Chapter 1442: The Cry of the Evolution Forest

Having spent a fortune that morning on two pairs of earphones, Xia Qing felt much better after landing a job in the valley.

On her way back to her territory, she sat in the jolting truck, trying to figure out the difference between Zhang Song's observational evolution and Zhang Xun's emotional-perception evolution, and scrolled through the database on her phone. When she delivered the job at Territory Seven, she seized the chance to consult her idol standing at the top of the pyramid. "Third Brother, is there an obvious difference between observational ability and emotional-capture ability?"

The materials went on and on about this ability and that ability, and the more Xia Qing read, the more confused she got. She only remembered one thing: the difference between these two abilities was like the difference between a detective and a psychologist—but she felt those two professions weren't all that different either.

"If there's no difference, why divide them into two categories?"

Because the expected result of an important experiment had just been overturned, Zhang San, who was in the middle of running data analysis and hypothesis reconstruction in his head, shot Xia Qing a look and gave a simple, blunt explanation. "Observational-evolution users have more active occipital lobes, parietal lobes, and frontal eye fields; emotional-capture-evolution users have more active amygdalae, insular cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and prefrontal cortex."

Hearing her idol explain it like that, Xia Qing understood at once. "Third Brother, compared to you, the person who wrote the introduction to brain-domain evolution abilities can't even climb up to the base of the pyramid!"

Zhang San was long past bothering with Xia Qing's pyramid obsession and went on. "The brain is a highly interconnected whole. After receiving input signals, the various regions work together through complex neural networks and then output the analytical result. Emotional-capture-evolution users aren't weak in observation either, and vice versa. In front of these two types of brain-domain evolvers, you need to control your micro-expressions, body language, and vocal changes as much as possible."

"Understood!" Xia Qing immediately put on an expressionless expression to let her idol know she was very strong in this area.

Zhang San slumped lifelessly in his chair. "In front of some emotional-capture-evolution users, even if you control your expressions and body language, they may still pick up on changes inside you, because their amygdalae have evolved too."

This piece of information was really too important. Xia Qing immediately sat up straight and pressed on. "Third Brother, are emotional-capture ability users also Class C magneto-sense evolvers?"

Class C referred to magneto-sense evolvers like Seeing Xin Yu, Zhang Shi, Little Shi Yi, and Wang Shunkang, who could sense the magnetic-field fluctuations of animals including humans.

Zhang San swiveled his chair, opened the fridge, and took out a bottle of purified water. Xia Qing immediately stood up, took it, unscrewed the cap, and poured a glass each for her idol and herself.

After drinking two sips of water, Zhang San finally answered. "By logical deduction, there must be a certain overlap between the two. But I tested the only two samples in Northern Zone One, and the results showed: the intermediate emotional-capture evolver Zhang Xun's amygdala evolution is higher than an ordinary person's, but hasn't reached the level of a Class C magneto-sense evolver. The insular cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and prefrontal cortex evolution of Class C magneto-sense evolver Wang Shunkang also hasn't reached the level of an emotional-capture evolver. But he's still young, so he may develop new evolutionary abilities in the future."

Thinking of that diligent, eager-to-learn child who was only seven, Zhang San's expression softened considerably. "At his current learning pace, Little Duan will be able to officially take the brain-domain evolution type test after another half year of study. Based on my observations, his emotional-capture ability isn't low either."

Xia Qing instantly felt the glass of water in her hand turn sour. "I read in the introduction that the vast majority of brain-domain evolutions are single-type or dual-type."

Your Little Duan is already rare as a three-type brain-domain evolver—if he adds another type, wouldn't that be defying the heavens?!

Zhang San's expression eased. "Little Duan was never in the vast majority to begin with. His memory and thinking ability have definitely evolved. The two types—observational ability and emotional-capture ability—still need testing to confirm."

Non-brain-domain evolver Xia Qing acknowledged him and poured her idol another glass of water.

Zhang San reminded the new human in front of him, "After professional training, advanced emotional-capture evolvers can, on the basis of advanced empathy with others' emotions, use language, tone, eye contact, and even body language to subtly influence the target's emotional state, achieving emotional hypnosis. Zhang Xun is currently learning this ability. When you're around her, even if you feel unusually comfortable, don't let your guard down."

Huh?!

