Rust - Chapter 960



Only Krnovel

Rust [RUST] – Episode 960

Naruzu, who had been saved by Maru’s appearance but had fainted in a heroic(?) manner, opened her eyes to see her sisters gathered in a circle.

“I woke up.”

“I woke up.”

“Oh, I guess you felt good.”

“Did you have a good dream?”

Come to think of it, they’re crazy bitches.

“The roots were firmly established, but you were only looking at your brother! Right? Right? Right?”

Naruz immediately plays the on-site footage to her as she spits out her lion’s breath while jumping up and down on the bed like a spring.

“If we had done that, would you have just stayed still?”

“What the hell are you talking about.”

“Everyone was worried.”

“We were the ones who brought you here as soon as you arrived.”

“What did I say? Look at the nonsense I’m talking about as soon as I wake up.”

No, I was really scared.

“······.”

“I’m going to cry.”

“Are you already crying?”

“Disgusting.”

“Isn’t this the real-life personality showing?”

“Oh- that’s a bit···.”

“Stop it. How’s your arm?”

Now that I think about it, it felt like the arm armor of the core armor was breaking.

‘It was the right arm.’

I raised my right hand and twisted my wrist around, but there was nothing strange about the movement.

“are you okay.”

“Oh, it’s okay.”

“There are no traces of it being cut?”

“As expected, this is the medical technology of the Holy Kingdom.”

“I won’t have to worry about wrinkles when I get older.”

“But do we get wrinkles and age like normal people?”

“Didn’t it just go on like this and then suddenly stop?”

“Wait a minute. Is it cut off? Your arm?”

Looking at my right forearm again, I noticed a slight difference in skin color. Should I say that the color of my wrist below my elbow was lighter than my body?

“The roots had dug in, so my brother cut them off right away.”

“That arm is a newly attached one that was cultured in advance.”

“In times like these, it’s fortunate that we’re clones. We have plenty of spares.”

It was a sacred kingdom that not only created limbs in advance to prepare for limb loss, but also created an abundance of blood, major organs, skin, and other tissues in advance.

“So, if you can avoid instant death, you can survive.”

“It’s the same with instant death, but it’s also the same with infection or contamination.”

“Oh, that’s right. The roots of that thing went straight into your arm and tried to take over your nervous system.”

‧

‧

‧

[It has been confirmed that it has penetrated the nervous system.]

The sparkling eyes that couldn’t be hidden even by dark circles. Na Ju-yeon’s voice was filled with a faint excitement.

[The fact that plants can penetrate the nervous system of animals and stimulate their nerves means that plants can control the movements of animals.]

Najuyeon’s gaze turned to the severed arm in the special container. When she lightly applied electric stimulation to the roots that had dug into Naruzu’s severed arm like a spider web, the severed arm began to move.

[Because it was cut off from the body and the blood flow was cut off, the cell tissue should have been damaged immediately, but a significant amount of it still remains.]

The roots lived using the severed arm as nutrients, and the substances produced by the roots were injected back into the severed arm, creating a cycle that sustained the cells of the arm.

[If not only the roots but also the leaves were intact, it seems like it would have lasted a very long time.]

Maru’s eyes turned cold at Na Ju-yeon’s explanation.

So, the monster plants in Zurich not only eat animals, but they can also take over their nervous systems and use them as their own.

“Are you saying that plants can burrow into animals’ bodies and move?”

[I think it might be possible.]

Na Ju-yeon was slightly excited, saying that if she could figure out the mechanism of this mutant plant, she could make a mark in the medical world.

The term “nervous system” meant that it had the structure and properties to connect nerves. Not only could it act as a replacement nerve for patients who were paralyzed due to nerve abnormalities, but there were also many, many ways to create biological weapons.

[If we only look at the neural encroachment and manipulation abilities, it is possible to create a forced command device that can completely control the encroached life form.]

“Can you control it perfectly?”

[Yes. This is because it directly stimulates the nerves. It makes the body move even if it is not in the mind.]

“It can’t be a natural mutation.”

[Yes. It is the result of human hands. And it is the result of long-term professional research.]

Maru immediately called Ki-sun.

[Hey-]

Ki-sun’s image appeared on one side of the monitor.

“I sent you the materials now, so read them and see if Joseph Jjigae knows anything.”

