Chapter 357 - 332: Food Substitute Test

Chapter 357: Chapter 332: Food Substitute Test

You can ask the alien intelligent individual questions, but the price is that humans will be devoured as food.

"So that’s how it is."

After receiving the on-site intelligence from Zhang Minglu, Guan Tong understood why the authorities had chosen to keep it secret. He also grasped the true meaning of the hidden rule.

One line stated, "Its interaction mode will change based on its appetite."

Judging from the situation on the ground, this meant that human questions stimulated its appetite, and once its appetite was aroused, it had to eat.

However, since the authorities had already figured this out through practical experience, the hidden rule Guan Tong provided wasn’t of much value.

Still, knowing all this, he couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions.

"This is just..."

Guan Tong didn’t know what to say.

’Cruel?’

"It seems the Human Federation will transport the captured Parasites over as food," said Shangyuan Zi, who was standing beside him.

As a member of the Origin-Tracing Expedition, Guan Tong hadn’t hidden the intelligence he’d traded for from her.

"Mm, and that’s precisely why the authorities are hiding the news. It seems the Human Federation’s joint forces in the Black Banner Country will launch a swift offensive over the next few days to capture as many Parasites as possible."

"What question do you think the authorities will ask?"

"The highest priority question is definitely ’How to identify Parasites,’" Guan Tong said. "If they can get an answer, it will not only guarantee an accurate future food supply but also solve a huge existential threat for humanity."

The longer the Parasite problem dragged on, the more trouble it would be for humanity.

Right now, most Parasites were converted from ordinary people. Their overall combat strength was relatively weak, and the situation was still controllable.

But as time went on, more and more Ascenders might be converted. Or perhaps these Parasites would gradually infiltrate important positions within the governments of various nations. That would be a huge problem.

Shangyuan Zi pondered for a moment, then asked curiously, "That alien... that Black Mud Monster, would it know the answer to this question?"

"I’d guess so. Do you remember the note on the rule about Parasites?"

Shangyuan Zi thought for a moment. "...That the Fire Thief said it was once a bestseller across the universe?"

"Exactly. Since it’s a bestseller, that means numerous civilizations throughout the universe know it exists. So the Black Mud Monster, as one of those cosmic civilizations, should know about Parasites—or, to be precise, it should know about those special spores."

Shangyuan Zi nodded. Guan Tong’s words made sense.

"But it looks like this rule doesn’t have much to do with us, or the general public," Guan Tong said. "Ordinary people probably won’t get a chance to ask questions... Forget asking, they probably won’t even be allowed to get near that area."

Given that asking questions came at a huge price, every question would surely be carefully selected by the Human Federation.

Shangyuan Zi looked at Guan Tong and asked curiously, "Don’t you have any questions you want to ask?"

"I..."

’How could I not?’

Guan Tong had many questions he wanted to ask.

Setting aside everything else, just on matters concerning himself, there were two questions he desperately wanted answered: the mystery of his time travel and reversed aging, and the mystery of the Wordless Book.

However, just as he said, asking questions came at a price. How was he supposed to pay it?

’Run over to the Black Banner Country and catch a bunch of Parasites myself? But how many would I have to catch to pay for my question?’

’Even if I could catch them, would the Human Federation just let me ask a question?’

An idea suddenly popped into Guan Tong’s head. ’I wonder if the Living Dead summoned by the [Corpse Whistle] can be used as food?’

He remembered that during the [Silent Moment] rule, the Sound Hunters had treated the Living Dead as humans.

’Maybe this time...’

After a moment of thought, Guan Tong continued, "Even if I have questions I want to ask, I probably won’t get a chance to ask them."

"..."

Although Shangyuan Zi didn’t speak, she thought the same thing.

"Then what should we do?"

It had to be said, the sudden appearance of a rule that required no action and had no penalty left Shangyuan Zi feeling a bit adrift.

It wasn’t just her; many people around the world felt the same way.

The dozen or so previous rules, spanning nearly two years of "rule time," had almost reshaped human consciousness, turning humans into beings who lived solely by the rules.

"You can rest, train, or do whatever you’re interested in. As for me..."

"You have other plans?"

"I want to take a trip to Sisiya."

Shangyuan Zi looked surprised. She had thought that what Guan Tong said just now meant he had given up on the idea of asking a question.

"Don’t misunderstand," Guan Tong explained. "I’m not going to Sisiya to ask the Black Mud Monster a question. I’m going to collect a debt."

