Hunter x Hunter: Infinite Growth

Hearing the voice from the side, Kevin nodded: "It is indeed very interesting that there is such a unique form of existence."

“This is a sample of the Shadow Serpent.” Moagu handed over a long, thin crystal slice.

Kevin took it with great curiosity. A specially treated specimen of a shadowy worm was sandwiched in the middle of the transparent thin sheet, which looked like a long black shadow.

A faint longing welled up in his heart. This longing was so weak that it was the most subtle longing Kevin had felt at this stage.

Is this an endangered species?

"I suppose so. Almost all the endemic species in the Simmel Wetlands are endangered. However, relatively speaking, this species is relatively safe."

Kevin could understand the reasoning behind those words.

The reason is simple: unless one is a Nen user, it is very difficult for ordinary people to detect this kind of creature. Moreover, this kind of creature does not pose a high danger to humans, especially after the Shimelai Wetlands were designated as a forbidden area.

At present, this insect mainly relies on its shadow to lure other small animals and flies to prey on. Due to its special survival method, it is difficult to catch and has almost no natural enemies.

Although they have a limited food supply, their numbers have remained relatively stable thanks to a safe living environment.

"The boss is busy elsewhere, so let me show you around here and take you to see where you can rest."

Kevin nodded, got up, and followed Moagu away.

After touring the base, Kevin saw all sorts of strange species and got to know some of the staff.

After that, he returned to his resting place.

Since there were not many staff members at the base, Kevin was assigned a spacious single room with a small laboratory next to it.

This space is perfect for Kevin, since he's only staying here temporarily for two or three months.

……

Since we have already explored an area and collected a lot of species samples and information, no exploration activities will be scheduled for the next week.

Besides learning about the various knowledge and reviewing the archives at the research base, Kevin's only remaining activity was physical training.

Just as Kevin finished a simple warm-up exercise, his T-shirt was knocked on.

Kevin looked out the door and saw a middle-aged man, about thirty or forty years old, wearing black-rimmed glasses, smiling and waving at him.

Kevin remembered this person; they had met several times that week.

"Dr. Berut, what brings you here?"

Beirut smiled gently. "It's like this, Mr. Kevin, the food I found for those individuals on my last outing has run out. Hmm... I'd like to go and collect some more. I wonder if I could trouble you..."

Kevin waved his hand dismissively and laughed heartily, "Of course, no problem, Doctor. When do we set off?"

Beirut smiled with delight: "If possible, let's go now."

"Please wait for me a moment."

Soon, Kevin got dressed and set off in the SUV with Beirut and his two assistants.

The car drove to the end of the road, where there was a sign that read "Danger".

"If we keep going forward, we'll enter the wetlands. It's best to walk once we're inside. Driving a vehicle could easily disturb the creatures inside and put us in danger."

It was nearly noon, but the wetlands were shrouded in thick fog.

The group took out a specially made device and fastened it to their waists. This device served as both a signal transmitter and a distress call device, and it also had a scanning screen so that if they accidentally got separated, they could see their respective directions through it.

Dr. Berut walked in front, Kevin followed beside him, and two other assistants followed behind them.

The four were very close together, and Kevin, standing on one side, was able to quickly support the other three.

At this moment, Kevin is manipulating his "Circle," releasing it one moment and then retracting it the next.

This is both to remain vigilant and, to some extent, to train him. He is trying to control the random dispersion of the [circle].

Although there have been no significant results yet, after listening to Kim's analysis, Kevin felt that this attempt was feasible, and he had a vague feeling that he was close to success.

"This awful place makes me feel uncomfortable, whether it's day or night," Toby, the assistant following behind, couldn't help but complain.

“The scenery might be more beautiful at night, but of course, it’s also more dangerous,” another assistant, Haka, replied.

Kevin asked curiously, "You guys came here at night?"

