Chapter 20 Chapter Twenty

It's a wonderful feeling to be free from the protective suit.She couldn't wait to take a shower because she smelled worse than rotten eggs.She had to get freshened up before Murray arrived, and he wanted to know firsthand.But, unfortunately, I have to take a shower later.She would first read the inspection report on Martin Brubeck's blue fibrous root. "Within a few hours, the fibrous root was completely decomposed," Amos said. "They couldn't find the cause of the decay. It was intact when we took the sample before, but the decay somehow exploded." "But they did the test before the fibrous roots rotted, didn't they? This is a report on the fibrous roots, not the rot?"

Amos nodded.He was basking in the excitement of being freed from his hazmat suit, looking like a teenager who had finally shed his virginity. "Of course they got the analysis before the sample rotted. 100% cellulose." "The same tissue composition as the triangular growth." "Indeed. Almost the same. But the growth looks more like a complete fibrous structure—shell, skeleton, components. Most of the growth is cancerous cells." They all took off their protective clothing, because there was really no need for inspection in the face of a black suppurated corpse covered with moldy green hairs.They have done their best within the extremely limited time available.But so far, the mystery has not been solved, and more and more questions continue to surface.And one of them bothered her particularly, and she couldn't figure it out, and that was cellulose.

"This blue fibrous root has the same tissue composition as the triangular growth, which is plant-based cellulose." Margaret said, "We preliminarily judged that the growth looks like a parasite. What about the blue fibrous root?" "I think it's a dying product," Amos said. "Death product?" "I think the blue fibrous roots are parasites that died before they were larvae." "You also divided the growth period of the parasite into stages?" Amos shrugged, "I'm short of words. Let's call the triangular growth the larval stage for the time being, so obviously there is another stage before it grows into a larva. The main component of the growth is cellulose, the fibrous root The ingredient is also cellulose, you think about it.”

It does sound reasonable.Certain cells automatically produce substances that are never used, or, as Amos puts it, the fibrous roots are parasite mutations that make cellulose but cannot actually enter the "larval" growth stage. The word "larvae" also troubled her. "If there is a larval stage," she said, "it must continue to grow into the adult stage." Amos clicked his tongue, "You're an idiot for asking that question, Margaret. Obviously there's an adult stage. Oh, but I don't know what it's like to be an adult stage. I can't care less, though." —I just want a bath before I see Murray Longworth."

Perhaps Amos could reassure him, but not Margaret.Or rather, she couldn't get over her inner fears. If this is really the larval stage, what exactly is the expression of the adult stage?