148: flight

[Consciousness Space]

Silver-blue data streams flowed quietly like waterfalls in the dark space, reflecting Han Chengyu's silent "figure."

Outside, the taillights of the SUV driven by Shen Mingyuan had merged into the city's neon galaxy, and the light in Zhou Zihui's home, which had stayed unlit all night, finally showed a hint of weary warmth after the boy returned home.

"It's over." Complex waves rippled through Han Chengyu's consciousness. He "watched" as Zhou Zihui was peeled away from that twisted fortress by Shen Mingyuan, and he "heard" the boy's final choice. "A concentration of 1.5%... This is the highest concentration for a 'Dominant Potential Individual' I've seen so far, isn't it?"

[Confirmed.] The System's electronic voice sounded steadily.

[The hostile individual encountered by Aptitude Holder Shen Mingyuan, 'Zhou Zihui/Sub-consciousness Complex,' has been scanned. Its core carrier (Zhou Zihui's original body) has a stable evo factor concentration of 1.503%.

This surpasses all previous archived records (White Star: 0.89%; Warehouse Predator: 0.12%; estimated peak for Fissure Beast The Mother: 0.8%).]

"1.5..." Han Chengyu repeated in a low voice, a hint of a sigh seemingly reflecting in the data stream. "Just the prologue, and a 'deviation' of this level has already appeared? You're right, System, the curtain of the 'Great Upheaval' has indeed been drawn."

[Based on the complete combat records of this incident and the biological remains scan, reverse deduction and analysis of the evolution path for the target 'Zhou Zihui/Sub-consciousness Complex' have been completed.] The System switched to report mode.

[Its evolution exhibits a rare 'Dual-Oriented Parallel' characteristic, as follows:]

[Evolution Direction A: Absolute Defense and Life Maintenance (Stemming from the sub-consciousness 'Brother's' strong obsession—'Protecting the younger brother').]

[Manifestation: High-speed generation of high-density composite bone armor (calcium, phosphorus, special bio-ceramics) to construct an external defensive barrier;]

[Internal stimulation of a 'Biological Life-Support Nest,' featuring independent circulation, energy infusion, and physical buffering functions to ensure the core's survival in extreme environments. This direction accounts for approximately 65% of total evolutionary energy consumption.]

[Evolution Direction B: Efficient Hunting and Threat Removal (Stemming from the original body's subconscious perception of 'death threats' caused by anger, and the sub-consciousness's twisted execution—'Removing threats').]

[Manifestation: Strengthening muscle fiber explosive structures, mutating mouthparts and digestive glands, and generating a tail bone-mace with immense strength and armor-piercing properties. This direction accounts for approximately 35% of total evolutionary energy consumption.]

Han Chengyu "looked" at the cold data listed by the System, and the image of that massive, ugly beast filled with desperate struggle resurfaced.

"Defense and hunting... One built a prison to protect, the other became a butcher out of fear. It's truly... an ironic and tragic combination."

[It is precisely this 'Dual-Oriented Parallel Evolution'—originating from the same carrier but with vastly different goals due to consciousness fragmentation—that greatly dispersed evolutionary energy and structural stability,] the System analyzed.

[It prevented the target from focusing on a single path to reach a higher-order pure form. Its final form was a product of compromise and contradiction, with energy utilization efficiency 22.7% lower than the theoretical value.]

[However, it was also because of this 'contradiction' and 'inefficiency' that a systemic collapse occurred upon receiving a precise external strike, rather than evolving into a more troublesome, highly unified last-ditch counterattack. In terms of results, this preserved the possibility of Zhou Zihui's original body's existence.]

"Everything is for 'survival'..." Han Chengyu's consciousness rippled, as if chewing on the most primitive and cruel flavor of that word.

"Even if the evolved appearance is ugly, clumsy, and doesn't fit any aesthetic or era's imagination... Even if two consciousnesses are frantically tearing and fighting for dominance inside.

As long as at that moment, that body can still take the next breath and live for one more second, evolution will sprint madly in 그 direction.

The evo factor... it doesn't care about elegance, the future, or ethics. It only recognizes the most primitive 'survival'."

[Logic correct.] The System's response was concise. ['Survival Priority' is the highest principle; all else are derivative variables.]

After a brief silence, the System's prompt sounded again, carrying a hint of "positivity" unlike before.

[Prompt: This incident has concluded. Successfully disposed of a high-concentration (≥1%) threat-deviated individual. Based on the 'evo factor Remains Collection and Conversion Protocol,' a high-purity active evo factor collection has been recovered from the target remains. Equivalent standard units: 1.42.]

[Resources are sufficient, meeting the minimum threshold to initiate the design process for the 'Second Generation Independent Combat Unit—Deeply Customized Form.']

[Please specify the design direction, host. Using Aptitude Holder Shen Mingyuan's equipped 'shadow' basic form as the evolutionary blueprint, plan its next-stage exclusive evolutionary path.]

"The next form... It's finally Shen Mingyuan's turn." Han Chengyu's spirit focused, his previous sentimentality replaced by the concentration of a designer facing a blank blueprint.

"'shadow's' positioning is stealth, perception, and medium-to-long-range precision strikes. The Second Form... needs to strengthen these advantages while making up for possible shortcomings or dealing with more complex battlefields."

He pulled up the holographic model of "shadow" as well as all of Shen Mingyuan's combat data to date. "Maintaining high mobility and tactical flexibility is fundamental... Long-range advantages must be strengthened. So, the core capability direction for the next form..."

He thought, countless silhouettes of flying creatures from Earth flashing through his consciousness, quickly merging with knowledge of machinery, energy, and biological structures.

"Flight." Han Chengyu finally decided. "Give him true three-dimensional mobility.

No longer a 'shadow' reliant on ground cover and limited leaps, but one capable of overlooking the battlefield and initiating snipes from any angle... Hmm. This will greatly expand his tactical options, whether for reconnaissance, pursuit, extraction, or seizing advantageous attack positions."

[Concept adopted: Bio-mimetic Flight Form.] The System began synchronized establishment of the initial parameter framework.

[Beginning to load relevant databases: Avian flight dynamics, insect wing-sheath structures, bat wing-membrane sensor distribution, jet propulsion biological simulation cases... Warning: Achieving sustainable, controllable biological autonomous flight with a human baseline size and mass faces extreme challenges in energy consumption, structural strength, aerodynamics, and control complexity.]

[There are no direct reference templates in existing Earth natural evolution cases.]

"I know, I know..." Han Chengyu felt as if non-existent temples were throbbing. "Lift, thrust-to-weight ratio, attitude control, energy supply... and how to solve these problems while maintaining 'shadow's' original characteristics.

Biological matters, especially this field that defies the conventional evolutionary path of large terrestrial mammals on Earth... are truly difficult to handle."

He "watched" as the System interface began frantically refreshing formulas, structural simulation diagrams, energy flow predictions, and constantly popping up red prompts like "Warning: Structural stress exceeds limit" and "Warning: Estimated energy consumption rate exceeds bio-armature maximum output by 300%."

"Luckily I'm just a consciousness now; I have no hair and no physical liver to exhaust." Han Chengyu "thought" self-deprecatingly, but deep in his consciousness, the excitement of overcoming a difficult problem and the sense of responsibility as 'The Forger' became clearer and clearer.

He began to attempt sketching the first stroke: "First, it can't be as simple as 'growing wings.' That's too conspicuous and the structure is fragile.

Perhaps... I can start with the energy conduction networks on 'shadow's' back, which are already used for buffering and attitude adjustment, and then expand and specialize them..."