Shangyuan Zi said, "I’ll go with you."

"This is my own personal grudge. You don’t need to get involved."

"But aren’t you the leader? I’m a team member. I should be acting together with the leader, right?"

Guan Tong was startled for a moment, then nodded. "Alright then, we’ll go to Sisiya together. With your help, collecting this debt will be much easier."

...

「Late at night.」

On the ice field, there was no sound save for the howling of the wind.

The alien intelligent individual was still in the same spot, like a puddle of black mud spread on the ground. Although it undulated from time to time, it made no sound.

Humanity’s research on it didn’t stop at just asking questions.

People also wanted to decipher its language, understand its physical composition, and even enter its spacecraft to conduct research.

But all of these things required the right conditions.

To decipher the language, a large corpus was needed. But aside from answering questions, the Black Mud Monster made no sound, leaving countless linguists in a bind, with nothing to work with.

Next, studying its physical composition required various instruments. The experts agreed that obtaining a tissue sample would be ideal, but the Human Federation vetoed the idea.

For one thing, previous attacks with bullets and Psychic Power-based items had proven ineffective. For another, attempting to take a sample without first gaining permission by asking a question could provoke its hostility.

The same logic applied to entering its spacecraft. Despite observing from a distance with ultra-high-magnification instruments, research labs hadn’t found any entrance. And if they couldn’t even find an entrance, getting inside was out of the question.

These daunting challenges didn’t make humanity give up. On the contrary, the Human Federation was in constant meetings, discussing how to "squeeze" the maximum amount of useful information for humanity out of this alien individual in just half a month.

At this time, most of the contact delegation were resting in their heated vehicles. But the thought that an alien, man-eating monster was lying not far from their vehicles meant that few could sleep soundly.

Fortunately, Sisiya’s soldiers were patrolling and on constant guard, not allowing anyone to approach, which allowed the delegation members to feel a little more at ease.

By four or five in the morning, most people were asleep.

As a result, only the few who were sleepless that night noticed the arrival of several large trucks.

They watched from their windows, thinking, ’Have they brought more animals?’

Sisiya’s soldiers opened the cargo compartments, revealing dozens of people locked inside. Their hands and feet were bound by chains, and their faces wore sinister and crazed expressions.

"People! It’s people!"

"Look!"

The noise from those who were awake woke up the sleepers. Soon, everyone in the contact delegation’s heated vehicles got out and watched the soldiers lead the people from the trucks.

As the delegation members stared dumbfounded, Sikokun’s voice came from the side.

"Startled?" she said. "These all attacked humans after the [Outer Heaven Parasite] rule ended. They’re confirmed Parasites, one hundred percent. Not human."

As soon as she said this, the delegation members all breathed a sigh of relief.

Many of them hadn’t wrapped their heads around it and had thought they were really humans... Ultimately, it was because of their appearance.

If the Parasites had a unique appearance, it would be one thing. But they retained the host’s appearance, body, and even memories, which inevitably made some people feel a sense of unease and pity.

As these Parasites were being led from the trucks, soldiers also released the previously delivered animals like cattle, sheep, and pigs, herding them towards the alien individual.

"Excuse me, what is this? Is a test about to be conducted?" someone in the delegation asked Sikokun.

"Yes. We received authorization from the Human Federation a short while ago and will be conducting a food substitution test in ten minutes. Now, to ensure your personal safety, please follow the soldiers and move away from this area."

Many in the delegation couldn’t wait to get away and immediately followed the soldiers to retreat.

But a few people, led by Louis, were unwilling to leave. He pleaded with Sikokun, "Let me stay, I want to watch up close with my own eyes!"

"Impossible."

Sikokun was uncompromising. Louis was helpless and could only reluctantly retreat with the others.

He looked back every few steps and saw the soldiers "arranging" the food in concentric circles around the alien individual.

The animals—cattle, sheep, and pigs—were placed in the first circle, closest to the alien individual.

The Parasites were placed in the second circle.

Strangely, there were also some people in the third circle.

Sikokun didn’t say who these people were, but they certainly weren’t Parasites, as that would be redundant with the second circle and meaningless.

Someone in the delegation secretly guessed: The people in the third circle were likely death-row inmates brought from prison.

After the three circles were arranged, when the time came, a person designated by the Human Federation walked up to the alien intelligent individual.

The food substitution test began.