Chapter 371: Chapter 356: Anger is Useless

Gu Xi was indeed very calm.

Perhaps her emotions had wavered during her call with Dr. Qi.

But Gu Xi was no ordinary person. From a young age, Li Ming had taught her a lesson—in this world where people preyed on each other, anger was useless.

"This matter probably isn’t so simple," Qi Xiang said, looking at the others with a serious expression. "Dr. Qi... he’s not a selfless person."

If this was all just to force Gu Xi to use the Superpower Seed to handle the potential crisis of the third Great Mutation, then what would Dr. Qi personally stand to gain?

That was a point worth pondering.

"Let’s assume," Yang Chi added, "that the ultimate goal for everyone involved in this is to get the Superpower Seed. In that case, Dr. Qi would be no exception."

Working backward from that point, Yang Chi quickly had a breakthrough. "In other words, if Gu Xi wants to resolve the crisis of the third Great Mutation, it’s highly likely she’ll need Dr. Qi’s help in the future. The Superpower Seed might even end up in his hands..."

"So, under what circumstances would Gu Xi be forced to rely on Dr. Qi’s help and hand over the Superpower Seed?" Yang Chi asked, looking up at the group.

Wei Heng and the others exchanged glances, still deep in thought, when they heard Gu Xi speak slowly but firmly, "Under no circumstances will I hand over the Superpower Seed."

Clearly, the ramifications of the Superpower Seed far outweighed those of the so-called third Great Mutation. Otherwise, Yun Ye wouldn’t have kept his trump card up his sleeve for so long.

After all, the man had always been arrogant and conceited. He looked down on humanity, and if he could, he probably would have made every living being on the planet grovel at his feet long ago.

The only reason Yun Ye hadn’t played his trump card yet was because he also wanted the power of the Superpower Seed.

Gu Xi even suspected that his purpose in holding that trump card was, from the very beginning, to force her to use the Superpower Seed against him.

In that respect, his actions were coincidentally in line with those of Dr. Qi and the others.

But setting all that aside, Gu Xi did believe that if Dr. Qi said so, the Superpower Seed must be capable of suppressing the third Great Mutation.

But Gu Xi wouldn’t trade a tiger for a wolf.

Yang Chi rapidly tapped a few times on the Light Screen, though it was unclear what he was looking up.

After a moment, he looked up at the others. "What do you think? If the third Great Mutation really happens, what kind of impact will it have on this planet?"

The first Great Mutation brought the zombie virus, and the second introduced X Energy. So what about the third?

Everyone thought of the Hybrid Monsters that had appeared before, the plant-humanoids... These could all be considered precursors to the third Great Mutation, or even indicators of its direction!

Gu Xi, however, thought of Bai. She pictured Bai under the influence of the Superpower Seed, wagging its tail slightly and giggling foolishly as if intoxicated... and she also thought of the mature, evolved form of Unknown No.1, still in her dimensional space, which would pick a fight with Guardian 027 from time to time.

After a long moment, she looked up at them. "Devouring and fusion."

Seeing their confused looks, Gu Xi explained, "The third evolution will create new species. These new species will likely go through a series of devouring and fusing, assimilating the superior genes of existing species. Perhaps..."

She fiddled with the tiny green sprout on her fingertip and looked toward the distant mountains, which appeared hazy in the dim twilight. "Their final form will have the ferocity and combat strength of a wild beast, the terrifying regenerative power of plants, the parasitic abilities of certain microorganisms, and even... human intelligence."

Hearing this, the color drained from the faces of Wei Heng and the others, and they all drew in a sharp breath.

If a new species like that really appeared, would humanity... even have a future?

Or would the humans who managed to survive such an evolution still be human?

For a moment, everyone fell silent.

Gu Xi lowered her gaze. ’How ironic,’ she thought suddenly. ’All I’ve ever wanted is to be human, yet some people are doing everything they can to become something else.’

’How utterly ironic!’

Gu Xi turned to look at her worried companions. "That’s just one possible future. Things aren’t that dire."

’Because I won’t allow it.’

’I won’t allow this world, which I’ve longed for and which is finally starting to become beautiful, to be utterly ruined by those people once again!’

A sharp, dark glint flashed through Gu Xi’s otherwise calm and profound eyes.

Wei Heng, looking up at that moment, happened to see it.

Wei Heng sighed to himself.

’He didn’t care what the Blood-colored Asura had been like in the past. The Gu Xi he knew was, without a doubt, a good-natured girl.’

’She didn’t talk much, was usually quiet, and rarely picked fights... She was undeniably a well-behaved and endearing girl.’ 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

’But now... look what they’ve pushed this sweet girl into becoming.’

"Regardless, we need to start preparing," Wei Heng said, stepping forward with a serious expression. "Everyone needs to increase their strength as quickly as possible. That’s the most important thing. We need to prepare on other fronts as well."

Qi Xiang and Yang Chi, both hopelessly weak in a fight, exchanged a look, then simultaneously turned to stare at Gu Xi.

Gu Xi: "..."

’Increasing your strength is something you have to do yourselves. Why are you all looking at me?’

She thought for a moment, then said, "In a bit, you’ll come with me into the mountains."

Qin Yi nodded, then asked, "What other preparations should we make?"

Yang Chi eagerly raised his hand. He knew the answer to this one.

"There’s also the matter of the Land of Death..." he mused. "I’m not sure why, but since everyone is convinced the Superpower Seed is still tied to the Land of Death, I think maybe we can figure out a way to use that to our advantage?"

Just then, Qi Xiang had a sudden thought and chimed in, "Tell me, why does everyone just assume the Superpower Seed from the Death Swamp can’t belong to Gu Xi?"

Gu Xi was wondering the same thing.

All the factions that had come to City A for the Superpower Seed seemed to operate under the assumption that it was impossible for it to fall into her hands.

Even Yun Ye himself only wanted to use her—and the Superpower Seed she already possessed—to lure out the one from the Land of Death. It seemed he’d never even considered that the second seed could become hers.

It was very strange.

Yang Chi thought for a moment, then frowned. "Is it possible that the energies contained in the two Superpower Seeds conflict with each other, making it impossible for one person to possess both?"

That seemed to be the only explanation that made sense.

Everyone nodded.

But soon after, they shook their heads.

Although Gu Xi had never said so, it was obvious that the Superpower Seed from the Land of Death was now in her possession.

Seeing them all look at her, Gu Xi stated frankly, "I should be able to use the seed from the Land of Death." But for some reason, she had never absorbed the energy from that Superpower Seed.

She was worried that once she absorbed that strange energy, she would lose her humanity forever.

—From the time they were children, Li Ming had worried that those people would strip away Gu Xi’s humanity and turn his sister into an emotionless living weapon. So, he had constantly reminded her, over and over, that she was human—a person with feelings and thoughts.

Thanks to Li Ming’s earnest efforts, Gu Xi had developed an obsession—almost a fixation—with her own humanity over the years, one that most people would find hard to understand.

After a long silence, Qi Xiang spoke slowly, "Then there’s only one possibility left..."