Chapter 436: Chapter 114: What if We Exchanged Roles_3
“Security?
That’s someone else’s responsibility.
An hour and a half later, Link and Lanny finally finished the sampling process.
Along with the sampling, some test and inspection results had yet to come out.
Let it be for now.
“Collect some corpses for dissection.”
After viewing a few test results, without investigating deeper, Link ordered.
“Understood.”
Lanny promptly agreed.
Then, together with Link, she started searching for relatively intact, fresh insect-race bodies within the colony for dissection.
Tiffany and Fred had their own research methods and rhythms, but they also reached the stage needing corpses.
The two groups searched around the rather small insect-race colony and soon encountered each other.
“Have you discovered anything? Can we exchange insights?”
Tiffany had no qualms about her competitive relationship with Link and straightforwardly asked for an academic discussion.
Link responded, “A little. Are you willing to exchange information with me?”
Tiffany nodded, “Why not? Focusing on our respective tasks shouldn’t prevent us from sharing information.”
“Hmm…”
After pondering for a while, Link said, “Based on the available data, there’s no sign of a high concentration of toxins in the soil, water, or organic matter. The massive dying of the insect race, at least the extinction of this colony, doesn’t seem to be caused by changes in the natural environment. Given the mission background involving the resurgence of the insect race in this world, I suspect that there might be one or several unknown external factors influencing the insect race.”
After a pause, Link bluntly put forth his conjecture:
“Natural selection – survival of the fittest.
Such external influences might be promoting the evolution of the insect race.
However, a hollow entity cannot be replenished. The insect race in this world has been degenerating for nearly a thousand years. Most individuals couldn’t endure this kind of stimulation, resulting in death rather than evolution.
But from the insect race’s perspective, as long as one individual survives and completes the evolution, the colony’s survival is ensured.
Their reproductive speed is simply too fast.”
“I agree with your inference.”
After hearing Link’s explanation, Tiffany first agreed, then shared their findings, “We’ve noticed that some of the insect race corpses bear signs of tearing and biting. Some incomplete limbs that haven’t been fully digested were also found. Based on this, we inferred two possibilities: either the external influence caused some changes in the insect race’s intellectual level, leading to intra-species killing; or, like many animals in nature in which the male sacrifices himself after the female’s reproduction for the female to feed on, some members of the insect race sacrificed themselves for the evolution of their species.”
After a pause to allow time for digestion and comprehension, Tiffany emphasized, “We are more inclined towards the second interpretation, and are more cautious about its validity. It signifies that something unknown is causing the insect race to willingly, or forcefully, make life-or-death decisions.”
While Link and Tiffany were discussing, in a secluded corner,
The round-faced young man who was previously responsible for piloting the shuttle approached Sandra, speaking to her through a “spiritual link”: “They’re putting on a show for you, aren’t they?”
“Indeed.”
Sandra affirmed the round-faced young man’s words, then counter-questioned, “And what about it?”
“Nothing. It just seems a bit pretentious.”
The round-faced young man shrugged, not quite appreciating the attitude of Tiffany and Link.
Sandra looked at the round-faced young man deeply and emphasized,
“I don’t think it’s pretentious. I actually admire it. If you had no illustrious background and found yourself in Tiffany’s position, or even that of Lanny or Link’s, what would you do?”
Having said that, Sandra turned her attention away from the round-faced young man.
She was keenly observing two research groups, each demonstrating their value, or at least their attitude, in their own ways.
Some are born with everything, others spend their entire lives with nothing.
Those who have should not ridicule those who don’t.
And never mock those who strive to improve themselves.
There’s no shame in trying.