Chapter 27

Ling is creating new combinations within the 'aircraft carrier' using cells. Originally, Ling wanted to design various types, but suddenly felt it was unnecessary, so in the end, only one type was designed.

These hunting units are mainly spherical in structure, with a large mouth-like opening on the surface. The inner walls of the large mouth are covered with conical cells forming sharp spines, and among them are acid injectors. As long as they approach their prey and open the mouth, they can suck them in and crush them with the numerous spines mixed with dissolving fluid.

In addition to the large-mouthed spheres, they are equipped with an eyeball for observation and two long, flat tentacles to help them swim.

They are called 'Devourers,' and as the name suggests, Ling created them for the purpose of devouring!

However, the so-called Devourers do not have the ability to digest food, as their inner mouths are completely covered with conical spines or dissolving fluid nozzles. Their body structure is composed of a large number of muscle cells, eliminating the organs for absorbing and transmitting food, which maximizes their speed and strength. If they almost run out of energy, they only need to return to the 'aircraft carrier' and connect to the fat tentacles inside to replenish.

Ling suddenly realized that 'organs' seemed to be a new term, referring to various structures composed of multiple cells for different purposes.

It feels good, so let's start hunting!

The Devourers began their operation, swaying their tentacles on the sides and swimming out from the channels on the surface of the aircraft carrier, starting to hunt all nearby cells.

The Devourers vary in size, which Ling designed to allow them to penetrate various sand grain gaps. The smallest are composed of only a few hundred cells, while the largest have tens of thousands, but their functions and appearances are identical. Ling felt there was no need to design too many types at the moment.

The Devourers dispersed, each swimming to hunting grounds suitable for their size.

As soon as they spot cells, the Devourers rush forward, open their large mouths, and swallow them, then crush them into pieces.

During the process of hunting cells, Ling noticed that these cells' movements were different from what it had seen before. They were faster and could absorb oxygen.

It seems these cells, like itself, have adapted to and utilized oxygen. However, no matter how fast they are, they cannot match the Devourers, which are composed of multiple cells.

As Ling thought, the structure of the Devourers is very suitable for hunting many cells. The prey has no resistance against the Devourers, whether in speed or other aspects, which gave Ling an idea: it might no longer need any single cells other than the basic ones. It can combine them into multi-cellular organisms.

After all, multi-cellular organisms are stronger in every aspect than single cells.

The nearby small cell clusters were quickly devoured by the Devourers. Some Devourers returned to the aircraft carrier, spitting out the collected food. Ling then used part of the nutrients to create fat cells for storage, and the rest to create more Devourers.

Ling's hunting range gradually expanded, from the gaps between the sand grains below to the vast waters around, where the figures of the Devourers hunting could be seen.

By penetrating the gaps between the sand grains, Ling discovered that there was a significant amount of white paste deep in the sand. The cells here were probably attracted by the white paste, but this time, Ling did not plan to eat the white paste. After all, it would eventually run out, so it was better to leave it to attract more cells, providing a continuous source of food.

Ling is now constantly repeating the cycle of hunting—returning—storing nutrients—creating more Devourers—increasing the aircraft carrier's size—continuing to hunt. The entire process is very simple and not dangerous. After a while, the term 'leisurely' popped up in Ling's mind.

Ling observed the green cells in the breeding areas and found that their numbers had increased. This suggests that they indeed have a way to obtain food from light, as this position, although much colder than above, still receives sunlight.

Ling thought about whether it should create more breeding areas to raise more...

While Ling was pondering this issue, its Devourers suddenly transmitted a special thought.

A Devourer hunting in the distance suddenly experienced intense pain, which quickly spread to all its cells. Then, Ling lost all sensation from it.

Dead?

Ling remembered this feeling. Before the Devourer died, Ling saw a familiar object through its eyeball.

A bright substance was spreading in the water, emitting a cold aura that rapidly turned everything around it into a solid. All the cells were fleeing, desperately trying to hide in the sand to avoid this danger.

Ling did the same, immediately ordering all the Devourers to return to the aircraft carrier. They were much faster than single cells, and with the support of oxygen, their speed exceeded the rate at which the ice spread. Only two Devourers, which were farther away, were lost, while the rest returned safely.

The aircraft carrier could also move, but Ling did not plan to flee.

It wanted to face this threat and evolve from the crisis!

Ling closed all the channel openings on the aircraft carrier, retracted the eyeball on top into the body, and accelerated the hardening of the skin cells. At this point, the spreading ice had already approached the aircraft carrier's body.

A cold sensation came from the skin, and Ling could clearly feel it spreading throughout the entire aircraft carrier. However, because the outer skin was gray and not transparent, it could not see the situation outside.

However, the ice did not spread further. It was blocked by the skin and did not penetrate into the aircraft carrier's interior. But the cold continued to kill the cells on the skin.

Ling knew what to do.

Just like before, Ling connected all the fat cells to the skin, continuously supplying nutrients to keep the living cells dividing to combat the cold crisis.

The battle with the ice did not last long.

After a while of continuously repairing the skin cells, Ling gradually no longer felt the cold, and no more cells died.

Perhaps because they had experienced cold before, the cells quickly developed resistance to it.

During this time, Ling paid attention to the group of green cells. Although the ice did not penetrate the breeding area, almost half of them died, and the remaining few huddled together, secreting a transparent gel-like substance that enveloped the entire group.

It seemed quite interesting.

The cold had not yet dissipated, and Ling could feel itself surrounded by thick ice, making the aircraft carrier completely immobile.

The ice would eventually melt, but it was unknown how long it would take.

Ling did not want to wait.

It began to use some cells to form the large excavators it had created before. Ling planned to try digging through the ice layer.

After forming ten large excavators, Ling opened one of the aircraft carrier's channel openings. A strong cold air immediately flowed in, and Ling could see that the outside was covered with thick ice.

The large excavators immediately moved forward. Digging through ice was not difficult for them, as they could easily scrape off ice crystals with their sharp, saw-toothed surfaces.

Ling formed a small eyeball to follow them and observe the progress, then immediately closed the aircraft carrier's channel opening because it was too cold inside, and the cells had not yet developed the same cold resistance as the skin.

These newly formed large excavators had some cold resistance, but not as strong as the aircraft carrier's skin. If any of them got too cold, Ling would let them rest inside the aircraft carrier for a while.

The surface of the large excavators, covered with saw teeth, had a hardness similar to the aircraft carrier's skin. Ling knew that hardness alone was not enough to resist the cold; there must be some secret.

A few excavators had already dug a channel through the ice. Ling planned to start digging downward to the sand to see where the other wild cells were hiding.

Just as it was about to start digging downward, suddenly, the ice crystals in front of it trembled slightly, and countless cracks appeared on the ice wall.

What is this? Is the ice melting?

No, ice melting is not like this. This feels like some massive force is shaking the entire ice layer.

'Crack...'

The shaking created countless cracks again, and Ling felt it should retreat to the aircraft carrier.

Ling could sense that something huge was also digging here.