Global Evolution

by Steffen Schmidt

  "Human?"

  The amphibians who were resting on the beach all fled like frightened rabbits. They fought on who'll escape first to the Yellow River and soon the turbulent waves swallowed them. The creature's appearance cleared the lively habitat in a few seconds.

  "Gak...."

  Chang swallowed unintentionally when he saw this gigantic creature.

  "Your smell is familiar..." The titanic creature moved slowly to Chang. He seemed confused after staring at Chang for a moment. Then, he lowered his nose to the top of Chang's head, twitching. "You were in the research institute, "the creature said, still sniffing, "am I correct?"

  "I did," Chang answered with a nod. "I used to live around there."

  "Oh... I think I know who you are. Four years ago, you came with Qing Shui to the poison zone and somehow killed that other scientist." The creature seemed delighted when he talked about this. "I remember you guys were talking a lot, so you're probably a friend of his."

  "Yes." Chang nodded, he didn't deny the fact.

  The reason why Chang was temporarily submitting to him was that he could only survive if he was valuable to the creature, since the creature was an intelligent species.

  "That's great! Mr. Qing Shui Li is someone that I admire."

  The creature helped Chang up upon hearing his answer which overwhelmed him by how unexpected this favor was, yet he felt strangely uncomfortable.

  The greatest absurdity was the fact that the creature was huge in size without high degree of similarity to human yet was able to speak human language and make human gestures. This surreal experience dizzied Chang and he felt as if he was teleported to an alien planet.

  "Do you find me strange?" The creature was smart, he read Chang's thought just by looking at him. "But you don't need to be afraid, we Amphibia are a friendly species."

  "Amphibia?"

  Chang was perplexed.

  "That how I named myself as a species. I'm the first of our kind, and naming is quite important." The gigantic creature's pale face seemed kind. "I mutated from a frog, but I also evolved some features from other species, so Amphibia sounds like a nice name for summarizing what I am."

  The creature spoke with his back bent but felt that he was impolite somehow. He then swept his tail away and sat down. But even sitting, he was still much taller than Chang.

  "I see..." Chang didn't feel that the creature would do any harm to him and loosened up a bit.

  "So, you were there four years ago?"

  "I was, I was there all the time," the amphibia said. "Initially I was attracted by a strange sonar wave, but then the Yessie came.

  "Back then, I was still naive about humans and the world as I had just gained intelligence about that time." The Amphibia's mouth curved upwards when he recalled past events. "I even attempted to communicate with the Yessie, but it responded to nothing. And soon, human scouts came..."

  Chapter 123: Amphibia's Conspiracy

  "The human scouts came in three waves, and the size of each new troop was greater than the previous ones. I stalked one of them and that was the first time I came in contact with the human world...

  "I was able to render myself unseen to a naked eye and wandered into the city. No one discovered my presence and I learned a lot during that time. Then, when I came back here, the battle had already started and that clumsy Yessie was slaughtered by human hands. In the end, I only saw a man squeezing another's neck...

  "I was afraid to remove my camouflage, afraid to be killed. And so I learned a lot about humans, about your strategies. I even tailed Qing Shui to the research institute and discovered that he was a great person of this era. Without him, I wouldn't have my offspring."

  Though the creature was polite and sincere, Chang never loosened his guard. After all, the creature must have certain prejudices and defensiveness against humans.

  Chang learned that from how Liu Xin treated him.

  He had never met a human before and his values were instilled to him by the creature. From how Liu Xin treated Chang initially, he didn't think the creature was as friendly as he displayed.

  "I'll show you my place." The creature stood up as he calmed Chang. "It was designed and built in accordance to human aesthetic approach and amphibia habitat. Come with me please."

  The creature waved his tail, facing Chang with his back, then walked back to the sand hole. Liu Xin followed after when the two of them entered.

  Chang knew well his own situation. He was sandwiched between two amphibias which made sneaking away from them simply an impossible task.

  The creature turned his head to Chang upon coming next to the hole, nodded and jumped into it. Chang wasn't sure if he would be hurt from jumping into this seemingly deep hole but he had no choice so he followed suit.

  He landed on a soft pile of sand and what was ahead of him was a castle. The whole room was spacious with traces of digging and flattening evident all around the place.

  The creature even pressed a button on the wall and the space lit up.

  "How did you get the electricity to here?" Chang almost shouted out in astonishment.

  "Electro-techniques aren't hard and I stole all these devices and cables from humans." The creature smiled. "You don't mind this, do you?"

  "Not at all, humans can't use them anyways. But where does the electricity come from?" Chang continued asking.

  "I also stole a small power generator on my way, it runs on gas." The creature laughed. "Don't ask about the gasoline, I stole it too."

