fictionpage Chapter 150 Mushrooms, the Universe, and the Sewers
Chapter 150 Mushrooms, the Universe, and the Sewers
At this moment, the underground laboratory of Peak Biotechnology has completely degenerated into a human comedy full of postmodern absurdity.
Or to be more precise, it was a mental hospital filled with highly intelligent lunatics.
Hell is probably just filled with wailing and flames, that's too cliché.
This place is different; it's permeated with a strange, philosophically contemplative "tranquility."
On the left, dozens of top biologists in white coats sat cross-legged on the cold floor, their hands forming mudras, their faces solemn as if they were performing a life-saving ritual.
Their eyes were closed, and they were chanting incantations, the sounds coalescing into a buzzing noise that sent sanity soaring:
"It's not that we're observing the singularity, it's that the singularity is watching us..."
"Three dimensions are merely a cage; four dimensions are the true home. I have already seen slices of time, hanging like cured meat under the eaves of the universe..."
But the style changes abruptly in the right corner.
The other half of the researchers curled themselves up as much as possible, shivering, making strange "gurgling" noises, and some even tried to bury their heads in the flowerpots used to grow landscape plants.
If you kindly approach them and ask what they're doing, they'll look at you like you're an idiot, and then tell you matter-of-factly, "Shh—don't make a sound, I'm photosynthesizing, there's not enough sunlight, I'm about to wither away."
The most exciting part is definitely in the center of the stage.
Lin Feng, the once domineering and arrogant CEO who once held sway over Changxiang City, was now tightly hugging a red fire hydrant, as if he were hugging his own father.
He was crying and sniffling, his makeup ruined, as he tearfully denounced the cold iron pipe:
"Why! Why don't you love me? I built such a huge laboratory for you, bought you so many limited edition bags, but you only love that... that barefoot doctor who sells stinky tofu! What's so good about that guy surnamed Wang besides being a little more handsome than me, a little more skilled in medicine, and a little more composed? Waaaaah..."
When Captain Zhou led a team of fully armed chemical defense soldiers, who were on high alert, they rushed in and witnessed this surreal scene that would go down in history.
He took off his mask and felt his CPU undergo a severe overload at that moment, even emitting a burnt smell.
"What the hell is going on here?" Captain Zhou pointed at the group of demons and monsters in front of him, then turned to look at the man behind him who seemed to be strolling leisurely in his own backyard.
Wang Minyu, with his hands in his pockets, casually kicked a piece of broken glass as he strolled around.
He walked up to a researcher who was diligently planting himself in the soil, squatted down, and poked the man's back with interest: "Dude, not bad variety, feeling blue and sad?"
The researcher slowly raised his head, his eyes unfocused yet strangely resolute: "No, foolish humans. I am a weeping glowing mushroom that grows on the dark side of Cybertron. Please turn off the lights; the ultraviolet light is too strong and will affect the spread of my spores."
Wang Minyu: "..."
He stood up, shrugged, and said to Captain Zhou with an expression that said, "See? I told you so." He continued, "See? A classic case of 'mental energy backlash' syndrome."
"Speak like a human being." Captain Zhou rubbed his throbbing temples.
"The scientific explanation is that after the 'symbiote' was attacked at its core by my 'secret weapon,' its energy went out of control, instantly releasing a massive mental shockwave." Wang Minyu began to spout nonsense with a straight face, without batting an eye. "These researchers, who have been working under such inhumanly high-pressure conditions for a long time, already have mental defenses as fragile as paper. When they were hit by this energy, their brains shut down and restarted in order to protect themselves."
He pointed to the left: "This half, with an excessive thirst for knowledge, has had their consciousness swept into a metaphysical philosophical dead end, turning them into 'philosophers'."
He then pointed to the right: "This half, because it has been exploited for a long time, subconsciously only wants to lie flat, so it has degenerated into the most primitive plant state and become a 'mushroom'."
"Then...what about Lin Feng?" Captain Zhou pointed to the CEO who was still reciting love poems into the fire hydrant in the most affectionate tone of his life. "Was he also injured by the shockwave?"