Dr. Berut nodded and replied, "We came at night once before, and the creatures that are active at night are very different from those that are active during the day. I even suggested that we come back to explore again at night."

The reason people are reluctant to explore at night is simply because wetlands are more dangerous at night, especially in such a wilderness environment.

He hadn't walked far when Kevin saw a series of footprints on a patch of soft mud. The footprints stretched forward in the mist and eventually disappeared.

Beirut walked over with great interest, squatted down, and took out his camera to take pictures of the footprints.

Kevin was also observing curiously from the side.

"Has anyone been here?" Toby asked.

Haka, standing next to him, gave him a look as if he were an idiot.

Beirut turned around and scolded him with exasperation, "You idiot, didn't we encounter this plant before? I even made you take notes."

"Huh?" Toby looked puzzled; he had no recollection of such a thing.

Haka couldn't help but interject, "Master, he was already paralyzed at the time, don't you remember?"

Beirut seemed to remember something, silently turned his head, and said, "Go back and review the subsequent records for me carefully."

Then he began to give a brief explanation: "These footprints are an illusion, simulated by a plant. Judging from the shape, they should be the footprints of someone in our research institute, and the pattern on the sole is the style of the boots we are issued."

It's likely that we've been frequently using this road lately, and it detected us, so it conducted a simulation.

After speaking, Beirut straightened up, indicating that the photo shoot was complete.

Dr. Kuzawa named it "Pseudofoot Fern," a mimetic plant whose leaves actually resemble footprints.

The underside of the leaf can be subtly deformed to change shape according to the surrounding environment, forming a footprint-like pattern.

The tracker might mistake it for a companion's trail and be led into a dangerous area. It is also said to be able to transform into other tracks to lure larger animals.

However, the environmental conditions it requires for growth are currently unclear, so we did not dig up any samples to bring back to the lab.

As they talked, the group continued onward.

Just then, cries for help came from the distant white fog.

"Help! Is anyone there? I'm trapped."

This made Toby roll his eyes and retort, "Wasn't that the same line you said last time? Can't these liars come up with something new?"

Chapter 48 Sulfuric Acid Pool X Capture

"Is it alright to kill these people?"

In the swamp, Kevin knocked three enormous monster pigs to the ground.

These strange pigs were as big as two or three adults combined, and their skin had a camouflage-like color that allowed them to cleverly hide in the swamp.

However, it seems to be just a simple disguise; their original skin is pink.

Instead of fangs, its nose, which protrudes like a pointed shoe, makes it extremely threatening when it rams into something.

Professor Beirut, now under protection, stood up with the help of his assistant. He had been quite startled when the three giant pigs suddenly burst out of the bushes.

The professor patted his behind and waved his hand, saying, "These are monstrous boars. Don't be fooled by their ferocious appearance and huge size; they are actually at the bottom of the food chain in this area."

"Really?" Kevin asked, somewhat surprised.

“That’s right, they are one of the few non-endangered species here. They reproduce quickly and are omnivorous. They are often lured into traps by all sorts of plants and animals and become food for other creatures.” As he spoke, Beirut listed several creatures that specifically prey on these wild boars.

"As long as there is no deliberate large-scale hunting, their numbers will basically not become extinct."

Moreover, they don't just live in this swamp; they inhabit the entire forest park, though they camouflage themselves in the swamp.

"This is all thanks to the fact that they live in this dangerous area. It is said that their meat is firm, delicious, and odorless, making them a rare and expensive ingredient outside."

"It's just that this area is too dangerous, so very few people dare to venture in to hunt," Toby explained simply from the side.

Even though we are at the bottom of the food chain here, it is better than the endless hunting by greedy humans outside.

Upon hearing this, Kevin picked out a wild boar that looked to be of good quality, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and planned to take it back to eat.

Fortunately, I can now continue using digestive medication.

The fishy sizzle roared and continued to penetrate deeper into the swamp.

The journey was filled with constant battles, with all sorts of strange and dangerous creatures appearing one after another.

