The apocalypse struck, and I became a druid.

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Chapter 171 New Discovery of the Mysterious Fruit

This reward made others around them very envious.

Crystal powder is energy crystals extracted from level 5 monsters.

For ordinary people, it can slightly enhance mental activity, making it an extremely valuable resource.

Studying comfortably in a warm, spring-like classroom, without having to go out, and having access to abundant resources—anyone would envy that.

Among the Awakened, several individuals displayed impressive rune talent and were assigned to different study groups.

Learning resources began to be allocated to gifted individuals, and the goals of the entire research team became clearer.

As for Vice President Zhao, who is clearly more suited to combat and has a head full of muscle, they are no longer forced to learn runes; they focus on leading combat squads.

There are also some more mediocre people who can only learn gradually.

That's how human talent is; sometimes the difference between humans and pigs is even greater.

...

One evening, Han Ning had just finished another round of stimulating the growth of the jade-colored potato field and was about to check on the condition of the ink-fragrant wood.

"Boss, we've made an important discovery regarding that seaweed fruit!"

Professor Ye hurried to find him, his face showing a mixture of excitement and confusion.

"Oh?" Han Ning stopped in his tracks.

He pulled Han Ning toward his makeshift laboratory.

On the workbench, the dark green seaweed fruit lay quietly in the petri dish, the water clearer and more transparent than before.

But Professor Ye was not referring to the water quality, but rather to the fruit itself.

"Look here!"

Professor Ye carefully used tweezers to part the dark green, seaweed-like roots that were still growing slowly at the top of the fruit, revealing a small section of the fruit itself underneath.

The dark green surface was now covered with a thin, almost transparent gelatinous layer, shimmering with a pearly light.

"This is..." Han Ning stared intently at it.

"This is what I tried to simulate when soaking in a situation with excess energy by mixing some energy stone powder with diluted seawater."

Professor Ye speaks very quickly.

"At first I was just curious about its reaction to energy, but a few hours later this gel appeared. I tested it, and it's very peculiar!"

He picked up a thin metal needle and gently poked at the gelatinous layer.

"In the air, it is soft and elastic, like... well, high-grade silicone."

Then, he carefully dripped a drop of ordinary seawater onto it.

The moment that drop of seawater came into contact with the gelatinous substance, the originally soft gelatinous layer hardened at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The probe was then inserted again, producing a soft "thump-thump" sound.

"Not only that!" Professor Ye picked up another thin slice, its edges sharpened, made from the scales of the black serpent monster.

"I tested its strength."

He used the scales to forcefully scratch the hardened gelatinous surface.

Tsk~

A faint white mark appeared, but the gelatinous layer was not cut open.

"The defensive capabilities are impressive, far exceeding ordinary leather, and even approaching some alloys! Moreover..." Professor Ye pointed to the white marks...

"Once it is removed from the water source for a few minutes, the hardening effect will subside, the adhesive will soften again, and the scratch will gradually disappear through its slow self-repair process."

"Moreover, they are not affected by high water pressure, which makes them seem like a very suitable pressure-resistant material for making diving suits and the like..."

"If we can sort out this kind of adhesive tape and attach it to ordinary clothing, then our Awakened Ones' underwater combat capabilities may be greatly enhanced."

"At that time, some awakened individuals who are not water-based will no longer have to stay on the shore and be afraid to go into the water to fight."

"Then why didn't I see them using this property of the fruit when I encountered those fishmen?" Han Ning wondered.

Professor Ye speculated, "It's possible that those fish-men were relatively weak back then and couldn't reach the energy threshold for extracting the gelatinous substance..."

"Looking back now, it seems that when you killed their leader, not even an energy crystal was generated."

"It seems so... Professor Ye, well done."

Han Ning's eyes gleamed, and he didn't hold back his praise.

"Then please optimize the soaking environment formula again to find the ratio of energy stone and seawater salinity that maximizes production and achieves the best gel quality."

"Then we need to develop methods for peeling and collecting the gelatinous layer, and conduct more experiments to see if we can continue to obtain it without damaging the fruit. I need the most detailed data."