Xia Qing's eyes went wide, and she swallowed the mouthful of water she'd been holding.

Zhang San snorted coldly. "If you've got something to say, just say it. No need to hold it in."

Xia Qing dumped out whatever was in her head. "Third Brother, you had Zhang Xun take Xiao Peng along to plant grass—was that so she could hypnotize him while planting?"

Zhang San used his expression to convey his disdain for Xia Qing.

After a moment's thought, Xia Qing spotted the problem: Zhang Xun's brain-domain evolution ability was public knowledge, so having her idol arrange contact between her and Xiao Peng was equivalent to publicly announcing that any intel Xiao Peng obtained from Territory Seven was unreliable.

She grinned sheepishly and asked, "Wasn't Xiao Peng sent there by you?"

"Xiao Peng volunteered to go to Mountain Fifty to protect Zhang Xun. Zheng Chen didn't refuse, and I couldn't very well interfere directly. Xiao Peng's psychological resilience and willpower are both top-notch—he's a qualified special forces soldier—but he has a flaw: too vivid an imagination. He doesn't need hypnosis at all. Just give him a slight hint, and he can play out an entire drama in his head." Zhang San handed Xia Qing a bag of dried dragon fruit and complained, "Compared to a special forces soldier, he'd be better suited to being a screenwriter or novelist."

Xia Qing tore open the bag, took a piece of dried dragon fruit, and joined in the roast. "Third Brother, Zhang Xun is also suited to being a screenwriter or novelist."

A brain-domain evolver skilled at capturing emotions and blessed with extraordinary imagination, sent to plant grass in the valley—what a waste of talent.

Zhang San drawled lazily, "When she told you all about her evolution abilities, she didn't mention her full name?"

Xia Qing nodded. "She did. She's called Xun Wenying, and she's Assistant Xiao Liu from Territory Nine's cousin."

Zhang San brought up Zhang Xun's hidden identity. "Yingchuan—you haven't heard of it?"

Umm... Xia Qing, who was eating dried fruit, gazed at her idol with wide, expectant eyes. Was she supposed to have heard of it?

Zhang San silently expressed his disdain. "The Cry of the Evolution Forest."

I—!

Xia Qing's eyes instantly went wide. The watercolor masterpiece The Cry of the Evolution Forest had once been all the rage online; at one point, Xia Qing had even used it as her profile picture. But she really hadn't known the artist was called Yingchuan. Also, just because she heard the name Xun Wenying, was she supposed to immediately think of the painter Yingchuan?

Why?

Zhang San sighed. "Your history isn't all that great."

Xia Qing answered sincerely, "Third Brother, I'm actually pretty good at history. I got a perfect score on the middle school entrance exam."

Xia Qing hadn't just aced history. On the middle school entrance exam, she'd performed above her usual level and gotten into a key high school, making her whole family over the moon.

Isn't a perfect score on the middle school entrance exam to be expected? Zhang San was silent for two seconds before saying, "The 'Yingchuan Xun Clan' was an extremely influential aristocratic family in ancient times."

"We don't have that in our textbooks." Xia Qing asked, "Third Brother, when did Zhang Xun enter your territory? Why did she leave Red One Research Institute and come to you?"

Zhang San knew exactly what Xia Qing was getting at and answered directly. "She had previously taken part in a psychology experiment. She had a serious ethical disagreement with the project lead, so she left the team. After leaving Hui One, she submitted an application to me."

Xia Qing was puzzled. "Her previous psychology project was a great fit for her evolution ability. Why did she join the breeding research group after coming to you?"

Zhang San drawled lazily, "She suffered fairly serious psychological trauma from the previous project and actively chose to join the breeding research project as a buffer. During that time, she developed a strong interest in breeding and changed her career path."

"Does she still paint now?" Xia Qing's eyes lit up. "Third Brother, let me spend more time with Zhang Xun. While she's planting grass, she can indulge her hobby and paint a few more pieces. I'll act as her sales agent and we can definitely plug the gap in our research funding!"

Zhang San......

Xia Qing, who had been kicked out of Territory Seven, was driving her own car back to her own territory when she saw Tang Huai leaning against the Territory Two road sign, his profile looking unusually brooding.

The last time Xia Qing had seen him in this state was last year, after he'd been beaten by the captain of the Sufeng Squad, Tang Zhengsu. Who had worked him over this time?