"Oh, his doesn't count." Wang Minyu shrugged, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "It's a combination of personal emotional and cognitive impairment. He was probably captivated by my personal charm but couldn't accept reality, leading to love turning into hate and severe hallucinations. I suggest sending him to a VIP ward in a mental hospital; that's his final resting place."
Captain Zhou's lips twitched violently. He decided to stop discussing any scientific issues with this guy with the bizarre thought process, or he would be the next one to go crazy.
"Is there any hope for these people?" Captain Zhou looked at the "elites" scattered all over the ground, feeling a bit of a headache.
"There's hope, it's very easy to cure." Wang Minyu snapped his fingers. "Those 'philosophers,' starve them for three days. At that point, nothing—nothing about the end of the universe or four-dimensional space—will be as real as a bowl of rice mixed with lard. Hunger is the best materialist lesson."
"As for those 'mushrooms'..." Wang Minyu stroked his chin, "They'll be a bit more troublesome. We'll need to set up some UV lamps to shine on them, water them regularly, and play some nursery rhymes for them so they can complete a full 'life cycle.' Once they feel they've 'bloomed and borne fruit,' they'll naturally wake up."
"Dr. Wang, I'm not joking with you! These are all important witnesses!" Captain Zhou said anxiously.
"I'm not joking." Wang Minyu's smile vanished, his expression becoming unusually serious, even tinged with coldness. "Their illness is in their minds, but even more so in their hearts. A heart ailment requires a 'heart medicine.' Giving them conventional sedatives now will only lock their consciousness forever in this absurd world, turning them into true vegetable patients. Believe it or not."
Just then, Su Qing and Lin Xiang emerged from the ruins deep within the laboratory.
Su Qing was carrying a heavy, sealed metal box, which was the core database of the "S" organization.
Lin Xiang, on the other hand, looked utterly terrified. Her expensive handmade suit was covered in an unknown slime, making her look like a noblewoman who had just crawled out of a sewer.
"Boss, found it." Su Qing handed the box to Wang Minyu. "It's physically encrypted; only you can open it."
"Mr. Lin Xiang, you've worked hard." Wang Minyu patted Lin Xiang on the shoulder and brushed the dust off his shoulders.
"No...it's not hard work." Lin Xiang looked at the group of mushroom people "photosynthesizing," her stomach churning, her face pale. "Dr. Wang, all I want to do right now is go home and take a shower, ten showers! And I never want to smell any fungi again in my life! That bottle of 'Sea of Silence'..."
"Don't worry, once I've figured it out, I'll mix you an enhanced version that will let you see heaven just by smelling it."
After comforting Lin Xiang, Wang Minyu carried the metal box and walked up to Captain Zhou, blocking his way.
"Captain Zhou, I've got the man under control. I've also dealt with the monster that wanted to destroy the city. Now, let's sit down and talk about the 'reward'."
"You still want payment?" Captain Zhou's eyes widened, as if he had heard an unbelievable joke. "Wang Minyu, this is contraband; we're confiscating it! Besides, you're trying to save yourself!"
"One thing at a time." Wang Minyu said matter-of-factly, even with a hint of roguishness, extending his hand. "My men risked their lives, infiltrated the lion's den, and destroyed this illegal biochemical laboratory, preventing a disaster that would have engulfed the entire city. It wouldn't be right not to award them a 'Heroic Act' award, would it? As for the bonus, just go with your highest internal standards; I don't mind. Besides…"
He turned around and pointed to the high-tech instruments flashing blue light around him: "The equipment in here looks pretty new. If you take it back, it'll just sit in the warehouse collecting dust. Why don't you sell it to me at a discount? My 'demonstration base' happens to be missing a few centrifuges, gene sequencers, and the like."
Captain Zhou felt his blood pressure instantly spike to 180.
He had seen shameless people before, but he had never seen anyone as shameless as this in his life.
They turned a top-secret Class A biochemical laboratory upside down, and now they want to exploit the country?
"Wang Minyu, don't go too far! These are all evidence!" Captain Zhou growled through gritted teeth.
"Is it too much?" Wang Minyu's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes became a little more profound.
