CHAPTER 38: CHAPTER 38 EVOLUTION

Although the whispers disappeared with the cessation of contact.

At this moment, Chen Ming looked at the twisted patterns on the stone, always feeling a trace of inexplicable eerie atmosphere beside it.

"Is this Spiritual Energy?"

Chen Ming murmured to himself with a bit of emotion.

Just a piece of stone, when touched, can exert a tremendous pressure on a person.

If one were to touch such a thing for a prolonged time, the end result might be akin to those animals that went mad due to the Mind Pulse.

It’s no wonder Little Stone was interested in the stone but immediately threw it aside once he touched it.

Although the stone doesn’t appear to have any specific use, it is related to Psychic Ability.

Even if sold directly, it’s sure to fetch a good price.

Despite the possible difficulty in selling, and the potential attention it could draw, similar to selling large quantities of high-grade metals.

But Chen Ming could choose to keep it himself, perhaps discovering applications unimaginable to a common person presently.

Chen Ming found a piece of iron sheet, welded the box containing the Spiritual Stone shut, and tossed it into the corner of the spaceship’s rear engine compartment.

Although it seems capable of affecting only things it directly contacts.

But to be safe, Chen Ming thought it best to stay far from this stone.

The engine compartment, except for regular fuel supplies, is usually not visited, thus serving as a storage place for such dangerous items.

Once the Spiritual Stone was stored away.

Chen Ming suddenly realized a problem.

Since mind relates to will, thought, and spirit, and Psychic Ability affects these aspects.

Such as that stone, whose mind-related ability produces whispers that interfere with thinking and spirit.

When using the ability to repair and transform the spaceship via the panel, a substantial amount of spirit is consumed each time.

This made him ponder whether the spaceship’s panel could be his Psychic Ability or merely an external manifestation similar to Psychic Ability?

If it’s the latter, that’s fine, but if it’s the former, he must be more careful in using the ability.

Because rumors say the military possesses unknown methods to identify individuals with Psychic Ability or potential.

If discovered, it might lead investigators back to his past, with unimaginable consequences.

It’s best not to sell this Spiritual Stone until he leaves this Edge Star Realm.

After warning himself internally, Chen Ming returned to the storage compartment to continue examining other remnants of the Mind Pulse Generator.

However, after retrieving the Spiritual Stone, there was nothing of value left among the equipment remnants.

Mostly consisting of metal materials, destined to be discarded alongside Mechanical Race armor in the furnace.

Overall, it wasn’t much different.

Two ship weapons, a large amount of high-grade metal materials and some precious metals, three chips possibly containing valuable data, and the whispering Spiritual Stone.

Just looking at the haul made it hard for Chen Ming to suppress a grin.

Not to mention, his initial goal was merely to dispose of the Mind Pulse Generator.

Chen Ming spent some time starting the furnace in the work compartment, throwing in the materials dismantled from the Mechanical Race.

With this done, the spaceship nearly reached the Mining Space Station.

Outside the captain’s cabin window, the entire view of the Space Station was visible.

Little Stone stood on Chen Ming’s shoulder, his curious little eyes filled with wonderment at these unfamiliar objects.

Just like when Chen Ming took him to space a few days ago, seeing the stars for the first time.

Chen Ming’s lips slightly curled up, and he patted Little Stone’s head.

Then he controlled the spaceship, heading toward the Space Station dock.

As was the case last time, as soon as the spaceship approached, a swarm of terrifying insects emerged from some unknown corner of the Space Station, gathering at the dock.

Having seen them multiple times, Chen Ming felt nothing, but Little Stone was startled by their sudden appearance.

In a moment, he rolled off Chen Ming’s shoulder onto the ground.

Once back on Chen Ming’s shoulder, he realized these insects posed no threat, and resumed his earlier puffy state.

Perhaps an animal’s instinct caused him to avoid these vicious creatures, or maybe he was simply frightened by their sheer numbers.

Whatever the reason, Chen Ming’s smile became even more pronounced.

Little Stone often brought him much joy.

But Chen Ming didn’t forget his task; soon, he adjusted his state and focused his somewhat weary attention.

He connected his consciousness to the spaceship’s Weapon System, targeting the insects crowding the dock’s edges.

At this moment, Chen Ming noticed these insects seemed fatter than those he had seen last time.

No, perhaps not fatter.

Chen Ming quickly retrieved recordings from the last visit to the Space Station.

Upon comparison, he soon found the issue.

Just as his initial judgment, these insects hadn’t gained weight; their shells had thickened.

Overall appearance hadn’t changed much, but a close look revealed the differences.

And as Chen Ming reviewed the recordings, more unfamiliar insect varieties began approaching from far away.

To date, Chen Ming has only seen two types of insects.

One type is larvae freshly hatched from insect eggs, resembling alien younglings, capable only of causing damage through oral gnawing, with extremely low combat effectiveness.

Chen Ming was once chased by swarms of larvae while searching for food in the cold storage.

The other type is the adult form of the larvae, something Chen Ming saw upon awakening in the Space Station’s freezing pod, the same insect that killed the doctor.

Later, he saw it again in the spaceship’s cold storage, identified by the cabin panel as [Thorn Insect Race Striding Insect].

It looks like the insect races commonly depicted in various sci-fi movies, with six sharp hind legs, and a pair of enormous blade-like front claws.

A body covered in numerous spikes and an extremely sturdy shell, along with a horrific-looking oral cavity.

Now, Chen Ming was seeing this new insect race.

Although its overall appearance resembles the Striding Insect, it has a bulging translucent sac on both sides of its head, seemingly storing some liquid.

This insect’s neck area also differs from ordinary Striding Insects, lacking shell protection and even exposing some disgusting inner tissues.

Chen Ming could see its tightly knit and developed muscles among those tissues.

These insects gave Chen Ming the impression.

That during his absence, they suddenly evolved.

Evolving not only thicker shells that could withstand bullets but also gaining long-range attack capabilities.