Chapter 799 Human Traces
The journey to purgatory deviated greatly from everyone's initial expectations.
An unassuming small-displacement private car drove briskly and silently on the green grassy fields. The gusts of wind left a faint ripple on the grass behind the car. The whole world was so vast and small. The car looked as inconspicuous as a small insect as it sped across the prairie. If it weren't for the occasional black rock formations that can be seen from the clouds, no one would be able to imagine that another layer of earth's crust hangs above the sky.
The car slowly stopped in front of a black "big mountain". This was another "Tianzhu giant tree" supporting the dome. It seemed like a huge cliff-like tree trunk stood straight on the ground, and its lower half was The upper part of the mountain, which is nearly a thousand meters high, disappears deep into the clouds. Hao Ren pushed the door open and got out of the car, took out some equipment that looked like measuring racks from his carry-on space, and assembled it on the spot.
The data terminal connected itself to the device, and then a set of rough cross-sections of the planet were projected above it, while several small, silver-cicada-like machines flew out of the cylindrical container below the device. The small machine flew towards the "Tianzhu Giant Tree" and nimbly penetrated into the latter's rock-hard black skin. After a while, the data was transmitted back, and on the scanned image of the data terminal, the holographic image representing the giant tree in front of him showed an icy blue color.
"The third tree is also a dead individual. The life reaction has completely stopped," the data terminal reported calmly while displaying the data. "Wood fibers can still be found in the deep layers, but the outer surface has basically been petrified. It is a mixed mineral. A reinforced shell that may have evolved from the hardening of tree trunk secretions over the years. These 'petrified' sections provide these hollow columns with unimaginable strength...almost as hard as the armor plating of a starship."
"So they can support the world above." Hao Ren looked up at the lower crust of the earth that was obscured by clouds. "Are these tree trunks evenly distributed?"
"Yes, evenly distributed, and the number is huge." The data terminal replied. Its screen showed the distribution of the "Tianzhu Giant Trees" between the first and second levels of the Purgatory Planet. The probe came The data is not yet detailed, but a rough analysis is sufficient. It can be seen from the picture that the first layer of Purgatory is completely suspended more than ten kilometers above the deep crust of the planet. There is no geological connection between the two. The large number of giant Tianzhu trees is the only way to maintain this two-layer structure. . These giant trees are evenly distributed under the earth's crust, one every one hundred kilometers: far more than the number of entrances to purgatory on the surface.
"Not all giant trees are hollow. In fact, most giant trees are solid and they are stronger," the terminal explained. "And those hollow tree trunks connect the above-ground world and the underground world like chimneys. They have become the so-called The 'Second Floor Entrance to Purgatory'."
Lily asked curiously: "This hollow structure is...a lesion?"
"No, it should be intentional," the terminal gave a negative answer, "The giant hollow trees are evenly distributed. On average, one out of every hundred giant Tianzhu trees is hollow, and the entire atmospheric activity in the underground space In conjunction with these 'chimneys', this machine analyzes that this special hollow tree trunk should be something like a breathing tube, used for atmospheric exchange with the surface world - it should also have the function of a sensor, and this machine scans There is a strong electrical signal surging under the giant hollow tree. If this is correct, it should be..."
"It's the eldest son's nerves," Hao Ren interrupted before the terminal finished speaking, "Are these trees evolved from the eldest son's tentacles?"
Hao Ren is no longer a rookie who relies solely on equipment analysis to make judgments. Based on the environment of this underground world and the landscape he saw on the surface world, he can easily deduce that only the eldest son can create such a miracle. Those "Tianzhu Giant Trees" that support the upper crust of the earth are undoubtedly part of the eldest son. The only problem is - this part has evolved to the point where the shape of the eldest son's tentacles can hardly be seen. Even its internal physiological structure is different from that of the eldest son. Big difference.
