Chapter 501: The Fourth-System Evolution Ability

Seeing Yang Jin, Xia Qing, who was wearing a Level-3 field protective suit, couldn't help wanting to complain.

The Iron Rooster was as ruthless toward others as he was generous toward himself. Ever since getting the special protective suit, this guy had never worn a Level-3 field protective suit again.

Yang Jin didn't understand Xia Qing's grudge. With bright eyes, he walked over quickly and asked in a low voice, "Rested well?"

Xia Qing nodded. "Captain Yang, do you think the evolved bear will come back?"

Yang Jin speculated, "Evolved animals have extremely strong magnetoreception and sense of smell. They actively avoid contaminated danger zones. So until the danger here is completely cleared, the evolved bear won't come back here looking for food."

Third Brother had said that completely clearing the danger here caused by the poison gas bombs would take at least half a year. Xia Qing felt a little relieved and humbly asked, "The magnetoreception you just mentioned—is that also a type of evolution ability?"

It was the first time Xia Qing had heard the term magnetoreception. Because Yang Jin had grouped it with "sense of smell," which represented an ability, Xia Qing judged it was very likely an evolution ability she had never heard of before.

"Yes, magnetoreception is also a type of evolution ability. It was only officially named last month." Yang Jin used a key to open the iron door and invited Xia Qing into the command room. "Magnetoreception is a keen sensitivity to changes in circumstances. This ability lets animals identify potential threats and take action to protect themselves, actively avoiding danger."

Amazing!

Xia Qing seized the chance to ask, "Captain Yang, is magnetoreception unique to high-level evolved animals, or do all animals share it?"

Seeing Xia Qing looking at him with a pair of beautiful eyes full of curiosity, Yang Jin explained without holding anything back, "As for whether all animals share it, that's still unclear. Right now we only know that most mammals possess this ability, including humans. Research on this ability has only just begun. Whether it should be classified as a brain-domain evolution ability or a tactile-type evolution ability hasn't been decided yet. Magnetoreception can be understood as what we call the 'sixth sense.' In Buddhism, it's called 'mind-consciousness.'"

After taking off his protective mask, Yang Jin poured Xia Qing a cup of water and continued answering her questions. "Before the catastrophe, researchers called it 'extrasensory perception.' That's because this perception isn't obtained through sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch."

Sixth sense? Xia Qing also took off her protective mask and gloves, held the warm cup of water, and asked Yang Jin, "After Blue Star's evolution, is human magnetoreception generally weaker than that of evolved animals?"

Yang Jin nodded. "That's indeed the case. Humans' weak magnetoreception is related to the human living environment."

"During the agricultural era, humans depended on nature and coexisted with it. During this period, the difference between human and animal magnetoreception shouldn't have been large. After entering the industrial era, humans came into opposition with nature and began madly plundering natural resources. After entering the information era, humans immersed themselves in the virtual spaces they created, growing ever farther from nature."

"Relying on their developed brains, humans gradually built a living environment many times safer than that of other animals. The vast majority of humans live from birth to death in safe environments, so their vigilance has atrophied." Yang Jin took out some green lantern jerky from his backpack, put it on the table, and gestured to Xia Qing not to just drink water—she could try his jerky.

"Thank you." Xia Qing took a piece of jerky and continued asking, "Why was this ability named magnetoreception instead of vigilance, extrasensory perception, or mind-sense?"

Yang Jin explained, "There's still no widely accepted and verified argument for what the sixth sense or vigilance actually is. Psychologists believe vigilance belongs to deep consciousness—that is, the subconscious. The vigilance ability researchers have now discovered is related to magnetic-field sensing, which is why it was named magnetoreception. You can simply think of it this way: magnetoreception is one type within the sixth sense or vigilance that has been proven to exist. As for whether other types exist, further research is needed to confirm."

"Magnetic-field sensing?"

Xia Qing tried hard to recall the knowledge about magnetic fields she'd learned in junior high before the catastrophe. But after ten years of earth-shaking upheaval, she could only vaguely remember sitting in a clean, bright physics lab, watching a compass needle change direction at different positions along a wire.

Yang Jin explained as simply as he could, "Magnetic-field sensing means a person can sense magnetic fields and react to changes in them. Magnetic fields are produced by magnets or electric currents. All living organisms have weak bioelectric currents inside them. For example, when we blink, we produce 5-6 millivolts of voltage; when the heart beats, it produces 1-2 millivolts; when the brain thinks about a problem, it also produces 0.2-1 millivolts."

"Magnetoreception ability evolvers can keenly detect changes in the surrounding environment, including the magnetic fields triggered by bioelectric currents in people, animals, and plants, as well as changes in other magnetic fields. Xu Pin of the Sufeng Squad may possess magnetoreception evolution ability."

The reason for saying "may" was that Xu Pin had already been blown to bits, so it was impossible to confirm whether he was a magnetoreception evolver.

Xia Qing suddenly saw the light: So the reason she could sense that something was off with the plants was that the biomagnetic fields inside them had changed!

So both she and Yuan Yan were magnetoreception ability evolvers. Yuan Yan was a dual-system evolver, while she herself was a four-system evolver!

Xia Qing pressed her excitement deep down and, as calmly and sincerely as she could, praised the ally in front of her who had provided her with important information. "Captain Yang, you're really amazing. You know everything—even the magnitudes of the bioelectric currents produced by various human body movements."

Yang Jin smiled. The attractive corners of his eyes turned up, like a beautiful, sly fox. "That's because I'm a brain-domain evolver."

I...

Where's my Boss Yang? Get over here right now and teach this fox how to be a proper human being!

The sly fox Iron Rooster Yang Jin noticed that Xia Qing was very interested in magnetoreception. He stood up and added some hot water for her so she could keep warming her hands with the cup, then proposed a trade. "I have research materials on this topic. Trade? But the price won't be low."

I...

Xia Qing picked up the cup and took a big sip, suppressing the urge to punch someone, but was surprised by the familiar taste of the water. "This is?"

Pollution-free spring water?!

Yang Jin nodded. "It's a bit lacking, but still drinkable. Make do with it."

What he expressed was very clear: this wasn't spring water from her territory.

If it wasn't from Xia Qing's territory, then Yang Jin had transported it from the Sea of Death. It seemed he had already gotten a firm grip on that spring.

"You're far too modest. This water is delicious." Xia Qing took another sip and very sincerely negotiated a trade with the Iron Rooster. "I want to trade for the research materials you mentioned, and for all the knowledge and materials you can offer up for trade. Name an honest price."

Fifteen-year-old Xia Qing had never had the chance to study science in depth before being thrust into brutal survival competition. It wasn't that she didn't want to learn—she simply had no opportunity. Now that living conditions were a little better, Xia Qing wanted to learn as much as she could to improve her survival skills.

"Fifty jin of walnuts." Yang Jin opened his mouth like a lion.

"Seventy jin." This time Xia Qing didn't just refuse to bargain—she added another twenty jin on top, though she had conditions attached.

"Twenty jin to trade for your existing stock. The extra fifty jin is to trade for knowledge you obtain afterward that you can share. We'll have a ground-based mobile communication base station installed here by the end of the year. When that happens, we can form a local network, and transmitting materials will be much more convenient than now. For you, this trade just means hitting one extra 'send' button after receiving the shared knowledge. What do you think?"

She's really clever—she knows how to grab the key points. Yang Jin smiled again and raised his tea cup. "Then it's a deal?"

"Deal."

Xia Qing raised her cup and drained it in one go.