Wasteland: My items are infinitely upgraded.

Chapter 112 Evolution, Genetic Radiation, and the Third Order King

"The end point of evolution is ultimate life..."

"It can adapt to various harsh environments, from temperatures of hundreds of degrees to ultra-low temperatures of minus 100 degrees, from the dark vacuum of space to the high temperatures and high pressures deep within the Earth's core..."

"The ultimate definition of life is to adapt to all environments."

"So-called immense strength and breaking the speed of sound are merely embellishments in the evolution of ultimate life."

"However, based on their later battles against third-level evolvers and their displays of strength, they can be considered true superhumans, beings superior to humans. However, they are not omnipotent, nor are they true ultimate life forms."

"So the ultimate life form is still above the third level..."

Lin Feng opened his mouth slowly and told all the reports he had heard that year, as well as some opinions from gossip news.

Father Suan nodded.

In fact, Lin Feng’s point of view is not mainstream, but his description is correct.

Evolution in the usual sense is the continuous adaptation of life to the environment...

But Lin Feng didn't consider one thing,
A very critical point.

Father Suan crossed his index fingers, placed them before his mouth, and slowly spoke:

"Natural selection, survival of the fittest."

"Survival of the fittest, the law of the jungle."

"This is the correct conclusion reached by a great biologist in the Old Earth period through observation and research of life in nature."

"But this conclusion is somewhat one-sided and only applies to the Earth at that time, because it assumes that evolution is passive, simply a passive adaptation to environmental changes."

"Once the environment stabilizes, the once dynamic and intense evolutionary processes often stagnate. For example, since the founding of human civilization, over the past few thousand years, rather than evolution stagnating, we've actually seen some regression!"

"90% of humanity is in a sub-healthy state in order to adapt to the modern system."

"When I'm sick, I take antibiotics and antibiotics. I rely on liposuction and starvation to lose weight. I barely exercise every day..."

"These phenomena are actually destroying the evolutionary process of humankind."

"We have transformed the outstanding human beings who emerged from nature's selection process into fragile porcelain dolls."

"This is not actually evolution, it is degeneration after adapting to the environment."

"Just like the people of Oasis."

"Even if they were Evolved, they wouldn't survive more than a week in the wasteland if they left the Oasis."

"So the theory of evolution based on adaptation to the environment cannot fully define true evolution."

Lin Feng narrowed his eyes and understood what Father Su An meant. The traditional theory of evolution is not so much the evolution of species as it is more accurate to say that it is the evolution of species.

It would be more appropriate to change the theory of evolution to the theory of evolution.

Because the evolution it defines is completely passive, the root cause and driving force of evolution come from sudden changes in the environment, rather than the active selection of species.

This is just nature unconsciously screening out life, and through evolution, species retain individuals that adapt to environmental changes and continue to reproduce.

Those who cannot adapt will naturally become extinct.

Having said this, after overturning the old-fashioned view of evolution, Father Suan continued:
"After the evolutionary frenzy begins, life needs to find a way out, not just adapt..."

"Think about it, what are the premises of traditional evolutionary theory based on?"

"The biggest difference between Evolved and ordinary people, aside from their physical and mental abilities, is what is the most fundamental difference in their adaptation to the environment?"

Lin Feng frowned and fell into deep thought.

It was soon discovered that the prerequisite for the theory of evolution to be valid during the Old Earth period was the most insignificant but also the most important of the three basic properties:
Health points!
The meaning behind it, in addition to physical and mental strength, is longevity!

Because lifespan is limited, life needs to reproduce to continue the existence of the species.

When people have a long lifespan, it seems that reproducing offspring is no longer as important as before.

Linking past expert research reports, Lin Feng quickly realized that for life, the key things that run through the entire evolution process are:

"Genes! It's genes!"

"Genes are the biggest and most essential difference between the two!"

Father Suan nodded slightly with relief:

"Yes, it's genes."

"As you said before, first-level evolvers are beings that have broken through the limits of human enhancement. The differences in their genes from those of ordinary humans will continue to grow as their evolutionary level increases."

"Especially in the tissues that have awakened superpowers. The superpower cells have been completely transformed from ordinary cells, and they are also the gathering place of life essence."

"Just like the heart and spine of a rock wildebeest, one acts as a blood pump, providing ample power for its massive body, while the other is the metamorphosis of its back armor, granting it the superpower of photosynthesis, helping the rock wildebeest sustain itself for extended periods of time."

"And this is only the external characteristic of first-order evolution. As for second-order evolution, you mentioned before that second-order evolvers are reproductively isolated from ordinary people. Due to the continuous optimization and transformation of their genes, they and humans belong to two different species..."

"To be more precise, a second-level evolver can be called an evolved new human."

