Chapter 145: Roots from Afar

In the early morning, Su Yu woke up in the faint glow of the Listening Speech flower. A gentle warmth came from the scar on her chest, like the first ray of sunlight in the morning mist. She closed her eyes and sank into True Knowledge Vision—the plant network had expanded again. Pale gold energy streams flowed out from Pure Land, winding along the underground root system, connecting the mining community and continuing southward; the farthest tendrils had already reached nearly fifty kilometers.

What surprised her even more was that among the newly connected wild plants, there were three rare specimens of Pure Water Moss. This moss can efficiently filter pollutants, making it a precious species for purifying water sources. The network automatically shared their purifying properties with other plants.

"They are teaching each other," she said to Kaiwen at breakfast.

Kaiwen pulled up a data chart: "It's not just teaching. Look here—the sunflowers at the edge of the mining area have undergone adaptive changes in their root structure, making them better at stabilizing soil in poor land. This is what they 'learned' from the Pure Water Moss."

"Geometry" sat at the other end of the table—it doesn't need to eat, but it observes humans eating. Its silver-gray fingers lightly tapped the tabletop, and a line of floating text appeared:

{Record: Ecological Knowledge Sharing Network. Efficiency: low speed but stable. Sustainability: high. Selan Technology comparison: high speed but requires continuous intervention. }

"Which way do you prefer?" Stone asked curiously, pushing half a potato over. "Try it? Even though you don't need to eat."

"Geometry" stared at the potato for three seconds, then extended a finger, its tip transforming into a tiny analysis probe that lightly touched the potato's surface.

{Component analysis complete. } It retracted its finger, {Preference question cannot be calculated. The Selan way ensures results, but consumes a lot. Your way……is interesting. }

"It's like planting flowers," Xiao Yu interjected. "You can't pull a flower out of the soil to check if its roots have grown; you have to wait."

"Geometry"'s blue light flickered for a moment.

{Analogical understanding: the process is invisible, but we trust the result. } It turned toward Su Yu, {Last night the network reached an unknown energy source. Coordinates have been marked. }

Su Yu and Kaiwen exchanged a glance.

The unknown energy source lies eighty kilometers to the south, in the ruins of an old-era reservoir. The plant network encountered a barrier here—not spore contamination, but some kind of energy barrier that gently but firmly rejected the connection request.

"Unlike Selan's technology," Kaiwen analyzed the detection data, "the energy signature is more……ancient. And there is a life response."

"Life response?"

"Faint, but certain. Inside the barrier there are at least three stable life signals."

Han Qing immediately organized a reconnaissance team. Su Yu insisted on joining—if it involves ancient energy, her Resonance might be needed.

"Geometry" suddenly spoke: "Request to join."

Everyone looked at it.

"The observation task includes recording crisis response." Its voice was steady, "and my sensor array can penetrate the barrier to analyze internal structure, improving efficiency by 73%."

A brief silence. Han Qing looked toward Su Yu.

"Let it come." Su Yu said, "We need information."

"Geometry" stood up, its silver-gray surface flowing and reshaping, its stature slightly shrinking to approach human proportions. "Camouflage mode activated. Avoid drawing the target's attention."

The convoy headed south. Outside the window lay the land slowly being purified by the plant network—although ruins remained, green began to sprout from the cracks. Stone and Xiao Yu were left at the camp, two kids leaning against the window edge waving until the convoy disappeared from sight.

"Will they be safe?" Su Yu asked softly.

"Probability: 99.7%." "Geometry" sat beside her, its blue eyes scanning the vegetation through the car window, "the defending team has enough personnel on standby, the plant network provides early warning. And——"

It paused for half a second, "They have 'Hope Grass'."

Su Yu looked at it in surprise.

"You remembered the name."

{Learning progress: plant naming conventions. } A data stream flashed across its surface, "'Hope' is an intangible concept, but Xiao Yu gave it a physical form. Interesting."

Two hours later, the reservoir ruins came into view.

A massive concrete structure was half-submerged in the water, with strange luminous plants floating on the surface. The barrier was right here—invisible to the naked eye, but in True Knowledge Vision a pale gold membrane enveloped the entire reservoir area, with internal energy flowing rhythmically like breathing.

"Geometry" stepped out of the vehicle, its fingertip firing a silver beam to scan the barrier.

{Analysis: Ancient Seeder Protective Technology. Level: Basic Isolation. Purpose: to protect the internal ecological refuge. }

"A refuge?" Han Qing frowned.

"The internal life signals are human, three in total. Health condition: one severely injured, two lightly injured. Energy reserves: remaining 17%, continuously decreasing."

Su Yu walked to the barrier and reached out to touch it. The membrane was warm, like glass in sunlight. She sank her consciousness into it, softly inquiring using the frequency of the Listening Speech flower:

"We are friends. Do you need help?"

The barrier fluctuated. A weak, aged voice sounded directly in her consciousness:

"Seven years……finally someone has come……but you……are bringing the 'Observer'……"

The voice pointed at "Geometry".

"It's an observer, not intervening." Su Yu explained, "We can help you."

After a long silence, the barrier slowly opened a narrow gap, just wide enough for one person to pass through.

"Only……Seeders……may enter……"

Su Yu looked at her teammates; Han Qing nodded: "We'll cover you. Be careful."

She stepped into the barrier.

Inside was another world—a small ecological dome, fresh air, luminous vines covering the walls, vegetables planted beside the central pool. Three elderly people sat before a crude shelter; the oldest lay on a stretcher, blood seeping from the bandages wrapped around his chest.

"My name is Lin Qing Shan," the seated elder said, his voice hoarse. "Before the disaster, I was an ecologist. This is……the last seed bank."

He pointed to the corner, where several sealed containers held hundreds of plant species' original seeds.

"The Seeder's mark……" the lying elder struggled to say, his eyes fixed on the scar on Su Yu's chest, "You have found the Listening Speech……"

Su Yu froze: "You know this flower?"

"I planted it." The old man coughed, "Seven years ago, Ai Ou gave me the seeds before leaving. He said……someone would come, and the flower would tell her……"

He hadn't finished speaking when he fainted.

Lin Qing Shan grasped Su Yu's hand, tears in his old eyes: "Save him. He knows……how to find Ai Ou."

Outside the barrier, "Geometry"'s sensor array captured the entire conversation.

Its data stream suddenly accelerated, and its core logic produced an inexplicable command:

{Priority task updated: assist treatment. }

{Cause: unknown. }

But its fingertip had already begun analyzing the elder's injury and generating a treatment plan.