Zuo Feng gazed at the eight plants, a myriad of emotions swirling within him.
Their existence seemed an unsolved mystery, each plant containing unknown power, some peaceful, some perilous.
"Alright, girls, go be busy yourselves."
Zuo Feng said in a low voice, a hint of weariness and complex emotion in his tone.
The girls nodded lightly, then departed.
Only Zuo Feng remained in the room, his gaze once again falling upon the burial coffin wood.
Logically, such a dangerous thing should have been discarded immediately.
As for destroying it, Zuo Feng hadn't even considered it, because it certainly couldn't be done.
But that subtle sense of pull prevented him from making any easy decisions.
Two hours later, Jun Moce and four others successfully became Super Individuals. After bidding farewell to Zuo Feng, the five Super Individuals excitedly galloped towards E City. Next, they also needed to prepare their subordinates to break through in the Void Land.
Naturally, Zuo Feng asked more about the two thirteen-striped Mutant and the burial coffin wood, and coincidentally, both items came from the same place—the depths of the Kunlun Mountains.
As a sacred place in ancient mythology, the Kunlun Mountains had always hidden countless unsolved mysteries.
Many mysterious legends had circulated there since ancient times, and now it seemed they might not be groundless.
Zuo Feng pondered for a long time. He had thought about venturing deep into the Kunlun Mountains to investigate, but ultimately gave up.
The reason was simple: he knew his current strength was insufficient to deal with the potential dangers in that area. He, a small fry who had only lit three Lotus Seeds, was not yet capable of prying into such a secret realm.
However, the legends of the Kunlun Mountains, like a thin thread, quietly entwined around his heart.
Nevertheless, regarding the appearance of the thirteen-striped Mutant and the burial coffin wood, the most excited and thrilled was not Zuo Feng, nor the Firefly girls, but Professor Yan.
Upon learning of the existence of the thirteen-striped Mutant and the burial coffin wood, Professor Yan rushed to Zuo Feng almost immediately, his eyes shining as if he had discovered the most precious treasure in the world.
"Thirteen-striped Mutant... this is simply a heaven-sent experimental sample!"
Professor Yan was so excited he was almost incoherent.
"The burial coffin wood is an unprecedented research subject!"
He murmured, a fervent gleam in his eyes, as he slowly paced around the burial coffin wood and the two thirteen-striped Mutant.
Zuo Feng stood by, watching Professor Yan's almost obsessive demeanor, his eyelids twitching slightly. If not for his strict prohibition, Zuo Feng had no doubt that the a-grade metal scalpel in Professor Yan's hand would have already reached for the burial coffin wood and the two Mutant.
"Professor Yan, give up. With the defense of the thirteen stripes, a-grade metal cannot harm a single hair on it. As for the burial coffin wood, it is too dangerous and cannot be touched right now."
Upon hearing this, Professor Yan reluctantly waved the a-grade metal scalpel in his hand a few times in the air towards the Mutant lying in the coffin. The blade cut several dazzling silver arcs under the light, and he finally put it away, tucking it deep into his white coat pocket.
On his wrinkled face, the fervor receded slightly, but a persistent, burning desire remained. His gaze, like the most precise scanner, repeatedly scrutinized the ominous-looking burial coffin wood and the two thirteen-striped Mutant slumbering in their heavy metal coffins.
"I know, I know..."
Professor Yan's voice carried the stubborn sigh characteristic of a research fanatic, as if he was calming his agitated heart, and also as if he was trying to persuade Zuo Feng.
"a-grade metal is indeed unable to cause effective damage to the surface of such a high-level organism; I still understand this basic physical law. As for this 'burial coffin wood'..."
His gaze was fixed on the dark trunk and the strange patterns, deep in his pupils gleamed an almost greedy thirst for knowledge.
"Its energy field and material composition exceed the detection limits of existing instruments. Forcibly touching it could indeed trigger uncontrollable variables... But Leader, aren't you curious?
What exactly is 'imprisoned' inside these ninety-nine miniature coffins?
Their form of existence? Their energy level?
How were they 'sealed' inside? And who did it?
Is this tree itself a prison, an altar, or... some kind of communicator we cannot comprehend?"
He took a step forward, almost pressing against the burial coffin wood's coffin, his voice lowered even further, with a nearly dreamlike focus:
"Listen, listen closely... that whispering sound has appeared again. It's not a simple sound wave vibration, but more like a... resonance formed directly on the spiritual plane.
Although I cannot decipher its specific meaning, I can confirm that its energy fluctuation pattern is extremely complex and... ancient.
This form of existence, if even a ten-thousandth of it could be analyzed, could be a revolutionary breakthrough in biology, energy science, and even spatial theory!
Think about it, if we could find a safe way to interact..."
"Professor Yan!"
Zuo Feng's voice was firm and resolute, carrying an undeniable authority, instantly interrupting Professor Yan's almost frenzied monologue.
He stepped forward, his tall figure blocking between Professor Yan and the burial coffin wood, his gaze sharp as a knife.
"Safe contact? Something that even Wood Essence and Wood Spirit are so wary of that they forbid anyone from approaching, do you think our current technological level can figure out any 'safe' method?
That's not a breakthrough, that's suicide!
It's dragging the entire Firefly and even more people to their graves!"
He pointed at the quietly standing burial coffin wood, his tone heavy:
"Curiosity kills the cat, and it will kill all of us.
Until we have absolute certainty, it, and those two Mutant, must remain under the highest level of isolation.
Without my direct command, no one is allowed to approach, and no form of contact experiment is permitted!
Including you, Professor! This is not a suggestion, it is an order!"
Professor Yan's mouth twitched slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately he just silently took a step back.
Zuo Feng's gaze lingered on Professor Yan's face for a few seconds, then he added:
"Professor Yan, I completely understand your desire for the unknown, and I respect your academic persistence.
However, what we are facing now is not an ordinary sample in a Laboratory, but an existence that could subvert Cognition, and even threaten the entire base and global security, coming from other, higher planes.
We have no room for error.
Scientific research certainly requires a spirit of exploration, but at this critical juncture, any rash attempt could be catastrophic.
I am not against research, but we must be cautious, and we must have adequate preparation before taking this step.
Before then, please restrain your curiosity. This is being responsible to everyone, and also to yourself."
Professor Yan slowly nodded, his expression complex and reluctantly glancing at the burial coffin wood, finally dissolving into an inaudible sigh.