"The biggest difference between them and the old humans isn't their outward abilities or strength, but what you call their inner genes..."

Lin Feng took a deep breath, and seeing Father Su An stop, he followed his words and continued to add:
"The genes on the inside determine the outward appearance of a species."

"When genes need to perpetuate themselves, the concept of natural selection and survival of the fittest emerges. Because limited individuals cannot resist drastic changes in the environment, they can only rely on the evolution of the species as a whole, allowing those who adapt to the environment to reproduce and survive, thus continuing the race's genes..."

"But if an individual's genes have been optimized and evolved to the point where they no longer need to reproduce to survive, then the priority of individual survival will be infinitely elevated."

"The lifespan of a first-level evolver is four to five hundred years, which is equivalent to the continuation of twenty generations before, and even longer than the existence of an entire dynasty."

"As for powerful second-level evolvers, they can live for thousands of years. One person is comparable to a thousand-year-old family, just like the Li family that controls the farm village. As long as the head of the Li family survives, they can continue to thrive in another place."

"So, the more powerful a life form becomes, the more its motivation and purpose for evolution becomes no longer simply adapting to the environment and reproducing offspring..."

"It's about how to continue one's own existence!"

"In other words, the true ultimate life should be able to continue its existence forever..."

"Eternal life and immortality!"

“Adapting to the environment is just an embellishment in individual evolution, not the purpose of evolution.”

Father Su An nodded, very satisfied with what Lin Feng added. This was the correct idea of ​​evolution and the current direction of evolution, and it also involved the content of the current task.

"That's right. Continuing one's own existence is the true purpose of evolution after the continuous optimization and transformation of genes..."

As he spoke, Father Suan's tone suddenly became low:
"In reality, a long lifespan, the so-called immortality..."

"In the second stage of evolution, it has been initially achieved. Second-stage evolvers are completely different from ordinary humans at the genetic level. They have completely completed their transformation. The second-stage evolved cells in their bodies no longer have a limit on the number of times they can divide."

"This means that as long as a second-level awakener has enough energy and a sufficient food supply, his body can almost last forever..."

"But physical immortality alone is not enough."

Hearing this, Lin Feng couldn't help swallowing.

He only knew that second-level evolvers were reproductively isolated from ordinary humans and belonged to two different species...

But he didn't expect that the second-level evolved cells were so powerful.

It is comparable to the immortal cancer cells called HeLa cells from the old Earth. They came from a woman with cervical cancer. The cancer cell lines in her body will not age and die, but can divide indefinitely and proliferate abnormally rapidly.

If the evolved cells in a second-level evolver could multiply and divide indefinitely like HeLa cells...

That second-level life form should be able to achieve immortality easily!

Why is the estimated upper limit of lifespan measured to be one thousand years?

At this time, Lin Feng keenly noticed that Father Su An emphasized the word "flesh" when introducing him.

Compared with the permanence of the body, there is definitely another aspect that is flawed and cannot last forever.

The body is the constitution, so the corresponding attribute is naturally the most inconspicuous, yet quite special and important of the three attributes:
Spiritual attributes!
Lin Feng realized something and immediately said:

"If a second-level evolver's body is already immortal and their physique is no longer limited, then the only thing limiting their lifespan is their own spiritual consciousness!"

"Will the spiritual consciousness in the brain of a second-level evolver decay or forget everything after a thousand years?"

Hearing Lin Feng's speculation, Father Su An looked at him with increasing appreciation, nodded, and added:

"A first-level evolver breaks through the upper limit of their original life evolution. After absorbing the essence of life, they optimize their genes and increase their lifespan. This opens the path to becoming a powerful individual, no longer simply adapting to the environment!"

"A second-stage evolver will completely resolve the issue of physical aging, while their life level will be further elevated. The life essence in their body will be like a long river, cleansing every cell."

"But merely preserving the physical body is far from enough. The renewal and replacement of brain cells every two hundred years will greatly affect the evolver's self-awareness."

“The most obvious characteristic is the unfamiliarity with the past, because it has existed for so long that you gradually discard many things.”

"Parents, friends, partners, and female descendants, even after a thousand years, but your spirit will gradually wither and decay, and you may even lose yourself."

"Especially in order to maintain a strong body, most of the energy must be used to control physical strength and eat to survive. Excessive consumption of mental energy will accelerate the demise of consciousness."

"Eternal life that cannot match the physical body is a heavy burden, just like the proliferation and spread of cancer cells."

"Second-level evolvers often become slaves to evolution at the end of their lives."

As he spoke, Father Suan's tone became more serious:
"So, the purpose and motivation for the evolution of third-order life forms is to solve the problem of how spiritual consciousness can persist."

