Chapter 172

With a clear plan, Lin Xian came to the No. 3 research carriage, preparing to arrange accommodation for Ding Junyi, but saw her still seriously studying the black nematode taken from the corpse crow.

"I don't like others disturbing me when I'm working." Ding Junyi stopped her work, turned back to look at Lin Xian: "But you're an exception."

Lin Xian was stunned: "Then I'm quite surprised."

"You are my employer now, and also a partner I've chosen. I should show you respect and importance."

Lin Xian smiled and walked over to look at her: "I won't pay you, so I'm not your employer, and I don't think people who have experienced life and death together are called partners..."

"This world is already full of danger and challenges for us. Since I've already agreed to let you on the train, you don't need to judge the pros and cons of communicating with me from the perspective of a partnership. Relax. I don't have any requirements for research results from you. If you must set contribution conditions for yourself, just help me grow those seeds."

Lin Xian's mentality had indeed changed quite a bit. When he first formulated the Infinity Train plan, he hoped that everyone could exert the greatest value for the train. At that time, he was both nervous and cautious.

But now, he didn't want to evaluate the people boarding the train purely based on their contribution levels. For survival, everyone was shining and heating within their own capabilities. These people gathered around him, making him feel the support of a team. This power of unity was the source that supported everyone in persisting in their beliefs during the endless long night.

Ding Junyi looked at him, her gaze changing slightly, then she broke the silence: "Thank you. Your attitude toward me makes me feel much more pleasant."

"But I am a scientist, not a gardener. Aside from the planting carriage you want, my research on dark creatures won't stop. This is the realization of my self-worth, and it's also the effort... I want to make."

"Alright." Lin Xian understood, and his heart was very supportive.

He had now specially manufactured a radio for Ding Junyi to listen to various useful scientific research information on the Doomsday Radio. Combined with her research, it could indeed provide the team with many valuable analyses.

"By the way." Lin Xian remembered the serious business: "I'm reorganizing the carriages, and I haven't arranged where you're staying yet?"

"No need to arrange."

Ding Junyi pointed to a compartment not far from the research desk: "The space in the disinfection room is quite large. I've already organized it. I can use a nap bed to rest, and it can also serve as my personal lounge."

Lin Xian was a bit surprised when he heard this and looked at the compartment. It could fit a single bed, but the space was indeed a bit crowded.

Ding Junyi saw Lin Xian's expression and said directly: "It's just a place to sleep. My work area has two whole carriages, making me the person with the largest space on the entire train, so it's not crowded for me. Of course, if you want to sleep with me, it's indeed a bit crowded, and it's not soundproof."

*Cough~*

Lin Xian cleared his throat and changed the subject: "After passing the high-altitude corridor, we've gained some time for refitting. If you have any needs for upgrading the train, you can bring them up."

"I do, actually."

Ding Junyi walked to a computer nearby and opened a panel: "Now that we've added members, there are more samples to study. So, I want to conduct a test of ability evolution data for all personnel on the train, to be used for research on dark power."

"Test? Which aspect are you talking about?"

"Physical examination."

Ding Junyi said: "People like Shu Qin and Chen Sixuan who don't possess abilities have already clearly demonstrated an evolutionary state, and the physical mechanisms they've gained are not the same. Others will also change in different aspects. I believe the Phoenix Society is also observing this pattern. If this aspect becomes clearer and clearer, then ordinary people who don't possess abilities can also find ways to improve their survival."

"Do you think everyone will evolve?" Lin Xian asked. "Yes, it's just individual differences. So, extensive data sampling is needed, including the type of evolution, growth rate, causes inducing evolution, individual differences, etc. If we can regularly conduct survey monitoring on all personnel on the train, combined with the data published by the Phoenix Society, I might be able to provide the entire train with an 【Evolution Plan】."

Evolution Plan.

