2: Fungal system

[Ding! Fungus System activation complete!]

[host: Qiao Yu (Junior Trainee, Psycher Master unawakened)]

[Current Primal Fungal Cluster quantity: 100ml]

"Fungus System? System, do you have any functions?"

[Remember this site's domain]

Qiao Yu rubbed his chin; he had seen documentaries about fungi before and had a general understanding of how formidable they were.

This is a form of life independent of animal and plant cells, yet closely related to both.

Fungi have existed since the birth of the planet and have even participated in the evolutionary development of animals and plants.

There are also theories speculating that the planet's most original animals and plants evolved and mutated from fungi.

[This System is dedicated to providing the host with all assistance related to fungi. Any activity the host can think of that fungi can participate in or change, the System will assist in completing.]

"Anything I can think of related to fungi can be assisted?"

Qiao Yu thought about how his biggest current plight was his low talent, with his strength stuck at the Junior Trainee stage, unable to progress further.

He wondered if this System could help him fulfill this wish.

After all, in three years, the Golden-Horned Beast will attack Earth.

Luo Feng's family and friends are bathed in the light of the Protagonist Halo and generally won't die, but he certainly couldn't leave his fate in the hands of others.

Therefore, the Protagonist Halo wasn't very useful for Qiao Yu's survival, and he couldn't expect Luo Feng to look after him at all times.

So, personal strength is the most important thing.

"System, can you help my talent progress further?"

Qiao Yu asked this question with an apprehensive heart.

If the System answered no, then for now, he could only think of various creatures manipulated by fungi in games from his previous life; if he manipulated the fungi and the fungi manipulated the creatures, it would mean he could manipulate the creatures.

But those are external forces after all, and human life is limited. If he could only manipulate creatures, no matter how strong Qiao Yu's external power was, he would only be powerful for a hundred years or so.

Once off Earth, any random Planetary Level creature has a lifespan of thousands of years, and the lifespan of Astral Rank creatures is calculated in eras...

A hundred years of life? That might not even be as long as it takes for those experts to pass gas.

[Analyzing host's human genes!]

[Analysis complete! The host's current Life Level can undergo Genetic Optimization through fungi!]

[flesh and blood mycelium quantity required for the first Genetic Optimization: 1000ml]

"System, what does 'flesh and blood mycelium' mean?"

Hearing the unfamiliar term, Qiao Yu raised a question.

[Using biological flesh and blood as a petri dish can cultivate flesh and blood mycelium.]

After getting the System's answer, Qiao Yu looked at the instant noodle cup he had placed back on the table; the Primal Fungal Cluster inside gave him a sense of intimacy, as if they shared a Soul connection.

He could meticulously sense the fungal swarm's feedback on the surrounding environment.

June in Yangzhou City was already hot, and Qiao Yu could feel a sense of comfort from the fungi.

The fungal swarm in the instant noodle cup should be the Primal Fungal Cluster that came with the System; he had to rely on these to expand and take the first step of his growth.

While Qiao Yu was thinking about how to expand the fungal swarm, Luo Feng sent a message, telling Qiao Yu that dinner was ready.

"Almost forgot!"

Qiao Yu tidied himself up, walked out of his room, and headed toward Luo Feng's house.

This would also be the first time Qiao Yu saw Luo Feng in person since his Transmigration, and he was slightly nervous.

"Look at how pathetic you are. Meeting a man isn't like going on a blind date."

Standing at Luo Feng's doorstep, Qiao Yu cursed himself for being useless.

Taking a deep breath, Qiao Yu knocked on the door.

The door was quickly opened, and a lean young man slightly shorter than himself appeared at the door, his looks seventy percent similar to Luo Hongguo's.

It seemed this young man was Luo Feng.

"Luo Feng."

Qiao Yu smiled and nodded to Luo Feng.

Luo Feng was stunned for a moment, seeing Qiao Yu's smile for the first time.

After snapping out of it, he let Qiao Yu into the house and joked.

"So you do know how to smile, kid. I thought you were going to be a cool male god for the rest of your life."

Qiao Yu just laughed heartily and didn't say more; after all, he was a transmigrator and couldn't let Luo Feng's family see that his personality had suddenly changed.

Otherwise, it would easily arouse Luo Feng's suspicion. Even if he wanted to cling to Luo Feng's coattails, he had to take it step by step.

"Brother Yu!"

Luo Hua turned around in his wheelchair and greeted Qiao Yu.

"Xiao Yu is here? Quick, sit!"

Luo Hongguo and Gong Xinlan simultaneously motioned for Qiao Yu to sit in the empty seat next to Luo Feng and Luo Hua.

"Uncle Luo! Aunt Lan! Xiao Hua!"

Qiao Yu also smiled and nodded.

Luo Feng's family saw that Qiao Yu seemed to be slowly opening his heart and were happy for him, thinking that he was starting to change.

Luo Hongguo spoke about Qiao Yu's performance while working with him today and was very satisfied with him.

Gong Xinlan also kept putting food in Qiao Yu's bowl.

Everyone chatted, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

"A-Yu, I... am preparing to take the Quasi-Warrior Assessment. If all goes well, I should be able to pass."

Luo Feng hesitantly told Qiao Yu his good news; he knew Qiao Yu's talent and academic grades were quite average and was afraid Qiao Yu might have negative emotions because of this.

But his good brother Wei Wen already knew the news yesterday, and Luo Feng felt it was necessary to tell Qiao Yu as well.

After all, Qiao Yu's father died because of Luo Hongguo, and every time he faced Qiao Yu, his feelings were somewhat complicated.

In his heart, Qiao Yu was also considered family.

"Luo Feng, I've always believed you could do it."

Qiao Yu smiled and put a piece of meat into Luo Feng's bowl, expressing his happiness for Luo Feng sincerely in words he felt best matched his original body's personality.

"Good brother!"

With Luo Feng's current Mental Energy, he could clearly sense if someone had hidden malice toward him.

He knew very well that Qiao Yu was truly happy for him, and he felt even more recognition for Qiao Yu in his heart.

He resolved that after becoming a Martial Artist, besides letting his family live a good life, he would also do his best to help his good brother Qiao Yu; the debt of his father saving his own was hard to repay.

Before long, dinner was over, and Qiao Yu bid farewell to Luo Feng's family and returned to his own home.

On Luo Feng's side, Qiao Yu did his best to act reasonably, believing he would surely be able to cling to Luo Feng's coattails in the future.

Now, it was time to plan for himself and prepare for both possibilities to increase his risk resistance; everything was for the sake of surviving in this world.

"Next is to expand the fungal swarm quantity and improve my talent as soon as possible."

He looked at the time on his phone; it was about 8 PM.

Qiao Yu remembered there was a wet market not far downstairs, and there should still be some meat stalls that hadn't closed yet.

Ordinary chicken, duck, fish, and pork, and even Monster Meat were sold, though Monster Meat was slightly more expensive than ordinary meat.

Specially processed Monster Meat was also edible, and the essence extracted from the flesh of some originally powerful monsters could even help a Martial Artist grow.

This Monster Meat usually came from monster carcasses brought back by the military's suppression of surrounding monsters, with a portion kept for the military's internal consumption to save on military expenses.

What they couldn't consume flowed into the market for the public to help consume.