Industrial Cthulhu doesn't believe in the end times.

Chapter 237 New Friends

Haiqu, Qibaoshan.

That's not entirely accurate either, as the original Qibaoshan area no longer exists.

Before them was only a huge wall emitting a hazy blue light; for ordinary people, it was impossible to see the entire giant tree from here.

Even high-level superhumans would find it difficult to see the end of that enormous tree canopy.

If it weren't for the radiant glow caused by the violently surging spiritual energy fluctuations in the sky, the ground here would be plunged into complete darkness.

The earth cracked and bulged, and near the main trunk, an astonishingly large root system completely transformed the landscape.

A group of people stood on a platform formed by a broad tree root, the part of which protruded from the ground several stories high. They looked up at this miraculous creation, each of them filled with awe.

What they had experienced was no different from a tremendous explosion. If those present had not been extraordinary beings of a certain level, there would likely have been considerable casualties.

Even now, the giant tree continues to grow, and people are only thankful that the evacuation was carried out in advance, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Xiao Zhenru's lips parted slightly as she gazed at the incomparable giant tree before her, murmuring, "So this is a seventh-tier mutated plant...?"

"No...not yet." Xu Huan answered her. After the apocalypse, he devoted himself to the study of mutated plants and had gained a deep understanding of them.

"Although the advancement of extraordinary beings will eventually lead to the same result, each race still has its own advantages. For mutated plants, the total amount of spiritual power does not necessarily correspond to the extraordinary level. This tree accumulated energy levels exceeding seven levels of normal beings when it was still a seed. At that time, it could barely be considered as a first-level being at most."

Xu Huan briefly explained to Xiao Zhenru that the numerous mutated potatoes he had cultivated were actually just clones of the same plant, offshoots of the first one discovered. There was a basic connection between them, and if they were considered as a whole, their total spiritual power would not be underestimated.

“Although this tree is an extreme case among mutated plants, it can still be viewed in this way.” Xu Huan continued, “Every evolution of the extraordinary level has its own characteristic ability. This is true for humans, and it is also true for plants. Right now, it has not yet shown the characteristics of the sixth level or above. It can be said that it is large but not strong.”

"This thing is only fifth-tier???" Xiao Zhenru stared wide-eyed, looking up at the sky and then at Xu Huan, her face filled with only one thought—what does it mean to be big but not strong? This thing isn't strong?
Xu Huan patted the girl's shoulder and shook his head, saying, "Silly child, not all fifth-tier ranks are the same. You've only recently advanced, so what you think is strong might just be your perception..."

Xiao Zhenru fell silent, her face as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Old Xu's mindset has been getting younger and younger lately," Su Xun, who was standing in front of the two, said, turning his head after hearing their conversation.

Xu Huan replied with a smile, "Who told this girl to make such a bunch of big holes in front of my breeding center?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhenru's eyes widened: "What do you mean by 'big pit'? That's clearly a design feature! Those pits would be great for raising fish!"

Then came some strange remarks like, "How could you slander someone's innocence out of thin air?" which made everyone burst into laughter, and the air under the giant tree was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

After he stopped laughing, Su Xun continued the previous topic and said to Xiao Zhenru, "Don't be too discouraged. It is actually very strong. Perhaps even I am no match for it." "However, what Elder Xu said makes a lot of sense. In fact, not only mutated plants, but for all superhumans, both physical size and total spiritual power are ethereal. This can be seen in the alien species."

Su Xun looked at the giant tree in front of him again and said, "Its current spiritual power may have reached a relatively weak level of the ninth rank, but if a true ninth-rank superhuman were to have only a trace of spiritual power left in his body, he could easily destroy it."

"But then again, it's true that you marked the height of the flower bed backwards. Where would you find a fishpond that grows like that?"

Xiao Zhenru didn't even react yet. She was still thinking and nodding when she widened her eyes and looked at Su Xun in disbelief.

"Commander-in-Chief, even you..." she said, her voice filled with grief and indignation, "I...I'm going to go back and learn design again!"

"Go ahead." Su Xun smiled and reached out to ruffle the other person's hair.

This action stunned Xiao Zhenru once again. She reached out and smoothed her hair: "Why do you always like to touch other people's heads... Never mind, there are many tasks to do. Practicing extraordinary skills also takes time. It's better to focus your energy on advancing."

“You’re not Tao Yue, why would you worry about not growing taller?” Su Xun smiled and added, “Some missions don’t require you to do them, and as for advancement… you don’t need to rush.”

Su Xun put his hands behind his back and looked into the distance.

"After the fifth level, advancing to the next level is no longer something that can be achieved by simply burying yourself in hard work. Knowledge is one of the basic elements for advancing to the next level. You can and should learn some things that interest you, as they may be helpful for your advancement."

In fact, this is what the fifth rank is like. People like Xue Hui and Han Zhong also reached the limit of the fourth rank before the grand competition. The reason why they have not yet truly stepped into the threshold of the fifth rank is because they still lack some accumulation.

As for Xiao Zhenru, she is indeed a genius who can walk at the forefront of the times with her talent. This was the case in her previous life. If she and Lin Hai had not died young, they might have had the opportunity to become ninth-level superhumans in the later stages of the apocalypse.

But to go far in the long run, talent alone is not enough. In fact, of the three fifth-level beings present, Xu Huan, although he looks younger and younger and now looks like he is in his forties or fifties, is actually over seventy years old, while Su Xun has also lived two lives.

Xiao Zhenru had only recently graduated before the cataclysm, and in their eyes, she was still a complete child.

She is like this, as are many other young extraordinary individuals such as Tao Yue, Lin Hai, and Xu Zhao. Compared to Xu Huan, Qin Chang, and others, these people still lack a lot of experience.

“You seem much more relaxed today.” Xu Huan looked at Su Xun. Although he always gave people a gentle and calm feeling, Su Xun always made every second count when it came to fighting against the apocalypse. Xu Huan, who had participated in the Kuafu Project with him before the cataclysm, knew this very well.

"Really?" Su Xun was taken aback for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face.

Although there were still tremors deep in the earth, the growth of the giant tree in front of them seemed to have come to an end. Su Xun looked at the trunk in the distance, which was like a giant wall or a divine mountain, and said, "I have sensed it. You two come with me. Let's go and meet this new friend."

(End of this chapter)