He slowly opened the metal box, pulled out a thin document, and waved it gently in front of Captain Zhou.
The document's cover had no title, only a striking red number.
"Captain Zhou, I just accidentally flipped through it," Wang Minyu said in a low voice, only the two of them could hear. "There's a very interesting list of 'core sponsors' here. There seem to be a few names that are... the same as some of the top leaders in your system. Tell me, is that a coincidence, or just a coincidence?"
Captain Zhou's breathing stopped completely at that moment.
He stared intently at the document in Wang Minyu's hand, cold sweat instantly soaking through his combat uniform.
He knew that if this list were leaked, the entire officialdom of Changxiang City would be shaken up by an earthquake even more terrifying than a biohazard.
Looking at Wang Minyu's smug, street-smart smile, he knew he was completely outmaneuvered today.
After a full half-minute of silence, Captain Zhou finally managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth: "These devices... you can take half of them. But only research equipment, not weapons."
"I will apply for the bonus myself when I get back; it will be specially approved."
"But!" Captain Zhou leaned forward abruptly, staring intently into Wang Minyu's eyes. "You must guarantee that this list will remain buried in this box forever and will never appear before a second person!"
Wang Minyu grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and casually tossed the document back into the box with a crisp "snap".
"make a deal."
……
three days later.
The backyard of Renxin Pharmacy became extremely incongruous and eerie.
Next to rows of large black pottery vats used for pickling stinky tofu, a traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritage product, there is a pile of high-tech equipment that looks like something out of science fiction.
Pierre, overjoyed, was holding a multi-million dollar rotary evaporator, wiping its exterior with the tenderness of an antique polisher, muttering, "Mon Dieu (My God), using this thing to purify stinky tofu brine is practically a Michelin three-star experience!"
Su Qing became very interested in a high-precision gene sequencer and was figuring out how to connect it to the pharmacy's unreliable household electricity.
Wang Minyu was currently lying comfortably in his personal bamboo rocking chair.
His phone chimed, indicating that a large "Good Samaritan Award" had been deposited into his account. He took a satisfied sip of tea, watching the busy crowd in the courtyard, and felt that this was life.
The underground stronghold of the "S" organization has been completely wiped out.
Although they failed to uncover their mysterious core headquarters, this heavy blow was enough to severely damage their influence in Changxiang City.
The stillborn "symbiote" was transported away by Captain Zhou and his team using the highest level of sealing equipment and sent to a secret research institute in Beijing overnight.
As for the researchers who turned into "philosophers" and "mushrooms," Wang Minyu's "rustic therapy" was ultimately adopted by the desperate police.
It is said that the effect is surprisingly good.
After being starved for two days and two nights, those "philosophers" looked at white steamed buns with more devotion than at the truth, eating while crying, forgetting all about four-dimensional space.
And those "mushrooms," after being exposed to ultraviolet light for 48 consecutive hours and being forcibly fed "chicken soup for the soul" (literally, old hen soup) every day, gradually "woke up."
Although their memories of the past few days were somewhat hazy, everyone had gained a full five pounds when they were discharged from the hospital.
Everything seemed to have returned to calm.
The streets of Changxiang City are still bustling with traffic, and everyone is busy making a living.
But Wang Minyu knew that this was just the last, false calm before the storm.
He put down his teacup, opened the metal document box that had not been handed over, and pulled out a document marked "Top Secret".
The document's title wasn't alarming, even rather ordinary—["Godhood" Project, Phase Three: City Purification.]
The document contains only one image.
That was a complete map of Changxiang City's underground water system. The dense network of pipes resembled the blood vessels of the human body, spreading to every corner of the city.
In the center of the drawing, in the old town area, someone drew a mark in bright red ink that looked like a virus spreading.
Next to the mark was a line of neat, yet chillingly cold, handwriting:
"Nutrition delivery complete. The mother is about to awaken."
Wang Minyu raised his head, his gaze passing over the pharmacy's wall and looking at the intricate alleyways of the old town.
There, at the foot of this city, deep beneath the earth where millions live, something is opening its eyes in the darkness.