There were even one or two creatures that he had never seen before, which kept Beirut busy taking pictures and collecting samples.

Kevin finally witnessed just how terrifying the "Deceptionist's Nest," known as a forbidden area, truly was for ordinary people.

Every creature here is worthy of being recorded in a fantasy biographies.

In Kevin's view, this ghost world is simply a fantasy world disguised with a modern worldview.

"We're here, just ahead."

Upon hearing this, Kevin looked up and could feel a faint warmth emanating from the distance, and the surrounding fog was significantly lighter than in other places.

After walking a few more steps, Kevin noticed something swaying in the shadows of the plants.

The shadows of these plants began to move, converging on the fragrant grass, the earthworms' shadows...

"Phanerocera?"

"You know this thing?" Berut looked at Kevin with some surprise.

Kevin nodded: "I've seen them in the lab before, and I've also looked up their files."

"That's good. They're not that dangerous during the day. It's only around dusk, when the shadows they cast are somewhat deceptive."

Moreover, unless someone has been lost in the forest for too long and has begun to lose consciousness, they are actually very difficult to lure.

The carnivorous creature continued its journey and finally arrived at its destination—a sulfuric acid pool that harbors parasites.

On the shore, one can see constant movement within the shadows of numerous plants, with shadowy protrusions occasionally peeking out. Lush, reed-like plants, reaching up to two meters in height, grow all around.

In the center of the reed field was the sulfuric acid pool, which looked like an ordinary small pond, with some tenacious plants growing inside.

The liquid in the pond is pale green and semi-transparent. Through this semi-transparent liquid, you can even clearly see fish-like creatures swimming in the water.

“The snakefish, an endangered species, has only been found in this sulfuric acid pond so far, with a number not exceeding one hundred pairs,” Beirut explained, squatting on the bank.

Haka, standing next to Kevin, explained, "These are our research subjects. We want to study the ecological environment of these fish to see if we can help them reproduce more offspring."

“The scales of these fish have a very strong anti-corrosion effect, making them top-grade biological materials. If we could successfully breed them artificially…” Toby, who was standing next to him, didn’t finish his sentence, but his meaning was already very clear.

Beirut took out an item he had been carrying on his back, which unfolded to reveal a large, specially designed water tank.

"I need to get a box of acid from here to change the living environment for some of the research subjects in my lab."

After taking safety precautions, the three of them got to work.

Kevin opened his own "circle" and walked around the pond.

There are many larvae here, densely packed, like ants. Within the circle's perception range, these creatures are clearly visible.

The shadow insect is a kind of insect that can breathe fire; breathing fire is part of its instinct.

Their flat bodies are extremely fragile, and the air forms a shadow-like structure on them, almost becoming part of their bodies.

Since they are completely defenseless, they are virtually unharmed. It is extremely difficult for ordinary people to capture them, especially under the dense shade of these plants.

Kevin pulled out a few empty vials, opened the bottle, and flung them away forcefully.

With a few "whoosh" sounds, several larvae were captured as the medicine tube pierced the air. The transparent medicine tube plunged straight into the mud, and the captured larvae struggled inside like long worms.

“As expected, you can catch them too.” Beirut turned around and said after hearing the commotion.

In Berger's team, only three people can recite it: Berger himself and two amateur hunters.

Although these two can use ki, they do not have hunter's licenses, and in Kevin's opinion, they are of average talent and have a weak ability to control ki.

They are usually responsible for capturing many creatures that are difficult to sample.

Like Kevin, they also regularly lead teams to protect these researchers. Furthermore, both are experts in their respective fields.

Kevin's purpose in capturing these insects was simple: he wanted to use them in medicine.

He has learned that these larvae have almost no natural enemies and their populations reproduce stably. As long as they are not deliberately captured in a destructive manner, they will not have any impact on their ecology.

After all, the shadow parasite was a creature that could evoke a faint desire in him.