[You didn’t extract the information while you were in a daze?]

“I picked it. But there are too many blurry parts.”

[Well, that could be possible since it’s not the main body but the dregs. I’ll ask right away.]

Ki-sun was able to read emotions in mental waves. Even without seeing them with her own eyes, she could sense the mental waves that were created when someone was lying.

A moment later, Ki-sun answered right away.

[It is said that there was a group in Zurich that studied plants centered around France, Italy, and Switzerland.]

Because of their nature as a force that gathered to create a new world order, there were various groups. Among them, there was a story that there was a group in Switzerland that wanted to reestablish order through plants.

“A new order centered on plants?”

[Plant-based meat is also part of that category, as are plant-based vaccines.]

“Plant vaccine?”

[Yes. It is a study to make plants such as tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, and potatoes produce their own vaccines so that animals that eat those plants can naturally ingest the vaccines.]

“Crazy. You’re saying you can inoculate yourself by eating? Is that possible?”

[It is possible. If the mRNA is maintained whether it is heated or placed in a digestive fluid, it will be able to penetrate the cell and synthesize the vaccine component on its own.]

Ki-sun chuckled as he thought about what Na Ju-yeon said.

[Ah- Now that I think about it, I just remembered a funny incident. So, it was a lawsuit between a grain company and a farmer. There was a farmer who lived near a cornfield owned by a company that was growing genetically modified corn on a large scale.]

[But corn is a wind-pollinated seed. Since the company’s land is large, the pollen from the genetically modified corn was blown around and hit the corn of farmers who were growing traditional seeds.]

The farmer was struck by lightning. He had signed a contract to grow regular corn, not genetically modified corn, but suddenly genetically modified corn was on the market.

[Don’t you think that once genetically modified plants spread, there’s no answer, regardless of whether they’re safe or not? You knew it all. You knew it and still did it. You knew it and still lobbied and sided with the company. The United States of America, which you miss so much, did that. Hehe.]

There was a different contempt in Ki-sun’s smile than before.

Clearly, it was not pity, but contempt.

“Okay, I understand. If you think of anything else, let me know.”

Ki-sun’s figure disappeared from the monitor.

after-

In Maru’s mind, who had caught his breath, a different scenery, not a cornfield, was floating around. A desolate city in western France.

And then I remembered the slug-like mutants I had encountered there. Monsters covered in slime and with lower bodies that resembled snails.

“If we are talking about natural enemies of plants, can we also call snails natural enemies?”

[Yes? That’s right.]

The snail’s mucus protected the body from bacteria, viruses, and fungi, and blocked the toxins released by plants. In any case, snails that eat plants were clearly natural enemies.

“Was it not a coincidence that there was a slug-shaped monster in France?”

[yes?]

A plant-type monster studied at a Swiss research institute. And France, which knew about the research, must have studied the plant monster’s natural enemies.

‘It probably leaked first in France and then to Zurich, Switzerland.’

As Maru explained his hypothesis, the serious-looking lesser panda nodded its head vigorously.

[It certainly seems like France and Switzerland are related. And···.]

According to Ki-sun, various research using plants was being conducted at the Swiss Botanical Research Institute.

The Holy Kingdom was centered around electronics, machinery, metal, architecture, space, aviation, pharmacy, and medicine. If you include clones and virtual reality, the available operational resources are almost at rock bottom.

[If there were research materials from the Plant Research Institute, it would greatly reduce the time. There might also be materials related to the events that occurred in France.]

Kim Yang’s brow furrowed as he considered burning it to the ground with napalm and small tactical nuclear weapons.

[Wouldn’t it be better to just burn it and start researching it again? From what I’ve seen of the samples, that thing looks like some kind of fucking monster plant.]

[······.]

“······.”

[And that’s what Ki-soon said. About the corn. If the freak plants in Zurich spread their pollen in the wind and contaminate the healthy plants, it’ll become a mess over time. Wouldn’t it be right to burn them all down before that happens?]

Watching movies definitely helps in some way.

Things got a lot bigger as we were working on the sample.

huh.

Na Ju-yeon spoke as if opposing Kim Yang’s claim.

[There will definitely be agricultural technology in the Plant Research Institute’s data. We don’t have much time.]

There would certainly be research on methods of farming in rough terrain, or on plants that can be grown. There might even be research on crops related to Mars.

