Chapter 379: Cordyceps Fungus

The nutritional content and texture of meat from Red Light Animals are destroyed by the Harmful Element. After the processing plants in the Safe Zone remove the Harmful Element, they still have to add various nutrients just to create ordinary food that can only fill one’s stomach and does nothing to promote evolution.

Carnivorous beasts in the Evolution Forest that prey on herbivores with high concentrations of the Harmful Element go berserk when the element accumulates to a certain point in their bodies. They become mindless killing machines, hunting and slaughtering until they lose all combat strength and are torn apart and devoured by other animals.

This is the main reason for Blue Star’s Beast Tides.

Therefore, quickly screening the frenzied creatures of the evolved Blue Star to identify and cultivate stable Yi Evolution plants and animals, and then growing and raising them on a massive scale to establish a stable food chain, is the most urgent problem humanity faces.

Xiaqing sighed, “That’s incredibly difficult.”

“It is indeed very difficult. But our Hua Country is full of talented people. As long as we find the right direction and work together, we’ll overcome this challenge sooner or later. The fact that your territory has grown so many edible plants means we’ve already taken a huge step toward success.” Yang Jin smiled and held up the small packet of seeds in his hand. “There are 6,271 seeds here. Do you want to count them again?”

6,271 was the number of spinach seeds Xiaqing owed the Green Dragon Team. ‘It was one thing to pick up spinach seeds so quickly while chatting, but he could also keep an accurate count of how many he’d picked?!’

Xiaqing was impressed. He truly lived up to his reputation as a Speed and brain area Dual System Evolver. “No need to count. You can put them away.”

Yang Jin put the spinach seeds away, took out another small bag, and continued working. He then shared some bad news with Xiaqing. “I had someone test the viability of the Green Light Chestnuts, and it’s been confirmed that we can’t use them to propagate seedlings for sale.”

Huh? Xiaqing was stunned for only a second before regaining her composure. “It seems that chestnut forest reproduces through its root system.”

“Probably. Today’s Evolved Plants are bizarre in countless ways; reproducing through roots is considered normal for them. Even if it’s slower, its stability is very high and its fruit yield isn’t low, so you can raise the price of the seedlings.”

Seeing Xiaqing’s disappointment at being unable to mass-produce Green Light chestnut tree seedlings, Yang Jin immediately changed the subject to something that would cheer her up. “Do you know how the Cordyceps on the plateau reproduces now?”

Xiaqing really didn’t know the answer to that. She could only guess, “Parasitically?”

After the Blue Star Great Evolution, the concentration of the Harmful Element in the atmosphere surged at altitudes above 3,500 meters. The plateau was indeed no longer suitable for human life, and its surviving inhabitants had relocated to lower-altitude regions.

The plateau, covered in vast expanses of polluted snow, had become a forbidden zone for Yi Evolution creatures. Thus, Xiaqing really had no idea about the current state of Cordyceps on the plateau.

Yang Jin explained it to her. “Cordyceps was originally a type of fungus. Its ‘worm’ part is actually the larva of a ghost moth. The Cordyceps Fungus invades the ghost moth larva’s body and multiplies, filling the larva with mycelia. The following summer, a yellow or light-brown fruiting body sprouts from the infected larva’s head and emerges from the ground like a blade of grass. That’s the ‘grass’ part of the Cordyceps.”

‘I learned something new today!’

Xiaqing asked in surprise, “This is how many parasitic plants reproduce after evolving. Don’t tell me that after Cordyceps evolved, it stopped relying on an animal host?”

‘How is she so smart? And she looks so cute with her eyes wide like that…’

Yang Jin lowered his head, quickly picking up spinach seeds to calm his racing heart. “You’re half right. The Cordyceps Fungus can now reproduce not only using insect larvae as hosts, but plants as well. Researchers recently discovered that the sprouts from Cordyceps Fungus propagated through plants can help boost human immunity.”

“There has also been another very important discovery recently,” Yang Jin said, looking up with a smile. “Cordyceps Fungus that is cultivated using hydroponically grown High Yi Element vegetables and Pollution-free Spring Water is exceptionally effective at repairing the physical damage caused by the Harmful Element.”

‘This is fantastic news! Our researchers are incredible!’

This was also fantastic news for Xiaqing. “Has the Fiery Fire Team raised the price of its Pollution-free Spring Water?”

Yang Jin laughed. “Fire Phoenix is planning to visit Zhang San soon to discuss a collaboration on the Cordyceps Fungus medicine. If the partnership falls through, the Fiery Fire Team will definitely raise the price of their spring water, and you should raise your price as well. Seeing as we have a long and stable partnership, can the Green Dragon Team, as the sole buyer of spring water from the Third Territory, still get a 20% discount?”

‘What an Iron Rooster,’ she thought. ‘He won’t pass up even the smallest bargain.’

“Alright.” Xiaqing then asked, “Why is Fire Phoenix looking to partner with Brother San? Is he the one who researched this new type of Cordyceps Fungus?”

“He’s the lead researcher. There were others involved, but I just received the news myself.”

Wow! Wow!! WOW!!!

If Yang Jin hadn’t been there, Xiaqing would have definitely shouted out, ‘See that? That’s my idol, a premium-quality Blue Star idol!’

As a die-hard fan, Xiaqing’s adoration for him was deep enough to tunnel through Blue Star itself. She wished she could skewer the entire planet on a stick, coat it in a thick layer of sugar, and present it to her idol to nibble on like a candied fruit skewer!

Seeing her struggling to contain herself, Yang Jin spoke up. “Zhang San is a genius when it comes to researching medicines.”

Xiaqing nodded vigorously. “Right! The medicines from Territory Land No. 7 are all incredibly effective. Humanity desperately needs a medicine that can repair the damage from the Harmful Element.”

Yang Jin brought the conversation back on track. “The medicine will only truly benefit the masses once it can be mass-produced. Unfortunately, for now, only the Cordyceps Fungus cultivated with Pollution-free Spring Water and High Yi Element vegetables is effective.”

Xiaqing understood his implication. “Is it difficult to cultivate the Cordyceps Fungus?”

“It is. It’s unlikely that Brother San will partner with Fire Phoenix, so if we work together to produce the Cordyceps Fungus, we can supply it directly to him.” Yang Jin proposed the new joint venture with a charming smile.

“Humans can also become hosts if they inhale Cordyceps spores, so cultivating the fungus on plants requires high-standard cultivation rooms and specialized personnel. The Green Dragon Team will provide the site, build the cultivation rooms, buy the hydroponic nutrient liquid, and supply the labor and security. You provide the spring water, we’ll each contribute half of the spinach seeds, and we’ll split the profits sixty-forty—you take forty, we take sixty. How does that sound?”

“Fifty-fifty,” Xiaqing said, straightening her posture as she began to negotiate.

“Your list of contributions sounds extensive, but let’s look at the key components. First, the spring water—a crucial input—must be supplied by me. Second, the High Yi Element Spinach Seeds also originate from my territory. The seeds you have on hand will likely see their Yi Element levels drop after a few generations, at which point I’ll become the sole supplier of the spinach. Your team is providing the technical personnel. Therefore, a fifty-fifty split is my bottom line.”

Seeing her confident expression, Yang Jin couldn’t stop his heart from speeding up again. He nodded immediately. “Your reasoning is sound. Fifty-fifty it is.”