When Ding Junyi said this word, Lin Xian suddenly felt a shock in his heart. He immediately asked: "What about the evolution of ability users? The Phoenix Society shouldn't have a very clear plan now either. The Black Crow quartet we encountered before was hunting other ability users everywhere, including a strange-limb ability user I once met who said that killing eerie entities or ability users could gain evolution. But the problem is..."

"Not accurate enough." Ding Junyi lifted her glasses: "In the early Angel Project, an experimental result was indeed obtained: eerie entities and ability users would have an energy overflow after being killed. This energy has a certain similarity to the Soul-Returning Value and can be absorbed by experimental subjects to gain a certain improvement. However, after we studied the Eerie Blood Essence, we found that this dissipated energy is completely incomparable to the energy density carried by the Eerie Blood Essence. So, if one wants to undergo ability evolution, whether it's an ordinary person or an ability user, directly swallowing Eerie Blood Essence is the most direct way."

Lin Xian frowned upon hearing this: "So simple?"

"Theoretically, yes. But swallowing Eerie Blood Essence is a very dangerous behavior. The first human-eerie in the former laboratory of the Angel Project was produced after an experimental subject swallowed Eerie Blood Essence, leading to evolutionary mutation."

"Fallen?"

"That's right."

Ding Junyi said: "You can think of the Dark Tide as an energy invasion from some higher-dimensional world, and eerie entities are the creatures of this world. The vast majority of humans cannot withstand such energy invasion, so they fall into zombies. And we who have survived represent that we are gradually adapting to the power of this invasion. But the power of this dark invasion has too many unknowns for us. Why do we gain abilities? Why can some people evolve faster than others? We haven't found the exact reason. So, without knowing this principle, forcibly swallowing the power of blood essence in an attempt to directly gain evolution is obviously a very reckless behavior."

Lin Xian was silent for a moment upon hearing this. He remembered that time when Kiki experienced falling, and he had used Eerie Blood Essence for Kiki to swallow. It was indeed a bit reckless, but at that time, they were at their wits' end and had no other way.

"So evolution is not just gaining the power of this dark invasion, but also has different prerequisites according to individuals, or what you call... triggers?"

!

Ding Junyi nodded: "Yes. But there is one condition that is currently widely recognized, and that is mental willpower. This is also why many ability users feel that they have a better chance of evolving in near-death situations. Because people often can erupt with extremely powerful mental willpower when facing death, commonly known as survival instinct. For example, Lou Ye's evolution this time looked very dangerous, but Chen Sixuan's evolution is more in line with the path of an ordinary person's mental growth. This point is also a very key factor."

Lin Xian sighed: "Then in this environment, if willpower collapses, or after swallowing blood essence leading to dark invasion power exceeding the limit the body can bear, it will easily lead to incorrect evolution, turning into a zombie or human-eerie?"

"This point has been confirmed." Ding Junyi said: "So I think regular testing of all personnel on the train is very necessary. Besides being used for research, it can also understand the situation of internal personnel and avoid falling of personnel on our train, thereby triggering chain infection."

"Good." Team Leader Lin nodded. At this time, he looked at the Hell Black Chrysanthemum, the red light on it still bright: "What about this?"

Ding Junyi looked at the black flower in the plant cultivation cabin behind her and said faintly: "Still observing the red light reaction on it. Currently, there is no very obvious pattern. The previous statement was just my personal guess."

"Then can we take a little bit of the flower to study?" Lin Xian asked.

"This is not a plant from our world. From our previous research analysis, it has an energy density far exceeding Eerie Blood Essence. But now we can't do specific experiments because it's the only experimental object in our laboratory. The superiors require us not to physically destroy it, so we haven't extracted samples for experiments."

"I understand." Lin Xian smiled and pointed to the flower: "Aside from not being able to do human experiments, you can toss it around as you like."

Raising a treasure and not using it for research—should he just worship it? Lin Xian didn't care if it was the only sample. If it couldn't provide value, then this thing was just a piece of waste grass.

Ding Junyi lifted her eyebrows and looked at Lin Xian with great appreciation: "I have exactly that intention. Thank you for the authorization you gave me."

(End of chapter)