In keeping with the policy of the Holy Kingdom to expand from the floating city into space, the more research on food the better.

Kim Yang frowned at Na Ju-yeon’s bright-eyed expression, like a lesser panda.

‘Is this bitch crazy? Where the hell did she get her hopes up from…’

Na Ju-yeon’s gaze was directed at the floor.

The eyes and expression were filled with anticipation as to what Maru would do.

‘···Crazy bitch.’

Ms. Kim cursed inwardly.

‧

If it is research data from a research institute that has dug deep into plants to the point of death, and if it is research data from a research institute that collaborates with countries like France and Italy, it will certainly be helpful.

Even if we leave everything else aside, the ability to penetrate the nervous system and control the movements of other organisms was tremendous.

If you can control plants, that means you can indirectly control other organisms that plants control.

The possibilities were endless. If someone had just died, they could be resurrected or brought back to life using plants.

If it were to directly dig into the nerves and move the limbs, whether the intestines were burst or not? This was a monster in another sense.

Maru suddenly thought of the monster in the sinkhole. If the monster that crawled out of the sinkhole was already a dead monster, then this plant was something that made even the dead seem alive.

Not alive, but as if alive.

no.

Anyway, is he still alive?

It was a floor that gave me the urge to burn everything down and uproot everything, just like Kim Yang said.

‘Whew- F*ck.’

Maru took a deep breath and thought carefully again.

After all, he was the king, so it was right for him to make decisions that would benefit the Holy Kingdom.

‘As Kim said, there is a high probability of failure in wiping it out with napalm and tactical nuclear weapons.’

Even if you just look at the behavior of the flower pots in the casino, it was the same.

As if they knew that it was weak to fire, they had various fire extinguishing facilities. Furthermore, the facility clearly showed signs of human intervention.

‘Whether voluntary or forced, we must consider that plants are controlling humans.’

If that’s the case, there must be some hiding in places that can’t be killed with napalm or tactical nukes. Whether it’s to root them out or to find information from the plant research center, I had to go there myself.

‧

[I checked it out after hearing about the French slug monster sample story.]

The slime of the slug monster had various effects. Not only was it resistant to impacts, but it also had basic defenses against various biochemical substances, as well as being corrosion-resistant and indigestible.

In other words, it not only blocks bacteria, viruses, and toxic compounds, but also has resistance to acids.

[Because plants can emit things like pollen and gases, we need equipment for biochemical warfare.]

Electronic devices would go dead when Maru unleashed a garden of death or when black vines would pop up to defend automatically.

So, we had to make countermeasures using the existing methods. A protective suit that even utilized the mucus of French slugs.

“Are you telling me to wear this now?”

[yes.]

“Are you serious?”

[yes.]

A slippery, latex-like suit covered in mucus was spread out.

‧

‧

‧

Shureuk-shureuk-

Every time I walked, the sound of mucus sloshing around my ears grated on my ears.

The fact that not a single drop falls to the ground even though you’re walking this fast suggests that either the viscosity of the mucus is good or that something has been done to the mucus itself.

‘Gyaaaah!’

‘Ahhhhhhhhh!’

It was an outfit that made all of the Naruzu who had been flocking to participate in the operation like Maru cover their eyes with their hands.

‘Those fucking bitches.’

If you cover your eyes with your hands, why are your fingers spread apart?

Maru descended right near the three-domed botanical garden and headed straight to the plant research center located in the basement of the botanical garden.

Bright sunshine.

The temperature was a bit high for late May, but it was still a pleasant day.

“Stop right there!”

[······.]

People appeared from both sides of the road as if they had sprung up from under the ground, blocking Maru’s path.

The faces of the people who had stopped at the floor, wearing latex jumpsuits covered in sticky mucus, were subtly distorted.

“Tsk-”

“hey-”

“Take off your mask-”

People who speak English.

Neither German, French, nor Italian, but English?

And it’s not even a British pronunciation, it’s an American pronunciation.

[Are they mercenaries?]

“Who are you?”

“Take off your gas mask!”

Do you see these?

When Naruzu came as a group, you couldn’t even see his nose.

I came alone, so why are you blocking my way?

[Who am I?]

[He is the King of the Holy Kingdom.]

The expressions of those blocking the way crumpled at the declaration of the latex suit shining with mucus.

.