Chapter 312: The Endpoint of Evolution!
A New Exchange
Ivo's research indicated that a creature hosted by the alien bug could absorb the life force of other species through physical contact. Species from whom life was stolen would suffer various complications: accelerated aging, desiccation, cognitive stagnation, and more.
In other words, touching Joshua's hand was strictly forbidden; doing so could easily turn a person into a husk.
Luthor hesitated, but ultimately chose to trust his gut; he had no other option.
"Hello, Cveria!"
The two hands clasped. The anticipated draining of life force did not occur; everything felt completely normal.
Luthor breathed a slight sigh of relief.
"My staff told me that consumption and predation are the parasite's uncontrollable instincts, yet you are an exception!"
Joshua chuckled softly. "Mr. Luthor, I am Joshua Cveria, a sentient species on the brink of evolving into a higher life form, not a bug."
He gestured for an invitation.
"This is not a suitable place for conversation. Could we move somewhere else?"
Luthor paused, then nodded. The creature before him evoked two reactions: fear and curiosity. He desperately wanted to know how the creature had transformed and whether it harbored any ulterior motives.
The two left the ruins and walked to a nearby villa. In fact, all the structures within a mile radius belonged to the Luthor family.
Lex Luthor pulled out his phone, calling his staff to begin cleanup. He also sent a message to Professor Ivo, urging him to return immediately, citing an important discovery.
Joshua did not interfere. Instead, he observed his surroundings with keen interest. The flowers, the trees, and the luxury sedan parked in the driveway all gave him a sense of novelty.
At this moment, he possessed human traits but was not human. He was a brand-new species, freshly born. Like an infant, though he retained his past memories, he yearned to observe the world with his own eyes.
...
Luthor's Questions
Upon arriving at the villa, Luthor personally brewed a cup of coffee for Joshua and asked gravely,
"Can you tell me about the history of Cveria?"
"I'm afraid not."
Joshua took a sip of the coffee. The bitter taste spread across his tongue, mixed with a subtle richness. He sighed contentedly.
"Cveria is a single-celled organism. It lacks the ability to store images; it only carries ingrained habits within its genes. However..." He paused.
"I can tell you what evolution is."
Joshua spread his hands and continued. "It is the leap of a life-form's hierarchy, stemming from a fundamental change. It begins with the genes and gradually perfects itself from the inside out, involving the soul, senses, mind, will, and emotions. It's like the origin of the universe, moving from zero to one, and then becoming infinite."
"That is evolution."
"If you wish, I can transmit my sensations to you. Perhaps you will see a new world."
Luthor was unmoved, his eyes filled with deep vigilance. The creature's demeanor was too natural, too starkly different from before to be easily accepted.
He still could not forget the ugly, repulsive, nodule-covered mass of flesh.
More importantly, there was his ideology.
Luthor was a human supremacist; he hated aliens and despised all non-human sentient life forms. If the situation hadn't been so dire, he would have done anything to capture and thoroughly study this fusion of human and bug.
But the situation was out of his control. With his life in the creature's hands, he dared not make any rash moves.
Joshua said, "You don't need to be nervous. I am not your enemy, nor will I harm..." He suddenly stopped, a complex smile on his face. "Perhaps I should try a different method of communication."
He rose from the sofa, walked to the wall, spread his five fingers, and pressed his palm against the surface. Without seeming to exert much force,
Bang!
A spiderweb of cracks appeared in the concrete wall, centered on his palm. Two seconds later, with a heavy rumble, the wall disintegrated into rubble on the floor.
Luthor's pupils contracted, his eyes flashing with horror.
This level of strength far exceeded his comprehension.
Joshua returned to the sofa and extended his left hand. "Mr. Luthor, offer me your hand. Let us communicate in another way. Believe me, you will gain an extraordinary understanding."
Luthor remained silent, his expression cold as ice, though cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
Time slowly passed in the tense atmosphere. Before he knew it, half a minute had gone by. Joshua sighed softly.
"Perhaps our conversation must end here."
Just then, the door burst open, and Anthony Ivo, carrying a satchel, stumbled in. "He won't do it! Let me! I will communicate with you!"
Joshua frowned. "You are..."
"My name is unimportant. The person is what matters."
Ivo wiped his hands on his clothing a few times, shoved them forward, and said excitedly, "Based on my research, the parasite has telepathic abilities and can communicate through physical contact. Come, let us exchange ideas!"
Joshua scrutinized the old man, hesitated for a few seconds, then extended his right hand.
As the two palms—one large, one small—clenched together, the light in Ivo's eyes faded, as if he had entered an altered state of consciousness.
Joshua also closed his eyes. The two remained motionless, like tree stumps.
Luthor forgot to wipe the sweat from his brow, staring intently, refusing to miss any detail.
Time ticked by until the seven o'clock chimes rang. The two snapped back to awareness.
Joshua bowed slightly.
"It was an honor to meet you, Professor Ivo."
The old man returned the bow solemnly. "I hope you will consider my proposal."
"That, I cannot do."
Joshua smiled faintly, then strode away, disappearing into the night.
Luthor quickly spoke, "What were you two doing?"
Ivo, still recalling the memories in his mind, answered dismissively,
"Telepathic communication. You wouldn't understand."
Luthor roared, grabbing Ivo's collar and pulling him close. "Listen, old man, my patience has limits! I can save you, and I can kill you. You had better think clearly before you answer me!"
He shoved Ivo away, and the old man stumbled backward, collapsing onto the sofa.
"Now tell me, the content of your discussion."
Ivo shrank his neck, avoiding eye contact. "It was just academic stuff: insights into bioscience, species evolution processes, origins, endpoints, and the life equation. That fellow, despite his lack of formal knowledge, has an innate grasp of bioscience. He catches on instantly and can derive new concepts. He's incredible—though, compared to me, still lacking." Seeing Luthor's face darken further, he quickly stopped.
"What exactly do you want to know?"
Luthor's face was grim. He said slowly, emphasizing every word, "I need to know its origin, its abilities, its weakness, its current state, its future plans, and its view of humanity."
The old man rolled his eyes and asked in surprise, "You aren't planning to kill it, are you?"
"Answer the question!"
Ivo said helplessly, "I don't know any of those things. But as for its future plans, I know a little. His primary goal is to find the other specimens of its kind sealed in the meteorites, devour them, and gain the possibility of further evolution."
"If you want to kill him, you'd best start planning immediately."
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