  "Alright, no more questions."

  Chang chuckled while nodding.

  "Papa, he hurt me." Liu Xin starting howling to get justice for his injuries. "Since he is acquainted with Qing Shui, you should make him a hostage and exchange for the thing you want from Qing Shui..."

  "Stop!" the creature yelled at Liu Xin when he interrupted their conversation.

  The creature's voice was deep and sandy yet sonorous. It wasn't hard to guess that his vital capacity and cardiopulmonary function were at their peak.

  The small amphibia pursed his lips; he was too startled to speak more.

  Chang did the same thing—he stayed quiet.

  The creature led him around the whole castle, showing it off. There were human captives, equipment that were built by the creature, and he even had his own lab.

  The last place the amphibia led Chang to was his own room in which four of his kids were playing around. The creature asked them to leave the room in a soft voice and then asked Chang to sit down.

  "Mr. Liu, you came for me today, didn't you?"

  The creature poured Chang a cup of tea, or more precisely—a bucket of tea. The creature sat back on his heels and tail and straightened his back for the formal conversation.

  "After all, the poison zone at the north of the city seldom has visitors. And I just happen to notice you have my scent on you. I think Qing Shui handed you something of mine, "

  "You aren't wrong." Chang nodded. "He asked me to find you, he seemed to be interested in you."

  "Hahahaha! Mr. Li has been interested in me for a long time. I saw his traps in the city and jungle but just didn't approach them at all." The amphibia laughed, nodding. "We're smart from our birth. I think our intelligence is close to a human with Encephalon Mutation. Mr. Li has underestimated me.

  "He really is taking a big step here. I wonder for his motivation of sending you here, he must have thought of the possibility of you being captured."

  "Don't try to sow dissension in our relationship."

  Chang's heart almost froze for a heartbeat.

  "Of course I won't, I'm just telling you the truth." The amphibia picked up his cup, taking another sip. "He knows my abilities and he knows about my habitat. It isn't surprising then that you were likely to be discovered by me, because I am better than you in all aspect. So I discovered your presence long before you found a trace of me.

  "And you... How can you slip away from my fingers? Though you are probably one of the strongest
humans, compared to me..."

  The amphibia stopped .

  "I know how this will go, I can't fight you nor your son."

  "Well, it was your bad luck to meet him today, I've been busy the whole day, it was my negligence." The amphibia's mouth curved upwards. "Though it's the same result."

  "Well... According to you, Qing Shui sent me here to you, what does he want from me then? To kill me? He could have done it himself by flipping his palm, he doesn't need to plan out all this. "

  "I see, you've got me wrong on this, son. Mr. Li knew that I wouldn't kill you even if you were captured." The amphibia put down his cup. "I think he must have known what I'm thinking, adding to it the fact that I've met you four years ago, he had confidence in sending you here without losing your life."

  "Then, what was his purpose? Tell me."

  "For this conversation that we are having now. As you see, even though I can reproduce asexually now, I can't grow my species fast." The amphibia frowned. "I thirst for a rapid reproduction ability, and Mr. Li can lend me his hand.

  "And human, I bet you guys encountered some unsolvable problems. Thus, he might need my help as well," the amphibia analyzed. "His purpose is simple and obvious—he wanted to meet me, someday. And you are the perfect chip that he gifted to me."

  Chapter 124: Ozean

  "The charm of being intelligent..." Chang burst into a series of laughter. "You made a good use of our language."

  "You didn't believe in me."

  The amphibia stared at Chang's face.

  "I didn't mean that." Chang squeezed out a smile. "Your assertion almost caught me, but what do you want from me? The whole purpose behind this conversation was to sow discord between Qing Shui and me, so by the time you can talk to him in person, you'll be able to take control of the conversation. That's your intention, isn't it?"

  "You aren't wrong." The amphibia didn't deny his intention.

  "What do you want exactly?" Chang asked.

  "Reproduction ability," the amphibia answered, grinning.

  "I thought you're capable of that already. Look at your kid Liu Xin, he looks all healthy and energetic." Chang didn't let go of his curiosity. "Although you're all alone now, I believe your offspring will grow as time passes by. Why would you want to risk yourself to get in touch with Qing Shui?"

  "Those kids you saw are merely a secondary me. They were split copies of me." The amphibia couldn't help but sigh. "I'm the only one of my kind who is capable in splitting, and I spent a long time to push myself to evolve in that way."

  "Wait, what? You can evolve along with your own will?" Chang was shocked by the news. "That means you can evolve according to your needs?"

  "Correct." The amphibia nodded. "In fact, everybody is capable of that, it's just the fact that you guys are much slower. The process of evolution will take dozens of generations, and I happen to be capable of accelerating that."