"Finally, regarding the breeding of this mysterious fruit, do you have any progress?"

Professor Ye shook his head: "I haven't found a way to propagate it yet. I've tried looking for a seed-like structure, or directly transplanting some of the fruit pulp or seaweed, but all of them have failed."

"It may have a unique way of breeding, which I currently speculate may require an environment with sufficient energy and exceptionally clean water for them."

"I'm currently conducting this experiment, but it requires a special cultivation environment."

"In addition, I have personally tasted it, and this feather fruit can purify seawater. The purified freshwater does not have the smell of the Kuroshio Current, and it seems to have no other side effects."

"Oh... Feather Fruit is the name I gave this fruit."

“I think we can dig a reservoir specifically for the pure water purified by the ornamental fruit to irrigate the vegetation or to cultivate them.”

Professor Ye suggested.

“We can give it a try. This can be done immediately, and I happen to have some free time right now.” Han Ning nodded.

He has always been very supportive of Professor Ye's scientific research.

Just do it.

……

After a while.

Han Ning and Professor Ye stood side by side at the edge of two newly dug water pits, the walls of which had been hardened by the soil elements manipulated by Xuebing.

"This is it." Han Ning pointed to the slightly larger pool on the left.

"The seawater that is brought in is stored here first to be purified by seaweed. The pool on the right is used to store the purified fresh water."

"Then, I'll leave it to you."

Han Ning turned his head and spoke to the several water-element awakened individuals who were waiting on one side.

“Leave it to us.” Ah Long patted his chest and exchanged a few words with his companion.

He was the first to run to the ravine below the cave, and reached out with both hands to grasp the rapidly flowing floodwaters below.

Wow~

The water surface rippled.

A water column about the size of a palm was sucked up from the water surface, forming a long stream that spanned tens of meters.

Then, a water-element awakened being standing a dozen meters away from him took the water.

And so, one person after another acted as a pump, forcibly diverting the water into the pool.

Gradually, the turbid floodwaters, carrying foam and fine impurities, poured into the reservoir on the left.

The water level rose rapidly.

"The pool is almost full," Professor Ye said, staring at the water.

The pool was quickly filled with murky floodwater, with impurities flowing everywhere.

Han Ning walked to the edge of the pool, his body twisting and expanding, transforming into a molten gold war tiger.

A huge tiger claw plunged into the water, its palm glowing with a golden light that flickered.

hum~

An invisible shockwave swept across the entire pool, causing the water to churn violently and fine bubbles to rise.

All the insect eggs and microorganisms invisible to the naked eye were instantly killed by the shock.

"The purification can begin now." Han Ning reverted to human form.

Chapter 172 Multifaceted Success

Although it killed some microorganisms in the water.

However, there are still many impurities.

For example, excrement, slime, fallen sand and gravel, dust, decaying matter, etc.

Professor Ye picked up the dark green feather fruit and threw it into the murky pool water.

The moment the fruit touches the water, the seaweed-like roots at the top stretch out slightly, releasing a faint suction force.

Centered around the feather fruit, the brownish pool water seemed to be stirred by an invisible hand, and the turbid mud and suspended matter were attracted by a magnet, sinking and adhering to the dark green seaweed roots.

The surface of the roots secretes a viscous, gelatinous substance that quickly coats up impurities, forming tiny sedimentary water clumps.

Meanwhile, the seaweed-like roots at the top of the fruit grew faster due to the stimulation of the water.

Some tiny, translucent spore-like particles silently detached from the ends of the roots and slowly sank to the bottom of the pool.

Once these spores come into contact with the energy-rich silt at the bottom of the pool, they are like seeds falling into fertile soil, sprouting even smaller new roots, firmly grasping the silt, and beginning to absorb nutrients.

Professor Ye maintained a calm and composed expression, as if he had everything under control, and said:

"Like algae, it excretes reproductive bodies."

"It seems that the environment I provided was not dirty enough. It turns out that the dirtier the environment, the more it can stimulate its purification ability."

As the feather fruit continued to purify the water, the pool water stratified at a clearly visible rate.

The water above gradually became clear and transparent, while the sediment below was firmly wrapped and fixed by seaweed.