"And the solution, of course, is genes!"

“If the brain cannot bear the weight of a thousand years, then use something else that does not change to record your existence.”

"Powerful third-order life forms have transcended human cognition. Their genes, especially their special abilities, have been elevated to incredible levels, even capable of influencing other lower-level life forms nearby."

"By emitting a certain frequency of energy, a Level 3 expert will cause genetic assimilation to nearby life forms."

"You could compare it to some kind of radiation."

"The genes of a third-order life form carry their life's work, including their spiritual fluctuations. Once this powerful energy is released, it will distort the lower life forms nearby."

"Specifically, just like nuclear radiation disrupts gene replication, when cells in lower life forms divide, the energy spectrum emitted by third-order life forms containing genetic sequences will alter the arrangement and combination of chromosome replication and transcription in the cell nucleus, causing the lower-level cells to proliferate and divide into assimilated cells carrying the genetic information of third-order life forms..."

“This is an impact that cannot be seen or touched.”

"Just like nuclear radiation and high-energy particles in the past, we also call it genetic radiation and life radiation."

"The power of a third-order life form is no longer just like a second-order evolver who ignores environmental changes. Instead, it is centered around itself and actively transforms the surrounding life environment through the radiation of its own genes."

"At the same time, the existence of a third-order life form also proves that its evolutionary path is a viable evolutionary path that can break through the upper limit of the second-order lifespan."

When Father Su An introduced this, even though there had been a lot of foreshadowing before, Lin Feng's pupils still trembled at this moment. He was stunned with shock and could not speak.

He originally thought that evolution was simply 1+1=2, constantly piling up to become stronger.

But Father Suan told him...

Evolution is not a simple accumulation and improvement step by step, but a process from swimming in the water to stepping on land, and from running on land to soaring in the sky.

It is an exponential leap and a qualitative change.

Cumulative quantitative changes are only small-scale improvements within a stage.

What changes when you upgrade to a higher level is the mode of survival and the level of life.

Contact Lisa and persuade him not to absorb the Rockhorn Essence, or at least complete the evolution through the church surgery...

Lin Feng asked in a self-declaring tone and a slightly hoarse voice:

"So the Lord of the Holy Spring really exists..."

"Everything in the Holy Spring Religion is based on the evolutionary path of the Holy Spring Master?"

Father Suan nodded as a matter of course:

"The Lord of the Holy Spring is the greatest being in the history of human evolution, and is also an existence beyond the third level."

"According to the idea of ​​species evolution, a late-stage first-order being is called a leader, and can serve as the leader of a group of tribesmen."

"Second-order life forms are called patriarchs because they live for a thousand years, enough to establish a race centered around themselves. They also have abundant essence within their bodies, which they can share with their own kind to help their tribe evolve."

"Doing so can also alleviate one's own mental decline."

"And third-order life forms have a unique title."

"Among humans, one can rule a large city, take the title of king as an honorific, and establish his own ruling order."

"Because the kings emit genetic radiation, its essence is the overflow of life essence due to their own excessive strength. Therefore, their descendants, including those around them, will absorb the life essence of the kings and achieve evolution."

"The race that has evolved into a third-order life form is also known as the royal family. They are the king's followers and are basically large forces in the wasteland."

"And the task I'm going to give you this time..."

Having said that, Lin Feng had recovered from his shock and forced himself not to think about evolution anymore.

Pay close attention and listen carefully to the task requirements.

At this time, Father Su An took out a sharp silver fang from the cabinet in his desk. It was as big as an arm.
"This is a wolf fang I found under the ruins of Mount Tai twelve years ago, before I was promoted to the second level."

"Ancient records indicate that a great war of kings took place at the ruins of Mount Tai. Several third-level kings participated, including both third-level human warriors and a third-level wolf king. They led their respective tribes in a battle that lasted for three days and three nights."

"After this battle, corpses filled the bottom floor of the ruins, and blood gathered into a river that hasn't dried for a thousand years."

"Among them, a third-level wolf king even perished here."

"From then on, a large number of flesh-and-blood monsters mutated by different genetic radiations began to breed within the ruins."

"They have no self-awareness, like the walking dead. Their vitality comes entirely from the genetic radiation of third-order life forms and the life essence that flows out."

"Because of the complex and harsh environment, even the curse of the Fiery Sun Forbidden Zone has no interest in it, and it has been listed as one of the restricted areas of the wasteland ruins."

"This wolf fang of mine comes from a second-order clan leader-level wild wolf, and your mission this time..."

"It's about collecting as much of the wild wolf's evolution essence as possible."

"First- and second-level ones are fine, the more the better!"

　It is better to explain the level setting that runs through a million words clearly.

　　Science fiction should look like science fiction.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)