Chapter 19
349words
Lila placed a neodymium magnet on the infant's chest. The fungal filaments convulsed in the magnetic field. "The fungus has integrated with her nervous system... forcibly removing it would..."
"Use this." Kay handed over the seed bank USB drive. The screen displayed: 【DEEP FREEZE PROTOCOL-LOCALIZED APPLICATION】.
"It could damage her neural pathways permanently." Lila's hands trembled.
Suddenly, commotion erupted outside. Armed men surrounded the tent, weapons trained on Amy. "She's the Mother's offspring! Kill her and cut off the root!"
Kay positioned himself before Amy. The survivors brandished makeshift Molotov cocktails filled with glowing moss extract that sloshed ominously.
"Burn the devil tree!" the leader roared. "Before we all become its fertilizer!"
Amy suddenly walked toward the giant tree. She pressed her palm against its trunk, and the tree's heartbeat accelerated dramatically! Mycelium surged across the ground like a living tide, ensnaring the mob's ankles.
"It's defending itself!" Lila gasped.
Kay lunged toward Amy. "Stop! You're draining your life force!"
The girl's face drained of color, golden threads dancing wildly beneath her skin. She was channeling herself as a conduit between tree and humans.
Amid the chaos, the baby's cries suddenly stopped. Lila looked down—the USB drive had activated, spreading icy blue frost across the infant's chest. Fungal filaments crystallized and shattered, revealing bluish-purple skin beneath.
"Heartbeat stopped!" Lila screamed.
Kay spun and dove toward the infant. He ripped open his shirt, compressed the tiny chest with bare hands, then applied fish scale powder to the baby's nose and mouth. Blue light penetrated the skin as a faint heartbeat stuttered back to life.
Amy collapsed, utterly spent. The giant tree immediately ceased its assault, leaving the survivors frozen in shock.
The leader stared at the baby in Kay's arms, then at the fading moss mark on his own chest. His rifle clattered to the ground.
"What... should we really fear?" he whispered.
Kay lifted Amy and carried her toward the "Ark." The moss armor covering the vehicle shimmered with golden-green luster in the fading light.
"Fear choices," he answered.