  "That isn't as easy as how you talk about it. Four years, you only took four years to achieve what you want the most." Chang laughed wholeheartedly at the amphibia's humbleness.

  "As you said, this isn't a slow process. But that doesn't help in solving the most urgent problem." The amphibia was deeply worried. "If I die, that will be the end of my species."

  "Then what kind of help you're looking for?" Chang asked. "You think Qing Shui can help you solve the reproduction problem?"

  "Oh yes! He's an expert in genetic research, and I've heard about the Modifier he made. To tell you the truth, I'm somewhat interested in that little vial." The smile on the amphibia soon faded. "We're in the same boat as humans, the Modifier sheds light into my predicament."

  "I understand," Chang said, agreeing.

  "Let me tell you this straight, I need that Modifier to add on top of my rapid evolving ability. I believe my next copy will be a reproducible individual." Hope flashed on the amphibia's face. "What do you think? Will you bring this message to Qing Shui?"

  "Sure, why not?" Chang nodded decisively.

  "Though, just to be safe, I'll send someone else to him first. The person will be informing Qing Shui about your visit. What do you think?" The amphibia leaked a slight grin on his face. "We'll see his reaction first, and then we'll determine if you're a qualified chip."

  "I don't see any sincerity in you for doing this."

  Chang was disappointed, he shook his head in remorse.

  "Well, I'm a cautious being," the amphibia argued. "Mr. Liu, be welcome in my humble home. I'll make sure the message is delivered to Qing Shui in person.

  "While you're staying here, you're free to go around my castle, but stay within a kilometer of it. Exceeding this limit is prohibited and there will be strict punishment for it.

  "Oh wow, I guess thank you?" Chang inhaled, lifted the bucket-like teacup from the table, and gulped a mouthful of tea. "If there is nothing else to talk about, I'm really interested in going to the river shore. There must be some interesting organisms that reside under the turbid river."

  "Sure, feel free to go, please. I suggest you bring Liu Xin with you, though. The shore is dangerous and sometimes I myself can't directly confront the behemoths." The amphibia stood up with a humble gesture. "Mr. Liu, I hope you don't take what happened today seriously. I yearn to establish a good relationship between humans and myself and hope you don't treat me as an enemy of your kind."

  "Don't worry, I'm mostly happy about my upcoming stay in your place, with sufficient food supply and everything, perhaps it's better to live here than my own house in the city."

  Chang smiled reluctantly as if he was self-comforting. He walked out from the spacious living room, then went up toward the outside world.

  The sand castle was too humid, and he felt like he was suffocating when inside. Perhaps the amiphibia preferred a damp living environment, but as a pure human, Chang didn't want to stay an extra second in this kind of humidity.

  He made his way to the shore and sat down on the wet sand with his legs crossed. The Yellow River roared, galloped, and ignored Chang's frustration. His heavy sigh was inundated by the great symphony composed by the Yellow River.

  Liu Xin followed Chang, first looking out from the sand hole and then quietly approaching him.

  "Hey." He lightly kicked Chang's arm with his three-toed foot.

  "What?" Chang glanced at him. "Go away! I'm not in a mood for talking."

  "What brings you the bad mood?" Liu Xin asked, sitting down.

  "I'm a captive now, and obviously that's the reason why I'm not happy." Chang turned his head away to see Liu Xin. He stood up and dusted off the sand off his pants. He slowly walked toward the riverside. "Don't talk to me."

  "Hey! It's dangerous at the riverside!" Liu Xin shouted. He knew what was lurking under the water, deliberately waiting by the shore to attack the animals who came to drink from the river.

  "Go away."

  Chang was irritated, and then a horror welcomed him to the shore—there was a giant splash and something pounced on him. His instinctive reaction pulled him back and saved him from a huge mouth that had emerged from the water and bit down where he'd been standing just moments ago.

  Two rows of sharp teeth firmly clenched. The crystalline sound hinted of strong biting force. Saliva burst out from the teeth gap and showered Chang.

  To propel himself from the monster, he placed one of his booted feet against the teeth so that he was able to make a backflip to jump away from it.

  The huge head retracted. The roaring waves concealed the terror, and the river looked as if nothing had happened.

  "It seems like those who live in the Yellow River generally have a superior body size compared to the land animals."

  The monster that had just attempted to swallow him had a head that was as big as Chang's whole body. Its neck was elongated, resembling a snake. The indistinct shadow below the water hinted that its torso was titanic .

  "Oh yeah. A lot of these beings used to live in the ocean, but they were out-competed and so they migrated to t
he river. We call them Ozean, and it isn't a surprise that they're so large considering their origin."