Inside The Black Mist

After a short rest, Yunze brought Wang Liang to the room that served as a temporary research lab.

The room's entrance was covered by a simple isolation curtain, a special type of curtain with built-in disinfection capabilities that automatically sterilized personnel entering and exiting. It was a temporary disinfection tool used by the fortress for field research and widely applied in studies of the Inverse Universe.

Yunze and Wang Liang passed through the disinfection curtain and entered the room.

Inside, Kong Zhang's three students were diligently performing preliminary processing on

Fungal humanoids. All procedures were conducted within isolation chambers.

The students operated mechanical arms to complete these tasks effortlessly.

Yunze approached and observed as one student skillfully cleaned the samples, then sliced them into thin tissue sections resembling cicada wings. They were then fixed with tools and rinsed again with specialized reagents.

After dehydration, some fungal slices were sent to Kong Zhang's observation device, while others were placed in specific reagents for transparency treatment, followed by processes like infiltration wax embedding for tissue preservation, ready to be brought back to the fortress for further study.

Kong Zhang's observation device had multiple functions. He placed tissue samples sent by students into several independent observation chambers.

These chambers simulated natural environments to analyze the performance of Inverse Universe plants in different conditions.

As Yunze approached, the elderly man was operating one of these observation chambers. It simulated normal daylight conditions, with the tissue sample exposed to light showing no changes.

"Teacher, any discoveries?" Yunze whispered softly, afraid of disturbing the elderly man.

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Kong Zhang rubbed his glasses and handed a data tablet to Yunze.

"My previous speculation was correct. These organisms completely cease cellular activity under light," Kong Zhang said. He tapped another observation chamber, which simulated a nighttime environment. "But in dim conditions, their cellular activity is quite vigorous. Look, although we've already processed them into tissue slices, fungal hyphae are already sprouting."

Yunze looked into the chamber, indeed seeing fuzzy fungal hyphae growing at the edges of the sample.

"It's strange. These things weren't this active before," Yunze remarked.

In Yunxiang Base, the Yun family held at least one-third of the managerial authority, with family members stationed there year-round.

Yunze was familiar with Gemstone Town and knew about the luminescent fungi there. Furthermore, Kong Zhang wasn't visiting Gemstone Town for the first time; he had visited eight years ago.

Back then, he had also collected fungal specimens and found only luminescent bacteria adhering to their surfaces, without any other anomalies.

Yunze had read that report and knew clearly that the vitality of these fungi now was overly vigorous compared to eight years ago, almost like two different species.

"Take a look at this," Kong Zhang said gravely, pointing to another observation chamber. This one simulated extremely cold conditions, causing the fungal sample to appear grayish, and much of it had turned into powder.

"What's this?" Yunze asked the old man.

Kong Zhang sighed. "These organisms die and disintegrate at around minus 60 degrees. But that doesn't mean they're truly dead."

Kong Zhang tapped the data tablet in Yunze's hands, and a line of information appeared.

Yunze's pupils slightly dilated. "Under cold conditions, their tissue dies but leaves behind spores, and these spores remain active in such an environment."

Kong Zhang nodded. "Exactly. This may be a self-defense mechanism of theirs. Next, I'll conduct several more tests to see how these spores perform in other environments."

"If these organisms can maintain cellular activity in other environments, such as under light, then it's certain that their spreading nature is very strong. It's possible that these have evolved in the Inverse Universe to counteract our biological weapons!"

Yunze gasped in shock.

Even Wang Liang, usually inscrutable, didn't look too good at this moment.

Although the fungi cease cellular activity under light, if their spores could remain active in various environments, once they leak out of the Inverse Universe and reach the other side of Kraff Gate...

These things could eventually cover the world. After all, the Inverse Universe could be perpetually dark, unlike the side with the gate, which couldn’t have eternal sunshine.

Kong Zhang sighed. "In fact, some scholars at the Qiongcang Fortress share the same opinion. We shouldn't delve too deeply into the Inverse Universe, nor should we excessively exploit it. The Inverse Universe is constantly changing; perhaps one day, the two worlds will overlap at Kraff Gate."

"At that time, it could be the end of the world outside..."

Yunze forced a smile. "No, we have teachers like you, other scholars, and fortress cities. Such a thing surely won't happen."

Kong Zhang smiled faintly. "Let's hope not."

Tianyang was awakened by some light filtering through, filling the room with a deep blue glow.

The young man sat up in surprise, ran to the window, and discovered that the fungi in the town emitted a hazy, ethereal blue light.

Indeed, they looked like blue gemstones, explaining why the town was named Gemstone Town.

It was a pity that these things, though beautiful, were highly aggressive. They posed a threat to both the environment and living beings.

Thinking this way, Tianyang no longer found them attractive.

At that moment, he noticed he was standing on a huge blue spot of light.

It was because just outside the building, there was a bizarre tree from the Inverse Universe covered with fungi. When these fungi emitted light, the entire tree looked like a gigantic blue torch.

The light streamed through the window, creating a patch of blue light.

Suddenly, Tianyang had a realization. He vividly recalled the row of bizarre trees covered in fungi outside the peculiar building.

Moreover, there was a strange cross-shaped window above the building's main entrance.

If the fungus' light shone through that window, perhaps...

With this thought, Tianyang hastily gathered his gear, barely acknowledging Adam, who was still sleeping soundly nearby. He pushed open the window and leaped lightly into the blue world outside.

As he landed on the ground, Tianyang felt a slight sense of revelation and glanced back.

The building cast large shadows in the faint blue light of the fungi. Tianyang saw nothing unusual and relaxed.

However, behind the small building, in the shadowy corner, someone emerged, chewing on a food stick with some force.

Returning to the peculiar building, as expected, the row of bizarre trees across the street was all aglow with fungi. The bright yet gentle blue light illuminated the entire street.

Tianyang entered through the gate of the building and saw a cross-shaped light spot on the ground.

"Under the cross..." Tianyang walked toward the light spot. "Could this be the true meaning of that cryptic phrase? Su Lie's secret lies beneath this light spot?"