mentally before coming, he still felt a little tremble when he heard it.

Wang Haoran had previously explored the Gobala Cave corridor with Zhang Xuezhou and others, experiencing ferocious insects, seawater gushing, and explosions in the cave, which was an extremely unpleasant adventure for him.

Upon suddenly hearing that the scene before him might be similar, Wang Haoran couldn't help but perk up.

"What red crystal?"

Zuo Teng asked a question, but Wang Haoran ignored Zuo Teng and instead carefully surveyed his surroundings.

Beyond the pool lies an area interspersed with moss-covered rocks, low trees, and thick vines.

The vegetation in this area is so lush and thick that it's astonishing, almost like walking through a cave.

"Buzz!"

A soft booming sound rang out, and Zhang Xuezhou's Infinite Blade flew out.

The constantly spinning blades were frantically slicing through the dense vegetation.

When did Zhang Xuezhou acquire this genetic weapon?

Watching the vines being easily cut down, Zuo Teng couldn't help but touch the vines, which were almost as thick as his fingers. He then thought about the thought of his body touching this rapidly spinning weapon, which made him feel uneasy.

He knew Zhang Xuezhou was skilled in intimidating combat techniques, but Zhang Xuezhou had never demonstrated his ability to control genetically engineered weapons.

This weapon is almost as powerful as Wang Haoran's gene weapon, and it has a devastating effect when used in the low-sequence stage.

"This can't be the Second Sequence!"

Zuo Teng sullenly followed Wang Haoran as he pushed aside the vines blocking his way, feeling that Zhang Xuezhou was far exceeding the standards of the Second Sequence. If the Second Sequence was this strong, then the Third Sequence wouldn't stand a chance.

He couldn't help but think about Zhang Xuezhou's marksmanship, a feeling of resentment welling up inside him.

Is it right here?

"Yes, I came here earlier, and you told me not to go in, so I didn't. It seems a bit inconvenient to do a live broadcast after we've caused this damage, right?"

"We've already got the script, and the location can also be set up in the script. Anyway, nobody knows the real location, so we can just find an area later!"

"Alright!"

Zhang Xuezhou and Song Fengying exchanged a few words.

This made Zuo Teng, who was listening to the voice, feel a little sour.

Compared to Zuo Teng and his elders who were always giving orders, Song Fengying unconditionally supported Zhang Xuezhou. She showed no anger or resentment at the change in plans, nor did she reject Zhang Xuezhou's suggestions.

A parent who can earn money and unconditionally support their child—that's the kind of parent Zuo Teng envies.

As a second-generation member of a prominent Aristocratic Clan, this was an extremely rare expression of envy from Zuo Teng.

"Zhang Xuezhou, I really envy you for having such a good mother..."

Zuo Teng unusually muttered something, which slowed down Zhang Xuezhou's Infinite Blade's cutting speed.

A faint scent, like freshly cut grass, filled the air. He sniffed hard and felt a slight intoxication with each breath.

"There's something wrong with the plants here!"

"This vine is called madder. The juice squeezed from its roots can be used as a red dye, but it has no other uses!"

Zhang Xuezhou gave Wang Haoran a reminder, and Wang Haoran responded quickly.

Not only Zhang Xuezhou noticed Zuo Teng's abnormal state, but Song Fengying also exhibited unusual behavior, repeatedly filming with a video camera, much more frequently than before.

However, there's not much to film in these areas where the vines have been cut down, so they're not very valuable for live streaming.

"Mom, go to the back and film a bit more. Zuo Teng, you stop filming too!"

Cutting off the scent of madder had some effect, but it wasn't very strong. Before it could fully take effect, Zhang Xuezhou and his colleagues had already noticed it.

"Zhang Xuezhou, I'm suddenly feeling a little jealous... What's wrong?"

Zuo Teng muttered to himself for a while, until Zhang Xuezhou called him to stop, which jolted him awake from his subtle reverie.

He still felt a sense of envy, even tinged with a hint of jealousy.

But Zhang Xuezhou's shout brought Zuo Teng back to his senses, and a look of horror crossed his face.

"The trip was a bit rushed, we didn't bring gas masks this time," Zhang Xuezhou said. "Go upwind and get some fresh air to clear your head!"

Zuo Teng quickly retreated dozens of steps.

He looked at the familiar vegetation around him. He knew every plant in this canyon through books, but Zuo Teng suddenly realized that his knowledge from books was completely insufficient.

This was the first time he had heard that cutting madder required wearing a gas mask; this wasn't due to the evaporation of the plant's sap.

"There must be something around here affecting the vegetation, causing these plants to grow so lushly, or even producing some unusual effect!"

Zuo Teng quickly determined that the vegetation here had been affected by some special factor.

The sap of madder produces a hallucinogenic effect similar to that of poison gas; other plants may also possess similar properties.

Looking at the dense, lush vegetation in the canyon, he suddenly remembered Zhang Xuezhou's earlier question, "Did we bring fire?" This startled him and left him uneasy.