The data terminal did not answer directly, but directly released a set of holographic projections. It was the structure of the underground part of the Tianzhu giant tree that had just been scanned by deep radar. Everyone could clearly see that there was a structure underground under the giant tree. In an even larger and terrifyingly complex world, countless complex roots that look like brain nerves are entangled and growing deep in the earth. The lower they go, the less they look like normal tree roots. At the lowest level, the roots have completely changed. It took the shape of tentacles and extended deeper into the earth: it was a place that even radar could not detect. At least the few low-power sensors Hao Ren carried with him could not scan such a deep position.
"The tentacles of the eldest son evolved into these giant trees. However, based on the physiological structure analysis alone, these trees have completely separated from the life form of the eldest son." The terminal voice was a little confused, "They are real wood, wrapped with a layer of The super alloy is also a solid petrified shell, which is very different from the tentacles. It feels like a flesh and blood body has grown titanium alloy limbs, and it is not grafted on."
"It is understandable that the eldest son is the source of life. If the situation requires it, it can transform some of its limbs into other species. It can do things with the source blood, but there is no reason that its own tentacles cannot do it. Hao Ren was not too surprised, "You can confirm these things with Zhuo Mu at that time. The key now is whether the eldest son is alive or dead... You said it has nerve impulses, but these giant trees are obviously dead." "
"There is no way to judge. For a creature of the eldest son's level, it is difficult to define its life and death using conventional species standards: its body and soul, each of its tissues and organs, and even each fragment may have independent definitions of life and death. , part of it has obviously withered, but these withered parts support an entire world, and there are still some signals coming from its deep layers, but there is only a little electrical signal."
Lily thought for a while and then came up with a word: "Vegetative state?"
Hao Ren glanced at Lily with a strange expression. He thought to himself that there should be no more contradictory way of describing it in the world, but these three words were so fitting for the situation at hand like lightning!
"If...if I'm not wrong, the upper layer shouldn't be the earth's crust," Vivian looked up for a long time and suddenly said thoughtfully, "It's impossible for this planet to grow a new layer out of thin air. Shell. There can only be one thing at the top of the trunk..."
The data terminal immediately switched the screen, which displayed further scanning results of the outermost crust of the purgatory planet. It was the desolate and vast place that everyone had witnessed when they first arrived here, full of toxic hot springs and monsters. It looked like A solid and integrated rock spherical shell, but after detailed scanning by the probe, its deep hidden veins were finally revealed.
"You're right, it's the tree crown. The first crust of the planet Purgatory is the petrified tree crown."
These tree crowns are continuous without any gaps, completely covering the original planet below. The strange "petrification" process of the giant Tianzhu trees is not only reflected on the trunks, but also on the crowns. Therefore, after countless years of changes, what was once The plant canopy turned into a rock formation several kilometers thick, and above the rock formation was a harsh world that could be called purgatory.
During the process of carrying out this series of transformations, all the giant Tianzhu trees died. I don’t know if it was part of the eldest son’s plan or something happened midway. In short, the “black mountains” that everyone can see now are just dead plants. The remains are the pillars left after the tentacles of the eldest son withered. They are fossils, holding up the crust of the canopy that is also fossilized.
Nangong Sanba held his chin thoughtfully: "Does this mean that the place we are standing on now is the real 'original surface' of the planet Purgatory?"
"That's right, at least it's the original land before these giant trees completely sealed the sky." Hao Ren nodded, his gaze extending upward along the majestic black tree trunks. "I think this is some kind of protection measure to ensure that the original land The ecosystem on the earth was built only if it could survive. Coupled with the outermost cloud top, this planet has layers of protection, which is why it can persist to this day without the sun."
At this time, the data terminal suddenly received an emergency communication from a certain probe, and it immediately shouted: "Hey! Stop studying the tree now, the probe has discovered something!"
Vivian ran over immediately: "Is this the whereabouts of Baptiste?"
"No - it's other traces of man-made artifacts." The projection of the data terminal showed a picture from afar. On the vast prairie, a large ruins covered with plants and soil were clearly visible, "A city! Wisdom. A city built by living creatures!”