Chapter 566: Brain Nuclei
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Two red spheres floated on the crystal platform, while red glow surged under their rough, knotted skin. They looked like a pair of weird lava lamps. Some crystal clusters were suspended above the platform and light from the crystal clusters were scanning the electrical signals in the spheres as well as carrying out some harmless, simple stimuli tests.
Y'zaks looked at the incredibly strange brain with interest—strictly speaking, they were just a part of the brain. "Why did the First Born leave behind the seed and not the brain when it died?"
"Because the brain is the seed!" The MDT seemed to suddenly discover. It switched on a series of holographic projections, which not only displayed the images of the First Borns in Container No. 1 and No. 2. The holograms also showed the First Born remains they brought out from Y'zaks' hometown, part of the tentacle structure they scanned on the surface of Tannagost, as well as a large number of strange tentacles and living organs. They were simulations of the various forms of the First Born in different stages of growth. "I've surmised the findings of the First Borns, and conducted a simulation of their growth. We can consider the First Born on board the shipwreck an infant, the one on Holletta a youth, and the one on Tannagost an adult. Through the comparison of these three stages, I've made a surprising discovery: perhaps the First Born was only a 'brain nucleus' at the beginning, and as its size increased, it bred other brains in the body. These brains rely on neural networks to form a whole consciousness. That would be the stage that's been scanned in Container No. 1 and No. 2. But after a certain period of development, the First Born splits, whereby the brain nucleus splits and grows into a new body. It could also be that only the brain nucleus left, because the red spheres contain a lot of structures that aren't related to neural activity, and they may develop into embryos. In short, the First Born's brain is the seed, and its reproduction is extremely interesting. It's an extremely advanced life form, but it reproduces by adopting an approach to cell division. Each descendant is a complete copy of its predecessor, from the body to the thoughts, all of which are identical. Only after the neural connection is broken can they develop separately. The sample from Holletta should be in the middle stage of its growth, meaning the old body has divided, and the new body is growing a compound brain. The First Born that withered 200,000 years ago died at a young age. So, there's only one First Born and three brain nuclei atop the wreckage..."
The more Hao Ren listened, the more surprised he was. He could not help interrupting at this moment. "So, there are three First Borns on Holletta? And they're all results of division?"
The number of First Borns on Holletta had always been a great concern, because after they came into contact with the First Born in Y'zaks' hometown, Hao Ren discovered that the Seed of Origin would only give birth to one individual. Also, the extremely sophisticated "detector" created by the goddess of creation could not possibly be without the ability to identify another of its own. This meant that theoretically, a compounded Seed of Origin would not land on a planet (it would be a waste). Hence, why were there three First Borns on Holletta?
Hao Ren had always thought that there was a defect in the Seed of Origin. But now it did not seem that was the case. The First Born reproduced through division.
"Then why didn't the First Born on Tannagost divide?" Lily snapped forward. "It's been so huge! It's covered the entire planet!"
"This is not yet clear," the MDT admitted. "I can only infer its physiological form based on the actual data available, but I can't know its judgment mechanism in its actions. Perhaps Tannagost was a special experimental venue, so the First Born had chosen to continue to grow here, or it might be that Holletta was very special, and it led to the First Born there to divide into three. We have too few samples at hand, without comparison, there can be no conclusion. "
"Let's put the reproductive problem of the First Born to a side," Vivian suddenly waved. "And let's talk about these two spheres. They could create a projection of Helcrown in dream?"
"Dream is just a metaphor," the MDT shook itself a little. "Maybe it's some kind of neural activity. These two brain nuclei functions are impaired, so they could be severely affected by external stimuli. One of the brain nuclei When Helcrown used one of the brain nuclei as its energy source, large amount of energy was extracted, but in the process its 'sensor' had also spread throughout the city via Helcown power grid. And because of the existence of the city shield, its scan of the city was thorough. Under a certain condition, it began to dream. It dreamed of its own 'new body', and the projection of Helcrown appeared. Do you also remember what you saw at the top of the atmosphere? In the illusion of Helcrown existed before it was brought to Aerym, there was no land bridge next to the city. So it is an afterimage."
Lily opened her mouth long and wide and marvelled as her ears dipped. "As a novelist, my imagination isn't as good as a brick.... I couldn't even have that kind imagination!"
"This is not an imagination. It is hard facts and reasonable derivation!" The MDT said, pretending it had a big wolf tail. "I have collected the electrical signal pattern of the red spheres and reasoned it out after comparing it with the neural structure of Sample No. 1 and No. 2. After the neural structure."
Hao Ren scratched his chin in deep thoughts. He suddenly said, "If this is the brain of the First Born... does it mean we have the opportunity to talk with a normal First Born?!"
"I am trying," the MDT beamed its light to the crystal cluster near the two spheres. "But all communication methods have failed so far. The brain's response to external signals is very weak and there is little logic. Reading by force will not work: The stability of the brain's nucleus begins to decline after a certain amount of signal stimulation. Perhaps that was why it blew up when Y'lisbet first tested the reactor."
Hao Ren glanced oddly at Y'lisbet, amazed by the little girl's guts where she was using the First Born's brain to power the entire Helcrown for more than half a year! The mere thought of that sent chill down his spine.
Even Y'zaks had cold sweat trickled down his bare forehead. He patted his daughter's head and said, "It was lucky that nothing had happened back then."
Y'lisabet had no sense of danger toward the First Born. She was holding Lil Pea and both of them just giggled.
Vivian shook her head helplessly. "There's a reason why they both have the same name—they both dare to die!"
Lily looked at the two kids and then the red spheres again. And she sighed regretfully. "These two brains are too badly damaged and there is no way to communicate... Can we cure them?"
"The previous attempts to cultivate the Seed of Origin and the primitive organs failed. The first creations of the goddess of creation are not ordinary lives. If the divine information of the goddess cannot be solved, there is no way to artificially cultivate or repair these primitive lives," The MDT said regrettably. "At the moment, we can only hope them would self-heal slowly. We can provide them with sufficient external nutrients—such as soaking them in lifeblood, but other than that nothing much we can do."
"So we can only let them sleep?" Vivian hugged herself. "Or will they dream again? Perhaps their dreams may reveal something."
Suddenly, Lily lunged forwards and carefully patted one of the red spheres. "Sleeping beauty, it's time to wake up!"
Everyone: "….."
"Not working," Lily scuttled back up to Hao Ren. "Or do you try it yourself?"
Vivian stepped away, trying to keep a distance from Lily. "Do you think it's all right to do that at all?"
"Why not we say let Mr. Landlord try and see if he could read the brain is thinking. Couldn't he usually connect with the consciousness of strange creatures sometimes? He used to connect with the gigantic brain," Lily rolled her eyes. "You can't hold prejudice against me simply because I'm a husky."
The girl had admitted that she was a husky, without blinking an eye.
On the other hand, Hao Ren felt that Lily's suggestion seemed plausible. So he stepped forward. "Then... let's try it out."